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justfoster

Lurker
Nov 25, 2013
5
0
While at my local tobacco shop today, I saw one of regular smoking companions with a younger guy in the lounge. After some conversation I learned he was the master blender of Middle-Earth tobacco, a blender I had heard about not never had the chance to try. He gave me a smoke jar of his Fangorn Forest and it was honestly one of the best blends I've tried. A delicious English with a cool, delightful smoke. If you get a chance to try any of these blends from http://middleearthtobacco.com, you surely won't be disappointed.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
How are we going to get to all the blends we'd like to try? I just noticed that SP has its own blends,

Low Country; at least two of those sound tempting to me.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,568
15,211
SE PA USA
He may be a Master Blender (whatever that is) but he doesn't seem to want to sell his stuff. An ordering page or shopping cart would be a good way for him to get business rolling.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,568
15,211
SE PA USA
Then a shopping cart would make things easier for him.

I might try the sampler. He should indicate the sample size, though.

 

bigvan

Lifer
Mar 22, 2011
2,192
12
Apparently Nat Clark is a "master blender" because that's what he calls himself. Sorry, but I've never heard of this guy or his shop. I'm also skeptical of a tobacco that needs to trade on the Hobbit fad rather than stand on its own two legs.

 

cmdrmcbragg

Lifer
Jul 29, 2013
1,739
3
Sounds suspect. Not that the blends can't be fine, but like others have said there are too many Middle Earth themed blends as is. Don't try to be an upstart by going this route.

 

crazypipe

Lifer
Sep 23, 2012
3,484
0
WARNING do not order anything from this guy he is a fake and a big time BULLSHITER I spoke with him on the phone about a order i place with him and he came up with all kinds of Bullshit stories as to why he had not sent it.

 

woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
11,568
15,211
SE PA USA
I was going to order a sampler, but he wouldn't tell me the sample size, just that they were enough for "a few bowls".
That was enough of a flag for me.

 

doctorthoss

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 6, 2011
618
9
I checked the web site out a couple of weeks ago. It's definitely not a high-budget operation, but I really couldn't tell much beyond that. It seems clear this is some guy trying to get his homespun tobacco business "off the ground", but I don't get the impression he knows a lot about marketing, presentation, etc. He might be cooking up the next Balkan Sobranie in his garage, but he's not going to get very far with this approach, I'm afraid.
Also, it's not really cool for someone who's only posted a couple of times to hop onto the site and start describing his meeting with a "master blender" and talking up his products. If it was someone well all know we might take the recommendation seriously. But for all we can tell, it's the "master blender" himself just trolling the site and trying to whip up business through a concocted story. I'm not saying that's what happened, just saying it's a possibility that springs immediately to mind. He might have done better to offer free samples to some of the more respected members of this board and then letting them objectively review them.
Also, the use of the term "master blender" kind of sets off alarm bells to me. There is no organization, licensing board, or cabal of tobacco warlocks who hand out the title of "master blender." It's a term, in fact, that most blenders don't even use to describe themselves! It's a phrase that we, the consumers, have adopted as a means of praising our favorite blenders (Pease, Oulete, Hanna, etc.) The simple fact that he describes himself as such on the Web site comes across as kind of …crass.
And yeah -- trying to market the products by using the Lord of the Ring names comes across as exploitative and not very creative. It's been done way too many times already!
Again, I'm not disparaging this guy's products. For all I know they are the best things ever put in a pipe. But in the interest of offering some constructive criticism, he might need to rethink his marketing strategy while bearing in mind that we are a pretty tight group that obsesses over quality, customer service, etc.

 

undecagon

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 7, 2011
592
3
Chicago, IL
Yeah, my first thought was that Justfoster is the same person as "master blender" trying to get some free advertising…

 

pipeherman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 13, 2013
228
2
It seems we may be a little harsh on both these people. From reading the comments I have got the impression that only one individual has been ripped off, and even then it seems there is still verbal communication between two parties. On this point I stand to be corrected.
There is no evidence to suggest that Justfoster is the "Masterblender" or not. That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence also.
I suggest that we do not purchase from this seller, we wait and see if he is a legitimate blender or just a fraud. In the meantime we should hold restrain from being too judgemental.

 
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