Esoterica Brighton: First Impressions

[Butter Side Down]

This is an interesting one!

Tin/bag aroma smells delicious. A bit like buttery biscuits with apricot jam. The description doesn't mention any topping or casing, but a deep inhale says this definitely has one or the other.

Tried it in a group 4 sized billiard.

Charring light was mind blowing. Just an explosion of flavors. The buttery biscuit with apricot promised by the tin note is there; riding on a swirl of all the classic VA flavors: Hay, grass, slightly fermented sourdough, a dark citrus tang that I can best describe as tasting the way bergamot smells, and also a perfectly subdued bright citrus zing sort of like a lemon zest in cream pasta sauce, and lurking there in the background, a vague maritime brine flavor. Just wow.

That all carried blissfully through the first half of the bowl, which was like listening to a greatest hits album with all the best tracks by Erinmore, Orlik Golden Sliced, and Royal Yacht without any of the irritating B-side filler.

Sadly, the second half couldn't sustain the promise of the first. On a dime it went from sublime to "petty good." Most of the time, I'd be quite happy with "pretty good." But in comparison, I couldn't help feeling disappointed.

Next time, I'll try it in a smaller bowl or just do a half bowl to see it that remedies the second half problem.

Final note: for those gifted with the blessing of facial hair, the moustache reminder from this stuff is long-lasting and phenomenal.

 

[Servant King]

Yep, in spite of the 2nd half, it's still a good one. You'd probably enjoy Scarborough as well.

Great review!

 

[FurCoat]

The mustache note is where it's at.

 

[PipeIT]

@Butter Side Down I find that with any complex blends, you can’t really keep them lit and smoke them quickly, the casings and toppings seem to wear down from to much fire and heat.

Ok, we smoke a pipe, that requires fire and heat, yes true, but the next time you smoke this, don’t dry it out, lightly pack it, and only light it enough to take a few sips, then let it cool down and repeat, all the way through the entire bowl and see how that goes.

Granted, even though you smoke like this, a lot of blends certainly change anyways, possibly half way, or towards the end.

I find a lot of people don’t have the patience to smoke like this, to smoke more like a marathon, not a sprint.

If you are smoking a pipe with around a 40-50mm chamber depth, that bowl should easily last you 4-6 hours, I’m talking that slow, gently small lighting, and slow gentle sips.

You’re only blowing small little wisps of smoke, not big clouds of smoke. Be like a wine taster, slowing gently sipping and tasting and you will experience more.

Esoterica/Germain’s blends I find, all the ones I’ve smoked, their signature casing is delicate.

I just smoked some Tilbury yesterday and decided to let it dry, not even 15 minutes and that signature Esoterica casing diminished.

Esoterica/Germain’s blends are delicate/subtle, and you have to be gentle smoking them, to get the most out, to fully appreciate them.

I really like Brighton it’s a great blend.

 

[PipeIT]

@Butter Side Down I was just editing the post over, have another read.

 

[sablebrush52]

Brighton, like many Esoterica blends has apricot in its topping, along with something else. I like the blend a lot. It's never dumbed down during a bowl, and I smoke it in larger chamber sizes. However, I do dry it down a bit, so maybe that's a factor.

 

[PipeIT]

I’m definitely not the Esoterica/Germain’s pro.

Tilbury, Dorchester, Dunbar, Brighton I have these at the moment, moisture is fine to smoke without any drying.

Uncle Tom’s, B.K. Flake, Royal Jersey Preique and Royal Jersey Dark Cavendish, all also need no drying.

Everyone one these blends, with the exception of B.K. Flake, which is a wee bit more stout, but not by much, they are all delicate/subtle and the signature casing, fermented fruit like, really diminishes quickly with just a little drying, or a constant ember glowing, keeping it lit puffing away.

 

[sablebrush52]

I’m definitely not the Esoterica/Germain’s pro.

Tilbury, Dorchester, Dunbar, Brighton I have these at the moment, moisture is fine to smoke without any drying.

Uncle Tom’s, B.K. Flake, Royal Jersey Preique and Dark Cavendish, all also need no drying.

Everyone one these blends, with the exception of B.K. Flake, which is a wee bit more stout, but not by much, they are all delicate/subtle and the signature casing, fermented fruit like, really diminishes quickly with just a little drying, or a constant ember glowing, keeping it lit puffing away.

To each their own. With a little drying, all of these blends flavors intensify for me.

 

[PipeIT]

To each their own. With a little drying, all of these blends flavors intensify for me.

Oh I truly understand how blends can really sing dried out.

I’m only saying that the fermented like casing, that is common in a lot of their blends can be sensitive to drying.

But, as many of us know, the consistency of their blends, year after year can change.

So maybe some have their blends with stronger casings, that can take more drying.

All the stuff I have on hand is quite delicate.

The 2021 Tilbury I have, is only slightly moist, so definitely good to go straight from the jar, and when I smoke it like this, the Esoterica funky casing it has, is more prominent.

