HU Tobacco Coming to the States

[Sigmund]

I understand you in principle but I guess I dont undersand having buyers remorse. Frankly, Id prefer they change to those tins everywhere. I can understand returning them becuase you didnt like the way they did business. I wouldnt but I can certainly understand that. But somehow I cant wrap my head around the buyers remorse concept. Maybe that means something different to me. Id crack one open and light it up.

As a side note. Its same case with many blends but I have found HU to be MUCH better when its 3 or 4 days out of lock up. It never tastes right straight from the tin new.

 

[BlueRidge]

My tins of Indaba and Nyala arrived and I popped them both to get a whiff. Ended up smoking Nyala first and heres a few notes. I've never had this blend before. It was surprisingly smooth, mild red virginia sweetness and tang mixing with some fermented notes and a woodsy/earthy note thats sort of creamy if that makes sense. Definitely has a nicotine kick as I got a bit warm during the smoke, with light perspiration, which was another thing I was surprised about considering how smooth and mild the overall experience was going. Lit up right after dinner too so I was full. Could smoke it all day if it wasnt for the nic. Not a bad first bowl but I need to smoke more of it. Indaba up next...

I didn’t order Nyala at first even though it was one of the handful that interested me. Your review convinced me so I have a tin on the way from Boswells (they have several blends still in stock as of now)

 

[MavErik]

I understand you in principle but I guess I dont undersand having buyers remorse. Frankly, Id prefer they change to those tins everywhere. I can understand returning them becuase you didnt like the way they did business. I wouldnt but I can certainly understand that. But somehow I cant wrap my head around the buyers remorse concept. Maybe that means something different to me. Id crack one open and light it up.

As a side note. Its same case with many blends but I have found HU to be MUCH better when its 3 or 4 days out of lock up. It never tastes right straight from the tin new.

he

I understand you in principle but I guess I dont undersand having buyers remorse. Frankly, Id prefer they change to those tins everywhere. I can understand returning them becuase you didnt like the way they did business. I wouldnt but I can certainly understand that. But somehow I cant wrap my head around the buyers remorse concept. Maybe that means something different to me. Id crack one open and light it up.

As a side note. Its same case with many blends but I have found HU to be MUCH better when its 3 or 4 days out of lock up. It never tastes right straight from the tin new.

Here is my logic. The tobacco is blended to “perfection” at Kopp. Then it’s boxed up as bulk and most likely transported via cargo ship across the pond. Maybe that takes a month. Maybe that took 4 months given the port strike recently. Once it’s offloaded and freighted to Laudisi, then it sits for some unknown period until the packaging line is ready to tin them up.

How humidified is the tobacco now, compared to when it was ready over in Germany? Did the trip across the pond during the summer alter the blends, either for better or worse? How are the US tins now, compare to a tin packed there?

Please don’t flame me for overthinking this. I’m just conveying my mindset in public as to why I personally have remorse. I’m sure I’ll probably have more remorse later for sending them back…

 

[fireground_piper]

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Here is my logic. The tobacco is blended to “perfection” at Kopp. Then it’s boxed up as bulk and most likely transported via cargo ship across the pond. Maybe that takes a month. Maybe that took 4 months given the port strike recently. Once it’s offloaded and freighted to Laudisi, then it sits for some unknown period until the packaging line is ready to tin them up.

How humidified is the tobacco now, compared to when it was ready over in Germany? Did the trip across the pond during the summer alter the blends, either for better or worse? How are the US tins now, compare to a tin packed there?

Please don’t flame me for overthinking this. I’m just conveying my mindset in public as to why I personally have remorse. I’m sure I’ll probably have more remorse later for sending them back…

Considering the HU “tins” sold in Europe are un-sealed paint can style tins, they wouldn’t come in a vacuumed environment either way.

 

[PipeIT]

 

[sablebrush52]

he

Here is my logic. The tobacco is blended to “perfection” at Kopp. Then it’s boxed up as bulk and most likely transported via cargo ship across the pond. Maybe that takes a month. Maybe that took 4 months given the port strike recently. Once it’s offloaded and freighted to Laudisi, then it sits for some unknown period until the packaging line is ready to tin them up.

How humidified is the tobacco now, compared to when it was ready over in Germany? Did the trip across the pond during the summer alter the blends, either for better or worse? How are the US tins now, compare to a tin packed there?

Please don’t flame me for overthinking this. I’m just conveying my mindset in public as to why I personally have remorse. I’m sure I’ll probably have more remorse later for sending them back…

Do you feel this way about Sam Gawith, or Gawith Hoggarth tinned tobaccos, or bulk? And what, exactly is "perfection"? What tobacco doesn't go through some period of time between being made and being on the shelf?

