Summer of 2016 Blind Review Thread

[c.ortiz108]

Mystery Tobacco #23

Smoked in an old Comoy’s Academy Award dedicated to Latakia blends.

This is an odd-looking blend of mostly very light tobacco cut in short, wide, ribbony squares, which I guess is a VA, plus some dark brown and black strands which seem to be Latakia and other Orientals judging by the smell. It’s really dry and if I didn’t know the source I’d wonder if it had been left lying around in an open tin too long.

Latakia blends are my favorite. I’m a sucker for them so I’m already thinking this could be good…. But the dryness and random cut make me a little skeptical.

I’m already halfway down the bowl and trying to find something to say. It burns fast because of the dryness, but for some reason needs quite a few relights. The Virginia is a little harsh, bitey, and cigarette-like. It kind of tastes as cheap as it looks. There’s a little interest coming from Orientals, I think - some lemon and earthy flavors. But if there was such a thing as a Latakia OTC this would be it. Just a generic English blend. Like fast food.

Not that it’s bad at all – after all it has Latakia and Orientals! It’s smokable and may be good for someone who smokes multiple bowls a day and wants something English, cheap, and unchallenging (like Adele…. sorry!). I’d smoke it if I ran out of my other English/Balkan/Scottish blends (which tend towards McClelland, SG, Dunhill and McConnells'), or if it were the last one left after a tobaccapocalypse, but don’t think I’d reach for it otherwise.

Now watch, Tobias is going to tell me it was some H&H masterwork with a wonderful reputation.... At least I know it's not Penzance!

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I strongly suggest drying it out a bit. I find most Cavendish based aros smoke best when they are almost crispy. Some people find smoking it too dry makes them susceptible to tongue bite, but I've not encountered this problem.

I'll do that! I was impressed that it burned so well being so wet, but will definitely dry it next time.

[Tobias Lutz]

Mystery Tobacco #23

Smoked in an old Comoy’s Academy Award dedicated to Latakia blends.

This is an odd-looking blend of mostly very light tobacco cut in short, wide, ribbony squares, which I guess is a VA, plus some dark brown and black strands which seem to be Latakia and other Orientals judging by the smell. It’s really dry and if I didn’t know the source I’d wonder if it had been left lying around in an open tin too long.

Latakia blends are my favorite. I’m a sucker for them so I’m already thinking this could be good…. But the dryness and random cut make me a little skeptical.

I’m already halfway down the bowl and trying to find something to say. It burns fast because of the dryness, but for some reason needs quite a few relights. The Virginia is a little harsh, bitey, and cigarette-like. It kind of tastes as cheap as it looks. There’s a little interest coming from Orientals, I think - some lemon and earthy flavors. But if there was such a thing as a Latakia OTC this would be it. Just a generic English blend. Like fast food.

Not that it’s bad at all – after all it has Latakia and Orientals! It’s smokable and may be good for someone who smokes multiple bowls a day and wants something English, cheap, and unchallenging (like Adele…. sorry!). I’d smoke it if I ran out of my other English/Balkan/Scottish blends (which tend towards McClelland, SG, Dunhill and McConnells'), or if it were the last one left after a tobaccapocalypse, but don’t think I’d reach for it otherwise.

Now watch, Tobias is going to tell me it was some H&H masterwork with a wonderful reputation.... At least I know it's not Penzance!

Numbers 19-24 are the Hearth and Home samples; everyone received one. What you smoked was H&H Distinguished Penguin:

[IMG]The name existed before the blend. One of our employees suggested that we make a tobacco called “Distinguished Penguin”, so we took the challenge. As you might expect, this is a light/dark mixture (technically, it’s considered a Scottish blend) of Carolina and Virginia flake-cut, with Stoved Virginia, a light amount of Latakia, and a bit of unflavored toasted black Cavendish - a mild and slightly sweet smoke with character.[/IMG]

[c.ortiz108]

Numbers 19-24 are the Hearth and Home samples; everyone received one. What you smoked was H&H Distinguished Penguin:

[IMG]The name existed before the blend. One of our employees suggested that we make a tobacco called “Distinguished Penguin”, so we took the challenge. As you might expect, this is a light/dark mixture (technically, it’s considered a Scottish blend) of Carolina and Virginia flake-cut, with Stoved Virginia, a light amount of Latakia, and a bit of unflavored toasted black Cavendish - a mild and slightly sweet smoke with character.[/IMG]

There's a lesson to be learned here about naming a blend before it exists....

Thanks again for all this, Tobias - it's really fun and cheering up my post-Brexit weekend!

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By the way, anyone know what Carolina actually is? A kind of Burley or ?

[cpmcdill]

My 4th and final review for this blind review challenge:

Blend: #24
Pipe: Various
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: Coarse cut, mostly yellow with lesser amounts of brown and dark tobacco.
Pouch Note: A distinctly tobacco note with no discernable toppings or Latakia.
Lighting method: Standard Zippo

Had to give this one a few smokes, in different pipes, as it piqued my interest with a bunch of nuance, while still hitting the spot like a bold English (despite the lack of Latakia). First time I tried it in a Comoys bulldog (enjoyed it), the second time in a Grabow pot (enjoyed it and picked out some sweet notes, though that could be ghosting from a pipe I smoke a lot of aros in).

