2015 Box Pass Thread

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hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
En route, tracking # 9505 5103 6884 5238 1273 21, I added some Gawith St. James Flake (my favorite fall smoke), some Pease Maltese Falcon, Stokkobye LNF, and Watch City Ahab's Comfort. I wanted to add more but could barely close the box as it is. Somebody needs to do some serious smoking to whittle this thing down. Enjoy Z!

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
Well the box has arrived safe and sound. This thing is down right crazy and how does anyone handle something like this. So what I am going to do is go through the blends I want to try and put the other's in a new box and work my way down from the top. I will let you know my feeling on what I try. So many blends and so little time. Now let me go and get a tissue to dry my eyes.

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
Well I am working myself through this to say the least a great number of different blends.
The first and second one I tried was the Condor and St. Bruno. The Condor was mild-medium and a subtlr lakeland blend. There was a mild soapy and floral note to it. I liked it as a not in your face lakeland and while I would not smoke it everyday, a nice change of pace. I was not a fan of the St. Bruno, kinda reminded of a burley blend and just not to my liking.
Next was the Germain Special Latakia Flake and since I am a Latakia/English blend fan, I enjoyed this. It was much milder on the Lat front then I would have thought. Kinda bland if you will. The Ahab Comfort at 60% Latakia was way more interesting and smoky. This was much stronger and I would probably mix the two to get me to a strength I could enjoy daily.
The Cotton Boll twist was another matter. This was very strong and with a nice nic hit. Good flavor but for me way too strong.
The Boswell Berry Cobbler was mild with some spice and good room note. This tobacco had a nice fruity taste.
The G&H Bosum Cut Plug was another lakeland type tobacco with those characteristics we all know. This was a medium maybe to strong blend with a good flavor but again a bit strong for my taste. If your into stronger lakelands this is for you.
The Faulkner Flake was to me very good. It has Burley but for me the VA's and Orientals saved this one. A mild smoke.
Well a nice strat and I am only trying blends I do note have in the cellar, and that is a lot in this box.

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
And the tasting marches on.
I went for the Velvan Plug and Murray's Warrior Plug. Both in my eyes very good blends. I had no problems in prep and while different, the fruitness and Va's were very good. Light soapy note and I think I may have to explore Lakeland's a bit further.
The Sullivan Powell Gentleman's Mixture was excellent. Creamy, smooth, sweet, floral, oriental, what ever this cost it is worth the coin. Sad it is not made anymore, if this is what age can do to some blends, age everything and hope it turns out only half as good as this.
C&D 5 O'Clock Shadow-The working's man's smoke, and this shows they appreciate us. A nice crumble kake, spicy, grassy, some tang and sweetness. A nice all around blend.
John Patton's Moe's Confetti-A Burley blend and a mild one, probably why I liked it, not over the top. Slighly sweet but I don't know why but just a nice blend.
Well off to try some more.

 

shanelktown

Lifer
Feb 10, 2015
1,041
71
Dan, so far I tried the bangle slices and I loved them. They were just a very flavorful smoke and for myself hit upon an olfactory memory and it was total nostalgia. Very very well done. I know we had talked about this blend over the phone and you had said you wished it was a little more moist. I can agree with that for the concept of cellaring the stuff but to purchase and smoke out of the tin will be a pleasure for myself personally. Thanks for getting the ball rolling on something that I feel will be a success.

 

dustmite

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 5, 2015
262
0
Well, I have just finished reading ALL 27 pages of the original thread, have read and re-read the rules, and would love to take a turn with the Box. I have been following this thread since I joined the forum and it is a fascinating study of generosity and perseverance. I anxiously await the test...

 

dustmite

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 5, 2015
262
0
Thank you, woodsroad. Still a bit dizzy from the test. Not sure why I had to answer standing on my head, but I'm not one to argue with tradition...

