Esoterica Blends
- Thread starter dublinpiper90
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When I was buying some back in 2020 it seemed to be a twice per year thing.
I wouldn’t hang my hat on that statement though.
I wouldn’t hang my hat on that statement though.
Variable. Used to be 3-4 drops per year a few years ago…not sure how often now. If you’re hard up for the gold you can always throw your 
in over on Tinbids. 
️️
in over on Tinbids. ️️
I did grab a tin of plum cake for not a ridiculous price, but yea folks are prooooouud if they have itVariable. Used to be 3-4 drops per year a few years ago…not sure how often now. If you’re hard up for the gold you can always throw your
My man, that stuff is being shipped overseas. Secondary market is maybe for the one off deal if
, otherwise it’s headed to Beijing or the like. Tinbids is definitely the smart play if your a seller…buyers not so much. ️
When you hear of a drop it often stays at B&Ms (tobacco shops) for weeks and months and many of those ship. China buys most of it up these days but smokers have reported unfavorable blend changes in the past couple of years.
I can usually count on my local B&M to get two drops a year.
The market for Esoterica blends really seems to have gone toxic in the last few years due to the competition to flip it at a 1000% mark up. Just another of those little vortexes of emotional sickness that humans create.
I've never found Esoterica difficult to obtain, I just supported a couple of B&M's and they took care of me. On line stores sell out in nanoseconds and putting in a request to be notified when it's in stock is a completely pointless waste of time, with one exception. Iwan Ries will actually hold the order for you and give you a couple of days to claim and pay for it. The other on line stores do zip, zero, nada, nothing, couldn't care less.
In any event, over the years I, rather surprisingly, ended up with about 28 lbs of various Esoterica blends that I like. I was a bit surprised, since I'd bought a bag here, a bag there, forgot I had this blend or that blend, etc, and only when I was packing up for the move last year, realized that I had a fair amount, all at "regular" retail, no muss, no fuss, no scalping, no difficulty. If you're not supporting and connecting with B&M's you're not likely to be able to purchase anything at retail.
Frankly, the last few years that I sampled showed substitutions that, for me, represented a substantial drop in quality. I wouldn't pay piss for anything later than 2020.
They were pretty good blends, not worth all the fuss, and certainly unique semi-aromatics. But the mania regarding them may be taken as evidence against the existence of intelligent life on earth.
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Iwan Ries doesn't really do that any longer. I've been a regular customer for years - online. No more notifications for HTF's. That actually is not a big deal, as the only Esoterica I like is Margate.
Seems like they cater to the buy-as-much as-you-can crowd that do the stupid markup resale thing!
Yep. B&M is the way I have found all of mine. So much so that I pass on it most of the time, don't need anymore and also learned it's no better (or worse) than any other good blend.
I have enough. And people are right. It's okay, but there is so much that is better. There comes a point of diminishing returns where what you are paying far exceeds any value you are getting.
For instance, I am currently smoking Rattray's Marlin Flake as I type. This tobacco blend is as good as I'll ever need a tobacco blend to "get". Further, it is cheap, available, and makes me happier than Esoterica.
People who chase expensive wines, bourbons, cars, and women, ultimately get what they paid for.
An illusion.
Do yourself a magic trick that you will appreciate the rest of your life.
Find good value in those things and people that exceed what is common but are obtainable if one only puts in the time.
You will be so much more happier.
For instance, I am currently smoking Rattray's Marlin Flake as I type. This tobacco blend is as good as I'll ever need a tobacco blend to "get". Further, it is cheap, available, and makes me happier than Esoterica.
People who chase expensive wines, bourbons, cars, and women, ultimately get what they paid for.
An illusion.
Do yourself a magic trick that you will appreciate the rest of your life.
Find good value in those things and people that exceed what is common but are obtainable if one only puts in the time.
You will be so much more happier.
All too often you are paying for the privilege of possessing an item. It is very rare for a tobacco to live up to what you have envisioned in your head. But sometimes you have to do it anyway.