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Tobias Lutz
03-23-2015, 07:54 AM
Thanks to a generous patron ( i.e. NeverBend ), we’re going to revive the old “Blind Pipe Tobacco Review”, but with a bomb-like twist. Rather than entrants being paired off and sending samples to one another, this requires nothing more than signing-up, smoking, and reviewing!!!

I will collect the list and organize the addresses, Pete will mail the samples- marked simply with a letter or number, and then we’ll create a review thread for all the fun.
The tobaccos will be Flakes and some English but no aromatics.

This is the requested format for reviews:

Details
Date
Name
Tobacco
Pipe
Indoor / Outdoor

Observations
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled).
Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it).
Burn
Flavor

Comments and conclusion

Please PM me with your address and add your name to the list below. I’ll leave sign-ups open for a few days.


Participants:
1. Alligator Gar
2. ????


Thanks again to NeverBend for generously offering the time and tobacco to do this!

JustTroItIn
03-23-2015, 07:58 AM
I will play. Much thanks to NeverBend and to Tobias for organizing.

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. ????

Branzig
03-23-2015, 08:43 AM
Sounds like a blast!

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig

Tobias Lutz
03-23-2015, 11:55 AM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz

I'm a glutton for blind review punishment :p

LandonColby
03-23-2015, 11:59 AM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 12:49 PM
For the record:



I'll send samples after I have tobacco and sealing bags in hand, about week to 10 days.
Say Strong or Mild when you sign up, just that - no explanation and I may accommodate. Mild may still get you a pant filler. If you explain I'll send partially smoked Mixture #79.
No cussin' or spittin' in the reviews unless yer chewin' it.
Sale at 4Noggins tomorrow (TT: tmoran) so range of mixtures subject to change but still non-aro.
Should my wife call you, tell her; He sent nothing! If your SO calls me I will deny knowing you.
Don't thank me unless there's cash in you package.


Double Lutz with a Loop

Lostmason
03-23-2015, 03:08 PM
Is there a limit on entrants?If not can I play too?

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason

bluenoser
03-23-2015, 03:43 PM
If you'll include us north of the border I'll play

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 04:04 PM
If you'll include us north of the border I'll play

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser

As mentioned Bluenoser,I'll try. Where are you in Canada?

I'll set a cap at 15 for the moment but may be able to do more.

bluenoser
03-23-2015, 04:08 PM
As mentioned Bluenoser,I'll try. Where are you in Canada?

I'll set a cap at 15 for the moment but may be able to do more.

I'm in southern Saskatchewan.

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 04:52 PM
I'm in southern Saskatchewan.

Too far to walk, we'll have to put it onto the hands of the US and Canadian Postal Services. Any problems, we call out the Mounties.

BryGuySC
03-23-2015, 05:02 PM
I'm in.

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC

LandonColby
03-23-2015, 05:25 PM
Thanks again to NeverBend for this, I had loads of fun with the blind taste test last year and can't wait to try my hand again this year. Everyone throw some RG to this true BOTL!

bluenoser
03-23-2015, 05:28 PM
Too far to walk, we'll have to put it onto the hands of the US and Canadian Postal Services. Any problems, we call out the Mounties.

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/Gsxblaze/Canadian-Mountie-Riding-a-Moose-in-a-Lake-110009.jpg (http://s734.photobucket.com/user/Gsxblaze/media/Canadian-Mountie-Riding-a-Moose-in-a-Lake-110009.jpg.html)

JustTroItIn
03-23-2015, 06:28 PM
http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/Gsxblaze/Canadian-Mountie-Riding-a-Moose-in-a-Lake-110009.jpg (http://s734.photobucket.com/user/Gsxblaze/media/Canadian-Mountie-Riding-a-Moose-in-a-Lake-110009.jpg.html)

No, no, no it's more like this, eh!

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/000749715/polls_dudley_doright_3300_640724_answer_4_xlarge.j peg

Canadian expat here BTW.

Lostmason
03-23-2015, 07:10 PM
You boy's have me wondering about this Mixture #79,what's so wrong with it and where can I find some?

LandonColby
03-23-2015, 07:27 PM
You boy's have me wondering about this Mixture #79,what's so wrong with it and where can I find some?

*GASP*...never speak that name again..it is always referred to as, "You Know What".

GWBowman
03-23-2015, 08:09 PM
Oh yeaaaaaaaaaa

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC
9. GWBowman

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 08:21 PM
You boy's have me wondering about this Mixture #79,what's so wrong with it and where can I find some?

Matthew,

I'm perhaps the only one old enough to know the true story.

78 mixtures were made and tested. The testers hated the mixtures and appeared to their superiors to report it so all 78 times.

The 79th mixture was made. No one appeared before the superiors who deemed it, "good enough" and it was offered for sale.

The testers were dead.

MrMotoyoshi
03-23-2015, 09:11 PM
Being that I am not CONUS, could I pay you for the shipping through paypal? I would love to enter this if possible. If not, I completely understand.

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 09:39 PM
Being that I am not CONUS, could I pay you for the shipping through paypal? I would love to enter this if possible. If not, I completely understand.

Hi Andrew,

Kind of you to offer to pay but no need. Seems that I'd have to send a rigid first class envelope. I have no idea how Japanese customs will deal with it. I'm planning on vacuum sealing the tobacco so it should be quite flat. Thoughts?

Pete

MrMotoyoshi
03-23-2015, 09:45 PM
Hi Andrew,

Kind of you to offer to pay but no need. Seems that I'd have to send a rigid first class envelope. I have no idea how Japanese customs will deal with it. I'm planning on vacuum sealing the tobacco so it should be quite flat. Thoughts?

Pete

Sometimes they intercept it and I pay a charge, sometimes they don't. I'm willing to gamble :greedy_dollars: If it's alright with you, I would love to enter this.

Branzig
03-23-2015, 09:47 PM
Put a STRONG next to my name Pete :pipe:

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 10:12 PM
Sometimes they intercept it and I pay a charge, sometimes they don't. I'm willing to gamble :greedy_dollars: If it's alright with you, I would love to enter this.

Sign up!

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 10:12 PM
Put a STRONG next to my name Pete :pipe:

You talking about your muscles or tobacco? :)

Will do.

GWBowman
03-23-2015, 10:15 PM
I forgot to note strong when I pm'd my addy to Tobias.

MrMotoyoshi
03-23-2015, 10:22 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC
9. GWBowman
10. MrMotoyoshi- Strong

GWBowman
03-23-2015, 10:25 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC
9. GWBowman- Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi- Strong

Lostmason
03-23-2015, 10:39 PM
is there a surprise me catagory?

NeverBend
03-23-2015, 11:01 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC
9. GWBowman- Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi- Strong

I hope that you He-Men realize that strong to Peter Stokkebye is mild to Mr. Hoggarth. GW strong is respirator stuff and I might need a signed release! :)

Chris0673
03-23-2015, 11:12 PM
Hey I thought I signed up? Make mine mild please. lol I have kids to worry about!

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 12:29 AM
Hey I thought I signed up? Make mine mild please. lol I have kids to worry about!

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC
9. GWBowman- StrIong
10. MrMotoyoshi- Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild

It copied with all the bolding.

Chris, who is that lovely horse? Thoroughbreds are a passion of mine (and a business for a while)

Horsefeathers
03-24-2015, 07:00 AM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong


Added myself to the list, and fixed the bolding. Blind tobacco reviews may be the funnest thing ever! Thanks!

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong

BryGuySC
03-24-2015, 07:41 AM
Fixed line 8&9, and added my pref.

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong

Branzig
03-24-2015, 08:39 AM
With everyone taking the strong path, you may not be able to send things evenly Pete!

I'll switch mine to "whatever is easy for you to send" if need be :pipe:

izkeh
03-24-2015, 08:53 AM
If you've still got room I'm game.

Tobias Lutz
03-24-2015, 09:13 AM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. izkeh

two more slots left!

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 03:11 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. izkeh

two more slots left!

I just checked on my orders and I should be able to start sending next week. Let's keep the nominations open and cap them at 20.

Any dedicated Aromatic smokers game to give this a try? We'd like your opinion.

izkeh
03-24-2015, 03:25 PM
You can throw me in the Strong camp if that works for you. If not, I like surprises.

Chris0673
03-24-2015, 04:14 PM
Chris, who is that lovely horse? Thoroughbreds are a passion of mine (and a business for a while)


The horse belonged to a friend of mine. Sadly he passed away a few months ago. He was a retired show horse and quite friendly.

JustTroItIn
03-24-2015, 04:39 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 04:53 PM
The LUTZ Contest:
There are now 20 slots available and I've added some prizes.
Please read through my BS for details (my way of getting you to read the whole thing).
Pictures of the prizes will follow in this thread in separate posts..

Once all the reviews for the blind test are in, I will judge the winners based on how closely the review expresses my experience with that tobacco or for any reason I wish, like literary merit or sweeping epic BS. My choice but I solicit opinions that I may ignore :hiccup:.

First Prize: Barling #5579 canadian from ~1966.
Second: Barling Londoner 1/8th bent pot from ~1970.

Contest within a Contest:
Pipe smokers all have tales that help express their passion for this endeavor. While we're waiting (actually - you're waiting) I thought an entertaining contest might be in order.

Tell a story about pipe smoking. It can be humorous, sad or whatever as long as you were a participant or witness. I invite anyone and everyone to share a tale.

“Acts have their being in the witness. Without him who can speak of it? In the end one could even say that the act is nothing, the witness all.” (Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing).Next Tuesday we'll poll this thread and vote on the best story and the winning author will receive a briar pipe with the tobacco that I send to you. No plagerism please :). In the event that a winner isn't apparent from public voting @TobiasLutz and I will select the winner. All sales are final. No returns or refunds. No whining.
First Prize: Barling #5574 canadian from ~1966. From the same collection as the #5579 above, bit shorter but virtually the same pipe.
The Catch:
Yes, you have to be on the nominations list to win this prize. In other words, I won't send the pipe out by itself, so if you haven't already, sign up for the sample and start writing! In the event that someone who is not on the nominations list wins, we'll congratulate you but give the prize to the next best entry. Please number your stories (sequentially) to help avoid confusion. I confuse easily.

The Prizes:
All of these pipes are in good to excellent condition. Some knot-head lightly sanded the rims of the Barlings but the pipes are solid. I will professionally (no snickering) ream the pipes before sending but you'll have to clean/restore to your standards (ebBay speak). Please post pics when you're finished and make me wish I kept this trio. Failure to post pics will insure that you're navel fills with lint. If you have an 'outy', you can ignore the last line.

I am called NeverBend for several reasons, not the least of which is that this 1/8th bent Londoner is, to me, like an Oom-Paul to you (just thought I'd mention this). Should one of our foreign friends, (not USA) win, we'll try to work something out but please write a story.

Tobias and I can (and I will) enter the story contest and Tobias is eligible to win but he can't receive the (story) prize. (Sorry Tobias, I'll try to make i up to you by harassing @Banzig until he sends you one of his prized CustomBilts). If you vote for me to win the contest I will lose all respect for you as I already have for myself. OK, I'll write about cigars to disqualify myself so no sympathy votes for me.

Write men, write!

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 04:57 PM
14601461

~1966 Barling #5579 canadian

First prize for winning the LUTZ.

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 05:10 PM
My apologies but after uploading the two pics of the LUTZ First Prize I was unable to upload any more pics.

I put them on DropBox and this is a link to the folder. You may need to register with DropBox to see the them. Sorry for the inconvenience and don't mess with the other pics :).

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ygdi08237v7xe2t/AABEWae1tfj4YHauPGWko9K7a?dl=0

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 05:35 PM
The horse belonged to a friend of mine. Sadly he passed away a few months ago. He was a retired show horse and quite friendly.

Hi Chris,

Sorry to hear of his passing. Magnificent, powerful and fragile all in the same package. Do you know what he died from?

Great placement on the star and a lovely head. A thoroughbred, yes?

Pete

Chris0673
03-24-2015, 06:38 PM
14601461

~1966 Barling #5579 canadian

First prize for winning the LUTZ.

This is a contest? Hmmmm...so whomever writes the best review wins?




Hi Chris,

Sorry to hear of his passing. Magnificent, powerful and fragile all in the same package. Do you know what he died from?

Great placement on the star and a lovely head. A thoroughbred, yes?

Pete


Yes, he was a thoroughbred stallion. Arabian, if I recall correctly. He died of old age.

cbr310
03-24-2015, 06:52 PM
I would love to join but my review would be worthless. I can barely make out what flavor I'm getting now. I just know if I like it or not, though I would try my best, which probably sucks.

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 07:32 PM
Story number 0 (zero) - mine doesn't count. Yours should be waaay shorter than mine but I hope that you'll indulge me for writing the long version.

A Day in Milan - A smoker's story

It was 1986 and it was the only time that my brother and I travelled together. When you go to Italy, for any any reason, you’d be foolish not to spend time taking in this magnificent country. So it was understood, whether we went together or alone that we added time and expected to have a blast along with work. He spoke the language and I butchered it but in Italy that doesn’t matter.

We imported pipes and I smoked them avidly but we travelled with cigars. It was inevitable that a customs guard would drop and damage the pipes and spill the tobacco. I prefer my Dunhill #965 without a topping of Eau de Dirt. Cigars hid well in shoes and in Europe, if found, they never interested customs. Besides, we always had a lot of pipes to carry home and our personal stock could cloud the issue. Once the cigars were gone, there’s nothing left to carry around, but while we were travelling they were precious. You’d understand this if you ever wanted to buy a cigar in Italy in 1986.

Our trips always started with Gino in Milan and then we’d go with him to spend a day with Gigi at his home and workshop.

On this trip, the next day was ours and we headed off, on foot, from Gino’s store at 32 Via Vitruvio for another of my brother’s meandering, “I know where we are” walks. It’s a good two miles but it took a couple of hours only made easier by our Te Amo Toro Maduros from our freshly stocked travel stash. He was always trying to prove that he knew Milan or Rome better than me and he usually proved the opposite. When we arrived I was a bit surly having barely started our second, very precious, cigar.

In 1986 the dining hall of the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie had just begun it’s massive restoration and it’s humble facade gave no clue to the wonder inside, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Once we were convinced that bringing the lit stogies inside might not be viewed favorably our priority became finding a suitable place to hide them awaiting our return. No stub left behind and these were barely started.

The back of the dining hall building looked nothing like a church. It’s brick construction looked more like a garden apartment and it had a small courtyard with a tree that had to two large branches that divided into a ‘Y’ at about eye level.

I slipped my cigar onto the mortar between two bricks on the ledge of a window that was just above my head and urged my brother to do the same but he knew better and he chose the ‘Y’ of the tree. If you weren’t seven feet tall you’d never be able to see my cigar but my brother’s butt was in plain sight.

We’re talking smoking here, not art, but there was no one except us in the dining hall to admire The Last Supper for twenty minutes before people started to arrive and it was sublime. I almost clubbed a Dutch dick who kept leaning over the scaffolding to see if he could touch the painting.

As we turned into the courtyard horror struck. A genuine, first issue, Italian bum with soiled pants that Mussolini must have been shot in was right in front of the tree, eyeballing the curious black stick cradled in the ‘Y’ of the branches.

I have no idea what the hell my brother yelled at this guy, other than ‘it’s mine’, but he was pissed.

The bum picked up the cigar.

I ran to the window and the brick ledge and reached up.

Bingo, no worries. It’s all good.

By now my brother and the bum were speaking rapid fire in Italian and then, with a flourish, the bum slipped the entire cigar into his mouth, rolled it around and produced it dripping with saliva. He extended the soaked stogie towards my brother and in clear Italian said, “Per favore, si fuma si” (please, you smoke it).

We took my route back to Gino’s store and made it in half the time. The rest of that cigar is one of the best smokes I’ve ever had.

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 07:33 PM
I would love to join but my review would be worthless. I can barely make out what flavor I'm getting now. I just know if I like it or not, though I would try my best, which probably sucks.

Matt,

I just spent a few hours reviewing the rules and there's nothing about level of experience. By all means sign up but try MILD :).

NeverBend
03-24-2015, 07:37 PM
This is a contest? Hmmmm...so whomever writes the best review wins?
Yes, he was a thoroughbred stallion. Arabian, if I recall correctly. He died of old age.

And you could win another pipe with a simple story about pipes. (see below).

Old age is the way that any horse should go. It happens and glad that it wasn't something else.

It's a small picture but his face isn't dished (it's a thoroughbred face). If you ever get the chance could you find out his name and breed, I'd love to see his pedigree.

cbr310
03-24-2015, 07:56 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild

cbr310
03-24-2015, 08:08 PM
[QUOTE=NeverBend;35487]Story number 0 (zero) - mine doesn't count. Yours should be waaay shorter than mine but I hope that you'll indulge me for writing the long version.

A Day in Milan - A smoker's story

It was 1986 and it was the only time that my brother and I travelled together. When you go to Italy, for any any reason, you’d be foolish not to spend time taking in this magnificent country. So it was understood, whether we went together or alone that we added time and expected to have a blast along with work. He spoke the language and I butchered it but in Italy that doesn’t matter.

We imported pipes and I smoked them avidly but we travelled with cigars. It was inevitable that a customs guard would drop and damage the pipes and spill the tobacco. I prefer my Dunhill #965 without a topping of Eau de Dirt. Cigars hid well in shoes and in Europe, if found, they never interested customs. Besides, we always had a lot of pipes to carry home and our personal stock could cloud the issue. Once the cigars were gone, there’s nothing left to carry around, but while we were travelling they were precious. You’d understand this if you ever wanted to buy a cigar in Italy in 1986.

Our trips always started with Gino in Milan and then we’d go with him to spend a day with Gigi at his home and workshop.

On this trip, the next day was ours and we headed off, on foot, from Gino’s store at 32 Via Vitruvio for another of my brother’s meandering, “I know where we are” walks. It’s a good two miles but it took a couple of hours only made easier by our Te Amo Toro Maduros from our freshly stocked travel stash. He was always trying to prove that he knew Milan or Rome better than me and he usually proved the opposite. When we arrived I was a bit surly having barely started our second, very precious, cigar.

In 1986 the dining hall of the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie had just begun it’s massive restoration and it’s humble facade gave no clue to the wonder inside, The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Once we were convinced that bringing the lit stogies inside might not be viewed favorably our priority became finding a suitable place to hide them awaiting our return. No stub left behind and these were barely started.

The back of the dining hall building looked nothing like a church. It’s brick construction looked more like a garden apartment and it had a small courtyard with a tree that had to two large branches that divided into a ‘Y’ at about eye level.

I slipped my cigar onto the mortar between two bricks on the ledge of a window that was just above my head and urged my brother to do the same but he knew better and he chose the ‘Y’ of the tree. If you weren’t seven feet tall you’d never be able to see my cigar but my brother’s butt was in plain sight.

We’re talking smoking here, not art, but there was no one except us in the dining hall to admire The Last Supper for twenty minutes before people started to arrive and it was sublime. I almost clubbed a Dutch dick who kept leaning over the scaffolding to see if he could touch the painting.

As we turned into the courtyard horror struck. A genuine, first issue, Italian bum with soiled pants that Mussolini must have been shot in was right in front of the tree, eyeballing the curious black stick cradled in the ‘Y’ of the branches.

I have no idea what the hell my brother yelled at this guy, other than ‘it’s mine’, but he was pissed.

The bum picked up the cigar.

I ran to the window and the brick ledge and reached up.

Bingo, no worries. It’s all good.

By now my brother and the bum were speaking rapid fire in Italian and then, with a flourish, the bum slipped the entire cigar into his mouth, rolled it around and produced it dripping with saliva. He extended the soaked stogie towards my brother and in clear Italian said, “Per favore, si fuma si” (please, you smoke it).

We took my route back to Gino’s store and made it in half the time. The rest of that cigar is one of the best smokes I’ve ever had.[/lol I love it! Didnt even have to say i told you so!!

cbr310
03-24-2015, 08:18 PM
So my piping started back in late 2014. I bought my first pipe, a Dr Grabow savoy smooth. Im so excited and rush home to put otc blend in it and fire it up. I wasnt on the internet and had no clue about the crazy amount of baccy available. So Im firing up my pipe and my wife comes home, comes downstairs takes 1 look and busts out laughing! She asked "what the hell are you doing you look like a complete jackass!" I dont even smoke cigarettes. I told her I have a new hobby, but never realized how awesome and addictive it would become.(not addicted nicotine wise just fun) My friends all chuckled at the sight of me with the pipe in my mouth, and one even tried it. Now She just shakes her head when I take a picture and post it up on here. Guess I really have no funny story cause I dont know a single person that smokes a pipe beside myself, but just thought I share something. Really glad I found this place and made some friends that I would love to meet in person some day.

