It’s interesting how the premium pipe tobaccos don’t follow the same quality characteristics as other “premium” products that are based on agriculture.
I know that cigars are vastly different from pipe tobacco. Cigars, or most of the top end cigars are based on meeting the qualities and Characteristics of Cuban based cigars. Like 90% are all trying to copy the Cuban model. But, even in the stogies that are unique from the Cuban model, the quality is still based on a few objectives shared in other products. If any flavoring is added, it definitely reduces its value and demand.
In wines, single crops, no added chemicals to speed the process, and relying completely on the natural process is what makes a top tier wine. I mean, there are blends, those that were filtered, and have added chemicals to speed the process to meet the market demands, but these are not the top tier wines that are most sought after in auctions. And, add any flavorings to a wine, and it gets relegated to the below $10 wines sold on the bottom shelf of grocery stores; MD20/20, Arbor Mist, Barefoot blends, Stella Rosa, etc…
Bourbons are actually government regulated to be kept “pure” in quality. To sell a product in the USA labeled Bourbon, it has to be more than 50% corn, no added flavors or chemicals, made in the US, and aged in new, charred, oak barrels for at least 2 years. They can aged them in sherry barrels afterwards, but other than this, any variation from these rules, delegates it down to a whiskey.
Years ago, Greg Pease tried to market this idea of pipe tobaccos being pure, no added flavorings and such. Mark Ryan picked up on this also, but then after time went by, they both swayed away from this idea. Nowadays, the most sought after pipe tobaccos are a majority of heavily cased or aromatic. Esoterica and their licorice and treacle flavorings. Greg now sops on the spirits and has even contacted GH&co to have their aromatic juice made for a blend. Even FVF has a juice added to it.
I know that mold is an issue that has pipe tobacco manufacturers concerned. Mark Ryan had went back to the old notion of the historical keeping the tobacco dry for us to reduce this without having to add antifungals. Of course this bothered many of the pipe smokers that6 see this new notion of wet assed blends being the norm now. But, it hasn’t always been this way.
I think that the only company that still entertains this idea that I am presenting is C&D. Still blends like Opening Night and Virginia Flake are still kept unadulterated with casings, but yet the masses still look to sloppy juiced blends as the top tier tobaccos. McClelland gave us a few single crop blends, and helped McCrannies supply a tobacco that fell closest to what we see as top tier products in wine. Single crop products that will sway in flavors from year to year, naturally processed with no added flavorings. Just let time and nature work its magic. Of course some haters will never believe that they didn’t just slop vinegar on their leaf… whatever.
But, is it marketing, consumers’ lower expectations, or just money that prevents this notion of a purity in the product from taking hold?
Hell, even perique has a close purity expectation, misguidedly placed on location. But, even with perique, blenders slop their VaPer blends down with casing and topping.
Why do you think that this notion of premium pipe tobacco hasn’t taken hold strongly in pipe tobaccos?
