Aging Blends: Jars vs Tins

[erhardt85]

For most of my European-style tins like those used for the Dunhill blends I tend to keep four or five tins aging in a jar and if I have more I'll leave those in the tin. For C&D style tins I leave them in the tin since they have a nice bit of air inside.
I've only been smoking a pipe for a few years so I guess I'm curious how other people's experiences with aging in a jar vs tin have gone. How much does the taste of a Dunhill blend vary when aged in a tin for five years vs jar for five years. Is one better than the other? I know the answer for myself in short term but not long-term. I'm interested in seeing what people have to say about this topic as I know there are too many variables to recreate precise results in some cases.

 

[mikethompson]

This has been covered a few times, and you will see responses all over the map. I prefer to keep mine in the tins just for ease of storage. Once I pop a tin, into a jar it goes. I smoke fairly infrequently, and jarring prevents the tobacco from drying out.

 

[erhardt85]

True. I probably read all of them by now. I guess I wasted a spot for a thread because the chance of getting new info is unlikely. I'm currently running an experiment with Elizabethan in pint jars. One 50g tin in a pint jar vs two tins. After 9 months clearly the single tins tobacco is darker due to the extra oxygen. I'll see what the flavor difference is after a year I guess. I have several bit jars of Old Dark Fired RR that are pretty much filled to the brim. I usually try to follow what Pease says and try to keep 50g-2oz. In a half pint jar generally speaking.

 

[madox07]

mikethompson I'm you. Keep them in tins - the factory seal is the best for keeping the air out. Once the tin has been opened, I jar. Unless the tin is so old that for various reasons the seal popped, or if you stored it in moist or otherwise extreme conditions, so that the metal corrodes or anything, the sealed tin is the best way to preserve and age tobacco over extended periods if time.

 

[sparroa]

I used to keep everything in the original tin but my thinking has evolved after making observations over the last 8 years or so.
Round STG style tins? They are definitely good for a decade or more under proper storage conditions.
Square tins? Jar them within a year or two, although they might last considerably longer.
Anything by Germain especially those rectangular tins from years ago? Jar them, stat. Seals are terrible and they have a penchant to rust very badly...
Heavy duty bags? Jar them if you intend to keep it longer than a year or two. They might last way longer but that is not a chance I would take.
100g Solani tins? They aren't sealed - jar them immediately.
Paint can tins like Peter Heinrichs? Probably jar them for the long haul but they can last 5 years or more without issues. I don't think they have a great seal but I have smoked Dark Strong Flake after this length of time and it is perfectly fine albeit there may have been some moisture loss.
Vinegar preserved blends like St. Bruno or Old Dark Fired? Jar them within a few years or risk excessive rusting inside the tin. MacBaren acknowledges that they will rust but they say it has no effect on the tobacco. To a point, this is true with regards to superficial surface rust, but after corrosion takes over and compromises the tin you are looking at worthless dust. And I personally don't want to inhale any more metal particles than I already have from workplaces over the years...
American tobacco cans a'la McClelland or C&D? Pretty good in my experience but anything can fail if you wait long enough. I trust glass jars more than them but I have seen some stuff aged for a long time in these cans without issues.
Those Rattray's tins which are basically reinforced cardboard? Again, not ideal - possibly a good candidate for glass. One reason to open them is that they are usually 100g so two small glass jars are a better storage option for better security and portion control.

 

[npod]

^^^ great advise above boys and girls^^^
Copy and paste these notes from Simenon. He has done the research for you and I concur with all of it.

 

[64alex]

I really prefer to keep the baccy in the tins. As insurance against loss of seal I run aluminum tape around the lid so I should be protected from a loss of seal.

 

[erhardt85]

I agree also. I do keep a lot in jars though. I have a weird system. For a lot of blends I keep a couple ounces in a jar. For STG blends I like I keep a couple pint sized jars full and tin the rest. In my mind they thrive more in a jar than their tin. When I first started r I popped all my c&d style tins but now I keep them intact.

 

[mso489]

Tins. Don't reinvent the wheel. Even when I open a tin, if I'm putting a blend in rotation, I will usually use the tin. Only if it's going on the shelf for a good while will I jar it. This is not "best practices," but it is straightforward/practical.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Vinegar preserved blends like St. Bruno or Old Dark Fired? Jar them within a few years or risk excessive rusting inside the tin."
I haven't seen St. Bruno in a tin for years, only in the foil covered plastic tray inserted into a regular pouch.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[bluto]

Ok , I'm lost
Those old tins found in the back of the shop hidden under musty old penthouse magazines and aged tins selling on greed bay , are they intact .?
If the guy jarred his tobacco , it's not going to fetch the price original sealed tins get ..

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If the guy jarred his tobacco , it's not going to fetch the price original sealed tins get ..

It would be a cold cold cold day in hell before I exchanged any money for a "jar" of tobacco. That's just asking for scam.

That said, I think most of this is all about saving tobaccos for personal use. If someone is wanting to flip the tobacco, they would just leave it in the tin, regardless.
Just because some rectangle tins have lost their seal doesn't mean they all will. I've participated in buys of many different types of aged tins, and I haven't been burned yet. But, I understand that some have been, and if so, I would imagine that you wouldn't ever trust that type of tin again.

 

[bluto]

My garage today is at a nice even 50 percent RH and is a cool , dry place . I'm guessing my tins will hold up perfectly , left undisturbed .
Would temp fluctuations and high humidity cause rust and weakened seal issues .?

 

[cigrmaster]

Would temp fluctuations and high humidity cause rust and weakened seal issues .?

I believe large fluctuations in temp and humidity can be a cause for tins to fail. I never take tobacco out of their original tin and the only tins I ever had trouble with were the 2000-2002 GL Pease tins. Not a one of my rectangle, square or round tins has ever failed on me. My temp and humidity is a constant year round.

 

[bluto]

Ok , so can we roughly correlate tin issues with the location of people having them.
Not a comprehensive study , just suggesting in general , warmer humid places might be more susceptible .?

 

[erhardt85]

I don't understand why you would trust someone with a tin over a jar in an aftermarket setting. Either way you can be lied to. I've been involved in many buys, sells, and trades and I've never been burned. I usually keep it relatively low value though. Under 200 dollars.