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Is there a buying frenzy going on?

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
You posted on here that you contacted them and Middleton said it's no longer in production.

Just to clarify and as posted, I did not speak with John Middleton Co. I spoke with their parent company, Altria. Altria confirmed PA’s discontinuance. All of Middleton’s ‘contacts’ lead to Altria‘s corporate HQ.
 
[snip]

The bigger problem lately is that USPS is now using ox carts for shipments. I just had a 3-day priority parcel (non-tobacco related) take an entire month. Use UPS or FedEx if you can.
With USPS, much of the problem is pandemic related. In Baltimore, MD for example, the main branch, where the mall comes in and gets sorted for central Maryland, the staff of usually 350 people is down to less than 100. And that's been the case for roughly 2.5 months. The USPS really is doing the best they can, but being down slightly more than 2/3 of your staff (and the ones there are working 120 hour weeks) helps nobody.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
I just got into the pipes 7 months ago and have been trying to figure out what my tastes are. After realizing that I like PA & CH I decided to start stocking up on them about a month or so ago

Just my luck all this stuff goes down with these to brands and Middleton.

Middleton is not the only OTC horse. If you like the OTC American classics (and it sounds like you do), there are still great options out there that are merely variations on the theme. OTCs in big, factory-sealed, stackable tubs, not bulk match blends. And available. LLRR, SWR, Granger, and Velvet are still out there to enjoy at a fair price.

Others that differ a little more in flavor, but are still readily-available mainstays, are H&H, SWRA (an entirely different blend from SWR), No. 79, and EGR (the latter two a little less available and getting a little more aromatic).

For a relatively newer pipe smoker that likes the American classics, you should sample all of those as alternatives if you haven't already. If you really have a thing for PA & CH and can't find them, try fresh pouches of LLRR, SWR and Velvet in particular to see if they satisfy as a pleasant alternative.

I'll let you in on a secret. Despite my preference for PA, I do have quantities of all of them stowed (except for Velvet and 79). They are all decent daily smokes. And tastes in a daily sometimes change for a month or so. They're all codger 'colas' of one sort or another. H&H is probably my least favorite of the bunch (and I keep the least of it on hand), but occasionally, it's not a bad change up. You might love it. You won't know until you try it. Don't let Internet reviews and tobacco snobs keep you from sampling them. YOU decide what you like, because only you will be smoking it.

I'm about to crack open a tub of LLRR as my PA tub dwindles down. My wallet will miss a couple dollars. But my pipes won't miss a puff. LLRR is a good tasting daily.
 

brandaves

With a great avatar comes great misidentification
Middleton is not the only OTC horse. If you like the OTC American classics (and it sounds like you do), there are still great options out there that are merely variations on the theme. OTCs in big, factory-sealed, stackable tubs, not bulk match blends. And available. LLRR, SWR, Granger, and Velvet are still out there to enjoy at a fair price.

Others that differ a little more in flavor, but are still readily-available mainstays, are H&H, SWRA (an entirely different blend from SWR), No. 79, and EGR (the latter two a little less available and getting a little more aromatic).

For a relatively newer pipe smoker that likes the American classics, you should sample all of those as alternatives if you haven't already. If you really have a thing for PA & CH and can't find them, try fresh pouches of LLRR, SWR and Velvet in particular to see if they satisfy as a pleasant alternative.

I'll let you in on a secret. Despite my preference for PA, I do have quantities of all of them stowed (except for Velvet and 79). They are all decent daily smokes. And tastes in a daily sometimes change for a month or so. They're all codger 'colas' of one sort or another. H&H is probably my least favorite of the bunch (and I keep the least of it on hand), but occasionally, it's not a bad change up. You might love it. You won't know until you try it. Don't let Internet reviews and tobacco snobs keep you from sampling them. YOU decide what you like, because only you will be smoking it.

I'm about to crack open a tub of LLRR as my PA tub dwindles down. My wallet will miss a couple dollars. But my pipes won't miss a puff. LLRR is a good tasting daily.
LLRR was being enjoyed in my pipe as I read this, it is indeed another satisfying codger "cola".
 
I was able to find some PA and CH local to me in New Jersey and Delaware. Never had the PA before now, is it normally drier than most OTC codgers? I bought two pouches of it and it smells great but seems to be drier than CH. Not sure if the ones I got have been sitting on a shelf for a long time, was purchased from more of seedy head shop/cigarette outlet than a mainstream store or proper tobacco shop.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I was able to find some PA and CH local to me in New Jersey and Delaware. Never had the PA before now, is it normally drier than most OTC codgers? I bought two pouches of it and it smells great but seems to be drier than CH. Not sure if the ones I got have been sitting on a shelf for a long time, was purchased from more of seedy head shop/cigarette outlet than a mainstream store or proper tobacco shop.
Fortunately Ltd easy enough to rehydrate.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
I was able to find some PA and CH local to me in New Jersey and Delaware. Never had the PA before now, is it normally drier than most OTC codgers? I bought two pouches of it and it smells great but seems to be drier than CH. Not sure if the ones I got have been sitting on a shelf for a long time, was purchased from more of seedy head shop/cigarette outlet than a mainstream store or proper tobacco shop.

