The Grass is Always Greener!

[bullet08]

At this time of the year, my grass is more of khaki.

 

[RobNYC]

Thank you for a very interesting and thoughtful post. The grass is greener...familiarity breeds contempt...these are major players in this fantasy that the good stuff is where you can't get at it, one which I long ago dubbed the Psychopathy Of Scarcity. It shows up in the US every time some form of unobtainium hits the market, a sort of mindless desperate scramble, followed by orgasmic joy from the "victors" and thunderous opprobrium from the "losers".

In my experience, good, mediocre, and crap blends are made everywhere. The style of good, mediocre and crap varies from region to region, and exploring those differing styles can be a lot of fun, even if the blends aren't memorable.

I just buy what I like to smoke, wherever it comes from. There are brands whose house style I prefer, like Germain's, McClelland, Watch City, HU, and the GL Pease Blends. There are special releases by Sutliff, Watch City and KBV that are remarkable.

On the other hand, Motzek Strang was unique, like nothing dreamed of, much less produced, in the US. Strang had a very pronounced character which you either loved or loathed. There was nothing anonymous about it like much of the US and European product.

Motzek, when still run by the Motzeks, produced some remarkable blends. The resurrection of Strang is a huge disappointment for me due to its lack of complexity. It's more like 30% Strang. The current owner of Motzek had been trained in the making of Strang by the Motzeks and he chose not to follow it.

And until recently I was a huge fan of HU. But K&K decided to swap out components and the results I did not like. So, HU is off the list of what I buy.

Virginias and their variants are what I like to smoke, so a blender who uses Virginias that I like is who I'll stock.

Bottom line is there's good stuff made everywhere, and crap made everywhere. Sturgeon's Law is a constant.

Sturgeon's Law is undeniable.

 

[DanWil84]

I very much agree with your post. Sometimes I'm bummed I can't get certain American brands being in Europe, when I see some people talking about how great it would be to have HU tobacco in the USA without having to order it from Germany, I'm not that bummed anymore. What I'm more bummed about is not being able to get SG blends very easy now because of Brexit, I smoked a sample of KC Flake and I loved it. In the end I wished every tobacco would be available everywhere.

 

[dunnyboy]

It's funny, I will happily order a pipe or cigars from overseas but feel no need to go in pursuit of tobacco. This is mainly because there are so many blends in the US, most of which I'll never get around to trying, and my palate is not keen enough to need more variety in any case.

 

[Hampshire Pipes & Cigars]

It makes the annual holiday to the ?? doubly exciting and even more to look forward to - knowing I get 4 weeks to enjoy tobacco and cigars I can’t get at home ?? Then waiting 12 months to do it all again!

 

[TheWhale13]

I very much agree with your post. Sometimes I'm bummed I can't get certain American brands being in Europe, when I see some people talking about how great it would be to have HU tobacco in the USA without having to order it from Germany, I'm not that bummed anymore. What I'm more bummed about is not being able to get SG blends very easy now because of Brexit, I smoked a sample of KC Flake and I loved it. In the end I wished every tobacco would be available everywhere.

Me too. I am not even disappointed for not being able to get American stuff. I just want Samuel Gawith. But apparently they might start to sell in Europe in a couple of months.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I’m the same when it comes to availability. Not that I don’t enjoy the novel smoke when I can get it, but it’s not way up on my priority list to regularly try and acquire that which regularly eludes me.

Plus, I live in Kentucky. Central Kentucky at that. If tobaccopocalypse comes, well, I suppose @Chasing Embers and I could find a few fields of burley to last our lifetimes. And if our EVs run out of charge, we could commandeer a couple thoroughbreds and ride shirtless and bareback to a cave near the river where we could enjoy our smoke and control trade routes. And dang, this took an adventurous turn.

Anyhoo, enjoy that mental picture of us riding topless on a couple $6-million unbridled horses.

Hmm. That sounds more like a porn film starring ac/dctune and Chasing Members.

 

[Ahi Ka]

With a touch of irony, I’m starting to wonder whether the barren tobacco lands of Aotearoa are actually greener than I have been conditioned to think. I’m smoking leaf which is only 2 days old, and is it the best thing I have ever smoked, hell no, but it is sure more tasty than half the bulk blend samples I have tried.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

It’s nice to try stuff. We’ve got plenty to choose from here in the States. And, I do enjoy “European” blends, but I’m not gonna jump through hoops to get it. Quite frankly, if all I had was Haunted Bookshop…I’d be just fine. ️

 

[AppalachianPipe92]

It's funny, I will happily order a pipe or cigars from overseas but feel no need to go in pursuit of tobacco. This is mainly because there are so many blends in the US, most of which I'll never get around to trying, and my palate is not keen enough to need more variety in any case.

Couldn't agree more. I like to get European brands when it's convenient and if it looks like something I'll enjoy. But there's so many blends and blenders in the US, I'll have my hands full trying US blends for decades to come. It's cheaper and easier to load up on US blends and try them at my own convenience. And the best part is, when I like I blend I can just order a shit ton of it without worrying about it being in stock or not.
Good point @dunnyboy

 

[JKoD]

If the conversation was on food…I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t see the same mania for products coming out of the British Isles. Which is exactly why they make wonderfully flavored post meal luxuries such as pipe tobacco.

People do tend to find fascination with things they do not have. It can create an exotic designation for things that really aren’t exotic…except to the foreigner. It’s OK, though, to take that adventure and find your treasure. Just remember - some journeys are filled with traps, detours, new temptations and ultimately end with a giant pile of steamy dung. It’s actually rather rare to end the quest with all that you hoped for and more.

Cheers to all who find success! Some of us will occasionally stick our toes in the water, but find it’s far more enjoyable to watch the show.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Hmm. That sounds more like a porn film starring ac/dctune and Chasing Members.

 

[warren]

I have a supplier, near Lake Michigan, who meets all my blend needs promptly. Never was driven to chase blends.

The grass is always greener over the septic. Beware of leakage/failure.

 

[sablebrush52]

he grass is always greener over the septic. Beware of leakage/failure.

Irma Bombeck!

 

[sablebrush52]

If the conversation was on food…I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t see the same mania for products coming out of the British Isles.

Why? Doesn't everyone here live for spotted dick?

 

[warren]

Irma Bombeck!

Indubitably! And you get moved to the front row and ... a gold star!

 

[Derby]

 

[JKoD]

Why? Doesn't everyone here live for spotted dick?

? ? ? ? ? ? ?

The last three are dry heaves…merely as an FYI for the sake of clarity, not an invitation with an open mouth and closed eyes.

I admit, I had to look that one up, but the chunky bits of suet collected from the internal organs is not an ingredient I’d prefer to see listed on a food item. And - I just have to wonder who was the person who thought, “I wonder how we can use this knob of dense goo hanging off the organs - oh, I know, let’s make a cake!”

 

[warren]

It's a great pudding. Gotta be a pudding fan to favor it. I prefer currents to raisins. English and Irish puddings are from the times when nothing went to waste. Irish puddings are often a type of sausage. Another of those terms which travel poorly as in biscuits or cookies.

 

[edger]

Why? Doesn't everyone here live for spotted dick?

My brothers and I used to snicker uncontrollably when asked if we wanted a slice.