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To steal a very English phrase, this was a lovely bowl of tobacco. I rubbed out a flake, and chose to rub it out to as fine of a cut as it would rub out to, even pulling apart some of the ribbons. I packed the bowl really for draw more than worrying about packing a flake well, as I figured to tamp away should it be too light of a pack. The char light there was that Lakeland essence there but also a bit of smokiness, which can be attributed to the Latakia in the blend, and a subtle chocolate flavor. The bowl stayed lit and I didn't need a relate the entire time. The first third of the bowl was what I have come to expect from a Lakeland but the tobaccos are much more forward in this blend. I settled in and was ready for this to be the course, as that has been my experience with other lakelands. I was very suprised and pleased in the second third of the bowl to experience a very pronounce sweetness, but not that cloying kind, it read more like a sweet and sour with a bit of chocolate aftertaste. The sweet/sour hit the tongue while the chocolate seemed to live on my pallet and cheeks. In that mix was an occasional nuttyness throughout the bowl that was quite enjoyable. The bottom of the bowl was very nice tobacco with hints of cocoa, and to my suprise the Lakeland essence came back to a small degree but ce off as more of a subdue floral and vanilla than the heavy perfume. I will experiment more with this blend as I suspect that technique plays a roll in when the different flavors appear. I enjoyed that this was a very maintenance free smoke. It was a beautiful clear night, but cold so I clenched most of the smoke and kept my hands in my pockets. It didn't gurgle once and needed only the occasional tamp. I smoked this in my recently found unsmoked Whitehall panel billard. This little pipe while not high end, smoked beautifully and will be a regular in the rotation. I sat there enjoying this beautiful blend while listening to a buck chase a doe through a stand of trees behind my house. It was a truly great hour and fifteen, maybe the best of my weekend. I will be purchasing more of this one, a great smoke.
