What Is The Lure And Lore Of Esoterica

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,171
20,923
When I was in DC a couple of weeks ago I wandered into W. Curtis Drapers Tobacconist just for a visit and was surprised to find that they had many Esoterica blends in stock. Knowing how difficult it is to procure any tobacco blended under this label, I secured one tin of everything they had in stock: Pembroke, Margate & And So To Bed. As you can imagine, I could not wait to try each one of these legendary and hard to get blends, and did so at my first possible chance. It’s unfortunate to say that for the second time in my pipe smoking life, I found an entire brand completely unsmokable (the first was ES 4th Generation). To start, I found that I could not get any of these blends to dry out to a satisfactory level. No matter how long I left them in my drying tray (30 minutes being my max) they all retained a fair level of moisture that made them smoke both hot and damp. (I have Margate in a jar at the moment and it is still as moist as the day I opened the tin.) After my second bowlful of each blend, I came to the conclusion that there was no satisfaction to be had, so I traded the remainder of my Pembroke & And So To Bed to a fellow piper and could not give away the Margate even for free...so now it’s jarred and in the dungeon of my cellar.

Other than to vent, here is my question: did I miss something? I currently smoke a wide variety of blends including blends from Dunhill, Lane, McClellan, Solani, Orlik, Peter Stokkebye, Russ Ouellette, Watch City and OTC’s, and while all of them do not make it into my rotation on a monthly basis, I still derive enjoyment from them when they do.

Any thoughts or insights on this subject would be greatly appreciated, as I am baffled.
 

bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
5,974
51,375
41
Louisville
Well that’s only three blends out of a dozen or so.
I thoroughly enjoy their Virginia blends and Vapers. Tilbury, Dunbar, Scarborough, Cardiff, Peacehaven.

edit: 30 minutes isnt very long to expect a moist tobacco to dry out. Depending on the relative humidity, it could take a couple hours to overnight.
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,171
20,923
Well that’s only three blends out of a dozen or so.
I thoroughly enjoy their Virginia blends and Vapers. Tilbury, Dunbar, Scarborough, Cardiff, Peacehaven.

edit: 30 minutes isnt very long to expect a moist tobacco to dry out. Depending on the relative humidity, it could take a couple hours to overnight.
All fair enough. Thank you.
 

SpookedPiper

Lifer
Sep 9, 2019
2,055
10,503
East coast
When I was in DC a couple of weeks ago I wandered into W. Curtis Drapers Tobacconist just for a visit and was surprised to find that they had many Esoterica blends in stock. Knowing how difficult it is to procure any tobacco blended under this label, I secured one tin of everything they had in stock: Pembroke, Margate & And So To Bed. As you can imagine, I could not wait to try each one of these legendary and hard to get blends, and did so at my first possible chance. It’s unfortunate to say that for the second time in my pipe smoking life, I found an entire brand completely unsmokable (the first was ES 4th Generation). To start, I found that I could not get any of these blends to dry out to a satisfactory level. No matter how long I left them in my drying tray (30 minutes being my max) they all retained a fair level of moisture that made them smoke both hot and damp. (I have Margate in a jar at the moment and it is still as moist as the day I opened the tin.) After my second bowlful of each blend, I came to the conclusion that there was no satisfaction to be had, so I traded the remainder of my Pembroke & And So To Bed to a fellow piper and could not give away the Margate even for free...so now it’s jarred and in the dungeon of my cellar.

Other than to vent, here is my question: did I miss something? I currently smoke a wide variety of blends including blends from Dunhill, Lane, McClellan, Solani, Orlik, Peter Stokkebye, Russ Ouellette, Watch City and OTC’s, and while all of them do not make it into my rotation on a monthly basis, I still derive enjoyment from them when they do.

Any thoughts or insights on this subject would be greatly appreciated, as I am baffled.
I find it hard to believe that you could not give away Margate..."even for free".

Please post it next time, it will disappear..I promise you.

I am not sure what's up with "you people".."throwing" blends away...please, there are starving pipers out there...donate!
 

SpookedPiper

Lifer
Sep 9, 2019
2,055
10,503
East coast
Sorry! I'm not an enabler.☔ Hate to rain on your parade.

If I buy a blend I find I'm not a fan of, I toss it. I'm not interested polling the net to find the needy, packaging the blends for shipping, trips to the PO, answering questions when there is a "snag" in the delivery. The "feel good" of doing so simply isn't worth the effort.

Your not raining on my parade..I can see if you live in a place that's difficult to service by air/land and maybe the weather sucks further making it a PITA to send it out. Plus, it's your cash, your goods, your will. Toss it...but for others who aren't inconvenienced by making the effort it's nice especially for blends that have an aura about them.

I wouldn't send out a 1/2 used tin of Dark and strong Kentucky by Orlick as it's readily available so.its not worth the hassle. But to each their own. Just my two cents.
Cheers
 

ormazd

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 12, 2018
121
58
Virginia, USA
Well that’s only three blends out of a dozen or so.
I thoroughly enjoy their Virginia blends and Vapers. Tilbury, Dunbar, Scarborough, Cardiff, Peacehaven.

edit: 30 minutes isnt very long to expect a moist tobacco to dry out. Depending on the relative humidity, it could take a couple hours to overnight.

