Butera Kingfisher Availability

[lyle]

So, I finally got around to smoking a tin of Kingfisher that I bought back in 2008. Of course, it's excellent. Of course, I want more. Of course, it is not available anywhere.
Does anyone know if it is still being produced? If so, how often does it hit the market in the US? I'm okay with limited production/availability, just want to know if it is still around at all.
My apologies if this has already been discussed. I did some archive searching and didn't turn up much.

 

[mrenglish]

It is not being made currently. Production seems to have ceased when Mike Butera retired. He was the fella that had it blended and tinned and also was the man behind Esoterica. Pelican made a comeback and is currently being made by Germain and Son's who also made Kingfisher, so hope shines eternal. It is good stuff.

 

[lyle]

Very interesting and helpful (albeit disappointing). Thank you!
That doesn't mean Esoterica has ceased production does it?

 

[mrenglish]

Nope, they are still kicking strong. I forget who picked up the import of the blends and the Esoterica line. Somebody help me out here.

 

[rickpal14]

Germain and Sons blends the Esoterica line.

 

[mattnelson23]

I got some Pelican on Smokingpipes recently. I could tell it was gonna be good when it smelled like a burned out house.

 

[mrenglish]

I'm sorry, I meant who is now importing the Esoterica blends? Is it Kretek or Phillips and King? Whomever it is decided to resurrect Pelican and Balkan Sobranie. Hopefully, they will do the same with Kingfisher.

 

[drlpipe]

Arango is the current importer of Esoterica, I think? At least that's the name I see on some new tins like the Sobranie. They've also taken over the distribution of K&K blends (Rattrays, McConnells, Wessex, etc.) to the US in the last couple of years, where it used to be XYZ Direct or something like that.

 

[lyle]

I was just in my local B&M yesterday and they had a couple of tins of Pelican (with the curiously blacked out "made in..." part of the label) which weren't there a couple of weeks ago. As you've said, a good sign!

 

[mrenglish]

Arango!! That's it. Thanks drlpipe! Maybe we should email bomb Arango asking them to bring Kingfisher back?

 

[poligerard]

Opened a '98 or '99 tin of Butera Kingfisher this morning. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed one of these so I can't tell what effect aging has had. But it still has flavour. One warning though... the tobacco was quite active eating the tin from the inside. The seal was still in place but the lid was frozen in rust so the tobacco is acidic and wax paper does not adequately isolate the tobacco from the tin lid etc. Another couple of years and it may have perforated the lid. So best to open and enjoy before 15 years. :mrgreen:

 

[mrenglish]

Yep, Poligerard, totally agree. My tins had pretty much lost their seal, I was able to open them without any effort. Jarred them all up just in time.