A Look at STG Internal Documents Regarding the Mac Baren / Sutliff Buyout

[Pipke]

Just a random musing, feel free to ignore, but would we all be kicking up the same fuss if it was STG who was taken over and closed down?

Of course we would, as we would for any supplier of pipe tobacco. I like to joke about these things, like oh I'm so mad, and STG is the evil empire, but that's just silly. STG can decide to run its business any way it wants to. As long as there are alternatives, and there still are at the present, I'll just roll with the changes.

My reaction is to stock up modest quantities of Mac Baren and Sutliff products, and move on. I'm not building up a lifetime supply of Mac Baren HH blends because I have no good idea what a lifetime is for me. For now I can still choose others, like Gawith, C&D, GLP, etc. What @telescopes recommended in post #274 is a sensible, rational approach.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just a random musing, feel free to ignore, but would we all be kicking up the same fuss if it was STG who was taken over and closed down? As much as I am ashamed to admit it, that could possibly be worse

STG is an RYO and cigar forward company. Definitely their cigar and RYO fans would hate it. But, I was at The Briary the other day talking to the new manager, and The Peterson blends just don't move like they used to. On here, sure we have lots of fans of those blends, but out and about in the greater non forum majority of pipe smokers, they just aren't jumping on it.

Speaking of this larger population of pipesmokers... I wonder what the reaction is going to be to such shuffling of blend availability, period. If STG were to go away, and all of their newly purchased companies were to stay as is, There would be less loss of blends removed from the shelf than as what we stand to lose now.

Of course, I may just not be aware of what all is made by STG in comparison to MacB and Sutliff. I'm just going on what is on the shelves at The Briary.

Edit: sorry one word made me sound like I was saying the opposite.

 

[Pipke]

Speaking of this larger population of pipesmokers... I wonder what the reaction is going to be to such shuffling of blend availability, period.

Annoyance, and then they'll just move on. Many pipe smokers just buy the $10 bags of RYO "pipe tobacco," and smoke that.

 

[jguss]

People tend to be astonishingly parochial. And I suspect the tiny fraction of pipe smokers who happen to belong to this kind of forum is not representative of the whole. Numerically speaking it’s very possible that most people won’t give a damn.

There’s an old actor’s joke that goes something like this: a guy playing Rosencrantz in a new production of Hamlet is asked what the play is about. He tells his buddy “It’s the story of two friends of the Prince of Denmark and what happens to them”.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

STG's website doesn't list them all, and that makes me curious. Just listed on their website, Erinmore, Clan, Borkum Riff Blech, Colts (never heard of it), Stanwell blends, WO Larson, and Talon.
But, I know they also make Escudo and Balkan Sobranie, and the Peterson blends.

They don't really make very much, or am I missing something? What else do they make, and I wonder why they don't list them?

 

[Sigmund]

Not missing anything. Colts sucks. Its thin ribbon cut, burns fast and hot. Flavor...nah.

 

[Ahi Ka]

STG's website doesn't list them all, and that makes me curious. Just listed on their website, Erinmore, Clan, Borkum Riff Blech, Colts (never heard of it), Stanwell blends, WO Larson, and Talon.
But, I know they also make Escudo and Balkan Sobranie, and the Peterson blends.

They don't really make very much, or am I missing something? What else do they make, and I wonder why they don't list them?

Lane.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Lane.

Hasn't Lane also been reduced to just a few aromatics?

 

[Ahi Ka]

Hasn't Lane also been reduced to just a few aromatics?

No idea bro

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

STG's website doesn't list them all, and that makes me curious. Just listed on their website, Erinmore, Clan, Borkum Riff Blech, Colts (never heard of it), Stanwell blends, WO Larson, and Talon.
But, I know they also make Escudo and Balkan Sobranie, and the Peterson blends.

They don't really make very much, or am I missing something? What else do they make, and I wonder why they don't list them?

They manufacture Revor for Gawith.

 

[ziv]

Hasn't Lane also been reduced to just a few aromatics?

