Am I Tasting Latakia?

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johnparker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 22, 2013
112
0
Decided to post here instead of the new smoker section because I wanted to get a larger cross-section of comments. I am a cigarette smoker and a new pipe smoker. I am tasting something that I am unsure of in certain tobaccos, and want to know what so I can redirect my sampling.
I have smoked McClelland 5100 (like it) and believe I know the base taste of Virginias.
I have smoked some burley and believe I know what it tastes like.
I have smoked Frog Morton (regular)and like it for its sweet, mellow beginning. However, half-way down the bowl I get a strong tasting something that is hard/harsh/almost acrid, though the aftertaste is quite nice. With a sample of Frog Morton in the Cellar I get the bourbon at the start, but then the "hardness" begins. Tried some Ambassador tonight; found it tasty, woody and rich, but half-way down I was beginning to get the "hardness". Tried some Black House, but will have to revisit it to be accurate. Tried some Magnum Opus last night (said to be oriental-forward) and found it very nice, without the "hardness". Same with some Sunjammer.
Is this "hardness"/strong taste the latakia? And, if so, does this general taste vary with the proportion of latakia in the blend?
Thanks for your input!

 

taerin

Lifer
May 22, 2012
1,851
1
latakia does not have a harshness to it, it's very smoky and dry tasting, it also burns very cool. The harsh/acrid taste was probably the moisture starting to affect the flavor of your smoke.

 

johnparker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 22, 2013
112
0
I know that trying to define tastes is probably as difficult as defining smells. My wife and I compared two different shaving soaps side-by-side; I think they smell alike and she thinks they smell different. At any rate, I am going to guess that because the taste I am getting from the tobaccos (which all have some degree of latakia) changes halfway through the smoke, the solution is likely in my smoking technique. I will try to slow down even more, and I will try a Stokkebye Proper English blend that I believe to be strong in latakia for comparison. Thanks!

 

05venturer

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
1,622
2
Amery,WI
Johnparker I think I know what you are talking about. When I first started piping about a year ago I really did not like anything with Latakia in it. Since then I have improved my smoking technique and in the past few months I smoke Latakia blends 90% of the time. I have also noticed that now that I am pretty much off the nails I enjoy it even more.

 

lostandfound

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 30, 2011
924
44
For me, the learning curve for smoking Latakia-laden blends was much steeper than with Virginias. You really do need to smoke slow and sip, or moisture WILL develop and negatively affect the second portion of your smokes. Dunhill's My Mixture 965 and Dunhill's Nightcap are as of right now, my top two English blends, and I have found that they require less attention than the others I've tried.

 

johnparker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 22, 2013
112
0
Would have quoted Eric's comments, but, for whatever reason, my mouse will not allow me to copy and paste. At any rate, just "sipped" a bowl of Black House. It is dry and tastes like smoke from a wood fire. For me, at least at this juncture, no richness nor depth. Will try the Stokkebye later to see what it is like. Did really like the Magnum Opus, and am also looking forward to trying Mt. Marcy and Ambassador (thanks again, fnord!).

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
johnparker, I hope I'm not just repeating what someone else has said, but I find Latakia does not kick in

half way through the bowl. It's right up front, with Dunhill's My Mixture 965, Nightcap, or any of the

blends featuring Latakia. Harshness is usually present from the first light-up, if it's there in the tobacco,

or occurs from moisture, if it happens half way through the bowl. Just my notions, but I hope it helps.

I like some versions of almost all types of tobaccos -- English blends with Latakia, Balkan, Virginia,

Virginia Perique, Burley, Aromatics, etc. But some versions are not tasty and don't burn well and develop

excess moisture and can bite. Learning to keep the pipe burning evenly and not too hot, and not creating

too much moisture, and learning how to tamp as necessary all help make for a better smoke.

