Escud-OH : Initial thoughts on the classic

[hotshot]

Excellent !!! I'm about 35 mins into my first ever bowl of Escudo and it's a keeper. Very nice. Sweet and spicy. Not bitey. Smoke it slow.

Smoking it in a Pete 264 Aran straight. Small bowl but still got about 1.5 coins in it. Outstanding. Wish I had bought more of this. Folks if it gets better with age, wow !!!

 

[smokertruck]

i have a tin in the mail also - how large are the coins &
do you guys rub out the coins or leave them in tact & roll 2 coins & stuff the roll vertically into the chamber -
3 nuns has some coins but small & not many - mostly loose fill - i just rub them out

 

[phil67]

I normally rub my coins out, no matter what blend after giving a little drying time. Then again, I usually do the same thing with flake tobacco as I've never had much luck with a fold and stuff albeit I've not given up on it. But... no big thing.

Excellent !!! I'm about 35 mins into my first ever bowl of Escudo and it's a keeper. Very nice. Sweet and spicy. Not bitey. Smoke it slow.

Smoking it in a Pete 264 Aran straight. Small bowl but still got about 1.5 coins in it. Outstanding. Wish I had bought more of this. Folks if it gets better with age, wow !!!

Yep, ya can't miss as long as you smoke it slow as otherwise you might confuse tongue bite with the somewhat 'peppery' taste of Perique if its your first time encountering it. That, and aside from the fact, that its a Virginia tobacco which must always be smoked slowly. Something I always have to keep in mind as I'm admittedly somewhat of a 'chugger'.

Seems everyone is suggesting a smaller chamber. I'm assuming to snugly accommodate a single coin.

Most of my pipes have what would be considered as a relatively 'small' bowl, but I seriously doubt that one coin would be sufficient. Damn, if I wasn't so lazy I would like to start keeping some notes on what tobacco seems to smoke best in certain pipes as I've definitely come to the conclusion that it can indeed make a difference Then again, I'd also like to re-paint three rooms in my home, clean out the garage, build a deck, etc., etc,. :wink:

 

[hotshot]

smokertruck, you will be happy with the Escudo. The size of the coins is just a little smaller than a half dollar, between a quarter and the half. I just folded and stuffed. I did let mine dry in open air under a ceiling fan for about 10 minutes but not sure that was necessary at all. I really enjoyed it, leaving it a few times and coming back to it while I took care of things that I needed to do. I smoked it off and on for about 2 hours. Smoke it slow. This seems to me, to be a tobacco that needs an opportunity to sit and smolder and slow burn, much like the other flake VA's that I've smoked. Just my opinions. Enjoy !!!

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I smoked single coins the two times I've had it. I think of it as "sampling" as I wanted to take a measured approach to trying it out. Next time I'll load up the whole pipe, which should be just about two coins.

 

[sallow]

What "type" pipe makes the best pipe for VaPer's?

For me, I try different tobaccos in different pipes until one stands out, then I smoke that type in that particular pipe for a while. No rules for me really, and more art than science.

 

[skapunk1]

I'll be getting mine this week....bringing me up to around 25 or 30 tins aging... love this stuff

 

[neverbend]

I got 10 tins of Escudo from 4Noggins and bombed 2 to a BOTL in need. I haven't tried Escudo in many years so hopefully I'll be able to make a comparison.
Not all VaPers are the same so selecting a compatible pipe might not be consistent among your own collection.
If I want to accentuate the Perique I'll smoke it in a sandblast or carve with at least moderate walls and if I prefer to taste the Virginia I'll use thick walled smooths.

 

[shutterbugg]

Got a stack of DNR when smokingpipes had their 4-for-3 sale on Dunhill. When it's about gone if I can't find a good deal on it, probably will give Escudo a try since the concensus seems to be it's quite close if not the same.

 

[grouchydog]

Nice review and great pics! I have a tin of Escudo that's just waiting on an empty jar - haven't tried VaPers yet, I've been completely distracted (and enthralled) with Lat blends. I have a Peterson Canadian just waiting for it...

 

[portascat]

Got a tin of that, from 2011, set back in the pipe cabinet. Holding on to it until my son leaves the Navy, or decides to make a career out of it, as a celebration.
Not a huge Va/Per fan, but they do have an occasional place in my life. And since I don't crave them, or smoke them often, they are quite an easy thing for me to purchase for aging.
As a side note, I also have a a few plugs of Kendal Black sitting in a small bail type jar, aging. I have zero idea how they will turn out after 10 years or so, but I guess I will know then.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

As a former squid, thank him for his service if ya get a chance. I did 5 years, and a part of me wishes I had stayed in. I know my bank account sure misses the paychecks.

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

OP, try Gawith St. James flake next. If you can find it.

 

[lordwolf]

Love me some escudo,cant get enough of the stuff ^_^

 

[lordwolf]

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