Beowulf from Jack Lee Blend
Review by Baron Samedi
I’ve been a friend of Jack Lee Blend since it was just, “Hey, Baron, smoke this and tell me what you think.” That was the eponymous Halfling’s Leaf and it still stays in my rotation. Jack Lee Blend LLC now has nine unique blends and this Beowulf is the latest that I have tried.
I expected it to be a departure from JLB’s odyssey into the world of the high-quality aromatic when Mr. Lee told me it was an English style blend. Being a fan of those and a noted lover of Lady Latakia, I couldn’t wait to see the results! He sent me three of his new blends, but I had to try Beowulf first! So I loaded up a Meerschaum, went off to the Mead Hall (aka my back porch) with a cup of coffee, which is my usual companion in tobacco enjoyment.
I dumped out the tobacco onto a sheet of paper and planted my face in it. It smelled smoky and…sweet? I noticed the Latakia, though the campfire smokiness was very subdued and that good old Red Virginia, which Jack is so fond of using, due to its robust flavor and natural sweetness. I saw some bright leaf in there and what I think was some Turkish or Oriental. I’m thinking it was Turkish and I’ll tell you why in a minute. Another smell I got was a familiar sweetness that I don’t normally find in an English. It wasn’t a “Hey! Someone put Lat in an aromatic!” smell. Not by a long shot. This was more like an English with a “something else” in it.
I let it dry for an hour on the paper; though I’m sure it would have smoked well from the pouch. I just had the feeling that I wanted this one to be a little crisper. It packed soft and springy into my Meerschaum and once outside, I struck a match and lit it up.
True to an English style blend, there was the greeting of Lady Latakia on the charring light. I sat and drew on the slightly charred leaves for a bit and enjoyed the smokiness before lighting the true. On the true light, I was greeted with those Virginias and a smoothness that made me suspect that the other tobacco in there was Turkish. Man, this is the smoothest, most forgiving blend JLB has ever done. If that ain’t Turkish, then there is some witchery going on! It was beautifully easy to smoke from the top of the bowl to the bottom. I recalled how cutting back Burley and introducing Turkish smoothed out my own home-blend and noticed the distinct smoothness here. The cool part is that the robust flavor of good Virginia Leaf is still there, chugging along, but like a good English, the Latakia and other tobaccos reigns in that acid and gives a smooth smoke!.
What is NOT like a normal English is that sneaky little flavor I noticed on smelling the tobacco. Through the first quarter of the bowl, the sweetness spoke of honey. I’m a big fan of honey and certain Beowulf-related beverages that are made from honey so the impression came on quickly. As the bowl puffed on, there also came a peculiar spice on the tip of my tongue! Had Grendel snuck into the mead hall? Nope. Indeed, this English blend has overtones of cloves or perhaps allspice. I have to insist that the main body of flavor is in fact the taste of tobacco! The smooth, ridiculously easy to smoke blend of Latakia, choice Virginias and what I suspect to be Turkish are steady and very well balanced toward the front of the palate. The honey sweetness and clove-like spice bounce around in the mix and do an amazing job of keeping this smoke interesting while not ripping off your left arm and beating you with fruitiness. It’s like “OK this is English…WAIT! This isn’t English! Damn you!...Oh wait. I actually really like this; maybe I should just shut up and smoke.”
Except…IT IS A FREAKIN’ ENGLISH!!!
There are no toppings here. What I taste is actually what Jack did to some Perique, and this is from the man himself, it didn’t involve a topping. Once again proving the versatility of a Burley leaf that spends its life stuffed in a hollow log somewhere in Louisiana, Jack has manipulated the taste of this component, and I suspect one of the others to make a NATURAL FREAKING ENGLISH taste like it has a dose of some secret sauce…somewhere… Talk about having your Kake and smoking it, too! I actually sent Jack an email asking him what was up with this blend and its unique sweetness and he assured me that this was no topped tobacco. Considering the smoothness, lack of sugar burn that threatens the tongue with even the best aromatics and the consistency of the leaf from the pouch to the ashes, his claim is 100% believable. Also, from my own blend, Miskatonic, I did similar things to Virginia and Perique to give it the room note of an aromatic, while being 100% natural. Jack just one-upped me and spun the flavor in a completely different direction.
