Thriving in the Upcoming Tobacco Apocalypse

[Zamora]

Why not rent a PO Box in Portland?

EDIT: Or make friends with someone in a free state who can forward goods on to you? Or move?

Because I'm disabled and can't drive. I don't smoke enough to get my money's worth renting a PO box anyway.

 

[Zamora]

I mean, if I lived in Olympia I'd probably find a bulk or three that I like and make the occasional trip up to Cargo Hold in Poulsbo to make occasional bulk purchases and be done with it. Less overhead, no rentals, shorter drive, less personally wasted time.

I get my bulks at Cigar Daddies, so far I've only ever gotten tins at Cargo Hold but next time I might check out the bulks. However most likely I'll be buying the stuff STG axed that I want to try.

 

[NookersTheCat]

I have a lifetime cellar. I don't see a good ending for pipe smoking. It's already a niche within a niche. I don't know any other pipe smokers. Cigars will always be there, but pipe tobacco as a hobby has been dying a slow death since the 80's. K

This is super astute and basically (sadly) the conclusion I've come to as well. It's a weird market too because with all the variety that's pushed you think it's larger than it really is/growing when it's actually probably just a smaller niche of guys growing their spending enough to basically maintain the size in the end. Between that and the cellaring craze I think we've had an "Ersatz Renaissance" or a dead-cat bounce of the market over the last 5-10 years that's about to come due.

I started piping about 15 years ago and basically I noticed coming into it with still a bunch of good old brands, then McClelland. They were the big story but there was also the lane and middleton acquisitions/downsizing too. Then we had a bit of a bounce.. but it was really just the few firms left flooding the market with tons of new mixes of old things (the shit-ton of sutliff and C&D limited/seasonals).

Now we're again only seeing yet another big domino fall in that inevitable chain. It's the same thing with the rest of the economy. Between the inflation, demographic and cultural changes, etc... we truly are perched atop an ever faster melting ice flow, I'm afraid.

 

[wyfbane]

My options are very limited, my state doesn't allow online sales and pipe tobacco has a 95% tax. To make matters worse I live 90 minutes from a B&M that specializes in pipes. My local has a decent selection of bulks and occasionally has Plum Pudding and Sutliff Krumble Cake for sale. So I'm stocking up on the bulks I like, buying the PP and SKC when it's available (which may never again be especially the latter), and shelling out on tins I want to try on the rare occasion I'm in a pipe specialized B&M. Which is pretty much what I was doing even before MacBaren / Sutliff sold out.

Tinderbox in Tacoma closed?

7921 S Hosmer St B, Tacoma, WA 98408

 

[wyfbane]

Or if you are going to drive down to Portland, OR you can still skip the PO Box and just go to Rich's.

Or 82nd Ave Tobacco and Pipes
400 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97216

 

[wyfbane]

Because I'm disabled and can't drive. I don't smoke enough to get my money's worth renting a PO box anyway.

I'm sorry to hear you can't drive. A friend in Oregon is the way to go, though. I A guy I know used his buddy in Oregon to be the recipient of many (MANY, MANY, MANY) boxes of tobacco that bypassed the WA 95% tax and the 65% Oregon tax. I couldn't afford to cellar (and neither could the guy I know ) If I'd had to pay those prices.

 

[Zamora]

Tinderbox in Tacoma closed?

7921 S Hosmer St B, Tacoma, WA 98408

It's still open but but with traffic it can take a long time to get there, I'm seldom in the Tacoma area.

Or 82nd Ave Tobacco and Pipes
400 SE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97216

Yep I'm visiting those two and House of Calabash next time I'm in Portland whenever that may be.

 

[Chasing Embers]

What are your plans?

Rest on my laurels, never worry about running out of tobacco to smoke and chew, wish I could be around to see and smell the memorial bonfire after my passing.

 

[JackOrion]

I started with the Captain and if I end with the Captain so be it

 

[Zamora]

I started with the Captain and if I end with the Captain so be it

That's me with Sir Walter

 

[NookersTheCat]

I started with the Captain and if I end with the Captain so be it

Haha, very poetic
For me it was my Grandpa's Middleton Cherry but thanks to the forces that be, after it's discontinuation, I lucked into purchasing the last 34 pouches P&C found in the corner of their warehouses.. delivered to me on the anniversary of what would have been his 90th birthday. A sign from above imo, so thanks to his guiding hand I'm blessed to say the same

 

[NookersTheCat]

That's me with Sir Walter

His fine aromatic was my 2nd love as well

 

[Zamora]

His fine aromatic was my 2nd love as well

I've never had the aro but I definitely need to some time. I'm not a big aro smoker because I find them frustrating (and just prefer the natural taste of tobacco) but I do intend to revisit them down the road as my smoking technique is more honed.

 

[NookersTheCat]

I've never had the aro but I definitely need to some time. I'm not a big aro smoker because I find them frustrating (and just prefer the natural taste of tobacco) but I do intend to revisit them down the road as my smoking technique is more honed.

Def do when you're able. It's essentially just the original but with a very distinct liqueur top-note. Like any burley forward aromatic it can come in hot but if you find the right pipe/technique to tame it you'll be rewarded with a unique treat like no other.

People can say what they want about the codger blends but the aromatics were damn unique. I can tell SWRA, Half and Half, and Mixture 79 from each other blindfolded. Not to mention from any of the other 5789 aromatics out there that all start to blur together.

 

[Zamora]

Def do when you're able. It's essentially just the original but with a very distinct liqueur top-note. Like any burley forward aromatic it can come in hot but if you find the right pipe/technique to tame it you'll be rewarded with a unique treat like no other.

People can say what they want about the codger blends but the aromatics were damn unique. I can tell SWRA, Half and Half, and Mixture 79 from each other blindfolded. Not to mention from any of the other 5789 aromatics out there that all start to blur together.

Half & Half is my other go to codger blend.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

Haha, very poetic
For me it was my Grandpa's Middleton Cherry but thanks to the forces that be, after it's discontinuation, I lucked into purchasing the last 34 pouches P&C found in the corner of their warehouses.. delivered to me on the anniversary of what would have been his 90th birthday. A sign from above imo, so thanks to his guiding hand I'm blessed to say the same

I still have three pouches. It’s a fun treat every once in awhile for me.

 

[Egg Shen]

Having been smoking a pipe for a little over two years now, I must say it's hard to fathom having enough pipe tobacco cellared for a lifetime! Kudos to you gents who have achieved that!

It was stupid-cheap when I got into it, undervalued I’d say. I wasn’t going broke cellar-building. My cellar was built because of the recognized value. Nowadays I’m not so sure I’d go so hard, and just let the cards fall where they may.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Having been smoking a pipe for a little over two years now, I must say it's hard to fathom having enough pipe tobacco cellared for a lifetime! Kudos to you gents who have achieved that!

When i amassed the majority of mine, most blends were less than $40/pound and two ounce tins were still under $10. I couldn't do it with today's prices.

 

[Beers 'N Briars]

My cellar is decent. If we couldn’t buy tobacco today I’d be okay for a few decades. But God willing I’ve got another 40 years ahead of me. So I did get a few pounds of both rc1-515 and 507c. Just to help pad it a bit more.

 

[NookersTheCat]

I still have three pouches. It’s a fun treat every once in awhile for me.

And for anyone who doesn't you can still buy the cigars which is nice, it is still the same tobacco. I love them for when I'm out and about esp. in the woods, but I'm also a dirty pleb who enjoys Black & Mild Original Wood Tips too, so...
But even if you have something against the wrapper you can still field strip them and fill a bowl... not as cost effective but still an option.