Trip to Tobacco Paradise

[Ryszard]

I am always jealous when I read how (relatively) easy it is for you fine people in the US to acquire a broad selection of pipe tobaccos. From what I gathered in most US states bulk tobaccos, as well as premium tobaccos, are just a click away on the internet. In my European country, tobacco may only be sold in government-licensed outlets and mail orders are prohibited. Any postal/mail-order import (no matter how small) is considered tax fraud and a felony which gets put on your criminal record for years and effectively eliminates any chance of ever finding/keeping a decent job. We do have some more pipe-oriented tobacconists, but those carry 5-10 gas-station/OTC aromatics in pouches and maybe one Dunhill-clone - if you are lucky. The only legal way to acquire a broader range of pipe tobacco is to travel to another European country, buy the tobacco there in person and take it with you over the border (max. of 1 kilogram applies). Every few months I travel to Europe's pipe tobacco paradise and bring back one kilogram of pipe tobacco with me. From where I live this is a total of 8 hours of train travel, which I have since become accustomed to. During my last trip, I stocked up on some old favourites and am looking forward to Peterson's Deluxe Navy Rolls, which I have not tried before. Count yourselves lucky, gentlemen, if you can order by mail.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

It is both a benefit & a curse at times.? Enjoy your stock my good man.?️

 

[greeneyes]

Wonderful stash. That Tuarekh is a perfect Balklan mixture.

As for tobacco restrictions in your country, if you have any friends or family I'd perhaps take them along next time and increase your yield in 1 kg increments.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Sounds like a good time all around. Somehow, if a brick and mortar with a wide selection and reasonable prices was around the corner it would somehow take a bit of the excitement out of the hobby for me.

 

[cigrmaster]

I am glad to hear you are happy. Keep at it and before long your cellar will really be up there. I hope you enjoy them all.

 

[Akousticplyr]

View attachment 33153

I am always jealous when I read how (relatively) easy it is for you fine people in the US to acquire a broad selection of pipe tobaccos. From what I gathered in most US states bulk tobaccos, as well as premium tobaccos, are just a click away on the internet. In my European country, tobacco may only be sold in government-licensed outlets and mail orders are prohibited. Any postal/mail-order import (no matter how small) is considered tax fraud and a felony which gets put on your criminal record for years and effectively eliminates any chance of ever finding/keeping a decent job. We do have some more pipe-oriented tobacconists, but those carry 5-10 gas-station/OTC aromatics in pouches and maybe one Dunhill-clone - if you are lucky. The only legal way to acquire a broader range of pipe tobacco is to travel to another European country, buy the tobacco there in person and take it with you over the border (max. of 1 kilogram applies). Every few months I travel to Europe's pipe tobacco paradise and bring back one kilogram of pipe tobacco with me. From where I live this is a total of 8 hours of train travel, which I have since become accustomed to. During my last trip, I stocked up on some old favourites and am looking forward to Peterson's Deluxe Navy Rolls, which I have not tried before. Count yourselves lucky, gentlemen, if you can order by mail.

I’m jealous of the European rail system. What a wonderful way to travel the continent, especially on a rail pass.

To me, it evokes all kinds of romanticized images of the orient express. I used to purposely book long layovers at airports with a rail station just for a day excursion. It was worth the hassle of going back through security. Plus it’s so relaxing catching up on reading with a beverage or three.

 

[samuelgawith01]

View attachment 33153

I am always jealous when I read how (relatively) easy it is for you fine people in the US to acquire a broad selection of pipe tobaccos. From what I gathered in most US states bulk tobaccos, as well as premium tobaccos, are just a click away on the internet. In my European country, tobacco may only be sold in government-licensed outlets and mail orders are prohibited. Any postal/mail-order import (no matter how small) is considered tax fraud and a felony which gets put on your criminal record for years and effectively eliminates any chance of ever finding/keeping a decent job. We do have some more pipe-oriented tobacconists, but those carry 5-10 gas-station/OTC aromatics in pouches and maybe one Dunhill-clone - if you are lucky. The only legal way to acquire a broader range of pipe tobacco is to travel to another European country, buy the tobacco there in person and take it with you over the border (max. of 1 kilogram applies). Every few months I travel to Europe's pipe tobacco paradise and bring back one kilogram of pipe tobacco with me. From where I live this is a total of 8 hours of train travel, which I have since become accustomed to. During my last trip, I stocked up on some old favourites and am looking forward to Peterson's Deluxe Navy Rolls, which I have not tried before. Count yourselves lucky, gentlemen, if you can order by mail.

This is why I have stocked up.Not so much to age the tobacco,but to have a good supply in case this happens in the US.Wonder if the ATF is reading this.

