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Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
3,125
30,221
France
I dont leave my lids off becuase I smoke too slow. I also dont smoke straight virginias often. I do think nearly every blend gets better after breathing at least a few days. While I yeild to temptation to smoke a new blend I try to Keep at least a week ahead of anything that is in rotation. It just doesnt taste as good the first few days from the tin.
 

BenMN

Lifer
Jun 21, 2023
2,358
40,302
St. Paul, MN
I dont leave my lids off becuase I smoke too slow. I also dont smoke straight virginias often. I do think nearly every blend gets better after breathing at least a few days. While I yeild to temptation to smoke a new blend I try to Keep at least a week ahead of anything that is in rotation. It just doesnt taste as good the first few days from the tin.
Seconded.

I'll also jostle things around a bit.

That Kajun Kake, for example, got broken in half. Half went into a little tiny jar, still in Kake form, and the other half loosely broken up in the tin.

I'll likely start smoking from the tin in a few days. But I'll bet that the best smokes will be near the end of it, and I'll wonder once again why I don't open and break up 2 weeks in advance...
 
I'll likely start smoking from the tin in a few days. But I'll bet that the best smokes will be near the end of it, and I'll wonder once again why I don't open and break up 2 weeks in advance...
I've had this experience more than a couple times, too. Just one of the advantages to having shelves full of open jars, ready for smoking. Keeping about 50 or 60 blends on tap helps keep me distracted for a while. ;)
 

BingBong

Lifer
Apr 26, 2024
1,474
6,343
London UK
I dont leave my lids off becuase I smoke too slow. I also dont smoke straight virginias often. I do think nearly every blend gets better after breathing at least a few days. While I yeild to temptation to smoke a new blend I try to Keep at least a week ahead of anything that is in rotation. It just doesnt taste as good the first few days from the tin.
I've left an open pouch of F&T Cut Virginia Plug for a week; the flavourings were far too much fresh but I sampled again earlier, the flake has dried out a bit and the flavourings backed off, it was almost enjoyable this time round. The way forward for me, I'm sure.
 

FLDRD

Lifer
Oct 13, 2021
2,327
9,493
Arkansas
This one sounded intriguing based on the ingredients. The aroma was very nice. However, it doesn't provide a whole lot... It burns wonderfully but is rather average, great for a mindless smoke and I can grab it instead of Carter Hall for example when I'm in that mood. For that reason, I jarred it instead of leaving it in the tin - I'm in no hurry to burn through it.......................

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I tried it in a few of my personal "average" sized chambers, including this Peterson 313. It might provide a different experience in significantly different chambers, but that experiment will come in the future.

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Jarring this will encourage me to open another something to explore sooner rather than later.

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Professor Moriarty

Can't Leave
Apr 13, 2023
466
1,385
United States
This one sounded intriguing based on the ingredients. The aroma was very nice. However, it doesn't provide a whole lot... It burns wonderfully but is rather average, great for a mindless smoke and I can grab it instead of Carter Hall for example when I'm in that mood. For that reason, I jarred it instead of leaving it in the tin - I'm in no hurry to burn through it.
Same with my newly opened tin of Mac Baren Scottish Mixture. After three bowls in different pipes, it's not going to anything more than bland. I'd rather smoke my Carter Hall to be honest. After reading your post I have decided to jar the Scottish, and open something else which has more flavor. Life is short.
 

FLDRD

Lifer
Oct 13, 2021
2,327
9,493
Arkansas
Same with my newly opened tin of Mac Baren Scottish Mixture. After three bowls in different pipes, it's not going to anything more than bland. I'd rather smoke my Carter Hall to be honest. After reading your post I have decided to jar the Scottish, and open something else which has more flavor. Life is short.
I'm also hoping / expecting it to be a little different after it has breathed a little. Another thread had many in agreement that C&D's generally benefit from such.
 

JoburgB2

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 30, 2024
245
947
Dundee, Scotland
This was the first esoterica blend,and perique blend I ever tried. It smelled so fermented that I thought it had soured in some way. Had to take a sample to my local tobacconist and get his opinion. It made.me.fall in love w VA perique blends
I had a similar experience two years ago with a tin of GL Pease Barbary Coast. It was, at first upon opening, a foul sour almost rotten aroma that was not appealing. I wrote to the online retailer only to be reassured it must be natural fermentation, but was helpfully invited to return it for credit or refund. I kept it. I didn’t expect Barbary Coast to have enough perique to be that noticeable. I jarred it, and kept sampling bowls here and there and in a few weeks the odor dissipated. I like the blend, it is unique with the components and the cube-cut burley. It is advertised as having some brandy and walnut flavours, which I desired but did not really detect myself. I would get it again.
 
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BenMN

Lifer
Jun 21, 2023
2,358
40,302
St. Paul, MN
Looking forward to smoking this. 33 years in the tin, fresh as a daisy. Exquisite, complex aroma of red virginia, orientals, and just a smidge of latakia. Gonna let it dry for a day or two.

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Three reviews I find helpful:

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I have been so pleasantly surprised at how much I've liked the "smidgen of lat" with VA blends I've tried (Fillmore, Laurel Heights)

If any of your are on the fence about stuff like this I'd encourage you to give them a try
 

BenMN

Lifer
Jun 21, 2023
2,358
40,302
St. Paul, MN
Seconded.

I'll also jostle things around a bit.

That Kajun Kake, for example, got broken in half. Half went into a little tiny jar, still in Kake form, and the other half loosely broken up in the tin.

I'll likely start smoking from the tin in a few days. But I'll bet that the best smokes will be near the end of it, and I'll wonder once again why I don't open and break up 2 weeks in advance...
Update:

Forget "a few days," it barely lasted 24 hours before I dipped my greedy mitts in
 

Professor Moriarty

Can't Leave
Apr 13, 2023
466
1,385
United States
So jealous! The envy! The nostalgia. How we miss them. Gone, but not forgotten.
Yes, McCelland's glorious reign was too brief. Fortunately, I saved several tins, various blends, all from circa 1990.
Sadly, half of them lost their seal and had to be tossed. Their pull-tab can design proved not nearly as durable as screw-on lids. I have only one more unopened tin left. Hoping it's seal has held.

I wish we all were geographically closer so I could share.
 

jbfrady

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 27, 2023
733
3,171
South Carolina
Popped a couple to-try blends from a TAD run today.

Since i'm a fan of Cobblestone's Hiking, i figured i'd try the Burley Plug this round. Good stuff!

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And since i enjoy Former's Straight Grain Flake (and just grabbed a couple more tins of that), i figured i might as well try the Cross Grain as well, since it was readily available. I've already got a bowl of this loaded up. Unfortunately, i only smoke one pipe at a time, so it's next! :)

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Those are tinned gold.