Same tobacco different quality

[Fumatore]

I ordered some C&D Tuggle Hall bulk blend last year from smokingpipes.com. A few months ago ordered the same bulk blend for 4noggins.com. Both batches had about the same age date of a couple of months earlier when received. The last from 4noggins is lighter in color and has a different somewhat harsher taste.
This is the first time I have encountered such a difference in the same tobacco. Anyone have a similar experience? Do you think there could have been a basic change to the blend?

 

[Elric]

Any number of things can go wrong; both between batches and within. Handling by resellers after the sale can have a profound effect on tobacco products due to differing humidification. Sounds like it may have been mishandled at some point and not noticed (perhaps left at proper humidification but in direct sunlight).

 

[kcghost]

Any number of things could go wrong with this.

 

[Fumatore]

Thanks for the replies.
Since the last batch had a lot more lighter leaf I was hoping that C&D had not changed the blend. I will cellar most of the new stuff in hopes of a taste improvement.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I think 4Noggins mixed in some RYO to up their profit margins. Just kidding. Who knows but I think it is an anomaly but not an impossibility. Bottom line, it's not the norm.

 

[Fumatore]

Just wanted to update the thread to say that I ordered 3 more pounds of my desert island blend from smokingpipe.com (where I got the last good batch a year or so ago). Alas, the same harsher and almost stringent taste in the background. From other posts I have read here it seems like perhaps a grower has given C&D a different crop, or C&D has decided to substitute a cheaper grade somewhere in the blend.
I am distraught because I love this tobacco and was smoking it 95% of the time.

 

[mso489]

I too like Tuggle Hall a lot, and so far, I've hit good batches. This is a burley based English blend, distinctive. In general, burley doesn't improve all that much with age, but retains its flavor well. Good luck with aging TH.