Ken Byron Ventures’ Post About Loss Of Sutliff

[Mike N]

I got this from KBV’s website. I saw on Pater Piper’s YouTube channel that KBV apparently has a more recent post (unless I misunderstood Pater Piper) about the demise of many of his blends due to Sutliff’s closing, but couldn’t find it. Perhaps it is on Instagram or an email to customers which I did not receive.

From KBV:

“If it’s true…​

/ News / By Master Chief
Stuff N’ Things on STG/Sutliff
News to me!

Well, I’ll try to explain this as well I can. Sutliff was the happy “common carrier” for pipe tobacco manufacture in America. Sutliff had a hand in everything. Sutliff was a backbone of many brick and mortars and that spine is being ripped out painfully. If true, this is economically damaging to the brick and mortar network that Sutliff had cultivated as it’s business model. Merry Christmas?
Without Sutliff, the hobby no longer can fill a catalog and will be relegated to an even smaller niche. Kill the competition, wound the hobby, collect the ghost of profits?
The only person in the business that I’ve seen show consistent acumen while trying to preserve tradition is Sykes Wilford. If you are going to see the hobby kept alive in America it will be due to Sykes.
Many of us independent retailers honestly don’t see much future in the hobby. Everyone loves to hate on the FDA, but the true tobacco-apocalypse turned out to be a rush acquisition due to multi-generational talent deterioration.
If its true… I did this for the fun of it and I feel blessed that I can shut the doors at any time. I’ll probably always keep a stack of my favorite stickers to flip through. After the new year, I’ll try to figure out how many months left of the keystone blends we have left. I’m going to try to see how much Burley Morning Pipe stuff I can get before they shut the doors and make it as long as I can, just because I can.
-Ken”

 

[Auxsender]

Shit. This explains his current lack of inventory. I guess I better get more.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

It’s on page two in the news section of his website. And it’s a lot of blends.

The Sutliff Thing – KBV

kbven.com

 

[Chasing Embers]

With as much noise that's been going on about Sutliff's buyout since Summer it's surprising how many folks are just finding this out.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

With as much noise that's been going on about Sutliff's buyout since Summer it's surprising how many folks are just finding this out.

That’s why I’ve been quietly buying extra stock in my favorites. I lucked out with KBV as Acadian Flek is my favorite and is not on the list.

 

[Chasing Embers]

That’s why I’ve been quietly buying extra stock in my favorites. I lucked out with KBV as Acadian Flek is my favorite and is not on the list.

I always keep my favorite blends under the radar. Many readers of these forums aren't even members.

 

[AroEnglish]

Papa Sykes will take care of us

 

[fireground_piper]

Many of us independent retailers honestly don’t see much future in the hobby. Everyone loves to

Loser attitudes.

 

[WVOldFart]

I don't worry about things that I can't control. Learn to cope and figure out how to make things work for you.

 

[telescopes]

I never worry about sharing my favorite blends. I make them all myself, LOL.

 

[PipeIT]

I miss Anne Cap…

 

[FurCoat]

Very sad.

 

[Auxsender]

Loser attitudes.

Realists.

 

[Zamora]

I've never had any KBV and never had any particular desire to but it really sucks seeing him close up shop, he seems very passionate about this and I know his customers love his stuff. I'm glad it's just a hobby for him and he can call it quits without losing his livelihood, so many others won't be so lucky.

With as much noise that's been going on about Sutliff's buyout since Summer it's surprising how many folks are just finding this out.

Yeah so many people are only finding out now that shit's hitting the fan. I think the fact MacBaren kept Sutliff operating (and Altadis sold them it instead of closing it when they lost interest) gave some people a false sense of security, but many others had no idea how much Sutliff did or just didn't hear about the buyout.

 

[boston]

I got this from KBV’s website. I saw on Pater Piper’s YouTube channel that KBV apparently has a more recent post (unless I misunderstood Pater Piper) about the demise of many of his blends due to Sutliff’s closing, but couldn’t find it. Perhaps it is on Instagram or an email to customers which I did not receive.

From KBV:

“If it’s true…​

/ News / By Master Chief
Stuff N’ Things on STG/Sutliff
News to me!

