Lassitude. Sloth. I have been smoking these samples for three weeks, and have yet to carve out the time to post this.
Thanks to the guys from STC of P, especially Woodsroad, who managed to magically produce these tobacco samples in my mailbox. Condor, did you have your yacht out in Lake Ontario on maneuvers again? Because the blockade was deftly handled. I was chuffed (that's for you fnord) to receive the note telling me to expect samples, and I've enjoyed smoking all of them, even if they aren't all in my wheelhouse.
I should note that I'm WAY TOO YOUNG to remember the original blends, and have not had the opportunity to smoke any of the cellared tins which remain from original production. So my analysis stands only on the shoulders of what was in the bowls I smoked of these samples.
Here are my reviews...
John Cotton's No. 1 Mild
Tobacco: Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Cedar/Balsam, Citrus, Stone Fruit
Drying: The sample arrived in a mylar bag and was moist enough to have some spring-back when packed, but was dry on the edges of the tobacco. This is my ideal moisture level so I stuffed and puffed.
Pipe: Castello Shape 32 Sea Rock
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Tobacco took the flame easily, with good expansion. Sweetness accompanied the draw through the charring light with hints of fruit and a light pine note.
True light through first third: An easy tobacco to keep lit, the flavours evolved and became more homogeneous as the bowl began to burn in earnest. Smoke was medium bodied with a nice blue tinge, and the sweets intensified while picking up a bit of tartness or tang (which I am chalking up to the Latakia used as a condiment in this blend).
Second third: Smoke consistency is maintained, the flavours stay deep and sweet with pine notes giving way to earthy sweets.
Bottom third: Overall character continues to deepen, but without overpowering the palate. I find this tobacco to be complex without being overpowering.
Overall: I enjoyed this tobacco. I found it interesting, and characteristic of a mild Balkan.
John Cotton's No. 1 & 2 Medium
Tobacco: Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Stone Fruit, Wood Smoke, Citrus, Spicy
Drying: As with the previous sample, this sample was perfect for me right out of the sample bag.
Pipe: Group 4 equivalent Mike Parks' Bent Bulldog
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: As with the previous sample, this tobacco took the flame and expanded well. Flavours up front were sweet and fruit forward but with a noticeable sharp/tangy smoky quality.
True light through first third: Deep, resonant, smoky and bright. While not overpowering the Latakia is providing a tartness to this blend which complements the spicy and piney character of the Orientals and the fruit notes from the Virginias. Smoke consistency is full bodied, and creamy.
Second third: This tobacco marries well in the bowl delivering a fairly homogeneous flavour profile with sweet and tart notes blending together well.
Bottom third: This tobacco stays consistent from top to bottom, as does smoke consistency producing a satisfyingly creamy and white smoke.
Overall: John Cotton's No. 1 & 2 Medium is a full flavoured, and full bodied, English with the Latakia playing a foreground role. It isn't a latbomb, but you'll certainly know that the Latakia is present.
John Cotton's Smyrna
NOTE - Full disclosure... I love this blend. This is the cherry on top of the STCo. of Penn's sundae for me... actually... screw that... Smyrna is the hot fudge and the nuts. Complex, interesting, non-homogeneous, exciting. Right, the review. Ok. I really liked this blend. - ENDNOTE
Tobacco: Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Spicy, Bright, Pine, Burning Leaves
Drying: As with the previous samples, this sample was perfect for me right out of the sample bag.
Pipe: Castello Shape 32 Sea Rock
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Took flame well. First aromatic notes are the spicy and piney notes of the Smyrna, supported by a sweet and tart note from the Latakia. Virginias are delivering sweetness and providing a foundation to the house that the Orientals built.
True light through first third: Soft, aromatic, and delicious. The spicy, cedar notes lay over the sharpness of the Latakia and the sweets of the Virginias. This bowl is complex and interesting, each sip delivers these flavour notes in different consistency. The smoke is light and blue and clean.
Second third: This bowl continues to deliver flavour in every sip without picking up some of the pitchy and resinous flavours which I find evolve in some Latakia blends. The spice notes and cedar notes stay up front.
Bottom third: To be fair, the bottom third was less complex and sharper than the top two-thirds of the bowl. But the smoke was consistent in body and intensity and the flavour delivery was good.
Overall: This was my personal favourite of the five tobaccos I sampled. It wasn't overpowering, but delivered an interesting, complex, and robust smoke which just kept giving flavour.
Bengal Slices
Tobacco: Black Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Crumble Cake
Aroma: Resinous, Sharp, Tangy, Wet Campfire
Drying: Out of the bag, this crumble cake rubbed out easily, and was slightly dryer than the previous samples.
Pipe: Peterson Rosslare 80S
Prep: Partially rubbed out, but left 1/5 of the cake in smallish cubes. 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: This tobacco took me a couple matches to get a good char going, this likely due to how I prepped the bowl. First sip and I'm drinking Latakia. Which is a good thing if you like a flavour dominated by smoky, tangy (acrid?) sweetness. In this blend, the other Orientals are the condiments and the Latakia is the burger.
