Best Blend of 2023: An Elimination Game
- Thread starter jbfrady
- Start date
Yes, multiple times, and it literally tastes like nothing, like smoking warm air. It's comparable to me to smoking ultralight cigarettes. I've had plenty of burley with very little casing and no topping, and none has ever tasted like literally nothing. I can't even say Pegasus tastes bad, because it doesn't have any taste at all. I've tried it in both narrower and wider pipes, varying levels of dryness, fresh and with age, every way you can imagine.
I would never dump on something I haven't even tried, not the way people go out of their way to dump on a lat blend that hasn't even been released yet, like they're mad anyone would dare to release anything new that's not a VA or aro.
Last edited:
Maybe this is the wrong place to ask, but you guys seem to know a lot about tobacco. What’s this Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader that’s permanently embedded in a 5,000 gram metal block for long term storage worth?
The stresses of voting for and against various blends may be starting to take a toll. I blame it on the death of Ennerdale. A true loss to all
It's the "and" in this sentence that makes it seem as though you don't know what you're talking about. If you've tried Pegasus and it's not for you, then carry on.
That's definitely weird. If you're smoking a bowl of Pegasus and you taste "literally nothing", you should probably go see a doctor.
Grannies of Gt. Britain rejoiced today, on hearing the news of Ennerdale Flakes demise.
From the BBC:
After the news broke, Lefty Lofthouse our roving reporter met some of the nation’s nanny’s, out on the street. Mrs. Mangle from Ticklecock Bridge in West Yorkshire said; Oh, that is a relief! Ever since they changed it, my husband Bert hasn’t stopped effing moaning! Something about changing the empire grown virginias for dodgy Eastern European leaf & cocking up the flavours. Best ting they could have done I suppose, cancelling it. Yes, a kindness really.
Mrs. Fanny Bucket from Little Hampton added;
That’s right, my husband says if his Ennerdale doesn’t smell like my floral frillies (knickers) he doesn’t want to know! Ha ha, how he remembers what my drawers smell like, Lord only knows. He’s always down the pub you see.
Mrs. Strumpet from Slough had to cut short her interview. Having just arrived into town, she remembered she’d left the iron on & had to hot tail it back home.
So there you have it. A grateful nation, it would seem.
Back to @jBrady in the pipesmagazine studio.
From the BBC:
After the news broke, Lefty Lofthouse our roving reporter met some of the nation’s nanny’s, out on the street. Mrs. Mangle from Ticklecock Bridge in West Yorkshire said; Oh, that is a relief! Ever since they changed it, my husband Bert hasn’t stopped effing moaning! Something about changing the empire grown virginias for dodgy Eastern European leaf & cocking up the flavours. Best ting they could have done I suppose, cancelling it. Yes, a kindness really.
Mrs. Fanny Bucket from Little Hampton added;
That’s right, my husband says if his Ennerdale doesn’t smell like my floral frillies (knickers) he doesn’t want to know! Ha ha, how he remembers what my drawers smell like, Lord only knows. He’s always down the pub you see.
Mrs. Strumpet from Slough had to cut short her interview. Having just arrived into town, she remembered she’d left the iron on & had to hot tail it back home.
So there you have it. A grateful nation, it would seem.
Back to @jBrady in the pipesmagazine studio.
Nah, I find blends like that sometimes.
I've noted blends went from something good to "hot air", which is sort of "literally nothing".
I've also had blends start out as hot air, or as I described at the time as "hollow". In that particular case I'm sure the blend will come around to my palate in the future, we're just not ready for each other. I'm sure a little aging / marrying of the components will change that for me down the road.
No doctor needed.
Ennerdale, the blend for which pipe smoking was invented, is no more. Almost seems like a meaningless exercise now. Lemmesee ...
RDH +1
OGS -1
RDH +1
OGS -1
Actually for me, if it tasted like it smells I would enjoy it. To me it taste like dirty socks smell (no I have not tasted dirty socks) . I know, Im weird. I want to like it but just can’t lol.The thing about English blends is that haters hate it more than enthusiasts love it, and I believe that's largely due to smell. If English blends smelled like cherry, onlookers would compliment it and smoking it would become more pleasurable for the smoker, which would lead to more affinity, etc.
English blends don't smell like cherry, however. They smell like yesterday's bonfire and last week's mangled leather soles. (I say this as a fan of English blends.)
The point to be made here is: nobody in this thread believes that the best blend will win Best Blend. This game is about the journey, not the destination.
From what we've lost in my/our lifetime, ennerdale tis but a scratch.
Onwards and upwards!
OGS? Shower of a flake, an absolute shower!!
-2 (OGS that is).