Well, I’ll try to explain this as well I can. Sutliff was the happy “common carrier” for pipe tobacco manufacture in America. Sutliff had a hand in everything. Sutliff was a backbone of many brick and mortars and that spine is being ripped out painfully. If true, this is economically damaging to the brick and mortar network that Sutliff had cultivated as it’s business model. Merry Christmas?
Without Sutliff, the hobby no longer can fill a catalog and will be relegated to an even smaller niche. Kill the competition, wound the hobby, collect the ghost of profits?
The only person in the business that I’ve seen show consistent acumen while trying to preserve tradition is Sykes Wilford. If you are going to see the hobby kept alive in America it will be due to Sykes.
Many of us independent retailers honestly don’t see much future in the hobby. Everyone loves to hate on the FDA, but the true tobacco-apocalypse turned out to be a rush acquisition due to multi-generational talent deterioration.
If its true… I did this for the fun of it and I feel blessed that I can shut the doors at any time. I’ll probably always keep a stack of my favorite stickers to flip through. After the new year, I’ll try to figure out how many months left of the keystone blends we have left. I’m going to try to see how much Burley Morning Pipe stuff I can get before they shut the doors and make it as long as I can, just because I can.
-Ken”

Agree on Sykes and his talented crew. Jeremy etc. Dunno the foreign mkt producers well enuf to comment on that but I was impressed by Sykes years ago and trust he wants to leave his mark. Betcha he finally finds a way to buy McClelland recipes. Not in a bad way but if anyone can do it... he's a contender.

 

[Zamora]

Agree on Sykes and his talented crew. Jeremy etc. Dunno the foreign mkt producers well enuf to comment on that but I was impressed by Sykes years ago and trust he wants to leave his mark. Betcha he finally finds a way to buy McClelland recipes. Not in a bad way but if anyone can do it... he's a contender.

They might sell the recipes if retirement isn't as comfy as they hope it to be, I hope that won't be the case but I don't see them selling any other way

 

[sablebrush52]

Agree on Sykes and his talented crew. Jeremy etc. Dunno the foreign mkt producers well enuf to comment on that but I was impressed by Sykes years ago and trust he wants to leave his mark. Betcha he finally finds a way to buy McClelland recipes. Not in a bad way but if anyone can do it... he's a contender.

For a whole bunch of reasons, that's never going to happen.

But let's assume, for a moment, that the McNeils did decided to sell their "recipes". Exactly what would the buyer get? They would get a schematic.

What would they not get? Mike McNeil's instinct for picking what tobaccos he wanted to use, the ins and outs of his processing methods, which adjusted depending on the leaf he was using for a run. All those instinctual calls on when to change temperature and/or pressure, and for how long etc, etc.

As a Director of Photography once said to me as he was about to stick me with an unusable shot, "If it was simple, they would have called your brother."

Basically the "recipes" are useless in and of themselves. They didn't want what they did changed, probably for the worse. Why can't people respect their decision.

As for that DP? He didn't get away with it. He was up on a scaffold to take that unusable shot and I cut away the ladder, stranding him. I told him that I'd return it when the lighting conditions changed to make the shot usable. The film's producer was laughing her ass off.

 

[Mike N]

The “team page” on the Sykes Wilford link provided in the KBV post above is worth a look. Laudisi has established quite a staff, which explains its success.

SmokingPipes’ YouTube segment on identifying the “mystery pipe blend” hosted by Shane Ireland, with Andrew Wilkie, Truett Smith, Stephen Mawby and Alan Britt is something I always look forward to watching. They always start by identifying the “tasting pipe” each is using. Check it out.

 

[Zamora]

For a whole bunch of reasons, that's never going to happen.

But let's assume, for a moment, that the McNeils did decided to sell their "recipes". Exactly what would the buyer get? They would get a schematic.

What would they not get? Mike McNeil's instinct for picking what tobaccos he wanted to use, the ins and outs of his processing methods, which adjusted depending on the leaf he was using for a run. All those instinctual calls on when to change temperature and/or pressure, and for how long etc, etc.

As a Director of Photography once said to me as he was about to stick me with an unusable shot, "If it was simple, they would have called your brother."

Basically the "recipes" are useless in and of themselves. They didn't want what they did changed, probably for the worse. Why can't people respect their decision.

As for that DP? He didn't get away with it. He was up on a scaffold to take that unusable shot and I cut away the ladder, stranding him. I told him that I'd return it when the lighting conditions changed to make the shot usable. The film's producer was laughing her ass off.

Exactly, if they did sell the recipes there would be tons of people complaining "Frog Morton was ruined when [insert new owner] took over". That's been commonly said with everything from the likes of SWR on up

 

[fireground_piper]

Realists.

Losers give up just because somethings changes. The real blenders will find a way to continue doing what they do and not rely on Sutliff tobaccos.