Pipe Tobacco’s Future

[Jeebs1]

I’ve been smoking a pipe for 40 years and have never seen good pipe tobacco prices and availability to be in such bad shape, I think it will continue to get worse but hope that I am wrong , any idea what STG will be doing with the Sutliff tobacco’s ? Particularly the Virginia slices, made in Denmark , I started buying it when it was a Lane product for $110 per 5lbs then Atlas for $135 per 5lbs, then tobacco pipes for $165 per 5lbs and the past year from SP’s for $235 and the last 5lbs I purchased was $252 from SP’s. I don’t smoke a lot of different tobacco other than SG Virginia’s , so with the good pipe tobacco futures seeming to only get worse, I am considering… just giving up …
What are your thoughts on pipe tobacco futures, am I wrong ?

 

[fireground_piper]

Eh, I find it generally fine.

If you liked Virginia Slices, you'll be happy to hear that was a re-branded STG product so it shouldn't really impact you.

 

[Jeebs1]

Eh, I find it generally fine.

If you liked Virginia Slices, you'll be happy to hear that was a re-branded STG product so it shouldn't really impact you.

Sounds good , how do I find it , what do I look for ? Thanks

 

[fireground_piper]

Sounds good , how do I find it , what do I look for ? Thanks

It came out during the closure that Sutliff 507c Virginia Slices = PS Luxury Navy Flake re-branded.

 

[Sobrbiker]

It came out during the closure that Sutliff 507c Virginia Slices = PS Luxury Navy Flake re-branded.

Still waiting for someone to show up saying that when they bought 5lbs of PS LNF it came with any packaging indication that confirms this.
And yes, I know that STG says it’s so but since when do I trust them?

 

[Waning Embers]

And yes, I know that STG says it’s so but since when do I trust them?

I would, they've made Stokkebye for years. Many brands have several blends that have multiple names even GH reduced their portfolio to eliminate redundancy.

 

[Servant King]

I am considering… just giving up …

I suppose that's an option, but a better one would be to pick some favorites and cellar aggressively. Hedges both availability and price concerns in one fell swoop. That's what I did for the past five years or so, most intensely between '22 and '24, and I've never been happier that I did. I've got a lifetime cellar now because of it. Of course, I smoke anywhere from zero to five bowls per week, but even if I tripled my consumption, I'd still be set. The future of pipe tobacco may be bleak, but it's one less thing I have to worry about, the list of which is long enough as it is.

 

[Jeebs1]

I suppose that's an option, but a better one would be to pick some favorites and cellar aggressively. Hedges both availability and price concerns in one fell swoop. That's what I did for the past five years or so, most intensely between '22 and '24, and I've never been happier that I did. I've got a lifetime cellar now because of it. Of course, I smoke anywhere from zero to five bowls per week, but even if I tripled my consumption, I'd still be set. The future of pipe tobacco may be bleak, but it's one less thing I have to worry about, the list of which is long enough as it is.

I hear ya, I do have a good cellar but as I was looking at tobacco & prices , that’s where my concerns came about in the future , if i
only smoked 5 or so bowls a week like you said that you do I mite not be as concerned, I’ve usually smoked 5 bowls before afternoon coffee each day
But your approach is a good one

 

[Auxsender]

I’ve been smoking a pipe for 40 years and have never seen good pipe tobacco prices and availability to be in such bad shape, I think it will continue to get worse but hope that I am wrong , any idea what STG will be doing with the Sutliff tobacco’s ? Particularly the Virginia slices, made in Denmark , I started buying it when it was a Lane product for $110 per 5lbs then Atlas for $135 per 5lbs, then tobacco pipes for $165 per 5lbs and the past year from SP’s for $235 and the last 5lbs I purchased was $252 from SP’s. I don’t smoke a lot of different tobacco other than SG Virginia’s , so with the good pipe tobacco futures seeming to only get worse, I am considering… just giving up …
What are your thoughts on pipe tobacco futures, am I wrong ?

While Sutliff is gone forever and prices are rising, there is still wonderful baccy out there that is reasonably priced, delicious, plentiful and waiting for you to fall in love with it.
Get out there and try some things based on what you know you like already.

