Dried nuts ship and store better. You can soak or steam most dried nuts and legumes for a fresher consistency or shorter cooking times.

Where I'm from, fresh Pecans are sweet, pliant, and heavy- pretty typical mammoth halves. The products from the store are not very similar, but that's the cost of keeping them from going rancid on the shelves.

I also soak almonds before pulverizing for a number of un-cooked/toasted Indian dishes. Dried, they're mealy and not very aromatic. Soaked, they're a lot smoother.