Squadron Leader Brick???

[TwelveAMnTX]

Okay ... I was out checking out a store today while running around town. They had a few Samuel G tins: SL, FVF, Commonwealth & Navy Flake for $9.99 each. I have been seeing posts about SL on here & have been wanting to try an English tobacco. I haven't tried a flake tobacco yet, but heard they can be difficult for beginners, so I decided to either get Commonwealth or SL. I looked them up on P&C to see which was the lighter strength & bought a tin of SL. I had other things to do & just got around to opening the tin & it's a bone dry brick! I looked on here & everyone was saying it's usually wet & needs to dry out a bit before smoking. I'm thinking I got an old tin that's dried out, it's supposed to be just wrapped in paper, no plastic right?

Trying to decide whether to bring it back, if they'll take it back, or what to do.

?

 

[Sloth]

As long as a tin's seal remains intact, the tobacco inside can remain moist for years--decades, even. But sometimes tins can lose their seal. Rectangular tins are more prone to this than round ones.

Take it back and see what they do. If they're pipe-savvy, I imagine they'll cheerfully replace it. Check the new tin's seal, the lid shouldn't pull off until you've broken the seal by twisting a coin or such under the rim at one of the indentations that are there for the purpose.

If they don't replace it, all is not lost. You may find it's not actually as dry as you think. If it is, try rehydrating it (I'll let others chime in, here).

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

SG blends to tend to run wet, not dry, but of all of them, Squadron Leader is probably the driest (that I have encountered at least). And yes, they are wrapped in folded wax paper, no plastic wrap.

I smoke a lot of SG, mostly FVF and Navy Flake, but I do enjoy Squadron Leader from time to time. Of all the Gawith tobacco I have been through, pounds and pounds of it at this point, I have only had had one defective tin, and that was Squadron Leader. You could tell right away. Most SG tins suck in at the middle, but this one was perfectly flat. I also had a tin drop from my cabinet and hit the hard floor, a fall of maybe 6", and that was sufficient enough to pop the seal. They are not as bad as the square tins from Esoterica, but overall, square shaped tins are not as efficient at maintaining their seals as their round counterparts.

As Sloth said, it can be rehydrated, but I'd take it back if I were you. Its their fault, not yours.  Any half decent shop will happily exchange it for a new tin.

 

[Bugsahearn]

Try smoking it, SL smokes better dry

 

[TwelveAMnTX]

Let me start by saying I am used to aromatics & the level of moisture they generally have when I buy them. When I opened the tin, the lid just popped off, I didn't need any coin or anything to open it. I opened the flaps & the tobacco almost looks like a plug, from the pictures I've seen of plugs. It is dry with a straw-like feeling to the touch. I haven't tried to fluff it up any. This is the 1st tin I have bought, so I'm not sure what to expect. I didn't want to break up the "brick", so I took it out of the tin, paper & all. The bottom of the brick is dry & the loose tobacco that fell off while taking it out is crumbly. It doesn't turn to dust but it does break when pinched. I loaded some of the loose tobacco & I tried it out. It seems to be okay, but I have nothing to compare it to. It doesn't taste as strong as it smells. It's definitely woodsy tho, very complex flavor, WAY different to what I'm used to. It maybe fine the way it is, I don't know. It might have just 1st tin jitters & reading way too much about people having tin problems.

 

[TwelveAMnTX]

As Sloth said, it can be rehydrated, but I'd take it back if I were you. Its their fault, not yours.  Any half decent shop will happily exchange it for a new tin.

Well, I got to thinking about it & called the store. I went out there & the other tin was in the same condition. He offered to give me a $5 pouch for free, he'd put the tin in the humidor for a few weeks & then I could come pick it up. I counter offered for something of the same value. The tin of FVF was sealed nicely & he opened it before I left to make sure it was good. I guess it all worked out in the end.

 

[Brewdude]

As Sloth said, it can be rehydrated, but I'd take it back if I were you. Its their fault, not yours.  Any half decent shop will happily exchange it for a new tin.

Well, I got to thinking about it & called the store. I went out there & the other tin was in the same condition. He offered to give me a $5 pouch for free, he'd put the tin in the humidor for a few weeks & then I could come pick it up. I counter offered for something of the same value. The tin of FVF was sealed nicely & he opened it before I left to make sure it was good. I guess it all worked out in the end.

Kudos to your B&M. Good to see they value customer satisfaction.

Be aware however, that FVF (when presented properly) can come quite moist. So it will need some dry down time before smoking. And the prep can be a little fussy as well.

Do a search on FVF and you'll find a multitude of ways to prep it. You just need to find the way it works best for you.

When FVF is on full song, it's a thing of beauty!


Cheers,

RR

 

[TwelveAMnTX]

Kudos to your B&M. Good to see they value customer satisfaction.

Be aware however, that FVF (when presented properly) can come quite moist. So it will need some dry down time before smoking. And the prep can be a little fussy as well.

Do a search on FVF and you'll find a multitude of ways to prep it. You just need to find the way it works best for you.

When FVF is on full song, it's a thing of beauty!


Cheers,

RR

They were very nice about it. I didn't really want anything for free, just a fair trade for what I spent, but it was nice he offered. I don't know if putting tins in the humidor will rehydrate the tobacco. The guy said the tins have been there for a long time. They are a "full service" shop, ryo,vape, cigs, cigars & pipes. They have more vape items than they have cigars & pipe tobacco. That seems to be what most people are into nowadays.

The FVF coming out of the tin is slightly rubbery, for lack of a better description. It kind of reminds me of beef jerky, but smells different in a wonderfully smokable way. I have a flake sitting out right now & I'm going to do as you suggested & read how to prep FVF.

Hopefully it will be singing to me shortly!

 

[Woodsroad]

Unfortunately, there are pipe smokers amongst us who have a nasty habit of opening tins at the B&M for a sniff. I've seen it happen at a friend's store, and he made the guy pay for it...all the while the gent was pleading innocence. These are the same people who squeeze loaves of bread and open boxes of cookies in the supermarket. Your B&M get double kudos for replacing your tin, because the store is probably going to have to eat the cost. You have a good shop there!

 

[Anonymous]

Good on you, and bravo to your B & M!

It's nice to see some people in the business world still give a **** about their customers.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

FVF is a great smoke so is Best Brown Flake. As for Squadron Leader, I have had tins that have been drier than others, but as folks have mentioned typically SG mixtures are packaged on the drier side, especially when compared to their flakes. Never had a tin go crumbly on me, but I have had some mishaps with other square/rectangular tins losing their seal.