So Plume is Real… and Dating Gawith

[RamSeva]

As a cigar smoker I never saw “plume” that didn’t look like mold to me. I’ve passed it off as a myth all this time.
Yesterday I bought some cabbie’s mixture from my B&M. Cracked it open and was severely disappointed: MOLD!
I closed it and went about my day. I suddenly thought to myself “the tin smelled quite nice and mold doesn’t grow like that. Wtf is that then?”
I grabbed a flashlight and a magnifying glass and what I saw was tiny little reflective crystals. Holy of holy this is what plume is! Immediately set out and loaded a bowl.
I’m still not convinced plume happens on Cigars. I’ve been selling cigars for awhile now and never come across anything close to what I’m seeing on these little tobacco coins.
Now, the meat of my question. I want to know how old this tin is but I don’t understand Gawith’s dating codes even after reading these two pages:
Smoking pipes article
Original Reddit post

who can explain it better than they can?
The tin has 01 280 on it

thanks

 

[burleybreath]

Since I don't care about what day it was made, I ignore the first two digits. The second set of numbers is the number of months past 1995. You can diddle with the extra month to account for the December start, but who cares? 280/12 equals 23.3333333333333333333333 years. I'd call it somewhere in the neighborhood of April 2018, the third of the year being four months.

I stand bold, fearless, and fully erect waiting to be corrected.

 

[timt]

I’ve received several orders of 500g boxes of various Gawith Flakes that came with plume/crystals. Being that the 500g boxes aren't vacuumed sealed, and there still is plume, it's always left me wondering how these flakes were apparently aged regardless of not being tinned. So, regarding GH flakes, does the tin date give the true age? Is there another reason besides age that accounts for plume? Surely there's an expert here who could explain.

 

[fightnhampster]

 

[Chasing Embers]

Being that the 500g boxes aren't vacuumed sealed,

Jars aren't vacuum sealed and I've seen plume develop in just a few months.

 

[timt]

Jars aren't vacuum sealed and I've seen plume develop in just a few months.

So you're saying age isn't the main reason GH flakes develop plume. I've never received any other tobacco already containing plume, especially unsealed, un-aged tobacco.

I need answers!!!

 

[RamSeva]

Since I don't care about what day it was made, I ignore the first two digits. The second set of numbers is the number of months past 1995. You can diddle with the extra month to account for the December start, but who cares? 280/12 equals 23.3333333333333333333333 years. I'd call it somewhere in the neighborhood of April 2018, the third of the year being four months.

I stand bold, fearless, and fully erect waiting to be corrected.

Okay. That makes sense… kind of haha. I don’t know why they would do it this way but it reminds me of how they date egg cartons —by the day of the year it was packaged (today is 206).
thanks!

 

[Country Bladesmith]

My secret Santa sent me a tin of nicely aged Stonehenge that looked like the inside of a geode. There is definitely some crystallization that takes place under the right conditions. Not sure exactly what those crystals are though.

 

[jon11]

Look, people say that plume is in fact mold. With that being said some of the best tins of tobacco that I’ve smoked were dusted with shiny crystals. The last one was a tin of Kajun Kake from C&D and it was sublime.

On a side note, I have no idea why Kajun Kake is never talked about. Such a great blend!

 

[condorlover1]

Dunno. Stuff never hangs around long enough with me to develop anything interesting!

 

[anotherbob]

the one time I got plume makes me wonder if it's less tobacco and more topping or casing. I know some styles of snuff are brined and those will form crystals pretty easily. Maybe the pipe tobaccos that get crystals are brined. Certainly seem plausible and also seems like older style tobaccos have a better chance of being brined to preserve them against mold.

 

[bullet08]

First tin of Bengal Slice I had was full of sugar crystals. That thing was awesome. Either that or I smoked mold infested tin that tasted like a dream.

 

[anotherbob]

First tin of Bengal Slice I had was full of sugar crystals. That thing was awesome. Either that or I smoked mold infested tin that tasted like a dream.

well after you told me how amazingly good blue green speckled bread is I am going to guess it's the second one.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So you're saying age isn't the main reason GH flakes develop plume.

Nope, age has everything to do it but it doesn't have to be in vacuum sealed container. It's aerobic bacteria affecting the tobacco in a sealed micro environment.

 

[condorlover1]

Sort of like digging up grandma in one of those steel coffins you use in the USA after 25 years underground!

 

[timt]

Nope, age has everything to do it but it doesn't have to be in vacuum sealed container. It's aerobic bacteria affecting the tobacco in a sealed micro environment.

View attachment 89677

When I think of aging and the resulting "plumage", I guess I've always thought in terms of years and assume the original poster was too, considering he was wanting the date of his tin. Can't imagine these boxes of zip-locked flake are sitting for years prior to shipping. I know their stuff is wet, but....

 

[Chasing Embers]

When I think of aging and the resulting "plumage", I guess I've always thought in terms of years

I've had some Virginia blends develop significant plume in as little as six months in a jar.

 

[condorlover1]

@chasingembers: Me too. I have often wondered why and just put it down to the weather or not smoking enough.

 

[bullet08]

I have a theory. Stick tin full of tobacco in a pint size mason jar for three months and it will age two years worth. Just a theory.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have a theory. Stick tin full of tobacco in a pint size mason jar for three months and it will age two years worth. Just a theory.

Or bake it.