Summer of 2016 Blind Review Thread

[c.ortiz108]

Mystery Blend #15

Looks like all black Cavendish, cut a bit haphazardly. Smells a bit sweet out of the bag but nothing overpowering. Can’t tell what the flavoring is, but seems fruity.

There’s a very pronounced sour, citrus flavor which is surprisingly nice. The smoke itself is really warm in the mouth which is unusual to me. Not in a bitey sort of way, more like a soft, warm, tart lemon meringue. That said, it crackles as it burns and makes the pipe pretty hot even though I’m smoking slow.

It’s a very mild smoke and has me searching for flavor. That’s not a bad thing because it’s making me pay attention. I suspect there’s more to this blend than meets the eye. There’s a vanilla nuttiness 1/3 down the bowl. The sour lemony thing is gone.

It changes a bit halfway down, and gets more flavorful. I can taste the tobacco more, but I have no idea what else I’m tasting. It’s a darker flavor than before. There’s a pleasant richness to it, and a creamy mouthfeel. I’m starting to wonder if it has some Orientals in it. Maybe some chocolate, caramel, and/or coffee? I have no idea! The topping is comparatively light next to the Molto Dolce I tried the other day.

I’m totally mystified by this blend, but I like it and will look forward to seeing if I have the same experience in a different pipe. Burns pretty quickly and easily, so it’s a fairly short smoke.

[BryGuySC]

Okay! I've got my initial impressions down. I may come back and elaborate, but these are my vague and unhelpful first thoughts.

Thank you for giving us this opportunity, Tobias!

4
Light to black pieces. Pretty even mix.
Faintly English, but I get more orientals than Latakia. There is a buttery spice there.
This reminds me a little of Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, but more subdued. Not huge volumes of smoke from this one.
I want to freight train this smoke to pull more flavor from it, but force myself to settle back and enjoy it for what it is.
I dumped the ash, stirred the tobacco, tamped and relit. This helped it wake up a bit. The buttery oriental jumped back to the front.
No burn on the retrohale.
A slight sweetness is coming out, like I normally find in Virginias.
All in all, an enjoyable smoke.
Don't pack this one too tight.

5
Very chopped ribbon, including a lot of little pieces. Light to black pieces, so I expect Virginia, burley, and Cavendish.
Bag note: sweet. Maybe a hint of fruit and vanilla
Smoke: starts off with a smoky note, which I did not expect. Not sweet or fruity.
Add the bowl settles in, a thicker mouthfeel develops, and bounces back and forth between very mild English and very mild aromatic. Maybe a kind of berry? I'm not great at this.
The fruit gets stronger for the second half of the bowl. I still can't place it. Not peach, apricot. I don't think it is cherry or raspberry.
Overall, a very pleasant, soft smoke.
Doesn't bite. Stays lit. Hint of fruit sweetness and smoke.
I would recommend this to a new smoker.


6
Mix of Cavendish and burley?
Bag note: cherry?
Smokes easily.
I taste burley. I don't pick up any Virginia.
Fruit, cherry I think. But it is mild.
Some vanilla.
Halfway through the bowl, the fruit pulls back and the vanilla comes out more. Then it dies back again.
As I let the pipe go out, I think I get a faint hint of pineapple.
After relight, it is hot and a little dry.
As it settles back down, a little cherry comes back.
Not much in the retrohale. A hint of the fruit.
I get a very mild amount of numbness in my mouth.
A little sweetness picks back up. The flavors are very timid.
Overall, this is a mild smoke. The flavors are subtle.
A good easy going smoke with flavors that are not overbearing.


20
All shades from light yellow to black, not a lot of black.
A smooth smoke of the English variety.
Pulling on the pipe draws in a smoke with the sensation of sipping on water that is just barely over body temp. No big hit of flavor on the tip of the tongue. The flavor more settles on the sides.
This strikes me as more of a Balkan Sobranie English than a Dunhill English.
This coats my mouth with a soapy feel, but not flavor.
Produces nice smoke with a pleasant English room scent. I really enjoy the scent of the exhaled smoke that is wafting about.
Retrohale has a mild effervescence, but no bite to it.
I like #4 better. Subtle butter > lively soap.