Branzig
03-24-2015, 11:03 PM
OK, here is my submission. Sorry if this goes a bit long... Grab a pipe and read up boys and girls :pipe:

Story No. 2: A Hobby Becomes A Passion

For as long as I have been using tobacco, I have had an infatuation with these silly smoking vessels that we all know as pipes. I don't know what is about it. I mean, it is just a hunk of wood with some holes drilled into it and some rubber added to the end. You have a bowl, an airway, and a stem to smoke with. So simple. But still...something about them.

I started smoking cigarettes at 13, like most kids, to look cool. Eventually, cigarettes became more of a friend than a fashion trend for me. When I was upset, they settled me. When I was happy, they escalated my being. When I was stressed, they relieved me. Before I knew it, my 1-4 cigarettes a day habit became a pack or so a day instead. I was in school to be a writer, and started to work for some media and music publications, mainly writing reviews. I was going through 1-2 packs a day writing for these guys, so I wanted to take up the pipe because of the room note and to cut back on my cigarette habit. It was around this time I picked up my first Dr. Grabow. A Golden Duke. It was a junk pipe that gurgled, smoked wet, and burned hot. I don't know why or how many bowls I smoked through that pipe, but I loved it. I loved everything about it. I have always wanted a pipe. I wanted to be a writer. Twain, Hemingway, Lewis, Dr. Seuss, Hunter S. Thompson...all amazing writers, all pipe smokers. I was living my dream. Smoking a pipe and writing. I smoked the hell out of that little Grabow, all the way up until one of my idiot "friends" defiled her with some contraband...then the Duke was retired.

Years went by and my path in life changed dramatically. My dreams and aspirations of becoming a professional writer went on the back burner (they are still simmering back there) and I started my current career. Kids were born, rings were exchanged, vows were made. Time dried up and so did my tobacco use. Cigarettes were a thing of the past now and I had gone through a pretty intense cigar phase that was quickly vanishing as well. However, the pipe always stuck around. At this point I had maybe 3 little Grabows and a LHS that my friend had found and given me. The LHS was disgusting, so I never smoked it. I figured it was a lost cause. I did some research about it and found out a lot about LHS pipes...and their age. I am a history buff, so the thought of smoking and having an old pipe really fascinated me. Who smoked it? Where had the pipe been? What happened while that pipe was clinched in someone's mouth...All these things just fascinated me. I began searching vociferously for ways to make this LHS smoke worthy again. Along the way, I found a lot of awful information, but I struggled through it and got the pipe to where it at least was smoke worthy...and what a sweet smoker she is.

That little junker LHS started something that I haven't been able to get away from since. I have become somewhat obsessed with restoring and bringing new life to these old relics. I spend countless hours of my own free time (which I have little of I mind you) researching pipes, their makers, their construction, where they were primarily sold and of course buying them up. My idea of "me time" is sitting down with some OxiClean, Magic erasers, and Micro sanding pads to hand clean stems for a couple hours. Sanding down a pipe to bare briar and re-staining it. The first smoke. Probably the most rewarding part of my hobby now is being able to pass the knowledge I have acquired on to others. Nothing makes me happier than knowing I helped out a fellow enthusiast with their own personal project. The thanks from others is all I need to keep on trucking. Preserving history and helping out others is what is all about to me, and of course, having a nice smoker at the end of it all is a plus as well :pipe:

NeverBend
03-25-2015, 01:01 AM
So my piping started back in late 2014. I bought my first pipe, a Dr Grabow savoy smooth. Im so excited and rush home to put otc blend in it and fire it up. I wasnt on the internet and had no clue about the crazy amount of baccy available. So Im firing up my pipe and my wife comes home, comes downstairs takes 1 look and busts out laughing! She asked "what the hell are you doing you look like a complete jackass!" I dont even smoke cigarettes. I told her I have a new hobby, but never realized how awesome and addictive it would become.(not addicted nicotine wise just fun) My friends all chuckled at the sight of me with the pipe in my mouth, and one even tried it. Now She just shakes her head when I take a picture and post it up on here. Guess I really have no funny story cause I dont know a single person that smokes a pipe beside myself, but just thought I share something. Really glad I found this place and made some friends that I would love to meet in person some day.

Hi Matt,

Your story is Number 1. Branzig was observant and kind enough to reserve this number for you by leapfrogging.

Excellent start Matt and Brandon, well done. Someone's gonna win a Barling!

NeverBend
03-25-2015, 11:51 AM
The Barling Londoner Pot is broken. My fault. It's the first pipe I've ever dropped and broken. I was carrying it outside to ream and clean it when my hand spasmed and the tenon snapped when it hit the floor.

Therefore, I'm replacing the Londoner 1/8th bent pot with a BB&S Rallye #5579 canadian. It's a Barling made pipe (actually the Londoner is a BB&S too) from ~1970. It's from the same collection as the other two prizes and it's the same shape as the LUTZ first prize.

LandonColby
03-25-2015, 01:43 PM
I guess I'll toss in a little number. I love the idea of sharing stories, and more so that there are some being shared!

Number 3 - Brotherly Love

As with all things, the effects of time are inevitable. It's toll on my family is still in it's adolescence and I see us all drifting farther from each other, in both distance and heart.
But as any good guys or gals we try and set aside time every so often or when we can afford it, to get together and pretend as if nothing has changed over the years.

It was October, and for all the Colby boys that meant one thing...Elk season. The one time of year when the family back home in Minnesota, and the free birds that moved to California both travel to Colorado to set up camp, smoke good leaf, drink too many beers, and freeze their nuts off.
I grabbed a couple of tins, my beat around briars, and a couple handfuls of cigars, enough to satisfy both mine and my brother's appetite for a week or so. After making the 13 hour drive to Eagle and setting up camp in a complete white out blizzard, my eight other cousin's and uncles and I were puffing away on various cigars and passing around a bottle of Wiser's Canadian Whiskey with a salt shaker to do honkers in honor of the passing of my father's brother. Man, was it good to all be back together again.
The sun rose the following morning to reveal a crisp clear day with the high sitting right around 10 or 15 degrees...perfect day to track an elk. I lit my pipe and grabbed my rifle. Tipped my hat to my brother who was trying to light his cigar in the light breeze and headed off towards the treeline. Right away I found a nice set of tracks that I followed for nearly a mile, they took me straight up a ridge but when they dropped off to the left down into the gorge I decided to plant my ass in the snow and wait. It was a perfect spot, the trees gave way to a clearing that over looked the entire valley down below me and the sun shining off of last night's snow lit the whole place up like a blanket of diamonds and there was nothing except me and complete, dead silence. I lit a fresh pipe and settled into the snow up to my chest and with a large pine at my back, I waited. An hour and a half went by and still no movement. Before I knew it I was nodding off and then it all went black.
I woke up later to my brother giving me a shake and asking if I was alright, "yes, yes I'm fine" I replied. When my eyes adjusted I could see the sun just peeping through the trees on the far side of the valley, I was absolutely chilled and bitter cold. My brother produced a couple hand warmers and a silver flask and told me how he came looking for me out of worry when the sun started to drop, I left a clear trail up into the trees so I was easy to find. We sat there for at least another hour sharing the whiskey and laughing when I finally asked what had been plaguing my mind recently. "Do you think we are drifting apart?" He gave a slow, single nod while staring off into the ground showing that he understood. Then he looked at me and said "No. Only off to sleep". He gave a grin and slapped me on the shoulder and we headed back to camp.

I lost that pipe in the snow, as it must've fell out of my mouth when I dozed off. But it didn't bug me in the least because of the moment I shared that day with my brother. Since that day we have never been closer. I guess it's safe to say that sometimes pipe dreams do come true.

BryGuySC
03-25-2015, 02:07 PM
The Barling Londoner Pot is broken. My fault. It's the first pipe I've ever dropped and broken. I was carrying it outside to ream and clean it when my hand spasmed and the tenon snapped when it hit the floor.

Therefore, I'm replacing the Londoner 1/8th bent pot with a BB&S Rallye #5579 canadian. It's a Barling made pipe (actually the Londoner is a BB&S too) from ~1970. It's from the same collection as the other two prizes and it's the same shape as the LUTZ first prize.

Oh, No! That is always a horrible, slow-motion-inducing event!

NeverBend
03-25-2015, 03:05 PM
Oh, No! That is always a horrible, slow-motion-inducing event!

Yes, exactly.

Thanks to all the story posters, they're fabulous! Keep them coming.

Quick tobacconist story to keep the juices flowing.

Story Zero ^ 2 (Zero Squared) Clueless

He was born Bob Clue so you know everyone called him Bob Clueless but not to his face because he was a bear of a man. Sharp dresser and hair always just so, he'd have looked more at home next to Tony Soprano than selling wares to smoke shops.

He spent most of his time brown nosing bigger volume accounts and the smaller ones generally saw him at the RTDA trade show. He wasn't missed.

Even at the RTDA, where he relentlessly sucked on his scotch, he still sucked up to his big accounts and none was bigger than Malcolm Calderon. The RTDA was in New York City as it often was in those days, Malcolm's home town.

"Malcolm, hey, great to see you. When you gonna let me show you how this town really cooks!", Clue bumped his elbow against Malcolm's arm.

"We'll see. How's the show going for you? Doing well?"

Even as they spoke Clue's eyes swept the floor of the main ballroom looking for notable accounts when he stopped and pointed towards a woman sitting cross-legged on a stool.

"Holy Sh*t Malcolm!", Clue gestured towards the woman.

"How'd you like to shimmy up between those legs?"

Malcolm looked at the woman and then at Clue, "I do Bob, every night. That's my wife."

True story told to me by Malcolm. Names were changed.

LandonColby
03-25-2015, 03:39 PM
Hahaha! Great story, Pete!
I must say, I am fascinated by your writing. There is a particular tone, a certain articulation that makes the words effortless to swallow. Very easy to read anything you put forth.

cbr310
03-25-2015, 04:07 PM
Damn, good stories fellas! You can definitely tell who the truck driver is that wrote 1 of these stories! Lol

NeverBend
03-25-2015, 05:13 PM
Hahaha! Great story, Pete!
I must say, I am fascinated by your writing. There is a particular tone, a certain articulation that makes the words effortless to swallow. Very easy to read anything you put forth.

Thanks Landon but you guys are making this into the most literate pipe forum around. I like your explanation is most kind but, frankly, better writing in your one line than I put forth, and more concise.

NeverBend
03-25-2015, 05:19 PM
Damn, good stories fellas! You can definitely tell who the truck driver is that wrote 1 of these stories! Lol

I stopped driving the truck after I ran over one of those big, vinyl garbage cans at a service center. Made the thing as flat as a pancake. It was a horse van and I couldn't leave them to go inside so I tried to find the owners name and then sent a check for $50 (probably not enough) for the container. That was perhaps 10 years ago and the check has never been cashed. Guess they felt sorry for me or the horses.

Loved your story, it so smacked of the first time that we all realized that we really liked pipes and our mates did too.

We are the witnesses.

NeverBend
03-26-2015, 01:42 PM
Second tobacco arrived. The tins aren't going to be sent, sorry. Nor is the coffee :).

1496

Went outside as soon as I'd posted and there were the vac bags.

I'll start packing this weekend.

Anyone know why I'm not being allowed to upload pics? Tried to do it here (as an Edit) and in a new post without success. Happened yesterday too. Not that it's exciting to see boxes vac bags. Any help would be appreciate.

Emperor Zurg
03-26-2015, 04:10 PM
I'll sign up if there's still time but don't expect any gustatory miracles from me. :)
I'd take that Barling Londoner Pot you broke if you want to send it along. I'll replace the tenon with a brass bullet casing or something. Maybe I'll even cut a thread in the mortise and make the stem thread in with a stainless insert... who knows. Sounds like a project.

Tobias Lutz
03-26-2015, 04:12 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild
14. Emperor Zurg

NeverBend

Just give me 24 hours notice of when you need the address list and I'll close sign-ups and forward it to you.

NeverBend
03-26-2015, 04:35 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild
14. Emperor Zurg

@NeverBend (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=809)

Just give me 24 hours notice of when you need the address list and I'll close sign-ups and forward it to you.

Hi Tobias,

Why don't we close the nominations on Tuesday.

If it's OK I'd like to move up the story deadline to Sunday at 6pm and vote it later that evening. This way I can include the prize in the package.

As long as I can get to the Post Office I should be mailing by Thursday at the latest.

Anyone not cool with the above? NOMS end Tuesday, STORY ends Sunday.

cbr310
03-26-2015, 05:09 PM
Im fine with whatever you been more than gracious!

NeverBend
03-26-2015, 05:34 PM
Im fine with whatever you been more than gracious!

You call me gracious?? Wait till you get the bill!! :p

cpmcdill
03-26-2015, 06:05 PM
I'll join this party.

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild
14. Emperor Zurg
15. cpmcdill

GWBowman
03-26-2015, 09:10 PM
Pipe story number 4

My first contact with tobacco was...well a long time ago. When I was just tall enough to do the job, my uncle gave me and my sister jobs working at the tobacco barn handing to a tier. These women were fast. My sister and I both handing, and Sandra still has time to light a cigarette. The curtain falls and time passes, it's Christmas time 2013. I no longer dip or chew. My gums were against it, but I'm a pack or better a day smoker. Our sons are in for the holiday and talking premium, hand rolled cigars. It starts drawing me, whispering my name. (no not really) As I'm researching online, I join a forum. A lot of great guys there. One that looked like you, and you and Auntie Em. Sorry, wrong flashback. The pipers on the forum are having such fun, it's not long till I stop at a B&M to get a MM Cob and a few pouches. After adding a few more pipes off the bay, I fall victim to a couple of tobacco splits. During the 2014 Holiday season, I went to my outbuilding and dug out an old shoe box from the '80s. Inside are three briars, a small meer, something my dad bought at a yard sale and a cob he made. There was even a couple of ounces of two different Tinderbox aros. Well, I might smoke one or two cigars a week, or none. But I bought a little zip up bag to carry a couple of pipes, baccy, tamp and cleaners to the van every morning. My wife even made me a bean bag to set my pipe on when I get out of the vehicle. I might smoke a couple of cigarettes a day or a dozen. A couple of days I didn't have any. (still not against them, smoke what you like and like what you smoke) Yep, I've got it bad. Now when I log on, I can't tell the support group from the enablers...as if there is a difference.
Hi. My name is George and I have TAD.

cbr310
03-26-2015, 09:52 PM
Nice story George thanks for sharing!

Alligator Gar
03-26-2015, 10:02 PM
Say Strong or Mild when you sign up, just that - no explanation and I may accommodate.

Strong as balls, please.

NeverBend
03-26-2015, 11:06 PM
Say Strong or Mild when you sign up, just that - no explanation and I may accommodate.

Strong as balls, please.

What an intrepid bunch of smokers. The last guy to attempt a bowl of Brown Boogie hasn't been right in the mind for 12 years. Oops! That's me! See!

(sorry, I have no more Brown Boogie - I must have smoked it all).

NeverBend
03-26-2015, 11:41 PM
Say Strong or Mild when you sign up, just that - no explanation and I may accommodate.

Strong as balls, please.

Hey Jim,

Do you know New Smyrna Beach?

You guys are writing great stories! Pulitzer candidates for sure.

NeverBend
03-27-2015, 12:16 AM
Story Zero Cubed (0 ^ 3) Another true story to keep the juices flowing on you most creative fellows.

My friend Wayne was an inveterate pipe smoker until one day when his doctor called him and said, "Wayne, I'm looking at your x-rays and it's not good news, can you come into my office tomorrow?"

It was the worst that it could be, spots on his lung.

Tearfully he and his wife, Janice, packed up his beloved Charatans, tobacco, racks and accessories and packed them in a box. Wayne asked Janice to put them in a place where he wouldn't be able to see them, but he just couldn't part with them yet.

Wayne went to the hospital for a follow-up. Nothing. It was nothing at all. It turns out that his doctor had the x-rays for another patient. Wayne ran down the hall and called Janice at home and told her the good news.

On his way home Wayne stopped at the store and told me the story. "Wow, incredible, what great news!", I said. Wayne said that the first thing that he was going to do was hug Janice and the second was to light up a bowl of this John Cotten as he flipped the tin onto the counter with a $5 bill but I pushed the money back, "Smoke's on me Wayne!" and off he went.

He lived nearby and it wasn't 10 minutes later that I got a call. It was Wayne and he was crying.

"Oh my god, Wayne! The original x-rays were really yours?"

"No", he sobbed.

"Janice was so happy for me that she cleaned my pipes, in the dishwasher!"

Alligator Gar
03-27-2015, 08:28 AM
Hey Jim,

Do you know New Smyrna Beach?

You guys are writing great stories! Pulitzer candidates for sure.

I am intimately acquainted with NSB. We wouldn't have news in these parts if it wasn't for those guys.

NeverBend
03-27-2015, 07:42 PM
I am intimately acquainted with NSB. We wouldn't have news in these parts if it wasn't for those guys.

Jim,

Some news that you may not have heard yet is that my mother-in-law lives in New Smyrna Beach so please, if you must go there, bring garlic, crosses, a wooden stake (a steak too) and a mallet because I'm not convinced that she's not a vampire and she certainly seems to be undead!! :eek::eek::eek:

Chris0673
03-28-2015, 07:45 AM
NeverBend Pete do these stories have to be in story form? Or would a bit of prose work too?

JustTroItIn
03-28-2015, 12:36 PM
I don't really have a story specific to pipe smoking so I think I'll go with more of a ramble.

I've never been very good at working with wood. Measure twice, cut once, I still muck it up. I can take a motorcycle engine apart and put it back together again, but someone else has already gone through all the trouble of making sure the pieces fit in the first place. All I have to do is put things together in the opposite order I took them apart.

So how does all this tie into pipes? Well, when my interest was piqued about pipe smoking the tobacco wasn't the only draw. I became intrigued with the tools used to participate in the hobby. Tampers, reamers, brushes, knives, and of course the pipe itself.

I have always had a thing for tools. Growing up, my dad...let's just say he was frugal and would never pay anyone to work on our vehicles. I spent many an hour in the garage with dad holding flash lights, passing him tools, and learning an entire spectrum of four letter words (often strung together in an amazing tapestry of profanity!). Dad passed his knowledge of machines onto me and the plethora of tools that exist to keep them functioning properly. To this day when I'm putzing in the garage I'm a little tickled when I find “Well, damn...I'm going to have to add another tool to the box.”.

After smoking my first cob it wasn't long before I was spending hours at a time admiring the different styles, shapes, and materials for these smoking utensils. Reading theory about bowl size and complimentary tobacco. The unofficial science that is pipe smoking. This is also when I first learned about estate pipes.

Cleaning old grimy stuff is something I'm quite familiar with. When I was 15 my dad, an avid motorcyclist, purchased me a 1971 BMW R60/5 for Christmas. It had been sitting for years, the engine had been painted black, and it hardly ran. We had six months to fix it up before my 16th birthday to be ready for a 4000 mile father/son road trip. In those six months I cleaned more ancient grease, grime, and dirt from more parts than I care to remember. We did get the project completed in time and the bike is still my daily rider.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_20120319_100730.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_20120319_100730.jpg.html)

Flash forward to my research over on the old site and I see this guy Branzig turning stuff that looked like this:

http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/w530/branzig/20140206_141224_zpsmklfwjxd.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/branzig/media/20140206_141224_zpsmklfwjxd.jpg.html)

Into this:

http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/w530/branzig/20140208_141244_zpsuwtlujfi.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/branzig/media/20140208_141244_zpsuwtlujfi.jpg.html)

I caught the disease. Winter was coming and I needed something to keep me occupied while I became a hermit until Spring. I did have my doubts considering I was going to deal with my arch nemesis...wood...but on the other hand mindless scrubbing for hours on end? I can do that!

I have now cleaned up around 30 estates (thanks a lot Branzig). It has been fulfilling bringing the old tools back to life. Even if it meant falling down another slippery slope. I'm to the point now that I want to try my hand at refinishing. If that works out possibly rusticating then repairing. I may even get to buy more tools!

Branzig
03-28-2015, 12:44 PM
I have now cleaned up around 30 estates (thanks a lot Branzig).

Awesome story!

Glad I have been able to enabl...I mean assist you in a new hobby :D

Great bike BTW!

NeverBend
03-28-2015, 02:09 PM
@NeverBend (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=809) Pete do these stories have to be in story form? Or would a bit of prose work too?

Hi Chris,

Anything you want to do is appreciated!

