I’ve noticed on occasions when I receive a new container of snuff the fragrance and taste is often quite wonderful. However, all too often, this soon fades as the snuff becomes a few weeks old. This was particularly noticeable when using Imperial Tobacco’s Top Mill Number 1. Are there ways to help maintain the freshness of snuff?
Storing snuff in airtight containers helps (swingtop bale jars, mason jars, etc). When I fill a daily snuff box I try to put only what I think i’ll need for 2 days max, so that I dont keep opening the same tin over and over to pinch and exposing it to air. I also keep opn tins in ziplock baggies *and* put those in airtight containers. My Top Mill #1 and other snuffs have kept their scent well with that setup. 
I use specialtybottle.com for swingtops and vials. And believe it or not, those cheap keychain airtight pill caddies work well to carry snuff with me if I dont want want to carry wood or plastic boxes.
Thanks, I’ll try your suggestions. I’ve have a large order and variety on its way from MR Snuff and the last thing I want to do is ruin them prematurely. A pity they don’t have a “Customer Pickup” as Specialty Bottle is only a couple of hours and one border crossing to the south of where I live - a good excuse for a drive to Seattle and lunch next week. PS I never realised the variety of bottles and containers available. It’s a very interesting site and one now bookmarked.
Storage
Well sealed containers help to prevent dehydration and “cross-pollination” of aroma. Cool temperature (refrigeration) reduces both decay due to dehydration, and potential for reaction with metal tins. Both techniques strongly recommended by Wilsons of Sharrow. I store a selection on my desk in primitive humidors (well sealed and presentable food storage boxes containing a pill jar, with perforated lid, jar containing clean cotton wool moistened with pure spring water). Three separate humidors for “plain”, scented and “strong aroma”/mentholated varieties. I store bulk supplies or sorts that I want to keep for a different season in the year in the refrigerator, with opened tins or tap boxes in sealed boxes (similar ranges to humidors) - to avoid not only cross “pollination” of aromas, but also to avoid snuff acquiring the taste of food*. @TobaccyLassy has the right idea with ziplock bags - some of the freezer bags are great - especially if you cannot squeeze out surplus air once sealed - that’s the hallmark of a good bag! *Couple of years back I had to dispose of a couple of ounces of Best SP after a poorly sealed container in the refrigerator left it tasting of a mix between good ham and smoked mackerel. Only person I can think of who might have appreciated such a mix would be the old Major from Fawlty Towers! When I sometimes buy snuff loose (by the ounce) I find the tubes used for the Fribourg & Treyer sorts to be excellent for medium and longer-term storage. The slightly rubbery ring inside the screw top makes an excellent, air-tight seal.
Double-sealed and cool are the watchwords.
Rehydration
Some sorts rehydrate tolerably well if accidentally allowed to dry; some don’t suffer excessively in the first place (some Irish HDTs for example); a few of the darker varieties are just ruined if allowed to dry too much (Wilsons’ Burgundy, Fribourg’s Bordeaux, one or two of the darker sorts from Gawith’s…). Some of the Gawith & Hoggarth sorts are very difficult to source in good condition, and seem intolerably dry from most suppliers anyway. If you’re in central England, John Hollingsworth (Birmingham) store all their sorts in a professional cigar humidor, and they’re generally excellent. A recent tub of Sam Gawith’s Black Coffee from My Snuff Store (North West England) reached me in magnificent condition. I find generally, snuff in most small tins and/or tap boxes will dry out even in a relatively cool climate if kept in the pocket or on a table for more than a week or so. That said, I have a few of the smallest size of tins from Wilsons which seem to seal especially well (but these do not last forever!).
@snuffleupagus You live in BC? I live in a suburb just outside of Seattle and I work in Metro Seattle, and its indeed a shame that there’s no customer pickup or retail showroom. But, it only takes like a day for the mail to get to me so I guess I can’t complain.
I use these for my snuffs. The Mason jars hold my bulk and I decant into the smaller ones to fill my snuff boxes or pinch from. I actually have a few too many of the smaller jars and was thinking about putting on the b/s/t thread.
