Pipes and Cigars Online Store. Never Again.

[anotherbob]

In days of yore, when blenders had reliable contracts with particular growers, crops from several years would be blended to reduce the year by year variation. Think of it as homogenization. Then, adjustments would be made to the flavorings to further enhance the stability of a blend. I think that the end of subsidies to tobacco farmers really set off the changes we're seen over the last 8 or so years.

personally I like a bit of inconsistency. Though there is a point where it is no longer the blend of theseus no matter what the tin says.
I think the most obvious solution is to start pricing pipe tobacco the same way cigars are priced. You want that leaf even as a condiment? Well it will cost you the price of giving the farmer a reason to farm it.

 

[woodsroad]

The problem there is that you just don't know how it will turn out. So much is dependent upon the weather. And so much intergenerational farming knowledge has already been lost as family farms have stopped planting tobacco, farms are sold, etc. Used to be that pipe tobacco buyers would go to auction and buy the pick of the crop. Simply hiring a farmer to grow something doesn't mean that the resulting product will be anything more that run of the mill.

 

[condorlover1]

@woodsroad : You know Dan I miss your simple and to the point summaries of the problems. C.I are a funny bunch of guys, I remember meeting the President with Dan once and commenting that they must have hired an actor out of central casting to play the President. Apparently the really clever people work in the 'Cigar Division' as I remember being told the Deeming Regulations were good news since it would reduce the number of blends down and simplify the business model. I remember saying that I could hardly wait to buy a tin of 'Peoples Worker Soviet Collective Tobacco Factory No:3' blended ready rubbed which was badged engineered from blends No:1 and No:2! At the end of the day you pays your money and takes your chance and in fairness to C.I they do get a good selection of Gawith blends from time to time.

 

[woodsroad]

Now that Smokingpipes is the US distributor, they are my go-to for GH and SG products.

 

[sablebrush52]

personally I like a bit of inconsistency. Though there is a point where it is no longer the blend of theseus no matter what the tin says.
I think the most obvious solution is to start pricing pipe tobacco the same way cigars are priced. You want that leaf even as a condiment? Well it will cost you the price of giving the farmer a reason to farm it.

The mark up on tobacco is pretty high. Better leaf could be used, or "expensive" leaf like Perique, and they would still make a profit.

 

[brian64]

they must have hired an actor out of central casting to play the President.

The Ukraine of tobacco vendors? Can't get a refund there either.

Maybe CI/P&C should get an AI spokesperson.

 

[woodsroad]

The Ukraine of tobacco vendors? Can't get a refund there either.

Maybe CI/P&C should get an AI spokesperson.

Looks like Mr. Central Casting has retired. Mrs. Central Casting is now in charge.

 

[anotherbob]

The mark up on tobacco is pretty high. Better leaf could be used, or "expensive" leaf like Perique, and they would still make a profit.

yeah but my thinking is more about encouraging the farmers to grow that over many other products.

 

[woodsroad]

yeah but my thinking is more about encouraging the farmers to grow that over many other products.

There has to be a market for quality tobacco, and judging by how things are presently, it ain't gonna happen.

 

[warren]

Back in the day, the US government underwrote tobacco farmers as there never was sufficient profit. Manufacturers paid as little as possible for leaf. So, tax dollars were necessary to incentivize growers. Voters won't support such incentives in this day and age. The demand is shrinking in the West. Sufficient tobaccos are grown to support the Third World market for cigarettes and we, the pipe smokers, dippers and chewers, are at the mercy of what is left. I'm betting there is very little demand for pipe blends in the grand scheme of things. We pipe smokers are a "fringe market" and so only a few blend manufacturers and leaf growers are required to meet the demand.

God bless the cigarette smokers! They are our only hope. Well, except those lucky and skilled enough to be able to grow their own.

 

[lupy1234]

Back on topic. Made an order Sunday and received it today. Took advantage of a pricing error on their part along with 17% off the entire order. They only messed up my order once in the past few years and that was with Balkan Sobranie.

 

[sablebrush52]

yeah but my thinking is more about encouraging the farmers to grow that over many other products.

Then the farmers would have to get that increase instead of middlemen and wholesalers. Good luck with that.

 

[woodsroad]

Factors missing in this equation are high consumer consumption and a competitive marketplace. Without those two factors, there is precious little in the way of diverse, high quality tobacco suitable for pipe use.

 

[walkingpipeguy]

Despite all the bad stuff I've been hearing about Pipes and Cigars, I think I might tempt fate and place a small order with them because they have a couple items I'm interested in and can't find anywhere else. What I want to know is, are their packages discretely marked, or do they say "Pipes and Cigars" on the label?

 

[Living Luggage]

I think their return address on the usps label says P&C. I've only had one hiccup out of 3 recent orders, and it was just a promo freebie that they forgot to include with my order. They got it to me after a call and an email. Sounded like a call center in the PI, which kind of killed my buzz, but this ain't Route 66 anymore so what the hell. I use them for my Bengal Slices because they have a combo set with White Knight for $25 that can't be beat. 5 of those sets gets me 5 of each of my favs and free shipping cheaper than I can get either one separately elsewhere.

 

[warren]

Anyone up for scanning the entire thread and coming up with a score? Good experience vs bad. What's the over/under?

 

[DurinsRest]

Man that's a shitty experience but odd. I have spent a lot of money with P&C over the past 3 years and never once have I had any issues like this. Wonder if it was a fluke. Hell i even had some of last years steamworks with mold from them and they sent me credit within a couple days.

 

[woodsroad]

Man that's a shitty experience but odd. I have spent a lot of money with P&C over the past 3 years and never once have I had any issues like this. Wonder if it was a fluke. Hell i even had some of last years steamworks with mold from them and they sent me credit within a couple days.

Exactly which shitty experience are you referring to?

 

[DurinsRest]

Exactly which shitty experience are you referring to?

My bad OP i didnt read the others yet. It just seemed odd with the call and everything bc ive spoke with them before and never had any issues. But ya know thats how it goes

 

[Sobrbiker]

My second half of my recent order arrived, and is interesting. The 6oz bag of MacB Va#1 looked and smelled as it has everyone I’ve gotten the bulk ready-rubbed.
However, this is supposed to be Coniston Cut Plug:
It is very dry smells way more burley-ish than anything, and doesn’t smell (or look) like CCP bulk Over gotten previously elsewhere. Looks almost RYOish cut than any broken flake I’ve seen. And I’m not grasping how this could be 70+% dark Malawi.

This is chopped and rubbed CCP as I know it in my limited experience:


I’m not bashing, or jumping to conclusions-I do have an email in to them inquiring about the possibility of a mixup and how to rectify. I’ll follow up with a call if I don’t hear anything by Friday.
Perhaps y’all have seen Coniston in this form and I’m just being weird, but it doesn’t smell Kendal-y at all either.