They have been shipped with no returns this time. Jacksonvilles Post office has been driving me crazy. But they finally went out on Friday 3/16/2012.
Post your Tokerpipes Review of Honey Bourbon Black & Gold here.
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Honey Bourbon Black and Gold from Tokerpipes
Review by Baron Samedi
Honey Bourbon Black and Gold is a custom blend from the Pipes Magazine Forum’s own Tokerpipes. It is a very special blend of both black and gold Cavendish, sweetened with bourbon and honey. Breaking with tradition, I decided to forego my usual tasting Meerschaum and go with a good old American cob, a Great Dane Egg from Missouri Meerschaum to be specific. Cavendish sings in a cob for me and I knew I could get all the flavor notes I needed. I tried this tasty aromatic on a muggy, rainy Texas morning. The humidity was 100% and the temperature was about 55°F. I knew it would be a challenge, smoking a moist tobacco in 100% humidity, but I can seriously think of worse ways to spend my morning than fiddling with my pipe.
I was excited to try this one since I love anything and everything honey and I am a big fan of Nat Sherman’s Riverside Whiskey. Honey and whiskey, possibly the perfect pair, if well executed.
The first thing I did with this new blend is smell it inside the Ziploc bag in which it had arrived. The smell said, “Honey, I’m home!” No hiding the aroma of honey from the pouch. Not as up front as Altadis Honey 206, but certainly the first thing I noticed. The whiskey was right behind in marching order and I could smell the ginger and spice that one might expect from bourbon.
What you see is what you get, in this case. It’s called “Honey Bourbon” and that’s the pouch note, undeniably. It is an unsubtly flavored tobacco, designed to win the hearts of honey and whiskey lovers, period. It’s much more reminiscent of Altadis’ style of heavily cased, American style aros than anything else. The colors are simply leaves of both dark chocolate and milk chocolate, the black and gold Cavendish. It also was very moist, so I gave it the opportunity to sit in a jar for a few days. Fans of drier tobaccos may want to give this one some serious dry time. I just stuffed it in my cob and called it dry enough for me.
Whereas the black and gold Cavendish was stuck in the back row in the pouch, it slugged its way into the mosh pit, once I lit my pipe. The black and gold flavors with their contrasting sweetness and toastiness mingled and mixed in my mouth and the powerful honey and bourbon notes found their way to my nose, providing a great taste and smell sensation. Comparing it to music, this is the Ramones, not King Crimson, but 4 chords and the truth can still get it for me and this one’s got it! Honey Bourbon Black and Gold is not a complex blend with a big flavor, but lovers of Cavendish will certainly get what they want. Once lit, the black and gold do not let themselves get shoved around by the big casings and maintain a solid stance on the palette while the honey and bourbon fill the room with a dessert-like room note, making everything around smell of the delicious first impression one gets from the pouch. It is a mild tasting aromatic and did not burn or bite. As with any moist aro, it pays to dry it and smoke it slow. I have to say that experience-wise it is much better than Altadis’ Black and Gold blend. This is due I believe, to a more even distribution of the two types of Cavendish and the unique choice of flavorings.
I wouldn’t call this an everyday smoke. I would use this more as a dessert smoke, something I would put in a jar and horde away until the time is right to let those four horsemen out of the cage. It would sing loud and proud with a Hefeweißen after dinner and would perfectly compliment a tall glass of sweet iced tea on a hot day. Honey Bourbon Black and Gold does just four things, does them well and doesn’t cheat you out of a great experience when you want familiar flavor and a very special room note.
I’m definitely picking up some more of this when the opportunity arises.
Review by Baron Samedi
Honey Bourbon Black and Gold is a custom blend from the Pipes Magazine Forum’s own Tokerpipes. It is a very special blend of both black and gold Cavendish, sweetened with bourbon and honey. Breaking with tradition, I decided to forego my usual tasting Meerschaum and go with a good old American cob, a Great Dane Egg from Missouri Meerschaum to be specific. Cavendish sings in a cob for me and I knew I could get all the flavor notes I needed. I tried this tasty aromatic on a muggy, rainy Texas morning. The humidity was 100% and the temperature was about 55°F. I knew it would be a challenge, smoking a moist tobacco in 100% humidity, but I can seriously think of worse ways to spend my morning than fiddling with my pipe.
I was excited to try this one since I love anything and everything honey and I am a big fan of Nat Sherman’s Riverside Whiskey. Honey and whiskey, possibly the perfect pair, if well executed.
