Overrated

[perlasca]

Andy, I thought your post was great and it made me laugh. - Way to take lure of Penzance up a notch.

"If it isn't 20 yr old Penzance... then it ain't worth shyt." Or something to that effect.
Cally I remember the FVF rage. About five or six years ago, when I started the pipe FVF was big.

I bet there are a bunch of guys sitting on pounds of it right now.

 

[judcole]

Pipestud is right on the money.

Personally, I enjoy Penzance a lot. I started smoking it long before it became some sort of Holy Grail. I've still got a couple of tins down in my cellar, which I will certainly enjoy when I pop them - but I'm not going to rush around trying to get more - and certainly not going to pay outrageous prices. ::

 

[pappymac]

Overrated? Anything made by Budweiser, Coors or Miller.
Underrated? The enjoyment, relaxation and satisfaction of pipe smoking.

 

[shutterbugg]

I've smoked Penzance. Meh. Nothing special. Seems like a case of clever marketing, keep the supply limited to boost the demand and hence the price.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It takes a lot more than holding down supply to increase the price! It has to have cachet, whether created by clever marketing, shills, or good luck. It really helps when the product is very very good, and you get a combo of the other things going, too.

 

[7ach]

I do love the way it smells and the easy of breaking the flakes apart/preparing the tobacco. I just don't think it tastes all that great. But to each his own :puffpipe:

 

[perdurabo]

I've got some of that overrated stuff arriving in the mail today.

 

[deathmetal]

I think highly of Penzance, but above a certain level, all of the blends are quite good and it comes down to what you need. I need more nicotine and more atavistic savagery to a blend to match my feral personality.

 

[tarheel1]

Good everyone keep thinking it is overrated so I can have enough for myself.
"I've smoked Penzance. Meh. Nothing special. Seems like a case of clever marketing, keep the supply limited to boost the demand and hence the price."

That is so far from the truth its funny. Germaines is a very small company and make blends for a lot of brands. They have a certain quality standard they will not let drop and make at capacity within those standards. They don't care about the second market price and make the same amount now as they did 20 years ago when it was easy to get. It has been a favorite of mine since I started smoking English blends back in 2005 when I came to Texas.
The reason people think it is overrated is because they build up an expectation that can never be met because of the lack of supply. There is too much hype and it is killing the supply for those of us that love it. If people would just calm the he'll down and treat it like any other good tobacco instead of a magical unicorn, maybe the prices and supply would get better. Maybe the hoarding and scalping would quit. Its a sad day when people that don't even smoke it or some that don't even smoke at all buy up all the stock just to make a killing on the bay and other places. So in conclusion, please stop the insanity and unreachable expectations of a great blend, and let the people who love it get it.

 

[stickframer]

This, exactly:

The reason people think it is overrated is because they build up an expectation that can never be met because of the lack of supply.

I've never smoked Penzance, but I have some Margate. As an English blend, Margate is very good. But as an Esoterica blend, it is just ok. If that makes sense. It could never live up to the hype, so now I have this feeling that margate is lacking somewhere, when in the real world it's quite excellent. In spite of myself, I expect blends like these to do something that they can't, when at the end of the day, it's just tobacco.

 

[deathmetal]

There is too much hype

Yes. Including in the tobacco world

 

[andrew]

Hipster marketing nonsense 7ach. Beer is always better poured out, it creates a reaction that results in a nice head.

 

[deathmetal]

Hipster beer tends to be sugar-beer anyway. Go for something with full flavor!

 

[redpanda]

Since it is starting to look like I probably won't get to try Penzance in this lifetime, can anybody tell me how does it compare to,say,their Special Latakia Flake ??

 

[tarheel1]

Yep hipster bs. Always pour out a beer. The small opening on the can does not allow the aroma out enough while drinking. Can't get the propped flavor across.

 

[deathmetal]

The small opening on the can does not allow the aroma out enough while drinking.

Also, beer is generally best at 50 F or higher.

 

[tarheel1]

I find Penzance more lat forward and slf more Oriental forward.

 

[deathmetal]

Penzance would be great if you mixed in some chopped Black Irish X to de-civilize it...

 

[shanelktown]

It's all in the eye of the beholder..... Overrated hmmm maybe...maybe not. I guess it depends who you ask, the guy who is just dying to try the blend so they pay 65-80$ for a 2oz tin....or the guy it was gifted to.....maybe the guy who lucked into finding some at retail price... I think the real questions is, was it worth what you spent? Did you find enjoyment with that blend? Would you spend 65-80$ again? I mean a guy could pay that kinda money for a lap dance and if you don't manage to go in your pants it's a disappointment right? Or you just paid that kinda money for a God awful lap dance. At that point I'm sure a cheap hooker is affordable. So really it comes (no pun intended) down to what your expectations are. Will the blend nock your socks off or was it good but I won't pay more then retail for it...or man I'm so glad that the blend was gifted to me totally not worth the hype.

 

[cigrmaster]

Penzance is the greatest English blend in the history of mankind. All you

people who say it is overrated have your heads up your asses with your tongue out. If you cannot appreciate it's greatness, quit smoking your pipes and get the hell out of here.
By the way, I hate English blends.