The ONLY thing that matters in all of this is what I think! I've only been smoking the GH/SG for a couple years. I have some stuff from 20 years age on it and others from 2017 and lot's of the fresh stuff...Age totally changes the character of tobacco's so I can't compare to when things were fresh 20 years ago but the bottom line for me is that Gawith Hoggarth makes the finest tobacco's available in my opinion even if it's half of whatever it was in YOUR glory days.... so, the majority of us pipe smokers with the lakeland jones appreciate them and will continue to purchase our favorite blends from the Lake District. Punch these whiners in the teeth Rachel!!!