McClelland 40th In Stock At Smokingpipes

[cosmicfolklore]

Take this into consideration. Red Virginia is not like tomatoes or lima beans. You don't just plant it, pick it and it's ready to use. All Virginias come from a variety known as Bright Leaf. These require flue curring, which has tons of variables, and then fermenting the leaf, which increases the variables of flavors exponentially. Take into account that there are many different ways to approach any of the curing and fermenting, and you'll understand that Red Virginias can be of many, many, many different flavor profiles. Each depending on soil and environmental conditions, as well as how it was processed, so each farm could invariably come up with a different tasting Red.
The idea that Reds aren't out there is just based on total ignorance. The cigarette industry would screech to a halt if there were no reds.
So, for crying out loud, they said that they could not find one that fit what they needed for 5100.

 

[gkr1]

I watched the video and I am not really better informed about what he goes through to source his leaf. How could we from a 30 second clip? I don't know exactly what we are supposed to get an idea about from this video. Mike does not talk about GLP, he does not talk about retiring, he does not suggest that he wants to sell his business, and he does not mention 5100.
I don't know if GLP procures his own tobacco, but I do believe him when he says that there are good Red Virginias still out there. He also states that the sky is not falling. I would rather believe him than the doom and gloomers posting in this thread.

Mikes clip goes through how he tests the batch or perhaps its is in the other video on youtube. Regardless, he said, 97% of the tobacco he tries he will not use. If you can not make conclusions out of that comment than I am sorry!
This thread was not about him selling business or retiring not sure why you keep bring that up! you are starting more rumors by bringing it up! If it was mentioned else where or on this thread it was not by me!
Yes there will always be good Red Virginia but how much of it and at what cost. It really does not matter to me because I'm set for life with my current cellar.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Smokingpipes.com is down to 62 tins of 40th Anniversary at 12:08 PM on 1/29

 

[elvergun]

If you have not been paying attention, the rest of us have been cellaring deeply. If you have not, then I'm sorry. But, this has been the writing on the wall for longer than I have been here. If you chose not to believe it, then all I can say is, "sucks for you."

I have been stocking up. I don't, however, believe that things will ever get that bad in the US (not with all the lobbying that goes on here). I have a friend who cellared enough tobacco to last him for the rest of his life (he started buying for fear of the tobacco regulations)...and he still bought more McClelland because of...err...recent events. Heck, we were supposed to be in the middle of the apocalypse now, yet here we are, business (kinda sorta) as usual.
I've got enough tobacco to last me a long, long time. I plan on buying more, but not out of fear. If things do get really bad really soon then I will smoke what I've got left...and when I run out of tobacco I will just quit smoking pipes. I think I can find another hobby if I try hard enough.

 

[elvergun]

It seems that 4noggins now also has stock.

 

[sablebrush52]

Perhaps...but even GLP had to post that the sky is not falling. This thread is evidence that there are at least some doom and gloomers out there.
Or perhaps this thread is evidence that there are a few of us that just can't see the writing on the wall...and that the apocalypse is indeed heading our way. :lol:

There are doom and gloomers!!?? Film at 11!!
There are always doom and gloomers. Go to an Easter egg hunt and there will be some sullen moppet slumped against a bush, declaiming about the futility of finding one.
The "Tobaccopalypse" is news? To whom? Even if I weren't reasonably well cellared it wouldn't mean that much to me. Who the hell needs over 6000 blends? We had maybe a couple of hundred when I started smoking a pipe. Didn't feel deprived. And if it all went away, it's been a very pleasurable ride. I can always find something else to which I can get addicted.
To all you conspiracy theorists out there, I'll tell you what. I'll admit that I've been lying to you all this time.
I know that McClelland is going to go tits up and I know the exact second that it will be announced. Mike McNeil has already been called and risen in a golden pillar of glowing fire accompanied by angelic exultant hallelujahs. His temporary stand-in is a life sized card board cut-out which works especially well for youtube videos and pipe shows.
Soon McClelland will all be gone.
You're totally correct.
You were right all along.
It's a massive conspiracy.
So now you can put on your purple shoes and purple cape, drink the glowing kool-aid, and return to the Mother Ship.
Please?

