"Fair Exchange Is No Robbery"

flakyjakey · Nov 7, 2013

I hate cryptic posts, don't you? But the title to this post is not as cryptic as it may seem! I recently exchanged some tobaccos with Pruss and Misterlowercase. Pruss has recently reviewed a couple of my plugs, and there may be more to come about his views on the other tobaccos. In terms of volume received it seemed I got the better deal, but taking into account the punitive cost of tobacco and the prohibitive tax policy in the UK it may have been closer. So I thought I should share my brief thoughts (rather than a detailed review) about the wonderful tobaccos I received and that are so hard to source from the UK.
Before doing so I thought I might introduce a couple more acronyms (groan lol), based on analogies in the wine world. Wine tasters will often use the terms "hard to spit" if they taste a wine that is so good they want to down the whole glass. Therefore below I will use "hard to put down" (HTPD) and "impossible to put down" (ITPD)!! LOL
1. Pruss's Tobaccos:
- Capstain Blue (flake) - a beautiful, pure, sweet and mild Va flake. Almost an FVF 'lite' - HTPD!!

- McLelland Christmas Cheer (2012) - Stunning, I have no idea how they get so many flavours with just Va! I have saved the rest of the sample for Christmas Day when it will be smoked in my 'final pipe purchase' 1911 Peterson (a Christmas gift from my Better Half)

- Esoterica Stonehaven - Otherworldly, rich and deep, it is one of the best tobaccos I have ever smoked - ITPD!!!

- Peretti's Cambridge Flake - a good smoke but it gave me tongue bite.
2. Mlc's Tobaccos:
- Esoterica Stonehaven - ditto, I now know what all the fuss is about!! LOL

- HH Old Dark Fired Flake - my kind of smoke; rich deep and very satisfying - HTPD!

- Robert McConnell Latakia Flake - I love Latakia, and I love this! Smoother and creamier than my Balkan Flakes. It would be an all day tobacco for me - HTPD!!!

- GPP's Maltese Falcon - I never thought I would smoke, never mind enjoy, ribbon/ready-rubbed tobacco. A lovely blend, an all day tobacco, the only problem being it disappears too fast in the bowl!! LOL - HTPD!!!!

- GLP's Odyssey - as above but more depth and more Latakia-forward, stunning!! - ITPD!!
Thank you gents, it was a great tasting experience!!

petes03 · Nov 7, 2013

Sounds like some real winners! I don't think I've had any of those, but man, some of them sound really good!

misterlowercase · Nov 7, 2013

I clicked on this link thinking it would be about Obamacare LOL
Glad you liked the leaf.
I've had a few batches of Stonehaven which've had slight variation, some seemed to be not as dark or well-sauced, did you note any distinct difference between the 2 samples you received?
And, have ya got any Germain's RDF yet? If so, what say you on the comparison to SH?
Yeah, the GLP stuff is stone cold classic, I'm still working my way thru the range, ever since my conversion into liking Lat, and his stuff has layers and layers of overlapping and intermingling nuance, with a solid backbone and usually a bit more stout than the average Lat blends, I'm amazed how roughly the same components can create such different distinct flavor profiles, Jackknife Plug is one of my Holy Grails and his classic Dark Leaf blends live up to the Arthurian legend as well...
Robt. McC LF is sort of an oddball, but I love it, it's kind of like a Poor Yank's St. Bruno in that it has almost the same taste, or at least similar, and it's gotta good N kick too. My first tin was a learning process on the best way to go at it b/c it can be temperamental about burning qualities with me...
I agree about the "fair exchange", I shit twinkies when I opened yer package, I'm still in wonderland with it too!
Thanks for the oppo to try this good stuff!

flakyjakey · Nov 7, 2013

@misterlowercase:
1. The two samples of Stonehaven from Pruss and you were IMO identical. I have just done a direct side-by-side comparison (clay pipe, Morta the fuiken lot!) of Stonehaven and Germain's Rich Dark Flake and will be posting my observations tonight or tomorrow. I think you will find the results interesting!! LOL
2. I agree entirely with your comments on the Maltese Falcon and Odyssey. Despite my preconceptions about ribbons I LOVED them.
3. The LF was great. It was a dry flake from the tin and went straight into the bowl. I loved its 'smoooothed-out' Latakia. It would be one of my regulars were I stateside.
4. The Jacknife was a bit disappointing. Not as nice as my own plugs, but maybe I was unlucky.

peckinpahhombre · Nov 7, 2013

Stonehaven is a top 5 blend for me. In fact, it is one of only a couple blends that I am still looking to cellar more of, as I am only at 7 lbs of the delicious stuff. Want to get to 10 lbs.

