El Ricon de la Pipa #1

[andrew]

A blend made specifically for Rincon de la Pipa, a pipe smokers forum in Spain. A beautiful mix of Virginias, Burley, Izmir, Latakia and a touch of Black Cavendish

http://www.4noggins.com/ElRincondelaPipa.aspx
This is great stuff, I ordered 4 ounces of it just to try it out as I figured it must be pretty good considering it's a blend made specifically for a pipe smokers forum, and we're gushing over it in a thead about prairie wind by 4 noggins.
My first impression of it is it's very similar to Early Morning Pipe by Dunhill but without the oriental component of EMP, it's very sharp in the same way I find EMP to be, kind of a punch to the lungs when you inhale it, burns your nostrils if smoke goes up there. The latkia is barely noticable, and there's beautiful chunks of Virginia flake waiting to be rubbed out. It is much like an English blend, probably would be considered an English blend but it's nothing like I've had before really. In a sense, it reminds me of smoking a Romeo Y Juliet Cuban tubos cigar I had at a friends wedding a few years ago. I couldn't really find many reviews for this out there, so here it is. Definitely highly recommended stuff, a strong smoke that assaults your senses, it's a good morning wake up in my opinion.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I like it but the Izmir, an oriental, is clearly present in the smoke, to my taste buds anyway. Good stuff.

 

[andrew]

Yeah my palate isn't advanced enough to pick up on different things yet. I can just say I like it alot. It just doesn't have a 965/EMP/English Oriental etc. kind of oriental flavour to me, which was what I meant by "missing the oriental component" At 35$ a pound though, I can see ordering a pound. I figure with the Canadian dollar most likely going down around 10 cents at least, I'll probably do another order and get a pound of this in it.

A very balanced mixture, full of body, with the white burley as main flavour support, spicy orientals giving a piquant character and virginias bonding all of them, resulting a sweet medium atypical mixture.

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?TID=5193

Definitely spicy, in a kind of peppery way I find almost. I definitely notice that, is that the izmar? It definitely comes on the dry side, which is a bonus I find, as you get more tobacco for your money, then you can moisten it as you please. My local B&M keeps big wadded up wet paper towels in the top of their bulk jars, and it takes a good 4-5 days of drying to get to a suitable level, which I find unacceptable, considering it's 50 cents a gram roughly.

 

[andrew]

Wow, I think I got the moisture level just right because for the first time I just noticed the lemony flavours I've read in other people's reviews plus it's not nearly as strong as it was dry. It's kind of like a black tea lemon flavour almost. I'm definitely getting a pound of this,

 

[4noggins]

Thanks for nice review. Rincon has been a huge success, but I really cannot take credit for it. The guys at the pipe club came up with the recipe and I simply blend it with lots of love and a special touch. The recipe uses only top notch tobaccos which enhances the subtleties in the flavors
I'm glad you're enjoying it.
Rich

4noggins.com

 

[andrew]

This stuff is absolutely incredible and will be going into my regular rotation with a dedicated pipe. It's probably the only pipe tobacco I've come across so far that I can say I fully enjoy at 2 different moisture levels. When it's dryer, it's very sharp like EMP almost, and somewhat cigar like. Then when it's a bit moist, it mellows right out, becomes smoother and you get this really nice lemon flavour, and it's nothing like an english, but when it's drier it's a bit like an english. I can say I will be keeping 2 different jars of this, one drier, one moist, because I love it both ways. I will definitely be placing an order soon rich while the Canadian dollar is still high. #YOLO!!

 

[chum202]

Thanks for this excellent review.
Good stuff.

 

[andrew]

OMG, shameless plug for this blend. Just opened a jar around a year old now that spring is here, hadn't smoked it in the winter much. All I can say is this is amazing stuff. The age seems to have made it a bit creamier, the izmir has a bit less bite. This is a 5 out of 5 star blend. Glad I'll have 2 pounds of it stocked up. 2 pounds just isn't enough though as this is I think my lifetime daily smoke.

