Quality question
- Thread starter locopony
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I would say...Not necessarily. But the tobacco in the tins can usually remain unopened on the shelf longer... :D
Arthur, what do you think of the quality of the McClelland bulks like Balkan #1 and 5110, vs the their tinned offerings? When considering the price of the Frog Morton tins compared to bulk, you only come out a buck or two ahead in the 4-8oz purchases.
From what I can tell, PS bulks seem to be where the real value in bulk is found if you consider price alone.
From what I can tell, PS bulks seem to be where the real value in bulk is found if you consider price alone.
There are exceptions to every rule of course; off the top of my head, a few exceptional blends that can be found in pouches are anything from MacBaren, Brigham, or Orlik Golden Sliced and Erinmore (I'm sure there are others too).
Conversely, Mixture 79 is tinned (well, tubbed)...
People sometimes complain that the same blend may be a bit different between bulk and tinned, but I believe for the most part they are the same stuff.
Certain high end blends are only available in tins, so that may be where the "higher quality" part of the question comes in.
For the most part, I factor in how much it will cost me to buy mason jars to store the bulk tobacco in, then look at the cost to buy the same tobacco already tinned. If theres not a major difference in price, I have started going with tins just because its less work, and will age perfectly in tins. Not to mention be a lot lighter and less bulky than jars.
Certain high end blends are only available in tins, so that may be where the "higher quality" part of the question comes in.
For the most part, I factor in how much it will cost me to buy mason jars to store the bulk tobacco in, then look at the cost to buy the same tobacco already tinned. If theres not a major difference in price, I have started going with tins just because its less work, and will age perfectly in tins. Not to mention be a lot lighter and less bulky than jars.
Russ Ouellette addresses this question directly in one of his interviews here on the magazine portion of the site; I can't find it right now but it's there. And regarding quality, it's the same product, but regarding price, there's a certain amount of added labor and material (hey, tin ain't cheap) that gets figured into the cost. It would actually be cost-inefficientto produce two different quality levels of essentially the same product, IMO.
Romeo,
I'm not sure what article that you are talking about, but here is Part 1 of my interview with Russ. You can click on the links at the bottom of the article to read parts 2 and 3:
Interview with Master Blender Russ Ouellette - Part 1
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As far as the quality of pouches, bulk, and tins being different; the only answer that I can give is; it depends. And it depends on a number of things like; the blend, the manufacturer, etc.
As far as bulk versions vs tinned versions of the same blend (i.e. Samuel Gawith bulk vs Samuel Gawith tins, Dunhill bulk vs Dunhill tins, etc.), there is no difference at all. Every blend that I have smoked in both tinned and bulk version like this have tasted exactly the same.
I'm not sure what article that you are talking about, but here is Part 1 of my interview with Russ. You can click on the links at the bottom of the article to read parts 2 and 3:
Interview with Master Blender Russ Ouellette - Part 1
-
As far as the quality of pouches, bulk, and tins being different; the only answer that I can give is; it depends. And it depends on a number of things like; the blend, the manufacturer, etc.
As far as bulk versions vs tinned versions of the same blend (i.e. Samuel Gawith bulk vs Samuel Gawith tins, Dunhill bulk vs Dunhill tins, etc.), there is no difference at all. Every blend that I have smoked in both tinned and bulk version like this have tasted exactly the same.
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