Hi PM,
Pipe-makers Nate King and Wayne Teipen are here today horsing around, carrying on with Grand Times, and such. Wayne brought a jar of Semois with him and I eagerly filled a bowl of my Burley-dedicated Chuck Sands pipe with the stuff.
It is the Vincent Manil Semois. It is very light, fluffy, and somewhat crispy. It smells like "Perique and Feet" according to Nate King's description, but I maintain that it is a somewhat redundant description.
As predicted, it lights and burns very easily. Perhaps it is because of this version of the cut, but it burns almost too quickly and I had to be very mindful to smoke at the proper tempo because otherwise it would just take off.
Currently half way down the bowl, I would say the dominant notes are earthy and peppery, maybe something like dried leaves. It tastes somewhat cigar-like. There definitely is an underlying fragrant smog to it that has a warm sort of allure. On the whole, it's remarkable how a simple presentation of unassuming tobacco has such a strong and deep flavor identity. I wouldn't expect it out of any modern-age triple-A Burley. So in that sense, it is a unique tobacco.
On the other hand, I don't think it lives up to the recent hype and I don't think it is something that everyone just needs to try. Semois is a very particular flavor profile that probably would be awesome as a condiment in a sophisticated artisan blend. I have the feeling that if we all just rediscovered Yenidje, there would be the same sort of reaction in the community, but both of these tobaccos are probably better when playing along with Virginia and other Turkish leaves.
In summary: Great tobacco with intriguing flavor profile, but I don't feel like it is very complete on its own nor is it the holy grail of pipe tobacco. Probably even better if blended with something else. I would love enjoying this tobacco regularly along with my other Burley blends, but for how difficult it is for me to get, I don't feel compelled to bother my European friends to get me any in the future. I would take a tin of Edgeworth, even the newer stuff, over Semois any day.
Benjamin Berkeley
Pipe-makers Nate King and Wayne Teipen are here today horsing around, carrying on with Grand Times, and such. Wayne brought a jar of Semois with him and I eagerly filled a bowl of my Burley-dedicated Chuck Sands pipe with the stuff.
It is the Vincent Manil Semois. It is very light, fluffy, and somewhat crispy. It smells like "Perique and Feet" according to Nate King's description, but I maintain that it is a somewhat redundant description.
As predicted, it lights and burns very easily. Perhaps it is because of this version of the cut, but it burns almost too quickly and I had to be very mindful to smoke at the proper tempo because otherwise it would just take off.
Currently half way down the bowl, I would say the dominant notes are earthy and peppery, maybe something like dried leaves. It tastes somewhat cigar-like. There definitely is an underlying fragrant smog to it that has a warm sort of allure. On the whole, it's remarkable how a simple presentation of unassuming tobacco has such a strong and deep flavor identity. I wouldn't expect it out of any modern-age triple-A Burley. So in that sense, it is a unique tobacco.
On the other hand, I don't think it lives up to the recent hype and I don't think it is something that everyone just needs to try. Semois is a very particular flavor profile that probably would be awesome as a condiment in a sophisticated artisan blend. I have the feeling that if we all just rediscovered Yenidje, there would be the same sort of reaction in the community, but both of these tobaccos are probably better when playing along with Virginia and other Turkish leaves.
In summary: Great tobacco with intriguing flavor profile, but I don't feel like it is very complete on its own nor is it the holy grail of pipe tobacco. Probably even better if blended with something else. I would love enjoying this tobacco regularly along with my other Burley blends, but for how difficult it is for me to get, I don't feel compelled to bother my European friends to get me any in the future. I would take a tin of Edgeworth, even the newer stuff, over Semois any day.
Benjamin Berkeley
