Purchasing dilemma...

[David C.]

Hello everyone,

Since the offerings in Belgium are relatively basic, I am planning a small trip abroad to purchase some better tobacco.
The brands I'm planning to purchase are G. L. Pease, Cornell & Diehl, and HU Tobacco.

I do have some experience with cigars by now, but regarding pipe tobacco, I'm still early in the learning curve...

I do plan to buy about 20 tins. But what would be the way to go:
Buy single tins of 20 different blends - as to first explore everything, and stock up later on with my favorites?
Or should I limit myself to, say, 10 blends, but buy 2 of each - one to open, and one to cellar?

Thanks in advance for all ideas/advice...

Happy holidays!
David

 

[pappymac]

I am of fan of buying two of each when exploring new blends.
If I really like a new blend, I start working out how to buy more of it when I crack open the second tin.

In the past, I have seen something new and only buy one tin but that leaves me sad when I finish the tin and find out I'm unable to buy more of it.

 

[gcm]

Hello everyone,

Since the offerings in Belgium are relatively basic, I am planning a small trip abroad to purchase some better tobacco.
The brands I'm planning to purchase are G. L. Pease, Cornell & Diehl, and HU Tobacco.

I do have some experience with cigars by now, but regarding pipe tobacco, I'm still early in the learning curve...

I do plan to buy about 20 tins. But what would be the way to go:
Buy single tins of 20 different blends - as to first explore everything, and stock up later on with my favorites?
Or should I limit myself to, say, 10 blends, but buy 2 of each - one to open, and one to cellar?

Thanks in advance for all ideas/advice...

Happy holidays!
David

May i send you a Message? I can save you a trip to germany...

 

[Sigmund]

I dont know about specific in your country but in the EU HU is a much better buy than US blends and frankly, just as good as any

If you are looking at vapers Id suggest Directors Cut, Edaward G and Lousiana flake. Not all of them but whatever you decide.

HU Tuarkeh is super close to GLP Quiet Nights. It is a tad less intense but a good half price substitute

HU Makhuwa is a really nice burley blend.

Peterson deluxe navy rolls is a great vaper

If you like lat Macbaren HH Latakia flake is nice too

Im not a straight va smoker so you will have to get other suggestions.

 

[David C.]

May i send you a Message? I can save you a trip to germany...

Sure, feel free to
We indeed plan to combine a trip, with some Christmas joy...

 

[AroEnglish]

Do you have the option to buy 1oz of bulk tobacco? If you want variety that's the best way to go.

If you are set on buying 20 tins, I would narrow it to 4 blends, 5 tins each and pick one of the "gold standards" in each family: Aromatic, Burley, English, Virginia.

Or if you really want to get 20 separate tins, go for a spectrum. I think by doing this you can dial in what you really like.

-Light, medium, and strong English
-Straight Virginia, a VaPer, a Virginia based blend
-etc.

One last option is to go to tobaccoreviews.com and pick one of each of the families they have listed there. You can sort by highest score (but set a minimum number of reviews) and see how you like it:

American
Aromatic
Balkan
Burley Based
Cavendish Based
Cigar Leaf Based
English
Oriental
Other
Scottish
Straight Virginia
Virginia Based
Virginia/Burley
Virginia/Latakia
Virginia/Perique

 

[Sigmund]

Also if you can check inventory online in advance that is good. C&D and GLP are huge lines in the US but only a handfull are imported to the EU. A lot of things you read about on the forum are not stocked in the EU/Germany.

If you cant check in advance have backup blends chosen. Id look at Estervals. I think if it is avaliable in the EU it is sold there. Its a good guide of what you can get your hands on.

 

[proteus]

Definitely two of each or three. Quality over quantity. Check reviews and do your investigation to narrow it down to 7. So it's 21 tins but what's 1 extra. With three you can have one now, a year from now and three years from now to see if aging plays any role in your perception of the blend. Aging doesn't guarantee it will be better. Aging flavors are subjective.

 

[Searock Fan]

Wow! Everyone has a different idea. Personally I feel one tin of each should tell you if you like it or not. Actually, in my case, one of two puffs does it. I wouldn't load up on something I might not like, but what I would do is be sure I got info from everyone I bought from about being able to buy it by mail.

As to the tobacco, again, if it were me, I would stay away for C&D blends. Some smoke good but they're stuff tends to get moldy quick.

