The first time I tried Engine #382 I was just a few months into pipe smoking -- and that was this past spring, so don't take this review as coming from the point of view of long experience. In fact, it's less of a standard review as prooving a point that experienced members have made here several times: don't be too quick to reject or trade away a blend that you had a bad experience or two with, because tastes change over time. I've found this especially true in my first year of trying different blends, and doubly true of a blend as odd and polarizing as #382.
Looking back at my earlier notes from my first couple of tries, I was struck by the fresh, green herbal vanilla-like note of the deertongue in the bag, and could definitely taste it in the bowl. I was thinking it would be great summer smoke. Then things went off in June and July. One was I had left it in the bag too long, and the leaves had dried out a fair amount, and I couldn't smell the deertongue as well. I jarred it finally, but it got worse. The blend tasted drier and harsher, with too much of a nic-hit that I hadn't experienced before and a lot of ashiness by the second half of the bowl. I knew I was likely smoking too fast, but I didn't think it could change the taste that much, right? I stuck the jar into a drawer and marked it for trading away.
I decided to pull it out once more now that the weather's a bit cooler, and I tried it fairly loosely packed in a small Meer calabash on a fairly still afternoon. And the DT goodness was back! What happened?
I think, as I got more used to smoking, I was packing more leaf into my bowl, and drawing harder to keep it going. Also, in the summer, even in the morning my south facing terrace gets really hot, and I was smoking faster so I could get back indoors. Last, as I got more confident, I assumed that I actually knew how to smoke blends that I'd tried before only a couple of times.
All of this is probably obvious to a lot of folks here, but I hope it may help my fellow newbies. What I've learned from Engine #382 is that, like it's C & D kindred OJK, HB and perhaps Pegasus, it will get harsh and bite-y if pushed too fast. But also, DT needs to be packed fairly loosely and sipped to be enjoyed in all its subtle, tarragon-like sweetness. And perhaps the larger lesson is that every blend smokes differently, and a few bowls is not enough to completely figure out how, especially while you're still figuring out the whole pipe-smoking routine.
So if you've tried a DT blend and wondered why anyone bothered, or you couldn't taste the deertongue at all, consider approaching it like you'd eat a bowl of fresh summer pasta with a sprinkle of herbs on top: don't shovel it down, but just nibble and enjoy.
Looking back at my earlier notes from my first couple of tries, I was struck by the fresh, green herbal vanilla-like note of the deertongue in the bag, and could definitely taste it in the bowl. I was thinking it would be great summer smoke. Then things went off in June and July. One was I had left it in the bag too long, and the leaves had dried out a fair amount, and I couldn't smell the deertongue as well. I jarred it finally, but it got worse. The blend tasted drier and harsher, with too much of a nic-hit that I hadn't experienced before and a lot of ashiness by the second half of the bowl. I knew I was likely smoking too fast, but I didn't think it could change the taste that much, right? I stuck the jar into a drawer and marked it for trading away.
I decided to pull it out once more now that the weather's a bit cooler, and I tried it fairly loosely packed in a small Meer calabash on a fairly still afternoon. And the DT goodness was back! What happened?
I think, as I got more used to smoking, I was packing more leaf into my bowl, and drawing harder to keep it going. Also, in the summer, even in the morning my south facing terrace gets really hot, and I was smoking faster so I could get back indoors. Last, as I got more confident, I assumed that I actually knew how to smoke blends that I'd tried before only a couple of times.
All of this is probably obvious to a lot of folks here, but I hope it may help my fellow newbies. What I've learned from Engine #382 is that, like it's C & D kindred OJK, HB and perhaps Pegasus, it will get harsh and bite-y if pushed too fast. But also, DT needs to be packed fairly loosely and sipped to be enjoyed in all its subtle, tarragon-like sweetness. And perhaps the larger lesson is that every blend smokes differently, and a few bowls is not enough to completely figure out how, especially while you're still figuring out the whole pipe-smoking routine.
So if you've tried a DT blend and wondered why anyone bothered, or you couldn't taste the deertongue at all, consider approaching it like you'd eat a bowl of fresh summer pasta with a sprinkle of herbs on top: don't shovel it down, but just nibble and enjoy.
