When it comes to pipe tobacco, one of the most important but often overlooked aspects is the moisture level of the tobacco itself.
This characteristic can significantly affect the smoking experience, altering both flavor and combustion. But what is the difference between a moist and a dry tobacco? And which one is preferable for optimal smoking?
In this article we will explore the pros and cons of each, to help you figure out which type best suits your taste and smoking style.
Moisture in pipe tobacco
Moisture is a very important element in the tasting of pipe tobacco.
The British were the first to be concerned about the moisture in tobacco, leading them to invent sealed boxes for better storage.
The tobacco leaf used in the production of pipe tobacco has between 10% and 12% water. To be processed, therefore, they must have a certain degree of moisture.
This does not take away from the fact that tobacco cannot remain moist for too long, as it would develop microorganisms and mold.
For this reason, it requires re-drying and moisture control at various stages of production. To this end, companies use advanced moisture control systems.
Tobacco, behaving as a hygroscopic body, absorbs moisture in humid atmospheres and loses it to dry air.
Some tobaccos are called “lean” because they absorb water more easily than so-called “fat” tobaccos. In addition to this, leaf tobacco assimilates less moisture than cut tobacco because it has open cells and channels.
Dry or moist pipe tobacco: the differences
Moisture greatly affects the taste and combustion of pipe tobacco.
Moist tobacco burns less easily, so the draw is also less smooth. At the same time, it increases the filtering exerted by the part of the tobacco that is still intact.
In contrast, dry tobacco provides a more concentrated and hot smoke flow. A greater “strength” can therefore be perceived in smoke.
A moist tobacco seems lighter because it requires more air for burning, so the smoke is more diluted.
But you can smoke up to a certain degree of moisture: if excessive, combustion slows down and the smoker struggles to pull. Incomplete combustion alters the taste of the smoke because it produces unpleasant aromas.
All this applies to so-called acid tobaccos. The matter changes for alkaline tobaccos, that is, those typical of cigars.
Not surprisingly, wet cigars seem stronger than dry ones.
This is because the alkaline smoke vapors, with decreasing velocity and increasing filtration, release more nicotine into the moist interior and increase the “nicotine boost".
Therefore, a smoker who prefers a certain nicotine intensity should prefer cigars that are a little wetter.
For pipe tobacco, the issue is a bit more complex, because you have to consider its composition, which on average tends more toward the acidic rather than the alkaline type.
Dry or moist pipe tobacco: which is better
It is difficult to say which is better between dry and wet pipe tobacco.
A beginner is generally advised to choose a tobacco that is neither too moist nor too dry.
Ideally, it is best to have a tobacco that promotes a slow and regular burn, so that it can best develop and release its flavor and aroma.
There is a group of Italian smokers who prefer very moist tobaccos. Probably this opinion is also related to the moisture content of Samuel Gawith tobaccos, rather moist pipe tobaccos that were very popular when they were still marketed in Italy.
With a moist tobacco you are more unlikely to burn your tongue, but you may need more relights in the course of smoking. In case you didn't know, constant relighting of the pipe causes waterlogging, a phenomenon we've gone into more detail about on our blog.
But one cannot help but consider that a moist tobacco, containing water, presents an altered aroma.
In fact, our advice is to prefer non-moist tobaccos, so better a slightly drier one than a slightly wetter one.
A drier tobacco will burn more easily but, by smoking it “flush,” will give definitely better flavor notes than a wetter one.