Tobacco Preparation - Long

[LBT]

Also, when it comes to cellaring I do not cellar believing that every blend is going to miraculously transform overtime.

Concur, re: magically transform.

Similar to cigars. In fact, IMO, it's a rare cigar that doesn't 'time-out' after a certain point. As you imply, this is a 'first-world' problem to have....

Thanks,

Lee

 

[LBT]

But, I have found that letting a GLP blend like Haddos tastes much better after airing out.

<<snip>>

But, for me the water inhibits flavors, some may disagree and they're misguided prerogative, ha ha. JK

Thanks. Seems like the game is largely about getting the tobacco to a moisture content that delivers the smoke experience an individual enjoys.

Lee

 

[rajangan]

If they truly are storing the tobacco in high case without humectants and it doesn't mold, how does it not mold? The only ways I can think of to prevent mold would be either to pasteurized it with heat after its sealed, purge the oxygen out and fill with CO2 or nitrogen, vacuum seal it, or use preservatives.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If they truly are storing the tobacco in high case without humectants and it doesn't mold, how does it not mold? The only ways I can think of to prevent mold would be either to pasteurized it with heat after its sealed, purge the oxygen out and fill with CO2 or nitrogen, vacuum seal it, or use preservatives.

The power of prayer!!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Increasing the acidity Is something I’ve read about also.

 

[LBT]

I for one have never, in fifty plus years of wondering, understood why anyone would imbibe a rose or even a white wine when robust reds are available. I simply cannot fathom the reality! It lies beyond my keen.

You know, I use to feel exactly that way... until I spent a scorched summer in Provence and that's all the locals drank - eventually, I came around...

Thanks for the other contribution - agree this is about finding your own groove - often, the views of people on this board help me get there a bit faster.

Best,

Lee

BTW, Warren, are you a nature photographer? That's some serious glass you're hauling around!

 

[LBT]

I always let my tobacco breathe for days and even weeks before smoking. I like my tobacco very dry, so that's one thing. But I also think that the tobacco benefits from some time of airing or whatever term is appropriate, waking up the flavors. I have no idea why or what is going on, but I get more flavor this way.

Interesting - do you have a sweet spot for drying by blend? Or is it a case-by-case process? Curious. Thanks!

Lee

 

[logs]

Certain tobacco blends do seem to work better after the tin has been opened and allowed to sit a couple weeks. I've had that experience on a number of occasions, although I make no real effort to allow blends to breath; it's more that it's bound to happen because I always have too many open tins around me. I have no clue if there's some chemistry behind it... perhaps it's the oxygen but maybe it's just dryness.

 

[workman]

Interesting - do you have a sweet spot for drying by blend? Or is it a case-by-case process? Curious. Thanks!

Lee

I'm working on it, but slowly.
I think I have concluded so far that straight virginias are best very dry.
I smoke Full Virginia Flake a lot, and it can't get too dry in my climate. Capstan Blue is the same.
Va/pers can have a little moisture, as some of them can get harsh if too dry. Dunhill Elizabethan in particular. A little moisture in this case just means that the tobacco doesn't turn to dust when you handle it.

 

[warren]

LBT: Predominately, yes.

 

[hawky454]

I absolutely agree with the review you posted. Especially blends that have gone “dormant” in the cellar. If I crack an aged tin and load immediately, I am almost always disappointed but If I allow the tobacco to breath and sit in the open tin about a week (with the lid on) I think the tobacco opens up significantly. This could be a placebo effect as well as the whole aging theory. In all honesty I’ve only noticed a few blends that have truly transformed with age and that’s great but I don’t cellar to age blends... well I do with certain blends but for the most part I cellar to avoid rising prices or missing out on my favorite blends due to discontinuation. With blends like Condor and St. Bruno, I try to store them in a manner to prevent transformation due to aging because I like them just how they are. But I do think the theory that aged tobacco tastes better is largely a placebo effect but of course there are always exceptions to the rules. I am not immune to this either, I delight in the fact that I have a lot of aged tobacco in my cellar.

 

[logs]

But I do think the theory that aged tobacco tastes better is largely a placebo effect but of course there are always exceptions to the rules. I am not immune to this either, I delight in the fact that I have a lot of aged tobacco in my cellar.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "better". In most cases aged tobacco does taste different than fresh. I agree that the dramatic transformation in taste that some people claim happens... well, I've never found that to be true. But usually it does taste smoother with age and any latikia softens. That's been my experience. Whether that's better or not is personal preference.

 

[rajangan]

I am totally convinced aging works, but I think a lot the folks who intentionally age their tobacco have too much variety and smoke too many different things to know whether the tobacco they've cellared has improved with age.

 

[LBT]

review you posted. Especially blends that have gone “dormant” in the cellar. If I crack an aged tin and load immediately, I am almost always disappointed but If I allow the tobacco to breath and sit in the open tin about a week (with the lid on) I think the tobacco opens up significantly

Helpful.

