Hoarding and Panic Buying

[cortezattic]

Used to be that FVF, St. James and Rotary and some Solani blends were hard to get; but these things seem to trend.

I just sit back and enjoy my current stock. When I blunder into some hard to get blend I'll buy a tin, but I don't allow scarcity to drive my buying shopping behavior.
In truth, most of my tobacco money is spent on exploring new-to-me blends.

 

[warren]

Certain threads, this is one, provide deep insight into the mental makeup of the members. Fascinating stuff!

 

[northernneil]

I have been looking through my cellar recently and have officially gone over 6 months without purchasing any new pipe tobacco. I can confidently look at my cellar, with satisfaction, and not need to buy anymore tobacco, for the moment.
Of course, with Christmas Cheer being released, and a couple of other "new blends" not represented in the cellar, I forsee a case of TAD rearing it's ugly head soon. Nonetheless, today I remain strong.
While I was building my cellar, there were times I asked myself "am I hoarding?" There were points where I asked how many year supply do I need? One year, five years, twenty years, fifty years? I am relatively young at a mere 31 years of age. In my life I have seen the he demise of indoor smoking, a raise in tobacco tax by 300% and the beginnings / orchestration of a modern day witch hunt (anti-tobacco movement). Needless to say, I took a shot in the dark and decided that I wanted to enjoy pipe smoking for the rest of my life and dove straight in.
Long story short, I'll get back to you all in 20 years and let you know if cellaring tobacco was a wise decesion.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Very enlightening thread!
Without this forum I'd not even be aware that aged tobacco was "a good thing" (I'd better smoke this stuff up; it's been sitting around for weeks!) I'm thinking that without the internet, aged and cellared tobacco would be pretty rare. (?)
Is there a rough date anyone can provide that marks the beginning of cellaring on a fairly wide scale?

 

[davet]

I don't believe any of this doomsday tobacco crap
Pay $48 for 2oz of bulk blend at a B&M and then tell me that

 

[drwatson]

Sixteen bucks for a pound here...Sucks that you have to pay 48 for 2 oz. But that's not doomsday. It's a habit, hobby, lifestyle, whatever..With said choices come the down sides to them. Ten years ago I payed 15k for my new truck..now same truck goes for 38k..Now thats doomsday. Everything goes up (and sometimes down). I think tobacco will always be around and sold but will become a more of a expensive form of pleasure. Much like a fine bottle of wine costing 300 and up. There is always lake erie wine for 6 bucks. If your in Canada we can always smuggle some in for you through the U.P.

 

[rigmedic1]

The first time I enjoyed Penzance, it was already a rare and unusual commodity. I was able to purchase an 8 oz bag several years ago, and still have about 4 oz left. I also have a pound of Prince's Street, and make it a point to harvest a few tins of my other hard to find favorites every time I get the chance. Partly, I do it because of limited availability, and partly because, like Prince's Street, you never know when a blend will disappear forever. I hope to restock some Penzance in the future, but there are enough other great tobaccos that I can manage.

 

[swhipple]

I guess I'm a hoarder? I wouldn't normally be but, when I consider the state of the world around me as it actually is these days, I believe expanding my cellar is a wise move. I'll list my thoughts of the world in general and how it relates to pipe tobacco for your consideration.
1. I believe there will be a day when pipe tobacco is taxed to prohibitive levels. Taxes always increase. I could probably even afford the occasional $100 tin of tobacco but I'd rather pay $10 now.

2. I think regulatory and tax pressure on tobacco farming, transportation, and manufacturing will lead to price increases on the supply side. I believe tobacco prices will increase faster than inflation due to these factors.

3. I can see the day when internet/interstate retailing of pipe tobacco is banned or prohibitively taxed.

4. I think it's quite possibly all tobacco sales will either be banned or so publically shamed that no vendor will sell it. Think that's a crazy statement? Try buying a confederate flag.

5. Given the above factors, I see tobacco hoarding as an investment. It's possible that my cellar will appreciate in value and if I don't smoke it, I will be able to sell it at break even money or maybe even a profit.

