Optimal Moisture Permits Proper Cadence

[dunnyboy]

@cosmicfolklore's excellent post on the benefits of slow smoking got me thinking about why we constantly advise struggling smokers to dry their tobacco more. That advice seemed to contradict my own experience. My most flavorful smokes were with flakes and ribbons from freshly opened tins where there was still a fair amount of moisture left in the tobacco.

But now I understand the advice to dry the tobacco more. It's not because dry tobacco is intrinsically more flavorful than moist tobacco. It's that if you're having trouble extracting flavor from the smoke, it's because your tobacco is not dry enough to permit "slow smoking."

In other words, the reason to get tobacco to the optimal moisture level is because it permits slow smoking. And it's the slow smoking—the proper cadence—that brings the flavor.

 

[ashdigger]

FACTS.

 

[sjohnston0311]

Agreed. I've started to get much better smokes out of certain blends, particularly straight virginias, ever since I started drying my tobacco more than I initially thought I needed to. It's hard to smoke slowly if it's so wet you need to be constantly puffing to keep it lit.

 

[sablebrush52]

@cosmicfolklore's excellent post on the benefits of slow smoking got me thinking about why we constantly advise struggling smokers to dry their tobacco more. That advice seemed to contradict my own experience. My most flavorful smokes were with flakes and ribbons from freshly opened tins where there was still a fair amount of moisture left in the tobacco.

But now I understand the advice to dry the tobacco more. It's not because dry tobacco is intrinsically more flavorful than moist tobacco. It's that if you're having trouble extracting flavor from the smoke, it's because your tobacco is not dry enough to permit "slow smoking."

In other words, the reason to get tobacco to the optimal moisture level is because it permits slow smoking. And it's the slow smoking that brings the flavor.

Drying does allow you to slow smoke But my experience is that drying also improves and intensifies flavors that moisture masks. The effect is not so pronounced if you're primarily a smoker of English blends because those aromatic leaves will provide powerful flavors straight from the tin, though not quite as detailed and balanced as if given some dry time. Virginias, on the other hand, show dramatic gains in flavor when dried just shy of bone dry, dry to the touch when squeezed twixt thumb and forefinger, no sense of moisture rising against my skin from the squeezed tobacco, but still pliant.

Then pack and slow smoke, so that the blend is just barely simmering, seemingly at the edge of going out, just nursing that glowing cherry while slow sipping, and slowly easing the tobacco out through your schnoz. That's how I get my nirvana smokes.

Also, if you're not snorking, you're not getting all of the flavor nuances. There are more, and varied, flavor receptors in your nose than in your mouth. If you smoke indoors you'll get the effect because your inhaling the smoke by virtue of being in a room filled with it. But if you smoke outdoors only, that snork provides a lot of nuance to a blend.

 

[Chasing Embers]

@cosmicfolklore's excellent post on the benefits of slow smoking got me thinking about why we constantly advise struggling smokers to dry their tobacco more. That advice seemed to contradict my own experience. My most flavorful smokes were with flakes and ribbons from freshly opened tins where there was still a fair amount of moisture left in the tobacco.

But now I understand the advice to dry the tobacco more. It's not because dry tobacco is intrinsically more flavorful than moist tobacco. It's that if you're having trouble extracting flavor from the smoke, it's because your tobacco is not dry enough to permit "slow smoking."

In other words, the reason to get tobacco to the optimal moisture level is because it permits slow smoking. And it's the slow smoking—the proper cadence—that brings the flavor.

You can bypass drying altogether with looser packing. Allows more oxygen flow to burn off the moisture.

 

[Grangerous]

And Burley? Is there no hope for the burley afflicted? I tried drying some Five Brothers and it vanished.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

Learning to feel for proper moisture and packing was a game changer. It opened the door to slow smoking for me. Since then, the subtleties and nuances and overall flavor have been plentiful. It also made everything about the smoke easier ; packing, maintaining an ember, etc. I always read "once you think it's dry enough, keep drying". I read it enough times that I finally started doing so, almost subconsciously.
Nice post @dunnyboy . Hopefully anybody new to the hobby decides to take note of it.
Though I do agree with @Chasing Embers - loose packing moist blends permits a great smoke as well. I tend to do this with blends that don't dry like normal (usually Gawith or something similar in moisture).

 

[bullet08]

Drying tobacco is a good thing. However, once you get to a point where you are able to smoke without too much thinking, experiment. Find your optimal point. Everyone has different palate and one size doesn't fit all.

