Why Did D&R Stop Selling Picayune?

[sablebrush52]

You guys spending big on ebay aged bags crack me up.

Time warp? eBay stopped selling tobacco about a year+ ago. Other than that, I agree with you. Looking at the prices on other "vintage" tobacco sites can be dumbfounding. I can hardly wait to sell all of my finely aged vintage crap, mummy dust, wraiths, zombie vomit treasures to idiots discerning connoisseurs.
The other sad fact is that even if one isn't particularly interested in stocking up on some favored blend, the reality is that blends have a way of disappearing without warning, like Klondike Gold. So if you want to enjoy a bowl down the road without being corn holed charged a premium, you buy it while it's available.

 

[craig61a]

I love all the speculation without any real knowledge. We pipers are literally full of hot air.

A load of Bollocks... Threads drone on like "Top that Tale". Mildly amusing...

 

[anotherbob]

Two pages so far, and no one has an actual answer to the OP's question. PMF is alive and doing well.

Time warp? eBay stopped selling tobacco about a year+ ago. Other than that, I agree with you. Looking at the prices on other "vintage" tobacco sites can be dumbfounding. I can hardly wait to sell all of my finely aged vintage crap, mummy dust, wraiths, zombie vomit treasures to idiots discerning connoisseurs.
The other sad fact is that even if one isn't particularly interested in stocking up on some favored blend, the reality is that blends have a way of disappearing without warning, like Klondike Gold. So if I want to enjoy a bowl down the road without being corn holed charged a premium, you buy it while it's available.

mummy dust is great for making paint.

 

[JimInks]

Never heard anything but praise for that one.

I happen to enjoy Three Sails in a pipe. I smoke a bowl most days when I do my walking reps. It has a nice citrus flavor.

 

[JimInks]

The reviews I read seemed pretty negative. But I guess the reviews for Picayune are mixed.

You should smoke a blend before you slam it.

 

[craig61a]

I happen to enjoy Three Sails in a pipe. I smoke a bowl most days when I do my walking reps. It has a nice citrus flavor.

As do I...

 

[craig61a]

I can get all the Picayune I want for $2. I got a guy...

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I just realized that I was smoking some Rowland Gold now.
I really think the way these blends are named hurt him most. Silver, gold, platinum... I never understood the differences.

 

[BROBS]

I also am not the biggest Esoterica fan. It sucks with age. I’m most disappointed with my decision of cellar a bunch early on. But, I can hate them without having to like all the swag weed out there, ha ha!
Just messin’ with ya.
But, I do like a few Esoterica aros and fresh Penzance.
Hell, I’ll send someone my aged Black Pool for the shipping fee. And, I’ll gladly swap aged Penzance for some fresh tinned. But, you guys can have all the Mixture 79 and Captain Blacks. And, don’t even smoke that Middleton Cherry near me, ha ha!

You guys spending big on ebay aged bags crack me up.

Aged Blackpool I’m your huckleberry

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Aged Blackpool I’m your huckleberry

It was claimed pretty fast after my post. After 5 years, It got all crystalized, which was unusual to me, because it was a ribbon, not a flake. Same thing happened to my Stonehenge. But, the Blackpool Fresh is a very nice licorice aromatic. I really liked it fresh. But, with age and the crystals, I expected it to be sweeter, but it lost all flavor, except for a slight sour wet rag taste. I didn't enjoy it.

Also, Tillsbury after five years tastes like dirt, no sweetness, just an earthy "beet-like" flavor. I didn't set back but one tin of this.

I recall a letter from the guy who owns or manages Esoterica that was posted here, where he tells us that we shouldn't age Esoterica. They were not designed for that. Seems like he called people who cellar some funny European word, a slur... tufters? Poofers? I can't remember what it was. Seems like Sable has reposted it, maybe he will chime in.

But, any Esoterica I buy in the future, I will smoke them right away. I do love fresh Penzance, but age does nothing positive to them, IMO. But, you guys setting back bags of this and you guys buying it up... enjoy!! ha ha. YMMV

 

[fireground_piper]

I just realized that I was smoking some Rowland Gold now.
I really think the way these blends are named hurt him most. Silver, gold, platinum... I never understood the differences.

I enjoy the Rowland Gold. Bought a tin at the TAPS show in 2019 after Mark pitched it to me. Stuff basically smokes itself. Will be a bummer I can't pick up another tin when I want it.

The naming definitely didn't help the product move! The Gold made it an all(or mostly) Virginia blend, the others have different burley/OR/etc. in them.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I enjoy the Rowland Gold. Bought a tin at the TAPS show in 2019 after Mark pitched it to me. Stuff basically smokes itself. Will be a bummer I can't pick up another tin when I want it.

The naming definitely didn't help the product move! The Gold made it an all(or mostly) Virginia blend, the others have different burley/OR/etc. in them.