The first thing I did with this new blend is smell it inside the Ziploc bag in which it had arrived. The smell said, “Honey, I’m home!” No hiding the aroma of honey from the pouch. Not as up front as Altadis Honey 206, but certainly the first thing I noticed. The whiskey was right behind in marching order and I could smell the ginger and spice that one might expect from bourbon.
What you see is what you get, in this case. It’s called “Honey Bourbon” and that’s the pouch note, undeniably. It is an unsubtly flavored tobacco, designed to win the hearts of honey and whiskey lovers, period. It’s much more reminiscent of Altadis’ style of heavily cased, American style aros than anything else. The colors are simply leaves of both dark chocolate and milk chocolate, the black and gold Cavendish. It also was very moist, so I gave it the opportunity to sit in a jar for a few days. Fans of drier tobaccos may want to give this one some serious dry time. I just stuffed it in my cob and called it dry enough for me.
Whereas the black and gold Cavendish was stuck in the back row in the pouch, it slugged its way into the mosh pit, once I lit my pipe. The black and gold flavors with their contrasting sweetness and toastiness mingled and mixed in my mouth and the powerful honey and bourbon notes found their way to my nose, providing a great taste and smell sensation. Comparing it to music, this is the Ramones, not King Crimson, but 4 chords and the truth can still get it for me and this one’s got it! Honey Bourbon Black and Gold is not a complex blend with a big flavor, but lovers of Cavendish will certainly get what they want. Once lit, the black and gold do not let themselves get shoved around by the big casings and maintain a solid stance on the palette while the honey and bourbon fill the room with a dessert-like room note, making everything around smell of the delicious first impression one gets from the pouch. It is a mild tasting aromatic and did not burn or bite. As with any moist aro, it pays to dry it and smoke it slow. I have to say that experience-wise it is much better than Altadis’ Black and Gold blend. This is due I believe, to a more even distribution of the two types of Cavendish and the unique choice of flavorings.
I wouldn’t call this an everyday smoke. I would use this more as a dessert smoke, something I would put in a jar and horde away until the time is right to let those four horsemen out of the cage. It would sing loud and proud with a Hefeweißen after dinner and would perfectly compliment a tall glass of sweet iced tea on a hot day. Honey Bourbon Black and Gold does just four things, does them well and doesn’t cheat you out of a great experience when you want familiar flavor and a very special room note.
I’m definitely picking up some more of this when the opportunity arises.
Thank you sir. I have put together another batch of this blend and will be anouncing soon when it will be available. You have made this southern boy blush at the compliments.
I've been really lucky so far. The guys who have sent me baccy to review both sent ones I liked. I'm wondering what I'm gonna do if I light one up and say, "Holy Hell, that's awful!" I don't know if I'd want to put that much energy into a tobacco I didn't like. I'd probably just PM them and tell them better do something different or you're not going to like it.
I hope people just keep sending me good ones and I won't have to find out.
I hope people just keep sending me good ones and I won't have to find out.
Yes we did. The minister, the crew of the river boat, the wedding party, and all the guests were all dressed like Pirates. The honey moon was a cruise to the bahamas. I went all out and was it a blast.
Not let this post get off topic of coarse, there should be about 4-5 more reviews...I hope.
Not let this post get off topic of coarse, there should be about 4-5 more reviews...I hope.
Honey Bourbon Black and Gold from Tokerpipes
Review by Pipeinhand
Toker was nice enough to send me a pinch of his newest blend. In the baggie it looks dark and moist. Almost an even color even though I can see some bits of lighter tobacco against the dark Cavendish. Upon opening it I get sweet honey and coconut. Now I like Mead, and most honey blends I have smoked have been over the top in honey, like you stuck your tongue in it, not like a creamy Mead. This one, it is mild like in a cup of black tea, sweet and alluring.
I was waiting for my new meer so I could get it without anything else in it but, it is delayed so I cleaned out my clay and packed it up. First I smoked a bowl right out of the bag. Finley cut and chopped ribbon packed well. Very moist and I thought it would be hard to light, it was not. Charring light brought out the honey right away. I let it sit for a minute and then went for the burn. Second light and there was the coconut again. I let the smoke roll on my face and breathed deep as I puffed out. Ahhh, there is the whisky. Not a taste like the honey but the smell, oh my. A combo of taste and smell are needed to pull out the best here. I pulled hard to keep the smoke at an even rate and not a single bite or burn.