Good luck,

 

[Homer]

But you have Vincent Manil pipe tobacco in Belgium. Have you tried those?
I have not tried but I would love to.

 

[Zamora]

I think you have a pretty solid plan, you might want to try a mixed approach and buy two of some genres but one of others. Straight Virginias and VaPers are known to age the best, burleys generally don't change with age, and Englishes often lose their Latakia flavor while aromatics often disintegrate or lose the flavor. Not sure about Kentucky. So maybe buy doubles for Virginias and VaPers and singles for everything else.

 

[bpinkstaff]

I am of fan of buying two of each when exploring new blends.
If I really like a new blend, I start working out how to buy more of it when I crack open the second tin.

In the past, I have seen something new and only buy one tin but that leaves me sad when I finish the tin and find out I'm unable to buy more of it.

I also but more than one the prices are good enough if i don't like it i just use as garden fertilizer!

 

[David C.]

I think you have a pretty solid plan, you might want to try a mixed approach and buy two of some genres but one of others. Straight Virginias and VaPers are known to age the best, burleys generally don't change with age, and Englishes often lose their Latakia flavor while aromatics often disintegrate or lose the flavor. Not sure about Kentucky. So maybe buy doubles for Virginias and VaPers and singles for everything else.

Yes, I think this is the way to go - mix both options up a bit. I'm now looking to reduce the options a bit, allowing to take 2 tins of some blends.

 

[David C.]

But you have Vincent Manil pipe tobacco in Belgium. Have you tried those?
I have not tried but I would love to.

No, never heard of it - but I'm rather new into pipe smoking, so... Will look into it...

 

[anotherbob]

Hello everyone,

Since the offerings in Belgium are relatively basic, I am planning a small trip abroad to purchase some better tobacco.
The brands I'm planning to purchase are G. L. Pease, Cornell & Diehl, and HU Tobacco.

I do have some experience with cigars by now, but regarding pipe tobacco, I'm still early in the learning curve...

I do plan to buy about 20 tins. But what would be the way to go:
Buy single tins of 20 different blends - as to first explore everything, and stock up later on with my favorites?
Or should I limit myself to, say, 10 blends, but buy 2 of each - one to open, and one to cellar?

Thanks in advance for all ideas/advice...

Happy holidays!
David

? Which ever you'll enjoy most! So who knows. But also at the end of the day you'll have more tobacco to enjoy so even the worst option is pretty sweet.

 

[Homer]

No, never heard of it - but I'm rather new into pipe smoking, so... Will look into it...

Tabac De La Semois Pipe Tobacco | Buy Tabac De La Semois Pipe Tobacco at Smokingpipes

Smokingpipes is your one stop shop for Tabac De La Semois Pipe Tobacco and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

 

[Homer]

Since you live in EU I would recommend European pipe tobacco brands like HU, KOPP, John Aulesbury, MacBaren (owned now by Scandinavian tobacco group) and ofcourse Scandinavian tobacco group has lots of nice pipe tobaccos.
Can you order pipe tobacco from Germany?

 

[Harv]

Man. Having recently started with a pipe and buying a decent sized cellar off the bat because I was going to live somewhere with a 50% tax; I'd say branch out and get maybe 6-8 tins of English type blends(split between eng, balkan, american or whatever interests you), 6-8 tins of Virginia mixes such as Vaper/VarBur/VaBurOriental or whatever, and then throw in a couple aromatics.

I went in knowing I would like Virginias, and was right but stuff like Savinelli Brunello, Dark Fired Kentuckys, really caught me by surprise as to how much I liked them.

For English blends I'd recommend the classics, but make sure you look into the blends. You wanna make sure you're giving yourself the chance to try what you might like not hope a description matches what you like and now you've got a stock pile. So like maybe Perterson Standard Mix or Maltese Falcon, Nightcap, Brebbia Balkan or Dan Tobacco Bill Bailey.

I dunno I've had a few drinks but I think you get the idea.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I'd buy the maximum amount you can take back home with you. I would think you could bring 2 to 3 kg back with you which would be 40 to 60 tins. I'd buy at least another 100 and ship to myself and friends hoping some of it makes it through your customs. If your are taking a significant other or friend, max out how much they can carry back in the country.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Is there enough time for you to see if there is a pipe club meeting nearby before your trip? Attendees often bring many blends to smoke and share. You might be able to try some things out and get a better sense of what kinds of tobaccos you may want to stock up on based on an informed opinion rather than a blind guess on everything.