Like many, I partook in the very generous deal that 4noggins offered earlier this week on Escudo Navy De Luxe.
Now, I have generally been an aro smoker since picking up the pipe just shy of a year ago (my anniversary date will be July 16th). I have sampled everything except Oriental since then. I've bounced around some English style blends with some iffy feelings there. I'll chalk it up to an immature palate.
One blend that I had not -until today- tried was a VaPer. I've read countless favorable chatter here on PM about VaPer blends so I figured I would have to get around to it sooner than later. I have become jaded with aros finding them all basically being the same; no longer finding any enjoyment or challenge in them.
It was time to move on and 4noggins gave me the perfect opportunity. I bought four tins: one to smoke and three to cellar because Va/VaPer have been continually touted as the most cellarable of pipe tobaccos. Cool, I'll get my first VaPer light in plus have some to tuck away in the ol' cellar cabinet.
I decided that I hadn't been using my Savinelli Oscar 413KS enough -or really at all- for quite some time, so that would be the vessel for my maiden voyage with Escudo. I love this pipe, it was an unsmoked estate that only required a deoxidizing of the stem which was brown.
The tin note (from my amateur POV) smelled of hay and raisins. It smelt good. I went with the fold and stuff packing method. On first light I tasted a strong peppery hit from the perique. That peppery taste never went away.
From then on I had to relight a few times, but I tasted pepper, leather and it had a generally natural/earthy flavor. The nicotine content was also made known, not a bad thing. As someone who enjoys medium to strong cigars, it reminded me a lot of a them in so many ways. That rounded out the tastes of my first experience and enjoyment of this VaPer classic.
I smoked the entire bowl on my back patio, enjoying the warm, sunny summer solstice and listening to The 69 Eyes, a Finnish goth rock band. An appropriate choice because the summer solstice is a big event in Finland where it is called Juhannus the Midsummer Eve celebration.
I must say that this was an enjoyable smoke, especially for my first time packing a pipe with a VaPer. Now I think I understand what everyone was talking about and why Escudo has a high reputation among pipe smokers.
Now, I have generally been an aro smoker since picking up the pipe just shy of a year ago (my anniversary date will be July 16th). I have sampled everything except Oriental since then. I've bounced around some English style blends with some iffy feelings there. I'll chalk it up to an immature palate.
One blend that I had not -until today- tried was a VaPer. I've read countless favorable chatter here on PM about VaPer blends so I figured I would have to get around to it sooner than later. I have become jaded with aros finding them all basically being the same; no longer finding any enjoyment or challenge in them.
It was time to move on and 4noggins gave me the perfect opportunity. I bought four tins: one to smoke and three to cellar because Va/VaPer have been continually touted as the most cellarable of pipe tobaccos. Cool, I'll get my first VaPer light in plus have some to tuck away in the ol' cellar cabinet.
I decided that I hadn't been using my Savinelli Oscar 413KS enough -or really at all- for quite some time, so that would be the vessel for my maiden voyage with Escudo. I love this pipe, it was an unsmoked estate that only required a deoxidizing of the stem which was brown.
The tin note (from my amateur POV) smelled of hay and raisins. It smelt good. I went with the fold and stuff packing method. On first light I tasted a strong peppery hit from the perique. That peppery taste never went away.
From then on I had to relight a few times, but I tasted pepper, leather and it had a generally natural/earthy flavor. The nicotine content was also made known, not a bad thing. As someone who enjoys medium to strong cigars, it reminded me a lot of a them in so many ways. That rounded out the tastes of my first experience and enjoyment of this VaPer classic.
I smoked the entire bowl on my back patio, enjoying the warm, sunny summer solstice and listening to The 69 Eyes, a Finnish goth rock band. An appropriate choice because the summer solstice is a big event in Finland where it is called Juhannus the Midsummer Eve celebration.
I must say that this was an enjoyable smoke, especially for my first time packing a pipe with a VaPer. Now I think I understand what everyone was talking about and why Escudo has a high reputation among pipe smokers.
trial of Escudo coming soon.