BryGuySC
03-28-2015, 07:56 PM
Pipe story #6 (I think).

Allow me to tell you about the physical harm pipe smoking does to the human body. I’ll admit I’m no doctor - far from it. Nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. What I do have, is the testament my body tells of the damage done by pipe smoking. Wait, I may be presenting this poorly. This is no medical dissertation on the dangers of tobacco. It would more closely resemble a story one my tell to his doctor upon an unexpected visit to his place of business.

I’ll set the stage. About a year ago, I was celebrating the cessation of a rather long rainy spell by burning a bowl on our back steps late at night. I was sharing this time with my faithful dog, who enjoys exploring the back yard (and trying to eat my dumped ash and dottle!). She is both inquisitive and protective, so she perks up and utters a short “gruff” at each intruding sound.

As I was deeply pondering the meaning of the universe, or wondering how to avoid burns while tamping with my finger (who can remember, really), my dog perked up and let out a low growl toward the front of the house. We sometimes have neighborhood kids cut through our backyard, so I stood up to make sure she didn’t go after some unsuspecting night rambler. Look as hard as I might, I saw no one. Yet the dog’s hackles were now up, and I could tell she was about to escalate things. Thankfully, she is obedient and sat on my command while I went to explore.

As I rounded the corner of our house, I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye, over by our fence. Perhaps someone had ducked around the other side or perhaps it was our neighbor walking along the edge of their yard. As I focused on the movement, I realized what I was seeing was a huge possum walking along the top of our fence. I’ve dealt with my fair share of possums. They are a pest in our area, and I had no problem dispatching another one. He was moving pretty quick, though, and I didn’t want him to get away. A quick survey of this portion of the yard only revealed a long branch that the boys had been playing with that afternoon. This branch was about ten feet long, and was of significant thickness.

I quickly picked up the branch, clenching my pipe in my teeth, and raised it over my head. The plan was to bring the end of the branch crashing down on the possum with as much power as I could muster. Just crush him, right there on top of the fence! I have a pretty good feel for such “tools of opportunity,” and I was confident this would go off without a hitch.

I mustered up my strength, and snapped the limb forward as hard as I could. Well, snapped is right. The massive amount of torque produced by my thick, powerful arms literally snapped the branch right over my head.

At this moment, my brain slowed things down and contemplated all the parts currently in motion. I had a possum in front of me, a dog behind me, part of a branch above me, and a much-shorter-than-expected branch arcing down in front of me. As this series of conditions processed, I also discovered the wet ground had relinquished its grasp on my feet. This, of course, sparked a whole new series of calculations in that frozen moment. As these instantaneous calculations completed, I distinctly remembered thinking, “Well, here we go!”

As time returned to normal speed, the following events unfolded.
My body quickly became parallel to the ground, and then fell to meet it.
The branch in my hand continued its path, and connected with my shin.
The now-free portion of the branch obeyed gravity’s call, and met my face at the end of it’s journey.
The possum, who I can only assume thought the most ferocious beast on earth was preparing to attack, stopped and snarled at me.
This was too much for my until-now obedient dog to handle, and she plowed right over me (somehow expertly trampling on my neck and then my groin) on her way to drive off the possum.

“What about the pipe?”, you may ask. Don’t worry. It remained unscathed. I lost grasp of it somewhere in the air, releasing it to it’s own recognizance. Not wanting to be far from it’s beloved caretaker, the pipe aimed for home. Sometimes , the coincidental aim of an inanimate object can be supernaturally true, and it hit me square in the chin and then fell to the ground. I’m not sure where in the sequence of events this happened, but I became aware of the outcome with the delightful sizzle of tobacco embers nestled in my beard near the corner of my mouth. To rectify this fire hazard, I quickly extinguished my face in the muddy ground beside me.

Thankfully, my warrior’s pride was more damaged than I was. I survived with no more than some scrapes and bruises.

After my dog came to inform me she had successfully scared off the intruder, I crawled back to my feet and made my way back inside…

To refill my pipe.

GWBowman
03-28-2015, 09:01 PM
The possum, who I can only assume thought the most ferocious beast on earth was preparing to attack, stopped and sniggered at me.


I fixed the spelling.

Great story and told very well.

BryGuySC
03-28-2015, 09:06 PM
I fixed the spelling.

Great story and told very well.

Lol! Yeah. That is probably more accurate.

Desertlifter
03-28-2015, 10:30 PM
Apropos of nothing, am I the only one who keeps seeing this thread and parsing the title as a Captain Black review?

LandonColby
03-29-2015, 10:39 AM
Story Zero Cubed (0 ^ 3) Another true story to keep the juices flowing on you most creative fellows.

My friend Wayne was an inveterate pipe smoker until one day when his doctor called him and said, "Wayne, I'm looking at your x-rays and it's not good news, can you come into my office tomorrow?"

It was the worst that it could be, spots on his lung.

Tearfully he and his wife, Janice, packed up his beloved Charatans, tobacco, racks and accessories and packed them in a box. Wayne asked Janice to put them in a place where he wouldn't be able to see them, but he just couldn't part with them yet.

Wayne went to the hospital for a follow-up. Nothing. It was nothing at all. It turns out that his doctor had the x-rays for another patient. Wayne ran down the hall and called Janice at home and told her the good news.

On his way home Wayne stopped at the store and told me the story. "Wow, incredible, what great news!", I said. Wayne said that the first thing that he was going to do was hug Janice and the second was to light up a bowl of this John Cotten as he flipped the tin onto the counter with a $5 bill but I pushed the money back, "Smoke's on me Wayne!" and off he went.

He lived nearby and it wasn't 10 minutes later that I got a call. It was Wayne and he was crying.

"Oh my god, Wayne! The original x-rays were really yours?"

"No", he sobbed.

"Janice was so happy for me that she cleaned my pipes, in the dishwasher!"

Oh nooo..the end of that story has that "aww, honey.." factor haha. She was just trying to be a good woman.
but still, that's hilarious.

NeverBend
03-29-2015, 12:41 PM
Oh nooo..the end of that story has that "aww, honey.." factor haha. She was just trying to be a good woman.
but still, that's hilarious.

Janice is a good woman. I haven't seen her in a long time and I hope that she's still alive and well. Wayne, sadly is not.

Stories are about to close up. Some great tales told here, I am impressed.

To give a few more minutes for entries to be finalized, I'll post another Wayne story.

NeverBend
03-29-2015, 01:40 PM
(Story something or other) Wayne never told me if this was before or after Janice 'cleaned' his pipes.

Wayne learned to smoke a pipe from his father, Walter but it wasn't long before he went from the student to critic, often chastising Walter for smoking too fast and too hot.

Their best times together was when they fished on the lake, in the early pre-dawn hours, each smoking their pipe and the water and air were still and there was no sound. It was dead quiet.

Wayne noticed it first, nothing more than a whisper in the dark. For a few minutes he wasn't even sure that he'd heard it but it was there now, like a pulse every few seconds. It was coming from Walter's direction.

"Dad", even his whisper cut into the night, "do you hear that?"

"What!?", Walter boomed.

"Sshh!", Wayne held up a finger that neither of them could see.

"There's a noise coming from behind you dad, do you hear it?"

"No", his father's whisper now faint.

"Okay, it's probably me"

They fished in silence and Wayne tried to scan the water beyond his father each time he heard the noise but it was too dark. "Damn, old man. Get your hearing checked.", he thought. He puffed on the pungent Sobranie and wondered if that was giving away their location, but to whom, or what?

And then the glow appeared, disembodied but close to the sizzle and somewhere near Walter. Wayne's heart seemed to freeze and his eyes fixed on where the glow was or had been because it was moving. It was behind them, Wayne was sure, because it was getting brighter and that mean that it was coming closer and it was getting a a little louder with time that it appeared. The lake was deep, very deep. What could it possibly hold? They'd never heard of any beast, any leviathan that anyone had ever reported seeing but people had gone missing on the lake. Maybe the witnesses had become the entree? "Nonsense! Stop!" he tried to will his mind to another subject. What creature from the deep glowed and sizzled when it was near the surface?

This time the glow was distinct and close to Walter, so close that it reflected off his face.

"Dad!", Wayne's voice snapped sharp and insistent, "It's right next to you!"

In the shimmer he saw his father's face spinning and the light moved violently as if knocked back and in a second it faded and disappeared with pop and a hiss and then there was nothing again. Absolutely nothing.

"Wayne, I don't see a thing, I don't hear a thing.", Walter whispered, "I lost my damn tobacco with you making that scare. I'm going pack another bowl."

Wayne breathed deeply, sighed and responded in a normal voice, "Don't bother dad, you burned out your pipe."

NeverBend
03-29-2015, 05:47 PM
This is the current list (I believe). Still time to sigh on or to add/amend strength, MILD, MEDIUM or STRONG.


1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild
14. Emperor Zurg
15. cpmcdill

Tobias Lutz
03-29-2015, 05:56 PM
Alright gentlemen...

The poll for Pete's story contest is now open (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/showthread.php?2554-Vote-for-the-Winner-of-Neverbend-s-Story-Contest!!!)- go vote for the winner!

Sticky B
03-29-2015, 06:39 PM
1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild
14. Emperor Zurg
15. cpmcdill
16. SeanTheEvans - Mild Plz (New to Pipes)

NeverBend
03-31-2015, 03:02 PM
Let's close it out with 17 nominations.

Tobias, I have Madbricky's contact info, please send the others when you can.

I've started packing tobacco and I expect mailing materials by tomorrow so I hope that samples will arrive by next week, if not sooner. Cross your fingers that the we don't get to know how much the Post Office Cares anymore.

I owe some people items, whether they're aware of this or not, that will be included with packages. Clearing all accounts.

Canadian and Japan based friends, hope that it will make it to you.

Hope that you all enjoy the baccy, remember that there are two prize pipes, Barling's, that will be awarded to the two (2) best reviews. I'll try to find the Review Outline that was posted earlier in this thread and post it again.

If you've not yet voted for the Story winner, please do so. There's a separate thread for that:
The poll for Pete's story contest is now open (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/showthread.php?2554-Vote-for-the-Winner-of-Neverbend-s-Story-Contest!!!)
Winner will be determined tomorrow (sometime) by vote. In case of a tie, Tobias will declare the winner.

Thanks for participating.

1. Alligator Gar
2. JustTroItIn - Strong
3. Branzig- Strong
4. Tobias Lutz
5. LandonColby
6. Lostmason
7. Bluenoser
8. BryBuySC - Strong
9. GWBowman - Strong
10. MrMotoyoshi - Strong
11. Chris0673 - Mild
12. Horsefeathers - Strong
13. cbr310-mild
14. Emperor Zurg
15. cpmcdill
16. SeanTheEvans - Mild Plz (New to Pipes)
17. Madbricky - Mild

Tobias Lutz
03-31-2015, 03:20 PM
Let's close it out with 17 nominations.

Tobias, I have Madbricky's contact info, please send the others when you can.


Sent :)

NeverBend
04-01-2015, 05:26 PM
My back gave out but not until I'd gotten the tobacco ready.

Some of the tobaccos are vacuum sealed, others just sealed according to need or fancy. There'll be a letter on a color coded label on each tobacco pack.

I'm hopeful that everything will be mailed on Friday.
BryGuySC, congratulations on winning the story contest, your pipe will accompany the tobacco. As noted, the pipe will be reamed and in need of a cleaning (or resto should you wish).

Alligator Gar
04-01-2015, 05:51 PM
My back gave out but not until I'd gotten the tobacco ready.

Some of the tobaccos are vacuum sealed, others just sealed according to need or fancy. There'll be a letter on a color coded label on each tobacco pack.

I'm hopeful that everything will be mailed on Friday.
BryGuySC, congratulations on winning the story contest, your pipe will accompany the tobacco. As noted, the pipe will be reamed and in need of a cleaning (or resto should you wish).

Looking forward to this in a big way. If you have a chance to post up the review template that would be helpful to this old noob.

BryGuySC
04-01-2015, 06:10 PM
My back gave out but not until I'd gotten the tobacco ready.

Some of the tobaccos are vacuum sealed, others just sealed according to need or fancy. There'll be a letter on a color coded label on each tobacco pack.

I'm hopeful that everything will be mailed on Friday.
BryGuySC, congratulations on winning the story contest, your pipe will accompany the tobacco. As noted, the pipe will be reamed and in need of a cleaning (or resto should you wish).

I'm super-excited!

Thank you for the generosity with this contest!

GWBowman
04-01-2015, 09:19 PM
Glad to hear it's ready. Hope your back gets well quickly, Pete.

Congratulations Bryan. It is fantastic story.

NeverBend
04-01-2015, 09:33 PM
Glad to hear it's ready. Hope your back gets well quickly, Pete.

Congratulations Bryan. It is fantastic story.

Thanks George.

I'm fortunate not to have back problems but I think I was leaning too much for several hours...slaving away for you guys! It's a bit of work getting everything right but it's fun and I hope that you guys will enjoy the tobacco.

BryGuySC
04-01-2015, 10:03 PM
Thanks George.

I'm fortunate not to have back problems but I think I was leaning too much for several hours...slaving away for you guys! It's a bit of work getting everything right but it's fun and I hope that you guys will enjoy the tobacco.

I'm glad it is not serious back problems! I have the same problem after working on my bike for several hours.
I'm' sure I speak for everyone when I say we appreciate the pain on our behalf!

NeverBend
04-01-2015, 10:39 PM
...If you have a chance to post up the review template that would be helpful to this old noob.


This is the requested format for reviews:

Details
Date
Name
Tobacco
Pipe
Indoor / Outdoor

Observations
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled).
Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it).
Burn
Flavor

Comments and conclusion

NeverBend
04-03-2015, 05:16 PM
Everything is packed and ready for the Post Office tomorrow AM.

Samples are in a plain white plastic mailing bag with the exception of 3 boxes (accounts settled). Each bag should have four (4) blind samples marked with a color coded label and a letter. Choose whichever sample you wish to review and review as many as you like but we won't reveal the identities until each person has submitted at least one review.

I used the blind sampling to test my vacuum sealer and the differences between the types of seal. It's possible that you'll have vacuum or non-vacuum sealed bags and I apologize if the samples vary in weight. There are eight (8) highly aged tobaccos scattered among he samples. These vary in age from 15 years to 33 years and they were randomly selected with one exception. There are 19 other samples that have a little age (> 6 months) and otherwise they're recently received.

Please 'register' when you receive your samples by posting the label color and letter code of your samples, and if you know the one that you'll review mention it. You only need to identify the samples that are vacuum packed.

For example:
RegularFellow
received
A - Magenta (vac)
C - Yellow
F - Green (vac)
Z - Magenta

Reviewing C - Yellow

Hope that the Post Office stops 'Caring' and just delivers the stuff. @MrMotoyoshi (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=193) and @bluenoser (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=6), anything I should know before mailing (customs declaration, etc.).

Start your engines....

BryGuySC
04-03-2015, 06:01 PM
I'm ready!

http://static.fjcdn.com/gifs/My+first+time+smoking+a+pipe+description_c6d913_49 20988.gif

LandonColby
04-03-2015, 06:10 PM
Everything is packed and ready for the Post Office tomorrow AM.

Samples are in a plain white plastic mailing bag with the exception of 3 boxes (accounts settled). Each bag should have four (4) blind samples marked with a color coded label and a letter. Choose whichever sample you wish to review and review as many as you like but we won't reveal the identities until each person has submitted at least one review.

I used the blind sampling to test my vacuum sealer and the differences between the types of seal. It's possible that you'll have vacuum or non-vacuum sealed bags and I apologize if the samples vary in weight. There are eight (8) highly aged tobaccos scattered among he samples. These vary in age from 15 years to 33 years and they were randomly selected with one exception. There are 19 other samples that have a little age (> 6 months) and otherwise they're recently received.

Please 'register' when you receive your samples by posting the label color and letter code of your samples, and if you know the one that you'll review mention it. You only need to identify the samples that are vacuum packed.

For example:
RegularFellow
received
A - Magenta (vac)
C - Yellow
F - Green (vac)
Z - Magenta

Reviewing C - Yellow

Hope that the Post Office stops 'Caring' and just delivers the stuff. @MrMotoyoshi (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=193) and @bluenoser (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=6), anything I should know before mailing (customs declaration, etc.).

Start your engines....

Should we attempt a guess as to what the blend is or simply review the samples?

NeverBend
04-03-2015, 06:45 PM
Should we attempt a guess as to what the blend is or simply review the samples?

Whatever you like Landon. I'd imagine that a preconception might cloud a review but that's the way that we look at tobacco anyway, with some expectation based on the visual.

LandonColby
04-03-2015, 07:14 PM
Whatever you like Landon. I'd imagine that a preconception might cloud a review but that's the way that we look at tobacco anyway, with some expectation based on the visual.

My mind will automatically start trying to deduce what it is the second I lay eyes on them anyway haha. I'll try my best to just ignore it and give as objective review as possible.

Chris0673
04-03-2015, 07:52 PM
Git 'er done!

Alligator Gar
04-06-2015, 08:37 AM
I have a fresh tongue and a full fountain pen. Show me the samples!

cbr310
04-06-2015, 11:38 AM
I got my samples along with the tins of Presbyterian that I purchased off pete! Thanks for doing this, reviews to come! 1720
1. orange H (vac) reviewing this first
2. pink E (vac)
3. pink V (vac)

NeverBend
04-06-2015, 11:49 AM
I got my samples along with the tins of Presbyterian that I purchased off pete! Thanks for doing this, reviews to come! 1720
1. orange H (vac) reviewing this first
2. pink E (vac)
3. pink V (vac)

Perfect Matt, thanks for posting them.

Tobias Lutz
04-06-2015, 11:53 AM
I got my samples along with the tins of Presbyterian that I purchased off pete! Thanks for doing this, reviews to come! 1720
1. orange H (vac) reviewing this first
2. pink E (vac)
3. pink V (vac)

How come the post office delivers your samples promptly, and either delays or destroys mine? :(

cbr310
04-06-2015, 01:29 PM
Details
Date: 4/6/15
Name: cbr310 (Matt)
Tobacco: Orange H G&H Scotch Flake Aromatic
Pipe: mm Cob
Indoor / Outdoor: Indoor

Observations
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): Vacuum packed, looks like beef jerkey in the pouch, making me hungry!
Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it): Rubbed out,gravity 1/3rds till full. Opened pack up and it grew, pretty good aroma of chocolate at first smell of package
Burn: Took some flame to get going
Flavor: Chocalte, some nuttiness, mild spice

Comments and conclusion:
A nice sweet smell of chocolate right out of the gate. Rubbed the tobacco out and the smell was still there, very enjoyable. Took some flame to get it started. I taste chocolate, some nuttiness and mild level of spice. Couldnt quit taking puffs cause the flavors where there. Good amount of smoke came along with them.Thinking it might be stronger than what im used to cause after about 10 mins of puffing I could feel a head change coming on, not over powering but just what the dr. ordered for a stressful morning! with the retro-hale I feel the spiciness, and with regular ex-haul I get the chocolaty-sweet nuttiness i crave with this smoke. I cant quit puffing away like a locomotive cause the flavor rolling across my tongue is more intense with every hit. Last third of bowl the chocolate got stronger, I liked it more! My cob never really got hot just warm. All in all a great smoke with tastes I havent had before in a tobacco. Thanks for this sample and will have another few bowls before going on to the next sample. I think sample "H" meant hell yeah its a good 1!http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/04/07/f529d3f4aaf34e7874feb5c4a35f4a04.jpg

Alligator Gar
04-06-2015, 01:52 PM
Thanks for this sample and will have another few bowls before going on to the next sample. I think sample "H" meant hell yeah is a good 1!

Nice job, Matt. I think I need to try this one. Can't wait for the reveal.

cbr310
04-06-2015, 01:56 PM
Nice job, Matt. I think I need to try this one. Can't wait for the reveal.

Thanks Jim, that was my first review ever. Hate to say it but was nerve racking but fun, Im not a man of many words and not very good at descriptions.

Lostmason
04-06-2015, 04:39 PM
My samples came in today. They are:
Yellow E
Green G (vac)
Pink H (vac)
Orange Z

I do believe I will try the Yellow E first and then the Green G

Lostmason
04-06-2015, 06:15 PM
4.6.2015
Lostmason
Sample Yellow E Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake
Short Snorter imported briar
indoors

Loose flake or partially rubbed,mostly dark with a few light strands running thru.
In the pouch has a distinct "fresh hay" odor, Reminded me more of natural untreated
tobacco,but sweeter.The feel is dry, almost twiggy.

