Does Dry Tobacco Impact Taste?

[johnparker]

I have Frog Morton (regular) and thoroughly enjoy the rich, sweet taste. I was gifted a sample of Frog Morton in the Cellar, and was truly looking forward to the great smoke that most seem to experience from it. This sample was drier than my regular Frog Morton, and the smoke was disappointing. It was weak and tasted vaguely only of the flavor of the bourbon that is suppose to be in it. Before I make the decision to give up on FMC, thought I would ask if there is the possibility that dryness somehow effected the taste. I know this is somewhat similar to an earlier question on tobacco dryness, but am really interested in the aspect of taste. Thanks!

 

[dragonslayer]

It's really a question of how long and how dry. If it's dry to the point of stale then trash it. Don't waste your smoking time and enjoyment. You can re-hydrate with hydration coins or other means to get it moist again but there's no guarantee the flavor will return. If you choose to try and save it, hit it with a char light and if you don't taste a good hit of Latakia, dump it and get another tin. It's good practice to check your rotation even if it's a couple tins. Buy some hydration system, there are many options...A humidor is not one. Keep an eye on your tobacco, know how moist it should always be kept. I have at least 15+ tins in my rotation, 5 main ones and the other 10+ or so I check every few days. It's more important to have each bowl I take the time to smoke, be the best it can be, and not about the money.
Craig

 

[wilson]

As tobacco dries, it loses moisture (water) and some of the volatile components that make up the flavor and aroma of the tobacco also evaporate. So, yes, if the tobacco has dried the flavor may have changed. The temperature of the tobacco while smoking can also affect the flavor. Dry tobacco will, generally, smoke hotter. Some re-hydration may help a little, but it won't be what it once was: the volatile flavor and aroma components are gone forever.

 

[petes03]

My question is, did it come that way? I've had several tins of FM Cellar, and to date, they've all came a little on the moist side. If yours came bone dry, then I'd say you got a bad tin. I actually prefer Cellar a little moist, and I usually smoke it straight from the tin. To answer your question, yes, moisture content does have an influence on taste, but it's up to you to decide what moisture level is right for you. Hope this helps!
Dan

 

[puffy]

I've been told that as tobacco dries to a certain point it looses oils that contain flavor.When you re-hydrate you're just adding water which doesn't add the flavor back.If this is true then tobacco can dry to the point that it loses some taste.I honestly don't if this happens or not.

 

[billypm]

Agree with most of the above. Too dry and just about any tobacco will taste harsh to me, but some Vas, FVF among them, taste pretty darned good ALMOST bone dry. And some blends perform better when on the moist side. I've gotten to the point where I have a pretty good idea how wet I like most of my favorite tobaccos, and each one is a little different.
When a tobacco has completely dried it is unlikely to ever come back to its former self. Volatile oils will evaporate right along with water, but cannot be replaced. At that point it's "buh-bye".

 

[cortezattic]

I think Craig and Wilson have nailed it. If you're interested in an epicurean tobacco experience the leaf has to be in good condition.

Rescuing dried out leaf is usually disappointing. You might want to check out Pease's article, Dust In The Wind -- A Primer on Tobacco Moisture.

 

[bryanf]

If I have to dry a tobacco just to smoke it, or get it to taste right, then right from the bat, I don't like it, and won't buy it again. I prefer my tobacco moist, right out the tin or mason jar.
In general, I don't buy SG flakes for this reason (they don't smoke worth a crap straight out the tin because they are too moist), nor any other blend that I read about people saying they need to dry- although, I take that with a grain of salt...many blends that people claim need drying, I've had no problem with. Dry = hot = bite = tastes bad. Just my experience.

 

[rosney]

johnparker, this is something I have been wondering also. For me to keep my pipes going and not have much gurgle it seems like my tobacco needs to be bone dry. As a result of this I have been wondering if I am missing out on some of the flavors in the tobacco. It makes me think I am doing something wrong. Hopefully you give FMC another try. It is a nice smoke.

 

[johnparker]

Sincerely appreciate all the input! Will probably try FMC again at some point; thinking it is likely that the sample was too dry/off. I asked the original question because it was hard to believe that there was such a pronounced difference between regular Frog Morton and In The Cellar.

 

[bigvan]

"For me to keep my pipes going and not have much gurgle it seems like my tobacco needs to be bone dry. As a result of this I have been wondering if I am missing out on some of the flavors in the tobacco. It makes me think I am doing something wrong. "
That is a HUGE revelation, Rosney. I know it was for me.
There seem to be a lot of rookies (and more than a few veterans) who are willing to sacrifice flavor in order to keep a bowl lit (and save a match or two). Drying out tobacco for days isn't smoking. It's standing next to a bowl of burning leaves waiting for it to go out.

 

[judcole]

There seem to be a lot of rookies (and more than a few veterans) who are willing to sacrifice flavor in order to keep a bowl lit (and save a match or two). Drying out tobacco for days isn't smoking. It's standing next to a bowl of burning leaves waiting for it to go out.

Amen. I don't dry anything.