In my Dunhill Shell, the blend changed like day to night! This time it was evening and instead of coffee, I had a Reed’s Ginger Brew, fortified with 1-1/2oz of Vodka and 1-1/2oz of Jim Beam Honey Liqueur. I knew from the char light, that it was going to be different. The Group 4 Dunhill, made in 1969 is a pipe genetically engineered to smoke English and Balkans and it was the perfect choice. The flavor was much more subdued, as I expected, but those honey and clove flavors that sang so loud in the Meerschaum, stepped into background a good ways, the Latakia pulling forward and the Virginias mingling to supply a flavorful body to the smoke. It had less of the Hone/Clove overtone and more of the raisins, figs and plums I expect from an English full of Red Virginia and Perique. Those interesting and unique tastes were still there, but in a good Briar, it felt like all-day English that was just mild, smooth and tasty.
If you buy this blend, plan on trying it in some different pipes and you won’t be disappointed. I’m glad I went for the Meerschaum first and experienced the amazing flavor profile that really had me wondering. Had I tried it in the Briar first, I would have simply accepted it as a tasty mild English with just enough Latakia and just enough body to keep me smoking and keep me interested all the way through the bowl. I would have simply been satisfied and probably never ventured out until later on down the road.
This is an English I would recommend for a new smoker or one seeking to move out of the world of saucy aromatic blends. The room note is surprisingly pleasant for an English (assuming that unlike me, you DON’T like the smell of leather, fungus and wet cat that is common to heavy English and Big Balkans). The draw is smooth from top to bottom without the least threat of bite or burn, yet it is, in fact, true English, in the sense that it pushes the flavor of the Virginia forward, is all natural and does indulge the Dark Lady Latakia in good form. I would also recommend it for those of us who love to casually smoke the natural leaf, while we contemplate, write or work in our shops and want to while away the hours leaving only the memories of things well-done and familiar tastes enjoyed. Whether it is the shop, the Goth club or the Mead Hall that suits your tastes, Beowulf will never fail to deliver!
Review by Baron Samedi
I’ve been a friend of Jack Lee Blend since it was just, “Hey, Baron, smoke this and tell me what you think.” That was the eponymous Halfling’s Leaf and it still stays in my rotation. Jack Lee Blend LLC now has nine unique blends and this Beowulf is the latest that I have tried.
I expected it to be a departure from JLB’s odyssey into the world of the high-quality aromatic when Mr. Lee told me it was an English style blend. Being a fan of those and a noted lover of Lady Latakia, I couldn’t wait to see the results! He sent me three of his new blends, but I had to try Beowulf first! So I loaded up a Meerschaum, went off to the Mead Hall (aka my back porch) with a cup of coffee, which is my usual companion in tobacco enjoyment.
I dumped out the tobacco onto a sheet of paper and planted my face in it. It smelled smoky and…sweet? I noticed the Latakia, though the campfire smokiness was very subdued and that good old Red Virginia, which Jack is so fond of using, due to its robust flavor and natural sweetness. I saw some bright leaf in there and what I think was some Turkish or Oriental. I’m thinking it was Turkish and I’ll tell you why in a minute. Another smell I got was a familiar sweetness that I don’t normally find in an English. It wasn’t a “Hey! Someone put Lat in an aromatic!” smell. Not by a long shot. This was more like an English with a “something else” in it.
I let it dry for an hour on the paper; though I’m sure it would have smoked well from the pouch. I just had the feeling that I wanted this one to be a little crisper. It packed soft and springy into my Meerschaum and once outside, I struck a match and lit it up.
True to an English style blend, there was the greeting of Lady Latakia on the charring light. I sat and drew on the slightly charred leaves for a bit and enjoyed the smokiness before lighting the true. On the true light, I was greeted with those Virginias and a smoothness that made me suspect that the other tobacco in there was Turkish. Man, this is the smoothest, most forgiving blend JLB has ever done. If that ain’t Turkish, then there is some witchery going on! It was beautifully easy to smoke from the top of the bowl to the bottom. I recalled how cutting back Burley and introducing Turkish smoothed out my own home-blend and noticed the distinct smoothness here. The cool part is that the robust flavor of good Virginia Leaf is still there, chugging along, but like a good English, the Latakia and other tobaccos reigns in that acid and gives a smooth smoke!.