The second bowl was a day sitting in my drying plate. This is where it stands up, very easy to light, keep lit and draws really nice. Also the honey brightens up and is clearer on the tongue. I still got a bit of coconut but not nearly as much. The bourbon jumped out during the breathe-in. This would be an all day smoke, simple and to the point, very easy on the mouth and pleasant room note around you without cloying.
So in conclusion, nice all day smoke, bright and a cav lovers dream. The casing is not in your face and easy to take in. The smell of it hangs with you and is not heavy. Let it dry a day and it will give you both sides of the flavor, honey and bourbon. Good job mate.
Review by Pipeinhand
Toker was nice enough to send me a pinch of his newest blend. In the baggie it looks dark and moist. Almost an even color even though I can see some bits of lighter tobacco against the dark Cavendish. Upon opening it I get sweet honey and coconut. Now I like Mead, and most honey blends I have smoked have been over the top in honey, like you stuck your tongue in it, not like a creamy Mead. This one, it is mild like in a cup of black tea, sweet and alluring.
I was waiting for my new meer so I could get it without anything else in it but, it is delayed so I cleaned out my clay and packed it up. First I smoked a bowl right out of the bag. Finley cut and chopped ribbon packed well. Very moist and I thought it would be hard to light, it was not. Charring light brought out the honey right away. I let it sit for a minute and then went for the burn. Second light and there was the coconut again. I let the smoke roll on my face and breathed deep as I puffed out. Ahhh, there is the whisky. Not a taste like the honey but the smell, oh my. A combo of taste and smell are needed to pull out the best here. I pulled hard to keep the smoke at an even rate and not a single bite or burn.
The second bowl was a day sitting in my drying plate. This is where it stands up, very easy to light, keep lit and draws really nice. Also the honey brightens up and is clearer on the tongue. I still got a bit of coconut but not nearly as much. The bourbon jumped out during the breathe-in. This would be an all day smoke, simple and to the point, very easy on the mouth and pleasant room note around you without cloying.
So in conclusion, nice all day smoke, bright and a cav lovers dream. The casing is not in your face and easy to take in. The smell of it hangs with you and is not heavy. Let it dry a day and it will give you both sides of the flavor, honey and bourbon. Good job mate.
I also got a very nice sample from Toker. I smoked this on a windy day outside and hope to get a better smoke in indoors at our next pipe club, but wind or no it was a nice smoke.
The tobacco itself has a nice pouch smell which though it was sealed crept through the bag. It definitely has a sweetness. I am unsure of the room note as of yet but this my take on the smoke.
At first light and draw there was a subtle bourbon taste, so subtle in fact that it left me wondering what I was tasting. It was not too moist, but rather just the right amount of moisture for my Aldo Velani and I had a good cherry in the bowl right from the start. In fact this smoke burned nice and even despite the wind all through the bowl. The subtle bourbon lasts all throughout the smoke, but the deeper into the bowl you get the honey begins to show itself more and more. I found that it wasn't exactly a honey taste that lingers in the mouth, but rather a sweetness in the smoke that strikes the tip of your tongue and leaves you longing for the next puff.
I enjoyed it and will be offering it to the guys in my pipe club to try and get their take on it as well. I will try to post their comments when I get them.
The tobacco itself has a nice pouch smell which though it was sealed crept through the bag. It definitely has a sweetness. I am unsure of the room note as of yet but this my take on the smoke.
At first light and draw there was a subtle bourbon taste, so subtle in fact that it left me wondering what I was tasting. It was not too moist, but rather just the right amount of moisture for my Aldo Velani and I had a good cherry in the bowl right from the start. In fact this smoke burned nice and even despite the wind all through the bowl. The subtle bourbon lasts all throughout the smoke, but the deeper into the bowl you get the honey begins to show itself more and more. I found that it wasn't exactly a honey taste that lingers in the mouth, but rather a sweetness in the smoke that strikes the tip of your tongue and leaves you longing for the next puff.
I enjoyed it and will be offering it to the guys in my pipe club to try and get their take on it as well. I will try to post their comments when I get them.
I am glad you guys liked it. Now to get the wife to OK me getting the supplies to make a bunch of it. 8)
Well till the bank straitens out the fraud, the truck gets fixed I am putting all my projects on hold for some priorities. So its going to be a while till you see any toker blends back up here. But they will be back.
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