Okay, so lets' take your suggestion that the tins already smelled because they came out of a manufacturing environment where there was a tobacco smell and a shipping and storage environment where there was a tobacco smell that permeated outer surfaces of the tins.
Explain this to me. When I placed a bunch of Virginia tins in a tupperware container, sealed it and opened it a couple of weeks later, there was a promounced Virginia scent. When I placed a bunch of Latakia/Oriental tins in a tupperware container, sealed it, and opened it a few weeks later, there was a pronounced scent of Latakia and Orientals. When I placed a bounch of round and cannister tins in a tupperware container, sealed it, and opened it a few weeks later, there was no scent. Why is that if the scent is because they already had it before they arrived?
Square and rectangular tins leak, slowly, but they leak. They were never intended for long term storage, so why rely on them? Jar blends upon arrival like Pease now recommends, or seal tins up in .7mil food grade Mylar - that's 7 laminated aluminized layers of Mylar with close to zero gas permeability, for long cellaring. Or, don't do anything and hope for the best.