Sutliff Molto Dolce Help Needed!

fitzy · Sep 17, 2013

Ok so I picked up a tin of Molto Dolce about 2 months ago. The flavor is amazing as is the aroma however it sizzles when you try to light it and is extremely hard to get lit.
I dumped the can out on a sheet of paper and spread it out. After 1 night the sheet of paper was completely brown. I changed the paper and left it out for 3 or 4 days changing the paper each day. It never had gotten any dryer.
I know from listening to the radio show here that they dip their Molto Dolce. Is this why it's so damp?
Is it just my tin or has anyone else had this problem? I love the stuff and I'd love to buy a bunch more tins but the way my tin is it's almost unsmokable. I've never had any other tobacco sizzle like that when lighting.

pylorns · Sep 17, 2013

I thought the same thing, I opened it up and it was super wet - you put your fingers in it and they come out covered brown oily goodness. It actually only took a couple lights to get it lit and once it was lit it mostly stayed lit - maybe 2-3 relights throughout the whole bowl.
When I first got it, I couldn't wait I just packed it right in and smoked it- that did take a bit longer. What I have done since then is taken a piece of paper and laid it out in front of my window unit (I smoke out in my climate controlled workshop/mancave). That peice of paper has stains from the dip/casing of the tobacco BUT after leaving it out like that for a day or so - it was much easier to light and smoke - but you will notice less of a flavor.

numbersix · Sep 17, 2013

Is it just my tin or has anyone else had this problem?

Funny you should ask - we must be on the same wavelength because I had these exact thoughts running through my head yesterday. I can get it to light, but it doesn't burn well.
I have had the stuff sitting out for a week and it has shown no signs of getting drier! Personally, I don't really love this tobacco in the first place, but I might if it ever dried out enough to smoke it.
Someone suggested taking a tobacco that's difficult to dry and placing it in an oven at a low temp (I think they suggested 220 deg) - not sure for how long. I may give that a try.

fitzy · Sep 17, 2013

Ha that's funny. I too was thinking of throwing it in the oven. I think it was our Cajun friend on here that told us about that technique. :D

kyriefurro · Sep 17, 2013

Glad I'm not the only one having issues with this stuff.
One thing I've done on certain extra moist blends is to transfer them to wide mouth half-pint mason jars. I leave it packed pretty loosely so it usually takes more than one jar. I leave the jars open for anywhere from 12 hours to several days - like everyone else does, I'm sure - but I also make a point of stirring the content every few hours to try to even out the moisture content. Otherwise I end up with crispy baccy on top and mush on the bottom.

brdavidson · Sep 17, 2013

I've tried the microwave before and didn't like the results, the moisture didn't seem to evaporate the same. I usually put a bowlful of whatever blend I'm about to smoke in my little tray I use and place it on top of the toaster and push down the lever. I put it on a med toast and then let it cool off before I load, that usually works well and is rather quick.

phred · Sep 17, 2013

Didn't someone suggest a desk lamp? If it's an incandescent or halogen bulb, the heat should be enough to help (it works for EZ-Bake ovens, after all...).
LED or CFL, not so much.

bullbriar · Sep 17, 2013

For really damp tobaccos, or when it is really humid, I've started using the microwave with great results. I do it a bit differently, than most. I line a small bowl with a coffee filter, dump in one pipe of tobacco, and micro for between 7-15 seconds. Let it cool for a couple minutes ( the moisture will evaporate the whole time), and your done! Works great, even on MD!

Good luck.

zekest · Sep 17, 2013

If you dry it out it will loose most of the flavor.
It smokes perfectly fine straight from the can; I smoke it all the time.
When you first light it (charring light 1 and charring light 2)it pops and sizzles, its all the sugars.
The True Light and the it smokes down to a fine white ash.
Maybe you need to work on your packing technique?
~Zeke

fitzy · Sep 18, 2013

Zeke it's not my packing technique. I've never had a tobacco in my life time that after 4 days of being laid out on a sheet of paper still fails the pinch test.
Heck in the almost 30 years of pipe smoking all kinds of tobacco's including lots of aromatics this is the first time I've had one that sizzles and pops when you light it. That tells me that the tobacco is way way way too moist. What's popping and sizzling is the casing sauce.
What Paul Creasy is doing for the pipe community is amazing. I want to support Sutliff tobacco but I'll have to do it by buying their other tobacco products. Just not Molto Dolce.

sean81 · Sep 18, 2013

I'm new to the pipe smoking hobby, and Molto Dolce was my first and continues to be my favorite blend from Sutliff. What I have found is very similar to Zeke. I light my bowl (sizzle...pop...sizzle) then tamp the tobac down to an even layer, then light agian. This time lighting longer and letting the top layer get hot. After that, I may have to relight after 20 or 30 minutes of quality smoking but it's not something that bothers me. Fitz, do you use a lighter or matches when you light a bowl? I use a lighter, and that may be why its eaiser (more constant application of heat).

fitzy · Sep 18, 2013

I generally use only matches. I'll have to give a lighter a go.

rigmedic1 · Sep 18, 2013

I find it a little too sweet and cloying, so I mix if 50/50 with McClelland 5100 Red cake. The Molto Dulce room note and flavor comes through, not quite as cloying, and the burn problem is solved.

fitzy · Sep 18, 2013

That's BRILLIANT. I never though of that and I love 5100.

sean81 · Sep 18, 2013

Also, if it turns out you don't have the patients for the Molto Dolce, you might try Lane 1Q. Similar vlavor profile as the Molto Dolce, but not quite as sweet, and the room note is a little muted in comparason. Still, a very good tobacco tho. PipesandCigars.com has it for $2.50/ounce or less (depending on order size). Another good aro from Sutliff is the Tobac Noir (not nearly as moist as the Molto). It is a very dark tobacco, with a dark but sweet flavor and an elegant finish. The room note is very pleasing (much like the Molto).

fitzy · Sep 18, 2013

Sean I like 1Q I've got a bit of it at home. I'll have to give Tobac Noir a shot. Sounds dynamite.
Thanks everyone.

pylorns · Sep 18, 2013

Hell, mix a little dry 1Q with the molto dulce.

sean81 · Sep 18, 2013

While trying the Tobac Noir, I suggest a good bourbon (Woodford Reserve, maybe). They pair very well.

shaintiques · Sep 18, 2013

Molto is tasty stuff and yes wet. You know what you do with a wet tobacco? You light it, when it goes out you light it again. It isn't like you don't have to relight Virginias or any other tobacco. it happens, you get to talking or get distracted and it goes out, so you relight it.

numbersix · Sep 18, 2013

I find it a little too sweet and cloying

+1

Heck in the almost 30 years of pipe smoking all kinds of tobacco's including lots of aromatics this is the first time I've had one that sizzles and pops when you light it.

+1
After the tobacco being out for about 7 days, I felt it had dried a little (maybe by 10%) so I loaded it up in one of my better pipes.
Too sweet, too cloying as rigmedic mentioned. After just a few puffs I realized I made a mistake. I wound up dumping the bowl and even went so far to wipe the bowl several times with a paper towel (it was still that wet!)
I think my next step is the oven or mwave and cutting it with another tobacco. Who knows? Maybe then it will offer a decent smoke.

Sutliff Molto Dolce Help Needed!

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