What is a recommended or allowable use-by date of pipe tobaccos?

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10-01-2011, 07:32 AM
masaki

What is a recommended or allowable use-by date of pipe tobaccos?

Hi, folks,
I am new to this forum. I was a pipe smoker up to 20 years ago and am a birthday-only cigar smoker since then. Yesterday I happed to find a sack that is made of fabric and is containing some my old pipes and a 50-gram plastic bag of Captain Black GOLD. It must be more than 20 years since it was produced, but the tobacco smells nice, looks as it was and is containig some moistness. I am curious as to why the tobacco has been keeping it's original flavor and the moistness for such the long time. Is it harmful for me to try smoking this aged tobacco?

Thanks,
masaki
10-01-2011, 07:55 AM
ashauler

Welcome to the forum. I'd smoke it.
10-01-2011, 08:26 AM
CoventryCat86

Quote:

Originally Posted by masaki

Is it harmful for me to try smoking this aged tobacco?

No.
10-01-2011, 07:49 PM
cinda

Quote:

Originally Posted by masaki

Hi, folks,
I am new to this forum. I was a pipe smoker up to 20 years ago and am a birthday-only cigar smoker since then. Yesterday I happed to find a sack that is made of fabric and is containing some my old pipes and a 50-gram plastic bag of Captain Black GOLD. It must be more than 20 years since it was produced, but the tobacco smells nice, looks as it was and is containig some moistness. I am curious as to why the tobacco has been keeping it's original flavor and the moistness for such the long time. Is it harmful for me to try smoking this aged tobacco?

Thanks,
masaki

Why don't you smoke it and do a live review for the board. It will be intersting and you would be the first and if anything happens there will be someone to call the EMT's. :smiley20:
10-02-2011, 09:15 AM
masaki

Thank you very much for the suggestions.
I challenged smoking the tobacco in question today. The physical characteristics of the tobacco seems almost same as before. I had no difficulties in stuffing them into the bowl and igniting. I enjoyed smoking it for a few minutes in my backyard garden until I found a tree infected by termites.
It has been six hours since I smoked the 20-year old tobacco, but I am OK as of yet.
10-04-2011, 04:21 PM
cinda

hummmmmmm it's been a few days.....he should of filmed it
12-13-2011, 08:59 AM
TommyTree

Not that this thread is relevant anymore, but clearly there was no answer given. Aromatic tobaccos (those heavily flavored) rarely age much and, if they age at all, never well. Burleys tend to get a little bitter with age. Latakia flattens out and becomes more musky (which I don't always mind). But Virginias and Perique are must-age tobaccos. It does have to be in an airtight container, a tin or jar, but if that had been a VaPer blend that had been aging in a tin or jar for 20 years, you would have one incredibly tasty tobacco on your hands. Also, a 20-year-aged VA or VaPer would be worth big bucks on eBay. I saw a tin of Bell's Three Nuns sell for $400 on eBay. That's a lot of cigars and pipe tobacco!
12-13-2011, 09:29 AM
ashauler

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyTree

Not that this thread is relevant anymore, but clearly there was no answer given. Aromatic tobaccos (those heavily flavored) rarely age much and, if they age at all, never well. Burleys tend to get a little bitter with age. Latakia flattens out and becomes more musky (which I don't always mind). But Virginias and Perique are must-age tobaccos. It does have to be in an airtight container, a tin or jar, but if that had been a VaPer blend that had been aging in a tin or jar for 20 years, you would have one incredibly tasty tobacco on your hands. Also, a 20-year-aged VA or VaPer would be worth big bucks on eBay. I saw a tin of Bell's Three Nuns sell for $400 on eBay. That's a lot of cigars and pipe tobacco!

Huh? I see your opinions on pipe tobacco, which we all appreciate, but where did you answer his specific question? You know, the part immediately preceding the little ? thingy. I do see one pointed and brief answer though. :smiley20:
12-13-2011, 10:00 AM
TommyTree

Well, I guess the answer's in there, but only if you already know about pipe tobacco. Doh!

