Quote Originally Posted by NeverBend View Post
Hi John,

Very good advice offered in this thread.

You make a very good point about the possibility that the bulk tobacco is made as a separate batch from the tins, whether in the same location or not. No two batches of tobacco are ever exactly the same through they're usually close. If a company makes separate batches for use in tins and another for bulk there will be subtle differences. If they source from different areas (as I'd presume if it's made in different locations) the differences could be more apparent.

Good point about testing the vacuum seal on the tin. Your method of testing is more definitive but if there's any give to the top of the tin it's a bad seal.

Lastly, tobacco tinned under pressure will marry faster and age more quickly. I put tobacco into mason jars with more pressure. Without pressure, the tobacco in mason jars will be ready to smoke more quickly but age less. Flakes, if left together as a cake will age well.

Pete
That is a very good point!

Another way to age bulk tobacco, a way I started using about 7 years ago, is to break it up into 1.0oz, 2.0oz, & 4.0oz units and then use a food style vacuum sealing unit and the thick 8oz size sealing bags, to vacuum seal the tobaccos, in the sizes that suit your needs best. I have opened a number of them at the 3, 4 & 5 year periods and the differences are amazing, especially with Virginia and Va/Perique blends. McClelland 2015, after just 3 years, smells exactly like Chocolate Covered Cherries.