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Details
Date: 4/13/15
BryGuySC
Sample “Yellow C” G&H Dark Flake Unscented
Pipe - MM Missouri Legend
Outdoors, after the rain
Observations
Examination: The flakes are dry to the touch, dense, and stuck together. They are dark and leathery. Striated dark and darker brown, mottled with light brown spots.
Preparation: Broke up the flake and dried it out for an hour or so.
Burn: Lit with one match. One match relight after letting it go out.
Tin Note: In this order. Slightly smoky, sweet, cocoa flower?
Flavor: initial light is “soapy” and something that's hard to put my finger on. I then got hints of bitterness and burnt paper. Along with this lovely aroma, I also had some waxy feeling coating my mouth. The smoke is making my mouth really dry. The retrohale is harsh and I there is also a harshness settling in the back of my throat. On occasion, I did get a few nice hints of a mild cigar. The smoke volume consistency was very nice but the burning in the back of my throat did not go away.
Comments and conclusion
I’ve heard others mention certain tobaccos reacting adversely with body chemistry. If that is true, I think this tobacco was doing that with me. It was rough.
I’m interested to learn what this is. I suspect it may be of the lakeland varieties.
Through all this, I did get a nice nic buzz, though! Not sure it was worth it.
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Date: 4/14/15
Name: Branzig
Tobacco: Orange J Vac Sealed G&H Louisiana Flake
Pipe: Capitello pot & MM General
Outdoor
http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/...pszav2aego.jpg
Observations
Examination: A lighter Va colored flake speckled with dark spots. Quite moist from the package with a light coating on it. Deep and rich chocolate smell. Very bold cocoa followed up with typical fig Va scents. No Lakeland odor whatsoever.
Preparation: Smoked 2 bowls rubbed out and 1 fold and stuff. All between 1 and 2 hours of drying time.
Burn: Very easy burning tobacco. Required little maintenance when rubbed out and burned down to a light grey ash.
Flavor: Judging from the tin note, I was really hoping to get a nice blast of cocoa and earth notes from this tobacco. That did not happen. What I did get from the initial light was the standard GH&Co Lakeland essence. Albeit very light, but it was there. As the tobacco began to heat up, the familiar tingle of spice made itself present which leads me to believe that there is some perique in this blend. Getting into the mid way point of the bowl, the floral characteristics take a back seat to the sweet Virginia leaf. The combination of light Lakeland, sweet Va, and perique make for an interesting and tasty blend. There is also a faint something else on this flake that I just can't pick up...but I am sure it has a topping of some sort other than Lakeland Snot. I just hope I didn't ghost my pipes with it!
Comments and conclusion: A great quality flake made up of some excellent leaf. I would be shocked if this wasn't a Gawith offering. Each bowl was enjoyable and I would smoke it again. The nicotine hit was light, and the flavor profiles medium, so I would classify this as a tasty morning smoke.
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Details
4-14-15
Tobias Lutz
Green “C” G&H Dark Flake Unscented
Karl Erik Freehand
Indoor (enclosed porch)
Observations
This is a flake of medium thickness, variegated brown in color, that arrived in long strips (close to 6"). It had a bit of sugar glistening on it, but one site was very shiny from being vacuum sealed against the package. It had the scent of a mature Virginia, dry hay with secondary notes that, for lack of a better example, reminded me of manure mixed in straw. Mind you, this wasn't unpleasant, just very earthy and seemingly unadulterated. There was definitely a dark sweetness to it that made it very appealing. The moisture level was pretty average- it would have rubbed out easily without crumbling if I had elected to go that route.
Instead, I decided to go with a fold and stuff method because I was smoking out a rather large pipe, with a deep bowl. I folded about a flake and a half and packed to ensure an open draw.
At first I found this blend to be fire proof- a great option for roofing material :) Once it got going, however, it was fine. It stayed cool and produced a bellowing, thick smoke with a room-note that will not be favored by the uninitiated.
There was some Lakeland essence in the beginning, but it wasn’t very strong. Frankly, it was overwhelmed by the full-bodied tobacco. At various points the blend tended to waffle between reminding me of cigar leaf, and also having faint touches of vanilla. There was a peppery grassiness in the retrohale, particularly when it really got to burning steady. Bite free, with a decent dose of nicotine, I can’t say this is something I would smoke in the mornings.
