C&D Anthology 1992-2022

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May 9, 2021
1,676
3,588
55
Geoje Island South Korea
I'm in the same situation as you bro. It's more profitable to go for it, in a pool float, for children. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Before it goes through customs, and cost you more expensive than a trip to mars. ??
Hey John, just outta curiosity, how much are y'all paying in Spain for duty & taxes for pipe tobacco.
I thought that I was getting stung in Korea, but from what I see from the rest of y'all, I seem to be doing pretty good.
 
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Reactions: JOHN72
Jun 23, 2019
1,842
12,762
I should give you some context for that CRFw/Perique 2021 rating. I'm the only reviewer I know who rates a blend by similar blends in the same genre. I never rate for my personal taste. I recommended (three stars) for that particular vintage because there are better blends in that particular subset of the VaPer genre, so I could not give it four stars. If I wasn't rating blends against other blends, many of my ratings would be different than they are. That would also be true if I rated for my personal taste.

I believe if I give a blend a four star rating that anything else in that particular category has to be just as good, or very, very close to being as good in order to get four stars. There have been times that I have gone back to earlier reviews, and changed the rating because of later experiences when I found more blends in that subset of its genre that were better or worse. Sometimes, that forces a downgrade or an upgrade of a previous rating in order to maintain consistency in my ratings of blends in the same arena. You aren't likely to find that in anybody else's reviews, so it's something to keep in mind when comparing my ratings against others'.

As another example, I'm sure you saw some of my recent revised reviews. Any ratings that were changed was due to comparison not just to the earlier versions, but to other blends in the same genre as well. That, too, was rating maintenance.

Btw, three stars is still a recommendation, and at times I have felt my three star ratings are often somebody else's four star ratings. If I rated for my personal taste, a great many of my reviews would have different ratings than they currently do.

I'm curious Jim, do you not believe in 'Travel Rest'? Depending on the release (how quickly it goes from production to tins - or bulk bags - to my pipe) I have found there to be a varied but noticeable difference between blends as they arrive and after 10 days to 2 weeks later.

At the initial release of the components, I had hypothesized that this blend will probably be very similar to Carolina Red Flake with Perique (CRF-P); and I too found it a bit 'lacking' for the category: there are better vaper flakes out there.

How would you compare the two blends?

- - -

That all said, I picked up 3 tins to give this blend a shot. The only disease worse than TAD is FOMO, so being the sucker that I am, I gotta give this a try for myself.
 

JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,140
51,687
51
Spain - Europe
Hey John, just outta curiosity, how much are y'all paying in Spain for duty & taxes for pipe tobacco.
I thought that I was getting stung in Korea, but from what I see from the rest of y'all, I seem to be doing pretty good.
Based on the last price update, on July 2, 2022, these are the tobacco brands that have changed their prices and by when it has gone up. The Government of Spain already anticipated in the approval of the General State Budget (PGE) of 2022 a price increase of 5.5% (6,880 million euros) in the revenues derived from the taxes applied to it.
51% on the price of each pack.
15.8% on cigarettes.
41.5% on rolling tobacco.
28.4% for other tobaccos.
 

Worknman

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 23, 2019
968
2,820
I should give you some context for that CRFw/Perique 2021 rating. I'm the only reviewer I know who rates a blend by similar blends in the same genre. I never rate for my personal taste. I recommended (three stars) for that particular vintage because there are better blends in that particular subset of the VaPer genre, so I could not give it four stars. If I wasn't rating blends against other blends, many of my ratings would be different than they are. That would also be true if I rated for my personal taste.

I believe if I give a blend a four star rating that anything else in that particular category has to be just as good, or very, very close to being as good in order to get four stars. There have been times that I have gone back to earlier reviews, and changed the rating because of later experiences when I found more blends in that subset of its genre that were better or worse. Sometimes, that forces a downgrade or an upgrade of a previous rating in order to maintain consistency in my ratings of blends in the same arena. You aren't likely to find that in anybody else's reviews, so it's something to keep in mind when comparing my ratings against others'.

As another example, I'm sure you saw some of my recent revised reviews. Any ratings that were changed was due to comparison not just to the earlier versions, but to other blends in the same genre as well. That, too, was rating maintenance.

Btw, three stars is still a recommendation, and at times I have felt my three star ratings are often somebody else's four star ratings. If I rated for my personal taste, a great many of my reviews would have different ratings than they currently do.
I think sometimes an amateur (like myself) will have a different opinion on how blends compare to each than an expert like yourself. You see this in wine tastings all the time. The amateur just sort of knows the flavors he likes but can't really explain why one is better than the other.

For instance I think the crwp is better than say Telegraph Hill or Verge EO, although you may not consider those to be blends in the same genre. They're technically vapers but have different proportions of reds, brights, perique, etc. I can't really explain why its better other than it just tastes better to me.
 

craig61a

Lifer
Apr 29, 2017
5,824
48,367
Minnesota USA
I didn’t buy any… Looks like a good blend. I’ve got plenty of CRF, Bijou and bright and perique in my cellar, and buying any more tobacco is kind of pointless to me.
I didn’t convince myself… caved and placed an order. So I imagine I’ll probably smoke some 6-7 years from now, or sell it when or if I decide to give up the pipe.
 

JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,140
51,687
51
Spain - Europe
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blackpowderpiper

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2018
825
3,827
Middle Tennessee
I picked up a few tins. I really like C &D's red Virginia flake products and I am a lover of Perique. Based on the components and my past history with their products, I'll probably enjoy this blend.
 
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Reactions: JOHN72

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
61,315
564,938
I'm curious Jim, do you not believe in 'Travel Rest'? Depending on the release (how quickly it goes from production to tins - or bulk bags - to my pipe) I have found there to be a varied but noticeable difference between blends as they arrive and after 10 days to 2 weeks later.

At the initial release of the components, I had hypothesized that this blend will probably be very similar to Carolina Red Flake with Perique (CRF-P); and I too found it a bit 'lacking' for the category: there are better vaper flakes out there.

How would you compare the two blends?

- - -

That all said, I picked up 3 tins to give this blend a shot. The only disease worse than TAD is FOMO, so being the sucker that I am, I gotta give this a try for myself.
I don't believe in letting a blend rest when I am reviewing. The majority of smokers smoke a blend fresh out of the tin or bulk. I think it's more instructive to review a blend as it comes to me for that reason. I don't dry it either, unless it's sopping wet and unsmokable. In a case like that, I will inform the reader that I did that.

The CRFwP has dark fruit in the lead while Anthology leads with citrus.
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
61,315
564,938
I think sometimes an amateur (like myself) will have a different opinion on how blends compare to each than an expert like yourself. You see this in wine tastings all the time. The amateur just sort of knows the flavors he likes but can't really explain why one is better than the other.

For instance I think the crwp is better than say Telegraph Hill or Verge EO, although you may not consider those to be blends in the same genre. They're technically vapers but have different proportions of reds, brights, perique, etc. I can't really explain why its better other than it just tastes better to me.
I understand where you're coming from. I think the only thing that matters is whether or not you like a blend. If you're reading a review, and what you read sounds like something in your wheelhouse, it may be worth buying. Conversely, if it doesn't, you probably won't spend the money on it.

To answer the question on your mind, CRFwP isn't in the same genre as the others you mention because the Virginias are all reds. The other blends have a different Virginia base. Yeah, I am that picky.