Rehydrating a Horde Of Tobacco

[shaintiques]

Recently moved and made a new pipe buddy. He has been smoking a pipe for 50 years. Interestingly we like many of the same blends and he favors vapers as do I. He has cabinets piled high full of tobacco, but most of his tins were opened and dried out. Most of these are from the early '90's. I got to go over to his house and help him sort. He doesn't like Latakia so I got to take any tin of that to keep. The others in the pic are going to be rehydrated and I get to keep half for my trouble which is awesome considering there is some Bell's 3 Nuns (with Perique), 4 Square, Black Friar and others I have been wanting to try. This is a selection of his tins that I am going to rehydrate. There were many more.

 

[sablebrush52]

Dave,
Congratulations on the hoard! Couldn't happen to a nicer and more deserving guy!

 

[shaintiques]

Thanks. It's going to take some time but should be fun. We plan to smoke the first bowl of each rejuvenated blend together.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Sounds like a good deal all around, and you need hydrate only that which you are planning to smoke over the next weeks, so time is not of the essence!
So, are all of those tins opened? Reminds me to finish a few that I've started that have receded into the back of the cupboard....

 

[shaintiques]

Yes all are opened. There were probably 60 more at his house in the same condition. Mostly flakes. They won't be as good as if they had been jarred but I'm hopeful to resurrect them. Doing Three Nuns, Black Friar, and Four Square first and maybe a couple of others.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Definitely keep updating. I'm interested to find out to what % of their original quality they can return to. I often put some in a baggie to travel and forget about it until it's too late.

 

[sablebrush52]

Once some oils have dried out, that part of the flavor is gone for good. But you can still bring back a surprising amount. In percentages I like to think in terms of 70-80% revived.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Definitely keep updating. I'm interested to find out to what % of their original quality they can return to. I often put some in a baggie to travel and forget about it until it's too late.

Yes, please do update!
I've started a collection of similarly forgotten baggies- just found one in the console of my car— and I plan to rehydrate, commingle other strays till I get a half pound or so, add some more Lat and Per, and see what happens after a few months of proper storage. All are decent to good to very good English blends, so the results should be o.k.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Even if I don't forget them long enough for them to dry out, I forget what they are, so they go in the "catch all" jar anyway.
70-80% revived is encouraging, though! I've never really tried to rehydrate it and smoke it in my pipe. I have smoked it in rolling papers, though. Waste not, want not.

 

[shaintiques]

I rehydrated a 14oz can of Revelation. It did really well. And I have done others. Many of these are flakes. I'm interested to see how they do. I'll post some pics as I progress.

 

[huntertrw]

shaintiques:
Is the "Hacker's Literary Blend" shown in the image above a creation of Richard Carleton Hacker, the author of "The Ultimate Pipe Book" et al?

 

[cigrmaster]

I cannot believe a dick like you got so damn lucky. :nana:
I would start rehydrating everything as soon as you can, no reason not get this stuff back in smoking shape as quickly as possible. If you need help Dave, you know how to reach me.
Congrats buddy, awesome score.

 

[shaintiques]

Thanks Harris. I have 7 jars going as we speak. Three Nuns, Mahogany Flake, Cut Virginia Plug, Black Friar, Four Square, Three Castles, and a blend called Orion's Arrow which my friend here created.

 

[mso489]

I suspect you'll find both the great and the dismal. Some may even smoke well without adding moisture; you could sample that in a MM Huck Finn or some other small pipe. I'd expect the least from the aromatics, wet or dry, but you might get lucky.

 

[cigrmaster]

Dave, what color is the CVP and the Three Nuns and how old are they?

 

[shaintiques]

Harris, these are all from the mid 90's. But the CVP and the F&G Brown flake are in a smaller tin than is produced right now. The labeling looks the same on the F&T tobaccos. There was a full tin of the CVP and about a tin and half of the Three Nuns. The Black friar had about 2 bowls left in it and the Four Square probably about a bowl. But most of the other tins are pretty full. And when I finish with these there are stacks of tins that could be revived.

 

[shaintiques]

Here are some pics of what is happening. The Four Square is ready to smoke. The Black Friar is close. The Mahogany is coming along, but the thicker flakes are going to take a bit longer. You can see from the crumble that it is regaining its color. The Sam's Flake is getting its first dose today. I am using clay rehydration tiles. It is slow but I think the best method for small quantities. I have some Orion's Arrow to do but am going to rig up a rehydration chamber for it as it is a much bigger sample.

The Four Square



The Black Friar



Mahogany



Sam's Flake

 

[drunkblowhard]

Opus one tobacco?? I'm insanely curious about this. I work in the high end wine/spirits trade and have never heard of such a thing. My assumption is that it's just a licensing play by the Mondavi family, but I'm well aware of what they say about those who assume! Anyone ever tried this tobacco?