What is NOT like a normal English is that sneaky little flavor I noticed on smelling the tobacco. Through the first quarter of the bowl, the sweetness spoke of honey. I’m a big fan of honey and certain Beowulf-related beverages that are made from honey so the impression came on quickly. As the bowl puffed on, there also came a peculiar spice on the tip of my tongue! Had Grendel snuck into the mead hall? Nope. Indeed, this English blend has overtones of cloves or perhaps allspice. I have to insist that the main body of flavor is in fact the taste of tobacco! The smooth, ridiculously easy to smoke blend of Latakia, choice Virginias and what I suspect to be Turkish are steady and very well balanced toward the front of the palate. The honey sweetness and clove-like spice bounce around in the mix and do an amazing job of keeping this smoke interesting while not ripping off your left arm and beating you with fruitiness. It’s like “OK this is English…WAIT! This isn’t English! Damn you!...Oh wait. I actually really like this; maybe I should just shut up and smoke.”
Except…IT IS A FREAKIN’ ENGLISH!!!
There are no toppings here. What I taste is actually what Jack did to some Perique, and this is from the man himself, it didn’t involve a topping. Once again proving the versatility of a Burley leaf that spends its life stuffed in a hollow log somewhere in Louisiana, Jack has manipulated the taste of this component, and I suspect one of the others to make a NATURAL FREAKING ENGLISH taste like it has a dose of some secret sauce…somewhere… Talk about having your Kake and smoking it, too! I actually sent Jack an email asking him what was up with this blend and its unique sweetness and he assured me that this was no topped tobacco. Considering the smoothness, lack of sugar burn that threatens the tongue with even the best aromatics and the consistency of the leaf from the pouch to the ashes, his claim is 100% believable. Also, from my own blend, Miskatonic, I did similar things to Virginia and Perique to give it the room note of an aromatic, while being 100% natural. Jack just one-upped me and spun the flavor in a completely different direction.
In my Dunhill Shell, the blend changed like day to night! This time it was evening and instead of coffee, I had a Reed’s Ginger Brew, fortified with 1-1/2oz of Vodka and 1-1/2oz of Jim Beam Honey Liqueur. I knew from the char light, that it was going to be different. The Group 4 Dunhill, made in 1969 is a pipe genetically engineered to smoke English and Balkans and it was the perfect choice. The flavor was much more subdued, as I expected, but those honey and clove flavors that sang so loud in the Meerschaum, stepped into background a good ways, the Latakia pulling forward and the Virginias mingling to supply a flavorful body to the smoke. It had less of the Hone/Clove overtone and more of the raisins, figs and plums I expect from an English full of Red Virginia and Perique. Those interesting and unique tastes were still there, but in a good Briar, it felt like all-day English that was just mild, smooth and tasty.
If you buy this blend, plan on trying it in some different pipes and you won’t be disappointed. I’m glad I went for the Meerschaum first and experienced the amazing flavor profile that really had me wondering. Had I tried it in the Briar first, I would have simply accepted it as a tasty mild English with just enough Latakia and just enough body to keep me smoking and keep me interested all the way through the bowl. I would have simply been satisfied and probably never ventured out until later on down the road.
This is an English I would recommend for a new smoker or one seeking to move out of the world of saucy aromatic blends. The room note is surprisingly pleasant for an English (assuming that unlike me, you DON’T like the smell of leather, fungus and wet cat that is common to heavy English and Big Balkans). The draw is smooth from top to bottom without the least threat of bite or burn, yet it is, in fact, true English, in the sense that it pushes the flavor of the Virginia forward, is all natural and does indulge the Dark Lady Latakia in good form. I would also recommend it for those of us who love to casually smoke the natural leaf, while we contemplate, write or work in our shops and want to while away the hours leaving only the memories of things well-done and familiar tastes enjoyed. Whether it is the shop, the Goth club or the Mead Hall that suits your tastes, Beowulf will never fail to deliver!
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