SG full virginia

[JRI]

I have been smoking Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake from the tin and it is a little difficult to get going but once going it is fantastic!
The question I have is this;I just received a 1lb box of it today,opened the box and filled my pipe with it,the first thing I noticed was that the 1lb bulk rubbed out easier and was quite a bit easier to get going,but once going,it didn't seem as strong as the tinned did and also tasted slightly different,a bit fuller flavor than the tinned that was very satisfying.
I also noticed that the tinned tobaccois slightly darker and has more sugar crystals than does the bulk tobacco,why then,does the bulk taste different and a little better than the tinned?
Could it be that the bulk is misnamed?
The bulk 1lb box was the Samuel Gawith white box and has the label "1lb Full Virginia".
I hope this isn't a stupid question.
Jeff

[smokinmojo]

The tin and bulk probably started the same. I've seen with SG blends that the tins are a little moist and dry out fairly quickly once opened. A good guess would be that they are either vastly different ages or degrees of dryness.

Craige

[IHT]

Originally Posted by smokinmojo

The tin and bulk probably started the same. I've seen with SG blends that the tins are a little moist and dry out fairly quickly once opened. A good guess would be that they are either vastly different ages or degrees of dryness.

Craige

the difference in dryness of the baccy is why it's harder to keep the freshly opened tinned blend going - most SG tinned blends come sopping wet it seems (all of them that i've opened).
i've read that some old timers prefer to barely let it dry, as they like their virginias wet (who doesn't, nyuck - nyuck - nyuck!!! a dry "virginia" is no good).
taste are all different, so if you prefer the bulk version, then let the tinned version dry out a bit.
and smokinmojo is correct, most likely totally different batches/years.

[LSU Tiger]

Originally Posted by IHT

i've read that some old timers prefer to barely let it dry, as they like their virginias wet (who doesn't, nyuck - nyuck - nyuck!!! a dry "virginia" is no good).

[JRI]

Thanks everybody!
I didn't think about the moisture content!
I let a strip from the tin dry out for about an hour and lo and behold,it tasted pretty much the same as the bulk.
I am rather inexperienced in the wonder world of pipe smoking and premium tobaccos,I smoked a pipe with drug store blends (aromatics) as a break from smoking cigarettes,but when I gave up cigarettes 11yrs ago,I also gave up pipe smoking,but severly missed pipe smoking during this time.
I finally gave in to the craving for my pipes a year ago,and at the same time I discovered the premium tobaccos and the top of the line people who smoke pipes,I am so happy I came back to pipe smoking,however,I almost cry when I think about the 10yrs I gave up pipe smoking while giving up cigarettes.
To this day,I have not smoked another cigarette nor do I miss them.
Glad to be back!
Jeff
P.S. sorry if this was post off topic,but I am so glad to be back with my pipes and also with the wonderful people who smoke them.

[fitzsmoke]

The tin was probably older as well. The crystals usually develop due to aging. If you want the bulk flake to age well transfer to rubber gasketed Mason jars or similar. My wife gave me some ceramic food storage crocks of various sizes with the wire snap top with silicone gaskets that she wasn't using. They work great.

[IHT]

Originally Posted by fitzsmoke

The tin was probably older as well. The crystals usually develop due to aging. If you want the bulk flake to age well transfer to rubber gasketed Mason jars or similar. My wife gave me some ceramic food storage crocks of various sizes with the wire snap top with silicone gaskets that she wasn't using. They work great.

i've got some as well. they do work great.