6. Aged tobacco is tasty.
I don't look down on folks because they feel differently but I can only respond to the world as I see it.
Oh and just of the record, I'm the one buying all the Penzance. :twisted: :twisted:

 

[sablebrush52]

The responses to this question are really interesting. Some are based on practical objectivity, others are more emotional in tone. Some offer a "we" perspective while others offer a "me" perspective.
I'm more in Defargin's camp when it comes to buying. Last November I could have bought The Briary's entire stock of Stonehaven. It came in the day that I called and Skip was happy to sell me as much as I wanted. I bought two bags and left the rest so that others could enjoy it. Someone else grabbed their entire remaining stock. I found the irony of that hilarious at the time. It also points out why setting purchasing limits has become a necessity. Some folks just don't give a rip about anybody else.
I wouldn't call my cellar large, but if I didn't buy another ounce, I'd be good for a decade at least, and probably considerably more. That said, I'm still buying, but not much, and mostly interesting (to me) stuff that's out of production. I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on ancient vintages likely to be mummy dust or wraiths.
I suspect I'll have fallen off the twig long before I use it all up. I wanted the ability to enjoy some now while letting some age. But I don't buy anything that can't be enjoyed fresh. I'm already aged enough as it is.
There's nothing that I feel inclined to chase as I enjoy a variety of blends and I'm happy that I have no need to stockpile any one particular blend. If I run out of anything, well, that's that, and I can enjoy something else. I smoke a pipe for pleasure, not to turn any aspect of it into a monkey on my back. Having stock also offers me the opportunity to trade, and more importantly, to share with others.
One of my favorite smokes was discontinued when its blender retired and I was really disappointed. But then Russ, who had the recipe book, offered to make it for me and I placed a large enough order to last me quite a long time, provided that I don't keep giving it away. But, of course, I do keep giving it away. The pleasure of sharing is equal to the pleasure of smoking. That's another pleasure of having a cellar.

 

[seadogontheland]

Well said, Sable...very well said, my friend.

 

[warren]

Very balanced approach sablebrush. No gnashing of teeth or bitching and moaning. A generous soul and a fairly pragmatic outlook.

 

[danielplainview]

Well said Sable.
I buy my favorite blends 8oz-16oz at a time. When I get down to the last couple ounces I'll order more. This thread was perfectly timed. I just left P&C empty handed because every Lat crumble and flake I wanted was back ordered. Who are the culprits that have cleaned out the Ten Russians and C&D da Vinci?
THEY HAVE PENZANCE IN STOCK !

 

[mranglophile]

I'm verklempt. That is a great story Booker. I love receiving gifts, but like giving them more.

 

[cortezattic]

Great story, booker! Couldn't have a better ending if O.Henry himself had written it! :clap:

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I'm not sure if Booker's story isn't an equally sad commentary on consumerism as much as it is heartwarming.
When it comes to tobacco I specifically pursue blends that are available, one of the reasons I'll recommend Star of the East before just about any other Lat-bomb, it performs well enough and is both priced right and readily available, that's what I call a perfect blend.
This reminds me of discussions on "exotic" things in general. Most of the time it just means "foreign", and has little bearing on quality or performance, the only thing that makes it special is scarcity, and sometimes artificial scarcity at that. "Veblen Goods" is another term that comes to mind.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Thorstein Veblen!! I hadn't heard his name since b-school last century! Perfect use in this discussion as some tobaccos and pipes (Dunhill anyone?) are indeed "Veblen goods."
Thank you.

 

[captainprophesy]

Here's my take on this... I had a decent cellar going, well in the last few years my business went downhill to the point where I almost closed my doors, went through a long time without pay even. During that time I had no disposable income... hell I even took in my buddy who just passed away and his dog, took in one of my daughters friend home I found out she was homeless (not going to let a young teenage girl on the streets, don't care) ... anyways to make a long story short I was broke as F@#K ... the cellar I had accumulated served me well during this time that I couldn't afford to buy more tobacco... I'm currently down to about 2 pounds, which is quite low from where it was, but thats ok... just like everything else that I "prep" its not for the apocalypse or the downfall of humanity... its for everyday shit that happened to us. Its always good to have stock of things, whether it be water, food, energy source, ammunition or tobacco.
So now that things are beginning to look up, hopefully I'll begin to to re-stock up on my tobacco towards the end of the year.
so the moral of the story kids... be a pepper for real life situations. ::

 

[Waning Embers]

I wouldn't necessarily call it hoarding, but when I come across a blend that I like, I will buy 10 or more tins and put them up for later. Recently discovered that I enjoy Vauen's Auenland blend, and SPC said that they probably weren't going to be available any more. I then ordered a total of 20 tins from two different German vendors. Panicky I guess, but hey, I like it!