Captain Black's an aromatic, so it won't age much at all in airtight conditions. In a pouch, which is far from airtight, it will dry out like crazy after probably 3-6 months. With that many years, it should be crackly. Once it gets that dry, it'll never taste like a fresh pouch. You can smoke it still, though. It might not taste good, but it's not dangerous. Best ways to rehydrate are to spray it lightly with distilled water, leave it in a humidor (optical humidity for pipe tobacco is about 30%) or pack it and then breathe gently into the pipe.

So ashauler, have I answered the question sufficiently now?
12-13-2011, 10:33 AM
ashauler

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyTree

Well, I guess the answer's in there, but only if you already know about pipe tobacco. Doh!

Captain Black's an aromatic, so it won't age much at all in airtight conditions. In a pouch, which is far from airtight, it will dry out like crazy after probably 3-6 months. With that many years, it should be crackly. Once it gets that dry, it'll never taste like a fresh pouch. You can smoke it still, though. It might not taste good, but it's not dangerous. Best ways to rehydrate are to spray it lightly with distilled water, leave it in a humidor (optical humidity for pipe tobacco is about 30%) or pack it and then breathe gently into the pipe.

So ashauler, have I answered the question sufficiently now?

His question was, "Is it harmful for me to try smoking this aged tobacco? " This type of question would usually get a yes/no/maybe type of answer. My thought, and CC86's answer, is no. I'm guessing that from your statement that "You could still smoke it though." one could infer that it would not be harmful. So, I guess you did answer it.

The question in the thread title was, "What is a recommended or allowable use-by date of pipe tobaccos?" I didn't answer this one, because, truthfully, I don't really know if there is such a thing, and suspect that it depends on the type of tobacco, etc.....which is pretty much what you said, with more elaboration.

The issue I have is with your statement that "clearly no answer was given", which is incorrect.
12-13-2011, 11:08 AM
TommyTree

Point taken. I'll be more careful with my blanket statements in the future.
12-25-2011, 10:13 AM
masaki

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyTree

... In a pouch, which is far from airtight, it will dry out like crazy after probably 3-6 months...

No, it will not dry out no matter how long the tobacco is left in the pouch as long as the relative humidity of the air is not 0%. The moisture content of the tobacco will decrease down to an equilibrium state with the surrounding air as time goes by. For example, wood's equilibrium moisture content(EMC) is 5.4% for the surrounding air's relative humidity 25%. I live in Japan and my room's average humidity in early Oct must be around 50%. I have no idea about the EMC of tobacco, but EMC of woold for 50% relative humidity is 9.5%. But, I felt the tobacco was more wet than 9.5%. I thought the tabacco has been soaked with some water absorbing agent such as glycerin.

Masaki
12-25-2011, 10:54 AM
TommyTree

Quote:

Originally Posted by masaki

But, I felt the tobacco was more wet than 9.5%. I thought the tabacco has been soaked with some water absorbing agent such as glycerin.

Masaki

That would most likely be propylene glycol, which is found in many lower-quality aromatics. That could keep your tobacco moist for a long time, but many smokers choose to avoid tobacco that uses it, as it can goop up your pipes. It's probably safe to smoke, even after many years, but I don't know if time has any impact on how it tastes.
12-25-2011, 11:32 AM
Mangyrat

Quote:

Originally Posted by masaki

Thank you very much for the suggestions.
I challenged smoking the tobacco in question today. The physical characteristics of the tobacco seems almost same as before. I had no difficulties in stuffing them into the bowl and igniting. I enjoyed smoking it for a few minutes in my backyard garden until I found a tree infected by termites.
It has been six hours since I smoked the 20-year old tobacco, but I am OK as of yet.

So aged pipe tobacco attracts termites. :smiley36:
12-06-2012, 05:48 AM
seanben

Very true!!
12-06-2012, 09:38 AM
tonygraz

When I was selling pipes and tobacco a few decades ago, there was a suggested storage time for bagged tobacco---I think it was around 2 years. I've smoked tobacco that was 20 years old and the only problem I've ever had with old tobacco is that it sometimes gets somewhat dry-which could be a good thing for some of the Captain Blacks. The last pipe I had was filled with 3-4 year old tobacco.