Value tinned english/oriental

Gents, I'm down to a last tin. I need to place an order. Normally I like to order several different tins, but this is a budget order. I know the best value is in buying bulk. But when I've bought bigger quantities in the past, they dry out.

So I need tins, 2 oz -ish. Virginia tends to give me tongue bite, and I don't like aros. So English, oriental, that's what I'm looking for. I enjoy perique, too. Probably my favorite baccy so far has been SG Skiff Mixture. After that Squadron Leader, Esoterica Margate.

Given that, do you guys know any good values?

If you like SL and Margate, you must try "Rattray's 7 Reserve". I discovered it as gift from BL Santa last year. It comes in a 1.75 oz tin for about $10. It's a wonderful, mild, all day smoke. Zero tongue bite and it's one of my very favorites. I have several tins as I plow through it pretty quickly. PM your address and I will send you couple of bowls to try.

Vlad said:

Gents, I'm down to a last tin. I need to place an order. Normally I like to order several different tins, but this is a budget order. I know the best value is in buying bulk. But when I've bought bigger quantities in the past, they dry out.

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Have you tried storing your bulk in jars? That should prevent it from drying out. And I typically store it in 1/2 pint jars so I can have one open with several full and sealed.

Vlad said:

So I need tins, 2 oz -ish. Virginia tends to give me tongue bite, and I don't like aros. So English, oriental, that's what I'm looking for. I enjoy perique, too. Probably my favorite baccy so far has been SG Skiff Mixture. After that Squadron Leader, Esoterica Margate.

Given that, do you guys know any good values?

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"Value" is hard to pin down, since value really has to do with perceptions of quality and cost. For example, I find both Margate and Skiff Mixture (two of your favorites) very good values in the 8oz bag and 250g box, respectively. If you're after something cheap and good, you might consider Balkan Sasieni or Villiger Early Day (currently dirt cheap at P&C). Also, the Hearth & Home Signature Series is a great value and quite inexpensive in the 8oz cans, and I think in July H&H will be buy 2 get 1 free.

alpster said:

If you like SL and Margate, you must try "Rattray's 7 Reserve". I discovered it as gift from BL Santa last year. It comes in a 1.75 oz tin for about $10. It's a wonderful, mild, all day smoke. Zero tongue bite and it's one of my very favorites. I have several tins as I plow through it pretty quickly. PM your address and I will send you couple of bowls to try.

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Looking forward to it!

Hirsute said:

Have you tried storing your bulk in jars? That should prevent it from drying out. And I typically store it in 1/2 pint jars so I can have one open with several full and sealed.

"Value" is hard to pin down, since value really has to do with perceptions of quality and cost. For example, I find both Margate and Skiff Mixture (two of your favorites) very good values in the 8oz bag and 250g box, respectively. If you're after something cheap and good, you might consider Balkan Sasieni or Villiger Early Day (currently dirt cheap at P&C). Also, the Hearth & Home Signature Series is a great value and quite inexpensive in the 8oz cans, and I think in July H&H will be buy 2 get 1 free.

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I've thought of doing jars, but then I'd have to buy jars! I've looked at 8 oz bags/cans, and they do offer a great value, about half the cost of a normal 50g tin.

Not sure if it can be considered a value tin but Hearth and Home's White Knight is one of my favorite English/Oriental tins. It was made to supposedly emulate the Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture (of which I have never tasted) but I think it stands alone as a fantastic blend. Hearth and Home also has a "Match" for Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture as well available in bulk from Smokingpipes.com but I think it falls a bit short of White Knight.

Vlad said:

I've thought of doing jars, but then I'd have to buy jars! I've looked at 8 oz bags/cans, and they do offer a great value, about half the cost of a normal 50g tin.

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If you're interested in that idea, the math still works out heavily in favor of bulk and jars even if you don't get the jars at a good price. A case of pint jars costs under $10 and holds 6 pounds if you pack it in tightly (not trying to age it, just trying to preserve it; Latakia reportedly just gets weaker with age anyway -- and you're still not packing it as tightly as vacuum-sealed tins come from the factory anyway).

Yeah I see what you're saying. If I settle on a couple blends, maybe one English and something close to Irish Flake, I could really do myself a favor. I think I would get half pint jars though, again worried about the jar I'm on drying out with constant opening.

I remembered another good/cheap english--LEO by Lane Limited.

Comoy's Cask no1 is a decently potent English that is more latakia forward that was ok. It's 3.5 oz for 12.37 at smoking pipes.com

Cask no 11 is a less potent blend for the same weight and price. I enjoyed it more than the no 1.

Give the Frog Morton series a try, a couple of tins there won't break the bank. They have blends with orientals and perique to give you the variety you requested.

Guys, as so many times has happened, I'm convinced now to skip the tins. The whole point was enjoy my pipe smoking, but cut out the expensive baccy AD. And it's obvious that for a tiny amount of extra effort, I can save a lot of money.

So I will be watching out for small mason jars at Walmart, and when I get a case I'm buying some big bags of tobacco. Time to do some tobacco storage research!

Good plan! I will, however, second Hirsute's Villiger Early Day recommendation.. super cheap and it's a great smoke.

Vlad said:

Guys, as so many times has happened, I'm convinced now to skip the tins. The whole point was enjoy my pipe smoking, but cut out the expensive baccy AD. And it's obvious that for a tiny amount of extra effort, I can save a lot of money.

So I will be watching out for small mason jars at Walmart, and when I get a case I'm buying some big bags of tobacco. Time to do some tobacco storage research!

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These two articles lay it out pretty easily

http://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/introduction-cellaring-pipe-tobacco

http://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/how-cellar-pipe-tobacco-part-two

You need jars and bulk if you are on a budget, jars are a one time investment (worst case, you might have to replace the lids a long ways down the road, which can be purchased seperately) if you plan on maintaining the same cellar size that is. Peter Stokkebye's Proper English, C&D Star Of The East, C&D Pirate Kake, McClelland's #5110 are a few I would recommend.

Vlad said:

I think I would get half pint jars though, again worried about the jar I'm on drying out with constant opening.

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I generally don't open a jar each time I smoke. I'll open a jar and transfer a nice amount into a smaller container. Usually this will be a ziploc, but it could easily be a reused tin or a smaller jar. Sometimes I use a small non-mason jar with a rubber gasket friction fit lid like you might use for kitchen stuff (sugar, etc).

food saver vacumsealer and heavy duty bags or plastic containers vacume all the air out and will protect for years

Vlad ,
Would reccomend Smoking Pipes store for F & K Lancers Slices . ( very nice smoke ) .

bernborough2000 said:

Vlad ,
Would reccomend Smoking Pipes store for F & K Lancers Slices . ( very nice smoke ) .

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Thank you. Welcome to B&B!

I recently tried McClelland 2020 Mature Cake and I was blown away. It's a broken flake and considered a mild English but the Orientals really shine in this one. Creamy, smokey, and sweet with a hint of plumb fading in and out. A very nice smoke.

CWX said:

I recently tried McClelland 2020 Mature Cake and I was blown away. It's a broken flake and considered a mild English but the Orientals really shine in this one. Creamy, smokey, and sweet with a hint of plumb fading in and out. A very nice smoke.

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+1 ..that's my fave of the McC bulk Va flakes.