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Sam Gawith tobaccos, no longer vacuum sealed?

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
Amongst a bundle of tobaccos that arrived this morning, were three tins from Samuel Gawith.

IMG_20211109_092459.jpg


The Kendal Cream arrived, with the slightly older format, of the gory pictures on a cardboard box, with the standard tin image on a heavily concaved tin, from the vacuum sealing.

The Squadron Leader and Skiff Mixture, have the newer format pukey pics directly on the lid, BUT have a plastic rip off piece covering the joint. That's new! Also, the tins show no deformation from vac sealing, which has me a little concerned.

IMG_20211109_093523.jpg


Furthermore, you MIGHT be able to see on these pics, that the plastic does not extend to the underside of the tin. As such, it isn't holding the lid clamped down on the seal, the way that vacuum sealing should.

These were supposed to be being laid away for some time in the future, but I'm not filled with confidence about how well sealed these are. Neither can I periodically check to see if the lid has loosened, to know whether the seal is intact. It's held securely enough to stop me checking, but securely enough to be airtight...? Maybe not 🤔

I'm probably going to need to get some vac sealing bags, and wrap these in even more plastic, I reckon.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I'd crack the tins and move to mason jars. Would want to know the integrity of the tobacco before vacuum sealing

I'll probably still vac pack the tins, but you're right, Mike, I should still check the contents first :thumbup1:

The failure rate of the rectangular tins was pretty high anyway so maybe the thought why bother…

Maybe this will increase complaints, and speed up them finally moving to round tins...
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
You might find dabs hot glue inside if it’s like the G&H tins I got.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
You might find dabs hot glue inside if it’s like the G&H tins I got.

Did yours have this new plastic anti-tamper wrap too, Kent? If so, did the tins seem any better or worse for long term storage, than the typical vacuum that we're all used to?

I can't imagine these Sam Gawith tins being any different, coming off the same machines, with same date codes etc.
 
I mylar seal all new or secondhand SG tins and have for some time for precisely this reason. One or two five year old tins gone dry even though they felt sealed is enough for me.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I mylar seal all new or secondhand SG tins and have for some time for precisely this reason. One or two five year old tins gone dry even though they felt sealed is enough for me.

That's got me thinking of doing the same with my others too. I had assumed checking there was no rust, and that the lid was secure, was enough.

What size bags do you use?
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
I only have 3 of the new tins and they are in mylar bag heat sealed. I don’t think they had the plastic as the top just popped off in my hands. Tobacco wasn’t overly dry IIRC but they was a year or more ago.
 
That's got me thinking of doing the same with my others too. I had assumed checking there was no rust, and that the lid was secure, was enough.

What size bags do you use?
Most recently, I've bought these single meal size bags. They are the perfect size for one tin or about 100g loose:

 
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AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
Most recently, I've bought these single meal size bags. They are the perfect size for one room or about 100g loose:


Thank you.

I'm in two minds what to do at the moment. Seal the tins, or empty them and just put the tobacco straight into the Mylar pouch.

The lazy/easy option for me is seal the entire tin in a pouch. However, as a low volume smoker, if I'm going to use pouches anyway, I might as well split each tin into three or four separate "servings" so I can open 12 to 15g, and keep the rest sealed. It's an idea I considered a while ago for loose tobaccos, but never followed through on it.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Thank you.

I'm in two minds what to do at the moment. Seal the tins, or empty them and just put the tobacco straight into the Mylar pouch.

The lazy/easy option for me is seal the entire tin in a pouch. However, as a low volume smoker, if I'm going to use pouches anyway, I might as well split each tin into three or four separate "servings" so I can open 12 to 15g, and keep the rest sealed. It's an idea I considered a while ago for loose tobaccos, but never followed through on it.

I have been doing the same with bulk tobacco buys albeit in larger amounts. Instead of jarring the whole pound in a jar I split into 50g lots and use smaller jars. I think your strategy is sound.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I have been doing the same with bulk tobacco buys albeit in larger amounts. Instead of jarring the whole pound in a jar I split into 50g lots and use smaller jars. I think your strategy is sound.

The more I think about it, it ticks too many boxes, not to give it a try.

It ensures safer long term storage of both the Gawith tins, plus Condor, St Bruno, and loose/weighed tobacco pouches. Whenever I pop open a new tin, I can immediately portion off 2/3 of it for safe smoking later, and reduce the risk of getting bored before the tin is done. In particular, it lets me have longer breaks between sessions with the more robust tobaccos(Condition, Irish Flake, etc), which I really do enjoy the occasional bowl of, but which facing down a full tin of, seems somewhat daunting.

