Are You Over-Drying Your Tobacco?

[rmbittner]

You can’t spend 30 minutes reading threads here without being advised to “dry your tobacco.” The need for this necessarily will vary from blend to blend, based on how it was tinned. But I get the impression that a number of forum members dry their blends as a matter of course, regardless of the blend. They simply prefer drier—even “crunchy”—tobacco.

Sure, the drier it is, the easier it will burn. But it seems that folks might be robbing themselves of flavor for the sake of “dry.”

In a recent PMRS, Jeremy Reeves mentioned drying tobacco during a conversation about something else, and he mentioned drying for 5-10 minutes and how flavors can disappear from a blend that is no longer at its optimal humidity.

Confession: There is no blend that I dry as a matter of course. And I only rarely run across blends that require drying at all; when they do, it’s a matter of minutes…not hours or days.

 

[NomadOrb]

I usually don't dry, more because I'm lazy and don't like to fuss with my tobacco.

Samuel Gawith flakes get the microwave, 5-10 minutes do nothing. Hell, I've left tins unsealed for weeks and SG flakes are still damp.

 

[archerdarkpint]

Truly a personal preference and results may vary for others. Dry, dry, and dry. I'll enjoy something that was dry a year ago, now absolutely parched, wizened, and crisp.

 

[Chasing Embers]

But it seems that folks might be robbing themselves of flavor for the sake of “dry.”

The same could be said of flavor overly diluted by moisture.

 

[rmbittner]

Truly a personal preference and results may vary for others. Dry, dry, and dry. I'll enjoy something that was dry a year ago, now absolutely parched, wizened, and crisp.

I hope, though, that you’re comparing that crisp version with how it was intended to be smoked, so you understand what you’re gaining or losing in terms of flavor by smoking it in such a dehydrated state.

 

[rmbittner]

A

The same could be said of flavor overly diluted by moisture.

Absolutely. But that’s why experience with each individual blend seems to me to be essential.

 

[Piping Abe]

If it doesn’t stay lit easily, it’s just not an enjoyable smoke. I do not mind relights, but after a while the constant drawing of the heat of the flame will burn your tongue or mouth.

 

[archerdarkpint]

I hope, though, that you’re comparing that crisp version with how it was intended to be smoked, so you understand what you’re gaining or losing in terms of flavor by smoking it in such a dehydrated state.

I've been down the wet, moist, semi-humid, partially clammy, barely damp paths, and all ranges of humidity in between. For me, I like the mostly dry or most certainly dry, preparation best. 20+ years of personal experience and much trial and error has influenced my preference. No kidding...yesterday sampled some Capstan from a tin opened on 04 Oct 2020. I smoked it when the tin was newly opened and as of yesterday...it still tastes like Capstan.

 

[Davy]

There's dry, and there's dry. The opposite applies as well.
From my personal experience, tobacco on the drier side yields the best flavors because the burning rate is better and the pipe does not tend to become hot.
When the tobacco is too moist, or on the moist side, it is a ruining experience, for me. If I have to increase my puffing cadence and intensity to avoid multiple relights, or just keep the tobacco lit, the enjoyment goes out the window and the tobacco starts tasting awful.

 

[Davy]

And, for some brands, one has no choice but to let the tobacco dry extensively because 5 or 10 minutes will never, ever cut it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think it depends on how you smoke. If you hold your pipe and take longer sips from the pipe, with longer breaks between sips, you might be able to smoke a wetter tobacco. But, for me, clenching a pipe and passively smoking, I need my tobacco drier.
I get more flavor, not less from crunchy dry tobaccos.

I guess it also depends on whether you want to taste more casing and topping than tobacco also. I’d rather not taste any casing, but unfortunately commercial pipe tobacco blenders feel the need to piss that shit on everything they make, I guess making us all feel like the blender did something miraculous, adding the “touch” of the blender, do to speak. But, by drying, I still taste that casing, but it takes a backseat to why I came to the party, which is to dance with the tobacco, nit the blender’s added odor of the day.

I love growing and blending my own, so that I can make sure that I get pure tobacco flavors, but all we have commercially available is blender ego piss. C&D at least makes sure that their casings are very light handed. It is at least a little better than the rest.

But, of course a new smoker should experiment with dryness, to find their own sweet spot and smoking style.

 

[kg.legat0]

I mostly smoke Va/VaPer/VaOr, etc. blends - for these, dryer is almost always better. I am even more of a believer in this after discovering Drexel VIII - drier than the desert, burns perfectly and has tons of great flavor. But, of course, and especially in regards to pipe smoking: to each their own!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Usually the advice to dry tobacco comes on top of a question that indicates the blend is too wet.

