Dunhill Pipe Tobacco - A message from STG Lane

[cosmicfolklore]

So, the tobacco is going away, the pipes are no longer even called Dunhills, they are called White Spots. It looks like they are more into selling shaving kits, cologne, and hipster fodder.
Like I would now spend $300+ for one of their pipes?.. in which they are embarrassed to associate with? Ha ha.

One of their distributors was at a Briary Pipe Show a few years ago, and he was telling me that the pipe factory has about two or three employees at most, and yet they crank out thousands of White Spots. Seeing hundreds of identical pipes on a table with +$300 price tags just baffles me. Now, they don't even carry the Dunhill name? Phhht...
If this doesn't break the Dunhill spell, I think people are hopeless.

 

[sablebrush52]

Well, I hope that Dunhill doesn't end up going away, as 90% of what I smoke is Dunhill. I guess if it does go away, I'll find something to fill the void.

The US distributor said that Dunhill tobaccos will no longer be sold in the US, so it is going away. If this is your preferred blend, start stocking up while you can. It's not going away tomorrow, it's a year to eighteen months.

 

[sablebrush52]

One of their distributors was at a Briary Pipe Show a few years ago, and he was telling me that the pipe factory has about two or three employees at most, and yet they crank out thousands of White Spots.

Dunhill outsources a portion of their production. Always have since the beginning, though more so since the last couple of decades of the last century. The highest grades are supposedly done in house.

 

[unkleyoda]

The US distributor said that Dunhill tobaccos will no longer be sold in the US, so it is going away. If this is your preferred blend, start stocking up while you can. It's not going away tomorrow, it's a year to eighteen months.

I would never be able to buy and store enough for the rest of my time, so it seems futile. I will, and have been searching and sampling other blends to find things that will fill the void. My favorites are MM965, BB1938, Elizabethan Mixture, Royal Yacht, and The Aperitif. It just sucks though. I like the taste of the blends, the cut and the moisture is great from the tin.
If I had to only smoke two blends the rest of my life, 965 and EM would be the two. I've actually found, albeit not perfect, but suitable replacements.

 

[woodsroad]

Dollars to donuts they don't sell the Dunhill name. There's no way that the Richemont/Rupert owners would allow the Dunhill name out of their control.

If this doesn't break the Dunhill spell, I think people are hopeless.

And then there's that, too.
I have a few Dunhill Rollagas lighters. I like them a lot. It's a design rooted in the 1930's, with a post-war sleek simplicity. The aesthetic is perfect (in most surface finishes...some are butt ugly) and they are just a pleasure to hold. Would I buy one new? Never. Would I buy any other new Dunhill luxe merch? NFW. And just what are Dunhill pipe tobaccos? They are Orlik/STG blends. Excellent constituent tobaccos, well balanced blends, expertly manufactured. What aren't they? They aren't Dunhill pipe tobaccos. Haven't been for decades.
Dunhill/BAT/Richemont/Rupert doesn't want to sell pipes and and pipe tobacco. It's that simple.

 

[dread]

I'm a big fan of Dunhill Flake and Elizabethan Mixture. Stocking up on a few more tins now, but as was alluded to above there are lots of great VA and VA/PER blends out there as well.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have a few Dunhill pipes, but there is absolutely nothing more special about them than a Savinelli or Chacom. I will always be on the side of "let the market prevail," when folks start harping on why Dunhills cost so much, but... Don't get confused between price and quality. They don't necessarily correlate.
It will be interesting to see whether the market allows them to keep selling pipes for such high prices, even after all of this bowing of the pipe market.

 

[unkleyoda]

I think Dunhill appeals mostly to latakia lovers. They have a few Virginias and VaPers, but really I don't hear of many people raving about their VA/VaPer offerings. Some people like them, but it's not a widespread following for these. I think that Nightcap and Early Morning and 965 are about the most famous of their line up.

Yes, Dunhill tobacco appeals to latakia lovers, as most of their blends have latakia in them. As for VaPers, EM and Deluxe Navy Rolls are fantastic.
But like also stated, 'Dunhill tobaccos' haven't been Dunhill for years, name only.
For my like of them? As I am a relatively new to pipe smoking, I basically am a fan of STG. They make some great tobacco and some great blends. My hope is that STG will buy the rights to the mixes, as I couldn't care less about the name on the tin.

 

[pipehunter]

I can only imagine that if Dunhill is dropping their pipe tobaccos, it is because it is no longer a profit center.

They surely must have known this was coming, so why the recent revival of 3 year matured, BB1938, Ye old signe, etc.