Yesterday I only dried it 15 minutes and it was hardly noticeable.

To summarize, I guess we could say, it depends on the batch someone has, and the amount/strength of casings/toppings, as to how much it can handle being dried, without loosing its Signature Taste(s).

 

[Butter Side Down]

If you are smoking a pipe with around a 40-50mm chamber depth, that bowl should easily last you 4-6 hours

The advice is appreciated. I *thought* I smoked fairly slow, but I definitely have some years of practice to go before I reach that level of tantric mastery.

 

[Butter Side Down]

I do dry it down a bit, so maybe that's a factor.

I'll give that a shot too. With a few topped blends I like, namely Erinmore and RY, drying them out thoroughly makes the topping dissipate. I was a bit afraid that might happen here. And from the smell of Brighton in the bag, I knew I wanted to taste it as much as possible so I packed it up when it was more moist than I normally would for a natural VA. Good to know that the delicious Brighton top note sticks around after thorough drying!

 

[yanoJL]

@Butter Side Down I find that with any complex blends, you can’t really keep them lit and smoke them quickly, the casings and toppings seem to wear down from to much fire and heat.

Ok, we smoke a pipe, that requires fire and heat, yes true, but the next time you smoke this, don’t dry it out, lightly pack it, and only light it enough to take a few sips, then let it cool down and repeat, all the way through the entire bowl and see how that goes.

Granted, even though you smoke like this, a lot of blends certainly change anyways, possibly half way, or towards the end.

I find a lot of people don’t have the patience to smoke like this, to smoke more like a marathon, not a sprint.

If you are smoking a pipe with around a 40-50mm chamber depth, that bowl should easily last you 4-6 hours, I’m talking that slow, gently small lighting, and slow gentle sips.

You’re only blowing small little wisps of smoke, not big clouds of smoke. Be like a wine taster, slowing gently sipping and tasting and you will experience more.

Esoterica/Germain’s blends I find, all the ones I’ve smoked, their signature casing is delicate.

I just smoked some Tilbury yesterday and decided to let it dry, not even 15 minutes and that signature Esoterica casing diminished.

Esoterica/Germain’s blends are delicate/subtle, and you have to be gentle smoking them, to get the most out, to fully appreciate them.

I really like Brighton it’s a great blend.

Just to say "thank you" for this.
I have a bowl of Bob's Chocolate Flake going right now; a blend I've been drying before smoking.
But, after reading your comment this morning, I tried a different approach. Less dry time, and kinda nursing the pipe, slowly, all morning. Take a few sips and allow it to go out without immediate relight. And my patience is being rewarded by a more flavorful experience.
I appreciate this!

 

[sablebrush52]

I'll give that a shot too. With a few topped blends I like, namely Erinmore and RY, drying them out thoroughly makes the topping dissipate. I was a bit afraid that might happen here. And from the smell of Brighton in the bag, I knew I wanted to taste it as much as possible so I packed it up when it was more moist than I normally would for a natural VA. Good to know that the delicious Brighton top note sticks around after thorough drying!

I don’t dry it down as much as other Virginias. I dry it enough so that the topping is like a reduction rather than a broth, if that makes sense.

 

[jeff540]

Brighton has been my favorite Esoterica blend to date, been enjoying it for years especially after McClelland's closing in 2017. Sadly, my own experience indicates it's another one of those blends that took a turn down in flavor and consistency after 2019, along with Stonehaven and Dunbar.

 

[sablebrush52]

Brighton has been my favorite Esoterica blend to date, been enjoying it for years especially after McClelland's closing in 2017. Sadly, my own experience indicates it's another one of those blends that took a turn down in flavor and consistency after 2019, along with Stonehaven and Dunbar.

The base blend of Virginias has been changed in these blends. I was seeing the same hard stringy Vriginia show up, that crept into some of the HU blends when they started to decline. My stash is pre 2019, so I'm good.

 

[Butter Side Down]

Made my second run at Brighton this morning. I think I might have overdone the drying this time. Upside: the flavor was definitely more consistent top to bottom. Downside: it did lose more of the topping than I would have liked. Next time I'll shoot for a point somewhere in-between.

This being my first foray, I can't say if the cut of mine is different from how it used to be. Mine is definitely from 2023 though. FWIW, I'm not seeing anything that looks hard and stringy at all. In fact it's probably the softest, silkiest tobacco I've every run through my fingers. I'd describe the cut as being predominantly ribbon with a few bits of mostly rubbed out flake here and there. Sort of like Yorktown with a peppering of Old Gowrie thrown in.

 

[anotherbob]

The advice is appreciated. I *thought* I smoked fairly slow, but I definitely have some years of practice to go before I reach that level of tantric mastery.

don't chant a mantra while smoking a pipe. Doesn't work as well there as else where.
As far as pipes go I suggest not slowing down but easing up and sipping. Try just letting the smoke happen without any drawing just to get a baseline for how little draw power is needed to keep a pipe going. That's my advice.
As far as the other thing I prefer as little competition as possible.