Kibo Goes To Indonesia In A Pipe(Indonesian tobaccos review)

Okay, so I've gotten a good amount of encouragement from you great folks on my reviews of Drew Estate and Pouch OTCs, so I bring my opinionation to the Indonesian pipe tobaccos that I have been trying lately. Let's dive in, shall we?
Like many of you, I first learned about the Indonesian pipe tobaccos from a thread here and a review by Pylorns (http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/indonesian-tobacco) and if you haven't checked it out, I recommend it. I have been procuring these blends and more from Zippo Warung,a solid individual and friendly to boot. We shall commence with the first seven that Zippo supplied; Tambolaka, Srintil, Sopeng, K2S, Kama Sutra, Demit666, and Strain of Gamelan.
I settled in one night craving something bold, and I recalled that Zippo warned me of the Srintil and Tambolaka "Be sure to eat first before smoke, and at least first time, maybe sit down." Taking this advice, I filled my maple churchwarden with Tambolaka, and struck a match while putting my feet up on the porch rail. Great hairy balls of the gods, it was powerful. Like smoking some great Brobdingnagian cigar through a coffee stirrer, this was no measly hyped up leaf! I like to think I have a grip of what a bombastic and heavy smoke is, being not only a Latakia fan and a cigar smoker of some knowledge, but also a fan of Gawith Hoggarth & Co. Blends (especially the Bodum Cut Plug, but it is a bit light). At first puff, the rich cigar-and-dark-roast-coffee flavor filled my tastebuds, and a deeply dense smoke rose from the bowl. I can honestly say that I knew it was hearty, but I didn't see why I needed to sit down for it. I tried to stand up and was hit with a wave of lightheaded-ness that put my ass right back in the chair...and that was only halfway in. The flavor is that of a fine hand rolled cigar that has aged in a cellar for a year or four. It smoked warm, not hot, dry and smooth, yet certainly had my head swimming by the end. If you want something to kick up a tobacco and you don't want to just use Five Brothers, this is a nicely flavorful alternative.
I later read that Tambolaka is more like a condiment...treated more like a latakia or Perique. I still think a bowl of Tambo straight has its merits for blending reference, just the same as smoking a little Latakia or Perique by itself: a means of learning firsthand EXACTLY what they do flavorwise. So now for a bit of recurring rhetorical analogy..We've used art gallery and film, so let us try chicken wings....why? Much as wings are a niche food with wild variations and range, so too are these exotic (at least to us Westerners) pipe fillers; a bit of something for everyone and potential for almost anything. To draw up Tambolaka, I would say it is much like a habanero puree; you could just slather it on and go straight but most would think you're being ridiculous...or you could mix it with anything to create a whole new brave beast...it is versatile,but it is unforgiving and everpresent. Certainly not for everyone in every way but most could enjoy it in some amount.

Good looking out condor! I forgot to mention that mine was ready rubbed.I actually just enjoyed some Tambo and Carter Hall, not a bad way to smooth the Tambo and rein it in a little. ..nice breakfast smoke.
While I'm here, let's talk about that other hard hitter from the sampler. Of course, I am talking about Srintil. As I understand, Srintil is not a different treatment, but an anomaly among tobacco leaves. The Srintil in the bag has a softer, sweeter smell to it than the tambolaka. Again, this is more of a condiment than a straight smoke, and as with tambolaka, it is easy to see why. Srintil lit easily...and immediately set me to swimming ..sweet flavors, almost hard to nail down, but it really has a tropical/island essence to it. The smoke has a texture all its own, like you are drawing an Indonesian breeze through your pipe. This Srintil does not lie or deceive, it tells you immediately 'I am strong.' and that is a good thing. From start to finish, it stays consistent, and it burns clean. I didn't need to relight, and when it was all done, I simply exhaled through my pipe and sent all the fine powdery ash into my yard. Srintil strikes me as the choice to boost your aromatics, as it will add potency and a little sweetness, which would fit in well with something like Snow Drift, or one of the Drew Estate tins, for example. If Tambolaka is the habanero puree, Srintil would be Moruga Scorpion puree; something you shouldn't do alone but it has great rewards, is markedly sweeter and has a rich flavor...but certainly can be off putting to many, simply by its nature.

I couldn't wait to hit you guys with another one, so here's one of my favorites from the lot...Demit666. I was warned by Zippo to use a pipe I am not concerned about, as "it will ghosting your pipe bad." I busted out a Missouri Meerschaum Legend that I only smoked a few times due to a weak bottom....let me tell you first off that you WILL smell Demit666 when you get the package. Don't worry too much, it doesn't mar the others, it just happened since to be the most outspoken individual in the room, if you will. When you pack the bowl and hold the pipe in your mouth for the first light, you can taste this tobacco and the kemenyan, which is rather similar to frankincense with a slight spearmint undercurrent and almost cinnamon note. I fell in love with this one. The only thing I think I can compare it to, and it is a weak lopsided comparison, is GH Boson Cut Plug...but the Bosun is lighter, not as spicy and bombastic. Demit666 fills your tongue with so many flavors and yet remains airy. A smooth smoke to be sure...everything about it is soothing and calm. Certainly needs a dedicated pipe though. As a wing, this is one of those crazy secret recipe super combo flavors that you end up surprised how great it is and totally hooked on it...like Honey jalapeño bbq that ends up a perfect sweet/hot/smokey balance that just keeps you coming back.

Hey all, back with another trip to the islands. This time I want to talk about Soppeng. This one is black in the bag, ready rubbed. The aroma is sweet, owing largely to the palm sugar used to sweeten it. According to Pylorns' article, this is the most popular tobacco amongst local Indonesia smokers, and boy, is it easy to see why! It is a smooth, sweet smoke, but unlike many western Cavendish tobaccos, the Indonesian version is drier off the bat, as it is pressed into bamboo sticks and fire-cured. The sweetness enhances the natural leaf, and the smoke tends to be dry and cool, albeit with occasional gurgle. I am currently puffing it in a Dublin meer by SMS, and it is accompanying my coconut coffee in a sublime way...This could be an early morning or all day smoke very easily. If you want a little more kick (though I don't often feel the need to), you can add a pinch or two of srintil for a bump. In the grand scheme of wings and things, this could be considered a traditional buffalo wing...familiar enough and not too powerful to be enjoyed by almost anyone...I want to stress this isn't flavor comparison but for accessibility and relatability.