Time to start shopping around for local options, I think.
 
Amongst a bundle of tobaccos that arrived this morning, were three tins from Samuel Gawith.

View attachment 1359890

The Kendal Cream arrived, with the slightly older format, of the gory pictures on a cardboard box, with the standard tin image on a heavily concaved tin, from the vacuum sealing.

The Squadron Leader and Skiff Mixture, have the newer format pukey pics directly on the lid, BUT have a plastic rip off piece covering the joint. That's new! Also, the tins show no deformation from vac sealing, which has me a little concerned.

View attachment 1359894

Furthermore, you MIGHT be able to see on these pics, that the plastic does not extend to the underside of the tin. As such, it isn't holding the lid clamped down on the seal, the way that vacuum sealing should.

These were supposed to be being laid away for some time in the future, but I'm not filled with confidence about how well sealed these are. Neither can I periodically check to see if the lid has loosened, to know whether the seal is intact. It's held securely enough to stop me checking, but securely enough to be airtight...? Maybe not 🤔

I'm probably going to need to get some vac sealing bags, and wrap these in even more plastic, I reckon.
For long term storage I would consider the humidor packs Al. They are very effective and come in various % ‘s A good seal and they last a very long time.

 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
For long term storage I would consider the humidor packs Al. They are very effective and come in various % ‘s A good seal and they last a very long time.


Are they the little pouch things that regulate humidity, John? I would imagine that if I'm sealing up little 15g "baggies" in Mylar, they shouldn't really be needed, should they?

The bigger concern I have with going this route, is interrupting the ageing process, and it not getting restarted again. For example, if I pop the lid on a 2 year old tin, divi it up into 3 Mylar bags, and seal it for another 3 years, will it continue to mature, or just arrest it, and maintain it at the 2 year mark?
 
Are they the little pouch things that regulate humidity, John? I would imagine that if I'm sealing up little 15g "baggies" in Mylar, they shouldn't really be needed, should they?

The bigger concern I have with going this route, is interrupting the ageing process, and it not getting restarted again. For example, if I pop the lid on a 2 year old tin, divi it up into 3 Mylar bags, and seal it for another 3 years, will it continue to mature, or just arrest it, and maintain it at the 2 year mark?
Storage long term must effect ageing. All fine tobacconists use humidity and precise settings. You need to find out what maximum storage is ideal for the product. Sealing anything airtight might stop ageing? I don’t know, but that would be my guess. Or at least drastically slow down ageing. The only thing I am sure of is don’t let it dry out. I suggested the packs because I used them. I have only stored beyond a few months, occasionally. The packs are used over and over. Very slow to dry up. Air tight container a must. I use a pelican case. Bought on sale. They are expensive but indestructible. Air tight. Going beyond a few months. I use a mason jar with a pack. Never any problems. I also use mason jars to freeze coffee beans in which I buy in 2.1kg bags. Hard to beat a mason jar.

 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Commonly held perceptions on pipe tobacco aging is airtight seals are paramount to success. Anaerobic activity is what supposedly improves pipe tobacco. Aerobic activity basically ferments the tobacco. That being said if you like how your tobacco ages without the airtight seal that’s great too.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I've been avoiding glass, for the additional cost and bulk. Plus, you've read in my shave journal, what happens when the brain goes wonky, John. Mylar is cheaper, less bulky, and I can drop it on the floor as many times as I want. :lol:
 
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AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
Commonly held perceptions on pipe tobacco aging is airtight seals are paramount to success. Anaerobic activity is what supposedly improves pipe tobacco. Aerobic activity basically ferments the tobacco. That being said if you like how your tobacco ages without the airtight seal that’s great too.

I'm with you on that, Kent.

Aerobic activity with residual oxygen when packaged, (for however many months) then anaerobic thereafter. What's currently unknown (to me) though, is whether this will repeat, or just do aerobic again... then stop. I don't know if the secondary microbial magic makers, are integral to the leaf, or is all around us in the air and therefore recharged when it's rebagged... and the overall maturation just loses the time taken to consume the second dose of oxygen.

Thinking about it (either logically, or naively, depending on your viewpoint), ALL tobacco goes through a period of being shot off from oxygen before we get it, and we don't always know how long that is.

I'm not smart enough to know the difference between the two types of maturation though :letterk1:
 
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