True light through first third: Bold, bright, sharp, and tangy. This tobacco delivers a robust and full flavour driven by the Latakia. Interestingly, while this tobacco could be a punch in the face with Latakia, the sugars from the black cavendish really do sweeten and soften the blow. This allows the Latakia to be forward and intense but without it being overpowering. The body of the smoke is rich and full and creamy.
Second third: Again, I find this tobacco to deliver a consistent flavour profile through the second third, as well as a consistently full bodied smoke.
Bottom third: While deepening slightly in the bottom third, Bengal Slices does not become overly sharp or bitter.
Overall: I liked the complexity and intensity of this tobacco very much. I also enjoyed the preparation and the challenge of prepping and smoking a crumble cake. This tobacco is too much for me on a regular basis, but was complex and interesting enough for me to want to have some on hand for those cold autumn evenings, or for when I need a tobacco to compete with an Ardbeg or a Lagavulin.
Warhorse
Tobacco: Kentucky, Burley, Virginia, Perique
Flavouring: Light, Sweet... notes of caramelized sugar (there's something there, but I'll be stuffed if I can figure it out)
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Toasted Nut, Sweet, Burnt Sugar, Lightly Spicy, Plum
Drying: As with the previous samples, this sample was perfect for me right out of the sample bag.
Pipe: Group 4(ish) Ryan Alden Canadian
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Nice charring light with one match, producing a light blue smoke and sweet, mellow flavour.
True light through first third: In general, I found War Horse to be a surprisingly mellow smoke with a simple nutty sweetness. While notes of caramelized sugar, and a light spicy quality were present, they weren't forward. The smoke consistency was light bodied.
Second third: War Horse delivered a consistent flavour profile throughout the bowl. It was an easy tobacco to smoke, without intensity or boldness.
Bottom third: The flavour profile did deepen slightly by the bottom of the bowl, and I did find it easy to smoke to the bottom of the bowl. I would have been able to smoke this bowl to a fine white ash but my campfire was dwindling and the mosquitoes were up, so I dumped the dottle and headed for the house.
Overall: War Horse, in this format, isn't for me. I found it mild, and easy smoking, but lacking in the complexity or character that I generally look for in tobaccos I choose to cellar and smoke.
Lastly, here are some photos snapped along the tasting way.
The Samples!
Enjoying Some Smyrna.
Smyrna In My Castello.
Thanks for reading.
-- Pat
Thanks to the guys from STC of P, especially Woodsroad, who managed to magically produce these tobacco samples in my mailbox. Condor, did you have your yacht out in Lake Ontario on maneuvers again? Because the blockade was deftly handled. I was chuffed (that's for you fnord) to receive the note telling me to expect samples, and I've enjoyed smoking all of them, even if they aren't all in my wheelhouse.
I should note that I'm WAY TOO YOUNG to remember the original blends, and have not had the opportunity to smoke any of the cellared tins which remain from original production. So my analysis stands only on the shoulders of what was in the bowls I smoked of these samples.
Here are my reviews...
John Cotton's No. 1 Mild
Tobacco: Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Cedar/Balsam, Citrus, Stone Fruit
Drying: The sample arrived in a mylar bag and was moist enough to have some spring-back when packed, but was dry on the edges of the tobacco. This is my ideal moisture level so I stuffed and puffed.
Pipe: Castello Shape 32 Sea Rock
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Tobacco took the flame easily, with good expansion. Sweetness accompanied the draw through the charring light with hints of fruit and a light pine note.
True light through first third: An easy tobacco to keep lit, the flavours evolved and became more homogeneous as the bowl began to burn in earnest. Smoke was medium bodied with a nice blue tinge, and the sweets intensified while picking up a bit of tartness or tang (which I am chalking up to the Latakia used as a condiment in this blend).
Second third: Smoke consistency is maintained, the flavours stay deep and sweet with pine notes giving way to earthy sweets.
Bottom third: Overall character continues to deepen, but without overpowering the palate. I find this tobacco to be complex without being overpowering.
Overall: I enjoyed this tobacco. I found it interesting, and characteristic of a mild Balkan.
John Cotton's No. 1 & 2 Medium
Tobacco: Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Stone Fruit, Wood Smoke, Citrus, Spicy
Drying: As with the previous sample, this sample was perfect for me right out of the sample bag.
Pipe: Group 4 equivalent Mike Parks' Bent Bulldog
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: As with the previous sample, this tobacco took the flame and expanded well. Flavours up front were sweet and fruit forward but with a noticeable sharp/tangy smoky quality.
True light through first third: Deep, resonant, smoky and bright. While not overpowering the Latakia is providing a tartness to this blend which complements the spicy and piney character of the Orientals and the fruit notes from the Virginias. Smoke consistency is full bodied, and creamy.
Second third: This tobacco marries well in the bowl delivering a fairly homogeneous flavour profile with sweet and tart notes blending together well.
Bottom third: This tobacco stays consistent from top to bottom, as does smoke consistency producing a satisfyingly creamy and white smoke.
