I'm Losing my Mind

[jdb67]

Mind is now edited! Hope you find it in good shape!

I think I'm losing my mind and I blame Germain's. I don't want to like these unicorn tobaccos. It all started with an innocent purchase from the Sell/Swap/Search. It was basically a Virginia sampler that had a number of popular examples that were bagged from open tins he had sampled. I was able to try things like F&T Cut Virginia Plug, Reiner 71, Wessex gold, HH Pure Virginia, Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls, Cabbies Mix. There was also a tin and a partial bag of Germain's Brown Flake and a small bag of Stonehaven.

Oh, curse the day I opened those. The tobacco gods are cruel. I have never had anything I like better and I have tried so many tobaccos. It is not that I don't like anything else, but these 2 just stand out for me as superb. They burn so well it is like I actually know what I'm doing. They don't bite. They taste and smell amazing. I now have to confess things may be getting out of hand. For Father's day this year I asked my wife and kids to go in and buy a consignment tin of Brown Flake. It cost $145. I rationalized this by thinking of it like a good meal out...I could blow that much money easy going to a high-end steak house. So the fact that I get to enjoy this for a while...well...what a deal! So now of course I keep looking for Stonehaven, but this is where I have to draw the line. I can't bring myself to pay the prices I see for that on consignment.

So as my little Stonehaven stash gets smaller, I find myself putting other tobacco in the bottom of the bowl (like SG BBF) just to make sure I don't throw any out. Same with the Brown Flake. I probably sound like Gollum in my office prepping my smoke...my preciousssss.

 

[Scottmi]

Brother, you are heard.

 

[PA Piper Mike]

It reminds me of that old quote: 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
Someday, I'll be able to get my hands on blends like Stonehaven and Penzance...someday.

 

[OzPiper]

a partial bag of Germain's Brown Flake and a small bag of Stonehaven.

Oh, curse the day I opened those. The tobacco gods are cruel. I have never had anything I like better and I have tried so many tobaccos. It is not that I don't like anything else, but these 2 just stand out for me as superb.
I can't bring myself to pay the prices I see for that on consignment.

So as my little Stonehaven stash gets smaller, I find myself putting other tobacco in the bottom of the bowl (like SG BBF) just to make sure I don't throw any out. Same with the Brown Flake. I probably sound like Gollum in my office prepping my smoke...my preciousssss.

Brother, join the club.
I really feel for you.

Like you, Stonehaven is one of my favourite blends
Along with another Germain blend which I am not naming, as it is difficult enough to get hold of, with supplies being out of stock for months on end.

Hopefully another blend will come along, which, while it may not be the same, will be just as enjoyable

 

[sablebrush52]

I think I'm losing my mind and I blame Germain's. I don't want to like these unicorn tobaccos. It all started with an innocent purchase from the Sell/Swap/Search. It was basically a Virginia sampler that had a number of popular examples that were bagged from open tins he had sampled. I was able to try things like F&T Cut Virginia Plug, Reiner 71, Wessex gold, HH Pure Virginia, Peterson Deluxe Navy Rolls, Cabbies Mix. There was also a tin and a partial bag of Germain's Brown Flake and a small bag of Stonehaven.

Oh, curse the day I opened those. The tobacco gods are cruel. I have never had anything I like better and I have tried so many tobaccos. It is not that I don't like anything else, but these 2 just stand out for me as superb. They burn so well it is like I actually know what I'm doing. They don't bite. They taste and smell amazing. I now have to confess things may be getting out of hand. For Father's day this year I asked my wife and kids to go in and buy a consignment tin of Brown Flake. It cost $145. I rationalized this by thinking of it like a good meal out...I could blow that much money easy going to a high-end steak house. So the fact that I get to enjoy this for a while...well...what a deal! So now of course I keep looking for Stonehaven, but this is where I have to draw the line. I can't bring myself to pay the prices I see for that on consignment.

So as my little Stonehaven stash gets smaller, I find myself putting other tobacco in the bottom of the bowl (like SG BBF) just to make sure I don't throw any out. Same with the Brown Flake. I probably sound like Gollum in my office prepping my smoke...my preciousssss.

In all the years I’ve bought various Esoterica blends I’ve never once paid more than retail. Much as I like some of these blends, none of them are worth hundreds of dollars to me.
What I did, and you can as well if you live in the US, is become a steady customer of a B&M that carries Esoterica blends, establish a good relationship, and they will hold something for you when there’s a drop.
That’s what I did over the last decade, and I have what I want for a tiny fraction of what they sell for on the aftermarket. Yes, it’s more difficult now, but not impossible by any means. It just requires patience.
While the online stores sell out in seconds, a lot of this stuff sits for days and sometimes weeks at B&Ms with little to no online presence.
Good hunting!

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I'm shocked that Sutliff hasn't made a match yet.

