October Pax Crawl - VaPers

[cmdrmcbragg]

+1 smokingtexan
@sallow, thanks for your spot this month, bud. You have my spot on the rotation now, which is either November or December.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

The TIN SHARE for October is CLOSED. The order has been placed.

 

[brass]

Sallow, you have a spot in December if you're still participating.
I'm posting official lists in the sticky.
I've PMd all on the November selection team and asked them to drop in and discuss their ideas for a theme by the first of October. Regular crawlers are free to propose their ideas as well. Going forward, we can consider OTC blends; aromatics; English; Orientals, cigar leaf, specific blenders or whatever else appeals to you. B
BTW, the Boswells have said that they will be happy to put together a sample of their blends for us, if you guys want to go that way. Might be lighter on the wallet, too. I think they do mostly aromatics, is that right?
Next year, we may wish to reserve eligibility for picking blends to those who are actively participating in or have participated in one or two crawls.
But for now the schedule is:
November 2014 Selection Team

Theme:?

Stosho

Ruger414

Dread

SailorJeremy
December 2014 Selection Team

Theme:?

Pruss

Mike73

mrEnglish

Sallow

 

[minfarshaw]

Boswell's sounds like a good idea. They do mostly aromatics but their English blends look interesting too.

 

[brass]

We need to hear from the November team members ASAP to get input on selections and theme. I've PMd all below but have yet to hear back from them yet. It is understandable that some folks come and go on the board due to jobs, family concerns, etc.
If we don't get a response back by next Friday; October 10, let's proceed. I don't want to get in a time crunch to organize it, and we all want plenty of lead time to order our stash.
BTW, thanks again to Cmdr McBragg for the TinMaster service. I found myself not being able to smoke the contents of all the tins and it is a good way to test out blends without investing in a tin you may not like. (That really hasn't been a problem for me. I just like some of our blends better than others, but I like even the least favorite I've tried during the crawls)
BTW, I don't think we need to wait until next week to discuss ideas for the November theme. Boswells or other blender? English blends, Cigar leaf?
BTW, at some point, group willing, I'd like to do a drugstore, over-the-counter, theme, just for old time's sake. And I know plenty of members still enjoy Prince Albert, Carter Hall, Captain Black, Borkum Riff, Sir Walter Raleigh, etc. I do think they are mostly burley blends and cavendish aromatics. It would be a relatively cheap crawl and I don't want to be a complete snob. I haven't smoked them in decades so I'm just curious as to how they stand up to tin and bulk blends. And my cobbs seem like they're asking for an old-fashioned smoke.
November 2014 Selection Team

Theme:?

Stosho

Ruger414

Dread

SailorJeremy

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

No worries, @brass, we are all saving ourselves some money by not purchasing upwards of $40 each worth of tobacco every month. It has worked out well only having 3-4 people doing it each crawl. Larger shares, lower costs and easier logistics.
For November, I like the idea of focusing on one blender. I'd like to also see a Dunhill month (tins and bulk mix make for a relatively inexpensive month) or an English month, my second favorite type of blend.
I would have to decline OTC Month as I'm sure everyone is aware how much I do not like burley (or OTCs for that matter), so I'd have to catch you all the following month. That would be a "Nay" vote.
I vote for a lottery selection if there are open spots for the November team.

 

[brass]

Thanks for the feedback, Cmdr.
If we have spots, and don't get an easy consensus, lottery sounds fine. I think going forward, we'll want to keep picks to current, active members. Even regular, longtime, devoted members get side-tracked by work or other obligations.
I'm honoring the list we have, but starting around January, it might be better to pick selection members, from active members, giving priority to those who didn't have a turn. Easier to manage as well.
Or maybe just take nominations and vote, if it could be done simply enough. I don't think this board has a poll feature, or does it?

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

You could add a link to a live poll. I've seen it done that way before.

 

[lincolnsbark]

Polling is an interesting idea if someone knows how to do it. I second the idea of a dunhill month given the deal going on this october. I have had a few OTCs and don't really care for them. Sir Walter Raleigh is the only one i've enjoyed and even that is kind of blah.

 

[thesmokingtexan]

I like the idea of the drug store blend. After trying all these tin tobaccos it would be interesting to see how the pouch blends stack up. Also a bulk blend theme would be good only blends that have an option of buying by the pound. I would like to stock up on some tobacco but I am not going to buy 2 pounds worth of tins of Escudo. Alittle pricey. Just a thought.

 

[sallow]

Any interest in Lakelands for December?

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

I'd be in for that @sallow.

 

[lincolnsbark]

@sallow I would be interested in that as well!

 

[brass]

Sallo, can you PM the rest of the guys on your team and see what they think about Lakelands. Appears you have come up with a poplular idea.
Regarding November Theme: Sailor PMd and suggested Englishes or perhaps Balkans. If Balkans, how do we define? What do you think?
Cmdr, what is a "live poll"?

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

There are sites where you can create a poll, you just add the link to the post and hope people go to the poll and select their choices.

 

[cmdrmcbragg]

VOTE FOR NOVEMBER
How fitting with mid-term elections coming next month that I have a poll for the November Crawl. Voting ends on the 12th (Next Sunday), so please go vote for the theme for next month's crawl.
November Pax Crawl Theme Poll

 

[sallow]

I opened up an 8 oz tin for this. It has a bit over a year of age on it.

I haven't smoked any Haddos's in about six months. I usually smoke flakes so the first bowl I forgot to slow down. This and the fact that it was so good made me smoke too fast.
My cadence the following day was just about right. Sometimes I get a nice almost cigar note from this, and the rum/perique mix is just divine.
Nice choice. A classic, top shelf selection. I should always have this open.

 

[darwin]

I made the mistake of trying Haddo's in my Sav Onda Canadian. Big mistake. After at least 15 smokes the grotesquely awful bowl coating precludes enjoying anything at all. Alternatively it might just be a chunk of crappy briar but either way to the woodchipper with it.
Moving on to more reasonable choices, a Falcon and a Gr.1 Johs, the initial impression, aside from the fermented rummy tin note, is one of warm, airy, properly tangy Perique but crisp grassy Virginia soon joins the party and they coyly hold hands through the rest of the bowl. I don't detect the alleged Cavendish but that may be where some of the airy is coming from. It's a Nic-O-Rama for sure. With both small bowls I had to set it aside for a bit to head off the brain spins. No taste penalty for the switch-off and restart though. It did light easily and stayed that way straight out of the tin.
This tin is about as fresh as is possible, it's tagged as August this year, so doubtless age will coax this lightweight rambunctious youngster into something with more gravitas.

 

[brass]

Darwin, it isn't clear to me if the Sav Onda Canadian comes with a coating from the pipe maker that is awful? Does Save coat all their pipes or just certain models? I've never noticed a coating in the two or three Savs in my collection.
Super nice presentation/review.
CmdrMcBragg, thanks for setting up the poll. We'll have to pick the actual blends early the following week to ensure that members have time to acquire their stock.

 

[brass]

Darwin, it isn't clear to me if the Sav Onda Canadian comes with a coating from the pipe maker that is awful? Does Save coat all their pipes or just certain models? I've never noticed a coating in the two or three Savs in my collection.
Super nice presentation/review.
CmdrMcBragg, thanks for setting up the poll. We'll have to pick the actual blends early the following week to ensure that members have time to acquire their stock.
For those of you who are inclined, please give us your ratings for the September blends at http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/september-pax-crawl-tobacco-101/page/2?replies=129#post-686293.
I thought, overall, the selections for the month were terrific.