everything is simple until you actually have to get it done. Or at least that's how people seem to see it.
Estervals: Is The Party Over?
- Thread starter peregrinus
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Some have reported the newer version of Directors Cut had changed by substitute DFK for Perique. The blend certainly benefits from age.
Reminds me of one of my favourite sayings. "When all is said and done, more is generally said than done".
I spoke with a US Customs agent when my Estervals order suddenly got sent back to Germany. US Customs was not involved at all. She also explained that US Customs does not order anything to be shipped back, nor does US Customs ship anything back. They have no authority to do that, nor do they have any budget to pay for doing that. They seize and hold until a dispute is settled, or send to auction, or destroy if the dispute is not settled.
The action was taken by USPS, in my case because the package was "inadequately addressed" according to the USPS tracking data. Whether that was because of a bad printing job by Estervals, or the inability of the overburdened and inadequately maintained "readers" at the USPS I haven't a clue. The USPS has been nothing but an increasing shambles for several years now.
But US Customs doesn't ship things back, according to US Customs.
I guess my idea of exorbitant is just relative to what Ive paid before to have packages shipped from Europe and arrive in 3 days for half of what they charged to arrive in 4 weeks. If $50 is what it actually cost them then fair enough.
It’s an interesting time when the US has to deal with the same problems one would expect from a third world postal system. Good luck gentlemen, there’s a lot of fixing that needs to be done.
I bought some Makhuwa and Directors Cut from them in late 2019. I thought they were decent blends but didn't quite understand all the rave reviews at the time.
It seems to me that the onus placed on tobacco by the medical community is at the heart of all shipping
constraints, else why aren't shipments of other goods similarly impacted? That community has linked with governments to rid the world of the scourge that is tobacco. Their data tells them that tobacco in any form and by whatever use is harmful if not deadly. A differential analysis based on cigarettes vs, cigars and pipes either has not been done or has been obviated by the data they have.
They have come to the rescue of a public hoodwinked by advertising and the formidable power of Big Tobacco. I have often wondering why, in the face of demonstrable evil, that the federal government, claiming such, does not by fiat shut down Big Tobacco, the Mafia, towing companies, Big Pharma and insurance companies.
Ahh, but in the next breath they would have to shut themselves down, as they partner in economic crime.
Greedy m*therf*cking wretches!
constraints, else why aren't shipments of other goods similarly impacted? That community has linked with governments to rid the world of the scourge that is tobacco. Their data tells them that tobacco in any form and by whatever use is harmful if not deadly. A differential analysis based on cigarettes vs, cigars and pipes either has not been done or has been obviated by the data they have.
They have come to the rescue of a public hoodwinked by advertising and the formidable power of Big Tobacco. I have often wondering why, in the face of demonstrable evil, that the federal government, claiming such, does not by fiat shut down Big Tobacco, the Mafia, towing companies, Big Pharma and insurance companies.
Ahh, but in the next breath they would have to shut themselves down, as they partner in economic crime.
Greedy m*therf*cking wretches!
If you ever get an opportunity to try HU blends from 2016 or earlier you'll be surprised at how much different they were. They're OK now, they were GREAT then. K&K produces a lot of blends under different names, and differences in other blends, like Rattray's, have been mentioned here. I'm glad that I heeded the message and cellared before some of my favorite blends got K&K'd.
There's a blessing for me in this. I'm not so nearly tempted to buy anything that K&K now produces. And Estervals being available or not doesn't matter to me one bit.
Bottom line: Esterval’s won’t ship here anymore. It’s their decision to make, right, wrong or indifferent.
This, is, only a harbinger of the shit storm to come. All this talk about prices and buying here in the good ole USA. This too shall end. None shall pass!
I've emailed them in an attempt to explain the situation re: offering a FedEx option. I'm not sure it will make much of a difference, frankly, as they've had a fairly obstinate attitude toward my emails in the past. We'll see.
Fully understand, however that's the story USPS is feeding people. I went so far as to file a complaint with US CBP, specifically letting them know that USPS is throwing them under the bus. At the very least, it could start a conversation between the two agencies, right? Pfffff, I live in a fantasy world.
Correct. It's a story that USPS is feeding people. USPS is responsible, not Customs. BTW, when I spoke with the Customs Agent about this she went to GREAT pains to avoid directly saying that is was a USPS made up story. She wouldn't comment in any way about the USPS. She simply took me through the reasons why Customs was not involved, which also included my pulling up the USPS tracking data and looking at it while on the phone with her.
Same experience when I spoke with them. Could it be that USPS agents have a little authority and are abusing it, perhaps to the detriment of local law and international treaties?
I have no idea. I have no idea if anyone was experiencing the same issues with packages from other companies, or was all of this Esterval's specific. It's a mysteriously fragrant filling wrapped inside an enigmatic tortilla.
In any event the guillotine has landed and Germany is lopped off.
It has been occurring with assorted tobacco products from various countries, as reported across several forums I am on.
That's interesting. It's hard to make too much of anecdotal claims, but if all true, it certainly suggests that some sort of policy has been set with regard to consumer purchases of tobaccos from foreign vendors. This might have more to do with increased restrictions on importing tobacco in line with some of what I was reading on FDA Deeming related timelines.
Oh well, Germany kaput!
Actually both were always present. Originally, the DFK was a condiment and the perique had a higher standing in the mix. Now, it's the reverse. When I apprised Hans of the situation, he was surprised and unaware of the change. I suggested he smoke some of the old stuff, and compare it with the new. He did, and had to agree with me. He also told me that DC was selling better than ever, so I imagine nothing will change.
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