I probably should have let this sit for a bit and air some,but it felt fairly dry so
I didn't do much for prep other than to make sure there wasn't any dottle left in my
pipe.I used the fold and stuff method and was quite pleased with the draw and the
taste before lighting,tasted like clover.

It did take a bit to light hence the above comment about letting it air,but after
a charring and a quick tamp it stayed lit fairly well.I did have to relight once
but that was to be expected.

The sweetness came out more in the room note than in the taste after lighting,the
smoke was dry but full.There was a refreshing cleanness to this tobacco,a no frills
easy draw, a simple country taste that carried me to fields and hunting.It reminded my of
chewing clover or grass stands,a sweet clean taste that refreshes you.

I didn't notice any tongue bite and the retro-hale was smooth and pleasing.Using my
Short Snorter doesn't take a lot to fill the bowl so with this tobacco it makes for
a pleasant 25-30 minute break from reality.

cpmcdill
04-06-2015, 07:28 PM
This afternoon's mail brought:

Yellow E
Pink i (vac)
Green J (vac)
Pink U

Impressed by the quantity. These'll keep me busy for a long time. I have not smoked any yet, so I guess I'll randomly pick Yellow E to review first. I hope to get to it by tomorrow evening.

Great packaging, Pete! :pipe:

cpmcdill
04-06-2015, 10:23 PM
Got a chance to do my first review sooner than I planned. Maybe I'll do "Pink U" tomorrow.

Details-
Date: April 06, 2015
Name: cpmcdill
Tobacco: Yellow E Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake
Pipe: BBB Superfine straight lovat
Site: Indoors

Observations-

Examination: (how it looked, felt and smelled).
Tobacco was short pressed intact flakes (tin-size, none broken or rubbed out), of a medium reddish brown color flecked with yellow. flakes are flexible and seem to have a good moisture level for smoking. The aroma of the blend was the grass/hay of Virginia and another subtly floral note which makes me wonder if this is a Lakeland. I do not suspect the presence of perique or burley. After a bit of airing the floral note seemed to fade a bit, so it may not have been a significant topping.

Preparation: (how did you prepare and pack it).
Rubbed it out and allowed it to air a few minutes before packing. Stuffed in two generous pinches and got it nicely packed while still allowing a good draw. Didn't feel like using Frank or air pocket methods.

Burn: Matches were used to light the tobacco. Took on a nice burn after the initial light-tamp-relight. Stayed lit most of the way through and burned cool with no tongue bite. Had to relight once about 85% through, when I had to dump some ashes off. After that, smoked all the way down, with minimal dottle at the end and no residual "juice" to deal with.

Flavor: Starts off with a toasty-bready flavors which broadens into a semi-sweet and complex mix of flavors I associate with Virginias, but not monochromatic. Still plenty of grass/hay, so I suspect at most a blend of several Virginia varietals and no other tobaccos. Picking up that other note again, which reminds me of tobacco in the Gawith family.
Halfway, the flavor remains much the same, but in the last quarter some bitter notes creep in. Was I being unmindful and puffing too hard? I wouldn't know, as it's still smoking rather cool. It does sort of remind me of the faint garlic chives flavor I've noticed with Bosun Cut Plug. No criticism there, as I'm still enjoying it. Toward the end that Lakeland-y character gets more pronounced, but subtle and in a good way.

Comments and conclusion:
From the very first puffs, what a delightful first impression. The taste from the first light conveyed a tobacco of high quality. Have I had this before? It's not something I have in my cellar presently, but might have gotten as a bomblet sample long ago. This was a fine smoke, and I'm thrilled I was given enough to carry me through many more enjoyable pipe sessions. I'm grateful to have this opportunity to have such a focused smoking experience, where I can put all my attention on the nuances of the tobacco.

NeverBend
04-07-2015, 05:13 AM
Gents,

You only need to review one tobacco but as many as you can will be appreciated.

I think that it would be an excellent resource to have as many blind reviews to post as possible that would then be mated with their identity. First reviews are impressive.

Pete

Alligator Gar
04-07-2015, 09:10 AM
Gents,

You only need to review one tobacco but as many as you can will be appreciated.

I think that it would be an excellent resource to have as many blind reviews to post as possible that would then be mated with their identity. First reviews are impressive.

Pete

I don't mind singing for my supper. Just wish it would get here. Also would love to see pictures of the reviewed tobaccos in order to learn what the various tobaccos look like in each blend.

Alligator Gar
04-07-2015, 11:00 AM
Registration Post as requested.

IrRegularFellow
Fuchsia A
Fuchsia AA
Yellow Q
Yellow C Hoovered

One of the samples (yellow C) looks and smells like beef jerky. Fire cured and basted with Pinesol. We were instructed to not thank Ne'er Bend, so THANKS! Will commence reviews shortly, plan on multiple tastings of each sample in different pipes, weather conditions and pairings. I fully expect to have to burn the pipe I use for the beef jerky, because it's strong as balls.

Tobias Lutz
04-07-2015, 03:46 PM
Mine arrived, thanks Pete!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04341.jpg

A
B
C
T

:pipe: I'm finishing a battle with some allergies, but I'll start reviewing soon!

NeverBend
04-07-2015, 04:15 PM
Mine arrived, thanks Pete!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04341.jpg

A
B
C
T

:pipe: I'm finishing a battle with some allergies, but I'll start reviewing soon!

Some of the bags have easy open tops with zip seals like the one on the right in Tobias' pic. Please let me know hoe they open and zip if you think of it - thanks.

cbr310
04-07-2015, 04:18 PM
Date: 4/7/15
Name: cbr310 (Matt)
Tobacco: Pink E (vac) Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake
Pipe: mm cob
Outdoor

Observations/Examination : In vacuum pack looks like tree bark, once cut open aroma of I think a cherry hint. Felt stiff and didnt want to bend without spliting. Rubbed out very easy, seems ready to smoke.

Preparation: Rubbed out gravity tampered in thirds till almost full

Burn: Burned well only had a few relights

Flavor: Smelled of cherry, that was it for the cherry, like an otc cherry blend I could never taste cherry flavoring. Tasted to me like pepper. Pretty spicy especially on the retro hale, couldnt do many of that. most of the bowl was spicey and peppery. Had a strong tobacco flavor to it as well. At the end of the bowl the spiciness seemed to mellow out and ended with a decent smoke. Lots of smoke on every puff. Mild with nicotine, a slight head changer for me.

Comments and conclusion:
This tobacco would tame a crave for spicy cravings. Didnt really care for the stronger tobacco(cigarette) taste. Dont think this is a blend I would buy. I enjoy the different flavors and not so much the tobacco side. first bowl I ever smoked with only about 3 relights!http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/04/07/85580fcf5abd662a897bd387ecba519d.jpg

cbr310
04-07-2015, 04:21 PM
Mine arrived, thanks Pete!

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04341.jpg

A
B
C
T

:pipe: I'm finishing a battle with some allergies, but I'll start reviewing soon!

sample A looks delicious!

GWBowman
04-07-2015, 08:38 PM
http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/FAF2DD6E-DC89-4043-A6EA-C1998C18193D_zpsxcshxvsd.jpg
My apologies for the quality of the picture and will try to do better when I review.

A-yellow
B-yellow
C-green (vac)
Q-orange

I'll start with A-yellow.

Alligator Gar
04-07-2015, 09:15 PM
Date 7APR15
Name Alligator Gar (Jim)
Tobacco TBA G&H Dark Sliced
Pipe Custom Bamboo Egg
Indoor / Outdoor Covered Porch

The tobacco is well packaged.
1749
Small black dime sized disks flecked with gold.
1750
They appear cohesive and are mixed with long strings of tobacco exhibiting the consistency of easter grass or excelsior.
1751
You can put this in my Easter basket any day.

I'm smoking this in my "best pipe", a custom bamboo egg a friend made for me. This is the pipe that launched my journey a couple months ago and I am familiar with its smoking characteristics.

After air drying the tobacco I rubbed out the coins and dried some more. I used the progressive packing and lighting method known as The Jim System, or simply The Jim.

Damp rain slicker that caught just the sleeve on fire. Pungent fermented sweetness, a little smoked raisin smell. It has a smell I've smelled before but I can't summon the words that describe it. Very frustrating.

Dramatic rise on the char.
1752
Tasting what I'm smelling on pre-light, a froggy must that is not terrible. Some Basalmic qualities. The tobacco occasionally fronts a sweet note that comes and goes based on how hard I'm smoking it. Retrohale is quite pleasant and sniffing the smoke off the bowl yields that same prelight scent. The ash is dark grey and sturdy and the smoke both prodigious and substantial. The mouth feel of the smoke is chewy and round with an aftertaste of toasted almond. A little gurgle is cured with a cotton Dill's. Both the cleaner and the book that suggest one could cure a gurgle mid-smoke came from Warren, so a knowing nod to him. The smoke changes to a more oily, bergamot infused experience towards the end of the bowl after my first of several late pipe relights. I am a habitually fast smoker and this tobacco will not let you oversmoke it without the usual warning signs (ringing ears, blurred vision and rectal bleeding.) It is a slow burning tobacco that wants to be smoked that way.

Since I have no reputation to stake I'll just come out and say it. This tobacco has some years on it. It has the characteristics age imparts--smooth smoke with melded flavors. It has a good strength that satisfies after dinner. I wouldn't smoke this everyday, but much like 965, there's a place for a full bodied smoke in my line up. I would not recommend this to an inexperienced smoker.

4/5 Would smoke again.

Alligator Gar
04-07-2015, 10:09 PM
This was a fine smoke, and I'm thrilled I was given enough to carry me through many more enjoyable pipe sessions.

That's a point worth noting. I've got a week's worth of tobacco "samples" which is good news, as I highly prize the first one I tried.

BryGuySC
04-07-2015, 10:51 PM
Registration!

Yellow AA
Orange A
Pink Q (zipper bag)
Yellow C (vac)

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o163/bcsssj/Cigar%20Stuff/_20150407_185823_zps377smv9z.jpg (http://s120.photobucket.com/user/bcsssj/media/Cigar%20Stuff/_20150407_185823_zps377smv9z.jpg.html)

And a great pipe!

Forgot to take a "before" pic. Here it is undergoing the first stage of cleaning.

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o163/bcsssj/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20150407_233907_zpshxj5hmne.jpg (http://s120.photobucket.com/user/bcsssj/media/Cigar%20Stuff/IMG_20150407_233907_zpshxj5hmne.jpg.html)

cpmcdill
04-07-2015, 10:55 PM
Here's my second review of these tobacco treasures, the pink (magenta?) U:

Details-
Date: April 8, 2015
Name: cpmcdill
Tobacco: Pink U C&D Exclusive
Pipe: Marxman straight bulldog
Site: Indoors

Observations-
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled).
Upon opening the bag (great packaging, Pete!) I took a deep whiff. WOnderful odors of at least three different tobaccos. My first guess is Virginia, Perique, and a faint smokey hint of either Latakia or dark fired Kentucky. Not sure because it's so subtle.
The tobacco is a ribbon-cut blend of yellow, medium brown, and dark brown bits, with the medium brown dominating. The moisture level seems perfect and smoke-ready.


Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it).
I did not set it out to dry, as it seems quite ready to smoke. Used the standard three-stage packing method, got plenty into the bowl, and the cold draw was fine.

Burn:
This time instead of matches I used a standard Zippo lighter. Whereas I may be inclined to use matches on flake tobacco, I find that a ribbon cut lights just fine with a lighter. After the first light and tamp, it was still burning but I touched it up anyway. Only one relight as noted below.

Flavor:
From the first light, mouthfuls of delicious smoke. Sweet, spicy, with minor bitter notes. No distinct latakia flavor, but nevertheless a subtle low end presence. At the first quarter the sweetness begins to taper, and more peppery notes step in. About 60% through and it went out due to the burden of ashes, so I dumped them and relit. Th flavors kept on as before. My mouth did start to feel dry by this point, so I sipped some lemonade from here on. In the last quarter it held the semi-sweet, peppery and slightly bitter notes, with no smokey character emerging. Some dottle at the end.

Comments and conclusion: Overall a pleasant smoke. I would definitely smoke more of this. Eager to find out what I've been smoking.

LandonColby
04-08-2015, 05:22 PM
Samples were received today. Can't wait to dig in!
-Yellow "K" (vac)
-Orange "B" (vac)
-Green "Y" (non-vac)
-Green "J" (vac)

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04/08/026dfdd3b1d799440580e23b8362bd32.jpg

Think I'll open the Green "Y" either tonight or tomorrow morning, my palate is a little tired from heavy puffing today.

cpmcdill
04-09-2015, 12:24 AM
My third review:

Details--
Date: April 08, 2015
Name: cpmcdill
Tobacco: Green J (vac) G&H Louisiana Flake
Pipe: Canterbury straight billiard
Site: Indoors

Observations--
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled).
This blend was vacuum sealed, and appears as a slab of pressed flake tobacco, about 5" long and 7 slices thick. Colors present in the flakes are mostly yellows and medium-dark browns in equal proportion. Feels like a good moisture level, and possesses a delicious fragrance, with distinct fig and cocoa notes. My nose cannot single out any of the individual tobaccos in the flake.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it).
Peeled off and slightly rubbed out just enough to fill my pipe, then folded the strands into sort of a ball and stuffed it in. I guess it's a sloppy air pocket packing. On the cold draw I discover the pipe stem needs a bit of cleaning, so I run a pipe cleaner soaked with Everclear through, to freshen it up. Then, it was ready to light.

Burn:
I used matches, and found it lit up perfectly, so it was indeed at the right moisture level. Maintains a steady burn even with very light puffing. Stayed lit just fine, but had to let it go out at halfway, because I had to go add some fuel to the woodstove. On returning I lit up again.

Flavor:
The pronounced figgy/cocoa aroma of the flakes was not in evidence on first lighting, but a slight flash of Lakeland, which quickly went away, and when I slowed my puffing tempo, a sensuous chocolatey character came through. Virginia's in there, but I'm not even going to try guessing what else. It is rich, and very rewarding to a slow, mindful cadence. Even at the first quarter, I want to know what this is, so I can buy a pound or two to cellar. At 50% the flavor's stillgoing strong, but gaining in strength, with more tobacco coming through. Chocolate notes are still present. Continued right down to the bottom with no significant change, and minimal dottle.

Comments and conclusion:
This is one I enjoyed a lot. I have not had it before, but I would definitely consider adding something like this to my permanent rotation.

Branzig
04-09-2015, 09:37 AM
All these reviews are making me excited! Great reviews so far everyone!

Can't wait for mine to show up so I can get to them!

Horsefeathers
04-09-2015, 01:29 PM
Samples arrived today! Thanks Pete!

Horsefeathers received:
C - Pink (VAC)
D - Yellow
R - Pink
U - Pink

http://i.imgur.com/vLWaurOl.jpg

Going to review C - Pink (VAC) first since it stands out the most of the 4. I'll have the first review done as soon as the weather cooperates.

GWBowman
04-09-2015, 05:02 PM
NeverBend, when ever I have received a package of pipe tobacco in regular ziplock bags, it is immediately evident from the smell. Generally the box will smell great , even after being emptied. No smell on the outside of these bags. One you sent was a ziplock type with the tear open spots. It did tear open where it was supposed to. I took the tobacco out and jarred it. Since then I have opened and closed the bag several time. It works great. One time I closed it, puffed up slightly, with some air in it. Squeezing will not make it pop open. I finally was able to squeeze the air out, but it was incredibly hard. After that, I opened it backup and put some water in it. It held. I had to really give it hell to make it leak. It took a lot more pressure and manipulation than it should ever be under in normal use. These are great.

cpmcdill
04-09-2015, 05:04 PM
My fourth and final review:

Details--
Date: April 09, 2015
Name: cpmcdill
Tobacco: Pink i (vac) G&H Brown Flake
Pipe: Dr Grabow Golden Duke Adjustomatic straight rusticated pot
Site: Indoors

Observations--
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled).
This tobacco came vacuum-packed, and appears as an intact pressed flake, six inches long and 6 slices thick. In color it is mostly light to medium brown, with few flecks of yellow and darker brown. There's a faint glitter of sugar crystals on the surface, by which presence I infer that this flake has had some aging. It's flexible, has a good moisture level, and smells great. Sweet grassiness with a touch of raisin.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it).
Reamed and cleaned the pipe first. As is my preference with flakes, I pulled off just enough for a pipeful, and rubbed it out a little, then rolled it in a loose ball and stuffed it into the top, maybe allowing a little air space near the draft hole. Cold draw was fine.

Burn:
Matches are used. Took a light easily, after the initial light and tamp. With a slow and steady cadence, it burns steady and cool, and for a long time. I can tell it might bite the tongue with hard puffing. No re-lights all the way down


Flavor:
Right from the start, the sweet grassiness comes through in the smoke, and a little later some spiciness. 25% in, the sweetness has tapered and the fresh grass is more hay-like. About this point it got a gurgle (thank goodness for adjustomatic - was easy to blot the moisture). Three quarters along, and the flavors stays much the same. Good nicotine in this - I can feel it. Smoked all the way down to ash with not dottle, and no ashy flavors.

Comments and conclusion:
I found this to be a tasty flake, though I was even more impressed with the other two flakes I was given. Definitely high quality tobacco, and I wouldn't say no to more, though the others piqued my interest more strongly.

BryGuySC
04-09-2015, 05:19 PM
My fourth and final review:

Details--
Date: April 09, 2015
Name: cpmcdill
Tobacco: Pink i (vac)
Pipe: Dr Grabow Golden Duke Adjustomatic straight rusticated pot
Site: Indoors

Observations--
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled).
This tobacco came vacuum-packed, and appears as an intact pressed flake, six inches long and 6 slices thick. In color it is mostly light to medium brown, with few flecks of yellow and darker brown. There's a faint glitter of sugar crystals on the surface, by which presence I infer that this flake has had some aging. It's flexible, has a good moisture level, and smells great. Sweet grassiness with a touch of raisin.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it).
Reamed and cleaned the pipe first. As is my preference with flakes, I pulled off just enough for a pipeful, and rubbed it out a little, then rolled it in a loose ball and stuffed it into the top, maybe allowing a little air space near the draft hole. Cold draw was fine.

Burn:
Matches are used. Took a light easily, after the initial light and tamp. With a slow and steady cadence, it burns steady and cool, and for a long time. I can tell it might bite the tongue with hard puffing. No re-lights all the way down


Flavor:
Right from the start, the sweet grassiness comes through in the smoke, and a little later some spiciness. 25% in, the sweetness has tapered and the fresh grass is more hay-like. About this point it got a gurgle (thank goodness for adjustomatic - was easy to blot the moisture). Three quarters along, and the flavors stays much the same. Good nicotine in this - I can feel it. Smoked all the way down to ash with not dottle, and no ashy flavors.

Comments and conclusion:
I found this to be a tasty flake, though I was even more impressed with the other two flakes I was given. Definitely high quality tobacco, and I wouldn't say no to more, though the others piqued my interest more strongly.

Man, you are crushing those reviews!
I gotta say, I'm pretty jealous. I'm antsy to get puffing!

GWBowman
04-09-2015, 05:45 PM
My first review

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/D03F7281-F1E8-4144-8A87-F007293291E6_zps0ipxmnwb.jpg

Details
Date-4/9/2015
Name-George Bowman
Tobacco- A yellow G&H Dark Sliced
Pipe-smooth rhodesian basket pipe
Indoor / Outdoor-indoors

Observations
Examination
The tobacco looks to be a string cut but has some small pieces of flake. It is such a dark brown, it’s almost black. There are a few small light brown specks scattered all through out. It is a little wet. The smell is fantastic. Smells like tobacco, sweet, raisins, very dark heavy dried fruit. There is something in the smell that is a little smoky but I can’t tell what it is.
Preparation
It was a little wet, but I didn’t think too wet to smoke. I was wrong and could not get a good light. I put it on a paper plate for about 25 or thirty minutes and then gravity fed with just a little packing.
Burn
It lit well. Now I realize I packed it more than I thought or this is very dense. Probably a combination of both. Several relights are normal for me and this was no different. It burns hot to a white ash. The smoke is thick, white and abundant.
Flavor
I immediately catch a little citrus that is almost always present but will not take the lead. It’s smoky and there is a earthiness that makes me think of burley. There is a good amount of spice in the retrohale. The more I smoke, the spicier it turns, as well as smoky. It produces an oily smoky coating on my tongue and roof of my mouth. A soapy taste comes on that turns into a chemical taste and smell. The hot burn is putting a little bite on the back and outside edges of my tongue. There is something I’ve been tasting almost the whole time that I want to attribute to tonquin but am starting to think this is Lakeland Essence. A perfume taste. Toward the end of the bowl, I’m thinking it taste like oven cleaner smells.

