Tobacco in the UK

[BobFleming]

Hi all,

So glad these forums exist, so much great info for a beginner like myself - this is my 3rd week smoking!

Sorry if this has been asked before, but here goes...

I'd like to try to smoke a variety of different styles & blends of tobacco to try and work out what I like. So far I've tried Clan, American Black & Brown, American CV Blend & Rum & Maple
I see several interesting websites and listen to podcasts from the US reviewing tobacco blends and giving recommendations, but I'm struggling to find these exciting blends in the UK.

Are there any recommendations for suppliers in the UK who can provide a wider range in smallish quantities or shall I just go down the mail order route from the US?

Many thanks.

Bob Fleming (Chris) - Stratford upon Avon, England

 

[Sgetz]

Try gq tobacco. They have sampler packs

 

[lukifer]

I live in the US so I don't know much about UK shops but if I had to put together a list of the top 10 pipe tobaccos I have tried, half of them would be Gawith blends and they're manufactured in the UK. I also hear good things about condor and revor, but can't get those easily in the US.

Sorry I know that's not the answer you are looking for but there's amazing tobacco being made up in Cumbria. Give that a go if you haven't already. I bet it's cheaper and easier to find than US blends.

 

[gubbyduffer]

I am in the UK and tend to buy smaller amount of loose tobacco as my pipe smoking is quite infrequent at only one or two bowls a week.
I would second GQ Tobacco. Buying loose on line does tend to limit you to mainly Sam Gawith/Gawith Hoggarth or Century aromatic blends. There are plenty of excellent blends available from SG/GH though. I sometimes also purchase online from Smoke King and the Black Swan Shoppe. I have found all three to be very reliable and fulfill orders quickly.

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

Hi all,

So glad these forums exist, so much great info for a beginner like myself - this is my 3rd week smoking!

Sorry if this has been asked before, but here goes...

I'd like to try to smoke a variety of different styles & blends of tobacco to try and work out what I like. So far I've tried Clan, American Black & Brown, American CV Blend & Rum & Maple
I see several interesting websites and listen to podcasts from the US reviewing tobacco blends and giving recommendations, but I'm struggling to find these exciting blends in the UK.

Are there any recommendations for suppliers in the UK who can provide a wider range in smallish quantities or shall I just go down the mail order route from the US?

Many thanks.

Bob Fleming (Chris) - Stratford upon Avon, England

Be careful ordering from the States, customs have been pretty draconian these past few months and a lot of stuff is being snagged. Go small at first if you are going to try.

 

[BingBong]

I mostly buy from Smoke-King and My Smoking Shop; the former usually has 10g samples available, including Petersons tobaccos.

There's a lot of good stuff we don't see in the UK: C&D, GL Pease, HU, Sutliff etc, more's the pity but hey, my wallet is healthier for that.

 

[Toast]

I've yet to have a bad experience with any of the UK online tobacconists. But GQ are my go to.

Compared to the US the selection is smaller here (& smaller than it was before Brexit), but there's still a lot to try.

You can order from abroad, but there's a strong possibility that you'll get hit by massive import charges.

I try to take the (relatively) limited choices & higher prices as a positive in that if I was in the US I doubt I'd give the tobacco I bought so many second chances (trying different moisture levels & what have you).

Your tastes will likely change as you go along. Rather than worrying about what we don't have (super-easy to do - I've sure done it), I'd concentrate on experimenting with what's readily available.

 

[BobFleming]

Thank you for all your replies.
I’ll definitely check out the suggestions.

 

[jaingorenard]

All the other online sites mentioned are well worth checking out. You are very likely to get stung with hefty customs charges if you order from the US.

I would try any Germain's or G&H/SG blends you can get your hands on, bearing in mind a lot of these have changed from the blends they used to be (don't let that stop you).

A few blends are basically unique to the UK, including Original Flake by MacBarens (previously Ogden's Walnut Flake - try this before it disappears; likely to be one of the ones STG cut if they successfully take over MacBaren's); Revor Plug is still an exceptional blend if you find it, though not ideally suited to a beginner.

 

[romaso]

Do you know about the Tobacco Reviews site?
https://www.tobaccoreviews.com

Everyone has different tastes, but if you find a reviewer who agrees with you on what you've tried, that can help you find new blends.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

All the other online sites mentioned are well worth checking out. You are very likely to get stung with hefty customs charges if you order from the US.

I would try any Germain's or G&H/SG blends you can get your hands on, bearing in mind a lot of these have changed from the blends they used to be (don't let that stop you).

A few blends are basically unique to the UK, including Original Flake by MacBarens (previously Ogden's Walnut Flake - try this before it disappears; likely to be one of the ones STG cut if they successfully take over MacBaren's); Revor Plug is still an exceptional blend if you find it, though not ideally suited to a beginner.

and B&H Special Virginia is another nice & subtle time tested specifically British OTC tobacco , somewhat lighter on taste than say St Bruno, both these contain a small amount of Kentucky fired but Special(formerly known as mellow virginia ) is also sweeter in taste

 

[grimpeur]

and B&H Special Virginia is another nice & subtle time tested specifically British OTC tobacco , somewhat lighter on taste than say St Bruno, both these contain a small amount of Kentucky fired but Special(formerly known as mellow virginia ) is also sweeter in taste

Here, here! I always found it a nice change of pace, and I'm sorry that there's no more shipping tobacco out of the UK. I liked getting regular shipments of Revor, Westmorland Flake, and Special Virginia. Sic transit...

Special (Mellow) Virginia doesn't rate too highly amongst the "serious" smokers...even worse off is Gold Block. But, if it's available locally, why not make up one's own mind? There's a reason it's been available for many, many decades. Here's an old trick: mixed half and half with St Bruno, it becomes "Ogden's Mixture", and the whole is, indeed, greater than the parts. Check out what's said about it on tobbacoreviews.

 

[RookieGuy80]

You have so many different and wonderful blends being sold in the UK. Honestly, I wouldn't worry at all about anything not available to you. It'll cost you a small fortune to get, have shipped over, and pay duties on. And there's so much that you'd need a second full time job just to keep you in American leaf. Enjoy your SG/GH and Condor that we can't get here.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Here, here! I always found it a nice change of pace, and I'm sorry that there's no more shipping tobacco out of the UK. I liked getting regular shipments of Revor, Westmorland Flake, and Special Virginia. Sic transit...

Special (Mellow) Virginia doesn't rate too highly amongst the "serious" smokers...even worse off is Gold Block. But, if it's available locally, why not make up one's own mind? There's a reason it's been available for many, many decades. Here's an old trick: mixed half and half with St Bruno, it becomes "Ogden's Mixture", and the whole is, indeed, greater than the parts. Check out what's said about it on tobbacoreviews.

Wow, ! Thanks for the tip, Sir,Firts I gotta have a pouch of Special, and Yes, I remember those days when we inn the continental EU had possibility to procure those British classic blends and few of J Germains,

 

[Sigmund]

I dearly love a couple of Germains. It doesnt much matter that they dont ship anymore becuase production is so low you can never get your hands on it.