Summer of 2016 Blind Review Thread

[Branzig]

Exceptional selection there!!! Wowzers!!!!

Congrats Chris!

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[Haebar]

Congratulations! What a fine gift.

[Tobias Lutz]

WoW! Nicely done, Tobias! And not a dud blend in the lot (well, except maybe for the CH... ). What's the story with the mysterious cotton bags?

Those are from a gentleman out on your side of the country. I bought three custom leather bike saddles from him and those are what they arrived in. He does absolutely beautiful work!

Obsidian Monarch

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The package has arrived, and what a delightful sight and smell it is! There are very few of these that I've had before, so I'm thrilled to have a chance to fire these up. Hardly know where to start.

As some of you have expressed curiosity about what the prize package contains, here you go. There are 16 baggies with 1 or 2 ounces each of some top shelf blends, and they were loaded into a pair of neat cotton bags stamped with some kind of alchemical or heraldic symbol. The whole bundle is giving off a terrific aroma. My postman probably wonders why my mail smells so nice sometimes.

Orlik Dark Strong Kentucky 2014
Esoterica And So to Bed
Milan Tobacconists Black Forest
McClelland Dark Star 2011
McClelland Christmas Cheer 2011
McClelland Christmas Cheer 2013
SG Bob's Chocolate Flake 2011
SG Chocolate Flake 2012
SG Firedance Flake 2014
SG Top Black Cherry 2012
SG Navy Flake 2012
SG Rum Flake 2010
Russ Ouelette's Fusilier's Ration 2014
Rattray's Charles Mixture 2014
Rattray's Bagpiper's Dream 2014
Carter Hall

Thanks again to @Tobias Lutz . I'm pretty overwhelmed by this!

Attachment 5836

Enjoy my friend- I had a lot of fun going through the cellar and pulling all those together!

[Cardinal]

Not sure if I approve of the Razorback head on the sword, but otherwise what an awesome prize. Nicely done, sir.

[cpmcdill]

Those are from a gentleman out on your side of the country. I bought three custom leather bike saddles from him and those are what they arrived in. He does absolutely beautiful work!

Nice! I'll check them out. Always appreciate the artisans keeping the craft of leatherworking alive.

Enjoy my friend- I had a lot of fun going through the cellar and pulling all those together!

Already started. I picked the Firedance Flake as my first, as I've long had a curiosity about that one. I enjoyed the flavor, and my wife totally approved of the room note. Just bought some cases of half-pint mason jars to store these blends in, as well as the blends from the blind review challenge and the Milan blends. I think it amounts to 25 little jars to fill up and label. Yes indeed, excited and overwhelmed. So much fresh variety added to my cellar.

[Desertlifter]

It's not over till it is over, so after an unplanned hiatus due to travel and its concomitant upper respiratory illness, I am finally (mostly) back in fighting form.

Today I had a bowl of Number 10 in a cob. 10 smelled like maple or vanilla in the bag, more to the maple than the latter. There is cavendish in this one for sure. It was very moist and could have used some drying time, but lit well enough. I have found that aros don't take to drying like other blends.

Anyway, Ten lit very easily and stayed so through the bowl with occasional tamping. No relights here. It showed no bite, even when pressed. Burn-wise it did very well. But flavor? I definitely get the cavendish in this blend, and the topping sees more maple than vanilla, but both seem muted there. Sometimes I get maple from vanilla forward blends, and this could be one. What was missing was tobacco notes. Good aros taste like baccy blends with the aromatic complementing them. Peterson and Dan Tobacco do this very well, IMO. This was not of that ilk. It was the "flavor and steam" family of aros for sure. Like hookah tobacco in my pipe. Not unpleasant, but not my cup of tea. Or bowl of leaf, as it were.

In the end, this wouldn't be a bad gateway blend for a new Piper not already steeped in cigars. It needs more body for this demented lover of Tambolaka and rope tobaccos though. Even though I really appreciate a good aro, this needs more punch for me.

