Tins

[Crookshanks]

There are those that you put a coin in, and pop the vacuum seal, and twist off e.g. Dunhill, Mac Baren, Germain, Esoterica etc. There are those that are taller and have old-style pop tab peel off seals like a can of peaches, and plastic replaceable lids (e.g. GLP, McClelland, Cornell and Diehl etc). What are the advantages of either? It seems to me that in the vacuum discs, the tobacco is more tightly pressed in (perhaps further melding the flavors?), and there is not as much air (perhaps hindering aging?). I've never really been able to pack from the discs, usually taking the tobacco out, and storing it in other things. But thats beside the point. The taller tins certainly have more air (don't they?) and the tobacco is more loosely packed in the tins (in a lot of cases).

Is there a long-term aging, flavor enhancing aspect to either version?

Cheers!

 

[Carlos]

Some of those tins, of each style, are packed tight. Other loose. Since it's done by weight you would have to expect some of that. The paper liners often take up the excess space. Notice those nice fan fold paper liners in the Dunhill style tins. They are never smashed flat, but the tobacco always seems like it's been pressed in like a brick.

 

[jlong]

The taller plastic lidded tins seem to seal quite well so I leave the tobacco in them. They are very convenient. I sometimes wash and re-use them to store tinned tobacco of the same genre on the short term. Many of the tins have a seal but you have to twist the lid tight making them hard to open. If I plan to store either for more than two or three weeks, mini Ball jars are my favorite.

 

[Sasquatch]

I have a personal belief that there are fewer "popped" tins of the peel-back lid variety, so for long term aging, I prefer that. Nothing worse than opening a twist-top that you thought was sealed only to find that it is dry as dust inside.

As for "in the tin" aging, I suspect the original amount of air is more in the peel-backs, but after that oxygen is used, there is no difference in the atmospheres inside the tins. Whatever processes we are hoping for are anaerobic.

After opening, I STILL prefer the plastic lid variety unless I'm doing something rough like backpacking, in which case the flat, small, twist-off is preferred.