The whole mania surrounding the Esoterica line isn't a reflection of the tobaccos, which are, or were, generally quite good and quite unique. Blame pipe smokers for the current state of affairs.
The line was originally created to offer an alternative to the bespoke line of Smokers Haven blends that were originally made by Sobranie Ltd and later by Germain's. They were derived from Germain's catalog of private label blends, blends that they had created for various tobacconists. They weren't ever marketed as the "best of the best" by Germain's. That BS came from the fevered minds of their fanboys.
Being that Germain's is a small operation, turning out their blends in a decidedly old fashioned way, on centuries old equipment, output was limited. They were just another choice on the shelf, using higher grade ingredients and proper aging before release, what quality blenders, like Dunhill, Gawith, G&H, Rattray's, and others did as a matter of course.
Standards slipped with other blenders who rushed young tobaccos to market, or blends were altered to make turning out larger amounts much easier. Many of these quality blenders were sold off to conglomerates who took advantage of the reputations built by the original companies.
The panic and mania set in around 2006 when shipments from Germain's were temporarily interrupted and the mania has never stopped. But that mania was created by smokers, not by Germain's, who continued to offer their products at a reasonable price while retailers took advantage of smoker's Psychopathy Of Scarcity to charge an extra 20 to 25% over normal mark up. If something is pricey or in limited supply it MUST BE GREAT!
This is a situation that smokers created, a wound that is self inflicted.
I like many of the blends, though not all of them. I wouldn't pay more than retail and have never had to. It took no great effort to stock up over the years.
The stuff was often available on shelves for weeks ar B&Ms while people were rending their clothing and gnashing their teeth in frustration because the 3 or 4 online tobacconists who they repeated swarmed, ran out of stock due to crazed drooling hoarders. None of that is on Germain's who are what they are, a small operation, turning out their house style as they have for 200 years.
