Oh good one I didn't even catch that. You don't technically need mods for that thought, you could use an inventory editor. Regardless, it is still cheating.
Now that I think about it, I have already proved that it is a lie. Ha ha I feel like sherlock homes right now. If you notice he claims in the post to have snapped this shot back in 1.2 but experience orbs didn't come until 1.8.