Watch City Slices Discontinued

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mav

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 14, 2021
270
1,729
49
Chicago
That's great, not to open a rabbit hole but any blends you recommend? English, Burley, Virginia/Burley?
 
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woodsroad

Lifer
Oct 10, 2013
12,652
20,203
SE PA USA
Right. My intent was that there’s a little more to the story and “quality” is an odd term to be using even though they also used it. There was a change to the sourced burley, so instead of ending up like what’s currently going on with all of the K&K blends with changes, it’s being discontinued with a planned replacement blend with the differently sourced burley.
It all sounds a bit suspect to me. "Quality" is usually the code buzzword for "Quantity". As in they can't get any at the price they were paying. But they will try and find whatever it is someplace else.

Does Watch City actually manufacture these slices? Does anyone know for certain (as in: "Yes, I've seen the operation") ?
 

Ahi Ka

Lurker
Feb 25, 2020
6,716
32,127
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
It all sounds a bit suspect to me. "Quality" is usually the code buzzword for "Quantity". As in they can't get any at the price they were paying. But they will try and find whatever it is someplace else.

Does Watch City actually manufacture these slices? Does anyone know for certain (as in: "Yes, I've seen the operation") ?
I gathered from the chatter here, that the slices/flakes that they sell are manufactured at Sutliff under Ernie’s direction, whereas ribbon/mixture are blended in house
 

highwindows

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 16, 2022
199
2,370
Gibraltar/Georgia
I have to be honest, I ordered some Watch City Slices a couple months ago and was not impressed. Reminded me of C&D burleys - rough, acrid, not good quality. Then again I have been spoiled by some of the European burley blends which are available these days.
 

otm

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 23, 2020
156
1,426
Texas
Sad news. This was one of my favorite blends and a great one IMHO. Thanks Ernie for the good times!
 
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jpberg

Lifer
Aug 30, 2011
3,172
7,407
It all sounds a bit suspect to me. "Quality" is usually the code buzzword for "Quantity". As in they can't get any at the price they were paying. But they will try and find whatever it is someplace else.

Does Watch City actually manufacture these slices? Does anyone know for certain (as in: "Yes, I've seen the operation") ?
No, they don’t “manufacture “ the slices.
But gosh, it’s tough to hear the “Warhorse” guy talk anything about quality and quantity.
 
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otm

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 23, 2020
156
1,426
Texas
I think WC has some amazing blends, but slices just didn't do it for me. I have nearly all of the pound I bought in April still jarred and stored. If anyone wants it, I'll gladly trade it away.
I’m down! DM me
 
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runscott

Lifer
Jun 3, 2020
1,289
2,830
Washington State
It all sounds a bit suspect to me. "Quality" is usually the code buzzword for "Quantity". As in they can't get any at the price they were paying. But they will try and find whatever it is someplace else.

Does Watch City actually manufacture these slices? Does anyone know for certain (as in: "Yes, I've seen the operation") ?

He can't get the burley he needs, so he's getting something else and re-branding the blend. It's not a 'did they really land on the moon?' sort of thing.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,686
48,849
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Does Watch City actually manufacture these slices? Does anyone know for certain (as in: "Yes, I've seen the operation") ?
As I've been given to understand, Sutliff makes the pressed blends for WCC.
When someone uses the word "quality" in this way I tend to think of it as a substitute for "character". Mike McNeill famously threw out the final run of 5100 rather than distribute it, because the leaf he tried to use for that last batch, lacked the characteristics (qualities) needed and it was something of a Hail Mary that didn't work out.
 
Feb 12, 2022
3,574
50,415
32
North Georgia mountains.
You better listen to what @chasingembers says because things can change very quickly in the pipe world.
I brushed this advice off in the past, thinking people were overreacting or justifying their spending ha.
Needless to say, I've been taking it to heart the past year. Especially after this latest K&K drop and the WCC news. Scarcity of quality ingredients seems to be a real threat to some of our favorite blends