Unopened 250g Boxed FVF from 2017

[kane]

I’ve come across an unopened 250g box of Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake from 2017. This is the box with the tobacco in a ziplock bag from the factory. We opened it and it is very dry. Unfortunately, I never bothered to jar it before stashing it away and forgetting about it. I know that FVF usually has a pretty high moisture content and is pliable and can be dried out to the smoker’s liking, but this stuff has become very dry and brittle in the bag from its 7 plus years of shelf like. Any concerns about FVF in this condition? It looks ok, although the flake falls apart when handled due to it being so dry. We fired up a bowl, and it tastes ok to me, but I am not that well versed in FVF and haven’t smoked any of it for a while. Any ideas or recommendations on how to proceed with this stuff? Is it salvagable? Will it regain its normal state if Jared?
Thanks

 

[sablebrush52]

I’ve come across an unopened 250g box of Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake from 2017. This is the box with the tobacco in a ziplock bag From the factory. We opened it and it is very dry. Unfortunately, no one bothered to jar it before stashing it away and forgetting about it. I know that FVF usually has a pretty high moisture content and is pliable and can be dried out to the smoker’s liking, but this stuff has become very dry and brittle in the bag from its 7 plus years of shelf like. Any concerns about FVF in this condition? It looks ok, although the flake falls apart when handled due to it being so dry. We fired up a bowl, and it tastes ok to me, but I am not that well versed in FVF and haven’t smoked any of it for a while. Any ideas or recommendations on how to proceed with this stuff? Is it salvagable? Will it regain its normal state if Jared?
Thanks

If it's smoking OK for you, it might be fine to jar as is. But, I suspect that it might regain some flavor if rehydrated a little. I did something similar with a forgotten baggie of best brown flake.
If you do decide to rehydrate, carefully place the flakes in a clean wide bowl. Moisten some paper toweling with distilled water and drape over the top of the bowl, completely covering it. Make sure that the toweling doesn't touch the tobacco.
Leave it alone for a few hours, then pull back the toweling and gently turn the flakes. Remoisten the toweling and leave it for a few more hours. Carefully place the flakes in a mason jar and seal it. Set it aside for a week so that the moisture is evenly distributed through the tobacco, then give it a try. It will still be on the dry side, but that's to the good.

Good luck!

 

[kane]

sablebrush52, Thanks very much for your advice and description of how to rehydrate It. I‘ve not done that before, but will give it a shot. This stuff is really dry! So much for storing tobacco in ziplock bags! I guess Samuel Gawith expects the customer to either smoke their tobacco soon or be smart enough to jar it.

 

[craig61a]

The plastic or cellophane that was used to wrap those is air permeable. I sealed all mine in Mylar and then put it back in the box to cellar.

If it’s too dry it might have tendency to be bitey.

As described above is the best way to get it back to a more favorable smoking state.