[Desertlifter]

Took an aro break this morning and pulled #22 from the pile.* I get some hay and the slightest bit of fig from the bag on this one.* It has been a cob kind of week, so this one went into an aro-free cob that has adequate break-in to lose the extra sweetness you get from new ones.* While I do like “new cob flavor,” (unlike Mr. Twain) it does skew the review.
The tobacco lit and burned easily with one re-light.* I get a touch of sweetness and just a bit of pepper on the retrohale from this.* There was no bite at all, even when pressed.* There is a slight sweetness to the blend, and it is very light in body.* It really reminds me of a mild VaPer more than anything else, said Perique being of the spicy variety rather than the citrus that you get from that glorious leaf.

Overall, this is a pretty good grab and go kind of blend.* While it lacks depth and complexity, that very nature is perfect for a morning commute.* I was entertained enough by the ducks and geese winging across the freeway (see you in the fall, fellas!) and the pelicans setting in for the day – sipping this from my cob and listening to NPR fit the bill just fine.

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[Tobias Lutz]

It's not over till it is over, so after an unplanned hiatus due to travel and its concomitant upper respiratory illness, I am finally (mostly) back in fighting form.

Today I had a bowl of Number 10 in a cob. 10 smelled like maple or vanilla in the bag, more to the maple than the latter. There is cavendish in this one for sure. It was very moist and could have used some drying time, but lit well enough. I have found that aros don't take to drying like other blends.

Anyway, Ten lit very easily and stayed so through the bowl with occasional tamping. No relights here. It showed no bite, even when pressed. Burn-wise it did very well. But flavor? I definitely get the cavendish in this blend, and the topping sees more maple than vanilla, but both seem muted there. Sometimes I get maple from vanilla forward blends, and this could be one. What was missing was tobacco notes. Good aros taste like baccy blends with the aromatic complementing them. Peterson and Dan Tobacco do this very well, IMO. This was not of that ilk. It was the "flavor and steam" family of aros for sure. Like hookah tobacco in my pipe. Not unpleasant, but not my cup of tea. Or bowl of leaf, as it were.

In the end, this wouldn't be a bad gateway blend for a new Piper not already steeped in cigars. It needs more body for this demented lover of Tambolaka and rope tobaccos though. Even though I really appreciate a good aro, this needs more punch for me.

This was a bowl of SPS Barbados Plantation

Barbados Plantation is a smooth aromatic blend made of sweet, bright Virginias, earthy white Burleys and Sutliff's signature black Cavendish. It's finished with the enticing flavor of tangy Barbados rum. The flavor is nicely sweet and the aroma in truly amazing.

[Tobias Lutz]

Took an aro break this morning and pulled #22 from the pile.* I get some hay and the slightest bit of fig from the bag on this one.* It has been a cob kind of week, so this one went into an aro-free cob that has adequate break-in to lose the extra sweetness you get from new ones.* While I do like “new cob flavor,” (unlike Mr. Twain) it does skew the review.
The tobacco lit and burned easily with one re-light.* I get a touch of sweetness and just a bit of pepper on the retrohale from this.* There was no bite at all, even when pressed.* There is a slight sweetness to the blend, and it is very light in body.* It really reminds me of a mild VaPer more than anything else, said Perique being of the spicy variety rather than the citrus that you get from that glorious leaf.

Overall, this is a pretty good grab and go kind of blend.* While it lacks depth and complexity, that very nature is perfect for a morning commute.* I was entertained enough by the ducks and geese winging across the freeway (see you in the fall, fellas!) and the pelicans setting in for the day – sipping this from my cob and listening to NPR fit the bill just fine.

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This was your H&H blend- Old Companion

Old Companion is a blend to bring back great memories. A traditional American mixture of pressed Burley and steam-toasted red Virginia which has a nutty/toasty flavor and a nice cool burn. Reminiscent of many of the old foil-pouch blends that Grandpa and his friends used to smoke. This is one for the whole day, everyday.

[cpmcdill]

Still enjoying my new tobaccos, both the original review blends and the "lottery winnings" -- thanks again, Tobias!