And Now For A Better Topic

[warren]

I not sure it is cynicism. It is more understanding the market.
My experience is , many of not most, people are serious about their moneys, especially those on very limited budgets who also smoke. Getting the most for your cash is a human trait and not all that many smokers are particularly discerning as to what they put in their pipe or the cigarette. They want what they perceive as the most for the buck. Be it automobiles, homes, peanut butter or tobacco people want value over quality.
Alcohol and tobacco, as admitted vices, lend themselves to the mind set. They are guilty pleasures to begin with. So, stinting on quality seems very logical.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

At one time, tobacco was just tobacco. Pipe smokers bought the same stuff that the rollers would twist into cigarettes and the chewers would chaw on. It's just tobacco for god's sake. Sure, there is more refined, cased, pressed, topped tobaccos, but... listen, when my tobacco plants (Virginias) start to drop sand lugs off the bottom, I cram these into my pipe and they are a damned fine smoke... sure, it's not 1Q or Stonehaven, but it is a pure tobacco.
How many guests from the tobacco industry do we have to have on the PM radio show tell us that the myth of floor sweepings and quality are just myths?
I don't recommend RYO pipe tobacco, mainly because no matter how pure we may say that we want our tobacco to be, the proof is that when a pure, uncased, topped or processed tobacco is given to them, they don't like it. Thus, we want stuff added to our tobaccos.

But, the truth is that RYO pipe tobacco is taken straight from farmers (same quality as all pipe companies use) and they just directly shove it into a bag. They save a fortune on not advertising in any way.

And, actually the only "organic" and pesticide free tobaccos were RYOs.
But, all in all, I think that people confuse quality with processes and stuff added to the tobacco. We have gotten finicky. We don't accept the the same tobacco can be piped, rolled, or chawed. We want specialization, we want marketing, and processed.

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

Smoke Burley and VA mostly but I'm on a limited budget and have found some of these to be more than worth the price. VA Gold is made by Lane, the Vanilla is good the Black Cav is nothing special. Super Value is Sutliff, I haven't tried any yet. Smoker's Pride is another Lane product, only had the Rich Taste and like it enough to stock up. Fine on it's own but really good at stretching some blends or toning down others. Admiral's Choice is another Sutliff blend, the Vanilla is alright, used to be available at drugstores in the aisle with candy and pipe tobacco.
Also a good point by Cosmic and one I've always held, tobacco=tobacco. Prince Albert was once a "long burning pipe and cigarette tobacco". Not sure what happened. And I couldn't agree more about people thinking they want "pure" tobacco, give them some Burley straight off the farm.

 

[deathmetal]

I really like a few Peter Stokkebye RYO shag cuts in my pipe. Stockholm and Amsterdam are interesting. Drum tastes like a nice VaBur with Kentucky Fire Cured.

I have to second this. Amsterdam is great and both varieties of Drum are quite tasty.

But, the truth is that RYO pipe tobacco is taken straight from farmers (same quality as all pipe companies use) and they just directly shove it into a bag.

Also sounds tempting. Basic is good. Then again, my favorite minimally processed tobacco is Cotton Boll Twist, and it mixes well with something you would never want to smoke in a cigarette, Hal O' The Wynd. Some of the specializations for pipe and cigar tobacco bring out additional flavors and more Nicotine effects in ways that seem quite positive to me...

 

[pagan]

You might just as well get a big ol bag of Best of the Rest from P&C if it's still available, always a good smoke, never disappointing, however for reasons Im not going to get into I don't shop P&C anymore so just my codger blends will do for me

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

Stokkebye bulk helped me transition from rolling to packing. Amsterdam is also available in a pipe cut although I've smoked the shag RYO version in a few briars and enjoyed it greatly.

 

[aldecaker]

I don't know what Cosmic is talking about. You can always discern the quality of tobacco from the tin art. And if it comes in anything other than a tin, it's just sawdust with bug parts mixed in.

 

[ssjones]

Unless you are incredibly frugal and not very discerning, most of those blends aren't worth the effort.
Last week, in Bethlehem at the monthly pipe club meeting, the cigar guru for the restaurant came over to the group and introduced himself. He said there was some "Pipe tobacco" in the cigar humidor, and did we have any interest in it. He said it had been there for years. A few guys said sure, so he brought it out. Three open bags of "Smokers Pride". No takers. He was a little hurt, but we told it was only repackaged RYO tobacco.

 

[aldecaker]

"...incredibly frugal and not very discerning..." :rofl:
Al, that's the most diplomatic way I've ever heard anyone say "derelict hobo" in my entire life!

 

[tinsel]

no matter how pure we may say that we want our tobacco to be, the proof is that when a pure, uncased, topped or processed tobacco is given to them, they don't like it

When I was a kid I once stole a leaf of dark fired from the barn and (poorly) rolled a cigarette with it.
The results were less than optimal. A leather-lunged old man who smoked unfiltered pall malls for 50 years would have a tough time smoking KDF straight outta the barn. It's turns your lungs into fire ... burns your nose and throat ... makes you cough your lungs clear out of your chest ... turns your face completely green ... makes the whole world spin around you at about 250 RPMs ... and also causes you to speak in tongues that have either been dead for a thousand years, or aren't from Earth in the first place.
In other words ... I don't recommend it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, I once took some burley from the barn, and was like smoking cardboard, in taste and the way it burned.

 

[bigpond]

Ah yes, nothing stimulates the grey cells like a discussion of the virtues of bargain basement tobaccos!
Here's some fodder for the brain trust (with an itchy finger) -
Man stands ground in shower....good shoot!
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/03/us/homeowner-shoots-intruder.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=10&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F04%2F03%2Fus%2Fhomeowner-shoots-intruder.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

 

[toobfreak]

Can I have his liver?
How do you claim self-defense when the man is naked in your shower???

 

[cosmicfolklore]

He dropped the soap?

 

[woodsroad]

Clearly, none of you have ever had to go mano a mano with a nude stranger in the shower.

 

[bigpond]

Oh, not so Dan. That's how I met my wife.

 

[aldecaker]

"Eastern Promises", anyone?