Prince Albert
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So Middleton lied to the public again. Big surprise.
STG has improved upon many of the old blends. I like their version of Granger over Pinkerton. I’ve heard people say the same for Half n Half and Velvet. If it keeps the blend alive, it’s far better than gone forever.
What would make a monstrous entity like STG ever drop a blend,once acquired, from production? I know the obvious “business” answer, but like owning race horses, the horses that are winning pay the stable and trainer fees for your other runners.
What would make a monstrous entity like STG ever drop a blend,once acquired, from production? I know the obvious “business” answer, but like owning race horses, the horses that are winning pay the stable and trainer fees for your other runners.
Gentlemen.
While the current scuttlebutt is not sounding promising with regard to the questionable fate of Prince Albert, and, Carter Hall. This latest report from @ron123, from what his preferred retailer is indicating - all of which flies in the face of what the Middleton Reps have been repeatedly stating publically - I still suggest we hold fast until we hear something definitive from @shaneireland , before accepting what seems to be the inevitable news. - Sherm Natman
While the current scuttlebutt is not sounding promising with regard to the questionable fate of Prince Albert, and, Carter Hall. This latest report from @ron123, from what his preferred retailer is indicating - all of which flies in the face of what the Middleton Reps have been repeatedly stating publically - I still suggest we hold fast until we hear something definitive from @shaneireland , before accepting what seems to be the inevitable news. - Sherm Natman
Even the Match blend has been unavailable for months now; and, as our good-fellow @jiminks pointed out quite rightly, while fine in it's own right, Match is close but not the same. - Sherm Natman
I know...can't make sense as to why the people at Middleton would mislead us. I called them as well on 12/5 when the latest "news" hit and was told the same thing as everyone else.
Smokingpipes is my preferred etailer, but EA Carey (through Turbo Tin) was showing product in stock at the time. PA isn't a favorite of mine, but I wanted to get a few tubs to keep around and smoke occasionally for nostalgia's sake, just in case Middleton was lying to us.
Of interesting note, you can still sign up for email in-stock notices from most etailers and this now appears on Milan's website:
* Milan Tobacconists has received yet another update (1/25/21) from the John Middleton Company that directly contradicts information previously conveyed to us by Middleton staff and one of our distributors late last year. According to this most recent update, Carter Hall and Prince Albert pipe tobaccos are still being produced in canisters. However, Middleton staff have no explanation for the lack of product availability on the open market. We share your level of frustration over product scarcity and the incorrect information being disseminated by Middleton and subsequently passed along through others, including us, to the pipe smoking community.
Since neither Middleton nor its distributors know when Prince Albert [or Carter Hall for that matter] will return to store shelves, Milan's Master Blender David Meyer will continue to work on "Our" Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco with an anticipated release date in this first quarter of 2021. The availability of "Our" Prince Albert Pipe Tobacco will be broadcast via our social media channels and email announcement. (Posted 1/26/2021)
...and on 1/29, this was the email from EA Carey: Thank you for your order with EA Carey. Unfortunately, we got the bad news today that the Prince Albert tobacco has been discontinued and will no longer be manufactured. We have cancelled your order. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
I saw an email from TP they had new stock of PA. Went there and was already sold out.
Agreed; and the fact the Middleton/Altria/Phillip Morris claims to have no executive nor managerial-level person assigned to the post/duties of Public Relations/Public Information Officer - who could clear the air on this question for the public immediately - is something I find highly dubious in it's conception.
As to WHY Middleton:
a) Is publicly repeating the claim that No Changes are affecting to the production-status of PA and CH - except for the claim that they will no longer ship 14oz tubs to the State-of-California ;
and yet,
b) Middleton additionally is claiming "no explanation for the lack of product availability on the open market." - which was the same "I DUNNO" answer which was provided directly to me - on 2 separate occasions, by Middleton Reps - when I attempted to probe deeper into this mystery with them.
These two facts defy each other.