 

dryseason91

Can't Leave
Oct 10, 2013
373
5
Dublin, Ireland
There's a similar uncertainty about Provost by James Fox, which is described on the website as a sweet va/cav but involves a woody note that resembles latakia. (Furthermore, the fellow in Fox's shop presented it as an example of an English when I was in there buying my first pipe.) Not that I have the experience to really say, but I think I agree with those on tobaccoreviews.com who say that the smokiness derives not from latakia but from toasted cavendish. There's a latakia character to the tin note, but beside a tin of Nightcap it smells almost like an aromatic.
Either way, it's a delicious and intriguing thing to smoke.

 

erichbaumer

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 4, 2012
738
5
Illinois
That campfire taste is the latakia. What you may be experiencing is a tastebud "shock." It's possible that since you're new to latakia, it's all you taste. That was my experience. I smoked a balkan in a new pipe and thought there was something wrong with the wood. I later realized I was tasting latakia. Anyway, you may start to notice the deeper, richer flavors as your palate grows accustomed to that "burning wood" taste, which will remain but as a strong accent rather than the dominant force.

 

johnparker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 22, 2013
112
0
I am now either enlightened or confused! Just had a bowl of Stokkebye Proper English (described in their literature has one of their blends with the most Latakia), and found it to be very flavorful, smooth, rich, and almost sweet with a spicy note peeking through. Tastes nothing like Black House, which I decided was pungent with Latakia. Am beginning to believe that Latakia adds body but not tang nor taste. Am I getting closer?

 

phred

Lifer
Dec 11, 2012
1,754
4
I am now either enlightened or confused!
Some days, I'm not sure how much of a difference there is... :D
But yes, the flavor of Latakia blends varies widely, depending on what else it's mixed with and in what proportions. The smell is pretty distinctive, and it can take a while to educate one's palate on the subtler differences. Black House is one of my favorites, and I've been able to distinguish it for a while, but it took a while for me to really get the differences between H&H Daybreak (similar to Early Morning Pipe, or so I'm told), H&H House of Lords, and H&H Victorian Stroll.
Keep at it - if it turns out that you enjoy Latakia (some don't, which leaves more for me...), the payoff is well worth it.

 

erichbaumer

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 4, 2012
738
5
Illinois
If you keep smoking and, judging by your comments on the Stokkebye blend, enjoying blends with latakia, you'll eventually "get" it. Another option; you could buy some straight mixing latakia and smoke it (I'd suggest cutting it a little with something very neutral), which should give you a pretty good idea. However, in addition to what Phred mentioned about latakia's effect changing with different ingredients and proportions, there will be differences in the specific latakia batches used by different blenders, leading to even more variables.

Good luck, looking forward to more updates!

 

dryseason91

Can't Leave
Oct 10, 2013
373
5
Dublin, Ireland
To anyone who cares: I emailed Fox's on a whim asking about Provost. They replied saying that although there is a 'touch' of latakia present to provide body, there is not enough to classify it as a latakia blend. So I suppose we can call it a light English? Or ought there be more oriental in there for that?

 

iwbiek

Lurker
Oct 13, 2013
25
0
Am beginning to believe that Latakia adds body but not tang nor taste.
my experience is the opposite. latakia has a stout, woody taste (for me, reminiscent of coal smoke from a chimney, which i like), but almost no body on its own. when i smoked pure latakia, the flavor was strong but went as quickly as it came, and the smoke was thin and lacked any depth at all. that's why virginia is necessary to give it body.
that being said, latakia is something i can't live without, especially in my favorite dark pub in the dead of a slovak winter, with the cast iron stove roaring nearby, gawith navy flake sizzling away in my favorite clay, and a large beer at my elbow (yes, i know some people insist latakia and beer don't go together...pfff, whatever).

 

johnparker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 22, 2013
112
0
I like that! Coal smoke from a chimney! Yes, I have sensed that, but others talked about cool, so it has me confused. But do know about the stout, woody, campfire taste. I will definitely remember that.

 

iwbiek

Lurker
Oct 13, 2013
25
0
by cool they mean latakia doesn't tend to burn as hot or bite as easily as, say, burley, which i definitely concur with. the pure latakia i once bought was very dry in the tin (a huge disappointment), but even then my pipe didn't get too hot. of course, the type and quality of the pipe itself also has a lot to do with that.

 
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