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I Still Love Haddo's, Even If It's Not Cool

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jmatt

jmatt

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 25, 2014
770
74
I first picked up pipe smoking in 2002. One of the first blends I tried was Haddo's Delight from Gregory Pease. At the time it was a new-ish blend, having come out in 2000. I loved it then. It's allegedly a VaPer, but the flavor is so pronounced of raisins and fig, it's like no other VaPer I've ever smoked. To me it' more of an aro, although my wife tells me it does NOT smell good.
So I just cracked open a one pound tin, packed a MASSIVE Boswell freehand from 2002 and lit it up. 1 hour and 52 minutes later I lost the light, and the bowl was done. Not a single re-light. Just solid great flavor for nearly two hours of uninterupted smoking bliss.
I realize it got so popular early on, that it became almost cliche to like Haddo's. But wow! When I'm not smoking a more typical VaPer, VaBur, or Virginia flake (I smoke almost exclusively flakes), I still love a bowl of Haddo's. No fuss, just pack and enjoy. What a relaxing experience this evening.
All I can say, is if you ever tried and like Haddo's, but moved on to more "serious" tobacco, don't be shy about picking up a tin and getting reacquainted. It's a unique blend. Very approachable. I'd especially recommend it for those new to the pipe or those who currently smoke primarily aromatic blends. Great stepping-stone blend.

 
radio807

radio807

Can't Leave
Nov 26, 2011
444
7
New Jersey
I mostly smoke Virginia flakes, but I do enjoy aros early in the day. Haddo's is up there with my favorites. I don't like the tin note that much and not many people like the room note, but I like the unique flavor.

 
pruss

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
I have only, really, been back smoking a pipe for about two years. Haddo's is one of the first tobaccos that I fell in love with, and have subsequently begun squirreling tins away. It, Escudo and Tudor Castle comprise the largest percentage of my meager cellar/tobacco-drawer. If I'm reading correctly, it is a more complex blend consisting of Virginias, Burley, Perique and Cavendish tobaccos... which to my mind pulls it out of the traditional Va/Per camp. I agree that it is also flavoured, lightly; I think I read that somewhere too but can't for the life of me pull the source.
-- Pat

 
B

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
Pat, TR lists plum, brandy and rum as the flavoring agents. I believe ingredient lists are user supplied, so I'm not sure how accurate his may be. Statistically, the flavoring is listed as just on the mild side of medium. Rum, brandy and plum are listed is their order of prominence by reviewers, with rum having twice as many hits as plum.
Never tried Haddo's. Always been curious about it. I should just bite the bullet, but so many people refer to it as being harsh when young I keep bumping it down the list.

 
pruss

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Pat, TR lists plum, brandy and rum as the flavoring agents. I believe ingredient lists are user supplied, so I'm not sure how accurate his may be. Statistically, the flavoring is listed as just on the mild side of medium. Rum, brandy and plum are listed is their order of prominence by reviewers, with rum having twice as many hits as plum.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I take the TR "flavor" listings with a healthy pinch of NaCL. Regardless, here is my super-fast review of Haddo's...
Tin Note - Fruit forward, like a combination of fresh and stewed stone-fruit (plum, peach, prune) and deep brown sugar

Charring Light - Creamy, redolent, smooth and sweet. Virginias and Perique drive the flavours on the charring light.

First Third - Sweet, round, full, bright, pepper begins to weave into the flavour/aromatic notes.

Second Third - Flavours meld now, smoke becomes more uniform. Burleys are playing well with the Va/Per and round the smoke out.

Bottom Third - Intense, sweet, full, deep, homogenous flavour.

Nicotine Level - Strong. This tobacco didn't knock me for a six like Bold Kentucky, but I certainly felt it, and enjoyed the buzz.
-- Pat

 
papipeguy

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
I have a tin of HD that I bought a couple of months ago. I read somewhere, probably here, that it is close to C&D's USS Mason, which I smoked quite often. I guess I'll crack the tin today and compare the two blends to satisfy my curiosity.

 
edgreen

edgreen

Lifer
Aug 28, 2013
3,581
15
Congratulations. If I had spent over an hour with Haddo's I would still have a spinning head. It's delicious stuff but I can't handle it.

 
pruss

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
Pat, that sure doesn't seem harsh. Were you smoking a fresh tin?
Click to expand...
It was a production year tin, so it might have had up to 12 months (I'd guess) max on it... I have recently received some that have eight to ten years on them and will pop one soon to compare side-by-side.
I literally received my order from 4 Noggins, opened the tin, let it air dry a touch, and loaded the bowl and went.
I think much of the 'harshness' folks describe is in relation to the nicotine whallup.
-- Pat

 
pruss

pruss

Lifer
Feb 6, 2013
3,558
370
Mytown
@papipeguy and les
Lads, I really like Haddo's but I also really like me some Latakia. Is USS Mason the happy marriage of both? Should I be wandering down that garden path?
How would you guys review USS Mason?
Thanks in advance.
-- Pat

 
Snow Hill

Snow Hill

Can't Leave
Apr 23, 2015
395
342
USA
It's great stuff, but I am expecting even more from it aged. So, I have multiple tins tucked away. Given the fragility (and I do mean fragile!) of the GL Pease tins, I check mine for blow-outs and puff-ups and cracks from time to time.

 
disinformatique

disinformatique

Lifer
Jun 10, 2014
1,763
42
44
Bangalore, India and St. Petersburg Florida
Good that you dont follow the "cool" and hoepfully you're just referring the smoke to be cool. We all left high school long time back so if anyone tells you "Oh you cant hate that blend." Give them your middle finger and carry on.
I have a love hate relationship with fresh Gaslight, literally hated it how it singed my tongue even when I smoked it super slowly. Quiet Nights on the other hand is a fantastic smoke even right out of the tin. I usually open my tins and jar the Pease blends for 3-4 weeks before I start smoking them.
Cheers,

Chris

ThePipeMonk

 
atskywalker

atskywalker

Starting to Get Obsessed
Feb 23, 2015
285
2
Canada
Haddo's Delight is a wonderful tobacco. I was smoking a bowl when I spotted this thread :). I haven't had it aged but I plan to cellar some. I LOVE the tin note to the extent that I open it every now on then (its on my desk) and take whiff :).

 
doctorthoss

doctorthoss

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 6, 2011
618
9
Haddos is a brilliant blend that I fell in love with on the first bowl. I wasn't aware it wasn't "cool," but I'm hardly a cool guy anyway.

The most interesting thing about Haddos, IMO, is that it changes so dramatically with age. I have never encountered a blend more affected by age than Haddos -- after 2 - 3 years in the tin, it's a completely different product.

 
papipeguy

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
Valle Crucis is an interesting blend. It is flavored with ginger and paired with other leaf including latakia. I happen to like it.

Pat, USS Mason uses brandy as a flavor agent in a typical C&D Lat blend. It's always in my rotation and I highly recommend it.

 
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