Availability In UK Tobacco Market.

[smudgersmissingleg]

Also, you can try Estervals, a German company who sell all the Rattray's blends you mention. I have only had one order from them, but I suspect that post Brexit, that stuff will always get through unmolested, given that the idiot Tory government who encouraged people to vote for Brexit, have been singularly unable to arrange the customs checks that should be a part of it. But the time they get round to doing it, we'll be back in the single market anyway. That's where I'll be placing my international orders from now on. But until then, I will continue to enjoy the tobaccos of my three favourite blending houses, the Gawiths, and Germains, all readily available (mostly).

Yes, I also ordered from Germany many times and never had a problem. So glad I did because i've now got plenty of Dan Tobacco and HU Tobacco in the cellar.

I haven't ordered since BREXIT kicked in, though. Do the German online shops still deliver to the UK? I thought BREXIT might have knocked that on the head. I was worried about that happening so I stocked up before BREXIT.

 

[Toast]

I have no idea from whence that leaf is sourced, but I certainly wouldn't cry if those fields burned to the ground prior to harvesting.

The EU I suspect. As I understand it there's a requirement for a minimum percentage of EU leaf otherwise the prices go through the roof. So they (& everyone else) need to find substitutes, abandon the EU as a market altogether, or bump what they charge by a lot.

Its not been all bad, some new stuff from the States (which I wasn't a fan of at the price) & Wilsons of Sharrow adding a few aromatics (terribly marketed).

Germains appears to be available only at 25% mark up - on the very rare occasions you can find it. Given the likely substitutions I'd not bother personally.

Rattrays & McConell are goners.

My tobacconist tells me that the HH line might get reintroduced at 'luxury' prices. I really miss them, so depending on how luxury...

GH has rationalised it's portfolio, which is a shame - but whatever they need to do. I love that they won't compromise on quality.

Somewhere between 25-33% of what was available pre-Bexit is a big loss.

But Charatan, Comoys, GH, Peterson, & Solani (there's been a drop fairly recently, they don't appear to be an issue). There's really good options in there - &, discounting the US as a massive outlier, we still have much better choice than a lot of the rest of the world.

& yup, stock up! I'm hoping things are stabilising - & it's encouraging to see some new blends - but...

 

[Toast]

Do the German online shops still deliver to the UK?

I'd like to know that too - & whether they're getting hit by massive charges. Buying pipes from the EU post-Brexit has been much more painful than from the US. They seem to be looking much harder in that direction.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

My tobacconist tells me that the HH line might get reintroduced at 'luxury' prices. I really miss them, so depending on how luxury...

The Black Swan have got Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake in stock. I can't stand Latakia so that one isn't up my alley, but I do love their HH Old Dark Fired & HH Pure Virginia.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

Yes, I also ordered from Germany many times and never had a problem. So glad I did because i've now got plenty of Dan Tobacco and HU Tobacco in the cellar.

I haven't ordered since BREXIT kicked in, though. Do the German online shops still deliver to the UK? I thought BREXIT might have knocked that on the head. I was worried about that happening so I stocked up before BREXIT.

The German online shop Esterval still delivers here. I can't speak for any others. Going forward, I suspect we'll be able to get those tobaccos as long as the German government allows it to happen. All that pre-Brexit talk about us stopping their goods coming here was just a load of blarney. We ain't stopping shit. They're stopping, checking, and adding duty to out shit, but we just don't have the manpower to do the same to theirs, understandable given theirs is an entire continent worth of stuff flowing in. A few tins of tobacco is the last thing that will get picked up. I made my order from Esterval on a Tuesday, it came to my house in London on Thursday.

 

[Toast]

The Black Swan have got Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake in stock. I can't stand Latakia so that one isn't up my alley, but I do love their HH Old Dark Fired & HH Pure Virginia.

Same! It wouldn't surprise me if that was pre-Brexit.

ODF & Bold Kentucky were the ones for me. & to think I used to bitch about HH Burley not being available!

McConell was a big hit for me, but the HH line hurt the most.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

The German online shop Esterval still delivers here. I can't speak for any others. Going forward, I suspect we'll be able to get those tobaccos as long as the German government allows it to happen. All that pre-Brexit talk about us stopping their goods coming here was just a load of blarney. We ain't stopping shit. They're stopping, checking, and adding duty to out shit, but we just don't have the manpower to do the same to theirs, understandable given theirs is an entire continent worth of stuff flowing in. A few tins of tobacco is the last thing that will get picked up. I made my order from Esterval on a Tuesday, it came to my house in London on Thursday.

That's some great info. Cheers, mate

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Same! It wouldn't surprise me if that was pre-Brexit.

ODF & Bold Kentucky were the ones for me. & to think I used to bitch about HH Burley not being available!

McConell was a big hit for me, but the HH line hurt the most.

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if that HH Latakia Flake isn't pre BREXIT stock.

