Finally Found The Perfect Cherry Blend - Unfortunately It's Been Discontinued
ghostsofpompeii
Master
in General
Ever since I started building my cellar I've been on the look-out for the perfect cherry blend. With so many to choose from it's been quite a quest. And in most instances the results are always the same. Every blend I've acquired taste like cherry cough syrup. There is that bitter medicinal aftertaste.
Now mind you I'm an aromatic smoker and don't have the most sophisticated palate - and among the select few who actually enjoy a blend like Captain Black Grape, which has been compared to grape Nehi soda or a piece of grape Jolly Rancher candy. For someone like me - that's not a problem. If the cherry blends I've tried tasted more like a cherry Jolly Roger rather than cough medicine I'd find that acceptable.
My most recent tobacco acquisition from Pipes&Cigars contained a cherry blend that finally met my requirements. It's not too sweet, and has just a hint of cherry flavor in the background. And what-ever cherry topping they used appears to have come from a confectionery rather than a medicine cabinet.
What is this blend you ask ... the specialty tinned blend from Captain Black, "Red Sky".
Pipes & Cigars had a special sale on discontinued products, and "Red Sky" was one of them. It's a shame they didn't have the other two blends as well otherwise I would have nabbed a few tins. Captain Black "Black Sea" is the only Latakia blend I smoke when I get a hankering for an aromatic English blend.
So when presented with the opportunity to try the premium Captain Black cherry blend at a reduced price I pulled the trigger and ordered three tins of "Red Sky" just for the heck of it.
I'm not a fan of the regular Captain Black Cherry blend, so my expectations were low. And when I popped the tin my nose detected the identical medicinal tin note of regular Captain Black Cherry blend. So I was bummed. And not only bummed - but realized I was now stuck with three tins. But undaunted I packed an old Dr. Grabow and lit up, and was happily surprised from the initial char light to the end of the bowl. My quest was over. This was the cherry blend I've been looking for. A damn fine smoke - no aftertaste, a cool smoke with no tongue bite, burned to a nice white ash, and a pleasant room note.
The only negative aspect, other than the fact that it's discontinued, was the tin note. How the tin note could smell so similar to the other off-putting blends was something of a mystery to me. But thankfully it didn't spill over into to the taste of the blend.
Sadly Captain Black "Red Sky" has been discontinued. But I don't gravitate toward fruit flavored aromatics, and tend to reach for something cased in vanilla, chocolate, cocoa, caramel, honey, molasses, maple, cinnamon and spice, rum, or whiskey blends - so I can stretch out these three tins of cherry for many years of enjoyment. And when that runs out I still have Cult "Blood Red Moon" which is a passable cherry blend to fall back on.
Glad I finally found a decent cherry blend, only wish I discovered that sooner. .
Comments
<<I found the perfect cherry: P&C Out of the Office Civic Duty.
So, of course, it was discontinued.>>
I know, there's no consolation there... 😥
A word of caution: most aromatics do not age well......
i was not referring to loss of flavor. The thesis is that aromatics will not generally improve with aging. So no worries.
BTW, I am fascinated with Magnum Opus. For a. Balkan with Latakia and Perique, the Orientals make it almost an aromatic. The family does not give me that “It stinks” look, there is no dottle, and I’m a happy guy.
I have some Samuel Gawith’s “Fire Dance Flake” that has been in a mason jar since I got it 5+ years ago. It had definitely lost most of the Black Berry aroma it once had, however, the Virginia’s have darkened and sweetened markedly. I have since added a fresh tin to the older tobacco in the mason jar (several months ago) hoping it will rejuvenate the blackberry. I then vacuum sealed it. I have not revisited it since.....hmmm, what to smoke next?
“We hardly knew ye.”