BlackHouse 2017 Vintage Review

[admin]

Here's a review on the current vintage of BlackHouse, the tobacco that won the 2011 Throwdown Contest.

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/pipe-tobacco-reviews/hearth-home-black-house-november-2017/

 

[perdurabo]

Well Damn. Balkan Blue, which I just opened, is darker than Black House. I expected them to at least look similiar. :wink:

 

[deathmetal]

Sounds tasty. One problem I have found with heavy Latakia or Perique tobaccos is that at a certain point in the bowl, the mixture melts down into a type of "elephant's foot" which does not breathe well, and so a certain degree of flavor is lost. This could explain the last third of the bowl experience which he describes. Nonetheless, it feels like a tin should be sought, because I enjoy Russ's work and have confidence in his ability to grasp the spirit of a blend and bring it out in the mix.

 

[Waning Embers]

I've tried all three of the 2011 throwdown winners, and my favorite is the sadly no longer produced Altadis Balkan Luxury Blend 957.

 

[deathmetal]

Interesting. Was it a fine ribbon cut, as opposed to the more "chunk cut" variety of ribbon cut that a lot of these have?

 

[Waning Embers]

It was more of what would be called a broken flake. Seemed more oriental forward than Latakia as well. The perique really stood out in the smoke too.

 

[deathmetal]

Sounds delicious. One theory down. It seemed to me that for some blends at least, the finer cut made it easier to get all of the varieties burning at once, so you got more of a "chord" than a sequence of flavors as the bowl burned down.
Orientals do not get enough respect, but it seems as if this is changing, as some of the blends coming into vogue (read: mentioned more on the internet, haha) seem to use Orientals in mixtures other than straight Englishes.

 

[Waning Embers]

I prefer the more Oriental forward blends with Latakia, why I cellared so much Yenidje Highlander before it disappeared. When Latakia is forward, that's all I taste. Penzance tastes exactly like Pirate Kake to me for that reason, as do all Latakia forward blends.

 

[deathmetal]

When Latakia is forward, that's all I taste.

Same effect here. Not that this is a bad thing, but I like the more complex diphthong of flavors when no leaf dominates the blend. I guess that is why we call them "condimental" tobaccos.

 

[perdurabo]

Balkan Blue has a soda note to me, which the original supposedly had. For a lat forward blend it's got enough complexity to keep me interested. Sadly it's missing umph. I can only do these Lat Bombs when it gets cooler. That brisk air really helps these blends to shine.

 

[Waning Embers]

When Latakia is far in the background, it acts as a framework for the other flavors and supports the blend. Those are the types that I enjoy. My main reason for Black Frigate. YH has more Latakia than BF, but is still a supporting player and adds to the blend instead of taking over. That was always my way of separating Balkans and Englishes. Oriental forward, Balkan. Latakia forward, English.

 

[Waning Embers]

Balkan Blue would be the second on my list of the three. I can still taste the Virginias in it.

 

[perdurabo]

True. The virginias are present at the end of the note.

 

[perdurabo]

At least in the retrohale.

 

[Waning Embers]

Isn't that where everything is? :wink:

 

[perdurabo]

There ain't no rum note at the end of this Salty Dog I'm smoking. It ain't there at all. :|

 

[Waning Embers]

It makes itself present as a sweetness in the smoke. Not as prevalent as Blockade Runner.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Black House was my first Balkan, and first blend containing latakia. I loved it at first puff and still do to this day. I'm also a huge fan of Balkan Blue. Some time ago, I decided to try all three and I wrote up a little review here between them. Balkan Luxury Blend 957 was my least favorite of the three, but still very much enjoyable.

 

[davet]

my favorite is the sadly no longer produced Altadis Balkan Luxury Blend 957.

I really enjoyed this one and started putting some away and then it was gone without warning :crying:

I believe I have a few tucked away, I'll have to try it again as it's been awhile.