Comments and conclusion
The tobacco smelled terrific and tasted nothing like it smelled. It is an incredibly strong tobacco. The nic hits the stomach and then the head. While it is a quality tobacco, the taste and smell are nothing I would buy.

Alligator Gar
04-09-2015, 10:09 PM
NeverBend, when ever I have received a package of pipe tobacco in regular ziplock bags, it is immediately evident from the smell. Generally the box will smell great , even after being emptied. No smell on the outside of these bags. One you sent was a ziplock type with the tear open spots. It did tear open where it was supposed to. I took the tobacco out and jarred it. Since then I have opened and closed the bag several time. It works great. One time I closed it, puffed up slightly, with some air in it. Squeezing will not make it pop open. I finally was able to squeeze the air out, but it was incredibly hard. After that, I opened it backup and put some water in it. It held. I had to really give it hell to make it leak. It took a lot more pressure and manipulation than it should ever be under in normal use. These are great.

They are super heavy duty and would be good for vacpacking dried fruit, jerky, smoked fish, smoked peppers, dried mushrooms, etc. Would be good for packing meals for hiking, hunting or fishing. You could dry pack a fire starter kit, it would stay dry and you could rip it open in an emergency. Pack me some blind smoked trout in one, Pete and I'll tell you what wood you used and where you caught 'em.

Alligator Gar
04-09-2015, 10:21 PM
My first review

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/D03F7281-F1E8-4144-8A87-F007293291E6_zps0ipxmnwb.jpg

Details
Date-4/9/2015
Name-George Bowman
Tobacco- A yellow
Pipe-smooth rhodesian basket pipe
Indoor / Outdoor-indoors

Observations
Examination
The tobacco looks to be a string cut but has some small pieces of flake. It is such a dark brown, it’s almost black. There are a few small light brown specks scattered all through out. It is a little wet. The smell is fantastic. Smells like tobacco, sweet, raisins, very dark heavy dried fruit. There is something in the smell that is a little smoky but I can’t tell what it is.
Preparation
It was a little wet, but I didn’t think too wet to smoke. I was wrong and could not get a good light. I put it on a paper plate for about 25 or thirty minutes and then gravity fed with just a little packing.
Burn
It lit well. Now I realize I packed it more than I thought or this is very dense. Probably a combination of both. Several relights are normal for me and this was no different. It burns hot to a white ash. The smoke is thick, white and abundant.
Flavor
I immediately catch a little citrus that is almost always present but will not take the lead. It’s smoky and there is a earthiness that makes me think of burley. There is a good amount of spice in the retrohale. The more I smoke, the spicier it turns, as well as smoky. It produces an oily smoky coating on my tongue and roof of my mouth. A soapy taste comes on that turns into a chemical taste and smell. The hot burn is putting a little bite on the back and outside edges of my tongue. There is something I’ve been tasting almost the whole time that I want to attribute to tonquin but am starting to think this is Lakeland Essence. A perfume taste. Toward the end of the bowl, I’m thinking it taste like oven cleaner smells.

Comments and conclusion
The tobacco smelled terrific and tasted nothing like it smelled. It is an incredibly strong tobacco. The nic hits the stomach and then the head. While it is a quality tobacco, the taste and smell are nothing I would buy.

This has got to be the same as Fuschia A. Stout but smooth, weird oily taste I don't dislike. Reread my review and see if it does not sound familiar to you. Does it taste like it's had some cellar time? I hope it's not unobtainable, because I WANT.

BryGuySC
04-10-2015, 12:06 AM
Details
Date: 4/9/15
BryGuySC (Bryan)
Orange A G&H Dark Sliced
Pipe: Picadilly rusticated briar
Outdoor

Observations
Examination: This tobacco is very dark, like baking chocolate with spots of lighter milk chocolate. This is a combination of what looks like flakes of sliced rope and rubbed out tobacco.
Prep: I rubbed out the “coins” and set the tobacco out to dry for about an hour.
Burn: This could do with some more drying. If I put down the pipe, even long enough to write just a few sentences, it went out.
“Tin Note”: Dusty, and smoky. A bit of “musty barn.”
Flavor: Holy cow! And I DO mean cow! This smoke absolutely smells like a barn, complete with animals, hay, and manure. It is pungent.
After the initial barn smells (which are still there), I get a quick hit of pine.
I also get hit with a strong cigar smell, rich with musty leather.
I can’t get over how much this smells like a barn! I mean, straight up cow manure.

For me, the nicotine is pretty strong. Halfway through the bowl, I can definitely feel it. (of course, I did smoke a bowl of navy flake immediately before this one)

Comments and conclusion
I don’t really like this tobacco, but it was, without doubt, the most interesting thing I’ve ever smoked.
It was exactly what it would smell like if you walked into a barn after someone smoked a cigar in it.
I didn’t hate it, and I’m glad I got to experience this tobacco. I would not buy it, but it was very interesting. I did not know tobacco could taste like this!

bluenoser
04-10-2015, 05:06 PM
I'm a little slow to the party, price you pay being Canadian, but mine arrived today. Hope to tackle some this weekend. Beautiful sunny weather, looking forward to it.

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/Gsxblaze/temporary_21.jpg (http://s734.photobucket.com/user/Gsxblaze/media/temporary_21.jpg.html)

Emperor Zurg
04-10-2015, 05:26 PM
Mine arrived this week! Will post pics when I get some time. Been busy here... which is good!

MrMotoyoshi
04-10-2015, 10:07 PM
My tobaccos arrived. Thank you NeverBend for doing this! They made it though customs, opened, but untaxed. You have the magic touch.

I received Yellow J, Green C and Pink A.

The J and the C are both in flake form and about the size of two SG flakes put together. A is very dark and from outside the bag it looks to be either straight latakia or a lot of stove VA. Maybe a mixture of both?

The I only opened one bag and will probably smoke through a full bag before I move onto the next one. I asked the Mrs to choose one and she picked Yellow J G&H Louisiana Flake

Appearance. A very clean cut and dense flake. Dark to light brown with some strips of dark/black. It smells very chocolatey. I broke on of the flakes in half and did a fold and stuff in a Kiko African Meerschaum Dublin after letting it sit for 30 mins. Took a bit to get it going but once there was a nice even burn the flake did its magic.

Taste. Right away I noticed some Lakeland essence (not a bad thing but I'm glad i put it in one of my meers). When I first got a Custom-built pot there was a ghost of slight lakeland in that pipe. I am almost positive this was the tobacco that person smoked in it. The perfume scent isn't overbearing but subtle. I am definitely getting burley and Virginia but this is not a typical aromatic tobacco. It tastes like very high quality leaf with slight toppings of cocoa and lakeland sauce. The balance is wonderful and boy does this stuff burn slow. I mean real slow. I'm going to need some more bowls of this to give a better description but for now, it's very enjoyable.

GWBowman
04-10-2015, 10:18 PM
My second review

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/5BDE1DB1-ED28-468C-8BB5-71BEFFED93A6_zpsvhxb5rns.jpg

Details
Date-4/10/2015
Name-GWBowman
Tobacco-B yellow G&H No. 7 Broken Flake
Pipe-MM Cob Legend
Indoor / Outdoor-Indoors

Observations
Examination
This is a nice broken flake. It feels moist to the touch. The color is a mix of dark and medium brown mingled with light brown. It has a sweet smell. The background smell is tobacco. The dominant smell is flowers. Not any real flower I’m familiar with. It’s the smell we have been programmed to associate with flowers.
Preparation
I rubbed some and let it dry about 20 minutes before doing a modified Frank Method load.
Burn
It lit easily and the burn was great. The ash was light, fluffy, and white in color. There was a decent amount of smoke, but not a smoke bomb. Just about right. If smoked too fast it will nip at the tongue.
Flavor
It has a flowery taste that matches the smell, leaving a wax like coating on the tongue and roof of the mouth.

Comments and conclusion
The tobacco is a high quality offering. While the taste doesn't remind me of tobacco in any way, I enjoyed this. I will keep this in my cellar and enjoy smoking the rest of it. It is not an everyday smoke nor a every pipe smoke as I believe it will ghost.

I believe this to be Ennerdale Flake. If you've ever smoked it, you will recognize it.

NeverBend
04-10-2015, 10:22 PM
@EmperorZurg has received his samples, Branzig scheduled shortly
JustTroItIn, Chris0673, SeanTheEvans, Madbricky, have you gents received the samples yet?

JustTroItIn
04-10-2015, 10:40 PM
Nothing here yet but I'll post up when they arrive.

BryGuySC
04-11-2015, 06:35 AM
Details
04/10/15
BryGuySC
Tobacco: Yellow AA Macbaren Latakia Blend circe 2000
MM Missouri Pride
Outdoor

Observations
Examination: This is another one that looks like a combination of sliced rope and rubbed out tobacco. This tobacco is a dark walnut brown, with flecks of bright yellow. It smells sweet, like old raisins and dates. It smells and feels old.
Preparation: I rubbed out the coins and let it sit for a little over an hour.
Burn: It took a while to get it lit, but burned pretty good after that. I had a few relights, after long pauses.
Flavor: Started out pretty flat. Decent, but flat.
After about five to ten minutes, the tobacco started to liven up. I got a hint of leather, then some fruit flavors started to come through. Just as quickly, though, they dissipated. The rest of the smoke was pleasant, but didn’t change too much after that. I guess this may be some sort of a virginia/burley blend; but I’m not very good at identifying tobaccos yet.

Comments and conclusion
This smoke was pretty mellow. There were moments of unique flavors that shone through, but other than those, it was pretty straightforward. It felt like it had some age on it, so I’m attributing some of those attributes to that.
I think this one may be too subtle for me. I feel like things were hinting that they were there, but I was not skilled enough to either notice them or coax them out.
I thought this one was going to be heavy on the nicotine, but didn’t feel it at all.

I enjoyed the smoke, but struggled trying to find nuance. Future smokes will be better enjoyed because I’ll just enjoy it without trying to analyze.

Sticky B
04-11-2015, 09:43 AM
Package has arrived, will be taking this week to smoke and write the reviews on it all - thanks so much for some very funky looking tobacco :thumb:

NeverBend
04-11-2015, 10:17 AM
Package has arrived, will be taking this week to smoke and write the reviews on it all - thanks so much for some very funky looking tobacco :thumb:


Hi Sean,

Can you write down the color, letter and whether the pouch was vacuum sealed for the samples that you received? Thanks.

JustTroItIn
04-11-2015, 03:00 PM
Received in the mail today:

Yellow Vacuum Sealed "i"
Pink Vacuum Sealed "C"
Pink "F"
Yellow "R"

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2218_zpsgkgs8gbm.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2218_zpsgkgs8gbm.jpg.html)

Tobias Lutz
04-11-2015, 07:06 PM
Details
4-11-15
Tobias Lutz
Yellow “T” E&C The Deerstalker circa 1982
Chacom Manet Billiard
Outdoors

Observations
This blend was a dark brown, thin sliced flake, with a spattering of unfinished maple colored notes. The flakes were caked together quite solidly (even though they weren’t vacuum packed), and they failed to remain intact when pulled apart. Under the light of my desk lamp I was able to see quite a bit of glittering sugar on the tobacco, sparkling against the espresso background. I thought it smelled like a mix of dry hay and leather- like the tack room in my aunt’s barn. It was very mellow with the slightest hint of something like sandalwood but what really stuck me was how “balanced” all the odors were; none really stood above, or under, the others.
I rubbed a chunk out to produce fine, dry, but not nimble ribbons. I packed using a three step gravity fill method.

It took me three lights to really get it underway, but then the tobacco burned steadily and stayed cool for the duration of the bowl.

The first impression I got was that of clover blossoms- light, with a faint floral sweetness. It had a dry grassiness that was similar to the experience of mowing over sun baked grass clippings. I found it to be medium strength, with qualities that reminded me of dark stoved Virginia. At the very end of the bowl I picked up a touch of citrusy “zing”.

Comments and conclusion
I thought this was a very enjoyable smoke and it reminded me of Butera Royal Vintage (though without much spice). I would prefer this later in the day, and believe it would pair particularly well with a cup of Constant Comment tea.

BryGuySC
04-12-2015, 07:01 AM
Details
04/11/15
BryGuySC
Tobacco: Pink Q Balkan Sasieni
MM Eaton
Outdoor

Observations
Examination: This is a nice combination of light and dark strands of tobacco.
Preparation: Opened the package, and shoved it right in the pipe.
Burn: No burn problems at all. Lit easily and stayed lit with no problems.
Tin Note: Smokey, meaty, like a smoked jerky.
Flavor: Started out like an English, and continued to taste like an English. That being said, it was very smooth. I did get a little bit of a burn on the roof of my mouth. There is some spiciness along with the normal English smokiness.


Comments and conclusion
I’m not a huge English fan, but we’ve come to terms. I don’t have a lot of distinction of tobacco nuances, and that goes doubly (halfly?) for English blends. That being said, this reminds me of one of the Dunhill offerings, maybe Nightcap.
It is a nice, solid, smoky English.

Branzig
04-12-2015, 10:03 AM
Tobacco has arrived!

http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/w530/branzig/20150411_193708_zpsciv6gwpd.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/branzig/media/20150411_193708_zpsciv6gwpd.jpg.html)

Pink B
Pink P
Green W (vac)
Orange C (vac)
Orange J (vac)
Orange X (vac)

I have a bit of a cold I am fighting through, but I am on the tail end of it...so my first review will be up as early as today or as late as tomorrow.

Thanks Pete!

Tobias Lutz
04-12-2015, 05:22 PM
Details
4-12-15
Tobias Lutz
Pink “B” G&H No.7 Broken Flake
Kaywoodie Sterling billiard
Outdoors

Observations
This is an attractive, medium oak colored broken flake, sliced into medium width ribbons. It has a decent moisture consistency that only requires a bit of drying time. Rising out of the bag is a distinct floral note that I’ll call “Lakeland-light”. It is not overwhelming, but definitely present. Behind it is a mature Virginia scent of hay and moist soil.

I let the tobacco dry for about 30 minutes and then I rubbed out some of it out to create very springy ribbons that I packed using a three step gravity fill. I found that the floral essence actually abated some once the tobacco was rubbed completely.

The burn was good, requiring on two relights for the entire bowl. It left an extremely fine, white ash behind and managed to stay cool, even when puffed on while I played hopscotch with my four year-old.

I thought it began a bit mild, and it made me think of a summer walk through a field of wildflowers. The Lakeland like profile lessened greatly towards the middle of the bowl and I got distinct notes of pistachio and vanilla, dancing around among the hay. The more I smoked, the more I discovered a pleasant, honey sweetness.

Comments and conclusion
Overall, I considered this a pleasant smoke for a hot afternoon. The floral essence isn’t something that necessarily turns me off, and the fact it didn’t endure the entire bowl was interesting. I also liked the way it grew in sweetness as it progressed. I found it to be bite-proof, and the “mustache note” was pleasant.

Horsefeathers
04-12-2015, 07:55 PM
Details:
Date: 4/11/2015 & 4/12/2015
Name: Horsefeathers
Tobacco: C - Pink (VAC) G&H Dark Flake Unscented
Pipe: Missouri Meerschaum Huck Finn Cobb
Indoor / Outdoor: Outdoors (Garage)

Observations & Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): The tobacco was vacuum sealed. Upon opening, it very much resembled a stick of beef jerky. Closer examination revealed it appeared to be 3 flakes firmly stuck together. I manged to free one flake, but others were too well pressed to pull apart without deconstructing the flake. The color looked dark brown, almost black until it was separated. Once separated / broken down a bit it was a mottled dark brown with small tan spots. The smell was very interesting. I was initially hit with a very strong mint odor, with a little bit of chocolate in the background (think girl scout Thin Mint Cookies). The smell didn't change much until I let it air out for a few minutes. After it aired out the chocolaty / minty flavor was still present, but a distinct barnyard aroma presented itself, along with a noticeable figgy smell.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it): I took the loose bits of tobacco from the vacuum seal and put those aside. Then I took the one flake I was able to separate and loosely pulled it apart / crumbled it into smaller chunky strips. I combined both the deconstructed flake and loose bits and filled the pipe with a basic three step method (which was more like two and a half due to the size of the strips). Checked the draw and noticed no interference with the air flow.

Burn: The burn was...an experience. Being a new pipe smoker I'm still feeling my way around the proper moisture level for pipe tobacco. That being said it was noticeably dryer than other tobacco I've smoked, so I thought it should be good to go. I put flame to the tobacco and it took about four lights to get a solid charing light, and I thought I was off to the races. Instead it kept going out repeatedly. I put flame to the bowl about 20 times over the course of 15-20 minutes. The bowl had only decreased about 1/8th of an inch and I decided that maybe it was just too wet (or I'm terrible at this) and I'd let it sit for a day and resume the following evening.

A little over 24 hours later and I'm back in the garage putting flame to it again. I flat out could not get it to light. I recalled that sometimes dumping the ash may be necessary when smoking so I broke up the top layer of dried ash and dumped it. Low and behold that seemed to do the trick, and at least get it going. I had much better success than the prior evening, but still had to relight about 10-12 times, also dumping the ash an additional two times. It was a fine ash all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

I will say the smoke was cool dry and I couldn't imagine this would bite your tongue, as I was really chiefing on the pipe trying to get this bowl to burn. I also smoked both times about 4-5 hours after I'd eaten lunch and before dinner, and was not affected by the nicotine in the slightest. The tobacco was paired with glass of water on both days.

Flavor: It tasted nothing like it smelled. The flavor was initially very mild, and built a bit after the repeated relights into a very perfumey floral character. The taste and smell very much reminded me of when I was a child at my grandmother's house, and after taking a bath, she would use a soft puff a dab me with a scented powder all over (I'd guess this was talcum powder, but don't really know). The retro had produced a slight tingle in the nasal cavity, and an interesting, yet fleeting, sweet bakery flavor. Sort of like an under cooked sugar cookie. I didn't taste any pepper, but my tongue had the same sensation as if I'd smoked a peppery cigar. My wife was able to confirm the scent. She was also not a fan.

Day two it was as if everything and nothing changed. The flavor on day two was just as day one, but seemed much less intense, and more harmonious, than the prior day.

Comments and Conclusion: I found the flake interesting and the "tin note" greatly enticing, but ultimately I can't say I much enjoyed the taste or the lit smell. Getting the tobacco to burn was a frustrating experience, but at this point it could be (and probably is) as much my fault as the tobacco. If a floral / perfume flavor is your thing I can't see a reason (other than possible burn issues) that this wouldn't be right in your wheelhouse. Although it's definitely not in mine it also wasn't offensive enough that I wont finish smoking the samples that have been sent to me, and will be interested to see how this may change with more drying out time / age.

P.S. I went inside and popped open a Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout right after smoking this the first night. The combination of the taste was akin to the toothpaste orange juice flavor combo. The flavor of this tobacco will ruin a good dark beer. Not recommended, hahaha.

P.P.S. Pete thanks again for the samples! I'm looking forward to reviewing the next one, which will be U - Pink, as chosen randomly by my wife.

bluenoser
04-12-2015, 09:29 PM
Details
Date Apr. 12/2015
Name Bluenoser
Tobacco Green "O" Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake
Pipe Brindisi Briar
Indoor / Outdoor

Observations
Packed tightly into sqaures in package. Aroma seemed very familiar but couldn't %100 place it, kind of like licorice. Still new to pipe smoking and different types of tobacco but I believe this would be Flake? Great looking tobacco once pulled apart and ready to load.


http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/Gsxblaze/temporary_34.jpg (http://s734.photobucket.com/user/Gsxblaze/media/temporary_34.jpg.html)

Preparation
After pulling enough off of the block to load I did a noobs attempt at fold and stuff with it. Loaded into the Brindisi well, though once trying to light I noticed I had missed a "clump" and had to pull some out to rip it apart and re stuff it. Noob mistake, can't blame the baccy. The cat (Willie) always comes to supervise my loading, and he lets me know when I do it wrong...


http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/Gsxblaze/temporary_28.jpg (http://s734.photobucket.com/user/Gsxblaze/media/temporary_28.jpg.html)

Burn
Had alot of troubles getting this lit. I again can't entirely blame the baccy since I only smoke outside and there was a bit of wind blowing in a little rain storm as I was getting underway. Once lit it burned perfect, tamped when needed but didn't need a relight. Wasn't able to get it to the bottom of the bowl as I was rained out but I was well below the final 1/4 when I let it go out. Nice burn and didn't need to dump ash at all either so did enjoy that.


http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww347/Gsxblaze/temporary_29.jpg (http://s734.photobucket.com/user/Gsxblaze/media/temporary_29.jpg.html)

Flavor
As for flavor it seemed no two puffs were quite alike. It started out woodsy with a hint of sweetness that transitioned into an almost maple flavor with some spicy/pepperyness in the retro hale. As I moved further through the bowl it seemed to increase in spicy/peppery flavor and the sweetness cut back. There was another flavor in it though that I picked up throughout the whole bowl I couldn't quite grasp, "smoky"?. I came in craving some beef jerky so maybe a deli meat of some sort? Was enjoying a cup of coffee with it that seemed to bring it all together amazingly. I'm not usually a fan of spice/pepper but it was a rather nice smoke.

