How to Buy Tobacco from UK

[mrdottle999]

Ordering Strang is really easy. Just go to the Motzek website, use google translate if you don't know German, fill in the order form and then wire payment
The prices are in Euros. It is reasonable enough. I have done it. Herbert Motzek is a class act.
If you have an issues, bounce back here. I can give you more details

 

[caskwith]

Email Glynn of GQ directly, he may well be able to help, website say no tobacco due to certain card restrictions I think but there are alternatives I am sure

 

[styler]

Yeah, it might be worth emailing Glynn to see what he says. Otherwise, a friendly pipe smoker in the UK willing to ship a bulk package over to the US for further distribution would be handy!

 

[brass]

Friends across the pond can be a big help. But any way you manage it, expect sticker shock. With taxes, etc, 8 OZ of Rich Dark Flake, assuming that you can find it, will run more than $120.

Crimminy, there goes my August and September tobacco budget. Now I understand what they mean by

in for a penny, in for a pound.

Well, I'll keep everyone appraised.
The irony is that I was hoping Rich Dark Flake could stand in for Stonehaven. At that price, I could buy Stonehaven on ebay. But some Stonehaven fans have said that RDF is at least as good, maybe better, than Stonehaven.
gloucesterman

But like a bottle of fine wine, sometimes that exotic tobacco is worth it. It's just that special treat you allow yourself every once in a while. Let us know how your order turns out.

That's how I'm rationalizing it. I used to go to extremes to purchase imported beers, in the days before good American craft beers became common.

 

[alexnorth]

Have you checked out Danish pipe shop?

 

[mrdottle999]

Hello Booker,
No need to go to the bank and do a wire. I used Xoom. It is an internet based wire offering. It shines in going to places like Germany that have very different banking processes than the U.S.
The fees are better than most banks and you know the FX exchange rate up front
Also, this is a great way to purchase from folks in the UK. Gets around the credit card issue
Xoom is well funded, has great reviews and I have used them several times with absolutely no issues

 

[glynnquelch]

Yeah sadly it is the credit/debit card restrictions which scupper our sales to the states. Some retailers do flaunt the rules, i am a little more cautious. But if anyone wishes to order from America, please PM me for more details and please do not post openly on here what solutions are offered, *wink*
Another good system to make international payment using is Transfer Wise, we use them to pay our international suppliers. The fees are very low and takes about 1.5 days for the funds to come through.

 

[sablebrush52]

The irony is that I was hoping Rich Dark Flake could stand in for Stonehaven. At that price, I could buy Stonehaven on ebay. But some Stonehaven fans have said that RDF is at least as good, maybe better, than Stonehaven.

Both use the same basic treacle topping. While I detected a slight difference in the bag aroma, when smoked the taste is about the same. So close is the smoking flavor, that had I not known that I was smoking RDF, I wouldn't know the difference. So if you're hoping for something with enough of a difference to be potentially "better" or noticeably different, save your money and go after Stonehaven here. Any perceived difference in the actual smoking taste is going to be more a matter of suggestion than anything else. But if curiosity must be satisfied, give it a whirl, and then be glad that you don't HAVE to pay those prices for Stonehaven here.
If I had to choose between RDF and St. Bruno it would be St. Bruno all day long.

 

[davet]

[/quote]If I had to choose between RDF and St. Bruno it would be St. Bruno all day long.
I just tried St Bruno the other day for the first time and immediately ordered more. Just received an order today from England, expensive, but no more so than buying here in Canada.

 

[glynnquelch]

The irony is that I was hoping Rich Dark Flake could stand in for Stonehaven. At that price, I could buy Stonehaven on ebay. But some Stonehaven fans have said that RDF is at least as good, maybe better, than Stonehaven.

Yeah i would always buy Stonehaven if you have the chance, that way you are not paying the $150 per 1lb in pipe tobacco duty. RDF was made for the UK so we had an alternative to Stonehaven over here, i find the topping a little different. RDF is a bit more plumy and i find SH slightly more chocolatey. That said i have no opened a fresh 1lb bag of stonehaven, only ever had it in trades and the tobacco had already been exposed to air. I know many others who swear they are the same, but i know they had to slightly alter the blend to avoid issue with estorerica (or whatever the correct company name is)

 

[glynnquelch]

davet have you tried the Condor Flake(Long Cut)? I find it a lot cooler and richer

 

[brass]

Thanks for all the help. I now have a couple of different sources to help me out. One of our members who lives in the UK is going to shop and ship a package for me. PM about the other source, if you're curious.

But if curiosity must be satisfied, give it a whirl, and then be glad that you don't HAVE to pay those prices for Stonehaven here.

I do admit that I have an itch that must be scratched. Glynn mentioned that RDF is as hard to find in the UK as Stonehaven is here. Sablebrush, thanks for the comparison review.

 

[davet]

davet have you tried the Condor Flake
Not yet, there are so many new to me choices from over there. Waiting on some G&H Balkan plug and Grasmere Flake along with the St Bruno. Any relatives coming to Canada will be supplied with a wish list.

 

[davet]

My order from GQ Tobaccos just arrived, I could smell the Grasmere Flake when they handed me the envelope, wow! I'm going to work up the courage and try it this evening. I can't get over how strong the tin/pouch note is.

 

[brass]

Davet, my reaction was similar to yours upon receipt of Grassmeere. I could could smell it when I opened the shipping container. I forget whether it was loose or packaged. But I haven't forgot how overwhelming the aroma was that emanated from the styrofoam peanuts beneath which the package was buried.

 

[brass]

I got in an order of St.Bruno, Condor and Rich Dark Flake. The RDF is fabulous. Haven't tried the other's yet.

 

[huntertrw]

"How to Buy Tobacco from UK"
Be really, really, really nice to condorlover1. Paying him helps, too!

 

[disinformatique]

Support the small to medium businesses, buy it from GQ Tobaccos

 

[bluegrasspipe]

I really want to get my hands on some Rich Dark Flake. I sent Glynn a private message. I wonder if this is possible through GQ now that pricing with Paypal etc. is much easier. Has anyone have any luck doing this in recent times?

 

[hawky454]

I’ve tried to get a hold of the new owner of GQ on 4 different occasions regarding this subject and he has yet to respond. I’ve tried to just go ahead and purchase tobacco from them but the site will not allow the transaction to complete. It’s a crying shame, I think GQ has the best selection worldwide and he hands down had the cheapest prices on Condor. I really miss doing business with him.