Thread: A pipe tobacco story

I've got this love-hate relationship with tobacco. So I want to give it up but I still love my pipes, the way some of us love razors, or other objects. So combine that with the nicotine addiction and it is difficult. That said, since a part of me wants to quit I let my tobacco almost run out before I order more on the internet. No place to get good tobacco locally. So it was time to order and I got online and went to Smokingpipes.com in South Carolina.

I ordered two 8oz cans of GLPease Robusto. That has become my staple. I also smoke Gawith & Hogarth Rum Flake, Dunhill 965, and GL Pease Blackpoint. Anyway ..... I get the confirmation email but I don't open it. I know I ordered, and now I know they know it too. A day or so later I get the shipping email with the tracking #. This I open. To my shock and dismay it says that I ordered two 8oz cans of GL Pease Barbary Coast ! I go to tobacco reviews website and read the reviews and most people don't have anything good to say about it.

So I call up and tell Smokingpipes I know darn well that I didn't order that and I am going to refuse the delivery. No problem. At the same time I'm angry because I'm going to eat shipping both ways, I won't have my tobacco in time and I know it had to be the software as I am not wrong ! So I call an outfit in NY and order the Robusto and some Rum Flake from them. Next day here comes the order from Smokingpipes.

Well I'm thinking maybe it is really Robusto in the box, not Barbary Coast, despite what the email said. So I accept the delivery and open the box. Two Barbary Coast tins. Now I've gone this far so what the heck. I open a tin and load a bowl. A few bowls burned and I find I really like the stuff. I'm keeping both tins and will probably get more to add this to my rotation when I run out. I call Smokingpipes and let them know I like it and I'm keeping it.

I asked if they had ever yet had a software glitch causing an order to be mixed up and the rep tells me they have not. So I accept the fact that I made the mistake and must have clicked on Barbary Coast instead of Robusto. I might have been 'multi tasking' or whatever. Turned out to be another dark cloud with a silver lining.

Multi tasking?? whats that Jim

Thanks for the nice story, Jimmy. Good to hear a story with a happy ending.

I've read a lot about GL tobaccos but nowadays they aren't available in EU any more. Don't know why. They have it in Switzerland but that's not EU. Guess i have to be happy with those 4 or 5 blends i usually smoke. They are just enough for me. There's heck of a lot different blends available in EU area and i do not even imagine trying them all some day.

Importing from other EU countries 'for personal use' is easy. There's some restrictions but i haven't ever had any problems with customs.
Years ago i was visiting in our harbour customs and decided to ask how it is with tobacco. I've already ordered many times before that. At first the custom officer said no. Ordering from some other EU country must be prohobited. Better not do it. Ok, i said and walked away. I was already getting into my car when the same dude came after me, waving some booklet in his hand. I found the book, man started, and it says that you can order tobacco from other EU country for personal use with no taxes. And the limit for 'personal use' is 250 grams (might have been 500 grams as well. Do not recall any more). And then he said that customs wont open nor track your shipment, it comes straight to your home. BUT, if you order for professional use, the shipment goes to you home just like in 'personal' case but after receiving it you have to take the shipment (mailing list is enough), get to customs and pay the excise taxes if you haven't already paid them to the country you bought those tobaccos.
Ok, i said, i got the point, but do you really think, after getting the shipment home, that i really come back down here, tell you what i've bought, just for the pleasure of paying? Silence. No, i do not think so, said the officer and then we both got some good laughs. Howevers, i've never ordered more than amount of 'perssonal use only' in same shipment and never had any problems.

All that changes at the moment you are ordering tobacco outside EU. There are extra taxes, more extra taxes and even more extra taxes and no such term as 'personal use'. Even getting a sample 'as a gift' might get so expensive that you curse the happy donater for sending some damn expensive free tobacco ssample.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Multi tasking?? whats that Jim

Bill it's like walking and chewing gum at the same time ........... always had a problem with that .........

Need me to send you some cigars to tide you over? I was always a fan of Dunhill 1066.

Originally Posted by ace

Need me to send you some cigars to tide you over? I was always a fan of Dunhill 1066.

I like a good cigar. Used to smoke Partagas # 4s when a box was $25.00. They went out of sight and I rarely smoke 'em unless someone gives me one. That GL Pease Robusto has cigar leaf in the blend. I suppose that is why I like it so much. Of all the tobaccos I smoke it is the one that I smoke most often.

Did you light it with napalm? I thought I'd have to.