Summer of 2016 Blind Review Thread

[Haebar]

Blend #1

This was fairly moist, I let it dry for 24 hours before smoking it. It seems to be an English blend with Virginia, Orientals, and Latakia. The intensity of the smoke body is somewhere between mild and medium, depending on how you smoke. There is some complexity with it being an English, and an adequate balance of flavors. If any one component is too weak in the balance, that would be the Virginias; the Orientals seem to dominate the flavor. The latakia is there with it's characteristic note. This is not particularly strong in terms of nicotine, mild to medium.

[c.ortiz108]

Mystery Blend #14


Fourth and final tobacco to review. Smoked in a cob.

Out of the bag it smells like Burley and sour apple Jolly Rancher candy.

Full disclosure: I’m a Burley-phobe. Unless it’s buried in a blend in small quantities, I just don’t like the flavor. It doesn’t taste nutty to me, just a little sickly. Besides that, Danish style Burley aros all taste the same to me, regardless of topping.

This one is no different. I couldn’t tell it apart from Sugar Barrel or Sunset Breeze or SWR Aromatic. I have some kind of defect when it comes to this strain of tobacco, I guess.

Having said that, I’m enjoying it okay. It smokes smooth and sweet in the cob, and is an easy-going smoke on a warm summer evening. Some toasty marshmallow flavors, and maybe I am tasting some nuttiness after all. No sour apple, which is probably a good thing. I’ve found some Burley blends can bite but this one doesn’t. No cigarette taste, which I appreciate. But half a bowl is enough for me.

It’s nice to revisit styles once in a while to see if my tastes have changed, but in the end I find they haven’t really. Sorry for the lame review but I feel like I’m a poor judge of this kind of blend and would rather not mislead anybody.

[Branzig]

Mystery Blend 21

Pipes: Cobs, Custombilts, and a Peterson.

Tin Note: Sweet, earthy Va. Nice hay and vanilla scents.

Tobacco is a nice mixture of light and dark, fine cut. Virginia is evident. As is what I assume to be Cavendish. I tried this tobacco at varying moisture contents and found that a quick 10 minutes or so in the sun did it the most justice. Smoking it straight from the bag was more of a challenge keeping lit, but did make for a more pronounced flavor profile. The tobacco, when dried, smoked down to a fine white ash and left no goop behind.

From the initial light I was able to pick up some nice, sweet Virginia flavor profiles. Nice hints of fig and dates. I found myself having no trouble getting into a rhythm with this tobacco and enjoying every little sip. The deeper into the bowl you get, the sweeter this tobacco seemed to become. Earth tones did pop up from time to time, think "barnyard." If you are a cigar smoker, you will know what I am talking about there...I have smoked a lot of sweet Va blends before, so it wouldn't surprise me if this blend wasn't topped. But at the same time, it is so sweet I just don't know!

I found this blend to be very smooth, and easy on the palate. No tongue bite for me whatsoever. It did smoke best in a cob, I have to admit. Something about this blend just sung through in a deep bowled cob, though I haven't been brave enough to try it in a General yet. Oddly enough, it smoked worst in one of my stout Custombilts...which is odd because everything smokes well in a Custombilt

After 5 or so bowls of this tobacco, I am sold. The leaf is quality and the flavor profile is wonderful. I can't wait to find out what I have been smoking! Some cellar-ing may be in order

Some added Cuatombilt porn, just because. Everyone likes looking at a Custonbilt

[Tobias Lutz]

Blend #1

This was fairly moist, I let it dry for 24 hours before smoking it. It seems to be an English blend with Virginia, Orientals, and Latakia. The intensity of the smoke body is somewhere between mild and medium, depending on how you smoke. There is some complexity with it being an English, and an adequate balance of flavors. If any one component is too weak in the balance, that would be the Virginias; the Orientals seem to dominate the flavor. The latakia is there with it's characteristic note. This is not particularly strong in terms of nicotine, mild to medium.

You smoked a bowl of Private Stock Blend No.5

Blend 5 is perfect for anyone looking for an all-day type of Latakia blend. A good share of the black Cyprian leaf is combined with fully tumbled pressed Virginias and just a bit of mellow white Burley to adds richer body.

[Tobias Lutz]

Mystery Blend #14


Fourth and final tobacco to review. Smoked in a cob.

Out of the bag it smells like Burley and sour apple Jolly Rancher candy.

Full disclosure: I’m a Burley-phobe. Unless it’s buried in a blend in small quantities, I just don’t like the flavor. It doesn’t taste nutty to me, just a little sickly. Besides that, Danish style Burley aros all taste the same to me, regardless of topping.

This one is no different. I couldn’t tell it apart from Sugar Barrel or Sunset Breeze or SWR Aromatic. I have some kind of defect when it comes to this strain of tobacco, I guess.

Having said that, I’m enjoying it okay. It smokes smooth and sweet in the cob, and is an easy-going smoke on a warm summer evening. Some toasty marshmallow flavors, and maybe I am tasting some nuttiness after all. No sour apple, which is probably a good thing. I’ve found some Burley blends can bite but this one doesn’t. No cigarette taste, which I appreciate. But half a bowl is enough for me.

