I've been delaying writing this one up, as I still haven't quite teased out the specific flavors in the aromatic fruitiness, but at this point, I suspect they don't really matter to those of us whose palates are not yet trained in the details.
This is the first of 4 blends produced by STG Lane Ltd. (listed on the back of the tin) for Smoke Shop Specialties in Wisconsin (listed on the front of the tin). Smoke Shop Specialties describes the Odin's Wind blend as "... a great marriage of nutty Burley with zesty bright Virginia and a smooth, mellow black Cavendish, and finished with a warm, slightly sweet vanilla note. Mild enough to enjoy all day, rich enough to satisfy." I bought my tins through Pipes&Cigars.com, whose catalog describes the blend's aromatic components as "Vanilla, Sweet", which is right in line both with the blend's marketing and my own experience.
The vanilla notes are definitely there when you open the tin. There's something vaguely fruity about the scent as well, but as noted above, I haven't teased out the specifics yet. The tobacco is relatively moist out of the tin, and will benefit from some drying time. My first few bowls gurgled a bit, partly due to the moisture level and partly due to the winter temperatures here in Colorado when I was trying out the blend. The room note is pleasant - I got unsolicited feedback from a friend who was in the area while I was smoking it, saying it smelled terrific. The aromatic element faded a bit as I smoked, so the last third to quarter of the bowl simply tasted like the tobacco blend, which is not a bad thing. Smoking it a little slower (as the temperature outside went up) helped to preserve the aromatic notes a little longer. This one has yet to smoke down to grey ash for me, but I'm also still figuring out the proper amount of drying time (15 minutes does not seem to do it, and I haven't tried a full half hour yet).
I'll admit - I like this one mostly for the name. One of my sets of great-grandparents were Swedish immigrants, and I'm a big fan of Scandinavian Viking-era history and mythology. My first pipe was a Bjarne Viking Classic, and I like the idea of smoking a blend designed by/for the same company. It's not spectacular, and won't replace 1-Q or Molto Dolce in my Aromatic rotation, but it could very well end up as the third non-cherry aromatic in my regular lineup, pending further experiementation. But honestly, this one reminds me more of Freyr than of Odin with its light, pleasant aroma and medium body.
This is the first of 4 blends produced by STG Lane Ltd. (listed on the back of the tin) for Smoke Shop Specialties in Wisconsin (listed on the front of the tin). Smoke Shop Specialties describes the Odin's Wind blend as "... a great marriage of nutty Burley with zesty bright Virginia and a smooth, mellow black Cavendish, and finished with a warm, slightly sweet vanilla note. Mild enough to enjoy all day, rich enough to satisfy." I bought my tins through Pipes&Cigars.com, whose catalog describes the blend's aromatic components as "Vanilla, Sweet", which is right in line both with the blend's marketing and my own experience.
The vanilla notes are definitely there when you open the tin. There's something vaguely fruity about the scent as well, but as noted above, I haven't teased out the specifics yet. The tobacco is relatively moist out of the tin, and will benefit from some drying time. My first few bowls gurgled a bit, partly due to the moisture level and partly due to the winter temperatures here in Colorado when I was trying out the blend. The room note is pleasant - I got unsolicited feedback from a friend who was in the area while I was smoking it, saying it smelled terrific. The aromatic element faded a bit as I smoked, so the last third to quarter of the bowl simply tasted like the tobacco blend, which is not a bad thing. Smoking it a little slower (as the temperature outside went up) helped to preserve the aromatic notes a little longer. This one has yet to smoke down to grey ash for me, but I'm also still figuring out the proper amount of drying time (15 minutes does not seem to do it, and I haven't tried a full half hour yet).
I'll admit - I like this one mostly for the name. One of my sets of great-grandparents were Swedish immigrants, and I'm a big fan of Scandinavian Viking-era history and mythology. My first pipe was a Bjarne Viking Classic, and I like the idea of smoking a blend designed by/for the same company. It's not spectacular, and won't replace 1-Q or Molto Dolce in my Aromatic rotation, but it could very well end up as the third non-cherry aromatic in my regular lineup, pending further experiementation. But honestly, this one reminds me more of Freyr than of Odin with its light, pleasant aroma and medium body.
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