 

[dunnyboy]

You can bypass drying altogether with looser packing. Allows more oxygen flow to burn off the moisture.

This comports with my experience. The reverse is also true. If the tobacco is too dry (at least for me) it has to be packed tighter to allow it to be smoked slowly. With shag cuts like some semois you almost can't pack tight enough.

And Burley? Is there no hope for the burley afflicted? I tried drying some Five Brothers and it vanished.

One of the best smokes I can remember was Solani Aged Burley Flake folded and stuffed in a nice Dublin. The tobacco needed no drying, smoked slowly and was sublime. Mind you, fitting the flake into the bowl to permit airflow through it is a challenge in itself. Sometimes, I just give up and rub out the flake.

 

[jpberg]

I smoke GH as soon as I get it. The wetter the better.

 

[dunnyboy]

Drying does allow you to slow smoke But my experience is that drying also improves and intensifies flavors that moisture masks. The effect is not so pronounced if you're primarily a smoker of English blends because those aromatic leaves will provide powerful flavors straight from the tin, though not quite as detailed and balanced as if given some dry time. Virginias, on the other hand, show dramatic gains in flavor when dried just shy of bone dry, dry to the touch when squeezed twixt thumb and forefinger, no sense of moisture rising against my skin from the squeezed tobacco, but still pliant.

Then pack and slow smoke, so that the blend is just barely simmering, seemingly at the edge of going out, just nursing that glowing cherry while slow sipping, and slowly easing the tobacco out through your schnoz. That's how I get my nirvana smokes.

Also, if you're not snorking, you're not getting all of the flavor nuances. There are more, and varied, flavor receptors in your nose than in your mouth. If you smoke indoors you'll get the effect because your inhaling the smoke by virtue of being in a room filled with it. But if you smoke outdoors only, that snork provides a lot of nuance to a blend.

I'm enjoying a generous bowl of GH Dark Bird's Eye dried to your specs right now and, I gotta agree, it is smoking beautifully. As for snorking, I'm sure you're right that it substantially ups the flavor, but it just doesn't come naturally to me. I've never smoked cigarettes and, when I try to retrohale, it hurts my virgin nasal membranes! I do smoke indoors.

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

I'm enjoying a generous bowl of GH Dark Bird's Eye dried to your specs right now and, I gotta agree, it is smoking beautifully. As for snorking, I'm sure you're right that it substantially ups the flavor, but it just doesn't come naturally to me. I've never smoked cigarettes and, when I try to retrohale, it hurts my virgin nasal membranes! I do smoke indoors.

One of my favorite smokes. Definitely a stuff and puff blend.

 

[Coreios]

My smoking experience massively improved when I dried out all my tobacco. Everything pops out in small sips.

 

[sablebrush52]

My smoking experience massively improved when I dried out all my tobacco. Everything pops out in small sips.

I would say dried down, rather than dried out, as in crumbly. I find that some of the flavors are lost with completely dried out tobacco. In the case of Virginias when it's got just a touch of moisture left in it, the flavors really pop for me. And I adjust that moisture level a bit for different blends, a little more moisture for flavored blends like G&H Glengarry Flake, so the spices don't dissipate.
It's a bit of balancing act. Blends will exhibit a slightly different balance with different moisture levels. Finding the flavor balance you like best is a process of trying a blend at different moisture levels, plus packing, cadence, etc.

 

[Coreios]

I would say dried down, rather than dried out, as in crumbly. I find that some of the flavors are lost with completely dried out tobacco. In the case of Virginias when it's got just a touch of moisture left in it, the flavors really pop for me. And I adjust that moisture level a bit for different blends, a little more moisture for flavored blends like G&H Glengarry Flake, so the spices don't dissipate.
It's a bit of balancing act. Blends will exhibit a slightly different balance with different moisture levels. Finding the flavor balance you like best is a process of trying a blend at different moisture levels, plus packing, cadence, etc.

For me its perfect when its almost crumbly but it doesn't. So yeah "dried out" was a bad way of me to word it. Some blends I like smoke well with no effort to dry them. Autumn Evening smokes wonderfully for me as does a few others. In general though I go for about that dryness.

 

[yanoJL]

And Burley? Is there no hope for the burley afflicted? I tried drying some Five Brothers and it vanished.

Have you tried Tabac de la Semois? As mentioned by @dunnyboy It's a burley, and served very dry. It's also very flavorful, but requires very tight packing.

I personally find it to be delicious, but very strong. I would confidently recommend it to any burley lover as it is quite enjoyable... but only under close adult supervision.