Aspiring Pipe Smoker from Downunder

Welcome to the forums. I am sure someone can give you some guidance here.

Welcome to the hobby. I am a recent convert as well and find there's nothing as relaxing as firing up a pipe. It is one of life's basic pleasures. Good luck in your quest for tobacco!

Welcome to the site. Your best bet for buying tobacco would be 2 of our site sponsors. 4noggins.com and smokingpipes.com. Both will ship to you I believe. From what I hear from our Canadian members 4noggins does a good job sending nondescript packaging. Hopefully you can find some blends you like at reasonable prices.

Welcome to PipesMag.
You’re in the right place, there is a lot to learn here and from some of the most gracious and patient guys in pipedom.
I’ve just emigrated to New Zealand from Canada. My family and I are settling in East Auckland. I’ve just put in orders with both site sponsors that Cigrmaster mentioned (hi Harris!) in an effort to see how bringing tobacco in through the post goes. NZ’s excise tax and duty on importing tobacco is steep. The government is essentially trying to eradicate tobacco use by taxing it to oblivion. The current duty and taxes on bringing in tobacco works out to about $0.96/g. So I have two orders inbound, each order is four 50g tins. If both are assessed correctly for duty and taxes I’ll owe the government $384. I’ve already paid $120 USD for the eight tins plus shipping. Factoring in the exchange rate my total, potential, cost in NZ $$ could be $584.00 or $73/tin. This still represents a savings of about $20 per tin in retail pricing if you can even find a shop selling pipe tobacco.
In even better news, there are four more scheduled increases in taxes on tobacco forthcoming.
You might want to consider taking up fly fishing.
Lol.
Welcome to the forum mate.
— Pat

Good to hear from you, Pat!........... I'm going to retire in about 2 years, think I'll start a global Pipe Tobacco delivery service............ No Shit, ..... money to be made there............ ::

@beefeater - I’m your huckleberry. Soon going to have to start selling pipes for tobacco.
— Pat

We'll take of you Pat.......... we'll just have to mark the packages cabbage or something.............. ::

Lol - Between the Ministry of Primary Industries and Department of Conservation that “lettuce” would be sent straight to the incinerator for a “heat treatment”! Kiwis take the fact that they live on an island and have to manage the environment super seriously.
Jokes aside, thanks buddy I truly appreciate the sentiment.
— Pat

Pat, you're in Kiwi land?!?! North or South? Sounds like a big change, I hope you and yours are well. Funny story, I once sent two packages out on the same day, one to Canada, one to NZ. The fellow in NZ got his first!
:D

To the OP, from what the fellow I sent tobacco to, he told me about the cost, and availability issues.

Welcome aboard.

Thanks brass monkey. As far as I can tell, and I’ve been reading a lot, there is no allowance given for gifts or personal exemptions beyond the 50g duty free allocation for inbound travellers.
— Pat

<p>Welcome to the Forum! I understand your pain ehen it comes to availability(variety) and price. I spend most of my year in Sweden and this place is crazy with taxes and import restrictions. A new tin of Dumhill is 260kr (about 34 US dollars!).