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
Well the next group I have tried and there are so many.
**C&D Autumn Evening-A Cavendish with a subtle maple/vanilla note. I found the maple note to strong for me and am not a fan. It's sweet and if you like maple, this is your blend.
**Pembroke 1999-I found this to be mild and the cognac flavoring subdued. This is a topped Margate and age has muted the Latakia and Orientals. Very smooth, but if you want more flavor, smoke it while a little fresher.
**Pre-Butera Penzance-What can you say, very nice. The youngest Penzance I have tried was 8 years old that I can think of. I was gifted a sample early on but I don't know what the age on it was so since I am old and can't remember to wake up in the morning, my thoughts are on aged tobacco. While medium in strenght, a lot goes on here with flavors changing all the time. People hoard this because it's good, and it is.
**Butera Pelican-This is marked 08/2014 so I take this to be the new stuff. A decent medium balkan blend. Kinda a dry smoke without any sweetness I could discern. The Latakia and Orientals are present to me in equal amounts but I could not pick up the VA. Reminded me of Tashkent. If you run across a tin, go for it but no hurry.
**H & H Lakeland Brickle-Since they do not make this anymore and the package is date 07/2012, I was expecting athe Lakeland tonquin bean soapiness. Not so as the crumble cake was quite dry and that soapiness and floral notes were not there. The smoke was medium and in my eyes average, maybe I am missing the Lakeland hit.
**Paul Olsen's My Own Blend-Livgarde-Another medium blend that to me was just OK at best. I had to look this up and there it was, that Burley rearing it's head again. Try this if you like Burley, if not don't.
**Paul Olsen's My Own Blend-King Frederick-This was to me a medium smoke and not full in a strict sense. There was a very nice smoky and tangy smell. It's slightly sweet with a nice balance of to me Oriental and Latakia. A very nice blend although a bit boring. If you get to try this please do so. I am an English/Balkan fan and this is nice but a cellar candidate, not really.
Woodsroad, I see you note about ST blends and I did a review on them here but since there were no comments on that thread I am posting it here:
Let me start by saying thanks to all involved in this endeavor, great job guys.
As a note I have been smoking a pipe for a year now after moving from cigars, but I still smoke them on occasion, golfing etc. and my impressions are from a new piper's perspective. I am not now nor have I ever been great at explaining flavors and the small nuances of blends. I know when I really like something, could take it or leave it and just don't like it
So for the reviews. I smoked all of the blends in a taster cob and a large bowl Ardor. They all were to me made with very good quality tobacco. The burns was effortless, very good smoke volume and burned to an ash taking into consideration the cobs, since the air hole is above the bottom of the pipe. I was pleased with them all in that respect and none of them bit me and I am a bit fast at times on the draw. I also note that the large bowl pipe made a big difference in tasting the blends, it was easier for me to pick out the subtle difference in the blends as to tobacco characteristics.
John Cotton's #1-This was a mild smoke to say the least. I picked out the Oriental right away with just a slight sour note which I like. I love Latakia and it was there but way in the background. There was an ever so slight sweetness but I found the blend to be dry and what I like to call mouth feel was not there. Heartier blends give me that feeling. All in all I liked this blend although very mild. My first thought on smoking this was it's refreshing. A nice subtle Oriental forward blend that a new guy can use to get a feel for Oriental's.
John Cotton's #1 and 2-This blend basically reminded me of JC-1 just stronger. Now they were not the same blend and there were some differences such a mouth feel and less dry. Now here while the oriental was clearly there the smoky Latakia was way more present and I love Latakia. Can anyone see where this will be going on the other blends. This was a nice medium smoke where all of the components make an entrance and exit at times. I found this to be interesting and enjoyable.
John Cotton's Smyrna-Well things are getting better with this blend, it's getting to steak time. This was a much richer blend and I would use the word savory. Tasty, sour, sweet, smokey, rich, very good silky mouth feel and a very good after taste. We are cooking now.
War Horse-Well someone turned the stove off on this one, no longer cooking for me. This review lacks some specifics and now I hate to rain on the parade but this blend did nothing for me. I must really be sensitive to Burley and I could tell it was Burley as soon as I smelled it. Now I normally like a earthy taste in my cigars and I thought I could maybe handle this but the Burley overwhelmed this blend. There was spice, there was strength to me in the plus side of medium and the dark fired added to this. The nic hit is also noticeable as compared to the other blends and is medium at best but it would be wise to eat something first. I greatly dislike cigars with cameroon leaf and I am clearly not a fan of Burley forward blends. If you hide the Burley than maybe I could have liked this. I don't care for Stonehaven for the same reason and I do not seek it out, nor will I this blend. Quality product, of course, Russ was involved. If you really like Burley forward and I mean forward blends, this is for you. Burley lovers, Enjoy
Bengal Slices-The best for last. One word-Outstanding! This is it, it's my Penzance. The blends crumble cake presentation and it's quality are superb. I rubbed it out, let it dry for a an hour and did a medium fill. Burn and smoke volume was great. My previous love was Gaslight and with this one, who knows and I can't wait to see how this ages. Latakia lovers rejoice. This has it all, spice, smoke, richness, sweetness, oriental sour note, mouth feel and I don't know what else to say. This is the Filet Mignon of these blends for me. Spice the steak up, throw it on the grill, cook to medium rare, slice it and add a good hearty Merlot and you got Bengal Slices. It was to me the best of the 5 and a definite cellar addition.
So all in all a great experience in trying each of these. If I had a $100.00 TAD budget this would be how I spend it if the tins were $10.00 each:
JC 1-$10.00, JC 1&2-$20.00, JC Smyrna-$20.00, Bengal Slices $50.00 and I would raise the TAD budget to $120.00 and make the Bengal Slices $70.00.
Now I did try the Bengal Slices, JC 1 & 2 and War Horse again. The Bengal Slices are what can I say, outstanding and I will be cellaring for sure in a nice quantity(bulk maybe?). I want to like the War Horse, I really do but it's just not to be. In some future year when my ability to taste different flavors becomes more refined, I will revisit this. The JC 1&2 is right up my alley as it was when I first tried it. I liked the refreshing, tangy and sparkling Orientals, the latakia to which I am addicted and just a really good blend, to cellar a few tins for sure.
So chop, chop and gets these out, we are waiting. LOL
Well off to try some more.