 

[PipeIT]

As long as the tobacco was shipped carefully, environmentally controlled, that is what really matters the most.

But…

Maybe this might be looked at like, not a 100% German…

Here’s a funny interesting analogy, all though I get it, comparing this to tobacco, but it came to my mind.

A Porsche sent from Germany in parts, and then having it assembled in the USA by American mechanics... LOL

Yes crazy analogy, but hopefully you get the point. So that maybe, what matters too to some people, is receiving a pure 100% processed German product all completed in Germany.

Also, as pipe smokers, we know there are many companies selling tinned tobacco from around the world shipped in tins, so rhetorically speaking, why should this be any different.

Also, if the tin paint style cans were frowned on, well, maybe Kopp could of used sealed types of cans sent from Germany for the USA market.

In the end, we get it, shipping bulk without the weight of the tins seems more logical, but maybe the idea of; ‘All from All Made in Germany’ is an attraction people also simply wanted.

P.S. Oh, and one last crazy analogy, Cuban tobacco grown in Cuba, shipped to the USA, rolled in the USA, to sell as Cuban cigars in the USA. LOL

 

[MavErik]

As long as the tobacco was shipped carefully, environmentally controlled, that is what really matters the most.

But…

Maybe this might be looked at like, not a 100% German…

Here’s a funny interesting analogy, all though I get it, comparing this to tobacco, but it came to my mind.

A Porsche sent from Germany in parts, and then having it assembled in the USA by American mechanics... LOL

Yes crazy analogy, but hopefully you get the point. So that maybe, what matters too to some people, is receiving a pure 100% processed German product all completed in Germany.

Also, as pipe smokers, we know there are many companies selling tinned tobacco from around the world shipped in tins, so rhetorically speaking, why should this be any different.

Also, if the tin paint style cans were frowned on, well, maybe Kopp could of used sealed types of cans sent from Germany for the USA market.

In the end, we get it, shipping bulk without the weight of the tins seems more logical, but maybe the idea of; ‘All from All Made in Germany’ is an attraction people also simply wanted.

P.S. Oh, and one last crazy analogy, Cuban tobacco grown in Cuba, shipped to the USA, rolled in the USA, to sell as Cuban cigars in the USA. L

You nailed it! That’s what I was trying to convey, albeit poorly I guess. I bought the allure of getting a completely German product through and through with these HU’s.

I guess I am a bit of purest. I have driven BMW’s for over 20 years. Having never once owned one built in the US…

 

[fireground_piper]

I just don't consider the paint cans as being "tinned" any more than you'd call the plastic containers that boxed SG/GH products come in a tinned product.

It may also interest you to know that the inverse relationship also exists. The C&D/GLP products that recently went on sale in the EU are blended in the US and packaged in DE.

 

[PipeIT]

I am in the same boat as all being done from the place of manufacturing.

We understand tobacco can take some abuse, but if we are buying higher end connoisseur grade, you then should package right at that moment of being at the highest state of optimal.

I also look at this like more work was being done too, creating more man power on the receiving end, needing to then unpack and redistribute everything into tins. Not to mention, how much careful preparation for bulk storage, and shipping.

I’d love to know, why there wasn’t a working relationship in place, instead, doing exactly what J.F. Germain & Son does, putting the tobacco into sealed up mylar bags and shipping this way.

The bags Germain uses have no weight to very little, and having Kopp do this, removing all that time and man power needed on the receiving end, certainly should of been more productive and lucrative, also ensuring a higher quality product, sealed at the optimal time.

 

[Roach1]

I stated in an earlier post that C&D does the same with their blends here in Germany. I will give an example.
My tins of Carolina Red Flake with Perique 2023 were first sold or packaged for the US market in October 2023. I assume that the tins that were first offered to us in early 2024 are the same "small batch" . My tins were packaged in March 2024 and I opened my first tin in October this year.

 

[Egg Shen]

I doubt many are better than some of the glp blends. They are popular in the EU because its the best we have. Some are unique but a lot will double up with what you already know. Try a few and decide

This is what I’m trying to suss…To a guy like me who has a wide variety in his cellar, do I really want to bother trying these. As a for instance, they make a BurVa, I have BurVa blends from other companies Will their BurVa offer me a different experience or too similar to make it not worth the effort?

