Best Esoterica/Germain’s Blends I Should Buy?

[smudgersmissingleg]

Germain's Rich Dark Flake is virtually identical to Esoterica Stonehaven, I say virtually because there are differences, but they aren't major. They're like non identical twins.

Yeah, i've read that they're very similar. What about Medium Flake and Brown Flake? Do they have Esoterica equivalents?

 

[sablebrush52]

I was sent some Esoterica in a secret Santa a couple of years ago and it was pretty great (not sure of the year), but I prefer to purchase tobaccos that are more readily available. 2020 was when I switched from cigarettes to the pipe so I never experienced a time when Esoterica was plentiful.

It stopped being plentiful around 2007, when Germain's missed a few shipments and the feeding frenzy began. I used to see bags of it sitting on the shelves of my local tobacconist, for weeks at a time. After 2007 those bags were getting snapped up. Hoarders gotta hoard.

I'm probably as guilty as most in that regard. I got so tired of dealing with the frenzy that I bought enough so that I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. Of course, my memory being a less than perfect, I was surprised to find out just how much I have bought over the years, a bag here, a bag there, when I had to pack up my cellar for the move to Oregon. It was a lot more than I remembered.

 

[sablebrush52]

Yeah, i've read that they're very similar. What about Medium Flake and Brown Flake? Do they have Esoterica equivalents?

Nope.

 

[rectifythis]

Nope.

I disagree, I think Peacehaven is very similar to Medium Flake.

 

[sablebrush52]

I disagree, I think Peacehaven is very similar to Medium Flake.

I’ll have to do a comparison one of these days. What I do know from talking with Greg Pease, who was one of the taste testers when the Esoterica line was being formed, is that Steve Richman requested changes to all of the submitted blends so that they were unique and not the same as other blends in the Germain’s catalog.

 

[garageboy]

Peacehaven was another that did me like that also. Age didn't do it very well at all. It also had a slight rancid flavor.

Dang, I loved the smell and I have a jar I've been sitting on for a rainy day...

 

[damacene]

I did what forum members on here told me to do and made friends with tobacconists locally and while traveling and now have a decent supply of the ones I like. I like Latakia, so I mainly go after Pembroke and And so to Bed while trying to leave the others for people who like them. Special Latakia flake is exceptional from the one time I was able to get it.

 

[Sappspuh]

Tilbury for a vabur, dorchester and dunbar for vaper

 

[BingBong]

I did what forum members on here told me to do and made friends with tobacconists locally and while traveling and now have a decent supply of the ones I like. I like Latakia, so I mainly go after Pembroke and And so to Bed while trying to leave the others for people who like them. Special Latakia flake is exceptional from the one time I was able to get it.

SLF is very enjoyable and ages very well. I have about 6 ounces relaxing in a jar, it's one of my "now and again" smokes.

 

[K.E. Powell]

Speaking of Esoterica, they had a drop recently, and I was able to snag a tin of Pembroke, And so to Bed, and Tilbury. I haven't tried the latter two yet. I got so many unopened tins right now, that I think I'll smoke through what I already have jarred up. Does anyone know if Esoterica blends age particularly well?

 

[damacene]

Speaking of Esoterica, they had a drop recently, and I was able to snag a tin of Pembroke, And so to Bed, and Tilbury. I haven't tried the latter two yet. I got so many unopened tins right now, that I think I'll smoke through what I already have jarred up. Does anyone know if Esoterica blends age particularly well?

I like Pembroke and And so to Bed fairly fresh so that the toppings and Latakia don't weaken much. A friend of mine let me try some 10 year old Dunbar and it was stellar.