Esotericapers

[sablebrush52]

I don't know Ernie, nor where he works, nor do I have such unlimited time to participate on multiple forums... but I find it odd that a business owner would come on and complain about a deal he made with his distributor. Just say that if you want my Esotericas, then buy one of these pipes. Or just eat the pipes. But to come out and basically put blame on his distributor, he is throwing his source under the bus. That kind of shit, I would just keep quiet about or just stop carrying the product. Sounds petty to me.

But, like I said, I don't do any business with anyone named Ernie, so I have no idea where or what this place is. And, I really don't care to branch out beyond forum sponsors to do my business, so... grain of salt and all of that.

There is a world outside of Alabama.

Ernie is the proprietor of Watch City Cigars in Boston Mass, and a master blender, one of the best in the US.

He's explaining to his customers why he's enacting this policy and it's pretty clear that he doesn't like doing it, but he's either going to have to drop Esoterica, which will piss of some of his customers, or keep losing money on it. He also points out that he has no animus towards Arango and praises them, but the situation is what it is.

It's a no win situation, and in his shoes, which I am not, I'd probably just drop Esoterica, given that he has a very successful line of blends that he produces. He doesn't need Esoterica for his business, just carries it to please some customers.

Maybe all retailers should drop Esoterica. It would be a short term boon for the hoarders, but they're doing well as it is, and it might be beneficial for retail.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

There is a world outside of Alabama.

Ernie is the proprietor of Watch City Cigars in Boston Mass, and a master blender, one of the best in the US.

He's explaining to his customers why he's enacting this policy and it's pretty clear that he doesn't like doing it, but he's either going to have to drop Esoterica, which will piss of some of his customers, or keep losing money on it. He also points out that he has no animus towards Arango and praises them, but the situation is what it is.

It's a no win situation, and in his shoes, which I am not, I'd probably just drop Esoterica, given that he has a very successful line of blends that he produces. He doesn't need Esoterica for his business, just carries it to please some customers.

Maybe all retailers should drop Esoterica. It would be a short term boon for the hoarders, but they're doing well as it is, and it might be beneficial for retail.

Feel free to call the Briary, but it’s obvious to me that not ALL retailers were asked to buy pipes to get Esoterica and Germains for this drop.
I live in more states than just Alabama these days. I don’t make fun of California, just the cold states.

 

[jpberg]

Don't know Ernie or his motivation or his relationship or the numbers he spends with Arango. If he doesn't spend a lot of money with them then maybe they would do something like that. Let's face it when you are the only distributor of a product that sells out in a day.....you can pretty much do whatever you want. Especially if you aren't a big spender with them.

So. Ernie is lying.

 

[condorlover1]

What is great about this blend? I assume it is way to refined for my tastes.

 

[DotAndBang’sPipes]

Ten years ago I sold a pipe to someone and threw in a tin of Penzance just to get rid of it.

I don't want to yuck anybody's yum, so I'll just say I simply don't care for it, but could see why some people do, despite many other very similar blends that are easily obtainable. There was a time when you could very easily get it, and it's not all that long ago.

I thought that maybe this craziness would die down. But I think they unwittingly hit the sweet spot with scarcity, unrestrained hype, possible status (though that seems ridiculous), and now a secondary market that some people have decided is worth trying to make a little money from.

Not sure how much this is really benefiting the company. I guess their product is moving quicker, but are they putting more out to take advantage of the demand? Doesn't seem to be the case. If it were my company, I think I'd try to stay in this sweet spot they have and not disrupt the careful balance built up on a delusion. I think it all happened by weird shit luck, so why upset the apple cart and risk it going away like a tulip craze?

As for the secondary market, it is also very strange to me. I can't imagine trying to make a living or even having a 'side gig' slinging Esoterica on the side. Don't bother throwing the costs of bags at me... it's still relatively small potatoes in my opinion, at the scale this is on. Tough way to earn your bread.

People have the fever. It's odd to me, but strangely interesting to see.

Just very glad that I don't actually enjoy the stuff, otherwise it would be annoying.

Yes

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Ok, I was at The Briary yesterday, and I asked Skip if when he placed his latest order of Esoterica and Germain if they made him take some pipes to seal the deal. He laughed, said no, and asked me why I was asking. I told him that someone here had mentioned that the distributer was forcing B&M's to take Nordings along with the Esotericas.
He first said, "that just goes to show that forums are full of shit headed morons that don't know their asses from holes in the ground." :::cough cough::: Skip doesn't like forums or social media. Then he said, "it sounds more like something that would happen if someone made the order with the owner of Arango's wife, instead of the dude himself."