There's still some good stuff on SmokingPipes. The African Line stuff is my favorite by them and they still have Asmara, Fayyum, Indaba, Khoisaan, and Makhuwa. Asmara is particularly good IMO (a good English with a touch of perique and the classic HU flavor). If you favor a strong VaPer, the Makhuwa is a VaBur with perique that packs a punch.

can you describe ”that classic HU flavor?

 

[pappymac]

Will their BurVa offer me a different experience or too similar to make it not worth the effort?

You want know until you try it.

 

[pappymac]

You nailed it! That’s what I was trying to convey, albeit poorly I guess. I bought the allure of getting a completely German product through and through with these HU’s.

I guess I am a bit of purest. I have driven BMW’s for over 20 years. Having never once owned one built in the US…

The answer to your conundrum is to just order the HU tobacco blends you want to be "completely" German from Estervals and pay the shipping.

Then you can do a bowl to bowl comparison to find out it is still the same tobacco.

 

[Peter Turbo]

Dipped into the Indaba I ordered and heres some quick notes: Its very smooth, as was the Nyala I tried. Red VA and Nutty burleys were competing for lead flavor role for the majority of the smoke. The dark fired always in the background, pretty mild but helps contribute nicely to the overall profile. A little past the half way mark and it was just VA and DFK until the bottom of the bowl. Much easier on the nicotine for me then Nyala was and it stayed lit most of the time.

A good smoke but it also tasted very familiar and didn't really stand out from other Virginia, Dark Fired blends.

 

[Sigmund]

I personally never got excited about Indaba. Its good but not exciting. I do like Nyala sometimes.

I think after the launch a lot of HU blends will get lost in the huge ocean of tobacco avaliable in the US.

Directors is a good vaper but there is probably something equal in C&D or GLP...not to metion other smaller blenders.

Makhuwa is a bit unique, so is Zulu

Tuarkeh is good but I could close my eyes and almost think it is GLP Quiet Nights....tho I think QN is a step more rich.

Its interesting to hear what people think of these.

 

[Auxsender]

This is what I’m trying to suss…To a guy like me who has a wide variety in his cellar, do I really want to bother trying these. As a for instance, they make a BurVa, I have BurVa blends from other companies Will their BurVa offer me a different experience or too similar to make it not worth the effort?

can you describe ”that classic HU flavor?

What are you after here, a sales pitch?
Are you or are you not a pipesmagazine Lifer?
Just buy some.
Maybe you’ll like it. Maybe you won’t.
Isn’t that part of the fun?

 

[TheIronMonkey]

As long as the tobacco was shipped carefully, environmentally controlled, that is what really matters the most.

But…

Maybe this might be looked at like, not a 100% German…

Here’s a funny interesting analogy, all though I get it, comparing this to tobacco, but it came to my mind.

A Porsche sent from Germany in parts, and then having it assembled in the USA by American mechanics... LOL

Yes crazy analogy, but hopefully you get the point. So that maybe, what matters too to some people, is receiving a pure 100% processed German product all completed in Germany.

Also, as pipe smokers, we know there are many companies selling tinned tobacco from around the world shipped in tins, so rhetorically speaking, why should this be any different.

Also, if the tin paint style cans were frowned on, well, maybe Kopp could of used sealed types of cans sent from Germany for the USA market.

In the end, we get it, shipping bulk without the weight of the tins seems more logical, but maybe the idea of; ‘All from All Made in Germany’ is an attraction people also simply wanted.

P.S. Oh, and one last crazy analogy, Cuban tobacco grown in Cuba, shipped to the USA, rolled in the USA, to sell as Cuban cigars in the USA. LOL

This is a flawed analogy. The HU tobacco was blended already in Germany (fully assembled car) and then packaged (put in a box/tinned) in the USA; your Porsche version of the tobacco would be sent to the USA as the different components of tobacco and mixed together in the States—very different things.

 

[sablebrush52]

At some point I will pick up a tin or two for comparison, since I still have plenty of product I bought directly from HU, or Esterval’s.
The hysteria over where the stuff got tinned is weird, like the entire process is down to nanoseconds or else, disaster. Nothing about smoking a pipe is exact.

 

[filmguerilla]

As I previously mentioned in this thread, I was stationed in Germany for four years in the US Army and smoked only what I could get in Germany from tobacconists, so I smoked a LOT of HU. Zulu was/is a favorite of mine and was one of the first blends I bought from SmokingPipes (photo posted here in this thread). I’ve now smoked about ten bowls and can say without hesitation that it tastes exactly the same as what I had in Germany. I’m finding the whole packaging discussion strange tbh…