The Curse Of Exclusivity

[hmhaines]

Perique is what made me interested in smoking a pipe. Sounded tasty, came from Loozeyanna, and was pretty hard to get. That last part had a lot to do with it, I'll admit. Something in me immediatelly NEEDS the rare, hard-to-find, on-of-a-kind stuff. Do I like feeling "in the know"? Is it the thrill of the hunt? Does the exclusivity make me appreciate it more? I don't know.
Now I try to avoid the extremely limited run stuff like Christmas Cheer and Sansepolcro because I don't want to get hooked on something I can't get more of. My budget doesn't allow for huge orders, so I can't stock up on it if I fall in love, so better to stick with the evil I know!
What do you guys do/think about those scarce sorts of tobacco?

 

[ashdigger]

It's only exclusive if you want it to be exclusive and it's only scarce if you don't like anything else.
I like too many blends to worry. I have a few "hard to get" blends, but my world doesn't revolve around them. I bought a couple when they popped up.
I've been smoking since September 13, 2011 and my cellar is at just sub 160 lbs.
The reason is I was patient and grabbed what was available and didn't worry about what wasnt.

 

[didimauw]

Luckily the two tobacco blends I smoke are from well before the deeming date. Phew!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Other than Christmas Cheer, the rare and gimmicky are just of no interest to me.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I don't mind trying things if given the chance, but I'll never go out of my way and spend more for tobacco than what I really think tobacco is worth. I'll admit however, I would pay more for a well aged tin. But the cost of some tobacco, rare or not, is just plain ridiculous. After all, when it's all said and done, it's only tobacco and there are other blends that are just as good if not better. Those rare blends often cost well more than tobacco should cost, so I'll stay away. Holiday blends on the other hand, such as Christmas Cheer are nice and I'll purchase those if I can get my hands on it. There is one brand that starts with an "E" that is well overpriced, I think. I must say, I was gifted a sample of Penzance and it is indeed good, but I still can't justify the cost.
And then, for the extremely exclusive or rare... or ridiculously high priced there is this!!! http://www.cupojoes.com/w-o-larsen-2015-limited-release-hand-pressed-pipe-tobacco-3-5oz/ And no that's not a typo... that's the real price of the blend :crazy:

 

[sablebrush52]

I've never really had a problem finding unobtanium for regular retail. I've also shelled out extra for something with some age on it that I like. But I don't buy something because it's "rare". I buy it because I enjoy smoking it.

 

[clickklick]

I treat them like rare treats more so than staples. If you take Christmas Cheer for example, buy two tins, open one for the christmas season, smoke some, jar whats left. . . cellar the other . . . next christmas season open the cellared one of what is left in the jar from the first tin.
Really not missing anything and still get to enjoy it as a special occasion.

 

[mso489]

Though I have written more than once that continued availability is important to me in pipe tobacco blends, I do occasionally go for something I only plan to order once. Tambolaka was sent to me as a sample by another Forums member and I enjoyed it, but wasn't concerned when it went out of 4noggins' inventory. Other blends have been that way. Luckily, when I sampled Tabac-Manil Semois, a Forums member sent me almost a whole package, and then SP started selling it, as have others, and I just gifted a friend with a second package of the same. Generally, I go with the principle that an A+ blend gets major extra credit for also being continuously available and well distributed. That's how you win your customer's respect. I don't go around looking for the Ivory Billed Woodpecker, that now extinct species that people have been "seeing" for years now, with not much evidence to back them up.

 

[pagan]

Don't bother with them, I am completely content with the codger blends, add the Dunhill and some C&D blends and a hand full of other Im happy, Im a pretty simple guy

 

[fitzy]

Normally I would want to try them all but lately with the FDA stuff going down I've been trying to not venture too far off the beaten path as I don't want to be stuck finding "my one true blend"(aka holy grail) and then realizing it can no longer be obtained. ::

 

[crashthegrey]

I am with clickklick. When I get my hands on something special and don't have to spend more to get it, I'll take it. I'll savor it. I'll cellar some of it. But I make sure my regular blends are fairly easy to get. I like the gimmick, but I certainly don't live for it.

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

It is what it is. I pick up what I can when they come around if I like them. I'd rather be able to have a little of something that isn't always available than none at all. I try to live in the present and not sweat the future so much.

 

[akfilm]

I love chasing the exclusive. Whether it is a pipe or a pipe tobacco. I do the same thing with craft beers, traveling to different states, or countries, getting lost on back roads just to taste and experience something. A friend once asked me if it ever makes me sad that the thing I found and tasted, I would never expereince or taste again, and I had to tell her no, I would rather have tasted it and had the experience than never have had it, and didn't have knowledge of it to compare to future finds.The rarer the better for me! Hell, even my dog is one of five hundred in North America or something.

 

[brudnod]

Exclusive? You'll get over it...

 

[cynicismandsugar]

I don't shy away from trying a rare blend, if given the opportunity; and yes, this has led me to favoring a couple of difficult to obtain tobaccos. However, when I'm lucky enough to have a slight surplus of those particular blends, I savor them. Luckily, some of my other favorites are readily available: Peterson Irish Flake and MacBaren HH Old Dark Fired.
So, for me, it's like enjoying Scotch; Balvenie 15 year old makes me extremely happy, but a 21 year old is something special... and if I happen to have a Tun series bottle put back, it can be magical.
Life is too short to not indulge on occasion. I'd hate to look back upon my rocky journey and not have moments of, "Oh, yes, that lil' bauble was extraordinary! I sure do miss it."
It's better to have sampled, loved and lost, than missed out on the show altogether!

 

[ophiuchus]

Life is too short to not indulge on occasion. I'd hate to look back upon my rocky journey and not have moments of, "Oh, yes, that lil' bauble was extraordinary! I sure do miss it."
It's better to have sampled, loved and lost, than missed out on the show altogether!

Hear, hear! ::
I miss the old Chunky Bar and Archway cookies from the 70's (they're both still around, but they're not the same). Coke has been off ever since "New Coke" (and 70's Coke was certainly not the original). I miss the original Slice soda from the 80's, which was flavored with pear juice. I really miss my Grandma's cherry pies and potato salad. Wouldn't miss any of them for the world, though. I'm still glad I've enjoyed 86 Proof Jack Daniels and Burger Chef and Hires root beer and Captain Black when it was flavored with coumarin.
I know plenty of folks here remember when Dunhill tins disappeared.

 

[ophiuchus]

Plenty of new stuff coming at us, though. Wait ... maybe not tobacco blends ...

 

[tennsmoker]

My cellar practice has always been, buy two, cellar one, smoke one. It has worked over the years that now my cellar is deep and wide.
But, I still get the itch for something "different." I'm not really worried that I'll fine something that won't be around after the tobaccolypse. If necessary, I'll return to the Codger PA, CH, SWR, etc. But, methinks my cellar will supply me to the end of days.
And if I can throw in an extraordinaire, then, why not?