Overall: John Cotton's No. 1 & 2 Medium is a full flavoured, and full bodied, English with the Latakia playing a foreground role. It isn't a latbomb, but you'll certainly know that the Latakia is present.
John Cotton's Smyrna
NOTE - Full disclosure... I love this blend. This is the cherry on top of the STCo. of Penn's sundae for me... actually... screw that... Smyrna is the hot fudge and the nuts. Complex, interesting, non-homogeneous, exciting. Right, the review. Ok. I really liked this blend. - ENDNOTE
Tobacco: Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Spicy, Bright, Pine, Burning Leaves
Drying: As with the previous samples, this sample was perfect for me right out of the sample bag.
Pipe: Castello Shape 32 Sea Rock
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Took flame well. First aromatic notes are the spicy and piney notes of the Smyrna, supported by a sweet and tart note from the Latakia. Virginias are delivering sweetness and providing a foundation to the house that the Orientals built.
True light through first third: Soft, aromatic, and delicious. The spicy, cedar notes lay over the sharpness of the Latakia and the sweets of the Virginias. This bowl is complex and interesting, each sip delivers these flavour notes in different consistency. The smoke is light and blue and clean.
Second third: This bowl continues to deliver flavour in every sip without picking up some of the pitchy and resinous flavours which I find evolve in some Latakia blends. The spice notes and cedar notes stay up front.
Bottom third: To be fair, the bottom third was less complex and sharper than the top two-thirds of the bowl. But the smoke was consistent in body and intensity and the flavour delivery was good.
Overall: This was my personal favourite of the five tobaccos I sampled. It wasn't overpowering, but delivered an interesting, complex, and robust smoke which just kept giving flavour.
Bengal Slices
Tobacco: Black Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish, Virginias, Latakia
Flavouring: None Noted
Cut/Style: Crumble Cake
Aroma: Resinous, Sharp, Tangy, Wet Campfire
Drying: Out of the bag, this crumble cake rubbed out easily, and was slightly dryer than the previous samples.
Pipe: Peterson Rosslare 80S
Prep: Partially rubbed out, but left 1/5 of the cake in smallish cubes. 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: This tobacco took me a couple matches to get a good char going, this likely due to how I prepped the bowl. First sip and I'm drinking Latakia. Which is a good thing if you like a flavour dominated by smoky, tangy (acrid?) sweetness. In this blend, the other Orientals are the condiments and the Latakia is the burger.
True light through first third: Bold, bright, sharp, and tangy. This tobacco delivers a robust and full flavour driven by the Latakia. Interestingly, while this tobacco could be a punch in the face with Latakia, the sugars from the black cavendish really do sweeten and soften the blow. This allows the Latakia to be forward and intense but without it being overpowering. The body of the smoke is rich and full and creamy.
Second third: Again, I find this tobacco to deliver a consistent flavour profile through the second third, as well as a consistently full bodied smoke.
Bottom third: While deepening slightly in the bottom third, Bengal Slices does not become overly sharp or bitter.
Overall: I liked the complexity and intensity of this tobacco very much. I also enjoyed the preparation and the challenge of prepping and smoking a crumble cake. This tobacco is too much for me on a regular basis, but was complex and interesting enough for me to want to have some on hand for those cold autumn evenings, or for when I need a tobacco to compete with an Ardbeg or a Lagavulin.
Warhorse
Tobacco: Kentucky, Burley, Virginia, Perique
Flavouring: Light, Sweet... notes of caramelized sugar (there's something there, but I'll be stuffed if I can figure it out)
Cut/Style: Ribbon Cut
Aroma: Toasted Nut, Sweet, Burnt Sugar, Lightly Spicy, Plum
Drying: As with the previous samples, this sample was perfect for me right out of the sample bag.
Pipe: Group 4(ish) Ryan Alden Canadian
Prep: 3 step stuff, final pre-light draw is stiff, like drawing on a milkshake with the top of the tobacco resting about 1/8" from the top of the bowl.
Charring light: Nice charring light with one match, producing a light blue smoke and sweet, mellow flavour.
True light through first third: In general, I found War Horse to be a surprisingly mellow smoke with a simple nutty sweetness. While notes of caramelized sugar, and a light spicy quality were present, they weren't forward. The smoke consistency was light bodied.
Second third: War Horse delivered a consistent flavour profile throughout the bowl. It was an easy tobacco to smoke, without intensity or boldness.
Bottom third: The flavour profile did deepen slightly by the bottom of the bowl, and I did find it easy to smoke to the bottom of the bowl. I would have been able to smoke this bowl to a fine white ash but my campfire was dwindling and the mosquitoes were up, so I dumped the dottle and headed for the house.
Overall: War Horse, in this format, isn't for me. I found it mild, and easy smoking, but lacking in the complexity or character that I generally look for in tobaccos I choose to cellar and smoke.
Lastly, here are some photos snapped along the tasting way.
The Samples!
Enjoying Some Smyrna.
Smyrna In My Castello.
Thanks for reading.
-- Pat