Being a true gentleman, Pappymac was kind enough to graciously allow me access to his personal blend: Lighthouse Keeper. The following is my critique of this English delight:
When opening the bag of Lighthouse Keeper, I'm greeted with an aroma: A delicate, warm, and pleasant Latakia prominence; rich wood smoke, mild sweetness, with the slight tang of vinegar and fermentation.
The tobacco cut is a fairly uniform shag, with leaf color ranging from dark chocolate to light pine; moisture content is just moist of perfect, only requiring a 15 minute drying time.
The dry draw is slightly sweet, with moderate wood smoke, and a hint of pepper.
It lights easily, and ― once started ― requires little attention. The room note: A pleasant, sweet, woody campfire. The blend produces a healthy amount of white, cool, creamy smoke, with a satisfying mouth-feel.
The first couple of draws yields a delicate, perfumed brine flavor that quickly dissipates, leading comfortably into the familiar sweetness of a mild English blend. The Virginias are luscious and chocolatey, with the Latakia retrohale providing an earthy backdrop of smoldering fall leaves. The soft spice of perique is almost undetectable, acting only as accent.
Once the players fall into place and start to groove, the Virginias take on a slightly fermented maltiness ― then further transition into rich, burnt caramel ― reminiscent of a matured bourbon. The woodsy Latakia char slides effortlessly into the background, maintaining a pleasing ambiance, much like sitting in front of Granddad's toasty fireplace. As a matter of fact ― the more I attempt to chase the wonderfully blended flavors of this medley, the more I realize, that nothing is overpowering or irrelevant ― with the Latakia and perique being utilized as finishing spices, complementing the star: lush Virginia.
This blend is a comfortable, all-day sipper: balanced, smooth... even. It's certainly a great example of an amalgamation that is greater than the sum of it's parts. Yes, this blend is jar worthy.
When opening the bag of Lighthouse Keeper, I'm greeted with an aroma: A delicate, warm, and pleasant Latakia prominence; rich wood smoke, mild sweetness, with the slight tang of vinegar and fermentation.
The tobacco cut is a fairly uniform shag, with leaf color ranging from dark chocolate to light pine; moisture content is just moist of perfect, only requiring a 15 minute drying time.
The dry draw is slightly sweet, with moderate wood smoke, and a hint of pepper.
It lights easily, and ― once started ― requires little attention. The room note: A pleasant, sweet, woody campfire. The blend produces a healthy amount of white, cool, creamy smoke, with a satisfying mouth-feel.
The first couple of draws yields a delicate, perfumed brine flavor that quickly dissipates, leading comfortably into the familiar sweetness of a mild English blend. The Virginias are luscious and chocolatey, with the Latakia retrohale providing an earthy backdrop of smoldering fall leaves. The soft spice of perique is almost undetectable, acting only as accent.
Once the players fall into place and start to groove, the Virginias take on a slightly fermented maltiness ― then further transition into rich, burnt caramel ― reminiscent of a matured bourbon. The woodsy Latakia char slides effortlessly into the background, maintaining a pleasing ambiance, much like sitting in front of Granddad's toasty fireplace. As a matter of fact ― the more I attempt to chase the wonderfully blended flavors of this medley, the more I realize, that nothing is overpowering or irrelevant ― with the Latakia and perique being utilized as finishing spices, complementing the star: lush Virginia.
This blend is a comfortable, all-day sipper: balanced, smooth... even. It's certainly a great example of an amalgamation that is greater than the sum of it's parts. Yes, this blend is jar worthy.
