[capt_noonie]

Score! I sent Merricks an email and they offered me a complimentary bag! I love them!

This was the response I got from them about the TT looking different:

Thanks for inquiring; Our Texas Toothpicks are all smoked and dried without any preservatives or chemicals. This is the same process we’ve always used when manufacturing them.

We have started cutting off the ends of the tails so it would be a smooth end verses the prior end.

I will certainly get this information reported to our quality control department for further review.

If you will provide me with your mailing information I would be happy to send you a complimentary bag directly from here.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.