Comments and conclusion
This was a little outside my wheelhouse. I was a bit surprised by the Lakeland flavor that made it through the Virginia, but more specifically at how it then disappeared completely. I don’t believe there is any questioning the quality of this blend, but I would say it borders on being an “acquired taste”
That’s my fourth and final write up- thanks for the samples and the fun, Pete!
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Date: 4/14/2015
Name: JustTroItIn
Tobacco: Pink F Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye
Pipe: Malaga Rusticated Bent / The Doodler / 1940's Kaywoodie Supergrain smooth billiard
All smoked outdoors
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psj4ermlvk.jpg
Observations
This is a coin flake tobacco with a dark spot in the center. The bag note reminds me of raisins. I found the moisture perfect for smoking right out of the bag. I have had three bowls in three different pipes, all packed with the fold and stuff method with a bit of shredded tobacco on top. It burned very well but I had to keep a pipe cleaner on hand as it did smoke wet.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psu5bbqvo0.jpg
The taste was quite consistent throughout the entire bowl. Mellow molasses like sweetness with a light tingly spiciness on the tail end of the smoke. The taste was a bit stronger about mid bowl but still the same.
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...psigkvnwc3.jpg
Comments and conclusion
I have my suspicions of what this baccy may be. Either way I'm looking forward to finding out as it is simply delicious. I'm pretty confident it contains Virginia and Perique and I'm guessing Black Cavendish. This is a tobacco I would like to have in my cellar and smoke often. Thank you, Pete, for the sample!
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps077jw3ac.jpg
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Date: 4/15/15
Bum: Emperor Zurg
Sample: “Green B" Not Vac Packed” G&H No. 7 Broken Flake
Pipe: Missouri Pride
Environment: Vehicle - windows down, in traffic
Observations
Appearance: Darker brown broken flake
Preparation: Separated out the longer strands, dried for 2-3 hrs, fold and stuff, sit out overnight. Smoked it the next day.
Burn: Typical of a folded and stuffed flake; lit hard but then burned well - probably 3 relights in all.
Tin Note: Perfumey, sharp and pungent like a spray air freshener. Underlying scents of orange rind or bergamont and a touch of cinnamon or tonquin in the background.
Flavor:
Cold draw was mostly fruity with a bit of resinous orange.
Initial light was fruity and floral and a bit waxy. I thought I picked up the orange-like flavor here too but that was the last I heard from it.
True light brought out a sharp air freshener taste and smell. Fortunately, that died down, and the first quarter of the bowl was mostly fruity and floral with a light dose of pepper spice that kept it interesting. After about 1/3 to 1/2 the bowl, the topping, though still present, died way down (or I became numb to it) and light sips revealed sweet, grassy, although somewhat sharp Virginia flavors. There's an 'alcoholic extract' flavor I got once in a while during the transition that is not unlike taking a sip of pure almond extract straight from the bottle - sharp like that, but not as strong in the almond department... I can't even be sure it's almond but it is an 'extract' like flavor. I kept looking for a vanilla-like flavor because I figured the cinnamon scent in the tin was probably tonquin. I thought I picked it up once in a while but I might have imagined it too. The light pepper spice remained more or less throughout the bowl. Hours after the smoke, my mouth had a perfumy aftertaste - reinforcing the idea that the topping didn't really die down but I became numb to it after a while.
Comments and conclusion:
This tobacco wasn't nearly as horrid as the tin note led me to believe. It's not something I would smoke every day... well that goes without saying because I don't even smoke every day... it's not something I would smoke once a week or even once a month but it wouldn't be bad for a change of pace once in a while. I expected an awful soap taste but the flavors did not strike me as soapy - mostly fruity and floral... like eating a fruit salad with lilac blossoms mixed in and those edible orchids on top. It was nicer in the second half of the bowl when I could actually taste tobacco. Nic strength was about medium I'd guess because I felt a bit of a hit but it's much lower than something like 1792
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Date: 4/15/15
Name: Branzig
Tobacco: Orange X Vac Sealed G&H Curly Cut Deluxe
Pipe: Capitello billiard, MM Country Gent, Savi Alligator 1/2 bent
Outdoors
http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/...pstdw7quab.jpg
Observations
Examination: A lightly colored Virginia blend in broken flake format. Not to moist at all. The tin note is really excellent. Lots of mature Virginia tones of figs, raisins, and wet hay. Wasn't sure if I should eat it or smoke it.
