An Internal Dilemma

[Servant King]

I agree with the consensus here; just enjoy 'em while they last. I went through the same thing this summer, when I bought someone's tobacco collection. I really enjoyed the three Drew Estate blends that came with it, only to find that they've been out of production for a good two or three years now. Sucks, but hat's just the way it goes. There will always be blends coming and going. When I reach the end of my Grand Central or Gatsby Luxury Flake, I will just move on to something else, without shedding a tear. There will always be a replacement out there. I will save the crying for when my wife chops up onions for guacamole. Can anyone recommend a good blend to soothe throbbing taste buds from post-Mexican food spice trauma?

 

[tg51]

I agree with the consensus here; just enjoy 'em while they last. I went through the same thing this summer, when I bought someone's tobacco collection. I really enjoyed the three Drew Estate blends that came with it, only to find that they've been out of production for a good two or three years now. Sucks, but hat's just the way it goes. There will always be blends coming and going. When I reach the end of my Grand Central or Gatsby Luxury Flake, I will just move on to something else, without shedding a tear. There will always be a replacement out there. I will save the crying for when my wife chops up onions for guacamole. Can anyone recommend a good blend to soothe throbbing taste buds from post-Mexican food spice trauma?

That's fair and a good summation of the blend world. As far as soothing taste buds I'm sure there's some well crafted menthol blends out there?

 

[chopper]

No, no, no, such terrible advise given to a newbie. Shame on you fellows.

@tg51 aren't you aware what happens to tobacco after 5 years? Especially Virginias?
They can grow plumes of sugar. Sugar! That shit could be dangerous to ones health.
You never know for sure, right?


To save yourself starting a thread Is This Mould? or fret about the possible health consequences of smoking all that delightful er, I mean suspicious looking crystals, I'll help you out because I'm good like that.
Send me a tin of each blend and I'll carry out rigorous testing to ensure that it's safe to smoke.

No really, it's the least I could do for a newbie to the brotherhood of the briar.

You're most welcome.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I have the same predicament with every jar of bulk or tin I have in the cellar. Even the shitty stuff is essentially unobtanium down under. Enjoy it and remember it fondly.

 

[brut666]

I have the same predicament with every jar of bulk or tin I have in the cellar. Even the shitty stuff is essentially unobtanium down under. Enjoy it and remember it fondly.

Can you not get anything in New Zealand?

 

[Ahi Ka]

Can you not get anything in New Zealand?

Well technically yes...but I ain’t paying 100us for a pouch of captain black

 

[brut666]

Well technically yes...but I ain’t paying 100us for a pouch of captain black

So pretty much everything you buy is sourced overseas?
Man that must be a lottery with your customs.

 

[Ahi Ka]

So pretty much everything you buy is sourced overseas?
Man that must be a lottery with your customs.

Yep especially since it became illegal in July to import tobacco without a permit, with the exception of cigars or products cut for chew. To be honest I don’t buy it anymore, have cellared away enough and now just growing my own

 

[brut666]

Yep especially since it became illegal in July to import tobacco without a permit, with the exception of cigars or products cut for chew. To be honest I don’t buy it anymore, have cellared away enough and now just growing my own

That's terrible really. No chance of new pipe smokers starting up.
Well at least you had the foresight to "stock" up. Now with the growing. It seems your pretty set. Shame really.

 

[Pit&Pipes]

Another vote for smoking and enjoying them or cellar and save for rainy day. ?

 

[Ahi Ka]

Yeah unless people are able to grab stuff when they come back from international travel (currently not an option obviously) as I’d bring it through duty free it’s pretty tough. Fortunately growing can be somewhat entertaining, and i think long term will make the whole hobby more enjoyable. If I was starting out I would seriously consider purchasing some good solid blends that could age well and be traded if needed and just suck up the duty costs. If you’re content with a bowl or two in the weekend, then that 50g could last 3-6months. At $4 a bowl give or take it’s still way cheaper than any of the other shit we spend money on... but yes for the OP, enjoy it, either now or later. And if it’s a blow your socks off smoke then he content that you are part of the big boys club who got to try those blends.

 

[jguss]

You're telling me I can't grift my way to my first million?

Sure you can; just not with a handful of relatively recent tobacco tins. I’m with Tim. Smoke ‘em and find something new to love. There are many great blends still in production.

 

[mso489]

Maybe it's just me, but I have a long list of blends that I have smoked and enjoyed but never re-ordered, whether they're still available or not. If you smoke a discontinued blend, and don't want to pay exorbitant prices for a vintage tin, just make note of its constituent tobaccos and try for similar combinations in current blends. I thoroughly enjoyed a gift tin of Durbar after it had already gone out of production. I never expect to find identical-twin matches, just something else I also enjoy a lot. Easy going is a good motif.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Everytime I read the name of this post (Internal Dilemma) I think of someone worrying about being pregnant for some reason.

 

[kcghost]

Yep, smoke as you would normally. Sadly the McClelland is gone for good but unless you are buying very old Dunhill tobacco the Peterson will be the same stuff.

 

[stokesdale]

The only internal dilemma I ever have is after I eat Mexican food. Usually the dilemma starts the next morning while sitting on the john.

 

[Grangerous]

As a collector of dead tobaccos myself, I have a newly opened (last) tub of SugarBarrel that smokes sublime, one jar of crumbs and my last unopened tin of Burley London Blend (2011) which I’ll open upon my deathbed, a dozen unopened tins of MacBaren Norwood (2014) half a pouch of Edgeworthin a small jar.

Suggestion. I often sprinkle the top of my bowls of beloved Granger with the aforementioned tobaccos. My char lights evoke great memories and a few moments of a bliss “parfait” then I thoroughly settle into my all time favorite Burley otc of all time, Granger.

 

[anotherbob]

Yep especially since it became illegal in July to import tobacco without a permit, with the exception of cigars or products cut for chew. To be honest I don’t buy it anymore, have cellared away enough and now just growing my own

from what I've been told the main reason they're so crazy about taxes with tobacco is it's one of the few places that it's easy to grow tobacco at home in quantities where people can have thriving black market tobacco hustles. Seems like increasing the taxes though might be a good way to insure even more thriving black market growers. My suggestion is make your house a pipe friendly airbnb after installing a tobacco shelf with a secret panel and just steal peoples stashes. It's cruel but desperate times call for stupid measures.

 

[Ahi Ka]

I’m working my way through a jar of 1980s st Bruno. Part of me wanted to jar it into smaller portions to savour, but as this is my chance to try that version I’ve decided to just smoke the shit out of it and enjoy it. I’ve noticed that even after the 3rd bowl my palette has adjusted to the smoke and im enjoying it even more. I fear that by trying to make something special last longer, I will be depriving myself the chance to know the blend - obviously different if like @Grangerous you are revisiting favourites and can decant out. I do the same with some of the remnants of GH blends. Chuck the last bowls worth in a jar full of OTC burley and it adds a nice background note

 

[anotherbob]

on the original point it's hard to say. Because the bottom line is they're yours and they're yours to enjoy. Just make sure you don't make it into such a thing you steal all the joy you might be able to get from it. Personally I'd probably save them as a special occasion thing. The type of special occasion that might just because it's thursday and that blend feels right.