It’s nice to revisit styles once in a while to see if my tastes have changed, but in the end I find they haven’t really. Sorry for the lame review but I feel like I’m a poor judge of this kind of blend and would rather not mislead anybody.

You smoked (note I didn't say enjoyed) a bowl of SPS Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge brings the enjoyment of French dessert to your pipe. This combination of Virginias and black Cavendish is melded with sweet fruit essences to deliver a wonderful taste with a room note that everyone will love.

[Tobias Lutz]

Mystery Blend 21

Pipes: Cobs, Custombilts, and a Peterson.

Tin Note: Sweet, earthy Va. Nice hay and vanilla scents.

Tobacco is a nice mixture of light and dark, fine cut. Virginia is evident. As is what I assume to be Cavendish. I tried this tobacco at varying moisture contents and found that a quick 10 minutes or so in the sun did it the most justice. Smoking it straight from the bag was more of a challenge keeping lit, but did make for a more pronounced flavor profile. The tobacco, when dried, smoked down to a fine white ash and left no goop behind.

From the initial light I was able to pick up some nice, sweet Virginia flavor profiles. Nice hints of fig and dates. I found myself having no trouble getting into a rhythm with this tobacco and enjoying every little sip. The deeper into the bowl you get, the sweeter this tobacco seemed to become. Earth tones did pop up from time to time, think "barnyard." If you are a cigar smoker, you will know what I am talking about there...I have smoked a lot of sweet Va blends before, so it wouldn't surprise me if this blend wasn't topped. But at the same time, it is so sweet I just don't know!

I found this blend to be very smooth, and easy on the palate. No tongue bite for me whatsoever. It did smoke best in a cob, I have to admit. Something about this blend just sung through in a deep bowled cob, though I haven't been brave enough to try it in a General yet. Oddly enough, it smoked worst in one of my stout Custombilts...which is odd because everything smokes well in a Custombilt

After 5 or so bowls of this tobacco, I am sold. The leaf is quality and the flavor profile is wonderful. I can't wait to find out what I have been smoking! Some cellar-ing may be in order

Some added Cuatombilt porn, just because. Everyone likes looking at a Custonbilt

This was H&H Egg Nog

Egg Nog was the first true aromatic in the Hearth and Home series. Although the aroma is complex, pleasant and mildly sweet, the spice flavorings come through more prominently in the smoking. Featuring the flavors of vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg, Egg Nog is a bite-free blend that will please anyone in the room.

[Branzig]

This was H&H Egg Nog

Egg Nog was the first true aromatic in the Hearth and Home series. Although the aroma is complex, pleasant and mildly sweet, the spice flavorings come through more prominently in the smoking. Featuring the flavors of vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg, Egg Nog is a bite-free blend that will please anyone in the room.

Ha! I almost put Egg Nog down as a guess! I just had a sneaky suspicion of what this blend was, turns out I was right!

Thanks Tobias for sharing these samples. It's a blast to try them and to see how not knowing what's in a package totally messes with your mind!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[c.ortiz108]

You smoked (note I didn't say enjoyed) a bowl of SPS Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge brings the enjoyment of French dessert to your pipe. This combination of Virginias and black Cavendish is melded with sweet fruit essences to deliver a wonderful taste with a room note that everyone will love.

Ha ha! Hilarious that it isn't even a Burley blend at all! It's supposed to have cherry which I didn't taste, and reviews compare it to Molto Dolce which I don't see at all. Shows how much I know..... Maybe my regular coffee pairing is killing my taste buds.

I agree with @Branzig - this has been a mind-messing exercise (and a little humbling for me). Looking forward to smoking all these again now that I know what they are. In order of preference so far: Navigator, Molto Dolce, Distinguished Penguin, Moulin Rouge. It'll be interesting to see how my opinions evolve.

[Haebar]

You smoked a bowl of Private Stock Blend No.5

Blend 5 is perfect for anyone looking for an all-day type of Latakia blend. A good share of the black Cyprian leaf is combined with fully tumbled pressed Virginias and just a bit of mellow white Burley to adds richer body.

Well I blew that one mistaking burley for orientals.

[Haebar]

Blend #2

The jar smell is pleasant and conservative. It smells like plums, vanilla, new shoe leather and Play-doh. It appears to be a black Cavendish and smokes like it too. It was slightly moist from the bag; I smoked the first bowl of it right out of the bag. I'm smoking the second bowl now after letting some of it sit out in a bowl overnight. I think it tastes better right out of the bag. It's not a very intense aromatic; the flavor is very subtle vanilla and something else fruity. Can't discern what the fruity flavor is; those esters all taste the same to me sometimes. It reminds me of Lane BCA, but with less vanilla flavor. It burns well enough, doesn't snap or crackle and while it did take one pipe cleaner, it is fairly dry smoking. I'm guessing this is SPS Loire Valley.