[Tobias Lutz]

Mystery Blend #15

Looks like all black Cavendish, cut a bit haphazardly. Smells a bit sweet out of the bag but nothing overpowering. Can’t tell what the flavoring is, but seems fruity.

There’s a very pronounced sour, citrus flavor which is surprisingly nice. The smoke itself is really warm in the mouth which is unusual to me. Not in a bitey sort of way, more like a soft, warm, tart lemon meringue. That said, it crackles as it burns and makes the pipe pretty hot even though I’m smoking slow.

It’s a very mild smoke and has me searching for flavor. That’s not a bad thing because it’s making me pay attention. I suspect there’s more to this blend than meets the eye. There’s a vanilla nuttiness 1/3 down the bowl. The sour lemony thing is gone.

It changes a bit halfway down, and gets more flavorful. I can taste the tobacco more, but I have no idea what else I’m tasting. It’s a darker flavor than before. There’s a pleasant richness to it, and a creamy mouthfeel. I’m starting to wonder if it has some Orientals in it. Maybe some chocolate, caramel, and/or coffee? I have no idea! The topping is comparatively light next to the Molto Dolce I tried the other day.

I’m totally mystified by this blend, but I like it and will look forward to seeing if I have the same experience in a different pipe. Burns pretty quickly and easily, so it’s a fairly short smoke.

That one is SPS Navigator:

Modern technology has made navigation more predictable and less of an adventure; however, it wasn't always that way. The navigator's skill was once measured by simple devices, charts and dead reckoning. This soothing, sweet Aromatic lends itself to relaxation, allowing the imagination to soar. So chart your course for an adventure in smoking pleasure with this superior mixture of all Dark Tobaccos.

[Tobias Lutz]

Okay! I've got my initial impressions down. I may come back and elaborate, but these are my vague and unhelpful first thoughts.

Thank you for giving us this opportunity, Tobias!

4
Light to black pieces. Pretty even mix.
Faintly English, but I get more orientals than Latakia. There is a buttery spice there.
This reminds me a little of Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, but more subdued. Not huge volumes of smoke from this one.
I want to freight train this smoke to pull more flavor from it, but force myself to settle back and enjoy it for what it is.
I dumped the ash, stirred the tobacco, tamped and relit. This helped it wake up a bit. The buttery oriental jumped back to the front.
No burn on the retrohale.
A slight sweetness is coming out, like I normally find in Virginias.
All in all, an enjoyable smoke.
Don't pack this one too tight.

5
Very chopped ribbon, including a lot of little pieces. Light to black pieces, so I expect Virginia, burley, and Cavendish.
Bag note: sweet. Maybe a hint of fruit and vanilla
Smoke: starts off with a smoky note, which I did not expect. Not sweet or fruity.
Add the bowl settles in, a thicker mouthfeel develops, and bounces back and forth between very mild English and very mild aromatic. Maybe a kind of berry? I'm not great at this.
The fruit gets stronger for the second half of the bowl. I still can't place it. Not peach, apricot. I don't think it is cherry or raspberry.
Overall, a very pleasant, soft smoke.
Doesn't bite. Stays lit. Hint of fruit sweetness and smoke.
I would recommend this to a new smoker.


6
Mix of Cavendish and burley?
Bag note: cherry?
Smokes easily.
I taste burley. I don't pick up any Virginia.
Fruit, cherry I think. But it is mild.
Some vanilla.
Halfway through the bowl, the fruit pulls back and the vanilla comes out more. Then it dies back again.
As I let the pipe go out, I think I get a faint hint of pineapple.
After relight, it is hot and a little dry.
As it settles back down, a little cherry comes back.
Not much in the retrohale. A hint of the fruit.
I get a very mild amount of numbness in my mouth.
A little sweetness picks back up. The flavors are very timid.
Overall, this is a mild smoke. The flavors are subtle.
A good easy going smoke with flavors that are not overbearing.


