Inform Me On Watch City Cigar, Ravenwood, And KBV.

[chilllucky]

Something tells me this is about to become a big differentiating point with blenders.
I really hope that the others are at least transparent about it.. Like if Boswell wants to keep Northwoods but their latakia source changed (random example) at least mention it in the description going forward, if not appending it... "Northwoods v2"

Without knowing exactly what level of detail of transparency you're asking for, I would point out that changing the components of and additions to blends to deal with the vagaries of a commodity crop and it's markets to get to a reasonably similar result year over year is the better part of the blender's art.

Introducing a blend that's 70% this and 30% that to great reviews doesn't mean much of the "this" available next year - tho of exactly the same grade - comes from a different region, or went through a drier summer, or has 1% less natural sugars in it, etc.

 

[Jacob74]

I really like WCC Old Black Magic, and its mildly "latified" cousin, Nor'Easter. I also very much enjoy the WCC blend Persian slipper, which is a great all day smoke. All of my orders with WCC have been accurate, prompt, and safely packaged. 5/5 stars, will order again.
I have no experience with the other tobacconists, but now they are on my radar, so maybe soon?

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I really like WCC Old Black Magic, and its mildly "latified" cousin, Nor'Easter. I also very much enjoy the WCC blend Persian slipper, which is a great all day smoke. All of my orders with WCC have been accurate, prompt, and safely packaged. 5/5 stars, will order again.
I have no experience with the other tobacconists, but now they are on my radar, so maybe soon?

Nor'easter is one that's on my radar now.

 

[NookersTheCat]

Without knowing exactly what level of detail of transparency you're asking for, I would point out that changing the components of and additions to blends to deal with the vagaries of a commodity crop and it's markets to get to a reasonably similar result year over year is the better part of the blender's art.

Introducing a blend that's 70% this and 30% that to great reviews doesn't mean much of the "this" available next year - tho of exactly the same grade - comes from a different region, or went through a drier summer, or has 1% less natural sugars in it, etc.

Fair enough, agreed. I guess (as subjective as it may be) it would have to be at the point when the leaf supply changes characteristic so much that the blender is no longer able to maintain that previous flavor/balance anymore, in their eyes...

 

[NookersTheCat]

after getting burned by Pipes & Cigars one too many times

I guess I actually have to post this.. if not for honor's sake then just because it shocked me so much lol

After almost 5 years, contacting customer service half a dozen times and threatening a BBB inquiry, I finally got paid back for the Nording pipe I returned
Now I wonder how many decades it'll take to be recompensated for the smashed jars in my final Hearth&Home order... 🫠

 

[SpuddsBuckley]

I guess I actually have to post this.. if not for honor's sake then just because it shocked me so much lol

After almost 5 years, contacting customer service half a dozen times and threatening a BBB inquiry, I finally got paid back for the Nording pipe I returned
Now I wonder how many decades it'll take to be recompensated for the smashed jars in my final Hearth&Home order... 🫠
View attachment 383255

They really know how to keep a customer happy, huh?

 

[chilllucky]

Fair enough, agreed. I guess (as subjective as it may be) it would have to be at the point when the leaf supply changes characteristic so much that the blender is no longer able to maintain that previous flavor/balance anymore, in their eyes...

I agree in principle. It would have been more responsible to make a different color of three nuns with dark fired and taken the original off market until they could source more perique, but I can also see the marketing case for why they didn't.

 

[sablebrush52]

Something tells me this is about to become a big differentiating point with blenders.
I really hope that the others are at least transparent about it.. Like if Boswell wants to keep Northwoods but their latakia source changed (random example) at least mention it in the description going forward, if not appending it... "Northwoods v2"

It's been an accelerating issue for the past 6 to 7 years. Another example would be the substitution of dark fired for Perique in HU Director's Cut. Hans spoke with K&K (now just K) about the issue and they took out the dark fired but only left about 50% of the Perique. Anything to save a few cents per tin. Makhuwa was another casualty. The 2019 edition didn't resemble the 2016 edition at all.

The Virginia base used for Esoterica took a dump around 2020. My last purchase of Dunbar, in 2020, was disgusting. Escudo is unrecognizable. The tins of Doblone d'Oro bear little resemblance to the original, which was a Va/Per Three Nuns clone. The current iteration was just a pleasant lump with no complexity at all.

Except for buying some Sutliff blending tobaccos and some Wilke blends to try out. I stopped buying years ago when I realized that the quality was diving. I figured I have more than enough to smoke, so why buy more.

 

[NookersTheCat]

It's been an accelerating issue for the past 6 to 7 years. Another example would be the substitution of dark fired for Perique in HU Director's Cut. Hans spoke with K&K (now just K) about the issue and they took out the dark fired but only left about 50% of the Perique. Anything to save a few cents per tin. Makhuwa was another casualty. The 2019 edition didn't resemble the 2016 edition at all.

The Virginia base used for Esoterica took a dump around 2020. My last purchase of Dunbar, in 2020, was disgusting. Escudo is unrecognizable. The tins of Doblone d'Oro bear little resemblance to the original, which was a Va/Per Three Nuns clone. The current iteration was just a pleasant lump with no complexity at all.

