Daughters & Ryan: LONDON DOCK
Finally, I was able to experience a so-called: Cherry Aromatic Pipe Tobacco, that actually delivered on the age-old and worm-out promise that so many other pipe tobaccos of this classification make - but fail to deliver on - except for the delivery of burning hot air that tastes like you are smoking one of those hanging, tree-shaped, Cherry air-freshers for your car - NOT SO, with Daughters & Ryan London Dock!
Upon cracking open the tin, I was immediately greeted by a delightful array of promising smells of all manner and olfactory colors; that, along with a distinctive "cherry and something" note being most forward in the opening presentation - more on that "something" later on.
My initial thoughts of: "Oh here we go again, this is going to be another one of those goopy messes, that tastes like hot cherry-chemical-flavored air, burns my tongue, and will put more stinking ghosts in my pipe than appear in the entire M.R. James short-story collection." were unfounded.
In fact, those initial thoughts were wholly unfounded.
London Dock had a perfect moisture-level, and packed perfectly into my taste-testing pipe - Old Faithful #1 - a Missouri Meerschaum: Legend, straight-stem.
London Dock took to light easily, and fired right up! I was immediately hit with a wonderfully balanced buffet of a variety of fruity flavors; again, with the distinctive "Cherry and Something" being the leader of the pack.
MMmmm, very good; in fact, very, very good.
While I tried to puzzle-out exactly what the "Something-flavor" was, I determined - thankfully - that it was decidedly not Amaretto or Almond - a taste I do not care for at all. And, if in the actual recipe for this mixture, there is indeed Amaretto used by the Blender, it is so well-balanced into the mix, that it does not play on the tongue as such to me.
As I continued to pull and puff-away, pondering what the "something" was, I toyed back-and-forth over the idea of the presence of Vanilla. Now, Vanilla may very well be present in the recipe, but again, it was not specifically playing-out that way to me.
Then like a bolt of lightning cast from the hand of Odin, it suddenly stuck me - Coconut! Cherries and Coconut!
Now, I love the smell of Coconut tanning lotion broiling in the summer sun, and Coconut shampoo in the steamy air of a hot shower; and the taste my palate was detecting was that exact same type of Coconut, but instead of merely smelling it, I could taste it!
While there may be no Coconut present in the mixture - and perhaps what I was experiencing was nothing more than the by-product of the interplay of the Cherry, Vanilla, and what-have-you in the actual recipe - that's exactly what I tasted mixed with the Cherry flavor.
And it was good!
I always know when I am really enjoying and bonding with a new-to-me tabak mixture, as I get a sudden and strong urge to drink coffee while smoking it - and I am primarily a tea-drinker! So, it was into the car - my favorite place to smoke anyway - and off the 24 Hour Convince Store, for a big 20oz coffee to pair with what was remaining in my bowl of London Dock.
I also know I really enjoyed London Dock more than I initially expected, because I cursed myself for not bringing the tin with me, as I had more than half my coffee left when I came to the finish of the bowl as I sat otherwise quietly in the car, peacefully sipping and puffing-away in harmonious bliss.
Now, one thing I must say about London Dock before I close:
I always immediately "clear" Old-Faithful #1 with two bowls of Five Brothers - which is the greatest "Exorcist" known to pipedom - after I smoke something new or potent out of her; however, upon finishing the first clearing-bowl of Five Brothers, I was still tasting the Cherry of London Dock hanging around and making its presence known. I still have yet to smoke the second "clearing bowl" of Five Brothers, as I am all smoked-out for now, so I cannot say exactly how strong the Ghosts of London Dock will exhibit its poltergeistly-presence for.
I highly encourage you to give London Dock a try for three reasons: 1) If you already are a Cherry Aromatic smoker; or, 2) If like me, you have always liked the concept of a Cherry-flavored pipe tobacco, but found the reality of the standard offerings available too chemical-tasting or too brutal to handle; or, 3)The idea of Cherries and Coconut - if your palate also interprets it that way - in your pipe sounds like a delicious desert smoke to you.
So far, all my experiences with Daughters & Ryan tabaks have been amazing, and I feel Mark Ryan may soon be hailed and numbered as one of the great Supermen-of-Tobacco.
And again, I would urge you to try Daughters & Ryan's London Dock, but with your existing dedicated Cherry-tabak pipe, or, with a pipe - like my "Old Faithful #1" - which is specifically dedicated to such exploratory investigations in the event of the unfortunate possibility of permanent imprinting. I have faith she will "clear" after the second bowl of Five Brothers does its thing; and if not, she'll become a designated "desert pipe" awaiting more delicious London Dock in the future. - Sherm Natman
Finally, I was able to experience a so-called: Cherry Aromatic Pipe Tobacco, that actually delivered on the age-old and worm-out promise that so many other pipe tobaccos of this classification make - but fail to deliver on - except for the delivery of burning hot air that tastes like you are smoking one of those hanging, tree-shaped, Cherry air-freshers for your car - NOT SO, with Daughters & Ryan London Dock!
