Kopp to Handle "Worldwide Distribution" of HU Tobaccos

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sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,051
46,366
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
@sablebrush52 I thought it was a temporary issue with the blends. Were they repaired?

I haven’t had the original but the new versions seek quite good. Of course I can’t compare them to the old.
They sorta adjusted Directors Cut at the time, my last batch of Makhuwa was disgusting, but that was several years ago, so it’s possible that it’s been improved, but as I no longer buy tobacco I can’t say for sure.
Makhuwa used to taste like a rich chocolate milkshake. My last batch had little chocolate and was sour tasting. If it’s back to chocolate, it’s been fixed and if not, it’s not Makhuwa.
Also, substitutions in the base blend for 5th Anniversary and Edward G gave these an “off” dissonant flavor.
New blends would use what’s now available.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
1,888
17,358
France
The Makhauwa I have is really chocolate...The Ed G is really nice. Like a brighter Marlin flake. The 5th...I cant say. Its a little odd. Its not bad but Is not really my wheelhouse. Flanagan I didnt care for but I think Im not a heavy oriental lover. Maybe they went through a period where they either cheated or were not watching quality close enough.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,051
46,366
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
The Makhauwa I have is really chocolate...The Ed G is really nice. Like a brighter Marlin flake. The 5th...I cant say. Its a little odd. Its not bad but Is not really my wheelhouse. Flanagan I didnt care for but I think Im not a heavy oriental lover. Maybe they went through a period where they either cheated or were not watching quality close enough.
They cheated. They didn't want to spend the extra 5¢ per tin for actual Perique and they subbed cheap crappy DFK for it. When they dropped the DFK, after the substitution was found out, they didn't return the percentage of Perique to the former amount.
I'm happy to hear that Makhuwa has been restored. That was my favorite of the earlier HU blends, back when you needed to order them directly from HU.
 

vosBghos

Lifer
May 7, 2022
1,584
3,462
Idaho
I have a few tins of DC unopened and have already sung the praises of Soraya, hope that one does not change.
Spoke with CS at smoking pipes wondering if they would be the US distributer they said they hadn't heard anything that's the real question where will we get this stuff?
 
May 8, 2017
1,629
1,740
Sugar Grove, IL, USA
Title edited for capitalization——please see Rule nine for titles.

From Kopp Pipes Instagram account: "The deal is closed! We welcome Hans Wiedemann on board. KOPP Tobaccos will take care for the worldwide distribution of HU Tobacco..."

I would assume this means that HU will eventually become available in markets like the USA and UK where Kopp already has distribution agreements. I suppose we'll see shortly.

Also, whether MSRP is one that will still be undercut by Estervals tax-free pricing also remains to be seen. Lots of Kopp-distro tobaccos are available at around a half to a third the price via Estervals.

View attachment 264516
WOW!! That’s great news. I'm particularly happy that it's K&K, which already appears to make some of HU's blends and makes excellent tobacco, in general.

I have heard through a very short grapevine that Hans had considered getting out of the business unless he could find the right partner, so this is truly great news.
 
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bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
6,365
58,530
41
Louisville
You pipesters in the US are in for a treat! Im just finishing up some Makhuwa and its awesome. I sprnkled in a touch of lat for a different layer but its great as is. Mak with a cup of coffee....thats a serious smoke. I just keep smoking and thinking, "Damn this is good".
Just got some more Soraya delivered, which may be my number one "Oriental" blend at the moment.

Nebari is another I just got and tried - very good. It has a light touch of cocoa powder on top of the Virginia/burley/oriental blend. When sipped I get mostly very floral orientals. When pulled harder it's more cocoa/burley.
Hans is a maniac.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
1,888
17,358
France
@bluegrassbrian Estervals doesnt have Soraya. Thus far Im not a big oriental fan. The most recent try was Flanagan flake. It tasted ok but just not enough body to it for me at this juncture.

I just put in an order to stock a few and to try INdaba and Nashville Country.

BTW...I grew up on a farm outside of Henderson KY....Im kind of a log way from there now.
 
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bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
6,365
58,530
41
Louisville
@bluegrassbrian Estervals doesnt have Soraya. Thus far Im not a big oriental fan. The most recent try was Flanagan flake. It tasted ok but just not enough body to it for me at this juncture.

I just put in an order to stock a few and to try INdaba and Nashville Country.

BTW...I grew up on a farm outside of Henderson KY....Im kind of a log way from there now.
Soraya is still in stock as of this moment..

For a minute I thought perhaps I ordered the last they had for now.
For those who love the buttery, pungent, incense type flavors - Soraya gets my highest recommendation.

Is your family from KY originally or were you born there by chance?
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
1,888
17,358
France
Oh well...maybe next order.

Yes my family was from KY. I left for college when I was 18. That was about it. Then I lived many places before being in semi retirement here.
 
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vosBghos

Lifer
May 7, 2022
1,584
3,462
Idaho
Oh well...maybe next order.

Yes my family was from KY. I left for college when I was 18. That was about it. Then I lived many places before being in semi retirement here.
yeah if you are looking to try an Oriental that is full-bodied this is definitely it , a whole nother animal , it's not often that you run into a truly distinct blend after trying this I think HU like Gawith might just be doing entirely their own thing.

 

kwg116

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 21, 2017
279
1,754
I just saw this on FB. From following Hans I have learned that the translations don’t make sense. But is he saying these blends are going to be discontinued? 9A550F58-6101-4DE6-9C05-800C96D57A9F.jpeg
 
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Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
1,888
17,358
France
My guess is those are not going to be part of the worldwide distribution. I am just guessing as those are also the ones made in 50 gram tins vs the more popular in 100 gram. I hope they are not completely shut down as I like a few of them.
 
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bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
6,365
58,530
41
Louisville
My guess is those are not going to be part of the worldwide distribution. I am just guessing as those are also the ones made in 50 gram tins vs the more popular in 100 gram. I hope they are not completely shut down as I like a few of them.
Hopefully that's the case.
Hard to imagine such cornerstone blends as Haymaker, Sunset, and Dockworker being discontinued.
 

TheWhale13

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 12, 2021
803
3,422
Sweden
My german ist quite schlecht, but it seems like those are "falling off the program", which I interpret as discontinued. Some of those like haymaker are made by Dan tobacco right? So if it is blends made by them being removed, one could understand why. Sad to see it happening.