Except for buying some Sutliff blending tobaccos and some Wilke blends to try out. I stopped buying years ago when I realized that the quality was diving. I figured I have more than enough to smoke, so why buy more.

Yeah that's probably about where I am now after this last splurge.. I'm not a super frequent smoker either though I'm sure that will change with more age... (also why I wanted to really put some nicer aging tobaccos away now while still "young")

While I think there will always be something to find here and there, I feel like for the foreseeable future it will just be a successive series of small losses. With successive generations of smokers finding and hoarding what left exists as their own "best blends" (based upon a mix of actual leaf quality vs perceived desirability) until the marketplace (and regulations) stagnates to the point that enough people get fed up and push it into a new renaissance... whether that takes 10 years or 100 who knows.

It's all natural cycles and everything comes full circle eventually ofc but it just sucks to be the one who's stuck in the 'coming of age during the great depression' phase lol, and I feel empathy for the people who got into it even later than me... because I also got in later than many others myself. I have about a dozen tins of McClelland in my cellar so I'm basically somewhere in the middle between "Never tasted it" and "Selling 1/5th my cellar will fund my retirement home"

 

[sablebrush52]

With successive generations of smokers finding and hoarding what left exists as their own "best blends" (based upon a mix of actual leaf quality vs perceived desirability)

That's a very good point, and one that I've made in the past. We all imprint on the things that we first experience. My "Escudo doesn't taste like Escudo" is because of what I imprinted on. To a newer smoker, today's version IS Escudo. People find enjoyment in what's available to them.

 

[tracerbullet]

I have been happy with Watch City

 

[Hpgg71]

I’ve enjoyed all the Watch City blends I’ve tried. My favorite burley Watch City Slices is unfortunately discontinued, but American Cut Plug is really good too. I’ll also agree Nor’easter is a winner for a smooth English blend.

 

[RL Bucktails]

Nor'easter is one that's on my radar now.

It is very good.

 

[badbriar]

Ravenwood offerings look to be interesting, but they are quite spotty in their supplies. Often, when I go to their site and look to buy, they are sold out of most of their bends. I gave up trying to chase them down.

 

[sunnysmokes]

I've read that WCC'S Ahab's Comfort is supposed to be a close comparison to Penzance; don't know if it's true since I'll never try Penzance, but want to give it a shot nonetheless. Also interesting in giving their other blends a try - seems like Nor'easter is the next most popular that's readily available

 

[Peterson314]

Watch City is legit. I have a jar of None of Your Business that I'm thinking of offloading. It's well-made, but the fruit topping is not my thing. Glass Slipper and Rougaroux have me excited to check out more of the catalog.

I've got a stash of KBV to try. I've only popped Noble Aztec so far, and it's good for what it is--I don't often smoke flavored anything, but vanilla is an occasional exception. I have to dry it to a crisp to get the vanilla flavor concentrated and sharp. Once there, it's worth the price of admission.

 

[ofafeather]

I've read that WCC'S Ahab's Comfort is supposed to be a close comparison to Penzance; don't know if it's true since I'll never try Penzance, but want to give it a shot nonetheless. Also interesting in giving their other blends a try - seems like Nor'easter is the next most popular that's readily available

Both Ahab’s Comfort and Nor’easter are going away because they were produced by Sutliff. Really great stuff though and they still have stock. Ernie Q is coming up with new blends as we speak and I don’t doubt they will be home runs.

 

[sunnysmokes]

Both Ahab’s Comfort and Nor’easter are going away because they were produced by Sutliff. Really great stuff though and they still have stock. Ernie Q is coming up with new blends as we speak and I don’t doubt they will be home runs.

Yea I found the post that said all the cakes and flakes are going the way of the dodo. It seems like a lot of them have an "original" and a "sister" blend (what reminds me of the also now extinct plum pudding lineup). It would be easy to say just buy all the cakes and flakes since they'll be gone, but I was thinking of picking up Ahab, Churchwarden (what I gather as the original of Nor'Eastern) & Old Dominion (another original). I believe the other ones are aros which I'm not into (but I'm not super well versed in WCC's lineup)

 

[driftedshank1]

There are a few boutique blenders around. I like some of the WCC offerings but I'm most familiar with KBV.
I enjoy their aromatic blends when I need to satisfy a sweet tooth. My KBV favorites are in the English/Balkan style.
These range from lighter to deep, rich heavy blends. They are very well done.

 

[SpuddsBuckley]

Yea I found the post that said all the cakes and flakes are going the way of the dodo. It seems like a lot of them have an "original" and a "sister" blend (what reminds me of the also now extinct plum pudding lineup). It would be easy to say just buy all the cakes and flakes since they'll be gone, but I was thinking of picking up Ahab, Churchwarden (what I gather as the original of Nor'Eastern) & Old Dominion (another original). I believe the other ones are aros which I'm not into (but I'm not super well versed in WCC's lineup)

Hold up, did you just say Seattle Pipe Club is killing Plum Pudding??