"Fabled Tobacco Experiement"

[pruss]

Having just participated in a, "I'm sending you a sample of tobacco from a 65 year old tin that I just opened," experiment and spending most of my days using my palate for a living I thought I would chime in.
@defargin You're right to suggest that any tasting experience can and will be seasoned (some would say tainted, or corrupted, or weighted) by any predetermination that a person brings to that experience. If I tell someone that they are going to taste apricots in a coffee, they are going to taste apricots in the coffee. If I hand a customer a latte and say, "I hope you enjoy this delicious latte." I've pre-set their expectations to expect the latte to be delicious.
This is why, for evaluative purposes, tastings should always be blind and should always follow a defined set of protocols. The protocols determine how the product is tasted, and define how different flavour components are scored/recorded. The final evaluation of each product is evaluated in blind, in the same way, and evaluated using the same measures/standards/scoring.
This, however, isn't always fun. Which is why a tasting like the one Misterlowercase ran, and like Shaintiques experienced is such a rich experience. Half the fun in these two examples was the sharing of something unique and rare. The other half the fun was using relative tobacco tasting and reviewing skills to share that experience with the wider forum community.
If I were evaluating a new tobacco to take to market, give me the rigidity and structure of a blind tasting with defined protocols. If I want to have a shared tasting experience with a bunch of buddies... well I think it's obvious which I think is more fun.
-- Pat

 

[kanaka95]

All in all i think you have a great point derfargin.

 

[latbomber]

In a blind test, many professional violinists could not tell a Stradivarius (worth millions,no exaggeration) from a modern japanese violin (worth under 10k) I think this test applies to almost any luxury-type product meant for consumption. I got the chance to go to a Laphroaig scotch tasting a few years back, and had whiskeys ranging from a $50 4 year old bottle to a $500+ 25 and 30 year old bottles. They were all excellent, but my favorites? The 4 year old bottle tied with an 18 year old. I've also had "dud" cuban cigars I've enjoyed less than corner store specials. Objectively, it is amazing that we pay premiums for things that at the end of the day, we cant really tell the difference about.
However, one thing that most people are too proud to admit (myself often included) is that the brand, packaging, and provenance associated with a product really does contribute to its enjoyment: I want my coke to be in a curvy red and white glass bottle, I want my watch to be swiss made, I want my guitar to be USA made with obsolete nitrocellulose paint, I want my tobacco to be aged in a painted metal tin made by a classic blender, and I want my pipe carved from a now unobtainable wood during world war 2 on top of a mountain during a full moon under a shooting star by the pope.
OK. Point is, the label, the history etc. is just as much of the enjoyment as the product itself. Thus us shallow humans continue.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

OK, I am a little confused. Besides a few blends that are aged and thus rare because of their age, what tobaccos compare in price differences like a Stradivarius or an expensive liquor?
the B&M I go to almost always has Penzance and Balkan Sobraine in stock for the same prices as any other tin on the shelf. I do notice that Escudo is one dollar less than Dunhill's DeLuxe Rolls. And, bulk is always about a dollar or two less be oz than tins, but you have to buy a jar. Maybe since online retailers run out, the perception of rarity is out there? Maybe?
I did use to think that Rattrays blends were outrageous being about $20 in comparison to $15 or $16 for the other blends, but that was before I realized that there was twice as much in the tin of Rattrays, thus the Rattrays was cheaper.
I can taste the difference between Virginia #1 and FVF. I can smell the difference before I light it. Unless your sniffer is messed up, surely anyone that has experience with these blends could.
Heck, the backroom of The Briary has some overstock that is up to 20+ years that he sells for the same price as the fresh stuff. But, he doesn't let just anyone go back there. But, I'm sure he would tell you if he had it if you asked. Most people who go there would just prefer the fresh stuff.
I think age is grossly exaggerated on here. I wrote a whole bunch more on the misconception of what age does to a blend on another thread, so I won't rehash that here. I'll just say that "if" there is a blend that some will pay more for because they believe it is so much better with age, then so be it. I bought a few very old blends to check out what age does to blends for myself, and I was unimpressed. Some, just taste like dirt when they get old. However, if someone wants to spend their money to get these old tobaccos, then so be it. That doesn't mean you have to.
However, if you mean there is a price differential between some blends, as there are in pipes, cars, or violins, what the heck are they? Because, I've never seen an expensive tobacco. I'd be curious to know what they are.

 

[latbomber]

You seem to take your local well stocked B+M as a standard of worldwide prices and availability. It's not.
You can "see" plenty of expensive tobacco if you know what you are talking about. We all know that esoterica blends are worth many many times msrp in markets where they can't be found easily (europe only gets jf germain, penzance is like bigfoot here) A 100g tin of original production Dunhill commonly goes for $200/$300. Balkan Sobraine also auctions off for stupid amounts in other markets.
If read correctly my point about the Stradivarius was not a direct comparison to pipe tobaccos. I was using the example to apply to brand bias effect on pipe smokers/other consumers.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

My curiosity is peaked. I really want to know more about this. So, I could buy up all of the $20 tins of Penzance and resale them somewhere, and people would actually BUY them for $100's?

 

[beefeater33]

Penzance tins go for 55-65 dollars on e-bay, more if they have some age on them.

 

[beefeater33]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Esoterica-Penzance-8oz-Sealed-Bag-2-/321400649404?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ad4f8b6bc

 

[jguss]

I agree with latbomber. Most if not all of our pleasures, intellectual and sensual, are influenced by psychological perceptions. And that's fine with me.

 

[larrylegend]

I have seen people pay much higher than usual prices for beer that is not available in their region. Was the beer that much better than local beer or just worth more because it was rare? Could be both. There is a brewery that just recently had their beer become available in my area and is a bit more expensive than other craft brands. I really enjoy their beer so I pay the price.
The same thing happens with any item that is hard to get for some people. Take .22 ammo currently, it sells online for much higher than msrp in my area. If you find a store that has some in stock, they are usually selling it for standard prices. Look at the price online and it is vastly inflated.