 

[VDL_Piper]

I am considering… just giving up …

Why.........this is the sort of tacit support that the nay sayers want from you and to quote special forces soldiers "you're never out of the game". Fight the good fight and flip them the bird, become ungovernable!

 

[Waning Embers]

I am considering… just giving up …

It is an option. Prices are going out of control and some of the best tobacco blends are long gone. I've quit with pipes myself.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Try the Newminster 400. Decent price and similar to but better in my opinion than what you were smoking.

 

[Waning Embers]

Try the Newminster 400. Decent price and similar to but better in my opinion than what you were smoking.

That one's discontinued.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Pipe smoking has been in decline for the whole time I’ve enjoyed the hobby…

 

[Skippy Piper]

As long as you still enjoy smoking a pipe, there's tobacco you like to smoke available for purchase, and your health is such that you can smoke a pipe then I don't see any reason to give up pipe smoking.

Yes, the available number of blends to choose from will reduce and prices will rise over time, but pipe smoking is far from dead. As of this moment there are 1,243 blends on SmokingPipes.com and surely that is more than enough options to find something you like. Old favorites may fall by the wayside as companies go under and some blends are discontinued, but there's still a bountiful number of blends out there to try and no doubt many new favorites to discover.

 

[Servant King]

As of this moment there are 1,243 blends on SmokingPipes.com

And, somewhat oddly, 2,758 of them are Sutliff 507-C VA Slices...

 

[Jeebs1]

And, somewhat oddly, 2,758 of them are Sutliff 507-C VA Slices...

Ahhh. I checked just about a week ago and there was 0 in stock for a 5lb brick , I will check now !!

 

[Hutch Piper]

Tobacco will never be cheaper than it is today. So my recommendation is to buy as much as your budget will allow today.

 

[Brad H]

I suppose that's an option, but a better one would be to pick some favorites and cellar aggressively. Hedges both availability and price concerns in one fell swoop. That's what I did for the past five years or so, most intensely between '22 and '24, and I've never been happier that I did. I've got a lifetime cellar now because of it. Of course, I smoke anywhere from zero to five bowls per week, but even if I tripled my consumption, I'd still be set. The future of pipe tobacco may be bleak, but it's one less thing I have to worry about, the list of which is long enough as it is.

Zero x Triple = 0

 

[sablebrush52]

I’ve been smoking a pipe for 40 years and have never seen good pipe tobacco prices and availability to be in such bad shape, I think it will continue to get worse but hope that I am wrong , any idea what STG will be doing with the Sutliff tobacco’s ? Particularly the Virginia slices, made in Denmark , I started buying it when it was a Lane product for $110 per 5lbs then Atlas for $135 per 5lbs, then tobacco pipes for $165 per 5lbs and the past year from SP’s for $235 and the last 5lbs I purchased was $252 from SP’s. I don’t smoke a lot of different tobacco other than SG Virginia’s , so with the good pipe tobacco futures seeming to only get worse, I am considering… just giving up …
What are your thoughts on pipe tobacco futures, am I wrong ?

Only 40 years? You're a newby! Yes, the landscape has certainly changed for the worse in the last 9 years with so many blends and brands discontinued, and STD has screwed pipe smoking to its benefit.

There are still a lot of blends available, and there are some very talented blenders out there. Have you tried anything from Watch City Cigars, Wilke, Peretti, Ken Byron Ventures, and others? They're not SG or GH&Co, then again neither are SG and GH&Co though they are doing their damnedest, but these other brands are putting out some very fine smokes in their own styles.

As for what things used to cost, big deal. Everything costs more. Why would a luxury item like tobacco be any different? When I was a kid, a movie was 25¢, candy was 6¢. A gallon of gas was 12¢. When I was a young man, rents were around $100 for a one bedroom, houses cost $30,000 in a good neighborhood where they're now well over $1,000,000. You could buy hamburger meat for around 50¢ a pound. McDonald's burgers were about 12¢.

Things haven't gotten more extensive, money has gotten cheap. So pick your splurges carefully and make the best of them. Go exploring. Things may be down, but there's still more than SG, GH&Co, STD, etal. And if, all things considered, you decide that it's time to stop smoking a pipe, then stop smoking a pipe. Unless you're an addict, it's no big deal, and there are other pleasures in life.