Comments and conclusion
Really looking forward to revisiting this and seeing if I can get any better read on it with another bowl. Since the rain storm was coming in fast from the west I was puffing a little faster than I'd usually prefer but this offered only a slight bite, so I look forward to, and will update this review, when I can get another go at it.

Emperor Zurg
04-13-2015, 10:14 AM
As promised, here's a pic of the damage...

http://i975.photobucket.com/albums/ae231/E-Zurg/0413151036_zpsxzawkmsw.jpg

Green B looked like a nice, tasty, broken flake so I opened that one up and shook out a small pile to dry... but smelling it, I'm having second thoughts. What an evil smelling weed this is. It positively reeks of some acrid perfume with an underlying scent of cinnamon or tonquin or something. The stink completely masks any scent of tobacco. Pot smokers should mix this odor in with their dope to throw off the drug dogs. I'm going to have to scrape around to find a cob I dislike enough to risk putting this stuff in it. It smells so strongly of cheap perfume that I'm less afraid of cancer and more concerned that it might give me the clap.

I picked up a bit of the flake and torched it with a lighter to get an idea of the room note. It reminds me of an old lady wearing too much perfume and smoking a cigarette, while attempting to cover the smell in the room with incense.

Sticky B
04-13-2015, 02:34 PM
Hi Sean,

Can you write down the color, letter and whether the pouch was vacuum sealed for the samples that you received? Thanks.

I can do better:

http://i825.photobucket.com/albums/zz175/SeanTheEvans/0413151302b_zpsxgrift44.jpg

Pink F
Pink M Vacuum Sealed
Yellow G Vacuum Sealed
Yellow S Vacuum Sealed

Tobias Lutz
04-13-2015, 06:58 PM
Details
4-13-15
Tobias Lutz
Yellow “A” G&H Dark Sliced
1983 BC Millesime 368
Outdoor

Observations
This is a dark brown colored rope that is half sliced into coins, and half rubbed out. The espresso color is slightly deceiving, because when you look at the individual ribbons, they are much more of a bronze tone when the light shines through them. The moisture level feels perfect right out the bag, and the aroma is wonderful. It had a touch of fire-cured smokiness, but there was some sort of floral essence that blended with it to produce a very intriguing scent, atop the fresh hay foundation. It reminded me very much of when I was a child and would explore a relative's library, with walls of books from 1850-1950, all with a sweet mustiness, combining with the fireplace, that was anything but repugnant.

I rubbed out the coins into a nice pile of medium width ribbon that was ready to go. I used a 3 pack gravity fill and even found the cold draw to be enticing.

I had a little trouble getting this stuff going, but it eventually took and it was steady going from then on. The ash was very fine and I didn’t have to tap it once, though I did tamp once or twice after the initial char.

I found what little sweetness was in this blend was only to be had when it was gently sipped. Then it came across as a molasses like flavor that was not overly sugary. At one point I thought the blend was very earthy and savory, in some ways resembled the marks on a char grilled piece of meat. I found it to be medium/strong in regards to strength, with a touch of pepper that tickled the nose in the retrohale. It seemed that the fire cured smokiness really emerged in the second half of the bowl.

Comments and conclusion
This was a touch too bold for my tastes- I tend to prefer less stout blends, and the pepper was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. I like the spice of Perique in a good VaPer, but not when the base of the blend is so strong. It smoked fine, and for someone looking for a strapping mix I believe this would be rather popular.

GWBowman
04-13-2015, 08:19 PM
My third review
http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/B3067EDC-6106-4609-BF26-282E6CACC6E9_zps6yd2q3rp.jpg
http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/A55CD7E4-9DD6-4AB0-B6C5-EAFE5C4694D1_zpslkq4moeg.jpg
Details
Date 4/13/2015
Name GWBowman
Tobacco C-green G&H Dark Flake Unscented
Pipe MM Cob Legend
Indoor / Outdoor Indoors

Observations
Examination
Flake that has to be cut in half to fit in a 8 ounce jar. Dark brown with lots of light brown spots. In the jar it has a sweet barnyard smell. A little bit of old or musky. Feels fairly damp.
Preparation
I rubbed some and let it sit for a little over fifteen minutes. It rubbed out to thin strings that had a sweet hay smell.
Burn
The tobacco lit easily and burn fairly well. I had to dump off some ash and a couple of times the cob got very hot, almost uncomfortable. There was a decent amount of smoke.
Flavor
On the light, it had a waxy, musky mouth feel. The musky taste fades but the wax stays. The initial flavor is burning grass that quickly started to sweeten. The taste is strong. Through out there are sweet and sour/citrus notes that come and go, almost playing back and forth. The nicotine is strong just a short way into the bowl. There was a building menthol feel, opening the pores of my tongue, without a menthol taste. A spice/pepper taste start getting strong about half way through. Going into the second half, a slight fruityness comes and leaves.
Comments and conclusion
This is not a tobacco I would be and don’t see it as an everyday smoke. It would be of value to up the nicotine level in a milder tobacco.

BryGuySC
04-14-2015, 12:07 AM
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.

Branzig
04-14-2015, 06:02 AM
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/w530/branzig/20150414_022219_zpszav2aego.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/branzig/media/20150414_022219_zpszav2aego.jpg.html)

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.

Tobias Lutz
04-14-2015, 05:19 PM
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!

JustTroItIn
04-14-2015, 06:22 PM
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/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2220_zpsj4ermlvk.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2220_zpsj4ermlvk.jpg.html)

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/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2242_zpsu5bbqvo0.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2242_zpsu5bbqvo0.jpg.html)

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/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2237_zpsigkvnwc3.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2237_zpsigkvnwc3.jpg.html)

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/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2240_zps077jw3ac.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2240_zps077jw3ac.jpg.html)

Emperor Zurg
04-15-2015, 02:49 PM
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

Tobias Lutz
04-15-2015, 04:13 PM
ATTENTION ALL REVIEWERS

Pete has requested that I judge the reviews and select not one, but TWO winners who will receive a special prize from him. As such, my reviews don't count (I did them for fun anyway :pipe: ), and I need to set a deadline for entries. The cut-off to be eligible for a prize is Friday at 8pm EST. Please feel free to continue posting any remaining reviews after that time, because everyone will eventually be enlightened as to what they have smoked :)

Carry on, and please...no bribes, I'm not a politician :p

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/50458861.jpg

Branzig
04-15-2015, 09:59 PM
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/w530/branzig/20150415_171321-1_zpstdw7quab.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/branzig/media/20150415_171321-1_zpstdw7quab.jpg.html)

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:

Horsefeathers
04-16-2015, 07:06 AM
Yikes, I've only got one review in. I'll have to make some time to get at least one more review done!

Alligator Gar
04-16-2015, 11:10 AM
ATTENTION ALL REVIEWERS

Pete has requested that I judge the reviews and select not one, but TWO winners who will receive a special prize from him. As such, my reviews don't count (I did them for fun anyway :pipe: ), and I need to set a deadline for entries. The cut-off to be eligible for a prize is Friday at 8pm EST. Please feel free to continue posting any remaining reviews after that time, because everyone will eventually be enlightened as to what they have smoked :)

Carry on, and please...no bribes, I'm not a politician :p



I've been traveling for work since last Friday, returning tonight. Three remaining reviews in a half hour? I can do this!

Emperor Zurg
04-16-2015, 02:08 PM
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/ae231/E-Zurg/04161510041_zpsqgbrutip.jpg

Thanks to NeverBend for the opportunity to try these tobaccos :)

Tobias Lutz
04-16-2015, 03:11 PM
After seeing comments from a few reviewers regarding the deadline, I'm compelled to extend it another 40 hours, i.e. Sunday 12pm EST. This is supposed to be fun, not hardassed :) That said, I got to stop it at some point if I am to get a chance to read them all :pipe:

Emperor Zurg
04-16-2015, 03:14 PM
You don't have to yell...

Tobias Lutz
04-16-2015, 03:39 PM
You don't have to yell...

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/halofanon/images/d/de/BEAN-say-what.jpg/revision/20130302200427

Alligator Gar
04-16-2015, 06:10 PM
Thanks for the extension. I missed my flight so I was well and truly screwed on any more reviews.

Lostmason
04-16-2015, 06:56 PM
After seeing comments from a few reviewers regarding the deadline, I'm compelled to extend it another 40 hours, i.e. Sunday 12pm EST. This is supposed to be fun, not hardassed :) That said, I got to stop it at some point if I am to get a chance to read them all :pipe:

Ithought you only looked at the pictures,,,,,go figure...:fly:

Lostmason
04-16-2015, 07:50 PM
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.

Sticky B
04-16-2015, 09:22 PM
After seeing comments from a few reviewers regarding the deadline, I'm compelled to extend it another 40 hours, i.e. Sunday 12pm EST. This is supposed to be fun, not hardassed :) That said, I got to stop it at some point if I am to get a chance to read them all :pipe:

Yay! :woohoo:

Lostmason
04-16-2015, 11:50 PM
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.

Lostmason
04-17-2015, 11:09 AM
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.

Alligator Gar
04-17-2015, 05:42 PM
Date 17APR15
Name Alligator Gar (Jim)
Tobacco AA Fuschia MacBaren Latakia Blend circa. 2000
Pipe Ben Wade Plateau Freehand
Indoor / Outdoor Covered Porch


Presents as small black nickel sized disks flecked with gold V shaped bits.

1943
Think micro-celery. I believe these are slices of an experimental rope from Pete's basement. The tobacco is moist and sticky. It has strong notes of prune and raisin. Secondary molasses scent comes through under the dark fruit. I'm pairing with a Desani sparkling water with a hint of lime.

I'm smoking this in my newly acquired Ben Wade.
1948

I have no idea how this pipe is going to smoke. It fits my hand like a .45 ACP.
1949

The plateau top looks like a pair of sharkskin boots I once owned. After packing the shark's ass with tobacco I find I could have used twice as much as I'd dried. It has a very tall bowl that gulps tobacco. I take a test pull and am satisfied with how the pipe draws. Same fruity, sweet flavor that I smelled.

I pack with the progressive fill and tamp method and put fire to her. Tamp, light, tamp, light. Very tough keeping this stuff lit. First impression is a piney taste, progressing to a burnt cork taste and smell. I don't detect ANY sweetness in the smoke and it lets me know early on that it's a little bitey. I think this pipe has a factory char on it and may not be fully broke in, but I was too eager to smoke it to care. I'm not sure it's fair to blame the heat and bite on the tobacco.

Halfway through, the ash shows the tobacco is not being fully consumed.

1946
When I overturn the bowl, along with the dust comes shards of black, burnt tobacco. After resting the bowl for a little and drawing it back to life without a light I detect a meaty, vinegary flavor much like Hassenpfeffer. The retrohale is satisfyingly pungent without being peppery or repellant. The smoke is very white and doesn't seem to have a lot of nicotine. The overall experience reminds me of smoking a cigarette, something I'm not the least interested in. It is now out and out biting but it's not bothering my throat. I will say once it's lit, it stays lit, allowing me to slow down and not worry about it going out. Clenching the freehand is giving me TMJ. Freehand does not equal hands free.

There aren't a lot of tasting notes in this review because I didn't taste much. I would be interested in some sort of exchange program where I surrender the rest of Fuschia AA in return for equal amounts of Fuschia A. Now that tobacco tasted like something. I'd rather that frog's bottom flavor than nothing at all.

When we are done with the reviews we should have an informal exchange, now that I think about it. We can list what we liked and what's up for swappage, and see if we can pair up. Pete was generous with the samples, might be worth $5 shipping to double down on our favorites.

3/5 Would smoke again if I was running low on the good stuff.

Horsefeathers
04-17-2015, 06:04 PM
Details:
Date: 4/16/2015
Name: Horsefeathers
Tobacco: U - Pink C&D Exclusive
Pipe: Neerup Bent Apple
Indoor / Outdoor: Outdoors (Garage)

http://i.imgur.com/LRtj77dl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Lkpxvhtl.jpg


Observations & Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): The tobacco was sealed in an air tight pouch. Opening the pouch revealed a soft ribbon cut tobacco. It was mostly a medium brown color with some darker tobacco mixed throughout. The smell was fairly strong and straight forward; spot on raisins and chocolate (or the most underrated movie theater candy, raisinettes!). Letting it get some air didn't seem to affect the smell in the slightest.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it): The pipe was packed with my best attempt at the Frank Method. Gravity filling the bowl and then topping off with a solid pinch of tobacco. The pack passed the draw test so I proceeded with the smoke.

Burn:After the struggles I had the with the last tobacco sample I wasn't sure what to expect burn wise. Turns out this took right to the flame. After a pair of charing lights I was off to the races. Over the course of the bowl I only had 4 relights with 3 of them coming in the final 3rd of the bowl. The smoke itself was cool and one thing I noticed was that there was a distinct creaminess to the smoke directly after a relight. They also, made my throat a bit dry / scratchy. otherwise it was mostly unremarkable (not in a bad way, just indistinct).

The tobacco was paired with glass of water.

Flavor:The flavor was really interesting, dancing all over in the first third. I was initially hit with a wet hay / grassy flavor that varied in intensity. After a short time a very sugary flavor developed on the roof of my mouth. This sugary flavor would come and go throughout the first third. Somewhere in second third the hay and sugar gave way to a slight cacao. It was also at this time that a floral quality started to build. The floral / soapy flavor just continued to build through the final third until it was the primary flavor, but never really too strong or off putting. The only other thing of note would be the retro-hale which was very mild, but presented notes of baking spice. It's also the smoothest tobacco I've retro-haled. No tingle or burn what so ever.

Comments and Conclusion:This was really interesting tobacco, and to date would be the most nuanced pipe tobacco I've smoked. I really enjoyed the first two thirds or so, and the Floral / soapiness (which I now believe to be what everyone refers to lakeland essence) never got too strong, but still isn't something I think I'll go seeking out at this point. I also believe that this tobacco has far more to offer in terms of flavor than what I was able to discover. A more experienced smoker or someone with a better palate would find much I have missed I'd imagine. If what I've described in the flavor profile ticks anyone's boxes I'd have no problem recommending this to someone. Smoke this one when you have some time to set aside though as I think it would be much more rewarding that way.

Next up is D - Yellow!

Branzig
04-17-2015, 08:36 PM
Date: 4/17/15
Name: Branzig
Tobacco: Green W Vac Sealed G&H Mixture #12
Pipe: 1940s Custombilt & 1930s Custom-bilt
Outdoors

http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/w530/branzig/20150417_163928-1_zpszrke4vhl.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/branzig/media/20150417_163928-1_zpszrke4vhl.jpg.html)

Observations

Examination: The tobacco is in a loose, ribbon cut. The color is of light Va and orientals mixed in with dark latakia strands. The scent is very latakia forward, bold and smokey with a hint of sweetness. A little moist out of the bag.

Preparation: Let the tobacco sit in the hot sun for about 15 minutes. Used the Frankity-Frank-Frank method of packing for both bowls.

Burn: Smoked like a champ! No need for relights, tamped real easy. Light grey ash with minimal dottle left over.

Flavor: The only word that comes to mind while I smoke this stuff is luxurious. From the charring light to the bottom of the bowl, this stuff had a great and heavy feel too it. The latakia is up front and the dominant feature of this blend. The latakia used isn't the oily variety found in some blends, but a high quality one. A great smoky and spicy profile. The Virginia's and Oriental leafs add the perfect amount of sweetness and a tiny hint of sour that is just right. The flavor profiles don't change much throughout the bowl, but that is fine because from start to finish this stuff is tasty!

Comments and conclusion: A bold and full bodied Balkan. Excellent flavor and amazing mouth feel. Smoked it along with my dark roast coffee, and the two complimented each other very well. A little bit of nicotine in this one. My only complaint is that if you aren't careful, this one can bite bit. A few times I felt that familiar sting on the tongue, but a quick cadence adjustment nipped it in the bud. My last bowl of this was on a warm sunny afternoon, and I have to admit that the flavors (almost) made me wish there was some snow on the ground. Or at least some yellow in the tree leaves. :pipe:

Alligator Gar
04-17-2015, 09:26 PM
Date 17APR15
Name Alligator Gar (Jim)
Tobacco C Yellow G&H Dark Flake Unscented
Pipe MM Great Dane Spindle
Indoor / Outdoor Covered Porch

I was pretty excited about this tobacco. It is in what I believe is flake form and looks good enough to eat. It was vacuum packed in a tear and seal package. The vacuum unfortunately made three flakes as one, effectively welding them together into one SuperFlake. I thought this was the stinky one out of the four, but in retrospect it was Fuschia A that was the culprit. I'm still belching that scent a week later. I paired this with some 正山小種/立山小種 (Lapsang Souchong) and orange blossom honey. The smokey sweet tea is a perfect compliment to spicy tobaccos.

I'm smoking this in my Corn Cob Great Dane.
1954
I love this pipe because it's big, it's a sitter and because Warren gave it to me.

I peeled some threads off the nominally dry SuperFlake and rubbed in a vigorous circular manner. The tobacco fluffs up incredibly well into piles of dark brown, brown and gold flat string.
1953
I use the pack/tamp method and end up with a plugged draw. I dig it out and try again using a lighter hand. It seems to be easy to over compress this cut because I still have a bit of a restricted draw. It may benefit from the swirly palm pack method, and now I'm wishing I knew how to do that. I soldier on and take multiple swings at getting her lit. First thing I taste is toast and caramel. I associate caramel with tobacco rich in natural sugars in the cigar world, but in the case of this blend the slight sheen of the flake tells me nature might have had some help.

Moving a little deeper into the bowl yields a floral lilac taste with low notes of soap. I'm a little shocked by this and not sure whether I'm disgusted or intrigued. Let's just say distrigued for now. This taste has the odd effect of making me salivate, which is annoying to the extreme. While listing the things that pissed me off, let me add that I could not keep this pipe lit. If I wanted to take a thirty second break I would need to relight. I lit this bowl 20 times if I lit it once. Probably my fault. I wasn't proud of the packing job, as noted previously.

The second half of the bowl transitioned to red pepper, a jarring contrast to the original floral taste. The retrohale was dandy; nice and tingly. My throat started getting tight, if you know what I mean. I actually enjoyed the pepper more than the floral arrangement. Hot embers ricocheting off the back of my throat signaled the welcome demise of this entire experience. I really appreciate the opportunity to try different blends risk free. When the big reveal comes this exercise is really going to help define my tastes. Thanks!

2.5/5 Would smoke again if I was offered a taste--just to be polite.

Alligator Gar
04-17-2015, 09:43 PM
Details:
Date: 4/16/2015
Name: Horsefeathers
Tobacco: U - Pink
Pipe: Neerup Bent Apple

I'd love to see a picture of that Bent Apple. That's my favorite shape and on the top of the list of acquisitions.

Alligator Gar
04-17-2015, 11:24 PM
Date 17APR15
Name Alligator Gar (Jim)
Tobacco Q Yellow Balkan Sasieni
Pipe MM Diplomat
Indoor / Outdoor Covered Porch

Before smoking I purged my palate with a large chocolate malt and a Fausto Lancero with water back.

This sample looked pretty ordinary. It was a big bag of black and tan.
1955
I loaded it in a MM Diplomat. Cow head for scale.
1957
I paired this with some Amrit tea and gall berry honey. Amrit is some weird looking tea.
1959
The tobacco has pleasant barn scents of hay and warm critters.

A little drying made the tobacco less springy and it loaded well. Opening notes were a mid range tobacco and cream taste. Baking spice was present on the smooth retro-hale. The nose feel was actually better than the mouth feel. The ash is a clean white scalloped layer.
1958
A little swish of tea cooled the sides of my tongue and throat.

The blend burns well and cool and profits from an occasional tamp. It never billows smoke but is very refined in how it burns. The flavor is a very mannerly spice, cream and hay. No heavy leather or earth flavors emerge, just a little umami characteristic of well aged tobacco. The room note is weedy. Yes, that kind of weedy. It is a good mild mannered experience, something along the lines of Early Morning Pipe. I would make this my first smoke of the morning, much as I do Cubans. It has some nice nutty and vegetal subtleties that would be fascinating on an unburnt palate.