Take that as you like, but he said that he didn't have to make any deal on pipes to get his order of Esotericas.

Not all accounts are the same. Sounds like Skip has a relationship with Mike Gold or another family member. I know that the shop mentioned here specifically as feeling pressured to couple pipes and Esoterica purchases deals with a sales manager, who has to make his numbers.

Arango is a family owned company that started sometime in the 1930's. They are what is called a "full line"distributor. The action is in Cigars these days, and my guess is that they have to work pretty hard to make the pipe side profitable. If it is. It is hard for a B&M to move pipes these days without matching internet discounters on price. Most don't even try and very few have staff that is knowledgeable enough to explain the difference between a Dr. Grabow and a Dunhill.

If you take a look at Arango's web si5e, you can see their pipe lines and inventory. You just can't see the pric3s. Then go to Phillips and King,and see if,in the list 9f brands they carry, you can find anything that is of interest to pipe smokers. They used to distribute Eric Stokebye 4th Generation pipes, tobacco and acc3ssories. They used to distribute Samuel Gawith. They used to distribute Gawith Hoggarth.

Used to. Used to. Used to. I doubt they even carry pipe cleaners these days.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

And Ernie at Watch City is not the first on line seller to couple Eso and pipes. Hilands and CDM already were doing this.

 

[PipeIT]

I’ve just noticed several sites now, where Esoterica was removed from the website, meaning you don’t see a Link for it.

When ever this dropped happened, I couldn’t find one online site selling anything.

 

[originalnutcracker]

I’ve just noticed several sites now, where Esoterica was removed from the website, meaning you don’t see a Link for it.

When ever this dropped happened, I couldn’t find one online site selling anything.

... but a whole lot is showing up on the secondary market at jacked up prices. Sigh..... it used to be fun sourcing the stuff. Not so much anymore.

 

[sablebrush52]

I’ve just noticed several sites now, where Esoterica was removed from the website, meaning you don’t see a Link for it.

When ever this dropped happened, I couldn’t find one online site selling anything.

Mars Cigars got its shipment and was promptly wiped out, so some online stores are selling it. I never bothered with online stores because I could buy it from B&M's without the hassle.

Unfortunately, some retailers are flipping their Esoterica shipments directly to agents on the secondary market who send it overseas, while others sell their entire shipment to an individual who agrees to buy it all and then flips it to brokers or sells it on the secondary market.

It's definitely work to find it, and frankly, as much as I like some of these blends, not worth the hassle. None of this would have happened without the craziness in the piping community. The stuff used to sit on shelves for weeks and months in B&Ms while people were gnashing their teeth over it being sold out at the online stores.

 

[Papamique]

Don’t despair! I was able to “hunt down” a half pound of esoterica the other day and I didn’t have to buy a pipe with it either. It takes some work, phone calls, emails etc but I now have almost two pounds of esoterica bought within the past year and most of it was at regular retail. I got some from a friend that went to Chicago pipe show and paid him $83 a bag for two bags and that was the most expensive. It’s a great tobacco and its fun tracking it down (if you like that sorta thing).

 

[AJL67]

So glad it’s not in my wheelhouse, saves a lot of aggravation and frustration, seems a lot of ppl only buy it to flip anyway, the Pappy of the tobacco world. Just my opinion.

 

[telescopes]

It‘s regrettable that certain products become the darlings of the resale markets.

 

[originalnutcracker]

The stuff used to sit on shelves for weeks and months in B&Ms while people were gnashing their teeth over it being sold out at the online stores.

I remember buying a fair stash about ten years ago - Iwan Reiss had a shelf full of the stuff.....

 

[FurCoat]

It‘s regrettable that certain products become the darlings of the resale markets.

I agree. The only way to stop it is for folks to stop buying these darlings at resale prices.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

I agree. The only way to stop it is for folks to stop buying these darlings at resale prices.

You need to post something in Chinese

 

[telescopes]

請不要購買神秘的煙斗

​

 

[FurCoat]

You need to post something in Chinese

That's funny right there

 

[Papamique]

請不要購買神秘的煙斗

​

nice on more than one level.

 

[AJL67]

2022 bags already showing up on tinbid … I’m sooooooooo shocked.