Hello all, i just came across this thread and i believe i am the Malaysian that is being spoken of. I haven't had time to read all the responses yet, but i feel i need to tell my side of the story.
It took me a long time to receive all the tobacco i bought from the US this past year for various reasons. Finally, i shipped back a number of boxes back about a month or so ago.
On my birthday, i decided to treat myself with a special tobacco. I chose the 2002 McClelland #27. (If i didn't, this jar would probably have stayed unopened for years to come. It was afterall jarred for 16 years thus far.) Immediately, i was met with a whiff of latakia. Not wanting to believe my nose, i convinced myself that maybe it was contaminated by other tobaccos in the box. Silly me, but i did not want to believe the reality otherwise. I packed it into a nice pipe and lit it up. Latakia once again. I even went on Tobacco Reviews to read if somehow #27 had latakia in it. I know, in denial. I even researched all the others, #22, #24, #25, to see if somehow they had latakia or produced a latakia aroma, and the OP accidentally labeled the jar wrongly. As you can tell, i really didn't want to believe i had been duped by a fellow pipesmoker.
Alas, i put the pipe down, birthday smoke ruined. It was not a nice feeling. Since then i have not picked up the pipe often, and that latakia blend that has ghosted a good virginia pipe of mine still sits in that bowl. I can't bring myself to deal with it.
I didn't bring up this small drama with anyone, not even with the OP. I just told him what he needed to know, not how it affected me since that birthday smoke gone wrong.
I could have outed him on the FB group for selling me at a premium a latakia blend in a jar labeled as 2002 McClelland #27. But instead, i gave him the benefit of the doubt and sent him a private message.
Now, if you were in my position, wouldn't you want your money back before you sent this '2002 McClelland #27' back to the person who sold it to you? I paid up front, with full trust, only to receive this. So i feel i should be refunded first as i don't know if i can trust this person again.
For those who raised suspicions that my cousin could've done a little switch-a-roo, my cousin knows zero about pipe tobacco. Otherwise, we would all maybe have known about this mystery latakia blend much sooner. All the other jarred tobacco that was shipped back to me was fine. I bought a number of loose and jarred tobacco from various members here and on the FB groups.
I have been buying all sorts of things since the 90s from people all around the world. My Ebay track record is immaculate. My own integrity, i have always held to a higher standard. I would rather lose out in any deal than to give less to a fellow human being. So no, i would never try to cheat someone. Of course, if you don't know me, you'd have to take my word for it. But i have dealt with a few people here. Even those who showed me kindness by giving me samples, i tried my best to show them my gratitude and appreciation with gifts i ship from Malaysia.
Will read all the messages here another day and reply if necessary. For those who read this far, thank you for your time and patience.
Have a good day all of you and a truly nice week ahead.
