@ghostsofpompeii Sorry for the delayed response. I too get the those hints. It is a very mild and relaxing smoke. I would rate it as one of my top 5. Nothing overpowering, but again, the hints are there...
2018 has been a bummer of a year. My local tobacconist retired and then McClelland closed within a month of my personal discovery of their 5110 Dark English blend (stoved Virginia). To make up for it, my now retired friend gifted me a tin of Fusilier's Ration. I fell in love. My recent SmokingPipes.com purchase included two tins each of:
Fusilier's Ration
Bengal Slices
Orlik Golden Sliced,
Solani 633
TAPS VIP blend (anyone tried this spicy little treat?)
@KA9FFJ I was looking for a replacement for a 25yr old blend called Caledonian (VA) gifted to me by my tobacconist. I wanted something with a tin note of a fig newton and a sweet smoking aroma (non-aromatic). He led me to Solani 633 which I've opened and haven't tried yet, but it looks promising. My own internet research led me to the Daughters and Ryan TAPS VIP VaPer. It's not exactly what I was looking for. It's a ribbon cut (the Calendonian is a flake) but the tin note was there. My first smoke was in a newer Charles Towne Cobbler and I have absolutely fallenl in love with this tobacco. There is definitely a spice to it from the perique, but it's more of a cinnamon spice than a peppery one. It burns cool and complete leaving a simple ash and few re-lights. Simple review: Pleasant smoke. The room note is very very pleasant. It really is an enjoyable VaPer. I'm not sure what others look for in their VaPers, but this one was perfect for me. I would smoke this all day long and plan to do just that (multiple tins ordered) so I can also cellar some (my guess is that this tobacco will become even better with age). I love Virginia tobaccos, but I also want to be kind to those who are around me when I smoke without having to smoke a harsh aromatic with tongue bite. On the other hand, Solani 633 looks like more of a match for what I was looking for and I can't wait to dig in and try that one also.
@Mangoandy You write: <<I also want to be kind to those who are around me when I smoke without having to smoke a harsh aromatic with tongue bite.>> Although everyone's tongue is different, there are many aromatics out there that convey no tongue burn. Examples? Barbados Plantation and Molto Dolce. Either one will have those around you pleased with the room note (unless they just hate smoke, period) and I think you'll enjoy the flavor.
Of course, that's just my opinion; I could be wrong.....
@Mangoandy I noted your desire for Fig Newton tin note in a non aromatic.
I'd like to make the following suggestion.
C&D "Dreams of Kadath", is a plug of Virginia's, with black Cavendish, Hurley,
Dark Fired Burley, Katerini, and perique. there is a very light topping like brandy but nothing like a standard aromatic.
The tin note is fig newton for sure and as you smoke it you get a bit of the taste as well, smooth smoke as well.
This is a newer C&D blend so there's not a ton of it around, however Smoking pipes has it in stock, 2oz tins just under $10
@motie2 Over the years, I've read about your love for Molto Dolce and Barbados Plantation. You should join their marketing team. I even bought some MD to try based on your reviews. I didn't finish the tin. I think I'm realizing that as much as I want to be an aromatic smoker, I'm really a lover of Virginia and VaPers with the occasional English (but when I'm alone and far away from my wife).
....and rhat's OK. In my first pipe life I only smoked English/Balkan blends, mostly Dunhill's and Balkan Sobranie, along with an occasional bowl of Escudo, a basic vaper.
Just got back from the honeymoon! Europe is FULL of pipe smokers!!! It was awesome! Didn't get to stop by the Savinelli factory or anywhere "unique" in that sense, but I did stop by a shop called Novelli in Rome. It was an AMAZING shop. Derek, one of the managers there, was SUPER helpful and super kind. We had a great conversation and I ended up leaving with 2 Savinelli basket pipes, 2 tins of Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader, an Italian blend called Cellini, and Golf.
Just arrived in today's mail. Not crazy about the pipe shape or design. It was a free give away from last month when I placed the order Sunday, September 30th. Might try drilling out the hole a bit and reshaping the bowl. Not my choice of pipe or design.
Just got some Fusilier's Ration Special Reserve. It's supposed to have some longer aged Virginias in it and pressed into a cake. I've got to say I really like it! I've smoked Fusiliers Ration for a few years and am quite fond of it. I like this even more! Richer, smoother, fuller taste, and it seems to be a little moister the the original blend which was quite dry. I might have to order some more.
Congrats on the honeymoon @Oddjob27 ! You found some nice pipes and some tobacco. And there seems to be more pipe smokers out and about in Europe. With every time I've visited over there, I've always seen at least one lunting about with every country visited. From my experience, they're mostly in Germany, but I've seen them in Italy, Slovenia, and Scotland.