 

[cigrmaster]

When I came back to my pipes in 2012 after only a few year layoff, I was blown away at the 85% wholesale pipe tobacco tax that was instituted in Florida where I live. My local guy had to charge 22.95 for a tin of SG Best Brown, that I could buy at Jr's for 9.00. I felt badly for my local guy and I also noticed that his inventory was miniscule compared to what it was a few yeaars earlier when I used to go there a lot. Then I heard about how Wisconsin was not allowing internet sales of tobacco and that was when my panic set in. I knew it wass just a matter of time before Florida got greedy and would stop internet sales. I went on a buying spree to load up on my 28 favorite blends so I would be able to have them whenever I wanted. I also knew prices would go up( and they have) in a big with some blends. Mac Baren ODF has doubled in price and I had bought my 65 tins all at either 10.00 or at 9. I saved over 700.00 and that is just one blend. Most of my favorite blends have gone up a minimum of 30%. I was also paranoid that some of my favorites will go the way of the Dodo, and time will tell on that one.
Since I only bought flakes, I also know that my inventory is only appreciating the longer it ages. Now if something were to happen and I needed money, I could sell my stash for more than I paid. If is not my intention to ever sell one tin as I love smoking aged tobacco, but you never know. If I out live my stash, my kids will be able to make very good money on it, which doesn't hurt either.
The word hoarding really has no place in the pipe tobacco world. Hoarding is when you stockpiling milk, or eggs, or gasoline, or water, things you need to live on. Pipe tobacco is a luxury item that no one needs to live. I think cellaring, stockpiling are much better suited for pipe tobacco. I honestly believe that there will be a day when internet sales of pipe tobacco will be banned. I also believe the FDA is going to mess with pipe tobacco in some hideous way as they try to get rid of the RYO industry on behalf of major tobaccco. I think the electronic cigs have slowed the FDA on their witch hunt for pipe tobacco, but after they wipe out electronic cigarettes, they will turn their attention back to us. If you can stock up, now is the time as you have seen how prices are already going up big time.
Here are some prices from November and December 2012, compare the prices to what things go for now.
Order Form

Item No. Bin Location Item to Purchase Qty. Price Ext. Price

003-021-0018 BTF02-1 Dunhill: Deluxe Navy Rolls 50g 10 $11.30 $112.98
003-029-0065 BTF29-1 G. L. Pease: Union Square 2oz 1 $8.69 $8.69
003-036-0005 BTF16-4 John Aylesbury: Luxury Flake 50g 10 $7.88 $78.79
003-039-0075 BTW02-4 Mac Baren: HH Old Dark Fired 100g 10 $9.38 $93.83
003-050-0016 BTF04-2 Peterson: Irish Flake 50g 5 $7.83 $39.15
003-061-0014 BTF26-2 Solani: Silver Label - 660 100g 5 $17.37 $86.83
003-028-0006 BTF33-2 Fribourg & Treyer: Cut Virginia Plug 50g 9 $10.57 $95.16

 

[warren]

I'd bet money that there are pipe smokers who do indeed hoard. Same with some smokers who consider certain blends to be necessities. People "hoard" all sorts of items for a myriad of reasons. Cornering the market being one. Another is a desire to possess as many of something as they can. Some hoarders do so to feed childhood memories. Others are just infatuated with certain items and have a "need" to own every one they come across. Heck, I knew a guy who collected every piece of lumber he found by the side of the road for nearly 50 years.
"Panic" buying is horse of a different color. "Panic" buying is fueled by fear. Fear of being unable to afford something in the future can certainly trigger panic.
Again, this thread is one of the most interesting I've seen. Seeing what stimulates members to certain behaviors is fascinating!