Sounds analogous to wine decanting when the vintage is ready to drink: prep involves waking it up through exposing it to air. This sounds plausible to me.

As opposed to wine decanting when the vintage is NOT ready to drink, where one is attempting to accelerate the aging process through exposure to air. This... I'm not so sure about...

Interesting - thanks,

Lee

 

[LBT]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "better". In most cases aged tobacco does taste different than fresh. I agree that the dramatic transformation in taste that some people claim happens... well, I've never found that to be true. But usually it does taste smoother with age and any latikia softens. That's been my experience. Whether that's better or not is personal preference.

Similar to cigars.

Not, necessarily similar to wine, as wine can radically transform during aging, and even decanting.

Thanks -

Lee

 

[LBT]

This could be a placebo effect as well as the whole aging theory.

Heh, I have that thought as well

Lee

 

[LBT]

I'm working on it, but slowly.
I think I have concluded so far that straight virginias are best very dry.
I smoke Full Virginia Flake a lot, and it can't get too dry in my climate. Capstan Blue is the same.
Va/pers can have a little moisture, as some of them can get harsh if too dry. Dunhill Elizabethan in particular. A little moisture in this case just means that the tobacco doesn't turn to dust when you handle it.

Thanks. Helpful. Curious to hear about how you progress with this exploration.

Best,

Lee

 

[LBT]

I am totally convinced aging works, but I think a lot the folks who intentionally age their tobacco have too much variety and smoke too many different things to know whether the tobacco they've cellared has improved with age.

Agree on variety getting in the way of assessing how a blend changes with time - same with cigars. I've stopped sharing my aged smokes with brethren (save a few who are deeply knowledgable), as there's enough standard production stuff that is more than adequate for a great get together.

That noted, my inquiry isn't about if aging works; it's about prep between tobacco leaving the tin and time to flame. Very different domains. There's plenty of info on the board regarding aging (opinions and theories thereof), but I've found little on the topic of a 'decant' phase, other than comments about letting something dry (minutes, hours, days) as part of a review. As you've pointed out, for some tobaccos, it's about letting humicants/PG/whatever escape. For others, it's something else.

I'm concluding the tobacco 'decant' phase is:

1. Primarily about getting the tobacco to the moisture level an individual prefers, which varies according to individual preferences
2. Perhaps... 'waking' a tobacco up after a long slumber, as Hawky suggests (btw, sweet dog, Hawky)

What isn't present, is the analogy of 'accelerating' the aging process through the decant phase, which one can do with wine. Regardless, the consensus seems to be: there's justification to focus on the so-called 'decant' phase, which is in line with Tripjoker's rant.

Appreciate you and others engaging the topic - helpful.

Lee

 

[mso489]

I'm not convinced there is one appropriate way to go at all blends, or all premium blends. Crack the tin; see what you've got. Take a few bowls and dry it out and see how it is over several days. It's a dynamic process, not one scheduled routine. Sometimes a blend will smoke right out of the tin, and sometimes it needs some drying, and sometimes both work, and there are two or three different experiences depending on how dry it is. Always something. Such is life. That's about how it goes with wine as well. It's sort of an active negotiation.

 

[rajangan]

Agree on variety getting in the way of assessing how a blend changes with time - same with cigars. I've stopped sharing my aged smokes with brethren (save a few who are deeply knowledgable), as there's enough standard production stuff that is more than adequate for a great get together.

That noted, my inquiry isn't about if aging works; it's about prep between tobacco leaving the tin and time to flame. Very different domains. There's plenty of info on the board regarding aging (opinions and theories thereof), but I've found little on the topic of a 'decant' phase, other than comments about letting something dry (minutes, hours, days) as part of a review. As you've pointed out, for some tobaccos, it's about letting humicants/PG/whatever escape. For others, it's something else.

I'm concluding the tobacco 'decant' phase is:

1. Primarily about getting the tobacco to the moisture level an individual prefers, which varies according to individual preferences
2. Perhaps... 'waking' a tobacco up after a long slumber, as Hawky suggests (btw, sweet dog, Hawky)

What isn't present, is the analogy of 'accelerating' the aging process through the decant phase, which one can do with wine. Regardless, the consensus seems to be: there's justification to focus on the so-called 'decant' phase, which is in line with Tripjoker's rant.

Appreciate you and others engaging the topic - helpful.

Lee

These are thoughts I had. Just thinking out loud.... I wonder if it relates. When tobacco ages, it produces various byproducts that need time to evaporate or float away, like carbon dioxide, ammonia for sure, and maybe even certain acids and alcohols.

With whole leaf that's recently gone through a major transition such as being in a kiln for a month, or being steamed. Letting it rest after is as important as the injuriously process. It gives time for stuff to oxidize, migrate out, and evaporate.

A good commercial tobacco shouldn't be sterile and inert. Therefore, however long its completely sealed, the leaf is basically in a pressure vessel of its own 'stuff'.