The only real gauge of moisture content is an instrument, which nobody seems to use.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Also, the forum represents a very small niche of pipe smokers in general. At pipe shops many tobacconists will suggest keeping tobacco moist, showing patrons the sticky pinch test… which also, BTW, shows patrons how careful they are keeping their blends moist in storage.

I harken my pipesmoking back to the days of local made twists and plugs sold and cut by the grocer at the General Store, with men all clenching pipes while playing dominoes on barrel heads on the porch. The days before fancy pouches and tins. Smoldering pipes of farmers and lawmen keeping pipes lit all day as they keep a pipe chocked in clench. Not, fancy pipe holders with pinky fingers dangling. But, I digress, for levity.

 

[didimauw]

Why, yes. Yes i am. Thanks for asking!

 

[bullet08]

Over drying does take away some flavor. And after awhile, it can actually be harsh. You have to find your optimal point. I prefer most blends right before turning crisp. But something like OTC, I don't dry them at all. It's not one size fits all. But the reason why we say to dry all the time is more for the beginners. We can say dry all the time, but most new folks will leaveto tobacco out for 5 min and say it's done. Dry tobacco smokes easier and leaves less dottles and moisture at the bottom. Once beginners learn to smoke with less pain and frustration, they can experiment with dryness of their tobacco.

 

[sjohnston0311]

I've gotten a lot more enjoyment out of straight virginias (in terms of flavor and tongue bite) since I started letting them dry out a bit, but again it depends on the blend. Capstan seems to be ready to smoke right out of the tin, whereas the Gawith blends are soaking wet and need significant drying time (in my opinion; I know some prefer not to). I can see how overdrying aromatics might allow much of the added flavoring to dissipate, however.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I mostly smoke flake. I dry all of it, tastes better, burns better and doesn't expand when it gets hot.

 

[sablebrush52]

You can’t spend 30 minutes reading threads here without being advised to “dry your tobacco.” The need for this necessarily will vary from blend to blend, based on how it was tinned. But I get the impression that a number of forum members dry their blends as a matter of course, regardless of the blend. They simply prefer drier—even “crunchy”—tobacco.

Sure, the drier it is, the easier it will burn. But it seems that folks might be robbing themselves of flavor for the sake of “dry.”

In a recent PMRS, Jeremy Reeves mentioned drying tobacco during a conversation about something else, and he mentioned drying for 5-10 minutes and how flavors can disappear from a blend that is no longer at its optimal humidity.

Confession: There is no blend that I dry as a matter of course. And I only rarely run across blends that require drying at all; when they do, it’s a matter of minutes…not hours or days.

Since my only reason for smoking is for flavor, and I'm primarily a Virginia smoker, I tend to dry down most of the tobaccos I smoke to bring out the most flavors and nuances in that blend. Every new blend gets smoked at different stages of dryness to see where its sweet spot is, and that dictates how it's treated when I'm going to smoke it. It's not about an absolute time duration like "10 minutes", which is horseshit because it fails to take in environmental humidity, temperature, moisture content in the blend, etc, etc. It IS about the moisture content in the blend, which you can feel with your fingers if you're done this a bunch of times, as I have, or use a hydrometer, which is what some members here do. What moisture content gives me the most flavors, is what I go for. And again, I experiment with blends to find that.

Can one over dry tobaccos? Hell yes, and while they will still retain flavors, they will also lose flavors. For most straight Virginias that I smoke the sweet spot is just SHY of bone dry. There's got to be some moisture to carry the flavors. Some blends are better with a little more moisture than that. But almost all of them are tinned with excess moisture that masks flavors.

Some blenders, like Russ Oullette, tin at what they think is the optimum moisture for smoking and I haven't found it necessary to dry many Hearth & Home blends at all. Some MacBaren blends are perfect out of the tin, like Doblone d'Oro, but for me, not all of them. Daughters and Ryan blends have always been packaged dry, which is how Mark Ryan thought them at their best. It cracks me up when some shocked purchaser thinks they need to be rehydrated. And British made blends have significant amounts of moisture, in part to keep them from drying out in the tin before smoking, in part because the water is part of the maturing process, from what statements occasionally get published.

And it's entirely possible that some people with super sensitive palettes will pick up flavors in any level of moisture while others will never pick up many flavors regardless of moisture. People's sense of taste and smell varies and is not equal.

All in all, I do what provides me the most satisfying flavors. Period.

YMMV and that's perfect.

 

[jndyer]

Some very good points made here. I have found what works best for me in regards to the blends that I smoke. It was an interesting journey and took years for me to master. I am thankful that I have found what works for me.

If someone asks your my opinion, all you can do it tell them what works best from your perspective. It is a good reminder that when we give advice we should also emphasis to new pipe smokers to experiment to find out what works best for them.