20
All shades from light yellow to black, not a lot of black.
A smooth smoke of the English variety.
Pulling on the pipe draws in a smoke with the sensation of sipping on water that is just barely over body temp. No big hit of flavor on the tip of the tongue. The flavor more settles on the sides.
This strikes me as more of a Balkan Sobranie English than a Dunhill English.
This coats my mouth with a soapy feel, but not flavor.
Produces nice smoke with a pleasant English room scent. I really enjoy the scent of the exhaled smoke that is wafting about.
Retrohale has a mild effervescence, but no bite to it.
I like #4 better. Subtle butter > lively soap.

4. SPS Sunrise (the poor man's EMP):

Sunrise Smoke is a light but lush mixture of Virginias ribbon, pressed black ribbon, Turkish Smyrna and a subtle measure of rich Cyprian Latakia. People who want a lighter Latakia blend will fall in love with Sunrise Smoke.

5. SPS R Blend:
R Blend is Sutliff's tribute to the late, lamented Revelation. A classic mixture of cube-cut Burley, red ribbon-cut Virginia, flake-cut lemon Virginia, Latakia and Perique, R Blend is finished with a mellow combination of fruit essences to round out its old-time feel.

6. SPS Spinnaker:
Spinnaker takes one of the most popular flavors of aromatics and puts an elegant twist on it. Mellow white Burley is used for its ability to take on flavors, while black Cavendish is added for underlying sweetness and a cool burn. The blend is finished with a cherry note, but not the sharp, cloying type - rather, it uses a deep, dark, extra ripe cherry flavor.

20: H&H Victorian Stroll:
Victorian Stroll is a mixture of bright Carolina, red and stoved Virginias, a dash of Turkish and two types of Latakia, this represents a fresh approach to the lighter English blend. Smooth and clean-tasting, this can be a great morning smoke, or for any time of day.

[BryGuySC]

4. SPS Sunrise (the poor man's EMP):

Sunrise Smoke is a light but lush mixture of Virginias ribbon, pressed black ribbon, Turkish Smyrna and a subtle measure of rich Cyprian Latakia. People who want a lighter Latakia blend will fall in love with Sunrise Smoke.

5. SPS R Blend:
R Blend is Sutliff's tribute to the late, lamented Revelation. A classic mixture of cube-cut Burley, red ribbon-cut Virginia, flake-cut lemon Virginia, Latakia and Perique, R Blend is finished with a mellow combination of fruit essences to round out its old-time feel.

6. SPS Spinnaker:
Spinnaker takes one of the most popular flavors of aromatics and puts an elegant twist on it. Mellow white Burley is used for its ability to take on flavors, while black Cavendish is added for underlying sweetness and a cool burn. The blend is finished with a cherry note, but not the sharp, cloying type - rather, it uses a deep, dark, extra ripe cherry flavor.

20: H&H Victorian Stroll:
Victorian Stroll is a mixture of bright Carolina, red and stoved Virginias, a dash of Turkish and two types of Latakia, this represents a fresh approach to the lighter English blend. Smooth and clean-tasting, this can be a great morning smoke, or for any time of day.

Wow. I'm pretty pleased with what I picked up from these!

Thanks, Tobias!

[c.ortiz108]

That one is SPS Navigator:

Modern technology has made navigation more predictable and less of an adventure; however, it wasn't always that way. The navigator's skill was once measured by simple devices, charts and dead reckoning. This soothing, sweet Aromatic lends itself to relaxation, allowing the imagination to soar. So chart your course for an adventure in smoking pleasure with this superior mixture of all Dark Tobaccos.

Interesting... I looked it up and it's supposed to be a VA black Cavendish with maduro cigar leaf and vanilla. No wonder I couldn't figure it out. No one mentions anything tart or lemony, though. I'll try it in a cob next time.

[cpmcdill]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Tobias Lutz]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Lostmason]

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

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

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

[cpmcdill]

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

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

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