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Change in tobacco availability has been a constant since I took up the pipe circa 1980. Within a year or two of that date, I went to an Indiana Briar Friars gathering, and a lasting impression from that show was how avidly many of the old timers were seeking older tins of blends that could be dated to before "they" ruined them.
I do think the disappearance of small, family owned companies makes a discrnible difference, but I can and do also happily smoke pipe tobacco made by the majors.
But there has been one constant - price increases.

 

[pipestud]

As I gaze into my own crystal ball, here is what I see for at least the next 50 years: pipe smokers are going to continue to be able to enjoy their hobby. There may be a few more restrictions on where we can “legally” smoke and the cost of pipe tobacco is going to continue to rise, but generally speaking, we are all going to be okay. And while this may sound a little self serving since I run a website that sells collectible pipe tobacco tins, it really is probably wise to stash away some of your favorites because they may not be available on down the road. But, I am holding to my theory that at least for the next 50 years, we’ll be okay. And at the end of 50 years, if it turns out that I was wrong, well, you can’t tell me “I told you so,” because at my age, unless a miracle anti-aging drug comes along before then, I’ll be dead!
Pipestud

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Chewing tobacco came under FDA and federal scrutiny before pipes and cigars. The first thing to go after all of the other stuff went into affect was no mail or web orders, no transactions across state lines, etc...

I can't help but feel this tinge of excitement with every order I make, like "I cannot believe they still allow us to buy online."

But, it's coming. I can hear the steps coming down the hall. Gather ye rosebuds...

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I mentioned previously as did Cosmic; the pending FDA regulations are coming and we will lose some tobacco blends from that. The Government will no doubt regulate online tobacco sales to some extent making it more difficult to acquire tobacco and/or cost the consumer more money due to taxes. Taxes in general will go up on tobacco. Prices in general will go up on tobacco, and more B&M shops will close up. Tobacco will never be cheaper and more accessible than it is right now. What does that mean... buy now. If there are favorite blends of yours in jeopardy of going away (for whatever reason) then buy some now.
Now as far as the Red Virginia issue is concerned; Mike McNeil has his standards and other blenders, be it Russ Ouelette, GL Pease, Cornell & Diehl, MacBaren etc., they all have their own set of standards too. Though the Red Virginia might not meet McClelland standards it doesn't mean it won't meet another blenders standards, so it's hard to say what will happen from here with the current crops of Red Virginia and the various blends from different manufacturers that use Red Virginia's. Though only a handful of blends from McClelland have been affected; that doesn't mean that McClelland tobacco's will go away, and multiple blends will be retired like 5100 Red Cake.
It doesn't mean McClelland won't go away either. For all we know Mike McNeil may be frustrated with the current tobacco farmers, is not pleased with the crops being presented and their cost, is not happy about the future of the industry and the pending FDA regulations, and is ready to take a well deserved break after 40 years and retire comfortably. The Red Virginia issue is just that, a current issue, that may or may not be resolved. Is it frustrating enough for Mike McNeil to call it quits after 40 successful years... it's hard to say unless you're Mike McNeil. If it is then he had a good run with a very successful business.
What does all this rambling mean... buy now! If you have a favorite blend and you're concerned it will disappear for whatever reason then buy some now. If you have no concerns then by all means sit back and watch what happens, but if you're wrong you won't have any of your favorite blends to buy as they'll be gone.

