Esoterica's Stonehaven

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hawke

Lifer
Feb 1, 2014
1,346
4
Augusta, Ga
Thanks to fitzy and our trades, Ive been able to sample Stonehaven. I'm smoking my first bowl as I type. I liked the tin note right off but not all that impressed. It does have a unique smell which did attract me. THEN... I lit it up. SURPRISE! I'm very pleased with Stonehaven! Its quite tasty. For a Va/Bur it was surprisingly tasty and has nice sweetness. There's a smokey flavor that reminiscent of some latakia blends but without any tongue irritation at all, even smoked slightly wet as I just crumbled the flake and packed it up. I like it better than Esoterica's Penzance.
Thank you Fitzy! :clap:

 

iamn8

Lifer
Sep 8, 2014
4,248
14
Moody, AL
Great review! I've yet to sample fine vintage Stonehaven. I LOVE it fresh, but am curious how it ages. I have a bunch stockpiled, but I find it ages at a rate similar to that by which I age. This is dissapointing. Such a good tobacco should experience time at an accelerated rate relative to myself. I'd shove my lot on a string into a black hole had I the chance, but earthbound black holes are harder to come by than Stonehaven and Penzance... and so I search onwards. Always love reading what others think about the blends I hold near n dear.
Thank you Fitzy.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,344
Good quality leaf, but too much perique pepperiness for me on the retrohale.

 

kola

Lifer
Apr 1, 2014
1,484
2,339
Colorado Rockies, Cripple Creek region
I'm glad you like it...and I'm glad I dislike it. I find it a bitter and harsh tobacco for me personally and I'm pleased that I don't have to hunt the stuff down or pay outrageous fees for it. I'll stick with GLP, SG and Russ O's blends.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,621
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Interesting review. I've not noticed any smokiness in the blend,just raisins and chocolate with a bit of hay and grassiness. Tends to be a dud unless smoked at just the right moisture content. But when the stars align it's a very pleasant smoke.

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
32
I tend to agree. Very pleasant, with a great deal of internal variation. Short on Nicotine or I'd miss it tragically.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
I have been smoking through a pound of 2007 Stonehaven and it ages incredibly well. The Virginia's really do come out and the sweetness takes on that stewed fruit characterstic of raisins and figs, the the burley smooths out nicely, and they compliment each other very well.

 

cynicismandsugar

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 17, 2015
773
4
Springfield, Mo
I enjoy Stonehaven! I find the love it/hate it mentality of Esoterica blends rather baffling. Now that I've been fortunate enough to try these unicorns, I would say the flavor is like strip steak vs. filet mignon: In a the world full of big, meaty beef flavor, sometimes you want something a bit more mild, subtle, and complex.
Personally, I love strip! but I wouldn't turn down a filet o' treat, especially at a reasonable cost. Life's too short for repetition! ... or arguing over subjective trivials.
So, grab your strip, filet, or/and heaping hunk of tofu, and enjoy!
Hawke, I'm happy you got your hands on such a delicacy!

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Definitely overrated. I much prefer the grass clippings infused with aromatic propylene glycol I find at the drugstore.

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
32
I find the love it/hate it mentality of Esoterica blends rather baffling.
It's a side effect of the unicorn phenomenon.
I much prefer the grass clippings infused with aromatic propylene glycol I find at the drugstore.
O come now! A false dichotomy, this early in the day?

 

iamn8

Lifer
Sep 8, 2014
4,248
14
Moody, AL
I'm with you Jeff! How can such terrific tobaccos be so off the charts divisive? Only these two tobaccos and no others present such divisiveness. It's mystifying to me. That said, it makes for some wonderful threads! Just when you think that there couldn't possibly be anything new to say... no, nevermind. There isn't anything new to say ;)

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
32
Only these two tobaccos and no others present such divisiveness.
Is this a good time to mention Royal Yacht, which some adore and others refer to pejoratively as "Royal Yuck"?

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
Glad you finally got to try some, Hawke! :puffy:
I agree with Cigrmaster that it ages very well ... much smoother and refined.

 

iamn8

Lifer
Sep 8, 2014
4,248
14
Moody, AL
You're correct, but I've never seen a royal yacht thread get heated so fast. Yacht you hate it or not, but people take issue with Esoterica and VERY passionate about it, not like RY.

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
I'm new so to speak so what do I know. I have tried Stonehaven 3 separate times now and I still could care less about it, must be the Burley/VA thing going on and just not to my liking. Passionate about it, not this piper. I have two bags in the cellar, one of which I got by pure accident, but it is a Unicorn so I took it. Maybe my taste will change in the future and I will wish I had more, but I don't even look for it.
Now the other one is a different story. I love Lat and English blends so that one I look for, but not really putting in any excessive effort and I have gotten more than I need. But it is a Unicorn so I must have more, much more, I am addicted (TAD) after all.
But again passionate about either, nah. Guess it's to my advantage to be new and uninformed about how I should be falling over myself to get more of this stuff. If it falls into my hands then I will probably buy more. Killing myself to get it, nah.

 

hawke

Lifer
Feb 1, 2014
1,346
4
Augusta, Ga
I just smoked the other half of the 1st flake. I still like it. Minimal tongue bite but actually what I like most is the nicotine effect. Which makes me wonder why there are differences in the effect we all get.

 

scrooge

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,341
14
Well I don't see any body arguing . Just a bunch of pipe junkies chit chatting. Nice one peck! The stonehaven an penzance I have tried were fairly new, just didn't like it. Not enough kick ass in it. I have a few jars pushing about 5 years maybe I'll give them a try some day. Oh an Hawke I haven't tried yours yet gonna give it a little aging.

 
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