I've smoked three bowls of Q since I received it and I don't have anything bad to say about it. I would recommend it to a novice smoker or someone who doesn't like getting their face melted and Nic buzz on. I suggest you try you a bowl of Q and see if you agree!

4/5 Would smoke again, wouldn't mind keeping a half pound back.

Horsefeathers
04-18-2015, 08:36 AM
I'd love to see a picture of that Bent Apple. That's my favorite shape and on the top of the list of acquisitions.

I'll try to post up some pictures later today. :pipe:

JustTroItIn
04-18-2015, 10:24 AM
Date: 4/18/2015
Name: JustTroItIn
Tobacco: Yellow R Dunhill #965
Pipe: 519 Seattle / Malaga / Hilson Bolero
Smoked both in and outdoors.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2265_zpsfjvg4ehv.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2265_zpsfjvg4ehv.jpg.html)

Observations
This is a mixture of light and dark brown ribbon cut tobacco. The bag note has a pleasant musty odor. No dry time was necessary before packing a bowl. I have had several bowls in three different pipes, all gravity filled and then a pinch of tobacco shoved on top. There was no gurgle inducing moisture from any of the pipes, it burned wonderfully to a fine gray ash, and left almost no dottle in the bottom of the bowl.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2267_zpsntbvxvpb.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2267_zpsntbvxvpb.jpg.html)

The flavor is mild and produced no tongue bite. It had a very light caramel like sweetness with a touch of licorice. The taste and strength was consistent for the entire bowl.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2246_zpsoczfz5bg.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2246_zpsoczfz5bg.jpg.html)

Comments and conclusion
I wouldn't call this a complex tobacco but a simple medley of flavors. I have no idea what this tobacco may be but it's something that can be smoked and enjoyed at anytime of day. I'm looking forward to finding out what it is.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2249_zpsim5wpawq.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2249_zpsim5wpawq.jpg.html)

Horsefeathers
04-18-2015, 03:24 PM
Details:
Date: 4/17/2015
Name: Horsefeathers
Tobacco: D - Yellow MacBaren Virginia #1
Pipe: Missouri Meerschaum Legend
Indoor / Outdoor: Outdoors (Garage)


http://i.imgur.com/ewzY90Ml.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/42AQi21l.jpg


Observations & Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): This tobacco was the second of three sealed in an air tight pouch. I cut open the pouch and revealed a coarse dry tobacco in large strands. While this did not arrive in a flake format the overall cut reminded me of a flake that had been lightly, but fully rubbed out. The strands were a medium brown to yellow-brown color. The intensity of the aroma was moderate revealing a wet grass and citrus smell, slightly sweet. Reminded me of pineapple upside down cake somewhat. After the tobacco aired out a bit the smell didn't change much but the scent lightened up a bit overall.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it): I again packed the pipe with my best attempt at the Frank Method. Due to the size of the tobacco the gravity fill step filled the bowl quickly. A solid pinch and press topped it off.

Burn:The tobacco took to flame easily, producing a nice moderate smoke. Tamping every few minutes kept it right on burning. I had no issue with relights until about the middle of the bowl where the tobacco was going out every minute or so. After about 5 relights I decided to dump the ash. After the ash dump I was right back on track to the bottom of the bowl. The tobacco burnt into a fine gray ash with the exception of a few small unburnt strands of tobacco. I would add that this was a fairly warm smoke throughout. It never caused discomfort or bit my tongue, but the smoke was noticeably warm.

Flavor: Definitely the least to say here. The flavor was that of a sweet hay and an occasional citrus note. Other than that it never really changed over the course of the whole bowl. The retrohale did produce a bit of spice, but didn't really alter the flavor. Very straight forward tobacco, which was in stark contrast to my previous review.

Comments and Conclusion:Overall not too bad. It was easy to pack, easy to light, and the flavor was good if not a bit one dimensional. I could see this being an all day smoke, and would label as a set it and forget it tobacco. Never really requiring too much attention, but still providing a bowl of satisfaction.

Next is the final blind sample up for review R - Pink!

NeverBend
04-18-2015, 04:32 PM
Tobacco: C - Yellow
http://i.imgur.com/ewzY90Ml.jpg

Did you mean a Yellow "D" (not yellow "C")?

Horsefeathers
04-18-2015, 07:56 PM
Did you mean a Yellow "D" (not yellow "C")?

Yeah, I sure do! My apologies for the typo. I've edited the post for accuracy.

Madbricky
04-18-2015, 11:16 PM
Very excited! Will order some new cobs for these!
MadBricky (Craig)
Pink D reg.
Pink H vac.
Pink N Vac.
Yellow U Reg.
Thanks for a great activity!
Craig

GWBowman
04-19-2015, 10:55 AM
My fourth and unfortunately final review

http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/GWBowman/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/EE1901C5-D7A4-4286-8EC4-DB82E61FDFB2_zpssp17hw5t.jpg (http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/GWBowman/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2015-04/EE1901C5-D7A4-4286-8EC4-DB82E61FDFB2_zpssp17hw5t.jpg.html)

Details
Date 4/19/2015
Name GWBowman
Tobacco Q-orange Balkan Sasieni
Pipe MM Cob Legend
Indoor / Outdoor Indoors

Observations
Examination
Visually it’s dark brown, medium brown and black strings intermingled in about equal portions. The tobacco has the delicious smoky smell of Latakia. It’s a little damp and clumps if squeezed together.
Preparation
Because of the moisture content, I put some out on a saucer to dry for about 30 minutes. Packed the bowl with a Frankish method.
Burn
The tobacco lights easily and burns well to a grey ash. The smoke is white and abundant.
Flavor
Latakia is the star of this show from beginning to end. There’s a sweet and sour Virginia taste that darts in and out as the bowl is smoked keeping this from being monotone in flavor.

Comments and conclusion
This is a delicious English. Definately Latakia forward without being overpowering. It’s a high quality offering that would be welcome in most cellars.

GWBowman
04-19-2015, 11:08 AM
Don't thank me unless there's cash in you package.


Double Lutz with a Loop

Based on a previous statement by our sponsor, I will not go on about how gracious and generous he was (very). There will be no mention of how much I have enjoyed this (greatly), or how appreciative I am for having been given this opportunity (extremely).

Horsefeathers
04-19-2015, 12:07 PM
Details:
Date: 4/18/2015
Name: Horsefeathers
Tobacco: R - Pink Dunhill #965
Pipe: Savinelli Obi-Two Billiard
Indoor / Outdoor: Outdoors (Garage)

http://i.imgur.com/dqe8UgVl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/4oL4jHzl.jpg?3

Observations & Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): This tobacco was the third of three that came sealed in an air tight pouch, and is the final tobacco up for review. Opening the pouch I was greeted with a distinct but not too strong aroma of burning wood / campfire. I felt like there was an faint underlying scent of raisins, but I'm also wondering if I just think most pipe tobacco smells like raisins...? The tobacco it self was finely cut into many small individual strands. I believe this would qualify as a shag cut. It was dry to the touch, but not so much so that it was crunchy.

Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it): For the third straight time I again packed the pipe with my best attempt at the Frank Method (and I do believe I may be getting the hang of this). I checked the draw and thought that it may be just a tad on the snug side, but decided to just forge ahead since it didn't seem to greatly impacted.

Burn: The tobacco was so small that it took 3 charring lights before I had a solid even layer of ash to tamp. Once I had it going I had no issue with the burn. I did have two relights. One being me getting distracted and talking for too long. The other was towards the bottom of the bowl. I lit and it immediately went out again. I dumped the ash and got another 5-10 minutes before I was truly to the bottom. Anecdotally, it'd be nice if all pipe tobacco burned this easily. The smoke it self was moderate and pleasant, never becoming hot or astringent. The bowl itself seemed to give off more smoke than other pipe tobacco I've smoked.

Flavor:For the second straight tobacco the flavor was pretty straight forward. There were mostly notes of soap / perfume with not much change throughout. The flavor overall stayed a a mild-medium intensity, and for me was just at the right spot for this flavor profile. Retrohaling didn't change the flavor at all, but did amp up the intensity of the flavors overall. Therefore after my second pass through the sinuses I abstained from any further attempts.

This tobacco was paired with a glass of water.

Comments and Conclusion:I feel like this is what I should have started with when doing the reviews. This had a very similar overall flavor profile to C- Pink (The dark flake), but was much milder. I'd equate this to easing into the pool over jumping straight into the deep end with C - Pink. I also didn't get much in the way of nicotine with this tobacco. I feel like anyone who likes the soapy / perfumey profile would find this a great morning smoke. I'd also say due to the over all experience would be a great into into pipe smoking for someone who was new to pipes as well.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to review these samples, and hope these have been of some value for Pete's sake! (see what I did there, hardy-har-har)

Madbricky
04-19-2015, 12:54 PM
Deadline? Crap.
Here is your quicky review. No pics.Details
Date 4/19/2015
Name Madbricky
Tobacco D Pink MacBaren Virginia #1
Pipe MM Cob CG
Indoor / Outdoor: Indoors

Observations
Examination
Visually it’s a ready rub sliced cake just like Mclelland 5100 series.Brown and yellow pieces in a matured cake. Nice Va dried hay odor, and same aroma on cold draw.
Preparation:
Because of the moisture content, I warmed in my tin warmer and cooled to dry. Packed the bowl with pieces as they came with a Frank method.
Burn:
The tobacco lit easily and burned well with sipping to a grey dottle. The smoke is white/blue and abundant. Relights only after tamping edges down as typical for large bowl pipe.
Flavor: Started out sharp and spicy red virginia and quickly cooled down to a sweet and super mild citrus with red Va finish on back of palate. Comments/Conclusion:Yummy, just like 5100 cake with added citrus. I would cellar a couple pounds just for the lovely aromas. The simple and pleasant flavors are A+
Thanks for the sample!
Craig

JustTroItIn
04-19-2015, 05:25 PM
Date: 4/19/2015
Name: JustTroItIn
Tobacco: Yellow "i" Vacuum Sealed G&H Brown Flake
Pipe: Sunrise / GBD Sable/ Flower Print Billiard Meer
Smoked both in and outdoors.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2288_zpsdpnnkfu2.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2288_zpsdpnnkfu2.jpg.html)

Observations
This is a dark flake tobacco resembling beef jerky with tiny sugar crystals all over. The bag note is extremely light and reminds me of a watered down soar wine. Extreme dry time was necessary before packing a bowl. I have had several bowls in three different pipes. Some were fold and stuff with a pinch of rubbed out tobacco on top and others were completely rubbed out. I had to keep a pipe cleaner on hand to absorb moisture in the bowl during smoking and when folded and stuffed many relights were necessary. The ash itself was quite powdery.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2279_zpsorfzovxm.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2279_zpsorfzovxm.jpg.html)

This tobacco kind of threw me for a loop as I found it so mild it was difficult to taste anything. I preferred it rubbed out as opposed to fold and stuff not only because it burned better but also the flavor was a bit more pronounced. The flavors being so mild it was difficult to put my finger on what it taste like. It has a very light molasses like sweetness with the occasional tangy note.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2276_zpsvf3nxxxn.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2276_zpsvf3nxxxn.jpg.html)

Comments and conclusion
This tobacco really has the appearance of something I would really like, but from sight to smoke didn't really pan out as I thought. To me this baccy was not bad, but it was bland. I did get the smallest bit of tongue bite trying to get some pronounced flavors from it.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2269_zpsubfkkqkx.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2269_zpsubfkkqkx.jpg.html)

Tobias Lutz
04-19-2015, 05:41 PM
http://www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.com/images/buck-stops-here-sign.jpg

Alright gentlemen...I'm a little behind my own deadline because I've been busy with the kids, and some writing, but I will commence judging this evening and promise to:

A. Announce our two winners tomorrow
B. Edit everyone's reviews so that the name of the tobacco you smoked will be placed in bold beside the identifier you posted.

http://media.tumblr.com/e7047901bc7cf4473372fb11783915c6/tumblr_inline_nj7ir7UDUk1qiihm6.gif

Tobias Lutz
04-19-2015, 06:21 PM
Based on a previous statement by our sponsor, I will not go on about how gracious and generous he was (very). There will be no mention of how much I have enjoyed this (greatly), or how appreciative I am for having been given this opportunity (extremely).

He sent cash, didn't he? :p

Madbricky
04-19-2015, 06:38 PM
I smoked the other three I have and would like to know about them too, especially the Pink N I'm smoking blissfully. Pink N even came as a brick of vaccum pressed flake. I don't think it's going to last through the night, really good flavor and characteristics. I got a strong Lakeland sample too, those always remind me of getting in trouble for swearing and having a bar of Dial rubbed very hard on my toungue! Some fellas love it, and Deer tongue. Not me , I prefer a good solid blend of complimentary or single leaf processed to bring the best forward.
Good luck on the reviews @Tobias, I didn't pick up my samples until yesterday from the PO so I won't be winning any review contests with sorry and sweet like mine.
Good luck to those guys that wrote mini novels!
1992

1991

GWBowman
04-19-2015, 07:04 PM
I smoked the other three I have and would like to know about them too, especially the Pink N I'm smoking blissfully. Pink N even came as a brick of vaccum pressed flake. I don't think it's going to last through the night, really good flavor and characteristics. I got a strong Lakeland sample too, those always remind me of getting in trouble for swearing and having a bar of Dial rubbed very hard on my toungue! Some fellas love it, and Deer tongue. Not me , I prefer a good solid blend of complimentary or single leaf processed to bring the best forward.
Good luck on the reviews @Tobias, I didn't pick up my samples until yesterday from the PO so I won't be winning any review contests with sorry and sweet like mine.
Good luck to those guys that wrote mini novels!
1992

1991

I would love to hear your thoughts on those. Straight to the point works great for me.

Branzig
04-19-2015, 08:31 PM
I just opened up my Lakeland one as well. Smells great! Not as strong as some I have on hand, but still smells great. Can't wait to light this one up.

The world really needs some more Lakeland Snot in it. Keeps things balanced and right :p :pipe:

Tobias Lutz
04-20-2015, 08:06 AM
If you have reviewed anything up until this post, go back and look to see where the tobacco name has been revealed :pipe:

Tobias Lutz
04-20-2015, 08:17 AM
And now for the two winners...

This was harder to judge than I expected- I actually had it down to four pretty easily, but then I hit a wall. After much consideration, in no particular order (other than incidentally alphabetical), your winners are:




Alligator Gar
JustTroItIn

Pete, they're all yours :)

Congrats gentlemen!





NeverBend

Lostmason
04-20-2015, 08:34 AM
Congrats !! Alligator Gar And JustTroItIn

Great job !

JustTroItIn
04-20-2015, 09:01 AM
Wow, quite humbled here as I don't consider myself much of a reviewer. Congrats to Alligator Gar and Thank you NeverBend for the contest and Tobias Lutz for organizing everything!

Madbricky
04-20-2015, 09:25 AM
1997I didn't get my samples in hand till Saturday. For the benefit of some of you that might want to compare impressions here is the last 3 samples I reviewed Sunday aft. I wrote this in my notes so here it is.

Details
Date 4/20
Name pink H G&H Scotch Flake Aromatic
Tobacco variegated blend of dark brown and yellow pressed into cake and cut into long strips
Pipe MM Country Gentleman(not Mizzou shown)
Indoor / Outdoor: indoor

Observations
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): This was a very moist combined stack of sliced strips smelling strongly of sweet baking cocoa
Preparation: (how did you prepare and pack it): I seperated strips, cut into 1/2" pieces. They where rubbed out and then dried in my warming tin, then cooled dry. They where packed with the Frank method lightly as they still had a good bit of moisture.
Burn: Charring light and relight was all that was needed until the sides needing tampering like a big bowl may require. No other relights required.
Flavor: This tobacco opened with a blast of Dial soap. Ugh! It settled down but without the promised cocoa in the prelight aroma. It really did not present any definitive flavor other than some characteristics I associate with Burley. I had hoped for more after getting punished for swearing.

Comments and conclusion. Not much to say, I'm not a Lakeland fan. Wish I could say more but there was no overwhelming flavor profile.

Madbricky
04-20-2015, 10:23 AM
1998
Details
Date: 4/20
Name: madbricky
Tobacco: yellow U C&D Exclusive
Pipe: MM Flame finished Mizzou
Indoor / Outdoor: indoor

Observations
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled): This came out of the bag fairly "squishy" like a sponge flake. The ribbon cut exuded an aroma of Sweet floral, vinegar, and hints of cocoa.
Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it): I warmed it up in my ever present drying tin and was welcomed with an eye watering vinegar chemical fume. So much for sticking ones nose into a warming pile of mystery baccy,! After it comes dry from the tin I loaded it first with a musketball twisted into the bowl, smoked it and then a 2 step pack and smoked that. Results where nearly identical with a stronger flavor coming from the musketball load.
Burn: lit and burned really nice thanks to drying prep I use with nearly every tobacco.
Flavor: I was greeted with a very strong blast of tobacco right off. Flavor was Nutty like Burley? Also got a good Nicotine hit from this. It was too harsh to retro so I was contented to just hold it in my mouth and roll it around the palate. More nutty! The finish was a bit of baking Cocoa. This must be Little Debbie nutty bar blend, lol

Comments and conclusion: This would be a good after dinner blast for a relaxing full in your face smoke session. I'm sure it would be more mellow in a larger pipe.

Horsefeathers
04-20-2015, 10:43 AM
Congrats Gents! @Alligator Gar (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=235) And @JustTroItIn (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/member.php?u=12)

Thanks for the great time Pete!

Edit: Didn't realize that the names of the samples were up. Really interesting to reread the reviews and see what other folks had to say about the same samples.

Madbricky
04-20-2015, 10:50 AM
1999
My last sampler review! A day late thanks to the USPS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE SOME OF YOU GOT BALKAN SASSIENI TO TRY! $16 an ounce too. I had a great blind review time, thanks!
Details:
Date 4/20
Name madbricky
Tobacco: pink N Newminster 400 Superior Navy Flake
Pipe: MM Legend
Indoor / Outdoor: indoor

Observations
Examination (how it looked, felt and smelled). This came like the other cake cut strips fused by vaccum into one chunk. It was much coarser and variegated with a larger amount of lighter yellow bits. It was pretty dry already so it was not prepped in the warming tin. It had a light smell of cocoa.
Preparation (how did you prepare and pack it). I peeled a strip off the chunk and rubbed it out into a fluffy pile. It was packed in the Frank method.
Burn: It lit easily, char, tamp, relight. The burn was nice and slow with no relights other than after tamping.
Flavor: The first draws where a tad harsh after which it settled into a sweet hay flavor, very full in body with a rich tobacco flavor to the end.

Comments and conclusion: I wouldn't kick down the door of your cellar for this. Lots of cake and plug out there just like this to smoke. I had to sip this slowly to keep it mellow and my style is more like the little train that could. Lots of big puffing for big clouds of rich smoke that I could not get from this gentlemans blend.

Alligator Gar
04-20-2015, 10:51 AM
And now for the two winners...

This was harder to judge than I expected- I actually had it down to four pretty easily, but then I hit a wall. After much consideration, in no particular order (other than incidentally alphabetical), your winners are:




Alligator Gar
JustTroItIn

Pete, they're all yours :)

Congrats gentlemen!





NeverBend

Squeee! TroIt is the prettiest gal at the dance, but I can cook! I think this was a great kind of bomb that got a lot of fellows thinking about what they were smoking and tasting. Saw some great pipes, a motorcycle with a side car and learned a ton! Nicely done Tobias and Pete, what a great way to get people talking and sharing. And now I don't need to buy any Lakeland to give it a try. That could be the nicest gift of all. Many thanks!

Madbricky
04-20-2015, 10:56 AM
Tobias Lutz NeverBend
Thanks for the herculean effort to do this. Perhaps another gent may sponsor this again. Being home grounded these days I really enjoy contests to keep my mind busy.
Would you also be so kind as to identify my last 3 reviews? Much obliged brothers!

Alligator Gar
04-20-2015, 11:18 AM
Details
4-11-15
Tobias Lutz
Yellow “T” E&C The Deerstalker circa 1982
Chacom Manet Billiard
Outdoors

Observations
This blend was a dark brown, thin sliced flake, with a spattering of unfinished maple colored notes. The flakes were caked together quite solidly (even though they weren’t vacuum packed), and they failed to remain intact when pulled apart. Under the light of my desk lamp I was able to see quite a bit of glittering sugar on the tobacco, sparkling against the espresso background. I thought it smelled like a mix of dry hay and leather- like the tack room in my aunt’s barn. It was very mellow with the slightest hint of something like sandalwood but what really stuck me was how “balanced” all the odors were; none really stood above, or under, the others.
I rubbed a chunk out to produce fine, dry, but not nimble ribbons. I packed using a three step gravity fill method.

