Op you'll have to decide for yourself if they're "worth it". As far as acquiring they are an antiquated outfit maybe by design Here's a tip. They ship on specific intervals. Using that strategy I've acquired pounds. Be glad to send you samples pm me.
Esoterica question
- Thread starter dkaye201
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Tilbury tins are in stock right now at Iwan Ries. $14, limit 2.
I haven't smoked it in years, not a personal favorite, but I will certainly be happy to have the two tins. The reviews at TR are pretty good. IR's shipping is a touch high, so I threw in a bag of Dr Bradley and one bag of Old Colonial to soften the blow.
I haven't smoked it in years, not a personal favorite, but I will certainly be happy to have the two tins. The reviews at TR are pretty good. IR's shipping is a touch high, so I threw in a bag of Dr Bradley and one bag of Old Colonial to soften the blow.
I think sablebrush summed it up amusingly well. I have smoked three of them. One of them (Dunbar) I found to be a completely ho-hum blend that does nothing for me. Finishing up a bag. Slowly. Cause it doesn't do much for me, lol. One (Tilbury) I like and actually just finished a bowl of moments ago, and is in the rotation as I can get a bag for $40 at the Tobacconist I go to. But, I haven't really explored the VaBur genre much at all, so I cannot compare it to other VaBurs. Penzance is good for a Latakia based blend, but, whatever on Latakia stuff for me. I am losing my taste for it.
All in all, Esoterica is like most other tobacco mfg - good quality tobaccos with some I like, some I think are horrific assaults on my palate, and some I could take or leave.
What Esoterica does have that others don't, and somewhat appropriate to the name, is Mystique. But, ya can't smoke Mystique, just pay stupid amounts of money for a $10 tin of baccy cased in Mystique, blended with the Quaintness of being made on the Isle of Jersey, and topped with a dose of Hype.
I walk by tins and bags of Esoterica every time I go to the Tobacconist's, which is at least once per week. Most days, I do not buy an Esoterica product. I'm poor, lol. This week it was a bag of Esoterica Tilbury (just about out) or replacing my supply of McClelland's No. 24 and Bayou Slices. Couldn't do both. It was a no brainer for me to run out of Esoterica Virginia based blends before I ran out of McClelland Virginia based blends ..
All in all, Esoterica is like most other tobacco mfg - good quality tobaccos with some I like, some I think are horrific assaults on my palate, and some I could take or leave.
What Esoterica does have that others don't, and somewhat appropriate to the name, is Mystique. But, ya can't smoke Mystique, just pay stupid amounts of money for a $10 tin of baccy cased in Mystique, blended with the Quaintness of being made on the Isle of Jersey, and topped with a dose of Hype.
I walk by tins and bags of Esoterica every time I go to the Tobacconist's, which is at least once per week. Most days, I do not buy an Esoterica product. I'm poor, lol. This week it was a bag of Esoterica Tilbury (just about out) or replacing my supply of McClelland's No. 24 and Bayou Slices. Couldn't do both. It was a no brainer for me to run out of Esoterica Virginia based blends before I ran out of McClelland Virginia based blends ..
Black Hat Cigars has several in stock...Pembroke, Margate, Stonehaven. I imagine the Stonehaven is limited. Worth a shot.
What makes a quality virginia? Are there quality seeds and inferior seeds? Is it the soil or amount of water? Which leaves are picked or the way they are treated by the harvester?
And is there no way one can take an "average" virginia and age it into one of quality?
And is there no way one can take an "average" virginia and age it into one of quality?
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Agreed on 2015, but it has gotten pricey in bulk unless it is on sale. I can buy St James Woods fairly cheap, per ounce cost isn't that much greater, and it is easier on me to smoke when it is relatively fresh. To me, 2015 needs a little age. But it is great stuff!
I just wonder if it is the virginia that McClelland uses itself that is different, better, or what they do with it that makes it so. Then other virginias deemed less savory might not be so inferior, just that they beg for some of the same treatment! I think the answer lays in a sniff, a little handling with the fingers and a little intuitive reasoning, that with the right care, most any virginia can be groomed into eventual golden bliss. I have many pots on the stove.
Toob, I've got theories, but they upset folks when I talk about them. I'll just say that in my own curing and aging of my own crops of Virginias, that by just pushing out the ammonia naturally, I get a noticeable turn from ammonia to vinegar. A sweet vinegar. Now, to me, and I don't mean to upset anyone, but it suggests that McClelland and maybe a few other blenders are using a slower, more natural means of preparing their Virginias. Mike of McClellands has said over and over that the sweet vinegar flavor of their Virginias is all natural. So, inversely, maybe a few other blenders are rushing the process, or using casing, or just putting out a Virginia that hasn't had the TLC that it could have used. I know in talking to a few guys in the industry that "some" of them just use Virginias straight from the farmer. Or, they suggested as much.
But, I will smoke quite a bit of Virginias that aren't McClelland or one of the other vinegary blends by other companies. Variety is the spice of life. And, I'm sort of glad that they all don't do it the same way. However, if asked, I will always say McClelland makes the most magical Virginias. But, the rest of them are pretty good. ,
But, I will smoke quite a bit of Virginias that aren't McClelland or one of the other vinegary blends by other companies. Variety is the spice of life. And, I'm sort of glad that they all don't do it the same way. However, if asked, I will always say McClelland makes the most magical Virginias. But, the rest of them are pretty good. ,
Cosmic,+1. I have opened many tins of Rattray's when it was made in Perth, and they smelled just like McClelland.
For what it's worth, Virginia leaves picked at 6am will be different from leaves picked at 6pm. And leaves picked from the top of the plant will be very different from those picked from the bottom. I assume the best Virginia producers are very aware of this and harvest specifically to meet their intended goals for any particular blend.
I would think anyone in the tobacco trade knows this since we do, and would do what they can to pick the leaves at their best for the highest quality product, grading the various leaves top to bottom based on color, texture, nicotine and sugars, selling them at various prices reflective of their grade, demand and market recognition.
You would think- at least for quality pipe tobacco. But for ciggies all that extra care and intelligence costs money- so not likely.
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