Sir Walter Raleigh. Something wrong with it?

[juvat270]

Hi all, Just picked up a pouch of Sir Walter Raleigh at the grocery store (I'm trying to smoke each of the OTC blends just for fun).
After getting home and tearing off the cellophane wrapper I realized the tobacco inside was making this crunchy sound. Like a pouch of pebbles. Upon opening it I was kinda shocked to see the tobacco in what can only be descibed as small pebble like chunks. It was VERY dry. It looked like a pouch of granola.
Now I know Sir Walter Raleigh is cube-cut, but this looks more like it got wet and then dried out leading to these clumpy, chunky, balls of tobacco. The biggest one being about the diameter of a nickel.
I showed it to a friend of mine and he says thats they way it comes, though mine appeared to be a tad more dry than usual.
I guess my question is, is this stuff supposed to be like that? The wrapper was not torn, but the fact that it looks like it may have gotten wet and then dried out kinda makes me leery. :puffpipe:

 

[marmal4de]

Sounds unpleasant, but as long as it isn't mouldy, you're good to go.

 

[olderthandirt]

but the fact that it looks like it may have gotten wet and then dried out kinda makes me leery.

But then again...

 

[markw4mms]

Too funny!

 

[ejames]

Why don't you try re-hydrating it? Seems most tobacco in the pouches is drier than the tubs.The cut you are describing sounds about what's in my tub.

 

[whitebriar]

Why don't you try re-hydrating it? Seems most tobacco in the pouches is drier than the tubs.The cut you are describing sounds about what's in my tub.

the last SWR i got was like that also--4 pouches--very dry--i smoked some dry, and re-hydrated the remainder--
i felt better with the moister leaf, but truthfully the dry tasted better--i may still put the remainder out in the sun-- :?

 

[mlaug]

In all my years of smoking, I don't think I've ever had tobacco that was too dry.
I would agree with whitebriar, one gets better flavor with less steam.

 

[ejames]

Actually I like my tobacco on the dry side also. I routinely leave the lid off my new tubs of PA-CH etc for a day or so to dry out. But some tobaccos if they get TOO dry seem to go up like gasoline. 8O

 

[pipetrucker]

I also prefer my tobacco to be pretty dry. I have been known to stick some in a pouch and leave it for several days just to dry it out more. Sounds to me like that SWR (which I have never liked anyway) may have been on the shelf for a long time. Tubs tend to have a much better shelf life.

 

[wolfscout]

I lean towards dry as well. SWR soaked in Jack and dried in an air-popper is ... um... very typical treatment from me.

 

[mlaug]

John Patton has an easy three step way to rehydrate tobacco.
Load the bowl, breathe into it, and light it.
Simple genius. :puffpipe:

 

[juvat270]

Well, I went ahead and smoked a bowl as is. It didnt taste too bad, a bit like Prince Albert but not quite as good a bit less sweet perhaps and more "cigarette" tasting. Being dry as a bone it lit easily and didn't need a relight the entire bowl which smoked all the way to the bottom.
I was going to pitch the rest of the pouch in the trash, but what the heck, I think I'll just go keep it and finish it. No sense in wasting it. ::