Syrian Latakia Is Gone ... Forever

[iamn8]

Forever? Consider the universe measured in Planck time... Syrian will be back. On a long enough time scale, it's a certainty. Considering infinity, not only will it be back, it'll be blue and capable of insulting your mother
Jeff, I find your preference for Cyprian offensive in the extreme. I'm forwarding your post to Managment.

 

[jefff]

My mother can take it...trust me.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm still curious what approx percentage makes it a Syrian mixture. You don't have to answer but I'm asking? 8O

Maybe Taco Bell's attorneys know.
While there are certainly differences, I suspect that most people wouldn't know that difference.
Eventually Syrian Latakia will be gone forever, even if it takes the Sun going supernova and evaporating the Earth to do it.

 

[hawky454]

I honestly prefer Cyprian. I know, I am a phillisitein but there is it is. The rarity of anything doesn't necessarily makes it better

I agree 100%! That being said, I did enjoy 3 oaks Syrian, but not enough to fret over the loss of it. I also think that the Syrian they had on the market hasn't fared too well with time and has lost a lot of it's charm.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I know, I am a phillisitein but there is it is."
Jeff, if only you knew how funny that was :clap:
Regards,
Jay.

 

[toobfreak]

That is one of the great things about this forum, that you occasionally hear from both an insider and someone high up at the forefront of the industry. A lot of people here talk out of both ends and this is often a very good reset on reality.
As someone who started out cutting their teeth on Mac Barens in the 1970's, I treasure this and wish them and everyone in this industry many happy returns in our modern age of tobacco hostility.
I find it interesting that all of the Syrian Latakias I've been buying are probably from maybe a decade ago? What does that say of their longevity and aging character?
That said, there is still Cyprian, and perhaps some of the Syrian formulations can be adapted to use it instead.
One never knows the future. no matter what the present, anything is possible in the future. But is it a future we will ever see? Markets have a way of filling voids.

 

[wyfbane]

It shouldn't matter what % is in it. If you smoked this blend before the 'crisis' was announced, and were happy with it, it should be enough to know that the original recipe remains unchanged.
I have about 4 lb jarred up, so I am good to go. I like the flavor, though my untrained palatte is hard pressed to elaborate on why. It is just yum.

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

Here you can read an update about the HH Vintage Syrian discussion, just scroll down.

 

[jvnshr]

Good job Arno, thanks for the update.

 

[wyfbane]

So you used your leaping to conclusions to promote your blog after you were corrected. Well played.

 

[cally454]

Funny how some think a very high up executive would always tell a lie when the truth would him/her better. In this case the man developed a blend knowing it was a one off and had a limited lifespan thinking he's going to lie to extend the cash cow phase is ludicrous. Operating a multi million dollar business and gonna get in the Feds cross hairs on one blend? I know it's fashionable to think all corporations and their leaders are evil and lie not the case. The market will take you down. Lying in a tobacco related field makes no sense. They probably have 10 new blends ready behind it.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

From Arno's blog:
"But for now I am going to give HH Vintage Syrian the benefit of the doubt."
Precious.

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

So you used your leaping to conclusions to promote your blog after you were corrected. Well played.

In the first place, I wasn't the one who began this discussion here. Perhaps this does sound stupid but I don't need my blog to be promoted or whatever. Simply because I have nothing to gain from it. I have no sponsors or whatsoever, I am just an enthusiast who as a hobby writes the blog and above all values the truth. If people like it, fine, if people don't like it, also fine. I'll keep on writing nonetheless. And yes, I jumped to conclusions, my mistake. It was wrong of me and it won't happen again, I apologised to Per. I should have come to him in the first place instead of posting my findings online. It was a valuable lesson.

 

[Dutch Pipe Smoker]

Good job Arno, thanks for the update.

Thank you very much

 

[pruss]

Holy tempest in a teacup Batman!
Arno is and has been a wonderful hobbyist chronicler of the pipe world and I hope he continues to produce his wonderful blog.
Per is a gentleman who is always happy to share stories, ideas and not a little bit of wry humour with any pipe smoker he encounters (including this one).
Why some of you felt the need to engage in argumentum ad hominem as opposed to addressing the issue is confounding; albeit not a surprise.
1) It has been public knowledge for over a decade that there was a hard-stop coming for Syrian Latakia.
2) The lack of a Syrian Latakia crop pre-dates the current civil war and population disruption.
3) Blenders, like Per and Greg Pease and Mike McNiel have been on the record at various times over the last decade trying to ball park when the supply will truly be gone.
4) Any projected ingredient depletion is problematic; especially in a wide ranging distribution system with physical finished goods strewn hither, thither and yon. I'm not surprised that Per had to adjust up his run-out date. Did anyone else notice the volume shifts in pipe tobacco sales in the wake of the Tobaccopocalypse?
So go buy what's left on the shelves. Go stockpile the bulks still available. Let's really get a run on Syrian Lat blends going so in four more months we can pillory Per again for being to conservative with his run-out date.
*rantmodeoff*
-- Pat

 

[goodfellaslxa]

 

[sablebrush52]

1) It has been public knowledge for over a decade that there was a hard-stop coming for Syrian Latakia.

This is a total fabrication of the tobacco industry. It's like De Beers' control of the diamond market. I know for a fact that 100,000 tons of prime Syrian are warehoused in a salt mine below Cheyenne Mountain.

2) The lack of a Syrian Latakia crop pre-dates the current civil war and population disruption.

Another myth. It's still being produced in bathtubs in Brooklyn. Jeez, where do you get this stuff? Ya got to stop drinking the Maple-aid.

3) Blenders, like Per and Greg Pease and Mike McNiel have been on the record at various times over the last decade trying to ball park when the supply will truly be gone.

Just part of the cover story for their nefarious worldwide scheme.

4) Any projected ingredient depletion is problematic; especially in a wide ranging distribution system with physical finished goods strewn hither, thither and yon. I'm not surprised that Per had to adjust up his run-out date. Did anyone else notice the volume shifts in pipe tobacco sales in the wake of the Tobaccopocalypse?

Just wait. Cheyenne Mountain. Pass that rumor around like it's a fact.

 

[goodfellaslxa]

Just wait. Cheyenne Mountain. Pass that rumor around like it's a fact.

Isn't that where all of the Germain's / Esoterica blends are stockpiled? The walls are lined with bricks of Stonehaven and the room is filled with barrels of Penzance.

 

[fitzy]

What a great thread to read.

 

[prairiedruid]

Dang nabit I need to find better guards for my "salt" mine. I swear they roll around on the syrian latakia on their breaks instead of drinking their maple-ade,