The major player is the Columbian cigar leaf, which is smoky, very woody, with a toasty sweet, slightly salty quality, and mildly nutty with a light coffee hit. The regular processed and cavendish red Virginias are dark fruit sweet and mildly tangy with some earth and a hint of spice and toast. The bright Virginias offer citrus, zesty fruit and some grass in a support role. The Virginias form the base for the other tobaccos, though you will always observe them, mostly in the background. The perique is a minimal addition, and I notice the raisin and fig notes more than the spice. That’s mainly because its pepper aspect intermingles with the more prominent Katerini component, which brings its own spice into play along with a woody, mild smoky sweetness. The nic-hit is closer to medium than it is to mild. The strength is medium, and the taste is slightly past the medium threshold. A little dry out of the tin, it burns well, cool, clean with a consistently smooth, moderate creaminess from start to finish. While the cigar leaf’s presence does crowd out the other flavors a bit (less so the Katerini), the other tobaccos will continually underscore the experience. Won’t bite and has no harsh or weak spots. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. It’s not an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable. The after taste is very woody, smoky, mildly sweet. The room note won’t impress the ladies, but this will give you a chance to watch your television show in peace. Three and a half stars out of four.