No, PA is normally no drier than any other OTC.

Give it a smoke and see.

If it has dried out, I wouldn't bother trying to revive it. You won't revive the flavor, and all it will do is impair the burn at this point. Mix it in with something similar, and make a Frankenblend out of it for puttering around outside.
 
Just to add to the PA confusion. I seen where it was available on EACarey. I called to verify and they'd sold out. The lady informed me they were on the phone yesterday with Middleton about the blends and Middleton told them they aren't discontinued they just aren't in production right now. Similar to key items in grocery stores where companies have shut down product lines to increase production on other items. For nearly a year we cannot find Diet A&W in cans, only bottles. Same with McCormick's spaghetti sauce mix packets. Hopefully it's a covid bubble. It's been around far too long to eliminate. Especially since competition has dropped significantly on pipe tobacco blends.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Just to add to the PA confusion. I seen where it was available on EACarey. I called to verify and they'd sold out. The lady informed me they were on the phone yesterday with Middleton about the blends and Middleton told them they aren't discontinued they just aren't in production right now. Similar to key items in grocery stores where companies have shut down product lines to increase production on other items. For nearly a year we cannot find Diet A&W in cans, only bottles. Same with McCormick's spaghetti sauce mix packets. Hopefully it's a covid bubble. It's been around far too long to eliminate. Especially since competition has dropped significantly on pipe tobacco blends.
Yesterday I read a post (don’t recall where) from 2014 saying PA and CH were being discontinued then. Anyway I’ve been smoking Match PA and while there is very little difference, I’m enjoying the Match over the original which I still have. Better price too.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
Just to add to the PA confusion. I seen where it was available on EACarey. I called to verify and they'd sold out. The lady informed me they were on the phone yesterday with Middleton about the blends and Middleton told them they aren't discontinued they just aren't in production right now. Similar to key items in grocery stores where companies have shut down product lines to increase production on other items. For nearly a year we cannot find Diet A&W in cans, only bottles. Same with McCormick's spaghetti sauce mix packets. Hopefully it's a covid bubble. It's been around far too long to eliminate. Especially since competition has dropped significantly on pipe tobacco blends.
I’m not going to discount what you are reporting.

But my guess is if a larger vendor rep is saying they “spoke with Middleton”, they may have only spoken with a distributor or distributor rep. ... or more likely was told this by their own purchasing people ... who heard it from a distributor rep.

For the bigger vendors, they have buyers and purchasing departments that interface with the distributors and manufacturer reps, and then pass that along to their sales and CS departments.

Many bigger vendors are so big, they don’t even get around to it for a while. JR had other discontinued Middleton blends for sale but “not in stock” for months and months after the fact.

When I told SP about PA, they hadn’t a clue. But the CS rep was planning to tell their buyer about it as soon as our call ended.

At some point, the layers of hearsay create a haze.

When you get down to the mom & pops, a few people are doing everything, and many are too busy to drill down with their distributors on these line card matters. Some are, and at least that’s a shorter hearsay chain. That appears to be the case with Milan.

With all the swirling inconsistent chatter, I just decided to go straight to the manufacturer. Because this was my long-standing everyday and I wanted to know. I was told ”discontinued” and “while supplies last”. To me that means they’ve stopped making it. Period.

I’m always hopeful that Middleton will see the error of their ways. Maybe they’ve changed their mind on PA and your vendor is right. I would love to be wrong on this. Let me know when you find one with more than 2-3 tubs in stock.

In the meantime, there’s a mountain of good OTC tobacco still out there. A few bigger chains might have some PA left, too.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
Yesterday I read a post (don’t recall where) from 2014 saying PA and CH were being discontinued then. Anyway I’ve been smoking Match PA and while there is very little difference, I’m enjoying the Match over the original which I still have. Better price too.
I’m familiar with that one. That came from one mistaken vendor at the time. Meanwhile, a lot of vendors were still stocking it.

We all heard these rumors from time to time over the years. Sometimes they’re wrong, and sometimes they’re right. I never thought Edgeworth would be discontinued, either.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I’m familiar with that one. That came from one mistaken vendor at the time. Meanwhile, a lot of vendors were still stocking it.

We all heard these rumors from time to time over the years. Sometimes they’re wrong, and sometimes they’re right. I never thought Edgeworth would be discontinued, either.
Yes the Edgeworth was a disappointment. It was extremely popular in Virginia. I always got it in slices. Had no idea that there was a ready rubbed. Those little tins were really handy. Always kept one in the glove compartment for emergency stupidity moments when I ran off with a pipe and no tobacco.
 