Upon cracking open the tin, I was immediately greeted by a delightful array of promising smells of all manner and olfactory colors; that, along with a distinctive "cherry and something" note being most forward in the opening presentation - more on that "something" later on.
My initial thoughts of: "Oh here we go again, this is going to be another one of those goopy messes, that tastes like hot cherry-chemical-flavored air, burns my tongue, and will put more stinking ghosts in my pipe than appear in the entire M.R. James short-story collection." were unfounded.
In fact, those initial thoughts were wholly unfounded.
London Dock had a perfect moisture-level, and packed perfectly into my taste-testing pipe - Old Faithful #1 - a Missouri Meerschaum: Legend, straight-stem.
London Dock took to light easily, and fired right up! I was immediately hit with a wonderfully balanced buffet of a variety of fruity flavors; again, with the distinctive "Cherry and Something" being the leader of the pack.
MMmmm, very good; in fact, very, very good.
While I tried to puzzle-out exactly what the "Something-flavor" was, I determined - thankfully - that it was decidedly not Amaretto or Almond - a taste I do not care for at all. And, if in the actual recipe for this mixture, there is indeed Amaretto used by the Blender, it is so well-balanced into the mix, that it does not play on the tongue as such to me.
As I continued to pull and puff-away, pondering what the "something" was, I toyed back-and-forth over the idea of the presence of Vanilla. Now, Vanilla may very well be present in the recipe, but again, it was not specifically playing-out that way to me.
Then like a bolt of lightning cast from the hand of Odin, it suddenly stuck me - Coconut! Cherries and Coconut!
Now, I love the smell of Coconut tanning lotion broiling in the summer sun, and Coconut shampoo in the steamy air of a hot shower; and the taste my palate was detecting was that exact same type of Coconut, but instead of merely smelling it, I could taste it!
While there may be no Coconut present in the mixture - and perhaps what I was experiencing was nothing more than the by-product of the interplay of the Cherry, Vanilla, and what-have-you in the actual recipe - that's exactly what I tasted mixed with the Cherry flavor.
And it was good!
I always know when I am really enjoying and bonding with a new-to-me tabak mixture, as I get a sudden and strong urge to drink coffee while smoking it - and I am primarily a tea-drinker! So, it was into the car - my favorite place to smoke anyway - and off the 24 Hour Convince Store, for a big 20oz coffee to pair with what was remaining in my bowl of London Dock.
I also know I really enjoyed London Dock more than I initially expected, because I cursed myself for not bringing the tin with me, as I had more than half my coffee left when I came to the finish of the bowl as I sat otherwise quietly in the car, peacefully sipping and puffing-away in harmonious bliss.
Now, one thing I must say about London Dock before I close:
I always immediately "clear" Old-Faithful #1 with two bowls of Five Brothers - which is the greatest "Exorcist" known to pipedom - after I smoke something new or potent out of her; however, upon finishing the first clearing-bowl of Five Brothers, I was still tasting the Cherry of London Dock hanging around and making its presence known. I still have yet to smoke the second "clearing bowl" of Five Brothers, as I am all smoked-out for now, so I cannot say exactly how strong the Ghosts of London Dock will exhibit its poltergeistly-presence for.
I highly encourage you to give London Dock a try for three reasons: 1) If you already are a Cherry Aromatic smoker; or, 2) If like me, you have always liked the concept of a Cherry-flavored pipe tobacco, but found the reality of the standard offerings available too chemical-tasting or too brutal to handle; or, 3)The idea of Cherries and Coconut - if your palate also interprets it that way - in your pipe sounds like a delicious desert smoke to you.
So far, all my experiences with Daughters & Ryan tabaks have been amazing, and I feel Mark Ryan may soon be hailed and numbered as one of the great Supermen-of-Tobacco.
And again, I would urge you to try Daughters & Ryan's London Dock, but with your existing dedicated Cherry-tabak pipe, or, with a pipe - like my "Old Faithful #1" - which is specifically dedicated to such exploratory investigations in the event of the unfortunate possibility of permanent imprinting. I have faith she will "clear" after the second bowl of Five Brothers does its thing; and if not, she'll become a designated "desert pipe" awaiting more delicious London Dock in the future. - Sherm Natman