It took me three lights to really get it underway, but then the tobacco burned steadily and stayed cool for the duration of the bowl.

The first impression I got was that of clover blossoms- light, with a faint floral sweetness. It had a dry grassiness that was similar to the experience of mowing over sun baked grass clippings. I found it to be medium strength, with qualities that reminded me of dark stoved Virginia. At the very end of the bowl I picked up a touch of citrusy “zing”.

Comments and conclusion
I thought this was a very enjoyable smoke and it reminded me of Butera Royal Vintage (though without much spice). I would prefer this later in the day, and believe it would pair particularly well with a cup of Constant Comment tea.

So Sandalwood, dried hay and leather in barn prelight. Clover, Mown Grass and citrusy zing (twang). You obviously just smoked an aged Cuban.

Tobias Lutz
04-20-2015, 11:40 AM
would you also be so kind as to identify my last 3 reviews? Much obliged brothers!

done. ;)

Tobias Lutz
04-20-2015, 11:41 AM
So Sandalwood, dried hay and leather in barn prelight. Clover, Mown Grass and citrusy zing (twang). You obviously just smoked an aged Cuban.

I was wondering why it was so hard to rub out :)

Alligator Gar
04-20-2015, 11:58 AM
Tobacco AA Fuschia (MacBaren Latakia Blend circa. 2000)

"The overall experience reminds me of smoking a cigarette, something I'm not the least interested in."

"There aren't a lot of tasting notes in this review because I didn't taste much. I would be interested in some sort of exchange program where I surrender the rest of Fuschia AA (MacBaren Latakia Blend circa. 2000) in return for equal amounts of Fuschia A. (G&H Dark Sliced) Now that tobacco tasted like something."

So awesome. I pee all over 15 year old Latakia Blend (being a self professed lover of aged tobacco and Latakia) and offer to trade it for G&H Goop Sliced. I'm a dope.

Madbricky
04-20-2015, 03:29 PM
Well said Alligator Gar. I was reticent to say anything bad about NeverBend Pete's stash that he generously shared with me, especially being pen pals! He threw a couple zingers my way for sure. As the God of baccy as my witness I did guess the first one. I even wrote MacB #1 on the bag after consideration. I bought several tins during the Groupon Madness last year. I gave one to a friend who like me is nuts about good Virginia blends. The leftover tins did not make it to the "cellar". I smoked a couple bowls a day till it was gone. It rocks with English or Irish Breakfast tea from Twinings.
I'm a fan of several Newminster budget blends as they are Peter Stokkebye, so I'm a little embarrassed that my last review missed the all Virginia aspect. I did like it a lot and it's way cheaper than Dunhill!
This whole blind review is good for us, it ushers humility for those who need it, and confidence for the newbie that they can trust a new palate. NeverBend Pete, you are my pipe brother of the month for this service and fun given to me! Expect a cruel payback in the future my friend!

Branzig
04-20-2015, 04:39 PM
Great contest boys!

Congrats to Alligator Gar and JustTroItIn for bringing home the W. Every time I would read one of your guys' reviews, I would think to myself, "one of these 2 have to win." Between all the photos and the descriptions, it was really great stuff!

Thanks again to Tobias Lutz and NeverBend for putting this together. No easy task. I think we all had a lot of fun reviewing and reading what others reviewed!

Tobias, if possible, I would like to know what my remaining samples are as well. I am 99% sure one of them is Glengarry Flake, but not sure of the others.

Thanks and Congrats again!

Tobias Lutz
04-20-2015, 05:08 PM
Great contest boys!

Congrats to Alligator Gar and JustTroItIn for bringing home the W. Every time I would read one of your guys' reviews, I would think to myself, "one of these 2 have to win." Between all the photos and the descriptions, it was really great stuff!

Thanks again to Tobias Lutz and NeverBend for putting this together. No easy task. I think we all had a lot of fun reviewing and reading what others reviewed!

Tobias, if possible, I would like to know what my remaining samples are as well. I am 99% sure one of them is Glengarry Flake, but not sure of the others.

Thanks and Congrats again!

Brandon- Post the codes and I'll tell you what was what.

Branzig
04-20-2015, 05:23 PM
Brandon- Post the codes and I'll tell you what was what.

:stupid:

Guess that would help :p

Pink P
Pink B
Orange C (vac)

Thanks!

cpmcdill
04-20-2015, 05:37 PM
Congratulations to the winners! :applause::whoo::clappy:

This was a fun activity. I found it a nice way to approach tobacco without any prior expectations. Often I browse all available reviews before I get something, and the experiences of other probably do color my own. It was also an opportunity to figure out where I need to fine-tune my palate.

In smoking the Yellow E, I actually did pick up a slight Lakeland note, so I was surprised that it turned out to be Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake. Could it have gotten a little cross-contamination from proximity to a Lakeland blend?

Branzig
04-20-2015, 05:47 PM
In smoking the Yellow E, I actually did pick up a slight Lakeland note, so I was surprised that it turned out to be Stokkebye Luxury Navy Flake. Could it have gotten a little cross-contamination from proximity to a Lakeland blend?

I've had bulk Ennerdale seep into other plastic bulk baggies in my order before. I have since then learned my lesson and always request that any bulk Lakeland Snot being sent gets a double bagging effort. And, with that being said, that is the only blend that has ever done it. Grasmere, Aromatic Dark, & Kendal Flake have all gotten their stench on the plastic baggies before, but never made it through to the tobacco.

Also, with these samples being vacuumed sealed, I don't think the essence would of seeped out. I couldn't smell a single aroma through these things. They were as solid as tins IMO. Which I think is one of the main reason's Pete did this whole thing. To see how the vacuum sealing worked out. Well, Pete, in my totally unprofessional and biased opinion, I feel that the vacuum sealer is as good as a tin. I have literally had one of these things sealed for weeks, and nothing is wrong with it. Weeks, years...whatever time is time. They'll hold up :p

Tobias Lutz
04-20-2015, 05:52 PM
:stupid:

Guess that would help :p

Pink P Rattray 7 Reserve circa 2000
Pink B G&H No. 7 Broken Flake
Orange C (vac) G&H Dark Flake Unscented

Thanks!

:pipe:

GWBowman
04-20-2015, 09:34 PM
Congratulations to Alligator Gar and JustTroItIn and many thanks to Tobias Lutz and NeverBend. I would also like to thank the other participants, as it was a pleasure to read your reviews. Hoping to slow down soon and reread knowing what these are.

cbr310
04-21-2015, 09:49 AM
Great job fellas thank you!

NeverBend
04-21-2015, 12:04 PM
Your excitement and willingness to participate made this all worthwhile and fun. Without you guys there was nothing.

I read every review and appreciated all the comments. Thanks for the feedback about the bags and the comments like Jim's that the flakes 'fused' into a brick. Good to know. Apology to Bryan (@BryGuySC) for not restoring the rim of his pipe (last owner sanded it) but I did restore the rims and part of one stem (rebuilt the button) on the pipes for Jack (@Justtroitin) and Jim (@AlligatorGar). I hope to have pics of how they looked before being sent. I'm a selfish guy. If a pipe smokes well, I keep it (some exceptions Brandon). If it smoke poorly I sell it on the Bay. Please let us (me) know how these pipes smoke because I want to wish that I had kept them!

Craig (@MadBricky) got his samples late and after the contest ended but he wrote reviews anyway. Class.
Anyone know if Chris (@Chris0673) and Landon (@LandonColby) are OK?

Tobias graciously bowed out of the review contest when he volunteered to judge it. This would never have happened without Tobias. Therefore, by the power invested in me I give you a brain.., er, a heart..no, no, a PIPE!

I hope to have pics of the three pipes to post in this thread later tonight (but, as always, they'll be bad pics).

Pete

Emperor Zurg
04-21-2015, 02:27 PM
Date: 4/15/15
Bum: Emperor Zurg
Sample: “Orange i" Vac Packed G&H Brown Flake
Pipe: MM Freehand Natural
Environment: Vehicle - windows down, highway

Observations:
Appearance: Brown flake with lighter streaks
Preparation: Dried for a couple hours - fold and stuff almost 1 entire flake. This pipe holds quite a payload.
Burn: Burned beautifully after I got it going. No relights unless I put it down for a while.
Tin Note: Sweet hay and raisins.
Flavor:
False light tasted of Lakeland soap. I puffed it a bit and it changed to a creamy soap, then I let it go out.
True light took a couple tries with quite a bit of fire and puffing - got pretty bitter but I finally got an ember going.
Once it got under way and settled down...
The first thing I noticed was dry hay. Dry hay with a touch of soap. Soon this took on a pretty dry, floral profile that stabilized for a bit. After about 10 minutes I got some sweetness creeping in that continued to build throughout the bowl. About 20/25 minutes in I would describe the flavor as sweet dry grass with a light floral component. Eventually the floral started to fade a bit, giving way to a hint of pepper. The pepper was welcome because I was getting bored with the floral grass flavor and hoping to get a shift to citrus or dried fruit (which never came). The pepper built for a while and the smoke eventually took on a bit of an almond flavor once in a while, although never loosing the floral component. This seemed to be the dominant profile because it lasted for the majority of the bowl. Toward the beginning of the last 1/3 the pepper had faded out quite a bit (was never really strong in the first place) and I think I picked up a touch of apricot or something once in a while - the floral component seemed to be coming and going at this point. I was getting dizzy so I set the pipe down and grabbed lunch. After I recovered a bit, I lit it back up and once it settled down I was getting a pretty delicious caramelized sugar flavor on the tongue, although the smoke was still pretty floral out the nose. I was liking the caramel much more than the floral at this point so I didn't retro much anymore. The caramel also made a sip of my coffee taste a bit like butterscotch. I was enjoying this quite a bit but alas, the vitamin N was getting to me again and I was pretty near the bottom of the bowl so I set it down for the last part of the trip, fearing any more and I wouldn't be fit to drive.

Comments and conclusion:
This was another interesting and enjoyable flake. I didn't care so much for the constant floral profile but it changed around enough that it stayed interesting. I'd classify this as a medium strength that probably wouldn't have bothered me much had I smoked a usual-sized bowl but this was a long delivery trip and the Freehand holds an enormous payload - way more baccy than I would usually smoke in 1 sitting; about 2 hours in and I still have some left in the pipe. I did enjoy the previous, sticky flake more as I like the citrus flavor that one had, but I wouldn't turn this one down.

Thanks to Pete and Tobias for making all this possible! :)

Chris0673
04-23-2015, 07:37 AM
Chris0673, have you received the samples yet?

I did! I apologize for not letting you know. I've been super busy with prepping for finals and my final Digital Video project. I promise I will get the reviews up as soon as I can. I just have not had the time to sit down and smoke...at all!

NeverBend
04-23-2015, 07:50 AM
I did! I apologize for not letting you know. I've been super busy with prepping for finals and my final Digital Video project. I promise I will get the reviews up as soon as I can. I just have not had the time to sit down and smoke...at all!

Hay Chris,

(Hay - inside joke because of your avatar...ok, sorry).

I was just a little worried about you and glad that you're ok. Your Education is nearly as important as your smoking but far more costly so you need to focus on that, make us and yourself proud and no explanation or reviews needed unless you're home free with Aces.

Pete

Tobias Lutz
04-23-2015, 08:40 AM
Your Education is nearly as important as your smoking

http://makeameme.org/media/created/what-the-hell-lkeeha.jpg

NeverBend
04-23-2015, 09:02 AM
http://makeameme.org/media/created/what-the-hell-lkeeha.jpg

I did say NEARLY but the cost accountant in me didn't want to overstate the obvious. Method to madness. Ok, just madness. I have PAD and TAD and my name is Pete (it's become my freakin' mantra).

LandonColby
04-23-2015, 09:45 AM
I apologize for the disappearance...a synergy of many things came together just right and drained me of all time and energy these past couple weeks. I haven't even touched a pipe since then and I'm long overdue.

All is well and I'll be doing all my reviews this weekend at the latest.

NeverBend
04-23-2015, 10:07 AM
I apologize for the disappearance...a synergy of many things came together just right and drained me of all time and energy these past couple weeks. I haven't even touched a pipe since then and I'm long overdue.

All is well and I'll be doing all my reviews this weekend at the latest.

Good to see ya Landon. I missed your piercing eyes and shrill predatory calls. I have some raccoons that need predating? :)

NeverBend
04-25-2015, 03:02 AM
Short story is that whether the weather (I always wanted to use both n a sentence) cooperates or not, the prize pipes will go out by Tuesday. Sorry for the delay.

BryGuySC
04-25-2015, 09:58 AM
Short story is that whether the weather (I always wanted to use both n a sentence) cooperates or not, the prize pipes will go out by Tuesday. Sorry for the delay.


https://youtu.be/K0J-T2lr0Ms

LandonColby
04-25-2015, 12:38 PM
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04/25/95762fb2a9c6e7b20305e70cc994d293.jpg
Musings of Sample "Y" (green) McClelland #14 circa 1996
Saturday, April 25th
Smoked indoors.

First off the appearance is very dark, ribbon cut..or what once was. Fine texture, very crumby. The scent is lovely, very dank muskyness, and reminiscent of cow manure (I like the smell actually). Moisture was prefect and I only let it stand in the open air for a few minutes to dry and then swirled it into my Big Ben dublin. This blend takes to flame easily with minimal expansion from heat. The first flavors that come to the senses are very deep, rich, and sweet. Flavors of cavendish and stoved virginias, a whisper of spice, possibly from perique, and a subtle smokiness. The flavor stands firmly down the bowl, gradually becoming more and more homogenized into a deeper version of the sweet and spicy notes. An absolutely delicious smoke! It reminds me of "bayou" and "cajun" genre of tobacco blends like C&D Mississippi Mud.
Nicotine was present but only noticeable as a slight tingle on the tongue, no apparent head change.

Overall, I have no scruples with this blend. I think it's exactly what it's meant to be and I'd definitely smoke it again. I'm sensing this has some years on it but then again it could be the deep, rich scent throwing me off. Definitely a recommended blend.

Tobias Lutz
04-26-2015, 04:15 PM
LandonColby

I edited your post to name the blend... you picked one of the most unique ones to do first :)

Tobias Lutz
05-02-2015, 02:30 PM
At Pete's request, I've copied all the actual reviews from the original thread into this one in the Pipe Related Reviews Forum. (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/showthread.php?3150-CB-Pipe-Tobacco-Review-Bombing-Run-Version-2-0-THE-REVIEWS) Enjoy!

GWBowman
05-02-2015, 04:08 PM
At Pete's request, I've copied all the actual reviews from the original thread into this one in the Pipe Related Reviews Forum. (http://www.cigarbum.com/forum/showthread.php?3150-CB-Pipe-Tobacco-Review-Bombing-Run-Version-2-0-THE-REVIEWS) Enjoy!

Very cool. Now I need to read the different reviews on the same tobaccos. That will be interesting.

NeverBend
05-02-2015, 06:53 PM
Prizes sent, sorry for the delay.

LandonColby
05-03-2015, 11:30 AM
May 3rd, 2015. Sunday.
Impressions of Yellow "K" (Vac) GH Glengary Flake

A handful of flakes came vacuum packed and at first thought the packaging to be unnecessary. But now that I have procrastinated this long I am happy these little guys were frozen in time. Upon opening the bag, my nose told me of another reason for this vacuum sealing...the Essence. While not heavily laden with the sauce, I can tell it was made in the same factory as the famous Ennerdale.
Judging by the cut and smell I can say quite confidently that these come from Gawith & Hoggarth. I let a flake dry for about 45 minutes until just barely pliable without crumbling. Folded it, gave it a good thorough rub and then swirled it into a Savinelli 920 ks. I enjoyed this smoke indoors. A match reveals a smooth, mild, fragrant, creamy smoke. Delicious virginias and a smell reminiscent of sandalwood and Lakeland. The smoke is quite cool, even when pushed, and remains sweet throughout the entire bowl. the flavor stayed true and did not change drastically as I progressed through this experience. The sweetness stayed with an oh so slight WHISPER of tang about it, the Virginia grew in depth and developed a more spicy character, and the lovely fragrance wafted about the room as a bulwark to the rich tasty smoke reminding me of its origin.
Lovely smoke, absolutely delicious, and always recommended. I'd be so bold as to say I was smoking Scotch Flake, one of my favorites.

Tobias Lutz
05-03-2015, 01:02 PM
LandonColby

You were close :)

LandonColby
05-03-2015, 01:20 PM
Oh man! They are so similar! It was just like Scotch Flake only less intense...I figured that aged had just mellowed it out.

Well I just opened Green "J" (vac) and hot damn! This one smells like chocolate so I'm thinking Bob's or Scotch Aromatic....but guessing isn't the point. I'll be back later to tell how she smokes! Smells great! Can't wait.

Alligator Gar
05-05-2015, 03:05 PM
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, I qualified for the win based on reviews. Or maybe it was a random drawing, in my case. JustTroItIn and I won a Barling pipe courtesy of NeverBend. The pipe arrived today and man, is it sweet. It's a 5579 with a long shank. This form is new to me and I find it to be very elegant in person. This whole review/bombing run was entertaining and edifying from start to finish. Capping it off with a pipe prize is just classy as hell. Thanks Pete and Tobias and all the participants!

http://i.imgur.com/ibmGIJT.png
http://i.imgur.com/tZIgCm4.png
http://i.imgur.com/idX82J0.png

Emperor Zurg
05-05-2015, 04:59 PM
May 3rd, 2015. Sunday.
Impressions of Yellow "K" (Vac) GH Glengary Flake

Ahh, I had that one too. Absolutely delicious Va flake. I can see next time we haul scrap around here I'm going to have to put up some Glengary to hoard for a rainy day... or for a rainy year if scrap prices are up :p :pipe:

Tobias Lutz
05-06-2015, 08:11 PM
Pete hit me with a beautiful pipe! It arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon. It is a mid-1960s Brandy-shaped, Family Era Barling. I plan on giving it a go tomorrow afternoon. Here are some pics. This easily becomes the oldest pipe in my collection (the previous being from 1983):

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04385.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04388.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04389.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04387.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04386.jpg

Thanks so much for hosting the contest, and the generous "payment" for the little time I invested compared to you.

NeverBend

Chris0673
05-06-2015, 10:30 PM
Ok, so I am finally done with school for the year! I've got several tobaccos that need to be reviewed and I'll be getting on that this week! Tonight I had to review an OTC that came first. Anyway, congrats to the winners! Those are gorgeous pipes! I'm looking forward to trying the other samples in my box! Too much Vitamin N for one night! I'm heading to bed. Later days everyone!

GWBowman
05-07-2015, 08:28 AM
Ok, so I am finally done with school for the year! I've got several tobaccos that need to be reviewed and I'll be getting on that this week! Tonight I had to review an OTC that came first. Anyway, congrats to the winners! Those are gorgeous pipes! I'm looking forward to trying the other samples in my box! Too much Vitamin N for one night! I'm heading to bed. Later days everyone!

Congrats on another year down.

GWBowman
05-07-2015, 08:30 AM
Pete hit me with a beautiful pipe! It arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon. It is a mid-1960s Brandy-shaped, Family Era Barling. I plan on giving it a go tomorrow afternoon. Here are some pics. This easily becomes the oldest pipe in my collection (the previous being from 1983):

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04385.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04388.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04389.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04387.jpg

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/rr317/lutztb/DSC04386.jpg

Thanks so much for hosting the contest, and the generous "payment" for the little time I invested compared to you.

NeverBend

Very nice looking pipe

JustTroItIn
05-07-2015, 04:06 PM
Came home today to a wonderful surprise in my mailbox. Pete sent me a gorgeous Barling Rallye 5579 Lumberman. Thank you, Pete. I will smoke this pipe with pride. I was curious if you had a rough estimate as to the year?

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2390_zps8tyazmlp.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2390_zps8tyazmlp.jpg.html)

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2392_zpsx2w0zsql.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2392_zpsx2w0zsql.jpg.html)

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2393_zpsugnxfhsf.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2393_zpsugnxfhsf.jpg.html)

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2395_zpsgwxijud2.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2395_zpsgwxijud2.jpg.html)

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2396_zps5ovkoosf.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2396_zps5ovkoosf.jpg.html)

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd62/jclarke7/IMG_2397_zps3mlrkyyt.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/jclarke7/media/IMG_2397_zps3mlrkyyt.jpg.html)