What Would You Like to Ask a Tobacconist?

[cosmicfolklore]

My pipe club is having Max Stokkebye, of Lane LTD, come to talk with us and have a workshop on blending on June 5th.
We have lots of discussions about pipe tobacco on here that always end in ambiguity, suppositions, and speculations, because we are not inside the industry.

For example, concerning chemicals and additives in tobaccos, flavorings, quality, leaf types not mentioned on labels, curing and handling of the leaf, etc... We really can never resolve these 100%, and it probably would not get resolved 100% by just asking one tobacconist or company man.
My problem when faced with an expert in the field is that I usually never have prepared questions to ask, and I end up standing there like an idiot sucking on my pipe, going, "cool, cool."
So, with time to think beforehand, what would you ask Max Stokkebye? For fun, I promise to relay your questions, and then report back. It will be like you are a part of our pipe club vicariously.

 

[condorlover1]

I have always been interested to ask them 'Do you smoke?'

 

[cosmicfolklore]

'Do you smoke?'

Ha ha, yes, when I first met Brian Levine, he was with Sutliff. I had been dying to ask him which Sutliff blend was his favorite, ha ha.

 

[didimauw]

"How did you get into the business??"

"And or how can someone get into the business?"
I'd love to smoke my pipe all day, and sell tobacco and pipes. :puffpipe: 8)
Also...How's the possibility of recording him on video while asking the questions?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Didi, being of the Stokkebye family is not something we all could do, but it is interesting that Max works for Lane. I do bet that makes for interesting family gatherings, ha ha. But, I can ask him how to get into the business. It would be interesting to hear his take on it.
I could try video. Maybe someone in the club already knows how to do that. You guys wouldn't want me in the video though. I have a face made more for radio. ::

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

I would want to know more about humectants and the additives used to prevent molding. I'm fascinated by how pipe tobacco can be processed in a way to sit on a shelf in my closet for years and not dry out, not mold, and only get better. There has to be a secret to it?

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

The thread title led me to believe that this would be a somewhat broader subject. I would like to ask a retail tobacconist "Why, since you likely paid 45% of MSRP, or at most 50%, for that pipe, do you act like I am trying to steal the food from your children's mouths if I make a cash offer of 80% of MSRP? "

 

[ashdigger]

I'd ask what their favorite color is, then I'd ask how that color choice impacts their blending style.

 

[didimauw]

That's deep Ash...really deep... :D

 

[mso489]

Since I grumble about it on Forums, I might ask about blends that don't include Latakia or Perique. I love 'em both, but studying the constituent tobaccos in blends, they seem like default condiments -- blend anything then throw in the requisite Lat and Per. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but just do it, seems the theme. How about using other condiments, of which there are many. Simple ones we all know like dark fired, various Cavendish, Orientals, Turkish, an array of burleys, but many others. Lat and Per are far too good to just be the high fructose corn syrup of tobacco blending.
Secondly, the inevitable question about FDA and its impact on pipe tobaccos.
Thirdly, what's his standard pipe for sampling blends?
Ok, that's enough from me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

All of these are great, well... one question would be best posed to a retailer and one for someone into mood blends, ha ha.
My question... so far (2 part question), is (1) why does Lane produce so many vanilla based blends, and what differentiates one vanilla from all of the others? Also, (2) why develop a whole line of cigar named blends with no cigar leaf in them, and making them all vanilla?
Basically, what is so great about vanilla?

 

[fishingandpipes]

Ask him if he thinks a hamburger is a type of sandwich or an entity of its own

 

[aquadoc]

Why not produce a line of aromatics without the damn humectants? In almost every thread regarding aromatics, there is a critical majority regarding the heavy handed use of PG.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Aquadoc, that was the sort of question I was expecting. Great point, and hopefully you can make it to the meeting also.

 

[aquadoc]

I have every intention to do so. I just pulled the computer board out of my mini and I am going to attempt to isolate, remove, replace the chip which failed last night, causing all of my lights and most of my electrical to go kaput on I85. Talk about a check your drawers moment. Apparently, my year has a BMW made body, a Peugeot made engine, and a hodgepodge of MB/BMW/and whothefknows electronics. First real problem I have had since 2004. But, hopefully I will be mobile in time for the meeting.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Hopefully by June, you'll have it back to operational. I just changed out two coils on my Daughter's car last night. A real knuckle buster.
Another one, I always ask Lane folks is about why they can't give us a great Virginia or VaPer. Is it a market issue (less non-aro people) or just a facility issue, (like maybe they don't have the equipment or know-how)? I try to be nice about it though, because they are supplying us with all of the blending tobaccos and samples. ::

 

[aquadoc]

I thought the next meeting was in a few weeks. I think my issue is fairly common in the early mini re-release cars. A lot of info on diy sites. Should be easy.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yes, that is the next meeting, but Mr. Stokkebye wont be joining us till June. If you can make it to the May meeting, that would be awesome. But, it will be just a regular gathering, unless Skip or a Joe line up something special.

 

[winton]

If at all possible see if you can try the various components separately. How often do you find a blend that your really like or hate? If you could identify what you really like or hate, you will know what to buy in the future.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Good question.
Also, what about questions of tobacco quality or grading? Any ideas on a specific question in that catagory? I know it has come up in posts.