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Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,411
109,209
I am by no means a fan of English tobaccos anymore. Early on I was, and three decades ago, that was all I would smoke until I got to the point that all I could taste was Latakia making all blends with more than a hint of Latakia tasting exactly the same. I recently picked up ten tins of Presbyterian because the lat was said to be light, and nearing the bottom of the tin, I detect a chocolate note in the smoke. This sparked some interest. I dug into the back of my closet and found long forgotten English jars, and began experimenting. Beginning with a lat bomb, ten year old Pirate Kake....chocolate. Penzance from '05....chocolate. Sobranie from the early '90s....chocolate. Not like candy, but like a sweet dark cocoa. On top of that, I can also perceive the constituent tobaccos in the blend in a different way, but are no longer masked by the latakia. Thinking it may be the aged stuff only, I opened a tin of Straight Up English from last year, and even smelled hints of chocolate from the tin note.
Does anyone else get hints of chocolate from latakia?

 
hoosierpipeguy

hoosierpipeguy

Lifer
Jan 28, 2018
13,056
136,563
67
Sarasota, FL
Read some info on tasting recently. Your mind has a powerful influence on your taste buds. Think chocolate and you may detect chocolate. I personally taste chocolate with many Burley blends but not latakia. Your taste buds may be different though.

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,411
109,209
I too get chocolate from burley, and for years I suffered from Latakia burnout. But now I can again taste all of an English blend but with a chocolate note from the latakia.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,455
I mostly don't favor food flavors in tobacco. A light pistachio now and then, a particular blend, but not generally. I like balanced English blends, usually the ones with Lat light enough that I don't "look for it." I don't get any chocolate notes, and I will try not to be suggestible hereafter. People are highly individual in the way they experience taste, the scientists who study taste tell us based on data.

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,411
109,209
What's strange is that it started in the middle of the smoke, and is now how I taste latakia. Very interesting.

 
josephcross

josephcross

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 30, 2015
963
94
I love this topic. Flavour is all about perception, and association. As well as the other senses contributing information to our brains. Its sometimes predictable and sometimes random due to other factors internal and external. Tobacco is like wine, whiskey and coffee. Sometimes you totally taste the description, and then you realize that the label set you up to taste that, and sometimes you taste things that were not described thus enhancing the experience.

I get cocoa in a lot of tobacco that I smoke. I dont smoke a lot of Latakia but to me Gaslight tends to be more chocolate than Quiet Nights. I find cocoa in Key Largo as well.

Glad youre finding some new territory to explore CE.

 
npod

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
I am currently where you where recently. In other words, im kinda on a latakia break. But when i tip toe back to english blends I do taste the latakia differently. Ill look out for chocolate next time.

 
kola

kola

Lifer
Apr 1, 2014
1,488
2,343
Colorado Rockies, Cripple Creek region
A lot of GL Pease blends give me a cocoa/Belgium dark chocolate flavor...and always around mid bowl. Same blends as josephcross mentioned above. I find it wonderful. I'm not sure of its the latakia itself, added cocoa of some sort or the specific blending that gives off the cocoa flavor.
I notice in Penzance too but not as pronounced as GLP's. And if you puff too fast and hard, you'll miss it.
I don't notice it in Presby. But then again I stopped smoking it some 10 years ago as I thought it was no longer the same blend.

 
anthonyrosenthal74

anthonyrosenthal74

Lifer
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
I get lovely hints of cocoa when smoking Balkan Blue, and have often wondered the culprit. Perhaps it is simply the way the different condiments working together can create a flavor that isn't necessarily there. Also, perhaps temperature of the smoke (perhaps you smoke cooler than you used to) as well as external air temperature (it's the warmer months now) can play a role in that as well.

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,411
109,209
Also, perhaps temperature of the smoke (perhaps you smoke cooler than you used to)
Click to expand...
You may be on to something there. In recent years I've been predominately a Virginia smoker, and you have to be careful about overheating those. That may also explain why aromatics became so flavorful a year or so ago.

 
slowroll

slowroll

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 25, 2017
281
3
Well, guess I'm boring. Been smoking latakia blends for 50 years and I still get campfires and old leather, fortunately. When I smoke HH ODF however, I get a bit of cocoa flavor mixed with old leather and hay.

 
O

opus777

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 12, 2018
155
20
mostly the chocolate I get is from burley, best example is Esoterica Stonehaven.

 
workman

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,222
The Faroe Islands
Interesting. At first, latakia had a peculiar tarred leather flavour to me. Then it became sweet and pleasant. ATM it has turned into burnt rubber. Looking forward to the chocolate :puffy:

 
paulfg

paulfg

Lifer
Feb 21, 2016
1,573
2,948
Corfu Greece
I am smoking a bowl of G&H Bobs Chocolate Flake as I write this.

It contains Latakia but I also get chocolate notes. Oh wait LOL

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,411
109,209
I am smoking a bowl of G&H Bobs Chocolate Flake as I write this.

It contains Latakia but I also get chocolate notes. Oh wait LOL
Click to expand...
That's amazing, I get the same thing from English Chocolate! :rofl:

 
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