I usually don't mind the smell, because it does dissipate, as I said above, but it is curious. About a year ago, I ordered a pound of Hearth and Home's Anniversary Cake, and it was NOT anything like what I had ordered 10-15 years ago. It did not have that baked goods, pastry smell... it smelled so much like manure that my wife made me toss it, which was ok with me, because I couldn't bring myself to touch it, much less smoke it. It was way worse than the usual C&D manure smell. Some have said that their recent buys of Annie Cake didn't have that smell, so... I have no idea...
But, I would like to point out that it is NOT in all of their blends. Just some. I assumed it was the burley and perique combination also, because I do not smell it in their Virginia blends, or straight up burleys.
If I ever get the chance to talk to
@jeremyreeves I would like to ask him about it. I think he once came on a thread years ago to talk about this, but I can't remember what the definitive answer was. But, as I said, it doesn't deter me from enjoying these blends.