I did not go looking for this blend. A fellow member most generously sent me a baggie of a blend called "Something Different" from an online retailer called Just For Men. I tried it several times, found it a bit mild since I was on a strong blend quest at the time, and I jarred it up and there it sat. I've tried it again just today, found it more to my liking, and explored it a little further. This is a blend sourced from Planta, available at smoking pipes.com in bulk, called by Planta Anno MMXII, their blend of the year for 2012, if I have that correct. Okay, here's where we go exotic. The base of this blend is the classic Virginia/burlely/Cavendish trio, but the flavoring is something called marule fruit. I don't know where Planta sources their marule fruit, but it is famous in South Africa for being a fruit that ferments and is then eaten by elephants making them drunk. If you Google "drunk elephants" you can watch video from Kruger National Park showing elephants inebriated and running into each other and falling on top of each other, having a fine time. So if you would like to smoke an aromatic pipe tobacco that is mild, with a unique flavor (also very mild) and with a story behind it, man, this is the one. There is no end to what I learn from Forums members, or because of them. Furthermore, since I am now into some aromatics for a change of pace, this rediscovery couldn't be more timely. Marule fruit, who knew?
