Flea Market Find.

[Swampdragon69]

I found at a flea market a glass jar humidor full of unknown tobacco. My question is it possible to have an idea of what it might be. It has a slight sweetness and a very dark brown color. A little history about the guy that I bought it from. He has a lot of older things. I have gotten from him three tins of early to middle sixties tobacco. Prince Albert that molded while rehydrating. I almost cried. Still have the tin. An almost full tin of Borkum Riff. I love it and will miss it when gone. A full tin of Union Leader. A little boring but am thinking of adding something to make it more to my liking. I am certain that it is not one of them. He had a lot of empty tins of Velvet when I bought the loose tobacco. Anybody have old Velvet? The loose is so easy and smooth but no brown sugar molasses notes.

EDIT: FIxed Capitalization in Title

 

[mso489]

Uniformly dark brown and approximately uniform texture sounds more like burley than Virginia, which would be lighter, unless it has been processed in some way. The age on this might make it difficult to pin down, but a widely experienced pipe smoker might identify it first puff.

 

[JMcQ]

You're willing to smoke something out of a jar, from some old guy at a flea market? Good luck.?

 

[Swampdragon69]

You're willing to smoke something out of a jar, from some old guy at a flea market? Good luck.?

I bought it for $10. If it was something really funky, he would have charged more.

 

[JMcQ]

I bought it for $10. If it was something really funky, he would have charged more.

I'm not sure if I completely agree with that logic... but you didn't die sooooo...

 

[Swampdragon69]

Uniformly dark brown and approximately uniform texture sounds more like burley than Virginia, which would be lighter, unless it has been processed in some way. The age on this might make it difficult to pin down, but a widely experienced pipe smoker might identify it first puff.

It is not uniformly dark brown. A lot of medium brown. Texture is mixed.

 

[Swampdragon69]

I wish that I could get a good picture of the blend.

 

[trouttimes]

No mold? Smoke a bowl. If it is bad, throw it out. It cost you less than two beers.

 

[mso489]

Any unsealed package of tobacco could be suspect. Usually, if you sniff the leaf, you could detect non-tobacco (and associated casings, etc.). You always have to size up your surroundings, like knowing when not to eat at a restaurant, when it just looks or smells wrong. My wife (a former restaurant reviewer and food writer) said that if she can catch just the slightest whiff of the frying grease, she knows if it is fresh or stale, and if stale, she leaves. On the other hand, if you are being stalked by hombres, smoke nothing. The mixed color and texture suggests a blend, maybe some burley and some Virginia.

 

[cortezattic]

Is it possible to have an idea of what it might be.
It has a slight sweetness and a very dark brown color.

Well, that narrows it down.

 

[Swampdragon69]

Seeing that I have no experience with aged Virginia. It could be almost anything but it is damn good. What ever it is. That is why I want to find out what it is. I want more even if I have to wait.

 

[Swampdragon69]

Borkum on the right. Unknown on the left. They are of similar cut but BR is really dark. Borkum has a pronounced alcohol smoothness. The sweetness is not grassy or hay. It is more a clover honey.

 

[mingc]

Can you imagine the luck of this old guy? He puts out jars of mystery tobacco on the odd chance he'll sell them. His grandkids are probably thinking, grandpa's nuts thinking someone will pay good money for that. But lo and behold, the lone pipe smoker of the day walks up and says how much for all of that? Old guy hits the jackpot and get paid for what is otherwise compost! I love it!

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Didn't Keith Richards say he survived heroin by not using any of the under the shoe junk found on street corners? Maybe. Either way, I follow his lead. I also apply that to tobacco and don't mind paying a premium for the good stuff.

My money is that you're smoking a burly aromatic that has been very rounded out by time. Even if you did find what it was, I bet it won't taste like that again until you find your own lost jar in 20-30 years. It could literally be almost anything... at least in the sweet, likely aromatic line.

 

[weezell]

Well, that narrows it down.

 

[Swampdragon69]

Didn't Keith Richards say he survived heroin by not using any of the under the shoe junk found on street corners? Maybe. Either way, I follow his lead. I also apply that to tobacco and don't mind paying a premium for the good stuff.

My money is that you're smoking a burly aromatic that has been very rounded out by time. Even if you did find what it was, I bet it won't taste like that again until you find your own lost jar in 20-30 years. It could literally be almost anything... at least in the sweet, likely aromatic line.

I seem to have a strange liking for well aged aromatics. Old Borkum Riff and now this mystery leaf. Now I want to make my own aromatic from old burley Virginia blend. I have fallen down the rabbit hole.

 

[oldmansmoking]

I bought a tobacco jar with some old tobacco in it, you bet I smoked it!!
Think it was Condor.

 

[mau1]

I'm in the "smoke it" camp. But then I eat what ever I find left in my jacket pocket from last winter. Still here.

 

[mau1]

Borkum on the right. Unknown on the left. They are of similar cut but BR is really dark. Borkum has a pronounced alcohol smoothness. The sweetness is not grassy or hay. It is more a clover honey.

How was the seal on the jars? Was the lid tightly suctioned on? Looks like any of the jars I have in my cellar.

 

[Swampdragon69]

How was the seal on the jars? Was the lid tightly suctioned on? Looks like any of the jars I have in my cellar.

They are both sealed.