What Should I Buy?

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LtMac

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My tastes have changed some in pipe tobaccos. I now smoke mostly burleys, Virginias, and a select few aromatics. I have 5 tins each of Dunhill EMP, 965, London Mixture, Royal Yacht, and Nightcap cellared. The tins are varying in age from 1 to 5 years old. I am now smoking mostly Prince Albert, Carter Hall, and Gatlin-Burley. I still like the Dunhill blends, but don't smoke them nearly as much as I used to.

I like to try to support my local pipe shop whenever I can. It helps the "local businessman" versus internet purchases, and besides, the owner is a friend and fellow officer (co-worker). My local pipe shop has about 5 tins each of the previously mentioned Dunhill tins on the shelves at a decent price. He does not carry the blends that I am now mostly smoking, but I still get supplies from him and buy a few ounces of house blends when I can.

My question for you guys is this: Given that I have "X" number of dollars to spend on pipe tobacco in the next few days, would I be better served to to spend my money on what I now mostly smoke to increase my supply on hand or purchase some of the Dunhill tins in case my tastes change again or they become really expensive (sort of like an investment) due to the apparent discontinuing and unavailability of the Dunhill blends?

I would like to hear you guys thoughts and opinions.

LtMac
 
LtMac,

I have been smoking a lot of Prince Albert lately. Mainly because I like to smoke it when breaking in new pipes, but in the process I am growing rather fond of it. I don't see it replacing Walnut as my favorite smoke but it sure is good. The only two other blends that I have purchased or considered purchasing lately are Exhausted Rooster and Cumberland. I don't keep a very wide variety of blends on hand and if I was spending your money I would stock up on Walnut and Prince Albert. I have been stocking up on the mainstays lately because I believe within the next 12 months or so, tobacco taxes are going through the roof. I know everyone says Obama is a smoker but his only interest is to get more of my money and I believe that is one of the things that will be taxed more heavily. My State government reads like the who's who of socialist corruption and our taxes are going up even more on that level too.
 
Personally with todays prices going up the way they are and even some of the more popular blends getting harder and harder to find I think that I would get the blends that you currently enjoy. If you can afford a tin or two of the Dunhill blends than put them in your cellar for a rainy day/investment. If it was purely an "investment" issue than go with the Dunhill blends as I'm sure that you could sell or trade them for more than you paid at your local B&M.
 
The thing about Orlik made Dunhill tobaccos is they may be worth a lot down the road, but that's a crap shoot. I don't think they will be, at least not for too long. I know every one is saying that Dunhill pipe tobaccos are being discontinued, but I kind of believe it would be illogical for the biggest name brand (as far as brand recognition goes) in pipe tobacco to just disappear. I think it's going to be a matter of whoever owns the rights to the name finding a manufacturer who will produce a quality product. The whole mystique about anything Dunhill is that it's supposed to be the finest in quality. With Orlik manufacturing it that was not the case. I've smoked Murrays, pre Murrays and Orlik and the Orlik is pretty crummy compared to the others, tin age taken into account, IMHO. The older stuff is going for astronomical prices now because the current incarnation isn't very good and people are willing to pay for quality, so those loving Dunhill blends simply buy the best they can - the Murrays stuff on EBay (again, IMHO). If the Orlik version were as good this wouldn't be happening.

Now, if the value of those tins you have (and the tins you can get at a good price) soars then you can resell them at a substantial profit and buy a hell of a lot more tobacco that you like with the proceeds, so it makes sense to buy it up. If, however, another manufacturer begins producing a very good Dunhill tobacco and it quickly becomes readily available, you're just going to have to smoke what you've got because the Orlik made stuff won't be worth much.

If you want to buy it and wait and see, your only loss will be that you'll have to smoke it should it not increase in value. I have maybe a dozen tins of Dunhill tobacco, about half of which is Murrays. I'm not selling it simply because It's kind of fun to have and maybe someday (if the prices stay up like they are) I can trade a couple tins for a nice pipe or something.
 
Lt. Mac,

You say that you don't smoke the Dunhill blends as much as you used to would seem to indicate that you're not enjoying them as much. I would put the money in the tobaccos you are smoking the most now. Of course I'm a burley fan and am prejudiced in favor of burleys. If you ever get a chance, try a C&D burley sampler or some of the burleys blended by L.J. Peretti. They are as good as it gets.

Smokey
 
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush In other words don't worry about tomorrow and concentrate on what you enjoy now. I would stock up on what you like and maybe try a couple of new ones. If you like Carter Hall I would suggest Sugar Barrel also by Middleton. It's my favorite old codger Burley. Not as sweet as the name suggests but just some good old buttery Burley with a smidge of brown sugar-like goodness. Very Tasty!
 
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