Any classic Irish tobaccos?

[w2irt]

I'll be visiting Ireland this summer, and in addition to adding at least one new Peterson to my collection I'm curious if there's a famous or favourite local blend that I should look for in the shops. Ideally something not readily available in the U.S. I know there are a bajillion Peterson blends out there, but are they what the locals will typically buy and smoke as well?
Thanks in advance.

 

[sasquatch]

There certainly are lots of classic Irish tobaccos, the Gallaher factory made Condor and many others, just as one example, but it closed last year, so I'm honestly not sure what you'll find when you get there. It's always astonishing to me how regional tobacco supply is - you find all kinds of strange things in Germany that you can't find in England, for example, and vice versa. So you'll just have to take your chances!

 

[w2irt]

I agree about Germany, and they supply a good number of blends to both Austria and the Czech Republic it seems, too. I bought a tin of Vauen Bavarian Blend in Munich last summer that I'll probably get to soon, and the tin of Prague's Mixture that I bought at a local shop there was manufactured in Germany. I went to four tobacconists in Vienna and they all said the few pipe tobaccos they had were either major global brands or no-names from Germany that were pretty atrocious.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Classic Irish You say,? then perhaps,Yachtsman brand plug tobacco would do?

 

[w2irt]

Interesting! I might buy a pouch over there to take home, but since I won't be bringing a knife with me to prepare a plug (I travel with carry-on luggage only), I'm probably after something in a different format. Or is plug tobacco the quintessential Irish pipe tobacco? I might just bring a pouch of something from home to enjoy over there if that's the case, but I'll be darned if I'm not going to break in my new Irish pipe in Ireland!

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

w2irt2@ That may be a good idea since I've been told that Yachtsman plug is solid as rock and very dense format.

 

[saltedplug]

Condor would have been in the top three Irish tobaccos until those brilliant corporate types moved its manufacture to Poland, trashing it in the process. Who do they think is going to buy their dogshit product?

 

[trouttimes]

Wow! I always thought the Irish only drink.

 

[seldom]

Perhaps Mick McQuaid? If you find yourself in Galway head to Powells Music Shop. They have a nice selection of pipes (both musical and the kind for smoking) as well as pipe tobacco.

 

[w2irt]

Hoping to spend a night in Galway. We'll be spending at least 3 days in Counties Clare and Kerry, and being a huge fan of the Jack Taylor movies, if I can finagle the schedule to allow a night there I'll heat to Powells for sure.

 

[mso489]

PC sells a pouch blend called Erin Go Braugh with Irish whiskey, if that's an Irish blend ... I'm not sure. However, alas, somewhere in the last decade the Irish forbade smoking in their omnipresent pubs, so you'll drink your Guiness without your pipe. One cultural point, a good dram of Guiness properly drawn has to let the foam develop, so it takes a few minutes to bring the glass, so be patient, and the barman or woman will know you are saavy and not an annoying tourist.

 

[jeffya2]

Peterson's Irish Flake???

 

[w2irt]

Oh, I know the proper way to draw a Guinness, and will be doing it myself at St. James's Gate. It's a two-step process at minimum, and three if done correctly. I heard about the smoking ban in pubs, and honestly I'm good with it. I'll be spending a fair amount of time outdoors, and if the weather cooperates for a few minutes after supper a pipe is a fine way to get in the mood for music in the pub later on.
I know there are plenty of Peterson "Irish" branded tobaccos, but what I'm after here is a decent representative local or regional smoke. Something a resident would buy from the local shop and fill his (or her) pipe with at home. All the better if it isn't readily available here in the U.S. I guess what I'm looking for is the pipe tobacco equivalent of drinking a well-loved locally brewed beer vs a major global brand. Consider in the Czech Republic drinking Staropromen rather than Pilsner Urquell, for example. Or over here, Brooklyn Lager instead of Bud Light or similar horsep#$$.

 

[mso489]

My wife was a food writer on Manhattan and Long Island, and I think she knew the guy who started Brooklyn Lager, if that's the brewery that opened beneath the big Silvercup sign. I think he borrowed relatively small amounts from a bunch of friends, or sold them shares, and he and they did very well indeed.

 

[drrock]

If you're going to be in Dublin, make it a point to visit James Fox Cigar & Whiskey Store on Grafton Street.
They usually have a good selection of tobaccos common to Ireland.
The only other pipe tobacco I regularly came across the last time we were there was Condor but the quality apparently has gone downhill substantially since production was moved to Poland

 

[w2irt]

So I've heard. And yes, I will go to Condor as well as Peterson's shop. That's Day-one's agenda, in fact, since I will need to buy a throwaway lighter for both my pipe and cigars. I've heard very good things about James Fox. I'll be bringing my cigars with me, but I always like to buy one or two whenever I'm away, regardless.

 

[seldom]

Sounds like a nice trip. As I suggested above, Mick McQuaid might fit what you are looking for. It comes as a plug or ready rubbed or square cut. Here is a tobaccoreviews.com link: Mick McQuaid Plug Reviews. I don't believe it is readily available stateside.

 

[w2irt]

Thanks for the tip. I'll see if that one's available. I'm basically at the point that I have more tins of tobacco than I will ever finish, so now it's just a question of getting something as a souvenir from my travels, and having a bowl here and there in the year following my voyage, to bring back memories.

 

[warren]

Once you get away from Dublin and into Ireland proper you'll quickly discover some great pubs, many of which have decent smoking areas outside. Some heated and many partially enclosed to beat the wind and rain. Great place for pint and pipe while talking with the locals, away from the noisy craic inside. One place in Dingle has a great outdoor barbecue and talking cooking, pipe and pint in hand, is a great afternoon. Ask anywhere there, should you get to Dingle, they'll point you in the right direction. Great trad also. Add Roundstone, Co. Galway, to your itinerary if you can. A grand little hotel, Roundstone House, a couple of good pubs and two of the finest beaches, in my opinion, on the island. Dine on what my wife claimed was the finest Shephard's Pie in the world at the hotel.
Why a "throw away" lighter? If you're going into the Peterson store grab a couple of their lighters if the exchange rate is right. I usually bring back a couple for gifts.

 

[pappymac]

About 6 or 7 years ago, I had a good supply of James J. Fox pipe tobaccos - Dorisco, Provost, Bankers, Campanile and The Squire. Dorisco Mixture and Provost Mixtures were my favorite. About the time I had finished all of the tins I had, they seemed to be out of stock so I just haven't ordered any since then. I'll have to revisit them.