Cellering and Rattrays disertation

[Josjor]

I've finally gotten to the point where I have a dozen or so tobacco varieties sitting around and sorting through the ziplocs and tins to pick the next smoke is getting to be a bit confusing and cumbersome. So I thought I'd get the Ball jars and lids out and some labels and get organized. Then I came accross this thread from Mark that contains a .pdf of a paper on tobacco blending from Rattray.

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t14131-of-interest

It contains the following text on page 11:
"Contrary to popular believe, the air-tight container is not the best method of packing -- the vacuumised tin is necessary when water has been added --with rare choice leaf this is never done.

My brands are pack in 1/4 lb and 1/2 lb tins but not hermetically sealed unless for tropical countries where the is great humidity.

Tobacco is a vegetable that lives and breathes: it does not improve by being imprisoned in an air-tight compartment."

He then continues with the example of cigars, which are packed in cedar boxes and not in airtight containers. He also states that he only relies on the natural oils in the leaf.

What say you folks of higher pipe tobacco learning? I'm a newby, but I keep seeing posts about putting your tobacco in tightly lidded jars being the best way and then I see this from a blender of old.

 

[shootist51]

It's your tobacco, you can do whatever you please with it. I will continue using jars as I have personally experienced the improvement in a blend stored this way over time...several were Rattray products.

 

[DrT999]

It contains the following text on page 11:
"Contrary to popular believe, the air-tight container is not the best method of packing -- the vacuumised tin is necessary when water has been added --with rare choice leaf this is never done.

My brands are pack in 1/4 lb and 1/2 lb tins but not hermetically sealed unless for tropical countries where the is great humidity.

Tobacco is a vegetable that lives and breathes: it does not improve by being imprisoned in an air-tight compartment."

He then continues with the example of cigars, which are packed in cedar boxes and not in airtight containers. He also states that he only relies on the natural oils in the leaf.

What say you folks of higher pipe tobacco learning? I'm a newby, but I keep seeing posts about putting your tobacco in tightly lidded jars being the best way and then I see this from a blender of old.

Tightly-lidded jars prevent moisture-levels from changing (or at least changing quickly). They do not provide a vacuum seal, as air is not pumped out (does anyone go to those lengths?)*. So, storing in such a jar should SLOW moisture loss and SLOW the aging process, but would not halt them to the degree a vacuum seal would. Therefore, I would say keeping tobacco not being immediately/quickly used under such conditions would be a positive step.

*remember, Mason jars have to be heated and seal only when they start to cool, providing the air tight seal at that point. I ain't going to boil my tobacco in a jar to get a seal.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I will continue using jars as I have personally experienced the improvement in a blend stored this way over time...several were Rattray products.

Same here, Shootist. I've used the Ball Mason Jars for years and never had a problem. I've had blends stored that way for 5-6 years and smoked perfectly when opened ( I pulled about an ounce of it out and put it in a zip-lock bag for regular consumption). The rest stayed in the Jar until used. Even after 7-years total, the tobacco was fine - no degradation, not dried out, great aroma and taste, smoked as good as it did on day one.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

What this writer states, that air-tight containers are not superior to a closed container, flies in the face of what I was taught and what has worked for me. Straight VAs, VA/Periques and other blends with a sizable amount of VA acquire an entirely delectable aroma when aged for 5 years or more, which greatly appeals to the nose; but what about the smoke? In my opinion blends improve significantly, and more.

 

[Dutch]

Well, there is certainly a difference between "blending" or "marrying," and "aging."

If you simply want your cigar ingredients to marry, it only takes a few months, and it doesn't matter if they are in an airtight container.

However, if you want your cigars to age and therefore mellow, they need much more time and air circulation.

I would imagine optimal conditions for pipe tobacco would be slightly different, but not much.

Cigars are much more fragile, because with higher and lower humidity extremes, they swell and contract, similar to a sponge. The breatheable humidor keeps the humidity from reaching a high enough level that will cause the cigar wrapper leaf to break or crack.

One question I'm curious about, is how long is most pipe tobacco aged on average, before it is sealed in a tin? Once sealed, are they all immediately shipped, or do some companies age pipe tobacco the way some cigar companies age cigar leaf, or rolled and boxed cigars?

 

[sand18f]

Why did Ball, Mason and others invent the canning jar?

 

[s.ireland]

It contains the following text on page 11:
"Contrary to popular believe, the air-tight container is not the best method of packing -- the vacuumised tin is necessary when water has been added --with rare choice leaf this is never done.

Keep in mind that this was written at a time where most were not thinking about long term storage. I would agree that tobacco needs to "breath" to be at it's best before consumption (proper humidity is subjective, however...). From a cellaring perspective, thinking in terms of years, it makes more sense to try and keep the leaf from drying out. Back then, I'm assuming, most just bought tobacco to immediately enjoy. I've smoked some fairly old tobacco and first bowl straight from the tin--even if allowed to "dry"--was not as good as subsequent bowls after the tin/jar had been open for a bit. Same with wine and whisky IMO. Oxygen is a must but not during the duration of storage, just prior to enjoying.

 

[Rusty]

I've finally gotten to the point where I have a dozen or so tobacco varieties sitting around and sorting through the ziplocs and tins to pick the next smoke is getting to be a bit confusing and cumbersome. So I thought I'd get the Ball jars and lids out and some labels and get organized.

Do that. Or you can pretend you're following Chuck Rattray's marketing lit. It's a worthwhile experiment to see what happens.
But BTW legions of new pipe smokers have followed Chuck's advice. The blends dry out and then they whine about dead tobacco and want to rejuvenate it. And so it goes....

"Contrary to popular believe, the air-tight container is not the best method of packing -- the vacuumised tin is necessary when water has been added --with rare choice leaf this is never done.

My brands are pack in 1/4 lb and 1/2 lb tins but not hermetically sealed unless for tropical countries where the is great humidity.

Tobacco is a vegetable that lives and breathes: it does not improve by being imprisoned in an air-tight compartment."

Ah what the hey! Chuck knew that being wrong about all this could only result in more sales or maybe he was just trying to differentiate his products. It's tough to know.
Always be a little suspicious of marketing lit that seems to encourage consumers to sabotage the product. BTW the latest horror is that they're now telling us to burn the stuff in a small wooden bowl, held in the teeth with a deteriorating piece of vulcanized rubber, accompanied by ceremony and ritual! Is that odd or what? What happened to rolling in it? They really must think that we're all morons.

Fact is tobacco manufacturers receive palettized stacks of tobacco that is rather dry. Bone dry. So the very first thing they do before making anything is add moisture so that they can process the leaf and cut it etc without it turning to dry dust. You can see stacks of tobacco in vids online in, for example, Smokingpipes little wanders through Orlik's and Mac Baren's leaf warehouses. The tobacco is sitting in the open on a palette. Therefore Chuckles must be referring to some other tobacco that dropped out of the heavens in perfect condition because it can't refer to any leaf available today (other than barrels of Perique). That's his 'out'. And, y'know, a visit to a B&M to see all the sealed tins for sale might be in order. If you stick around you may even see the proprietor water the bulk tobacco as if it was a potted plant.

Now .... some great modern reading for you.
http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=49
http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=28
http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=39

There is a ton of good stuff there on almost every aspect of our hobby. Enjoy!