Preparation: The broken pieces were not too moist at all, and could probably be smoked straight from the bag, but I am anal about my tobacco and dried all 3 bowls I smoked for varying times between 30 minutes to 2 hours. All 3 bowls I rubbed out the broken flakes to a finer consistency to make packing easier.
Burn: Smoked real easy. No issues whatsoever, except I had to relight one bowl about 5 times; but that was due to me being tired and packing like a slob. Not the tobacco's fault. All 3 times the tobacco burned down to a nice white ash with no dottle left over.
Flavor: Judging from the tin note, I was looking forward to a bold and sweet Virginia experience, and I was not let down. The charring light produced a mouthful of exquisite, sugary hay flavor immediately. The true light brought on some more of that lovely sweetness and added a great citrus like zest to the after taste. As the bowl heated up the citrus notes took over the light hay, really excellent. Moving into the half way point, the raisin flavor took over the citrus/hay, and held the overall flavor profile for the remainder of the bowl. A really thick, tasty raisin flavor. Almost like a raisin that has been dipped in sweet and spicy molasses. Really tasty. Towards the end of the bowl, the molasses flavor took on a whole new level of spiciness, which leads me to believe that a bit of perique could be in here as well. I found that the 20-30 minute drying time produced the best sweet tones for this tobacco. Really excellent stuff.
Comments and conclusion: A very nice, medium Virginia offering here. The sweetness is excellent and the overall flavor profile and complexity is great. Went perfect with my french roast coffee. The nicotine punch was none existent, but the flavors excellent. This is something that I could see myself cellaring away and having on hand at all times. It will fit the bill for when you want that sweet raisin/fig Va, and not that full bodied, date Va offering. :pipe:
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Date: 4/15/15
Bum: Emperor Zurg
Sample: “Pink K" Vac Packed G&H Glengary Flake
Pipe: Barling Canadian 5574
Environment: Vehicle - windows down, highway
Observations
Appearance: Mottled light and dark brown, sticky flake
Preparation: Cube cut right off the end of the stack of 4 flakes. Dried several hours
Burn: Steady and long burning. Burned steady and even after the false light for most of the bowl.
Tin Note: Sweet hay and figgy with citrus in the background. Smells delicious. I'm temped to try a chaw of this.
Flavor:
Cold draw was almost flavorless. I might have dried it a bit too long. Hard to tell with cubes.
Initial light was a bit woody and reminiscent of a sweet dry hay with a touch of Lakeland soap. The Lakeland went away pretty quick and may have been picked up from cutting this flake on the same card I'd used to dry the perfumey blend I tried previously. Flavor was very light at first. Once the bowl got underway the flavor intensified and I got mainly dried fruit - figs probably, maybe raisins (although the only figs I've eaten are Fig Newtons, it was sweet but not that sweet) - and a dusting of chocolate. The chocolate died out pretty quickly and after a bit the fruit began to give way to more of a floral flavor with a zing of citrus. There was light pepper on the tongue but almost no pepper on the retro. Floral / citrus and a slight touch of pepper hung on for most of the remainder of the bowl with the pepper slowly fading away to non-existent. Eventually the citrus also died out, giving way to more of a dry hay. There was a sweetness throughout the bowl that reminded me of molasses. Toward the bottom, just before it refused to stay burning, I'd describe the flavor as floral and dry hay. I didn't get much sweetness at that point, but it had been a long smoke and my sense of taste was starting to give out at that point. Regardless, I did not get a nic hit at all so I'd classify this as mild in the N department.