Here in the Old Dominion, tobacco gets moister if you leave it out. I spread some on a candle warmer for a few minutes.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,079
Carmel Valley, CA
One word: moisture.

All the Esotericas I have bought (Margate, Penzance, Pembroke and Stonehaven) are bag or tinned at around 90% RH @ 70º— way to high for a good smoke. And DC is not noted for low humidity. Learn to dry your tobacco before whinging.

And while some aging may be a good thing, that was not the problem here. The tobaccos I mention don't "need" aging, though for me Pembroke needs a very good airing out.
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,171
20,923
Sorry! I'm not an enabler.☔ Hate to rain on your parade.

If I buy a blend I find I'm not a fan of, I toss it. I'm not interested polling the net to find the needy, packaging the blends for shipping, trips to the PO, answering questions when there is a "snag" in the delivery. The "feel good" of doing so simply isn't worth the effort.
I'm not sure how relevant this is to my question(s), but I stand by your right to assert it. Thanks.

BTW, yes, I also do the same (throw out blends I do not like), and Margate will meet this end after six months in my cellar. I simply don't have the time or the room to hang on after that point.
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,171
20,923
One word: moisture.

All the Esotericas I have bought (Margate, Penzance, Pembroke and Stonehaven) are bag or tinned at around 90% RH @ 70º— way to high for a good smoke. And DC is not noted for low humidity. Learn to dry your tobacco before whinging.

And while some aging may be a good thing, that was not the problem here. The tobaccos I mention don't "need" aging, though for me Pembroke needs a very good airing out.
Whing: complain persistently and in a peevish or irritating way. If I'm irritating you, jpmcwjr then please, by all means, stay off my feed. I definitely don't want my posts to be a cause of peevishness in your life. On your other note, yes, I will dry Margate to almost to a crisp before I try again. Thanks for the learned advice.
 
Oct 7, 2016
2,451
5,195
I am a notorious Germain and GH fanboy. Everything dries out at least over night in my centrally heated and air conditioned home, I frequently let thus dried tobacco sit packed in the pipe for 15 minutes to an hour before lighting. Much more flavorful in addition to requiring fewer relights, etc. PITA to some I guess, but I have been smoking these blends for well over 30 years and it is just second nature by now.
 

seanv

Lifer
Mar 22, 2018
2,958
10,405
Canada
The moisture is the likely problem. I have dried blends out for multiple days before it was ready to smoke. I won't throw blends out, I use them to mix and match with other stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jpmcwjr

seanv

Lifer
Mar 22, 2018
2,958
10,405
Canada
I am a notorious Germain and GH fanboy. Everything dries out at least over night in my centrally heated and air conditioned home, I frequently let thus dried tobacco sit packed in the pipe for 15 minutes to an hour before lighting. Much more flavorful in addition to requiring fewer relights, etc. PITA to some I guess, but I have been smoking these blends for well over 30 years and it is just second nature by now.
I've left bowls packed for a week or more before and found that the smoke was great
 
  • Like
Reactions: jpmcwjr
Jun 23, 2019
1,845
12,758
When I was in DC a couple of weeks ago I wandered into W. Curtis Drapers Tobacconist just for a visit and was surprised to find that they had many Esoterica blends in stock. Knowing how difficult it is to procure any tobacco blended under this label, I secured one tin of everything they had in stock: Pembroke, Margate & And So To Bed. As you can imagine, I could not wait to try each one of these legendary and hard to get blends, and did so at my first possible chance. It’s unfortunate to say that for the second time in my pipe smoking life, I found an entire brand completely unsmokable (the first was ES 4th Generation). To start, I found that I could not get any of these blends to dry out to a satisfactory level. No matter how long I left them in my drying tray (30 minutes being my max) they all retained a fair level of moisture that made them smoke both hot and damp. (I have Margate in a jar at the moment and it is still as moist as the day I opened the tin.) After my second bowlful of each blend, I came to the conclusion that there was no satisfaction to be had, so I traded the remainder of my Pembroke & And So To Bed to a fellow piper and could not give away the Margate even for free...so now it’s jarred and in the dungeon of my cellar.

Other than to vent, here is my question: did I miss something? I currently smoke a wide variety of blends including blends from Dunhill, Lane, McClellan, Solani, Orlik, Peter Stokkebye, Russ Ouellette, Watch City and OTC’s, and while all of them do not make it into my rotation on a monthly basis, I still derive enjoyment from them when they do.

Any thoughts or insights on this subject would be greatly appreciated, as I am baffled.

This is a very subtle and masterful troll job. Bravo gamzultovah ??
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: jpmcwjr and ormazd

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,171
20,923
I am a notorious Germain and GH fanboy. Everything dries out at least over night in my centrally heated and air conditioned home, I frequently let thus dried tobacco sit packed in the pipe for 15 minutes to an hour before lighting. Much more flavorful in addition to requiring fewer relights, etc. PITA to some I guess, but I have been smoking these blends for well over 30 years and it is just second nature by now.
Thank you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.