Did Rowland get dropped also?

 

[fireground_piper]

The Gold was on the maybe list on that other D&R thread. I see it's still at smokingpipes, but only in 16oz bags, no tins. Maybe they just did away with tins of it?

I don't think I want a pound of it though. It's such a light blend, I'm hesitant it will lose what I like about it over years sitting in a jar.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The Gold was on the maybe list on that other D&R thread. I see it's still at smokingpipes, but only in 16oz bags, no tins. Maybe they just did away with tins of it?

I don't think I want a pound of it though. It's such a light blend, I'm hesitant it will lose what I like about it over years sitting in a jar.

I steam it for a bit before jarring. it seems to make it age better.

 

[Pipewizard420]

I have about a pound of Picayne in the cellar and I agree that it was one of their most famous blends. Athey and Wintergold are my favorite D&R blends and they were sadly discontinued as well. The good news it that since D&R was a cheaper bulk blend, there should be a lot of it out there on the second hand market if you need to track down more. As for reasons why they chose these blends, we can only guess.

 

[Jeremiah Johnson]

You should smoke a blend before you slam it.

That's easy for you to say - you've smoked them all! I didn't really think I "slammed it." But I'll be careful how I wield my opinions going forward. (I do have one tin of it, but I haven't cracked it yet - I bought it in one of the end-of-year sales a few months ago.)

 

[hauntedmyst]

Time warp? eBay stopped selling tobacco about a year+ ago. Other than that, I agree with you. Looking at the prices on other "vintage" tobacco sites can be dumbfounding. I can hardly wait to sell all of my finely aged vintage crap, mummy dust, wraiths, zombie vomit treasures to idiots discerning connoisseurs.
The other sad fact is that even if one isn't particularly interested in stocking up on some favored blend, the reality is that blends have a way of disappearing without warning, like Klondike Gold. So if you want to enjoy a bowl down the road without being corn holed charged a premium, you buy it while it's available.

I agree with you! I wish I had had the foresight to stock up! At least pipers aren't like the usual profiteering scumbags, hucksters, douche nozzle most other hobbyists who screw over, bend over, take the to the prison shower take advantage of a shortage. Even when they are over priced, they at least offer some lube and a reach around say thank you!

 

[hauntedmyst]

But, any Esoterica I buy in the future, I will smoke them right away. I do love fresh Penzance, but age does nothing positive to them, IMO. But, you guys setting back bags of this and you guys buying it up... enjoy!! ha ha. YMMV

I totally agree on Penzance. It's best when it's fresh and full flavored. Aging it takes away character and flavor.

 

[Worknman]

If aging negatively affects Esoterica blends it must be the apricot casing wearing off.

 

[sablebrush52]

It was claimed pretty fast after my post. After 5 years, It got all crystalized, which was unusual to me, because it was a ribbon, not a flake. Same thing happened to my Stonehenge. But, the Blackpool Fresh is a very nice licorice aromatic. I really liked it fresh. But, with age and the crystals, I expected it to be sweeter, but it lost all flavor, except for a slight sour wet rag taste. I didn't enjoy it.

Also, Tillsbury after five years tastes like dirt, no sweetness, just an earthy "beet-like" flavor. I didn't set back but one tin of this.

I recall a letter from the guy who owns or manages Esoterica that was posted here, where he tells us that we shouldn't age Esoterica. They were not designed for that. Seems like he called people who cellar some funny European word, a slur... tufters? Poofers? I can't remember what it was. Seems like Sable has reposted it, maybe he will chime in.

But, any Esoterica I buy in the future, I will smoke them right away. I do love fresh Penzance, but age does nothing positive to them, IMO. But, you guys setting back bags of this and you guys buying it up... enjoy!! ha ha. YMMV

It was the head of the company and the expression he wrote was "fapping about". He said that they were already aged and ready to be enjoyed upon release. He said nothing about the effect of further aging.

Aging doesn't improve or worsen blends, it just changes them. Whether that change is for better or worse is up to the individual smoker to decide. Some people love the hit of fresh Latakia and others prefer it when it's faded a bit.

I know long term cellarers who like the change to some of the Esoterica blends a lot, and others who don't. I guess I'll find out as time goes by. I'm smoking Dunbar with a few years on it and it's quite good, as is Dorchester. I'll have to pop a bag of Tilbury, but that's one that I was told to age as its flavors really developed after a few years.

To some extent, all of the Esoterica Blends are aromatics and time is not kind to the toppings over the long run. So if the underlying blend of tobaccos doesn't please, that's all she wrote.

The issue I have with many of them is that they're really PITAs when it comes to hitting the best moisture level. Stonehaven tastes like nothing to me unless i find that moisture level, and then it really sings. Too moist, or too dry, and it's just dead.