Telescope is ancient Greek for tosser, according to Michael Caine. Not a lot of people know that.
Due to the untimely demise of Ennerdale, @woodsroad @FLDRD and @telescopes may all re-cast their votes.
I've never had Brown Twist #4 but its lackeys are posting too many unanswered points.
BT#4 -2
Living:
Anomalous - Sutliff - 17
Brown Twist #4 - SG - 25
Golden Sliced - Orlik - 6
Dockworker - HU - 14
Rouxgaroux - WCC - 22
1989 - Erik Stokkebye - 17
Full Virginia Flake - SG - 23
Rich Dark Honeydew - GH - 18
Bob's Chocolate Flake - GH - 23
Flake - Peterson (Dunhill) - 13
Dark Bird's Eye - GH - 12
Deceased:
Grape - Captain Black
Match 20 - Sutliff
Hogshead - Seattle Pipe Club
Royal - Captain Black
Royal Yacht - Peterson
Exclusive - C&D
Stratfordshire - C&D
Mixture #79 - Sutliff
Aged Burley Flake - Solani
From Beyond - C&D
Pegasus - C&D
Holly's Non Plus Ultra - Dan
Dorchester - Esoterica
No. 69 - Peter Henrichs
Maple Shadows - Sutliff
American Cut Plug - Watch City
Squadron Leader - SG
Luxury Navy Flake - Peter Stokkebye
Lancer Slices - F&K
Wintertime Flake - SG
Black - Sillem's
Skiff Mixture - SG
Red Virginia - Robert McConnell
Oriental Silk - C&D
Ennerdale - GH
Ennerdale, Gawith Hoggarth's crowning flake, is no more. Day after day, Ennerdale managed to recoup as many hit points as it lost, but hands were greased (eww, what a weird saying) and bribes were presumably paid because Brown Twist #4 gobbled up all the positives. Given that the Twist is a Samuel Gawith blend, one might suspect that Ennerdale fell as a result of intra-family squabbles, as often happens at the top. Just ask Britain's historic Edward IV/Blood Mary fiasco. Maybe @simong can give us a rant-through on that one as well!
It feels almost anti-climactic to continue now that Ennerdale has fallen. For a minute there, it formed the centerpiece of this whole charade. Still, once one more blend falls, we'll have reached the top 10. So, even with the departure of this season's major character, there's more series to come.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure that if you look to your left, you'll see Brown Twist #4 teabagging his fallen cousin.
I've never had Brown Twist #4 but its lackeys are posting too many unanswered points.
BT#4 -2
Living:
Anomalous - Sutliff - 17
Brown Twist #4 - SG - 25
Golden Sliced - Orlik - 6
Dockworker - HU - 14
Rouxgaroux - WCC - 22
1989 - Erik Stokkebye - 17
Full Virginia Flake - SG - 23
Rich Dark Honeydew - GH - 18
Bob's Chocolate Flake - GH - 23
Flake - Peterson (Dunhill) - 13
Dark Bird's Eye - GH - 12
Deceased:
Grape - Captain Black
Match 20 - Sutliff
Hogshead - Seattle Pipe Club
Royal - Captain Black
Royal Yacht - Peterson
Exclusive - C&D
Stratfordshire - C&D
Mixture #79 - Sutliff
Aged Burley Flake - Solani
From Beyond - C&D
Pegasus - C&D
Holly's Non Plus Ultra - Dan
Dorchester - Esoterica
No. 69 - Peter Henrichs
Maple Shadows - Sutliff
American Cut Plug - Watch City
Squadron Leader - SG
Luxury Navy Flake - Peter Stokkebye
Lancer Slices - F&K
Wintertime Flake - SG
Black - Sillem's
Skiff Mixture - SG
Red Virginia - Robert McConnell
Oriental Silk - C&D
Ennerdale - GH
Ennerdale, Gawith Hoggarth's crowning flake, is no more. Day after day, Ennerdale managed to recoup as many hit points as it lost, but hands were greased (eww, what a weird saying) and bribes were presumably paid because Brown Twist #4 gobbled up all the positives. Given that the Twist is a Samuel Gawith blend, one might suspect that Ennerdale fell as a result of intra-family squabbles, as often happens at the top. Just ask Britain's historic Edward IV/Blood Mary fiasco. Maybe @simong can give us a rant-through on that one as well!
It feels almost anti-climactic to continue now that Ennerdale has fallen. For a minute there, it formed the centerpiece of this whole charade. Still, once one more blend falls, we'll have reached the top 10. So, even with the departure of this season's major character, there's more series to come.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure that if you look to your left, you'll see Brown Twist #4 teabagging his fallen cousin.