Esoterica Stonehaven (found some...)

[jacko]

Seems like there was a small influx of some of the more elusive Esoterica blends this past week on the net. Managed to score a tin a Penzance and a bag of Stonehaven. I had tried Penzance before from a local pipe club member and quite enjoyed it, not earth shattering but good. Loved the texture of it. Never tried Stonehaven but have read very good things. Quite looking forward to it.

 

[Brewdude]

Stonehead is in my regular rotation. Just enjoyed a pipeload last night.

Make sure you dry it a bit first as it tends to come very moist.



Cheers,

RR

 

[mike_68]

Was given a couple bowls of Stonehaven from an acquaintence and had a bowl tonight. WOW! That stuff is amazing...I will be looking for more for sure..

 

[hobie1dog]

I need to see if I can buy stock in Esoterica tobacco company soon.

 

[jacko]

The problem is out of the 7 or 8 offerings they have, there are only two that shine...

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

The problem is out of the 7 or 8 offerings they have, there are only two that shine...

I assume you mean Penzance and Stoneheaven?

I'm a big fan of Margate, and I think there is a verison of Margate with a brandy flavoring which I have been meaning to try. I have also heard good things about And So To Bed, but I haven't tried it myself.

 

[jacko]

You're right Dave and I shouldn't be generalizing like that. I have tried a few of their other offerings and wasn't that impressed.

 

[cakeanddottle]

The problem is out of the 7 or 8 offerings they have, there are only two that shine...

In addition to Margate, Tilbury is also good. Sort of a ribbon version of Stonehaven, but more emphasis on the Va's and less on the Burley.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Pembroke is said to be Margate with a cognac topping. I smoked Pembroke a long time ago and liked it a lot. Although I can't say whether it was topped with Cognac, it was definitely topped with some alcohol beverage, and it was delicious!

 

[gandalfpc]

Second the Margate and Tillbury - also And So To Bed is a nice blend that changes dramatically with age... Good fresh, unique aged.

 

[Rusty]

I need to see if I can buy stock in Esoterica tobacco company soon.

The brand is owned by Arango Cigar, a US distributor and a privately owned company. It's made for Arango by JF Germain & Son, also a private company located in Jersey on the Channel Islands. Are you disappointed that there is no Esoterica company?

I think (though have never confirmed) that their conception in about 1990 (?) may have been due to market holes from recent losses eg Smoker's Haven's popular imported English line being discontinued in about 1983 and Marble Arch's wonderful Elephant & Castle line discontinued in 1989. There would have been a noticeable hole in the market that may have prompted the creation of the Esoterica line. I don't remember who created it. But Butera owned it before he sold the asset to Arango in fall 2008.

Smoker's Haven's line of imported English was originally made for them by Sobranie. Many of them were or became Sobranie branded products too. So Balkan Sobranie Smoking mix (recently intro'd) isn't the first Sobranie blend made by JF Germain.

 

[BLM25Super]

I found 8 oz of stonehaven . I m new at pipes smoking,but decided to order some anyways. Pretty expensive . . . . . . He said he would throw in some samples even a bit of penzance.

 

[jacko]

Well got to try this for the first time last night and it is by far the best VA flake I have tried, even beats out FVF. The tin (bag) smell is amazing. Sweet fig/plum with black tea undertones. Fully rubbed out and let sit for a few hours to dry, fruit aroma subsisted and tea became dominate. Loaded in my favorite Castello pipe and what a wonderful experience! Another ah-ha moment for sure. Burned extremely cool right down to the end. The sweet plum/fig was apparent in each puff. Highly recommended, only critique is a full flake is a tad on the long side as such is a little too much for a standard group 5 bowl once rubbed out - really minor at the end of the day...

 

[BLM25Super]

I picked up two 8 ounce bags of stonehaven today. I sort of overextended myself to do it and am thinking about maybe letting one of the bags go if anyone is interested lemme know id sell it for what i bought it for and just ask for 5 extra for the flat rate priority mail box. So if anyone is interested message me and ill find a way to put it up on ebay...

 

[Storm_Crow]

I still have half a flake of the stuff from cigarstorejay. I think I shall laminate and frame it. :lol:

Seriously, WTH is up with the rarity? I guess you can drive the price up, but how does that really help when the manufacturer and sellers could have made alot more money on many, many more individually smaller profilt sales every day on a tobacco that has a huge following?

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Seriously, WTH is up with the rarity? I guess you can drive the price up, but how does that really help when the manufacturer and sellers could have made alot more money on many, many more individually smaller profilt sales every day on a tobacco that has a huge following?

I wonder if some part of it for Stonehaven, or any Germain-made tobaccos is Jersey's geography and political oddity vis-à-vis the UK and the EU. It's fairly certain they have no ability to expand operations on the isle. And no matter what they could make exporting a slow, steady stream of finished blends, it's may not be financially practical to do anything but import "raw" tobacco in large, sporadic shipments.