Sir Walter Raleigh Tin w/Tobacco!

[Danimal92sport]

Found this while antique’ing - $22 and still has the tobacco in it! Googling a bit, there’s no good consensus on date range, but estimates range from before WWII to just after - so say 1930s to 1950s. Waiting for the replies that tell me to rehydrate and try it

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Ok, here ya go..

I'd smoke some if there's no mold.

 

[FLDRD]

Does it need rehydrating? Looks good in the pic.

 

[Danimal92sport]

It’s super dry - but I haven’t poured it out to check it out yet. I’ll likely rehydrate enough for a bowl to check it out…. Will post my findings.

 

[kcghost]

Be interesting to see!!

 

[First Sealord]

I would expect a tobacco tin to have tobacco in it.

 

[JimInks]

It’s super dry - but I haven’t poured it out to check it out yet. I’ll likely rehydrate enough for a bowl to check it out…. Will post my findings.

Be very careful when you rehydrate it. Old tobacco can grow mold very easily with hydration. Do it as lightly as you can, and watch the tobacco afterward.

 

[Danimal92sport]

Thanks for the advice, will do!

 

[Danimal92sport]

I would expect a tobacco tin to have tobacco in it.

Tell that to all of the others at the antique store that were empty, including the 1960s/70s Mac Baren tin I picked up.

 

[didimauw]

It's probably finally, dry enough to smoke now! Don't RE-hydrate it!

 

[bullet08]

Yeah. Try smoking it straight out of tin. If too harsh, spray it will spring water, wait a bit, drain, dry and smoke it. I bet it will soak up water.

 

[Uguccione]

I agree with JimInks, rehydrate it very slowly, it can take up to a month, you don't have to rush.
Don't expect much from such an old tobacco, but it could still be smokable.

 

[dublinpiper90]

That tin is in great shape, if no mold light up

 

[Danimal92sport]

Rehydrated a small amount over several days. It took the moisture well, and no mold or other issues. Haven’t smoked it but might try it today.

However, I continue to be suspicious that this isn’t Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco, but rather something else that was added to the tin. Now that it’s rehydrated, the ‘tin note’ of the casing is much more pronounced and it’s a singular note - honey. Very one dimensional, maybe a bit of underlying tobacco mustiness, but a strong honey smell. From reviews, including JimInks review of tins dating back to the 1940s - I should be getting anise much like the modern SWR.

@JimInks - need some consultation. Based on your experience, is there any chance that 1940s (or possibly earlier, not sure) Sir Walter Raleigh could be giving me a honey tin note? Also, do these small flake sizes in the pic below seem like the older SWR blends you’ve seen?

 

[Danimal92sport]

Some rehydrating pics - and don’t worry folks; the light bulb was an LED, so only slightly warm.

 

[JimInks]

Rehydrated a small amount over several days. It took the moisture well, and no mold or other issues. Haven’t smoked it but might try it today.

However, I continue to be suspicious that this isn’t Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco, but rather something else that was added to the tin. Now that it’s rehydrated, the ‘tin note’ of the casing is much more pronounced and it’s a singular note - honey. Very one dimensional, maybe a bit of underlying tobacco mustiness, but a strong honey smell. From reviews, including JimInks review of tins dating back to the 1940s - I should be getting anise much like the modern SWR.

@JimInks - need some consultation. Based on your experience, is there any chance that 1940s (or possibly earlier, not sure) Sir Walter Raleigh could be giving me a honey tin note? Also, do these small flake sizes in the pic below seem like the older SWR blends you’ve seen?
View attachment 330621

It does look like the WWII SWR that I smoked. I don't remember a honey note, but it is possible it could have been subtly cased with it, and it came out when you rehydrated it. When you rehydrate antiquated blends, you never know what might appear flavor wise. Various years from dfferent decades of Capstan Blue taught me that. When I smoked the sample of WWII vintage, it was from a freshly opened tub, and I was surprised at how moist it was, and that the flavor I was used to had been retained, and even deeper than later years. I do think the sugar in the casing may be what is giving you the honey note, but I could be wrong, and perhaps it is sugary honey.

 

[OverMountain]

What a find! Looks like that authentic cube cut!

 

[Danimal92sport]

It does look like the WWII SWR that I smoked. I don't remember a honey note, but it is possible it could have been subtly cased with it, and it came out when you rehydrated it. When you rehydrate antiquated blends, you never know what might appear flavor wise. Various years from dfferent decades of Capstan Blue taught me that. When I smoked the sample of WWII vintage, it was from a freshly opened tub, and I was surprised at how moist it was, and that the flavor I was used to had been retained, and even deeper than later years. I do think the sugar in the casing may be what is giving you the honey note, but I could be wrong, and perhaps it is sugary honey.

Thanks so much for your response! I’m excited to give this a try later this eve

 

[Danimal92sport]

The taste is very mild, but the sweet casing comes through the smoke. However, that might be about it. I think a lot of the typical notes I’d associate with burley, or frankly any tobacco, are long gone. There’s a nice aromatic note here on my porch - though it’s just a sweet, possibly molasses, note.

This was a fun experiment, though! And so far I’m still alive . The remainder of the contents will stay in the tin for a fun show n’ tell. I’m also posting this in the ‘opening a tin’ thread, even if that’s slightly bending the definition of opening - I bet this sucker has been open since long before I was born in 1982.

 

[OverMountain]

The taste is very mild, but the sweet casing comes through the smoke. However, that might be about it. I think a lot of the typical notes I’d associate with burley, or frankly any tobacco, are long gone. There’s a nice aromatic note here on my porch - though it’s just a sweet, possibly molasses, note.

This was a fun experiment, though! And so far I’m still alive . The remainder of the contents will stay in the tin for a fun show n’ tell. I’m also posting this in the ‘opening a tin’ thread, even if that’s slightly bending the definition of opening - I bet this sucker has been open since long before I was born in 1982.

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Never knew “sooner or later, your favorite tobacco” was ever their slogan. Learn something new just about every time on this forum!