Most marketing depts don't propose greater profits by increasing the manufacturing costs.
Is it possible that a buy-out was in all ready in negotiation, but the future owner of the name wanted to bring back the wider catalog of blends before purchase?
It just seems strange to introduce new blends and then pull to rug.

It doesn't strike me as that unusual. The tobacco division wasn't seen as profitably by corporate HQ. The division manager did his best to bring the division up to snuff, re-introduced brands, etc. It wasn't enough. HQ pulls the plug.

 

[pipehunter]

PS: Somebody needs to offer two-for-one Dunhill tins....

 

[cally454]

Pipehunter. HG leaving is a MUCH bigger deal to me.

I'm not surprised to hear Dunhill err white spot pipes being outsourced and the public still getting hit with the high prices. That's it for me I have some Dunhill stashed and I won't buy more. I do agree the Latakia blends are top notch. But they been playing us for the fool. Imho

 

[Perique]

cally454, But simply abandoning this revenue stream is, on the surface, irrational. If they sell, I hope they will sell the Dunhill pipe tobacco name and accompanying brand identity, tin art, and all, so it doesn't have to be marketed in some odd way.

Once an organization becomes SJW converged, making money is no longer their primary concern. This is what is happening with Dunhill. That's when it's time to short the company's stock.

 

[hawky454]

Wasn't there a spell of time that you couldn't get Dunhill tobaccos, maybe not so long ago?

Yes! I remember reading about the legendary Dunhill blends around the time I just started smoking a pipe back in 2009... I wan't to say it was around Thanksgiving or Christmas of 2011 that they were re-introduced in the states. Then once they were released back in the states all the codgers were talking about the good ol' days when the Dunhill blends were magical and the new versions were just crap. Ahhhh those were the good ol' days! Wait wait.... that's still going on, ain't it.

 

[unkleyoda]

Yes! I remember reading about the legendary Dunhill blends around the time I just started smoking a pipe back in 2009... I wan't to say it was around Thanksgiving or Christmas of 2011 that they were re-introduced in the states. Then once they were released back in the states all the codgers were talking about the good ol' days when the Dunhill blends were magical and the new versions were just crap. Ahhhh those were the good ol' days! Wait wait.... that's still going on, ain't it.

Yeah, the old guys still talk like the Murray's stuff gave you magical 'reach arounds' and did your yardwork for you while you smoked them. :roll:

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

More news, Dunhill is also going to disappear in Germany. A member of the PRF forum phoned Tabakwaren Bosch (the tobacconist in Germany who also sells the HU Tobacco range) and he contacted the German Dunhill importer:
"Ich konnte gesten noch den Aussendienstmitarbeiter des deutschen Importeurs erreichen.

Dieser hatte nur eine Mail bekommen, dass die Zusammenarbeit zwischen BAT und Dunhill beendet werden soll.

Näheres stand leider nicht in seiner Information.

Sobald ich etwas Neueres weiß, werde ich mich bei Ihnen melden."
(I could only reach the field representative of the German importer.

He had only received a mail that the cooperation between BAT and Dunhill is going to be be terminated.

Unfortunately, further information was not available.

As soon as I know something new, I will report to you.)

 

[disinformatique]

Thank @Leonard Wortzel for the information. I will cellar a few tins and make peace with Dunhill and wish a little syphillis upon the management of the company who controls the Dunhill interests.
Cheers,

Chris :puffpipe:

 

[sablebrush52]

I will cellar a few tins and make peace with Dunhill and wish a little syphillis upon the management of the company who controls the Dunhill interests.

:rofl:

 

[aristokles]

I do not fault the big corporate decision to end the brand. That is life in the free enterprise world and a good example of government meddling ruining the market. It seems to me that observations to the effect that BATCO profits from licensing the line do not offset coming FDA fees and licenses are correct; and it is not surprising that any new owner of the brand would not wish to so invest in addition to paying BATCO. So, gone (again) to us and maybe everyone.

But then again, observations here that these blends were "Dunhill" in name only are true. What have we lost, really? A tin label. The blends ended when Dunhill ceased direct production long ago. RIP.

I would rather be concerned about our "NEW" Dunhills - McClelland, 4noggins, Sterling, H&H, Pease - our high end artisan blenders.

 

[hawky454]

Yeah, the old guys still talk like the Murray's stuff gave you magical 'reach arounds' and did your yardwork for you while you smoked them

ROFL.

 

[woodsroad]

Save your empty Dunhill tins.
Just sayin.