Aw man. Thanks for the offer! That's incredibly generous of you. I feel like I'm still going to smoke the plug anyway. There's nothing wrong with it so far as I can tell so I can't in good conscience ask for a replacement tin (also I have a few more stored away too).I am sorry to see that this piece of twine got past us and I definitely want to offer you a replacement tin. You are correct that Latakia is tied into bundles to be fire cured, and during the process, which lasts 5 - 6 months, the twine blackens and gets covered with soot, just like the leaf, making it really tough to see. When the firing is complete, the twine gets cut and the leaf is baled, often with bits of twine tangled up all through it. Removing twine is unfortunately a reality and part of the process when we use Latakia. Again, I am sorry that this piece got past us and I want to make it right for you. Please feel free to PM me or email info@cornellanddiehl.com with your shipping address and I will get another tin out to you ASAP.
A heartfelt thanks for reaching out and for putting 'the customers first.'
Cheers