Don't Over Think It
The award for most unusual looking tobacco goes to… Why? Why does it look like this? It comes from rolled Virginia pressed with a whisper of Perique and rolled around a pressed black Cavendish burley. And, then it’s sliced into coins. Don’t over think it. Just rub it out and pack it. I tried folding and stuffing it like a flake, but the layers are so loosely stacked that it just kept falling apart. But, don‘t get discouraged. One of my favorite parts of the pipe hobby is the ritual of preparing and touching the tobacco.
I get this from The Briary as a bulk, so there’s no tin involved, but the plastic bag note is subtle, like dried hay and green sweet peppers. I never detected any sort of flavorings. It is just perfect in dryness to pack and put a match to it right away. My first few draws seemed almost tasteless, and if you’re not careful, you could puff too hard trying to get more flavors out of it too early, bringing on the tongue bite. But, if you are patient, you will notice a gradual increase in flavor as the bowl progresses. The flavor is not as sweet as most pressed Virginias. It is spicy, without the confectioner sweetness, like raw cinnamon on the tongue, but subtle. You will be able to tell when the fire has reached the unflavored Cavendish, when you do get hints of a mocha flavor. Not chocolate, but that dry mocha that some dark burleys have. This is a complex smoke, and it demands attention and mindfulness while smoking. I suggest paring this tobacco with a Southern sweet tea for cleansing the palate occasionally and adding that extra touch of sweetness to pull more flavors out of the tobacco, without the temptation to draw too hard. Sip slowly and enjoy. The strength was moderate, and the flavor was very mild. I recommend this tobacco to anyone wanting to try something very different.
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Reviewed by: CosmicFolklore from Helena, AL.
on 1/17/2014
5