Comments and conclusion:
I'm pretty sure this is some kind of a hot pressed Virginia flake. There may be a bit of perique in there but if so, it's very little. It's a very nice smoke and the changing profile made for an interesting one as well. Getting it lit was an adventure as it kept wanting to erupt out the top of the pipe like one of those 'Magic Snake' pellets we used to get in the kids fireworks assortments my parents bought us around Independence Day. Sorry for the crappy pic - the phone camera insisted on focusing on the road - but you get the idea.
http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/a...psqgbrutip.jpg
Thanks to
@NeverBend
for the opportunity to try these tobaccos :)
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4/16/2015
LostMason
Sample Green G (vac) Stokkebye Virginia #701
Dr.Grabow Lark 3/4 bent
indoors
Shag cut.Fairly moist, there are some clumps but mostly loose.
In the pouch I pick up the aroma of alfalfa, a sweet pleasant
odor, refreshing.The colors are dark and medium brown.I would be
Lying if I said I could pick out the individual tobacco types,so
I wont try.I'll just say this smells natural and clean.I packed my
bowl using the 3 step method and let it rest for about an hour.
The tobacco lit up easily and burned smoothly without having to
tamp.The ash was a light grey and didn't interfear with the burn.
I didn't have any real toung bite,but I did note a dryness akin
to cotton mouth,but not intense and easily controlled by slowing
down and sipping a bit shallower.
The flavor was earthy and dry,and on the retrohale a note of
spiceyness or pepper.Not strong but noticable.This tobacco seemed
pretty straight forward,I didn't pick up any flowery or soapiness,
nor any sweetness from a topping.The sweetness in the preburn didn't
come thru in the smoke.The smoke was plentifull but thin.
Where this is a blend I would definatly want on hand for personal
reflection,it isn't one I would recomend to new pipers who are
expecting more flavor.This is a nice evening smoke with no
complications,with a mild nicotine hit.
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4/16/2015
Lostmason
Sample Pink H G&H Scotch Flake Aromatic
Dr Grabow Grand Duke straight
indoors
This one is completly new to me.Pressed flake,what others have described as
jerky.In the pouch it had a distinct cocoa smell, not sweet more like unsweetened
cooking coco powder.After pulling a single flake from the stack I then pulled rather
than rubbed it apart.The feel was just shy of tacky.I noticed long ribbons as if the
leaves had been stacked, then pressed, and then cut length wise.
I used something of a fold and stuff method and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
I should have given it about an hour to dry some, it was a devil to get lit.After
a good charring light and tamp it took off rather well,but did require s few
relights.
The initial flavors were quite subtle and dry,an earthy,wood smoke flavor.Rather
light and uneventfull.After about half to two thirds it took on a leather taste.
Unfortunatly I never picked up on anything resembling the cocoa from the pouch,
but it was enjoyable all the same.
I didn't feel anything of a nicotine boost,so I would guess this one falls into
the medium range on strength.The smoke itself was light and airy,but carried the
flavors well.On the retrohale it was smooth without the burn of spices.
On the whole this tobacco is one I would say save for when you have an hour to
fully enjoy it.I doesn't have a tongue bite that I noticed,and is quite nice for
an outdoor cookout.In a room with other smokers it would be easy to miss some
of its better qualities.
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4/17/2015
Lostmason
Sample Orange Z MacBaren Club Blend circa 2000
Dr Grabow Grand Duke straight
indoors
This sample is a dark brown ribbon cut,fairly moist.In the pouch
it has an aroma that reminds me of honey flavored cereal, Something
like Nuts&Honey but without the nuts.
Allowed to dry for an hour, and packed using 3 step method.It was still
reluctant to light and required constant attention or relights.
Right from the start and continuing thru the bowl this sample had a
constant tongue burn/bite.There was a clear taste of pepper that seemed
to overpower anything else.There was none of the sweetness and kind of
a soapy feel that made the pepper thick.The smoke was full and thick,
but the burn,even with a very shallow sip,took away from the enjoyment.
This is a tobacco I would use to cut with an over sweetened, dry blend.
While I'm greatfull for the opportunity to smoke it,this is not a blend
I will be stocking up on.
Thank You Pete for the samples,and You and Tobias for letting me join
in on the fun.With your generousity and guidence I know I am learning
from the best.