I use the 2 ounce cobalt blue, and I get them at http://www.freundcontainer.com/wide-mouth-packer-glass-bottles/p/v4232B07/ I suggest 10 cases should suffice your snuff storage needs for your first couple years of snuff collecting. You can always sell them at a profit, down the road if you no longer need them!
One thing that concerns me about refrigeration, lowering the temperature is a good thing. But I was told once that today’s “frost free” refrigerators achieve this condition by using a type of dehumidifier, this could be wrong, but it’s worth making sure the containers are absolutely air tight.
Why are the cobalt blue jars better than the brown jars from fruend container? I think I read the brown glass jars keep out the UV light the best?
I just use 4 oz mason jars at $8/flat that you can buy probably six different places within walking distance of your house. Each holds 50g. My cellar has no natural light, so the clear glass is not an issue for me.
@Fretless…appreciate your post above, obviously your experience shows in all your posts… ecspecially when you noted the same exact snuffs with different names in a history of snuff companies you recently posted the other day…After reading above post, it got me thinking about humidors ( most are for cigars… But can easily be used for snuff) THIS IS A LITTLE OVER THE TOP… But I would like one of these to put my glass bottles in one of these humidors on this link…of course I probably have OCD… and want the biggest one…lol http://www.cigarhumidors-online.com/cigar-humidors/cabinet-humidors-furniture.html Keep posting @Fretless, us newbies appreciate your posts!
Storage
Well sealed containers help to prevent dehydration and “cross-pollination” of aroma…
Many thanks for your excellent “Snuff Storage 101”. I’ve only been coming to this site for less than a week and am already learning lots!
@snuffleupagus You live in BC? I live in a suburb just outside of Seattle and I work in Metro Seattle, and its indeed a shame that there’s no customer pickup or retail showroom. But, it only takes like a day for the mail to get to me so I guess I can’t complain.
Yes, I live just east of Vancouver. The problem with any merchandise coming into Canada is the Customs. I’ve had orders sit at the border for almost a month. I can even tolerate the taxes, but what really gets to me is shipments arriving by UPS with a border brokerage charge of $50 plus dollars. Eh only in Canada you say. LOL
Why are the cobalt blue jars better than the brown jars from fruend container? I think I read the brown glass jars keep out the UV light the best?
Because they are half the price And the blue is awesome if they had them in yellow polka dots and they were 1/2 the price of the blue ,I would get the yellow polka dots. Because I rather spend the money on filling them
I think there’s something about the Cobalt blue blocking light also. And they do look good
The tip about storing snuff in a sealed plastic container in refrigerator really working out well. So well that I’ve taken to storing milk, eggs, meat etc. in the refrigerator. Any suggestions for what I can store in my freezer. I am now using it for a G.I. Joe diorama. Open freezer and vapor comes bellowing out like artillery just went off. And there is G.I. Joe with his squad going hand to hand with Enemies of America. Following advice given here (and I usually do) I cannot have snuff in Joe’s hand (thread info says it will spoil and a defender of America should have good snuff). Just a hand grenade. Maybe I’ll take the grenade out and give him a boxcar of some snuff I am not enamored of. If you are non violent Barbie Dolls make great freezer dioramas. Put her on a piano that Ken is playing. Started out on topic. All things considered I think I did pretty well as Joe will soon be holding a boxcar of Hedges which he will blow at the Nazis destroying their vision.
@asieg33 man you are a nut, I love it, I forgot what I got on this thread to write. Oh yea A friend of mine just became a Grandpa I’m so happy for him, Now I have a source for baby food jars. asieg33 does Uh Barbie get kinda “cold” (*)(*) when she’s in the freezer
The thing about plastics is that they do let valuable gases through them as well as emitting estrogens which can mess with your hormones.
Airtight glass containers stored at room temperature or below is all you need to worry about. Refrigeration is unnecessary.
clear glass 30gm bottles. cheap and free shipping with sifter http://www.ebay.com/itm/170463854674?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&\_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 if concerned about light degrading snuff store in refrigerator or closet or any dark place