Why is Penzance the Ultimate Mythical Unicorn?

[mso489]

I'd never value a pipe tobacco blend for not being readily available. I can get quite attached to a blend, but it has to get attached to me too. It has to be made in sufficient supply, not forty years ago, but today. It has to be well distributed so I can go somewhere in my area to buy it or order it dependably online. This is a two-way street. I'm not offering unending unrequited love to blends that don't make the effort to sell their product to me. I don't want to chase relics of antiquity. Put up or be appropriately neglected. To quote the great Alabama Irish poet Thomas McAfee, "Don't call me up at some posh hour like noon to say you're sorry."

 

[renfield]

I gather from the context of this thread that Penzance is a pipe tobacco?

To me it has a narrow window of age where it really sings. Outside of that range it’s just another of many, many good blends.

Every hobby out there has its own particular unicorn which has been implicitly chosen as a unicorn. Beer, wine, cigars, audio equipment, guitars, amps, Lego kits, etc.

We have unicornized Penzance.

 

[Fumatore]

Back in the 60’s and 70’s I smoked a ton of Krumble Kake. Readily available to me as I worked in downtown Columbus Ohio and got it from the old Smokers Haven. It had lots of Syrian Latakia.

Living in a more rural environment I didn’t find Penzance until the 90’s when I could buy tobacco via the Internet. I smoked more than my share of it too (bought in bulk) sadly I was too stupid to cellar it.

I considered Penzance a far superior blend to Krumble Kake and an absolute classic blend. Would love to find it, and at a price for a fixed income retiree.

 

[Andriko]

Never tried it, and can't get it in the UK anyway (though I do keep my eye out for Germain's when they come up just out of curiosity). Being new to pipe smoking, I can only suspect that Penzance has the Dunhill thing going on a bit - hard to get hold of so it becomes 'legendary'. It's probably a great smoke, but also probably not the ultimate smoke.

 

[karam]

Never tried it, and can't get it in the UK anyway (though I do keep my eye out for Germain's when they come up just out of curiosity). Being new to pipe smoking, I can only suspect that Penzance has the Dunhill thing going on a bit - hard to get hold of so it becomes 'legendary'. It's probably a great smoke, but also probably not the ultimate smoke.

I hear 1820 Flake is pretty close to Penzance. Now if only you could readily get Germain’s in the UK…

 

[Singularis]

I hear 1820 Flake is pretty close to Penzance. Now if only you could readily get Germain’s in the UK…

I've never heard of 1820 Flake and I couldn't find it on tobaccoreviews.com (not that that's conclusive).

Actually, DuckDuckGo located it there: Tobacco Reviews | J. F. Germain & Son - 1820 Flake - https://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/11926/j-f-germain-son-1820-flake

 

[Andriko]

T

I hear 1820 Flake is pretty close to Penzance. Now if only you could readily get Germain’s in the UK…

There seems to be some available loose on one of the sights. Maybe I'll have a crack at it just for fun.

EDIT: Nevermind, I didn't see the out of stock bit!

 

[karam]

EDIT: Nevermind, I didn't see the out of stock bit!

Yeah I have been looking for some Germain’s to send to a friend to hold for me for at least 6 months.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

can't get it in the UK anyway

It's odd that you can't get a UK based companies product, named for places in the UK, in the UK. That seems unfair.

 

[Singularis]

T

There seems to be some available loose on one of the sights. Maybe I'll have a crack at it just for fun.

EDIT: Nevermind, I didn't see the out of stock bit!

Yep, more unicorns.

 

[eljimmy]

It's not a problem. I like it and not because it's unobtanium. These were all bought at my B&M. I stopped buying it because this is a lifetime supply for me.
View attachment 108718

If you ever go and see some there, please pick some up for me and I'll take care of you.

 

[anotherbob]

Honestly I'd love to try it but don't want to put fourth the effort. But the worst that could happen is that I really like it.

 

[sablebrush52]

It's odd that you can't get a UK based companies product, named for places in the UK, in the UK. That seems unfair.

Keep in mind that these blends were created for a US company strictly for US distribution.

 

[hauntedmyst]

I hear 1820 Flake is pretty close to Penzance. Now if only you could readily get Germain’s in the UK…

Tried it. Not in the same realm as Penzance to my tastes.

 

[Andriko]

It's odd that you can't get a UK based companies product, named for places in the UK, in the UK. That seems unfair.

Not as odd as it would first appear I think, seeing that Esoterika is made especially for the US market, and I there are probably massive regulatory hurdles to sell a new blend in the UK. On top of that, Germain's is based in Jersey, which, technically speaking, isn't a part of the UK.

The real question is, if I go to Jersey, do Germain's have a shop I can go to and buy whatever I like?

 

[forloveoffreedom]

Penzance not only comes in a shiny gold bag but the word is fun to say. I think that is why the fomo hoarding really took hold. Stand on your sofa, raise your hands and yell “PENZANCE”. I guarantee it will make you smile and your family laugh at you.

 

[Peter Peachfuzz]

Well some men, once they get a whiff of it, they trail it like a hound.

 

[That Guy]

Never had Penzance but I was able to get Margate in a trade. I smoke it sparingly but it is a very fine quality tobacco. I can definitely tell a difference between this and my many other English plans I enjoy. Would I go out of my way to get it or pay more than what it originally sells for to obtain it? Nope. If I'm ever lucky enough to find some online at normal prices back in stock would I buy it? definitely!

 

[marconi]

Germains has produced an exact copy for the UK market minus some additives that are banned in the EU/UK.Those that have smoked both Penzance and 1820 Flake say there is no difference.
I have only smoked the 1820 Flake which is equaly as difficult to get hold of.Some retailers may get 10x500g bags and they are sold out the same day without ever going up on their website and then don’t get any more for six months.
I recently ordered 400g but it’s gone missing in the postal system this was meant to be shared around the brothers it may turn up.It is a very good smoke

 

[karam]

EDIT: Nevermind, I didn't see the out of stock bit!

Yeah I have been looking for some Germain’s to send to a friend to hold for me for at least 6 months.

Germains has produced an exact copy for the UK market minus some additives that are banned in the EU/UK.Those that have smoked both Penzance and 1820 Flake say there is no difference.
I have only smoked the 1820 Flake which is equaly as difficult to get hold of.Some retailers may get 10x500g bags and they are sold out the same day without ever going up on their website and then don’t get any more for six months.
I recently ordered 400g but it’s gone missing in the postal system this was meant to be shared around the brothers it may turn up.It is a very good smoke

Tried it. Not in the same realm as Penzance to my tastes.

Good to gear both points of view, I am not exactly chasing 1820 flake but if I ever see it I will hit just just for the what the hell factor.