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
Woodsroad-Thanks, I am trying to do my best and here is the next set of tries:
**Edward G Robinson-A mild aromatic with an interesting kinda weird fruity taste. There is Burley here but it is not overwhelming and very subtle. An interesting smoke with they say in it Latakia that I could not really detect.
**Sullivan Powell Special Mixture(Vintage)-Outstanding, an aged English blend that is forward on the Orientals and light on the Latakia, I wish all Englishes would age this way, I would be a happy camper.
**Captain Earle's 10 Russians-Oh no another English blend, with Orientals, Latakia, Virginia and Cavendish. I did not find this to be strong but then I love Latakia and English blends. There is a nice sweetness, a rich heady taste, smokey but to me medium in the overall flaovrs and this is just good.
**McClelland Christmas Cheer 2007-This would probably be my first straight VA and it was mild to me but then again I was smoking a lot of the heavier blends. It was very good, had all the VA attributes grassiness, sweetness and tang, but very mellow. A nice smoke.
**Smoker's Haven Krumble Kake-A really nice smooth Latakia forward blend. English/Balkan blend in nature that has a straight forward tobacco taste. Another nice blend and would love to see this come back.
**J.F. Germain Uncle Tom's Smoking Mixture-This was a very mild blend that was pleasant to smoke but just to light and to me boring, even airy in nature. Just not enough there to buy this.
**HU Tobacco The Fayyum Kake-This is a rich and full bodied English blend. Well made kake, medium to strong and while I lean to medium blends and shy from ropes and such because of their strength, this blend worked very well, smooth and creamy. An excellent blend and if you can get it, do so and if you don't like it, i'll take it off your hands in a heart beat.
Now just a side note, I have been using cobs only and I have not been bitten yet by any of the blends.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and thanks to all who provided samples for the box.

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
Well I am at it again:
**Watch City Cigar Slice-A very mild Burley blend with some dark fired. This was very mild and there just did not seem to be much there. Rather uninteresting.
**Watch City Cigar A. Comfort-I tried this already but did again to compare it to the Slice. Night and day, the Comfort is much, much better.
**D&R Rimboche A.B.-A nice smokey woodiness to this blend. Medium in strength and consistent from start to finish. A nice blend.

 

zitotczito

Lifer
Aug 12, 2014
1,128
175
Well here are some more:
**McClelland 2010 Hickory Smoked-Very nice medium blend. Reminded me a the Drew Estate cigar and a barbacue.
**Peterson Irish Oak-This was a VaPer that was medium. I am note into VaPer's as of yet but the Perique in this blend was light and I enjoyed it. A good starter Perique blend.
**S Gawith St. James Flake-A nice again medium blend in strength. I was trying a few Perique blends for the future. These is a nice plumish spicy pepper quality to this. I could see this as a cellar blend and when I really get into VaPer's this will be a go to.
**Dan Patriot Flake-A virginia blend and again medium to me. It smells of hay and has a nice sweetness to it. Again I have not smoked a lot of Va's so this seemed nice but not memorable. Would I smoke it again sure, cellar probably not.
**The Country Squire Merriwether-A Va Burley blend with a really good flavor. Smooth and rich. I could tell the Burley was there but muted. Maybe I can start to like Burley with baby steps.
**House of Calabash Cornwall-Va and white Burley, can you see where I am going here. The box pass is to try different things and this was a very nice blend and again the muted Burley. Conversion in the future maybe if they taste like this.
**House of Calabash For Meerschaums Only Select-I tried this because it was mentioned above. And yes, this is a really good blend. It has it all, VA, Burley, Perique, Latakia and I think some Oriental. Sweet, perky, tangy and the Burley softens it. Well blended and this is one you have got to try and cellar even with it's price.
I have emailed Dan with my puts which are Margate, Peretti #8 Va Slice, Peretti Tashkent and SG Bothy Flake. The box goes out to Dan tomorrow, Monday 09/14/2015. If you have not joined in on this you should.
Well there you have it. The box is amazing and you could spend months with it. So many blends and so little time. Thanks Dan for your efforts in running this, it is a true experience.