Okay, what possibly could a new pipe smoker add to a discussion on one of the more popular VaPer blends. Admittedly not much but I feel like even us apprentice pipe smokers should add our thoughts.
I never had the opportunity to try Dunhill's original version so this is strictly my take on the Peterson product. This particular tin has actually been aging since 2019 and was given to me by a coworker who bought it and never got around to opening it before he gave up the pipe.
Initial Impression:
Upon opening the tin I found a ribbon cut tobacco that was overall brown with some darker coloring mixed in. I have seen pictures of the blend which showed a lot more yellow colored tobacco so I'll guess this darker blend is due to having aged a bit. When I smelled it I got what to me smells like a Virginia heavy tobacco, it's not unpleasant but I can never quite put my finger on what it reminds me of. I know a lot of people describe it as grassy or hay like. Me? eh, I mean I like it but I guess I would say maybe more earthy...
Moisture Content:
I have no real idea how wet or dry tobacco is supposed to be but I'll describe it like this. It felt dry. Not so dry as to bring visions of Death Valley to mind where if you touch it it crumbles to nothing. More like a good leather belt dry. You can pinch it and it doesn't stay clumped together but it doesn't break apart either. Is that good? Not sure but that's what it is.
Striking the Match:
I packed up my MM Cobbit Churchwarden, using a deliberate slow packing method that is similar to the German or Frank method but not. I picked it up from a YouTube video from Get Piped. He says he was taught the method from C&D's master blender Jeremy Reeves. So collecting my pipe, a nice pour of Bourbon and a glass of ice water, I headed outside to the deck to commune with nature and to see what this blend does for me.
I attempted to not actually touch the flame to the tobacco, think using a torch on a cigar. The flame isn't what you want disintegrating the tobacco just the heat, this turned out to be much harder with a soft flame but with time it did work. Once lit the tobacco burned nicely and I have to say this was actually one of the easiest bowls I have ever smoked. There wasn't a need for constant relighting even though I was smoking at a very relaxed pace; a slight touch of the tamper and that's all it took.
Tasting Notes:
It's a Virginia heavy blend, so that is predominately what you will taste. What does that taste like? Well, to me I think I was getting a woody earthy leather flavor. I really don't know how to pick out the cornucopia of flavors a lot of reviewers talk about. I mean I could say it tastes like smoke but then what the hell does that mean? I also don't make it a habit to lick wood, hay, leather, or dirt, but I think it was slightly astringent, so again woody tasting with some leather. There is also some Perique in the blend and I was able to get a very nice peppery sensation a few times when I expressed it out through my nose. I did not notice it every time either so it was a pleasant surprise when it did occur.
End Notes:
I really enjoyed this tobacco, and I think I understand some of the hype people give to it. To me this could be an anytime blend, afternoon or evening as it is not heavy nor is it too light. A nice middle of the road blend I believe I can continue to enjoy. I also really liked that at the end of my bowl all I had left were ashes, I would have been bragging had anybody else been there. I can picture myself sitting in a big leather chair in some old sitting room surrounded by old books and enjoying listening to stories of past military campaigns while we imbibe on a nice spirit in a clunky rocks glass and smoke a pipe of Elizabethan Mixture.
For me it's a keeper.
I never had the opportunity to try Dunhill's original version so this is strictly my take on the Peterson product. This particular tin has actually been aging since 2019 and was given to me by a coworker who bought it and never got around to opening it before he gave up the pipe.
Initial Impression:
Upon opening the tin I found a ribbon cut tobacco that was overall brown with some darker coloring mixed in. I have seen pictures of the blend which showed a lot more yellow colored tobacco so I'll guess this darker blend is due to having aged a bit. When I smelled it I got what to me smells like a Virginia heavy tobacco, it's not unpleasant but I can never quite put my finger on what it reminds me of. I know a lot of people describe it as grassy or hay like. Me? eh, I mean I like it but I guess I would say maybe more earthy...
Moisture Content:
I have no real idea how wet or dry tobacco is supposed to be but I'll describe it like this. It felt dry. Not so dry as to bring visions of Death Valley to mind where if you touch it it crumbles to nothing. More like a good leather belt dry. You can pinch it and it doesn't stay clumped together but it doesn't break apart either. Is that good? Not sure but that's what it is.
Striking the Match:
I packed up my MM Cobbit Churchwarden, using a deliberate slow packing method that is similar to the German or Frank method but not. I picked it up from a YouTube video from Get Piped. He says he was taught the method from C&D's master blender Jeremy Reeves. So collecting my pipe, a nice pour of Bourbon and a glass of ice water, I headed outside to the deck to commune with nature and to see what this blend does for me.
I attempted to not actually touch the flame to the tobacco, think using a torch on a cigar. The flame isn't what you want disintegrating the tobacco just the heat, this turned out to be much harder with a soft flame but with time it did work. Once lit the tobacco burned nicely and I have to say this was actually one of the easiest bowls I have ever smoked. There wasn't a need for constant relighting even though I was smoking at a very relaxed pace; a slight touch of the tamper and that's all it took.
Tasting Notes:
It's a Virginia heavy blend, so that is predominately what you will taste. What does that taste like? Well, to me I think I was getting a woody earthy leather flavor. I really don't know how to pick out the cornucopia of flavors a lot of reviewers talk about. I mean I could say it tastes like smoke but then what the hell does that mean? I also don't make it a habit to lick wood, hay, leather, or dirt, but I think it was slightly astringent, so again woody tasting with some leather. There is also some Perique in the blend and I was able to get a very nice peppery sensation a few times when I expressed it out through my nose. I did not notice it every time either so it was a pleasant surprise when it did occur.
End Notes:
I really enjoyed this tobacco, and I think I understand some of the hype people give to it. To me this could be an anytime blend, afternoon or evening as it is not heavy nor is it too light. A nice middle of the road blend I believe I can continue to enjoy. I also really liked that at the end of my bowl all I had left were ashes, I would have been bragging had anybody else been there. I can picture myself sitting in a big leather chair in some old sitting room surrounded by old books and enjoying listening to stories of past military campaigns while we imbibe on a nice spirit in a clunky rocks glass and smoke a pipe of Elizabethan Mixture.
For me it's a keeper.
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