ATTENTION: CB Pipe Tobacco Review Bombing Run Version 2.0

[Horsefeathers]

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.