 

[dragonslayer]

All blends are different and all have different points of perfection. Just another of the hundreds of things to learn about this great hobby. I don't think you can ever stop learning and especially when it comes to new blends. That's one of the reasons you never judge a blend on a single bowl if possible. Plus the inevitable changing of your pallet will always surprise you.
Bryan don't give up on SG flake. FVF and SJF are very wet and most don't have the patience to get them ready for a perfect bowl. Take 4 or 6 flakes take your time and cut them into 1/8" cubes. Spread them out on a plate and let them sit over night. The next day they may seem dry but throw them in an old tin for a day. You'll find they're moist again. The water trapped in the center has now evened itself out in the cube. If the moisture level is right great, if not spread them out again and after a few hours back in the tin. Once you have it right you now also have bowls of cubes in a tin all ready to go including the kindling to top your pipe. They will stay perfect to your liking for weeks.
Craig

 

[dragonslayer]

Bah humbug Roth :nana: FVF just takes time to get it right. When I fix mine it dries over night, then in a tin for a day, then back on a plate for a whole day then back in the tin. Sometimes even a third pass, but I'll do 4-6 full planks at a time. So while a royal PITA you get a tin full of nice briquettes to smolder in your pipe for an hour or more if you sip, a good pull and it fires right back up. The key is to have that moisture even so your not smoking steam.
BBF is the most manageable of the SG flakes. You can give them a quick dry and ready to go. I also find that most is cut a little thinner then the big boys- FVF, SJF.
Craig

 

[billypm]

Wow. The notion that those of us (myself included) who choose to dry our tobaccos are sacrificing flavor just to keep our pipes lit is-- how to put this-- mistaken. My experience is that dryer leaf tastes better than moist leaf. If your palate tells you different, knock yourselves out. Smoke the way you want to. Just don't judge and criticize me when I do the same, please.

 

[bryanf]

My non-expert opinion is that if your pipe smokes wet, and/or gurgles, then the pipe has an engineering problem. Could be a number of things from draft hole too small, being drilled too high, unseasoned or unbroken in briar, or something design flaw creating excess turbulence and condensation, without a system or filter to collect it. Drying out tobacco to compensate is just outting a band-aid on a bigger problem. Unless, of course, you just prefer the taste of dried tobacco. Not for me. I find the moistness cools the smoke, and smooths it, for a better experience.
I don't buy SG because if I pay for 50 grams, I want 50 grams damn it! After drying, it weighs half that!

 

[cortezattic]

I'm with billypm on this. IMO, drier is better. Moist tobacco is more challenging to pack correctly;

thins out the flavor; usually causes a more aggressive puffing cadence (with attendant 2ndary problems);

encourages softer carbon cake; and, what doesn't condense in the pipe (imposing longer rest periods)

transports calories to the tongue. I dry my tobacco so frequently I purchased an air blower to make quick work of it.

The best advice is to be empirical: do what seems to work for you.
Bryanf makes a good point. An increase of 2% H₂O by weight is hardly noticeable at the dryness levels we normally

encounter in our tobacco. But that's like providing 2% less product for the money.
From the Pease article:

Once tobaccos reach 12-14% MBW, the strands becomes less fragile. The individual ribbons or flakes will remain pliable, are easier to pack evenly, burn with slightly less vigor, and deliver more of the tobacco’s subtle flavors. This is the range at which I prefer for most of the blends I enjoy. Unfortunately, it’s not quite ideal for manufacturing and packaging. While at this moisture level, the leaf is reasonably robust, and will withstand somewhat rougher handling (blending, packaging and shipping) without sustaining too much damage, it’s not ideal for those of us who like to age our tobaccos for months, years or even decades. The tobacco will certainly mellow over time, but without a little more moisture, some of the wonderful fermentation processes that we expect will be either dramatically slowed, or may not even happen at all.
The region of about 15-18% MBW is a great target for manufacturing, packaging, shipping and aging. The downside is that the tobacco may have to be dried slightly before it will deliver the best smoke; in this range, more water vapor is produced during smoking, slightly diluting the flavors and producing a "gassy" smoke.

 

[jarit]

I agree with billypm and Cortez. Tobaccos have optimal smoking moisture for different people and I happen to like them on the drier side. I realized this after a few years of smoking and it was a great improvement for my smokes. The claim that I'm somehow doing it wrong is absurd.
Just because tobacco comes wet in the tin doesn't mean it should necessarily be smoked as such. Then again, I also like to chill white wines and let them breath a bit before drinking. I'm a bit fussy that way.

 

[aristokles]

All I can say is that I love my C&D bulk blends, especially Engine 99, but once they become too dry they are unsmokable - overly harsh. I do think this explains in large part why there seems such a wide variance on reviews of these particular blends.
On the other hand, I find I must dry the McClelland tinned blends somewhat. Just me, I guess.

 

[billypm]

Agreed, aristokles. Different blenders have different moisture profiles for their products. And, as I've said before, different blends perform better at different moisture levels. I don't like baccy that is totally dried out, nor sopping wet. That "somewhere in the middle" is where all the tastiness lives.