Third experience is with a Missouri Meerschaum Twain corncob pipe with a Forever churchwarden stem. The bowl on this pipe is as wide as the Grabow pot, but deeper and tapers more toward the bottom.

As with the prior couple tries, it took a little effort to get it lit, probably due to the coarse cut. But once lit it retained an ember pretty well most of the time. Something about this blend is really hitting the spot. Usually burley-centric blends need some Latakia to really get my interest. There's Virginia in this, a smidgen of Perique maybe, and more? (oriental or some other tobacco I can't make out). But the effect of this blend tells me it's a masterful and balanced combination. It's not something I've had before, but it's got my attention and I'll consider loading up on some more very soon. Especially considering that most Hearth & Home blends are post-2007, so if that new regulation gets enforced, so many of these terrific tobaccos could be lost.

So, back to the cobwarden: The effect is a sweet and toasty blend with a lot of nuance and a pretty decent nicotine content. Has the body of a robust English blend, but a different flavor. I'm quite sure that Burley is the star, but the backup tobaccos harmonize so well that no contributor is expendible or easily replaced. I think this would be a terrific "nightcap" tobacco for people who want to move beyond aros or straight burleys but find Latakia doesn't ring their bell.

It's a good, relatively dry blend that smokes well down to ash, and doesn't get bitter or cigarette-y. Delivers well in the flavor and nicotine department, and does not seem to bite.

[Tobias Lutz]

My 4th and final review for this blind review challenge:

Blend: #24
Pipe: Various
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: Coarse cut, mostly yellow with lesser amounts of brown and dark tobacco.
Pouch Note: A distinctly tobacco note with no discernable toppings or Latakia.
Lighting method: Standard Zippo

Had to give this one a few smokes, in different pipes, as it piqued my interest with a bunch of nuance, while still hitting the spot like a bold English (despite the lack of Latakia). First time I tried it in a Comoys bulldog (enjoyed it), the second time in a Grabow pot (enjoyed it and picked out some sweet notes, though that could be ghosting from a pipe I smoke a lot of aros in).

Third experience is with a Missouri Meerschaum Twain corncob pipe with a Forever churchwarden stem. The bowl on this pipe is as wide as the Grabow pot, but deeper and tapers more toward the bottom.

As with the prior couple tries, it took a little effort to get it lit, probably due to the coarse cut. But once lit it retained an ember pretty well most of the time. Something about this blend is really hitting the spot. Usually burley-centric blends need some Latakia to really get my interest. There's Virginia in this, a smidgen of Perique maybe, and more? (oriental or some other tobacco I can't make out). But the effect of this blend tells me it's a masterful and balanced combination. It's not something I've had before, but it's got my attention and I'll consider loading up on some more very soon. Especially considering that most Hearth & Home blends are post-2007, so if that new regulation gets enforced, so many of these terrific tobaccos could be lost.

So, back to the cobwarden: The effect is a sweet and toasty blend with a lot of nuance and a pretty decent nicotine content. Has the body of a robust English blend, but a different flavor. I'm quite sure that Burley is the star, but the backup tobaccos harmonize so well that no contributor is expendible or easily replaced. I think this would be a terrific "nightcap" tobacco for people who want to move beyond aros or straight burleys but find Latakia doesn't ring their bell.

It's a good, relatively dry blend that smokes well down to ash, and doesn't get bitter or cigarette-y. Delivers well in the flavor and nicotine department, and does not seem to bite.

You just burned a bowl of H&H Frenchy's Sunzabitches:

Frenchy's Sunzabitches is a robust blend of sweet Virginias, bold, dark Burley, lots of tangy Perique and a bit of unflavored black Cavendish. To add to the complexity and to give the blend a pleasant room note, a splash of Bourbon is added. This long-time favorite among Hearth & Home customers is hearty enough to be the perfect after dinner blend.

[Lostmason]

You just burned a bowl of H&H Frenchy's Sunzabitches:

Frenchy's Sunzabitches is a robust blend of sweet Virginias, bold, dark Burley, lots of tangy Perique and a bit of unflavored black Cavendish. To add to the complexity and to give the blend a pleasant room note, a splash of Bourbon is added. This long-time favorite among Hearth & Home customers is hearty enough to be the perfect after dinner blend.

This is easily one of my favorite blends.Full flavor from top to bottom.

[cpmcdill]

You just burned a bowl of H&H Frenchy's Sunzabitches:

Frenchy's Sunzabitches is a robust blend of sweet Virginias, bold, dark Burley, lots of tangy Perique and a bit of unflavored black Cavendish. To add to the complexity and to give the blend a pleasant room note, a splash of Bourbon is added. This long-time favorite among Hearth & Home customers is hearty enough to be the perfect after dinner blend.

Ha! Unlike with the previous blends, which I paired with beers, I paired this one with bourbon, as it seemed somehow apt. However, I seriously did not detect even a molecule of bourbon in the pouch note or flavor. It seemed like straight tobaccos to me, over three evenings of smoking it. Maybe the bourbon was that faintly sweet note (or was it cavendish?). It does seem like I picked up on the Burley/Virginia/Perique aspects... but who knows. Every tobacco blend hits the palates of different people in unique ways. This has been a fun blind review challenge, and I thank Mr. @Tobias Lutz for the opportunity to discover some new blends I may further pursue in the near future.