Red Cake May Be A Thing Of The Past

[jitterbugdude]

but it is still a huge and profitable base for many farmers

Absolutely not! Big tobacco rips off tobacco farmers every chance they get. It works something like this: The farmer and big tobacco sign a contract for x amount of tobacco for which big tobacco will pay a measly $1.99/lb ( not sure the current rate, might be a few pennies higher). Then when the crop comes in, big tobacco has a thousand reasons why it isn't the grade of tobacco specified in the contract so big tobacco offers the farmer considerably less money.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Tobacco definitely doesn't bring in as much money as cotton, corn, or soy does per acre, but for the soil conditions of these regions it's grown on a large scale, it has its merits penny to penny per acre. What you gain in money for the crop for fruits and veggie, you lose in labor, storage, and shipping costs. Tobacco affords you the luxury (like cotton) of setting aside a crop for a few years for prices to rise.

Virginias are a little more touchy, because of the cure. But, different pipe tobacco companies probably have different relationships with farmers.

 

[mso489]

Cosmic, interesting report on the relative markets in crops, comparative costs, ability to store a crop for price increases, etc. Factors us city boys don't always observe. Both my late wife and my wife, and my dad's family, were involved in farming (my dad just summers), so I have more exposure than most, but this detail is illuminating.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I have to weigh the market before planting and decide which cooperative to join. Unfortunately, I have no contacts to switch to tobacco.

 

[cigrmaster]

I once aged a pound of Red Cake for ten freaking years hoping the age would stop the acid burn I was getting on my tongue. After ten years it still burned my tongue so I traded it away. I had no idea that it was the red virginia tobacco that was burning my tongue at the time because I would not have traded it for other blends that also had reds in them. As far as (I am concerned red virginia tobacco can go to hell and stay there for it is the devils weed.

 

[gecko13]

How do you really feel Harris? 8O

 

[cosmicfolklore]

What a delicate little tongue you got there, tuff guy, ha ha. ::

 

[cigrmaster]

My tongue is not delicate, just ask my last girlfriend. :mrgreen:

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

@cigrmaster, there are others that share your problem with red Virginia's. Fortunately I am not one of them. For me I think Cosmic hit the nail on the head with this:

Red Cake is a very good Virginia, and if you are focusing on Virginia flavor without perique or sweet casings, then 5100 has a lot of flavor. You just have to have the right palate for it. It's a "you can't taste the flavors in tea if you've been drinking coffee," sort of thing.

I also like 5105, which is different from 5100 but doesn't impress others as a flavor bomb. I think it is too often viewed as a blender only, but it is delicious on it's own. 2010 bulk is also under appreciated, as is tinned #22. All worth trying if you grow tired of heavily cased and/or topped so -called "straight" Virginias. And all great for the first half dozen or so bowls in a new pipe.

 

[saltedplug]

I could never understand all the fuss about 5100, then lost interest.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm always happy when others don't like what what I like. It means that there's one less person snagging that last tin of Blackjack off the shelves. Every time I have found a tobacco that I think repulses me, I start finding redeeming qualities in the damn stuff. I need to find a way to become more exclusive and staying that way. ::

 

[gnarlybriar]

One of the problems - for not only 5100 and similar - but other Virginia tobaccos for pipes (we are the connoisseurs, you know) - is that tobacco isn't being harvested as it use to be - by pulling leaves as they ripen - leaving the unripe leaves to be pulled later (which takes a tremendous amount of hand labour therefore, $'s. Now, the entire plant is machine harvested, taking ripe and unripe leaves at once. The consequences of that are that we will see little of the quality of leaf that McClelland (and others) specified/searched for/paid dearly for - so that we could enjoy superb quality pipe tobaccos.
Save your Confederate money boys - the South will rise again - someone said.

 

[pipestud]

One of my all-time favorite blends that I put in a few Mason Jars about 15-years ago and am now down to less than 50 grams -
One part McClelland's 5100

One part Rattray's Black Mallory

One part Five Brothers
I call it Mallory Brothers 5100. The Black Mallory offers a gentle Latakia flavor with Oriental spice in the foreground. I get added sweetness from the 5100 and strength from the Five Brothers. I have to go now. I'm off to pop the top on that Mason Jar and load up!

 

[brightleaf]

I've been watching P&C for awhile waiting for 5100 to be restocked, it didn't go out of stock due to this thread. I will hold out hope for the reasons piffyr mentioned.

 

[weedsnager]

I emailed smokingpipes.com

Here's their response-
"Until further notice, McClelland has discontinued 5100 Red Cake. They have been unable to source an essential blend component, and instead of releasing an inferior product they have decided

to discontinue it until they can produce it to their standards."

 

[mikethompson]

this years crop of Carolina Red Virginias were not up to McClelland's standards, so when it's sold, it's gone.

wow- how often does this happen in any given industry? Not too often I'd wager. Good for them for sticking to their standards.

 

[mso489]

Cosmic makes a good point about not tooting your horn when you discover something off the beaten path that you really enjoy. I might mention some of these in "what are you smoking," but no need to ballyhoo them. It can take years for a trend to catch a good blend, and some good blends never get the spotlight. More than several of the blends I thoroughly enjoy are never lauded online. So be it. Puff-puff.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Cosmic makes a good point about not tooting your horn when you discover something off the beaten path that you really enjoy

The rub to that, is if you like it, and a lot of it doesn't sell, it gets discontinued.

 

[shaintiques]

I actually had some of this mixed with Prince Albert the other day. Old fella at the local shop had some, it was a pretty good combo. Might help you all stretch it out further too.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The rub to that, is if you like it, and a lot of it doesn't sell, it gets discontinued.

We see how well that worked out with the orange flavored Rattrays that you like, ha ha. Now, every newbie with a bank account is scanning the sites for that blend. It was hard to find before, but now it's like Penzance level difficult to find.