 

[futureman]

A blender who is a favorite of many here is working on a VaBur blend (among others). My hope is that his efforts will yield something that rivals many of these hard to acquire products (Germain, Esoterica, HU, etc.).

 

[kcghost]

There are lots of great tobaccos out there, give them a try. As for making a match blend, they've been trying for over 40 years to match Balkan Sobranie.

 

[AJL67]

I've smoked / tasted a lot of crazy cigars, vintage, rare, "only 3 left in the world" types over the years, I enjoy the experience and the company and leave it at that, at least Germain's is still available, it might be harder to find at times, but it's out there and affordable, so there is always a bright side.

 

[jdb67]

I've smoked / tasted a lot of crazy cigars, vintage, rare, "only 3 left in the world" types over the years, I enjoy the experience and the company and leave it at that, at least Germain's is still available, it might be harder to find at times, but it's out there and affordable, so there is always a bright side.

Well said. It brings a bit of joy (especially when shared with friends). In the grand scheme of things, overpaying for tobacco is not going to be a footnote in my epitaph. "He was a good man and lived a good life...but he spent too much money on fine tobacco!"

 

[anotherbob]

I have a policy against chasing unicorns. There are so many great blends out there. Try some more and you'll have a good chance of forgetting about the ones that are unobtainable. Or as someone once said "it's better to dance with a 6 then stare at a 10"

 

[mso489]

Members have sent me some wonderful blends like Brown Sugar Flake, GLP Barbary Coast, Esoterica Tilbury, Frog Morton Cellar, and others.

I've never had difficulty finding excellent blends that I enjoy at reasonable prices.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I think I've tasted all the Germain's blends. Stonehaven is the only one to me that is above average to me. Peacehaven is decent. Find a European friend to get the Germain's Dark Virginia Flake over in there. Not sure it is exactly 100% Stonehaven but it is very close.

 

[sardonicus87]

I have a policy against chasing unicorns. There are so many great blends out there. Try some more and you'll have a good chance of forgetting about the ones that are unobtainable. Or as someone once said "it's better to dance with a 6 then stare at a 10"

I've never had any and I'm not chasing either. 100% right there with you on that one.

For example, I'd love to try Penzance, but not at $10,000 for half a bowl (exaggerating obviously). It's mostly curiosity, because I love English blends but every time I see a review of any English/Balkan, always at least 1-5 people say "it's a more man's Penzance". So either a lot of people have poorly developed palates for English blends and can't differentiate them, or Penzance is the chicken of English blends since apparently everything tastes like it.

My big fear with unicorn blends is that they're hyped because they're hard to get and there's some psychology at play where people over-value something because they paid a bunch for it. Which isn't to say they aren't good, just maybe they're over-hyped. Good but not THAT good. Also, if it's SO great and hard to get, why would anyone be parting with any that they have instead of hoarding it?

 

[sardonicus87]

*"poor man's Penzance"

Caught that too late to edit it. Was also going to add, that might just be my way of justifying being frugal.

 

[fireground_piper]

I've never had any and I'm not chasing either. 100% right there with you on that one.

For example, I'd love to try Penzance, but not at $10,000 for half a bowl (exaggerating obviously). It's mostly curiosity, because I love English blends but every time I see a review of any English/Balkan, always at least 1-5 people say "it's a more man's Penzance". So either a lot of people have poorly developed palates for English blends and can't differentiate them, or Penzance is the chicken of English blends since apparently everything tastes like it.

My big fear with unicorn blends is that they're hyped because they're hard to get and there's some psychology at play where people over-value something because they paid a bunch for it. Which isn't to say they aren't good, just maybe they're over-hyped. Good but not THAT good. Also, if it's SO great and hard to get, why would anyone be parting with any that they have instead of hoarding it?

I will say that I don’t smoke english often, and didn’t care for Penzance (gave the bag away to someone who does like it), but it’s impossible to mistake it for anything else. It’s been a few years since Iv had it and I have no doubt I could identify it blind. It also will noticeably ghost your pipe differently.

 

[huntertrw]

I'm Losing my Mind​

 

[RookieGuy80]

I have a big fear of unicorn blends. I started smoking a pipe I guess only months after McClellans closed their doors. I saw the panic and sky high prices and noped myself right out of temptation. In my case, ignorance really is bliss and I'm happy to not know what I'm missing.

 

[sablebrush52]

I have a big fear of unicorn blends. I started smoking a pipe I guess only months after McClellans closed their doors. I saw the panic and sky high prices and noped myself right out of temptation. In my case, ignorance really is bliss and I'm happy to not know what I'm missing.

Smart move.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I guess my tastes are just geared towards tobacco flavors. I just never liked Stonehaven. But, a few others you mentioned are way better on my palate than those aromatic Esotericas.