I share your pain, but you're likely going to need that local guy in the not too distant future. Besides, why not support local business.
Esoterica Drop at SP....But Site is Down
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Same here. Got the notification, started up my DDOS network to take down the site, then called and got my order.
Yep...Anytime when Esoterica drops the feeding frenzy starts and Sites go into a Dump...Was a chaser but not anymore...But last month I did snag this on the Sony site....I am chasing other things...?
Ahh, reminds me of my days working for a web host...I am sure some poor server is smokin' in the data center, tryin' to ward off all the Esoterica-hungry robots...
I am glad I am not a huge Esoterica fan, it'd be too depressing...think I'll let my few reserve tins catch a couple more years.
I am glad I am not a huge Esoterica fan, it'd be too depressing...think I'll let my few reserve tins catch a couple more years.
Selling Esoterica has to be more of a hassle for companies than it's worth. Yes they make their money, but the "outrage" it sparks within the community isn't good. Websites crashing also isn't good for business.
Insane the hoarders who were snapping these up to screw other people. Termites everyone of them. My son beat out a bot to buy his a couple of months ago.He's happy overall with the new generation, but sees some issues with it as well.
I guess my brother won one on release day from a company raffle at work. He decided to keep it in spite of several offers for 4x-5x retail. No clue if he likes it, or not.
I wish I could somehow express how happy I am that I'm no longer part of the chase. But I understand it. I'm not a huge fan of esoterica so I never put the full court press on for it anyway. I'm happy to see there's enough fanatical pipe smokers out there to create this kind of enthusiasm. Good for the industry.
Missed out again ffs...I can't really miss it if I have never had it to try.
I’ve had Margate and it’s alright. Never had the other straight English blends. Probably for the best, I like that I like simple things like PS Proper English and C&D Pirate Kake
Don't worry, you didn't miss much. There are plenty of tobaccos out there that are just as good/better and readily available. Esoterica is mostly just hype.
I was in a rush the other day and just grabbed a pouch off the shelf. I seldom look at prices, and I’m all in favor of supporting local business, but… $8.10 for 2 oz ?
While certainly unique and unmatched in flavor profile or method of processing, Germain's blends are nowhere near my favorite and more of a change of pace rather than something in my regular rotation, irrespective of availability. Some are good, some are not, and only one made me set my cup down and say, "Holy cow," and that was Stonehaven due to how smooth and deep it was compared to other VaBur. Penzance was the real eye-opener for me, because I thought it was so close to Pease Quiet Nights, that I wasn't missing out on much regarding the gold-bagged hype machine and promptly ordered me another couple few 8oz tins of QN without having to wear out my phone and F5 keyboard button.
As a whiskey drinker, I've seen what online chatter and perhaps a trust fund or 2 can do to stalwart favorites (RIP Elmer T Lee and Blanton's). Additionally, I have it on good record from a major liquor distributor in the southeast that manufacturers such as Weller are diverting more barrels of what was once widely-available, midgrade hootch (Weller 12) to be bottled under a different label as a Special Release® (Pappy Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 year). All you have to do is back calculate the profitability to see why they're doing this. If you sell widgets, wouldn't you like to see people clamoring for widgets on social media and paying 3-4x MSRP? Would you work hard to stop that behavior?
Soap box rant over. I'll give the company the benefit of the doubt and assume they are a small operation that produces as much as they can, unlike what some whiskey houses have been up to. Esoterica is good, but not what I thought it would be, and were it regularly available, I wouldn't buy but a couple tins a year to cellar. If you're diligent, you'll come across a tin or 2 sooner or later, whether you're online at the right time, at your local B&M, or through a trade with another piper. Best of luck! I'm smoking some old Old Gowrie right now and wouldn't trade it for Dunbar or Dorchester at all.
Thanks for re affirming my thoughts on the subject of attaining anything from Germain's. I have at least 100 opened tins currently and the last one I opened was H&H Vipareti. Just like the 99 before it when I was done smoking my first bowl was thinking this is the best tobacco I've ever smoked
Thanks for re affirming my thoughts on the subject of attaining anything from Germain's. I have at least 100 opened tins currently and the last one I opened was H&H Vipareti. Just like the 99 before it when I was done smoking my first bowl was thinking this is the best tobacco I've ever smoked
I budget my tobacco purchases, partly out of necessity (who wouldn't like to spend $1000 per month on tobacco?), partly out of an innate sense of frugality. I'd pick up some Esoterica for less than $20 per tin, but at anything above, I'm happier with the box of Peterson tins arriving today and the Rattray's I received last month. I hope when you come across some that it blows your socks off and you become a fanboy, but it very well may not play out like that.
I do enjoy the Dorchester. If it was regular to get, it would probably be the VA/PER I stocked really deep on. I'd never over pay though.
I like some esoterica blends and was able to get some from other sources several days ago, but in reality there's soo many blends (for now, prior to deeming regs) that if your interested in spending cash there's plenty of options.
Bots are really a PITA, though.
Bots are really a PITA, though.
I second @hoosierpipeguy on how relieved I am to not have a dog in this particular fight. It's so much more important to me, right now, to focus on beefing up my cellar with good blends (maybe not hoity toity Esoterica blends, but just good blends that I like, in their own right) when I find them at a good price. Prices are not coming down on anything, and not just tobacco I might add. It might not be too long before all the blends I like become completely cost prohibitive. For a relative beginner, I know what I like, and I have a decent variety at my disposal. I didn't break the bank to get them, and I didn't have to draw out a plan on paper in order to track them down. No need to bring additional stress into my life by chasing horned alabaster equines, if you catch my drift.
But hey, if you want 'em that bad, knock yourselves out, guys. I'll be one less obstacle in your path to Penzance glory. I'll be the guy with the Savinelli and the bowl of C&D Bijou, watching y'all run around like the Keystone Cops.
But hey, if you want 'em that bad, knock yourselves out, guys. I'll be one less obstacle in your path to Penzance glory. I'll be the guy with the Savinelli and the bowl of C&D Bijou, watching y'all run around like the Keystone Cops.
I was in a B&M last week that had about 100 bags on the wall. Just as many tins. They don't sell online. My friend that lives nearby said they had twice as much a month ago, but they sold out of the rare bags. They only had bags of Margate, Pembroke, and Dunbar left, but many more tins and a massive trove of Balkan Sobranie. Other shops nearer me seem to always have a few bags of Margate, Pembroke, and Dunbar laying around. It's wild to see online shops getting slammed while bags gather dust in the real world.
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