Columbo

Mr. Codgers Neighborhood
Yes the Edgeworth was a disappointment. It was extremely popular in Virginia. I always got it in slices. Had no idea that there was a ready rubbed. Those little tins were really handy. Always kept one in the glove compartment for emergency stupidity moments when I ran off with a pipe and no tobacco.

The good news about Edgeworth is Lane is still/now making the RR version. And I think it is pretty much spot on to the original, save for the cut. More faithful than the match, IMO. A little richer than PA, both in flavor and price. And that’s ok.

That is what you hope for in these situations. That someone else buys the rights or a license, and starts making it again down the road. We’ll see. I find ‘matches’ annoying. I don’t like cool whip, either, when I can get a shot of ready whip.
 
I’m not going to discount what you are reporting.

But my guess is if a larger vendor rep is saying they “spoke with Middleton”, they may have only spoken with a distributor or distributor rep. ... or more likely was told this by their own purchasing people ... who heard it from a distributor rep.

For the bigger vendors, they have buyers and purchasing departments that interface with the distributors and manufacturer reps, and then pass that along to their sales and CS departments.

Many bigger vendors are so big, they don’t even get around to it for a while. JR had other discontinued Middleton blends for sale but “not in stock” for months and months after the fact.

When I told SP about PA, they hadn’t a clue. But the CS rep was planning to tell their buyer about it as soon as our call ended.

At some point, the layers of hearsay create a haze.

When you get down to the mom & pops, a few people are doing everything, and many are too busy to drill down with their distributors on these line card matters. Some are, and at least that’s a shorter hearsay chain. That appears to be the case with Milan.

With all the swirling inconsistent chatter, I just decided to go straight to the manufacturer. Because this was my long-standing everyday and I wanted to know. I was told ”discontinued” and “while supplies last”. To me that means they’ve stopped making it. Period.

I’m always hopeful that Middleton will see the error of their ways. Maybe they’ve changed their mind on PA and your vendor is right. I would love to be wrong on this. Let me know when you find one with more than 2-3 tubs in stock.

In the meantime, there’s a mountain of good OTC tobacco still out there. A few bigger chains might have some PA left, too.

You bet! I will let you know if I see it or even find it locally sitting on a shelf at a decent price, I'll PM you and see if you want me to ship it your way.
 
Yesterday I read a post (don’t recall where) from 2014 saying PA and CH were being discontinued then. Anyway I’ve been smoking Match PA and while there is very little difference, I’m enjoying the Match over the original which I still have. Better price too.

Which match are you getting? P&C's or Sutliff (or are they the same?) I've got a few ounces of PA (as in 2-3) and I wouldn't mind keeping a match in rotation. Same with Carter Hall, I have 2-3 ounces of it and I enjoy grabbing it from time to time for a nice porch sit smoke.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Which match are you getting? P&C's or Sutliff (or are they the same?) I've got a few ounces of PA (as in 2-3) and I wouldn't mind keeping a match in rotation. Same with Carter Hall, I have 2-3 ounces of it and I enjoy grabbing it from time to time for a nice porch sit smoke.
It is Sutliff which is sold by P&C. SP also sells Sutliff Match blends but seems P&C has a larger selection. The PA is close to a perfect match. The topping on CH is a bit different but the blend seems the same. You might pick up an ounce sample of Field & Stream to try in your order as well.Match Revelation and Country Doctor are good bets too. They are an “American English” with modest amount of Latakia - barely detectable but adds a bit of smokiness.
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I'll second F&S and Revelation.

I've never had the originals of either, but as stand alone blends, they're very good offerings.
Same here. Never had the originals but damn good they are. I had a mostly Match PA day today and while there is nothing outstanding about that blend, it is the best comfort blend I’ve ever had. No problem easy smoke with no distractions - a great way to simply enjoy the smoking of a pipe.
 
No, PA is normally no drier than any other OTC.

Give it a smoke and see.

If it has dried out, I wouldn't bother trying to revive it. You won't revive the flavor, and all it will do is impair the burn at this point. Mix it in with something similar, and make a Frankenblend out of it for puttering around outside.

I smoked a few bowls of it. Seems okay to me. I really enjoyed it. Smells kind of like original redman chew when you smell it out of the pouch Sad to see it possibly being discontinued because this would be something I could smoke daily. Hopefully someone else revives it. I'm kind of newer to pipe smoking. Got started on Captain Black royal then Carter Hall. Tried a few other higher caliber blends but I smoke CH mostly. I'll mix the two pouches of PA I have with some of my CH and throw it in a mason jar for when I'm puttering around. They did have a few tubs of it in stock yesterday at this head shop. Maybe I should pick them up? Would the tubs be fresher than the pouches if it has been sitting for a long time?
 
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