misterlowercase · Nov 7, 2013

@flakyjakey

Can't wait to see yer RDF/SH side-by-side, although I suspect it'll just piss me off cuz ain't no damn'd RDF over here anyway! LOL
I came at JKP from the opposite direction than you, it was the first "British style" plug I ever smoked and it flipp'd my lid, robust smooth and intensely rich, but more of an all-natural type of thing as opposed to the more sauced Brit plugs...so JKP was my gateway into that wonderful world.

flakyjakey · Nov 7, 2013

@peck, and fully deserving it is too. Might I enquire what are the other four on your list?
@scarborian, that's good to hear, but surely Pease's tobaccos are not available in the UK?
@mlc - another proverb for you lol "patience is a virtue" LOL

flakyjakey · Nov 7, 2013

@roth, you are correct on all points. It might be the explanation for the JKP. And yes, I loved tasting these great tobaccos.
PS What are you favourite VaBur flakes?

rebornbriar · Nov 7, 2013

I didn't know you would take to the Capstan Blue. You would have been smoking the new production made by MacBaren. When I lived in Spain, this was the first Va flake I ever smoked along with its sister in the yellow tin. In Spain it was one of the few pipe tobaccos available everywhere and was about €4.50 a tin! When I was buying it was made by Scandanavian Tobacco Group in the smaller tins the size of the Germain's Brown Flake. I have about 1/3 of a tin opened and one more full tin. It is an occasional smoke for me - but if you would like some, let me know as I can get it easily with M's son returning for regular home visits. (He has just arrived today but with no tobacco!)
It will be interesting to hear the RDF/Stonehaven comparison. I read a comment a couple of days ago that the RDF had more of a plummy aroma whereas the Stonehaven had more of a chocolaty tin note. I can definitely concur with the plummy notes on RDF - but I recently acquired some 8 year old RDF and it has a strong chocolate tin note with some other differences. Also, apparently the "sauce" constituent is supposedly black treacle.
Some GLP blends are available from Gauntley's in Nottingham - the only UK stockist I believe. A bit pricey, but they have the blends mentioned by scarborian.
http://cigars.gauntleys.com/search.php?gq=&f=producttype%3Atobacco,producer:GL+Pease&o=popularity
You might also want to try arranging a trade with someone for his new blend just out "Gaslight" which is a Latakia forward plug/cake

flakyjakey · Nov 7, 2013

@roth, thanks. Many, but not, all concur with my own views. I certainly think SJF is in league one!
@Alan, this is very helpful, as ever. I was also surprised by the Capstan Blue, a mild, sweet and pure Va flavour - a sort of FVF's 'little brother'. I may well take you up on your kind offer. The problem is that all this experimenting is making me more catholic in my tastes for tobacco (my late granddad would be writhing in his grave! lol). Right now I am smoking Duhill Flake for the first time in the Barling you recently restored for me - a lovely combination! It's time I stopped experimenting with new blends and focussed on the 'hard core' of my collection!! LOL

7ach · Nov 8, 2013

Some good info in here thanks for sharing!

rebornbriar · Nov 8, 2013

It's time I stopped experimenting with new blends and focussed on the 'hard core' of my collection!! LOL

I know exactly what you mean, I had scathed down my selections to 2 or 3 blends a couple of months ago before I met you and started frequenting bulletin boards :D

pruss · Nov 20, 2013

Ha! Your cryptic post title had me overlooking this post entirely...
I am very glad you enjoyed the samples you received, Flaky. I know that I certainly am loving the 'baccy you sent over. Learning to experience plugs with Revor and Warrior has been a treat, and I cracked into your Irish Slices a couple weekends ago.
One of our forum brothers is sending me a sample of the 2013 Christmas Cheer, so it will be fun to see how it compares to the juice-bomb that was the 2012 tin that I shared with you.
Thanks, also, for taking the time to review the RDF in comparison with SF. I learned a lot from that thread.
Happy puffing,
-- Pat

flakyjakey · Nov 20, 2013

So, Pruss what did you think of the Irish Slices? A really ancient-style tobacco!

pruss · Nov 20, 2013

Hey Flaky I really enjoyed Irish Slices.
The flakes I had were long, and were brown speckled with blonde. I cube cut a flake and then packed it into a Pete 80S Rosslare. I like to have a stiff, but smooth, draw with my flake. I found that the primary bouquet on the flake was sweet and fruity, and that this stayed with the tobacco through the charring light and into the bowl, giving way to a deep and tangy smoke which I thought might be the Kentucky coming through. I also noted that there was a perfumy/floral quality to this tobacco which stayed present from pack to last draw.
There is a pick of your flake all packed up in my Rosslare here: http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/tgif-post-your-friday-afternoon-pipe
-- Pat

"Fair Exchange Is No Robbery"

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