 

[TinCup]

I am always jealous when I read how (relatively) easy it is for you fine people in the US to acquire a broad selection of pipe tobaccos. From what I gathered in most US states bulk tobaccos, as well as premium tobaccos, are just a click away on the internet. In my European country, tobacco may only be sold in government-licensed outlets and mail orders are prohibited. Any postal/mail-order import (no matter how small) is considered tax fraud and a felony which gets put on your criminal record for years and effectively eliminates any chance of ever finding/keeping a decent job. We do have some more pipe-oriented tobacconists, but those carry 5-10 gas-station/OTC aromatics in pouches and maybe one Dunhill-clone - if you are lucky. The only legal way to acquire a broader range of pipe tobacco is to travel to another European country, buy the tobacco there in person and take it with you over the border (max. of 1 kilogram applies). Every few months I travel to Europe's pipe tobacco paradise and bring back one kilogram of pipe tobacco with me. From where I live this is a total of 8 hours of train travel, which I have since become accustomed to. During my last trip, I stocked up on some old favourites and am looking forward to Peterson's Deluxe Navy Rolls, which I have not tried before. Count yourselves lucky, gentlemen, if you can order by mail.

Pfft, I’m stuck in the middle of an island, no one sells pipe tobacco, no one is permitted to import pipe tobacco. The only way to get it by personal travel (flights) and even then its restricted to 250g
The nearest source is a minimum 4 hours flying time one way but the airports been shut for months with the virus and even if it was open the nearest country that sells it has banned all OTC cigarette and tobacco sales during their lockdown
If I hadn't got my hands on 250g in March 3 days before our lockdown I’d have completely run out by now, I’ve started rationing myself when I can smoke a pipe but it looks increasing likely that it’ll be Sept/Oct before I can get anymore

You don’t know how lucky you are

 

[Ryszard]

I’m jealous of the European rail system. What a wonderful way to travel the continent, especially on a rail pass.

To me, it evokes all kinds of romanticized images of the orient express. I used to purposely book long layovers at airports with a rail station just for a day excursion. It was worth the hassle of going back through security. Plus it’s so relaxing catching up on reading with a beverage or three.

This is exactly the single thing I love most about living in Europe.
I can move almost freely between countries by train and most are just a day's journey away too.

While I do have a car, I only use it when absolutely necessary and everything else I travel exclusively by train.
Reading a book while at the same time having a front-row seat to enjoy beautiful sceneries... it is very romantic indeed.

I hate travelling by aeroplane and all the things you have to go through at airports these days.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Great haul! Dockworker is an absolutely fantastic blend. Even more incredible with a few years on it, truly great stuff.

 

[mso489]

Terrific stash! We seem to be headed into some heavy weather with regulations, so our golden age of blends and internet may be coming to an end in the U.S. Being a moderate smoker, I think I can puff along for years to come, but we will certainly miss the access. It has been a pipe smoker's playground. No more real cowboys, no more jubilant pipe smokers, it seems.

 

[workman]

I'm curious, what is Europe's tobacco paradise?

 

[Ryszard]

I'm curious, what is Europe's tobacco paradise?

I'd say Germany, but Denmark or other countries might have a similar wide selection... anyway, for me personally it's Germany.

 

[tech49]

Terrific stash! We seem to be headed into some heavy weather with regulations, so our golden age of blends and internet may be coming to an end in the U.S.

This thought is in the back of my mind also. It's not the main reason I'm buying different tobaccos, but it may contribute to why I tend to buy multiple amounts/tins at a time.

Getting back into pipe smoking after switching to mainly cigars about 20 years ago, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. I first smoked Amphora Red out of my dad's tin in the living room when I was 16, in a pipe I made myself out of hickory. That was 46 years ago.

Now, according to my spreadsheet I have 256 different pipe tobaccos in the closet, in about 400 tins, jars and cans. I didn't intend to end up with this many, and it's probably a lot less than many of you, but since I can't smoke them all right away, I guess this could be called a cellar.

I feel bad for our EU cousins out there who face such difficulties enjoying a true pleasure in life that is pipe smoking.

 

[workman]

I'd say Germany, but Denmark or other countries might have a similar wide selection... anyway, for me personally it's Germany.

I have the same issues you have, only I don't travel regularly and the allowed import is only 250 grams.
I buy at the Danish Pipe Shop in Copenhagen. Luckily, I have some select friends who buy for me, when they travel. If they didn't, I'd have to smoke nail clippings and sawdust.
Cellaring is an uphill struggle for me.

 

[Ryszard]

I have the same issues you have, only I don't travel regularly and the allowed import is only 250 grams.
I buy at the Danish Pipe Shop in Copenhagen. Luckily, I have some select friends who buy for me, when they travel. If they didn't, I'd have to smoke nail clippings and sawdust.
Cellaring is an uphill struggle for me.

Sorry to hear you are in an even worse situation.
Cellaring is indeed not quite easy, especially considering the ever-increasing prices.

I usually buy two tins of the same blend, one for smoking and one for cellaring. While pipe smoking is pretty dead in my country, Germany still has a relatively active community around it and tobacco producers seem to go with the flow. I'm hopeful that for the next 10 years I'll be able to stock up my cellar slowly but steadily.

 

[ssjones]

It's interesting to hear perspectives from other countries.
As a boy, we lived in W. Germany, and traveled by rail a lot. As a young man, it was always very exciting. Here in the US, I used to travel by train from Baltimore to NYC. For some reason, that did not have the same vibe. (that Acela run goes through the worst parts of the town stops, so not very picturesque.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I'm curious, what is Europe's tobacco paradise?

After all it might Be Spain ,prices are good and selections are more than satisfactory

 

[Worknman]

With the stuff going on in the US right now we'll be in your situation sooner rather than later.