Cult Blood Red Moon

[unadoptedlamp]

I tossed in a couple of tins of Blood Red Moon to an order because of some things I read here.
It is the first true aromatic I've smoked in 15 years. Almost didn't order it, but thought, what the hell. It's cheap.
I can't believe it. This tobacco is not at all what I was expecting, based on previous horrific experiences.
What an interesting blend. The cherry, chocolate, and nutty flavours as they change through the bowl... stunning. And all without becoming a gloopy mess. How is this even possible? Have aromatics changed?
What I want to know is, have they managed to do something similar with their Abacus blend or others? I just can't get over how good this tobacco tastes. If they could do this with other flavours, I think I'd have a crisis on my hands. It is that good.

 

[Chasing Embers]

They haven't changed, you have. With more experience smoking, pipe smokers eventually taste aros the way they were meant to be. I'm always amazed when aros are suggested to a beginner.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I think I'm going to have to re-evaluate my thinking. I can see it being something I need to be in a mood for to smoke, but then, almost everything else I smoke works the same way.
The flavours have really caught me off guard. At worst, I was expecting a steamy mess of burnt tongue and to be out a couple of tins. Best case... maybe something sort of cherry. But this blend is actually fairly complex. I can taste a lot going on throughout the bowl and I just never thought that could happen with an aromatic.
What an idiot I have been! Man. I've smoked more -am smoking some right now- just to see if it was a fluke. It's not. In my opinion, this is an outstanding blend and it is far more than just cherry.
I think maybe you are right Chasing. When I first started, I barely knew how to pack a bowl, let along smoke one without frying my mouth. I found refuge in English blends -which are pretty aromatic in a smoky way- and slowly came back around to where I tried to start. Completely different results.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I found Cult Blood Red to be pretty decent if you like those flavors. I also thought it petty much completely overwhelmed the tobacco flavors. I found Rattrays Ecliptic Orange and HU Bahia O to be better as the Aro was good but didn't totally overwhelm the tobacco flavors. There are probably way more blends with a light topping than people probably realize. I don't see any reason to be a purist about it. If you like it, you like it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I had the same epiphany about two years ago. After 25 years of smoking a pipe, aros just started making sense. For me now, an aro's tin note equals flavor.

 

[npod]

I’ve been meaning to try a cherry blend. Honestly, I’ve never tried anything cherry and this one does seem to have good reviews. I have relatives coming soon and I want a good cherry or Aro to smoke that has a good room note and smell. Would this be a good one?

 

[weedsnager]

I think the homemade hobbits weed blend that’s floating around the Internet has better flavor then cult blood red moon

 

[peckinpahhombre]

It's just bulk Lane TK-6 stuffed in a tin and adorned with a catchy lable and title (coupled with a hefty price increase).

 

[Chasing Embers]

Would this be a good one?

Absolutely. Lane's Dark Red is another.

 

[wyfbane]

As far as Aro's go, I really liked Dan's Devil's Holiday, too.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I think it's good to start on aromatics, because it's so much easier to get tongue bite from them. Once you can get aromatics down to not biting you then move on to English/Virginia/VaPers/Burleys. Once you get those down then come back to aromatics and it'll be a completely different experience.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Even with all the hype, I didn't really expect Blood Red Moon to be all that great either, but it really is a fantastic blend. I find it quite enjoyable.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I think it's good to start on aromatics, because it's so much easier to get tongue bite from them.

That's why so many new pipe smokers quit.

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Peck- Is that actually true? The TK-6 doesn't list cacao/chocolate on tobacco reviews.
Hoosier- I'm going to give those a try when I can.
For anyone considering, this blend was a nice surprise. Fantastic room note that people love, I smoked mine dry right out of the tin without a mess or tongue bite, and the flavours were interesting. The cherry, cacao, and tobacco provided for a really good spectrum of flavouring as the bowl progressed.
I had not paid much attention to aromatics because I figured they would just be a mono blast of hot steam and maybe some hints of whatever topping is used, once in awhile. This blend, in my experience, had an interesting complexity that was surprising to me.
I mainly enjoy flakes of VaPer, and other virginia forward blends. I am an absolute sucker for Haddo's... maybe that explains why I finally gave an aromatic another shot. This won't replace all of the blends I love, but I think it will definitely add to them.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Peck- Is that actually true? The TK-6 doesn't list cacao/chocolate on tobacco reviews.

I can't verify first hand, as I am not an aromatic smoker and wouldn't buy this stuff. However, I was told that by someone who I trust that this was the case.
Maybe one of you guys who love CBRM can buy some and let us know.

 

[sablebrush52]

Peck- Is that actually true? The TK-6 doesn't list cacao/chocolate on tobacco reviews.

Yep, 'tis true. Cult Red Moon is just repackaged Lane bulk.

 

[bluto]

Hmmmm ... this sounds like the Australian gooseberry story revisited , not easy to sell them at all , until they hired a marketing dude who came up with a fancy name for gooseberries
Thus the kiwi was born and they have never looked back

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I was recently a tobacco snob too. A blend like this will not bump out my standbys like FVF or Hal O The Wynd, but it will be a nice addition to them. Great to know that there is an even less expensive option. Being a straight up re-package, I'll not pay a markup for some tin art.
It's interesting that the contents are described differently on tobacco reviews. The tin says the cherry and cacao is natural... or suggests it.
I enjoy my tobaccos by sipping. Occasionally, I take a larger puff when my attention wanes and quickly notice a lack of flavour. This happens more or less with all blends I smoke, depending a lot on the type of blend.
Sipping this blend provides, in my opinion, similar complexity to something like FVF or BBF, or any number of other blends that reveal great complexity by taking it very slow. It's obviously very different, but it's certainly not a straight out blast of cherry. It was a very intriguing experience.
It is my understanding that many tobaccos are similarly adulterated (depending on your stance) with various toppings, casings, flavourings. Even blends thought of as "pure," whatever that means. I blissfully overlooked that to enjoy my stance that I firmly did not smoke aromatics.
Until very recently, I had a similar view of what an aromatic was. Crap that had no place in my pipe. In my case, at least, my prejudice was based on... well, I'd have to think more on that. I don't know why I had that prejudice.

Perhaps from an unpleasant experience many years ago? An aversion to hookah bars? I don't know. It seems silly to me now.

 

[npod]

Yep, 'tis true. Cult Red Moon is just repackaged Lane bulk.

Well that clenches it for me. No go. Even it smells good to others, I’ll stick with McClellands Best In Show for when guests and non smokers are around. That blend makes everyone happy.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It is good to see a thread about an aromatic that received more than a handful of comments. I am trying to remember whether this one was the one that tastes like a cherry flavored candy or just a pretty good cherry aromatic. If not, which one was the one that tasted like candy?

I tried a few cherry blends a few years ago, when there seemed to be a bunch of new cherry blends being released, but I can't remember which one tasted like what, in hindsight.