 

[dottiewarden]

I found this posted within "El Rincón de la Pipa" and states the review was originally posted here.
It seems like it has also been poeted esle where but I certainly can't find it here.
Here it goes:
my review of Rincon de la Pipa #1 .... orginally posted on pipesmagazine.com

ROMEO STAN (Anchorage, AK) 3/21/2012 8:12 PM

Last week I placed my first TAD order with 4noggins. I ordered various tins of VA flakes, 100g of Frog Morton, a pound of PS Cube Cut for cellaring and some cleaning supplies. I like 4noggins as it is the only place that offers free shipping to Alaska for orders over $95 ( 15 bucks for Priority Mail is, after all, a tin or two or 4-6 oz of bulk baccy ). I had spoken to Rich on the phone about Balkan blends, Sasieni vs PS Balkan Supreme, that sort of thing. He was kind enough to include a sample of Rincon de la Pipa #1 in the box. First impressions: - a very nice strong Balkan note, very noticeable. Warranted a "you got some of that sh*t smelling tobacco again, didn't you?" from the wife. Sharp, but not overwhelming. - bit on the dry side from the baggie. Fairly coarse strands, mostly yellowish brown. I loaded an Amphora X-tra straight apple which was freshly cleaned an scraped and went to work on on a full bowl. Took fire really nice, no charring needed. Lots of smoke. Campfire and old leather but not extremely spicy tasting. Halfway through the bowl I got a Nic kick. Tastes like it smells from the bag. Creamy smoke, but lots of body. Very rich oriental taste, no extra flavors added. Burns very cool to a nice white ash. Gently tamped it some toward the end which was a mistake, because it bit me pretty hard. I smoked it outdoors on my walk so no idea on room note, but there were no complaints from Momma when I returned. Smoked another bowl from same pipe this morning with coffee on the way to work. I really took my time with it. It went out on me once. Thanks to slow traffic I was able to relight, without tamping of course. Just scraped the ashes out. It got really really Oriental right before the finish line, but it didn't attack me. Leaves a nice old leather scent in the car ..... I usually crack the windows to air out while I smoke on the ride, but it was 8 degrees F so I had just the sunroof open. This is a good quality solid Balkan.
Well balanced mixture

Xarls (Burgos, ) 3/11/2012 12:38 PM

A very balanced mixture, full of body, with the white burley as main flavour support, spicy orientals giving a piquant character and virginias bonding all of them, resulting a sweet medium atypical mixture.

 

[settersbrace]

I feel like I'm missing something in the description. When you refer to EMP as being "sharp", how exactly do you mean that? When I read sharp, I think fresh tinned red Virginias or some other bitey blend. EMP for me is mellow, sweet and nutty. Not being critical, just looking for clarification.

 

[andrew]

I feel like I'm missing something in the description. When you refer to EMP as being "sharp", how exactly do you mean that? When I read sharp, I think fresh tinned red Virginias or some other bitey blend. EMP for me is mellow, sweet and nutty. Not being critical, just looking for clarification.

I would describe bright Va's as sharp. I'm sure there's 100's of different words people could use to describe things. Personally I inhale my tobacco so I may have a different tasting profile than someone who doesn't, but I find the bright Va's in EMP to be sharp as well as the bright Va's in El Ricon de la pipa to have the same effect. To make it easier for you if you like EMP there's a good 80% chance that you'll like ERDLP as I love EMP and ERDLP both, I buy them both by the pound. It's sharp as in it wakes you up like EMP does.

 

[dottiewarden]

I just read through about 30 reviews on the Spanish language forum that the pipe tobacco "El Ricon de la Pipa #1" was originally made for. The main opinion of the Spaniards is that it's a stand alone blend, perique taste with no perique listed, and that it smokes better a little dry.
A high level of satisfaction was practically unanimous, although many received their tobacco too dry and were stuck having to rehydrate.

 

[andrew]

I really enjoy it a bit more on the moist side, it really brings out the lemony flavors. On the drier side you lose the lemony flavors and it's pretty potent. But I agree it's a stand alone blend. The first time I tried it I picked up 4 ounces and it came really dry, the second time I ordered a pound and it came not so dry. Either way just a bit of moisture isn't hard to add.