Smoking dry all of a sudden, WTH?

[Branzig]

It's happened too often lately to be coincidence. The only thing I can guess is that my technique has been improving

That would be my guess. Technique first, and of course drying tobacco. Wet tobacco will puddle up the bottom of a pipe. But I already know that you dry your bacco, so more so technique.

On another note, I am shocked you got cobs to smoke wet. No wonder your mouth always was tender

I have to freight train a cob to get it wet. Whether it is winter or not.