Estervals: Is The Party Over?

[oldgeezersmoker]

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!

Fed Ex has on a few occasions added on an “FDA inspection fee” to the duties, (modest), plus the fees (reports vary from modest to WTF) for using the kind services of their customs brokerage subsidiary, which you never asked for. But that is for pipes.

Novelli in Rome has switched from shipping Pipes by FedEx to using DHL.

I don’t know that FDA scrutiny has anything to do with any increased attention to Pipe tobacco. Nothing has been said in any of the three forums I follow that indicates that has been an issue

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

This goes out to all the guys who had their packages sent back:

 

[select565]

Damn. Placed my first order about 2-3 weeks ago. Bitter sweet I suppose. Hope it lands safely, wasn’t cheap.

 

[BROBS]

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.

They are good but nothing super amazing IMO

 

[3rdguy]

I could have sown my package came DHL all the way, no USPS. This was pre covid however…

 

[greeneyes]

I can't go into any detail but I've been emailing Andreas Harm, Esterval's CEO, back and forth over the weekend and I thought I'd let everyone know that Esterval's is currently working toward a solution.

Hang tight.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

They are good but nothing super amazing IMO

Those two blend were apparently modified in the past couple of years. I have a fair amount of older Directors Cut and it is fantastic.

 

[BROBS]

Those two blend were apparently modified in the past couple of years. I have a fair amount of older Directors Cut and it is fantastic.

I’ve had the older. Fantastic is a bit of a stretch for me but ok. ?

 

[sablebrush52]

I’ve had the older. Fantastic is a bit of a stretch for me but ok. ?

The old Makhuwa was excellent. Needed to be dried to a specific moisture and then it tasted like a rich chocolate milk shake. But if you didn't hit the sweet spot it was a bit drab. The Malawi is either much reduced or has been eliminated altogether.

 

[sablebrush52]

I can't go into any detail but I've been emailing Andreas Harm, Esterval's CEO, back and forth over the weekend and I thought I'd let everyone know that Esterval's is currently working toward a solution.

Hang tight.

I hop that they find a solution, but my guess is that anything they do will result in a much higher shipping charge. First they need to understand the nature of the problem, which has nothing to do with Customs.

 

[BROBS]

I hop that they find a solution, but my guess is that anything they do will result in a much higher shipping charge. First they need to understand the nature of the problem, which has nothing to do with Customs.

Sounds to me they are assuming a lot about or system here. Many people from other countries do not understand that we receive shipments with no tax or duty.

 

[pantsBoots]

I would be content to pay duty if it meant the USPS would do their fxcking job correctly, alas...

 

[mingc]

Sounds to me they are assuming a lot about or system here. Many people from other countries do not understand that we receive shipments with no tax or duty.

They're a business with a significant US trade. I've to believe they're navigating this with lawyers and/or consultants.

 

[peregrinus]

Many people from other countries do not understand that we receive shipments with no tax or duty.

Heck, I was born here and I don’t understand the inconsistency.
There is a great degree of randomness in the application.

 

[BROBS]

Heck, I was born here and I don’t understand the inconsistency.
There is a great degree of randomness in the application.

Has anyone in the us ever been charged duty on an international order of anything ?

 

[BROBS]

They're a business with a significant US trade. I've to believe they're navigating this with lawyers and/or consultants.

I just figured there was a misunderstanding based on the CEO’s comment that the reason for the return was duty-related.

 

[romaso]

I think duty applies over a certain purchase amount. I had to pay a duty on an imported musical instrument once.

 

[peregrinus]

Has anyone in the us ever been charged duty on an international order of anything ?

Never on tobaccos.

I have on a few other items, i.e., a Pelikan brand pen I ordered direct from Germany a couple years ago. Maybe it’s because the Germans are particularly diligent when filling out customs declarations.

 

[greeneyes]

I hop that they find a solution, but my guess is that anything they do will result in a much higher shipping charge. First they need to understand the nature of the problem, which has nothing to do with Customs.

It's a problem. They are 100% convinced that it is customs. While I'm convinced it's not, my hope is only that his "experiments in shipping" arrive successfully to the USA and the situation is remedied.

 

[sablebrush52]

It's a problem. They are 100% convinced that it is customs. While I'm convinced it's not, my hope is only that his "experiments in shipping" arrive successfully to the USA and the situation is remedied.

That’s par for the course. It’s always the other guy’s fault. Never confuse them with reality.