Are we really being asked to believe that a giant tobacco conglomerate does not not know why their products are unavailable anywhere on the open-market since mid November; and yet, they have had no changes in production?
It would appear so... either that, or, there is whole bunch of pallets of packaged tobacco missing.
Now, I have 2 theories - I repeat: THEORIES, which are wholly unsupported and speculative - which are the only rational I can come up with which to explain what we are being told be Middleton Reps, and, and what we are seeing on the store shelves; so to speak.
Unsupported Theory #1: In an effort to beat the pending deadline which bans flavored tobaccos entering into the State-of-California, Middleton may have, since before NOV2020, diverted the shipments of all production to a central holding facility in California; thereby getting as much product as possible "in, under the wire" as possivble.
Or, try:
Unsupported Theory #2: Middleton - much like Dunhill, and, Nat Sherman, before them - may have elected to get out of the production/distribution of their pipe tobaccos; this, in the face of all the pending legislation/crack-down on the production and sale of flavored tobaccos in the United States; and therefore, may be "looking for a buyer at this time".
Whereas Dunhill was able to find a ready buyer for their product-lines and titles in STG/Peterson's - while Nat Sherman's did not - perhaps Middleton has also elected to get out of flavored tobaccos - which would include anything using Poly Glycol / Glycerine, if even as an unflavored humicant - and is also hoping for a ready buyer - like STG, for example - to step forward with a bid.
If this were the case, the active seller would want to keep the customer-base both in-the-dark, and, on-board with expectancy; less the customers turn to an alternative product in the interim, and thereby devalue the asking price of the lines at the time of sale.
Additional, by stopping production well in advance of the hypothetical sale, if that sale were not to come to fruition, not only would the supply dry up on the shelves - as we have seen - but, the selling businesses would not have a factory full of processed tobacco on their hands - which they would still need to sell and distribute - and thereby keep them in the game longer than they wish to be.
By stopping production in advance of 'getting out', not only is the sale cleaner - as one does not have to negotiate the sale and distribution of tons of processed tobaccos - but, in the event of 'no sale', the seller is 'out', and with 'clean hands' - with no product to dispose of.
Again, there are just MY theories - and they are unsupported - in an attempt to understand WHY we are seeing one thing on the shelves, and yet, hearing another thing from the Middleton Reps.
Neither of which jibe with each other. That much we know as Fact. - Sherm Natman
Reminds me of cough medicine from when I was a little lad.................
As much as I enjoy PA from time to time, a wide search is not worth my time. When my stock is depleted, will find a match & not look back.
For...?
Not sure what you mean.
If you mean their PA match blend? Not only is everyone out of stock on that as well, but as good as it is, it's only 'close, but no cigar'.
Clarify, please. - Sherm Natman
You can bet Sutliff will take up the slack. I found their RR better than the original. Give them time.
I like the way you think, my friend. - Sherm Natman
My supply of antique PA is dwindling, and I don't even have any new PA on hand currently. I never thought I would need to stock up on codger blends, but a lot of them are out of stock right now. I haven't even tried all of them yet, I just assumed they would always be available. Not smart, I learned in grade school what happens when you assume.
The PA short squeeze is about to happen. Great googly moogly! Invest in PA and in 2 years you'll be able to sell it for 180 a tub.
In 2009 my father-in-law passed away. He was a veteran of WW2; fought in the Pacific. In any event, I looked down my nose at the PA he smoked. I tried for years to "open his eyes" by giving him gifts of much higher quality tobacco and pipes to smoke. I wanted him to "see the light" of a higher quality smoking experience. But it was always PA and a "drug store" pipe. About a year after his funeral (he died on his 90th Bday - so much for his pipe killing him) I found a 14oz tin of PA in the Military BX where I served, marked with a clearance price of $15! So I bought it and smoked a bowl in honor of him. Wow, I actually liked it! I don't smoke it regularly, but its among my blends. I wish now I had shared a bowl with him while we sat on the porch enjoying our day.
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