Can Tobacco Ever Be Too Dry?

[oldguyoldpipes]

I forgot about a tin of Squadron Leader that I recently found. I had marked the tin that I had opened it 04.02.2019. One year old. When I opened it again, it felt seriously dried out. Smoked it in a new Peterson and it smoked fine. I usually transfer my opened tins to sealed Ball/Mason jars and they never seem to get this dried out. Once you open a tin, can it just be kept in the tin for a few years ? I have found that when I let my tobacco dry out some, it smokes better. I am not a fan of moist tobacco.

 

[workman]

I think tobacco can become too dry, but it has never happened to me. Like you, I transfer tobacco to jars, unless if I know I'll smoke it within a couple of months, then I'll just keep it in the tin.
I guess it matters where you live.

 

[oldguyoldpipes]

I think tobacco can become too dry, but it has never happened to me. Like you, I transfer tobacco to jars, unless if I know I'll smoke it within a couple of months, then I'll just keep it in the tin.
I guess it matters where you live.

This tin was actually stored inside my house away from sunlight or any vents so not as much temperature varience as the tobacco I keep stored in my garage. I figured if the varience in temperature works for aging whiskey, maybe it does the same for tobacco. That's just wishful thinking on my part. Who knows?

 

[Chasing Embers]

I forgot about a tin of Squadron Leader that I recently found. I had marked the tin that I had opened it 04.02.2019. One year old. When I opened it again, it felt seriously dried out. Smoked it in a new Peterson and it smoked fine. I usually transfer my opened tins to sealed Ball/Mason jars and they never seem to get this dried out. Once you open a tin, can it just be kept in the tin for a few years ? I have found that when I let my tobacco dry out some, it smokes better. I am not a fan of moist tobacco.

I like dry tobacco too. The leaves hang for months before bought and processed, but once processed and left dry for too long, it does loose some of its flavor. That being said, I have a tin of Marlin Flake I opened four years ago, forgot about it, recently found it, and it's still quite pliant and very smokable.

 

[BarrelProof]

This tin was actually stored inside my house away from sunlight or any vents so not as much temperature varience as the tobacco I keep stored in my garage. I figured if the varience in temperature works for aging whiskey, maybe it does the same for tobacco. That's just wishful thinking on my part. Who knows?

It works for whiskey because the temperature change causes the whiskey to go in and out of the charred oak staves that make the barrel, giving it the color and flavor we love. I don’t think that’s going to happen to tobacco leaves in a tin can.

As for being too dry? I have no idea. Nowhere near enough experience.

 

[Casual]

Decades ago, when I smoked cigarettes, I found that I got a slight headache from stale tobacco. If I dry out Virginia pipe tobacco too much, I find I get the same effect.

 

[mikestanley]

I don’t know if it can be “too dry” but it can be dry too long. Once all those wonderful essential oils are gone, the blend has to be handled differently to get any flavor out of it. I prescribe to Rich Esserman’s method of mixing it with something fresh.

Mike S.

 

[trouttimes]

For me, if it gets too dry (very subjective ) it burns too fast.

 

[BROBS]

I like it very dry but not to the point it crumbles into dust.

did you say you store your tobacco in the garage? That’s probably not a great idea.

 

[brooklynpiper]

I wonder whether it's actually the oils in the tobacco that dry out or if it's the casing, but there's a point when a blend becomes unenjoyable for me. Compared to the vocal crowd on the forum, I prefer a wetter tobacco.

 

[seanv]

If a ribbon cut gets crumbly dry I find that packing it is a pain in the ass and I usually end up either packing too tight or way too loose. Flakes and coins, unless it is turning to dust, it is not too dry

 

[didimauw]

No in my experience, it can never be too dry. I like it crunchy!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Too dry possible? Absolutely. Too bad no one has comparisons we can understand.

Below 45% RH @ 70º it starts to get dicey, but quite smokable. At that level or below for some time, dust happens. YMMV

 

[dcon]

The answer to this is a simple yes. If you have ever dealt with old (ie 30+ yr old) tobacco, you would realize that a conversion to dust is distinctly possible. Dust does not make a good smoke. Most things in life have a too limit.

 

[jeff540]

Some of my favorite Esoterica blends have a very optimal moisture level for best taste. Almost crunchy but with a little "stickiness" for lack of a better description. Too moist and they steam, too dry and there's some magic lost. These are the Virginia based blends, such as Brighton, Dunbar, Scarborough, etc.

 

[mso489]

I think tobacco can get pretty dry and remain completely smokeable, and in some cases better than if it had been maintained as moist as it came new. That's not to say tobacco can't dry out and get powdery and lose its flavor. The old square rigger sailors didn't have many pleasures, and tobacco was one of the few, and they kept their tobacco mostly in cloth bags with a draw string. There may have been some humidity at sea below decks, but cloth bags aren't sealed jars. I have kept small quantities like samples in ziplock bags, and some tobacco in the tubs it arrived in, and while none of this is recommended, often the tobacco stays tasty, smokeable.

 

[Tommy Boy]

I have left a tin open and forgot about it in my camper. It was open for 3 weeks. I found it when we were getting ready for our next trip. It was still "good" but it did seem to loose some flavor and burned faster to me. Left an areo tin open for a few days and it lost most of its flavor but smoked cooler. Just didnt taste or smell like it should have. For me yes it can be too dry.

 

[briarbuck]

Shitdust

 

[mau1]

I will say that if you are going to leave the tobacco in an opened tin for a long time, the shape of the tin matters IMO. The rectangular tins seem to have a poorer seal than the round tins.

 

[peregrinus]

I prefer tobacco dry, probably dryer than many people, so no, it can’t be too dry for me. That is, as long as you can still load the pipe without it crumbling to dust.
Also, with extra dry tobacco, I find that the moisture generated from combustion begins to rehydrate the tobacco below, at least if your cadence is moderate and give it a chance to absorb. Particularly true in a stack or deeper chamber pipe.