Upon opening my tin, I was greeted with the sight of...What the hell is this? Fish food? light brown, very large coarse cut chunks of tobacco with a little black flecks sprinkled in. Tin note had a faint bourbon smell, very earthy, raisiny, and a little sweet. The moisture didn't feel too bad out of the tin and I was brave enough to grab some tobacco right out of the tin, loaded it up, and started puffing. First light yielded a slight bourbon taste with a little nutty burley and a nice black pepper kick from the Perique. The second light yielded a taste and sensation that was akin to chewing on a porcupine and left a feeling in the back of my throat like I had been gargling thumb tacks. It was then that I realized that the tobacco was still a little too moist for my liking, so I left the lid off the tin for about an hour or so. The next day, I loaded another bowl with the sufficiently dried tobacco and lit up again. First light had hints of bourbon, less burley, a little sweetness from the Virginia, and a small hint of peppery perique. Then came the second light. Much smoother, less harsh. Burley takes center stage, a nutty, earthy and a little smokey, the Virginia helps to smooth things out and the Perique peppery notes never dominate but always linger in the aftertaste. Mid bowl, the flavor changes a little, but more importantly, the mid bowl point saw the nicotine content go from "Satisfying" to "Holy Hell, Can I Get The Plate Number of the 18 Wheeler That Just Ran Over My Face?" This blend is strong, stout, and the nicotine content is enough to put hair on the hair on your chest. Having smoked 5 Brothers and Montford Point Marine, this blend laughs in their faces, kicks dirt on their shoes, and dunks their heads in the toilet. My tin was fairly fresh and was bold and flavorful, but as was discussed in another post, I can see how this might not age that well. All kidding aside, I really liked this tobacco, despite the fact that the Vitamin N content was enough to give my future grandchildren a buzz. It is very Burley forward, pretty earthy and a little sweet, and it has a good dose of perique. Combine all that with the hint of bourbon in the background, almost a kind of vanilla essence with some charred oak notes and its a very unique tobacco. It smokes clean and cool, lots of bold flavor and a hearty smoke that is not for those with weak constitutions or a pace maker. The ash is about as dry as they come and this would be a great blend to break in a pipe with. Best suited for a small bowl and a short smoke, great for ex-cigarette smokers who need a nicotine kick, Frenchys Sunzabitches is a good smoke, but definitely not an everyday one. Buy this one with the intent of smoking it fresh, and smoke carefully. You have been warned.
