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is tinned better than bulk tobacco? i love old gowrie and hal o' the wynd from the tin but wish i could get a whole lot of them. sound i get a bunch of tins or bulk? i've heard that tins have better flavor with the fermented character. is this true?

also, i'm loving rattrays blends. any virginia lovers have any favorite virginia blends from other brands?

4 Noggins.com offers Rattray in bulk, minimum order 8 oz. $37.50. If you like it a lot maybe it would be worth it.

You can order the bulk, then put it all in mason jars and put it up for a few months. It's not exactly the same as tinned, but it's a close approximation, and will keep it fresh to boot. I like the half-pint jars - they're just the right size.

Most tobaccos I order in 8oz tins, and if left in my big hutch, stay fresh for a long time when opened. However, the lesser smoked ones I transfer to mason jars immediately upon opening.

If you just open the tin immediately anyway, you won't be able to tell any difference from the bulk. The difference will come in, say 5 years, if you compare the bulk that was left in a mason jar for 5 years vs. the 5 year old tin that was just opened. Otherwise, it's the same stuff. I won't say an aged tin is better than fresh bulk or aerobically aged mason jar bulk or even a new tin, since that's a matter personal preference, but they will taste different.

dogwood wrote:also, i'm loving rattrays blends. any virginia lovers have any favorite virginia blends from other brands?

If you like Virginias, try G.L. Pease's "Union Square." It is a pure Virginia flake, and it is quite nice.