@thebadgerpiper Thank you for the kind words! And I totally agree with you, I saw a number of people in France, Germany, and Italy smoking pipes. It was awesome. But pipe tobacco is extremely expensive. Squadron Leader for example, when we can get it out here, is about $10 ~ 15/tin. Squadron Leader in Italy cost me $25. But since squadron leader is so difficult to find, I figured I should pick up a few.
BTW... I realized I follow you on IG, if you ever see a comment or like from "Kwaktastic" that's me. Haha!
@mapletop Enjoying my first bowl of Dreams of Kadeth in a Country Gentleman cob. It has a CRAZY tin note (not really fig cookie though) but I can't put my finger on it just yet...I had my wife and son give it a try and they both said the same thing: "It's something...I just can't figure it out..." The orientals are loud and clear in this tobacco and I can only imagine what will happen if it cellars for a few years. Thanks for the suggestion.
@Mangoandy Well either your batch was different than mine or my sense of smell is even worse than I realized; in any case I am glad you like it,
Whats funny is I was opening a couple of tins of new tobacco (never tried before) and I noted that one of them smelled a bit like a fig newton also and I thought about you.
Now however, as I have not smoked it and for that matter can't remember which one it was, I'll wait till I'm sure and get some corroborating opinions from the family before recommending it.
About 12 years ago I tried a homeopathic product called Zicam which is a Zinc nasal spray for colds and discovered a few weeks later that I had lost a significant amount of my sense of smell.
The crazy part is they still sell it even though if you google it, you will see many warnings about loosing your sense of smell.
@Mangoandy So my wife got home and I handed her the tin of Dreams of Kadath and asked her what it smelled like and she said it reminded her of a Fig newton.
I wonder if the difference is due to age as my tin was a couple of years old when I opened it.
I received a sizeable gift certificate for Thompson Cigar Company. I narrowed my purchases down to Davidoff Danish, Scottish and Royalty blends (plus a stack of Macanudos for guests). Never smoked any of Davidoff tobaccos. Anyone have experience with these?
Comments
Keep smoking friends!
I was looking for a replacement for a 25yr old blend called Caledonian (VA) gifted to me by my tobacconist. I wanted something with a tin note of a fig newton and a sweet smoking aroma (non-aromatic). He led me to Solani 633 which I've opened and haven't tried yet, but it looks promising. My own internet research led me to the Daughters and Ryan TAPS VIP VaPer.
It's not exactly what I was looking for. It's a ribbon cut (the Calendonian is a flake) but the tin note was there. My first smoke was in a newer Charles Towne Cobbler and I have absolutely fallenl in love with this tobacco. There is definitely a spice to it from the perique, but it's more of a cinnamon spice than a peppery one. It burns cool and complete leaving a simple ash and few re-lights. Simple review: Pleasant smoke. The room note is very very pleasant. It really is an enjoyable VaPer. I'm not sure what others look for in their VaPers, but this one was perfect for me. I would smoke this all day long and plan to do just that (multiple tins ordered) so I can also cellar some (my guess is that this tobacco will become even better with age).
I love Virginia tobaccos, but I also want to be kind to those who are around me when I smoke without having to smoke a harsh aromatic with tongue bite.
On the other hand, Solani 633 looks like more of a match for what I was looking for and I can't wait to dig in and try that one also.
You write: <<I also want to be kind to those who are around me when I smoke without having to smoke a harsh aromatic with tongue bite.>>
Although everyone's tongue is different, there are many aromatics out there that convey no tongue burn. Examples? Barbados Plantation and Molto Dolce. Either one will have those around you pleased with the room note (unless they just hate smoke, period) and I think you'll enjoy the flavor.
Of course, that's just my opinion; I could be wrong.....
Alright. I just ordered a tin to give it a smoke. I can't wait. Thanks for the heads-up!
Over the years, I've read about your love for Molto Dolce and Barbados Plantation. You should join their marketing team. I even bought some MD to try based on your reviews. I didn't finish the tin.
....and rhat's OK. In my first pipe life I only smoked English/Balkan blends, mostly Dunhill's and Balkan Sobranie, along with an occasional bowl of Escudo, a basic vaper.
I'll have to give Barbados a spin though.
My wish for you is that you should get the enjoyment from BP that I do.
Enjoying my first bowl of Dreams of Kadeth in a Country Gentleman cob. It has a CRAZY tin note (not really fig cookie though) but I can't put my finger on it just yet...I had my wife and son give it a try and they both said the same thing: "It's something...I just can't figure it out..."
The orientals are loud and clear in this tobacco and I can only imagine what will happen if it cellars for a few years. Thanks for the suggestion.
Got it! I'm definitely picking up apple. Fresh cut apple at that! Really really good.
1 lb HH Vintage Syrian
8 oz Esoterica Margate
1 tin Tilbury
1 tin Dunbar
1 box Cuban Partagas D No. 4
of course, i would appreciate your impression of the Dark Sweet Rum blend. Thanks in advance.