Browse By Brand

• Balkan Sasieni
• Borkum Riff
• Captain Black
• Crown Achievement
• Erinmore
• Escudo
• Five Brothers
• Half and Half
• Lane Bulk
• Orlik
• Paladin
• Peter Stokkebye Bulk
• Sail
• Sir Walter Raleigh
• Skandinavik
• Smoker's Pride
• Stanwell
• Troost
• Velvet
• W.Ø. Larsen

Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Pipe Welcome

Lane was originally founded in Dresden, Germany in 1890. Then, as today, the company specialized inthe highest quality pipe and roll-your-own cigarette tobaccos. Herman G. Lane, one of the founder’s grandsons, emigrated to the United States in 1938 and re-established the company in Manhattan...

stglanepipe.com

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Weird, this is what I see on their website...



But still... it looks like MacBaren had the larger portfolio of blends.

 

[wyfbane]

Well they can't be all bad if they make the Stokkebye bulks. I have at least 20 lbs of those cellared.

 

[Elric]

Well they can't be all bad if they make the Stokkebye bulks. I have at least 20 lbs of those cellared.

Otherwise a pretty lackluster list.

 

[lithicus]

Well they can't be all bad if they make the Stokkebye bulks. I have at least 20 lbs of those cellared.

Peter Stokkebye (ie; STG) makes some of my favorite bulks; Luxury Navy Flake, Luxury Twist Flake, and Luxury Bullseye Flake. I joined the party late, too. So, I only know the STG versions if any version before STG did exist.

Erik Stokkebye products, however, are/were apparently under Mac Baren. I also really enjoyed their Evening Flake and Night Slice.

I've been trying to do some research to determine if there are any other non-ribbon cut bulk Va's/VaPer's that I can try out. Still in that process.

EDIT: I should say I already tried Newminster Superior Navy Flakes, Newminster Superior Round Slices, and Sutliff Virginia Slices. But, my understanding is Newminster and Erik Stokkebye are Mac Baren and Sutliff is obviously on the chopping block. So, trying to branch out from Peter Stokkebye under the STG umbrella but struggling to find alternatives.

 

[wyfbane]

Otherwise a pretty lackluster list.

Some of the lane blends are good in their current iterations. Good enough to keep people smoking? Not sure, but probably.

 

[sablebrush52]

Peter Stokkebye (ie; STG) makes some of my favorite bulks; Luxury Navy Flake, Luxury Twist Flake, and Luxury Bullseye Flake. I joined the party late, too. So, I only know the STG versions if any version before STG did exist.

Erik Stokkebye products, however, are/were apparently under Mac Baren. I also really enjoyed their Evening Flake and Night Slice.

I've been trying to do some research to determine if there are any other non-ribbon cut bulk Va's/VaPer's that I can try out. Still in that process.

EDIT: I should say I already tried Newminster Superior Navy Flakes, Newminster Superior Round Slices, and Sutliff Virginia Slices. But, my understanding is Newminster and Erik Stokkebye are Mac Baren and Sutliff is obviously on the chopping block. So, trying to branch out from Peter Stokkebye under the STG umbrella but struggling to find alternatives.

Luxury Bullseye Flake is a favorite, but only after 4 years of aging when it turns into something really rich. It’s released when it’s still green and tastes like cardboard.

 

[sablebrush52]

Weird, this is what I see on their website...
View attachment 356484


But still... it looks like MacBaren had the larger portfolio of blends.

STG bought Lane Ltd around 2011, so that’s their Sutliff equivalent.

Also, Balkan Sobranie is currently made by Germain’s, not STG. Balkan Sasieni is under the STG umbrella.

 

[sablebrush52]

Browse By Brand

• Balkan Sasieni
• Borkum Riff
• Captain Black
• Crown Achievement
• Erinmore
• Escudo
• Five Brothers
• Half and Half
• Lane Bulk
• Orlik
• Paladin
• Peter Stokkebye Bulk
• Sail
• Sir Walter Raleigh
• Skandinavik
• Smoker's Pride
• Stanwell
• Troost
• Velvet
• W.Ø. Larsen

Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane Pipe Welcome

Lane was originally founded in Dresden, Germany in 1890. Then, as today, the company specialized inthe highest quality pipe and roll-your-own cigarette tobaccos. Herman G. Lane, one of the founder’s grandsons, emigrated to the United States in 1938 and re-established the company in Manhattan...

stglanepipe.com

Yep. They make a lot of mediocre versions of whatever they take over plus some very good blends.

 

[sablebrush52]

The first of what I imagine will be many casualties of the STG buyout have come. Bengal Slices, War Horse, and the entirety of the Hearth & Home lineup have been discontinued.

View attachment 356387

I’m rich!