 

[cigrmaster]

I have it on good authority that McClelland is selling their business to Gregory Pease. Where did I get this info you ask????, I made it up of course. However if McClelland does decide to sell, I think someone like Pease or maybe Smokingpipes, or maybe PC will buy them out. The name is just too good to let die, someone will pay for it and you heard it hear first. Yep I am a seer of the future.
Now about all of you who told me back in 2012 that I was being paranoid about the tobacco apocalypse, I was right and you were wrong. Prices have gone up, blends have been discontinued, a couple of states will not allow you to buy tobacco on line, the FDA is going after the pipe tobacco industry, McClelland 5100 is toast, yeah I was being paranoid. I cellared hard and deep and I am damn glad I did. 2 of my favorite blends were discontinued and I have plenty because of my paranoia. The apocalypse is here and you had better stock up while you can. I can see the feds stopping all online tobacco sales one day.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

And, on that day when we can no longer buy online... everyone who complained that their local B&M was too expensive... (whiny little biatches) and you let them close those doors, all I can say is "you should have listened." How about going out and buying something nice at your local B&M?

 

[prairiedruid]

I can't help but feel this tinge of excitement with every order I make, like "I cannot believe they still allow us to buy online."

But, it's coming. I can hear the steps coming down the hall. Gather ye rosebuds...

More truth to this than you know, current Supreme Court schedule has a case about collecting tax on internet purchases!

 

[cigrmaster]

cos, would you go to your local b/m if the price of a tin of Samuel Gawith Best Brown flake was 22.95, and you could buy it online for 9 bucks and change? I know you wouldn't. It is not my local b/m's fault he has to charge that much. It is the state of Florida with their 85% wholesale tax on pipe tobacco. I would buy cigars from my local b/m cuase there is ZERO tax on cigars in Florida. The cigar lobby is so much stronger than the pipe tobacco lobby.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yes, I do buy 6-10 tins a month from The Briary every month, as well as buying bulk purchases online. All of my daily rotation is from The Briary, and my bulk is to age.

But, my words were specifically dirrected to the guys who post often about how they hate their B&Ms for gouging them, not guys who just buy without bitching.

 

[sablebrush52]

These are all good points, ones that I have also posted repeatedly. When I first came to this forum almost 4 years ago, people were advising us to cellar because: a. the sooner you set aside tobacco for aging, the sooner you will have aged tobacco to smoke, b. prices will only go up, c. there will be some sort of clamp down, d. blends will go away, or change in a way that you might not like. To that I added that some day Internet sales could be banned.
Like others here, I've always supported my local B&M. But since the change in ownership of that B&M they've largely stopped carrying pipe tobaccos, so now I support a remote B&M where I can get the blends I'm looking for and where they will sell me unobtainium because I also buy tins that aren't in short supply. I don't cherry pick. They'll tell other folks they don't have something and then sell it to me. I don't bitch about prices. B&M's have higher operating costs and have to pay their local states' excise taxes, etc. They're not gouging (well, not the ones that I've dealt with), we're spoiled.
Regarding state user taxes on Internet sales, I've always expected it to be an inevitability. So, I've always declared and paid tax on my Internet purchases. If states are guaranteed the right to collect user taxes and the right to demand them retroactively, it's not going to affect me as I've been paying all along. It may even be that the ability to collect taxes may keep the ban on Internet sales from happening if states have a financial incentive to support Internet sales.
Nobody likes to give up an unearned advantage but them's the breaks.

 

[unkleyoda]

I wish I had a local B&M that wasn't a vape/RYO/pot pipe store with a few bulk aros.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

My local B&M is mostly a cigar shop, but they do have some bulk pipe tobacco's. If I stop in I always buy a cigar or two, and/or a couple ounces of bulk tobacco. The closest pipe shop from me is out of the way, so I don't make it that way to often. If I do I always buy at least one tin of tobacco. I try to support the B&M shops when I can, but living in WA state and having to pay through the roof on tobacco makes it very difficult.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Now - 6:47 pm on 1/29 - out of stock at Smoking Pipes.com. 4noggins, CupoJoes, P&C and Mars are also out of stock.

 

[jzbdano]

Same here as Metalheady, nothing around here to support. From what I've noticed the B&Ms are quite different here out west with the stiff taxes we face. They lost most of their business to online sales which has forced many out of business and caused others to reduce inventory and trim expenses to stay afloat. Maybe I'll start a B&M with my cellar when internet sales of pipe baccy cease.
Now back on topic, McClelland 40th is out of stock at SP