I've got a tin of HH Acadian Perique that I bought from Germany a few years ago. I believe that one used to be sold over here but got delisted. I've also got a couple of tins of the HH Old Dark Fired plug special edition that they released in America back in 2019 and a single tin of HH Mature Virginia from 2007. That last one I bought from Larrysson when he was selling blends not sold over here and vintage tobaccos. I got some great stuff from him and I really miss his site. It was basically the only place to buy tobaccos like that in the UK.

 

[Toast]

HH Mature Virginia from 2007. That last one I bought from Larrysson when he was selling blends not sold over here and vintage tobaccos. I got some great stuff from him and I really miss his site.

Same - on both fronts. I got quite a bit of Mature Virginia from there too - & wow do I miss having that option.

I've not tried the Arcadian Perique or the plug, but I did manage to score two tins of the HH Rustica, which was one I really wanted to try.

Such a nice guy too!

That was treat tobacco mainly though - stuff I knew I'd probably just get to smoke one or two tins of.

The rest of what's gone though, a lot of it would have been in my rotation for years. Bah!

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

Same - on both fronts. I got quite a bit of Mature Virginia from there too - & wow do I miss having that option.

I've not tried the Arcadian Perique or the plug, but I did manage to score two tins of the HH Rustica, which was one I really wanted to try.

Such a nice guy too!

That was treat tobacco mainly though - stuff I knew I'd probably just get to smoke one or two tins of.

The rest of what's gone though, a lot of it would have been in my rotation for years. Bah!

Yeah, he's a great guy, he was really easy to deal with. I got my tins of Mcclelland Christmas Cheer and some other jems from him. I used to love just looking through the pages of what he had in stock. Some of the stuff was super rare and/or it had a lot of age on it.

Hopefully the Mac Baren and Rattray's blends will eventually return. There's no reason they shouldn't but we're a tiny market and they might think it isn't worth their while. Hopefully that isn't the case.

I should count my blessings, though. Like you said before, we are in a lot better position than some countries when it comes to tobacco choice and price. Australia, New Zealand and Canada come to mind. The selection they have to choose from and the insane prices they have to pay really is a scandal.

 

[hawky454]

Thanks for the advice, although there are very few MacBaren products getting through at all. Just the Codger blends like St Bruno.

And that’s all ya need. Well, I’d be okay with just having St. Bruno, it hits the spot every time for me. I’m sure it’s getting expensive though, I haven’t looked at the US prices in awhile but I was getting the RR for $10 (USD) when I stocked up in 2016/2017. So far, Mac Baren‘s rendition ages quite well. I just keep them in the pouch and seal them up in MyLar.

 

[Toast]

Yeah, he's a great guy, he was really easy to deal with. I got my tins of Mcclelland Christmas Cheer and some other jems from him. I used to love just looking through the pages of what he had in stock. Some of the stuff was super rare and/or it had a lot of age on it.

Hopefully the Mac Baren and Rattray's blends will eventually return. There's no reason they shouldn't but we're a tiny market and they might think it isn't worth their while. Hopefully that isn't the case.

I should count my blessings, though. Like you said before, we are in a lot better position than some countries when it comes to tobacco choice and price. Australia, New Zealand and Canada come to mind. The selection they have to choose from and the insane prices they have to pay really is a scandal.

Me too! I emanaged to score a tin of McCranie’s Red Ribbon, which might be the nicest thing I've ever smoked. I don't think I ever really appreciated how awesome having that option was until it was gone (& there were some great deals too).

It does sound like it's mainly a red tape issue & not being worth it for so small a market. So it's possible! I'm not holding my breath though.

100%! & we actually seem to do alright compared to a lot of EU countries too. Whilst they have (to my taste) amazing OTC blends in France & Italy (at astonishing prices compared to the UK - 40g of Forte was €4 in Rome this year), anything else seems pretty hard to find & pricey.

 

[simong]

I'd like to know that too - & whether they're getting hit by massive charges. Buying pipes from the EU post-Brexit has been much more painful than from the US. They seem to be looking much harder in that direction.

I don’t know, I think they’ve clamped down across the board. Just down to luck wether you get pulled or not. 4 out of the last 5 orders i‘ve had have been subject to customs charges. Tax, vat & the £12 fee to parcel force for their services on top. Lol
At least with Smokingpipes in Dublin they’ll reimburse you the vat.

 

[simong]

The German online shop Esterval still delivers here. I can't speak for any others. Going forward, I suspect we'll be able to get those tobaccos as long as the German government allows it to happen. All that pre-Brexit talk about us stopping their goods coming here was just a load of blarney. We ain't stopping shit. They're stopping, checking, and adding duty to out shit, but we just don't have the manpower to do the same to theirs, understandable given theirs is an entire continent worth of stuff flowing in. A few tins of tobacco is the last thing that will get picked up. I made my order from Esterval on a Tuesday, it came to my house in London on Thursday.

You want to buy a lottery ticket mate, your lucks in!

 

[Toast]

At least with Smokingpipes in Dublin they’ll reimburse you the vat.

Good point. & something I always forget when I look at their prices.

That Parcel Force fee really gets my goat for some reason. I tend to bundle purchases, where I can, to reduce my annoyance.