Favorite HU Blend?
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I can't pick just one. Directors Cut is a favorite of many and it is one of my favs as well. VaPer with some DFK in it. Superb.
I like Haymaker best of the HU Va offerings. I would say Virginia blends is not an HU strength but this is a good Va Flake.
Flanagan and Joschi's Oriental Sunrise are my two favorite VaOr blends. I have put quite a bit of each in the cellar for aging.
I really like Manyara. Very complex. I don't know how to really describe it. Red Va base with "lots of other stuff" that all seems to play together nicely.
If you enjoy a good cigar Nyala is a must. The best cigar pipe blend I've tasted.
Makhuwa and Nashville County are 2 burley blends but are worlds apart taste wise. Makhuwa has a light cocoa/chocolate topping that is evident but does not overwhelm the flavor of the blend in the least. Nashville County is quite spicy.
Dockworker is a Burley flake that I have quite a few tins of. Could easily be an all day smoke.
Louisiana Broken is my favor pure VaPer blend.
HU has some excellent Latakia blends if you like Latakia. I'm not a fan so I won't comment on those other than to say I have a few tins of Fayuum Kake and Zulu.
I'll give you a safe guarantee. Buy that list and if you don't like any of them, I'll pay you what you paid for them (Esterval's pricing) shipped to me. I doubt you'll be sending much my way. And over time, there are a number of other really good blends. The guy is a brilliant blender.
I like Haymaker best of the HU Va offerings. I would say Virginia blends is not an HU strength but this is a good Va Flake.
Flanagan and Joschi's Oriental Sunrise are my two favorite VaOr blends. I have put quite a bit of each in the cellar for aging.
I really like Manyara. Very complex. I don't know how to really describe it. Red Va base with "lots of other stuff" that all seems to play together nicely.
If you enjoy a good cigar Nyala is a must. The best cigar pipe blend I've tasted.
Makhuwa and Nashville County are 2 burley blends but are worlds apart taste wise. Makhuwa has a light cocoa/chocolate topping that is evident but does not overwhelm the flavor of the blend in the least. Nashville County is quite spicy.
Dockworker is a Burley flake that I have quite a few tins of. Could easily be an all day smoke.
Louisiana Broken is my favor pure VaPer blend.
HU has some excellent Latakia blends if you like Latakia. I'm not a fan so I won't comment on those other than to say I have a few tins of Fayuum Kake and Zulu.
I'll give you a safe guarantee. Buy that list and if you don't like any of them, I'll pay you what you paid for them (Esterval's pricing) shipped to me. I doubt you'll be sending much my way. And over time, there are a number of other really good blends. The guy is a brilliant blender.
Sounds like one hell of an insurance policy! I’ll take you up on it and add those to my list.
Fayyum is amazing... also, Sissinghurst is delicious if you like funky fruity Irish style blends like Mick McQuaid and Erinmore.
I have bought a bunch recently and have only tasted two of them so far. Both (Director’s Cut and Tuarekh) are exceptionally good
@hoosierpipeguy and my tastes line up quite a bit. That said, of those he listed I would strongly second Louisiana Broken, Flanagan, and Manyara.
My favorites of the HU blends are Makhuwa, 5th Anniversary blend, Edward G, Director's Cut, Janneman Flake, Old Fredders, Zulu, Indaba, Out Of Africa, and Moroccan Baazar.
I can’t pick one, but currently I am smoking Fayyum Kake, Edward G and Tuarehk Everything everyone has stated in this thread is absolutely true. Every HU blend I have tried is amazing, so amazing that I barely buy any US based blends anymore. I am heavily cellaring HU tobaccos and slowly selling many of the blends I previously cellered because I know I will never smoke them since I discovered HU. Their English and Balkan blends are complex, butter smooth and very flavorful. I don’t know how HU can accomplish such a high level of quality across the board. HU is starting to blowup on YouTube, before reviews of HU blends were rare, now I am seeing more and more reviews.
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Fayyum, Fayyum Kake, Zulu, Louisiana Broken, Director’s Cut, Indaba, Old Fredders Flake, Dockworker, Nashville County, and Sissinghurst if you like floral/fruity stuff.
Estervals also has a huge Sam Gawith and Rattrays selection compared to US sites, also don’t miss grabbing a couple tins of Dan St. Bernard Flake (EU only) and Salty Dogs (way cheaper there).
They also have amazing prices on vauen pipes, particularly their Auenland series if you are into churchwardens.
Also, in case you weren’t already aware, the prices drop considerably once you start a (free) account. Also be prepared for shipping of 2-7 weeks. My last order to AK took 8 weeks.
Estervals also has a huge Sam Gawith and Rattrays selection compared to US sites, also don’t miss grabbing a couple tins of Dan St. Bernard Flake (EU only) and Salty Dogs (way cheaper there).
They also have amazing prices on vauen pipes, particularly their Auenland series if you are into churchwardens.
Also, in case you weren’t already aware, the prices drop considerably once you start a (free) account. Also be prepared for shipping of 2-7 weeks. My last order to AK took 8 weeks.
I bought Makhuwa, Tillerman, Janneman, Dockworker, Jerry Sarono and, of course, Director's Cut. Will start trying them in a month or so from now. If I like them as much as everyone else does they'll get heavily cellared in a special birthday order (mid summer).
Glad you liked that Sissinghurst. Wasn’t sure but I thought with some of your tobacco preferences it might be up your alley.
It's unique and delicious! I could see it being a bit much for the uninitiated, but it really scratches the Irish OTC itch without the usual shillelagh wallop of nicotine!
I didn’t like it that much at first, but after I got into lakelands I went back to it and quite liked it. Never throw anything away, haha.
Every HU blend I've tried has been top notch. And they are all in top of their respective genre.
Director's Cut is a must. A super nice VaPer.
Fauyym Kake and Zulu are some amazing English/Balkans.
Makhuwa is (together with Old Dark fired) the only Burley containing tobacco I smoke. And as it counts as an aromatic, the only aromatic I smoke. It is awesome.
Just got my hands on Tuarekh and Flanagan Flake which is next in line to be tested. I'm lucky living i Sweden where it's fairly easy to order them HU's.
Director's Cut is a must. A super nice VaPer.
Fauyym Kake and Zulu are some amazing English/Balkans.
Makhuwa is (together with Old Dark fired) the only Burley containing tobacco I smoke. And as it counts as an aromatic, the only aromatic I smoke. It is awesome.
Just got my hands on Tuarekh and Flanagan Flake which is next in line to be tested. I'm lucky living i Sweden where it's fairly easy to order them HU's.
That is one insurance policy you won’t be cashing in. Hu is amazing!
Have y’all ever considered a group buy?
In addition to all the blends mentioned, My Special One is well worth trying. It’s a Virginia/Perique with some Dark Fired Kentucky and a small quantity of Latakia. When I first tried it, I thought it was good but it just didn’t blow me away like so many of the HU blends had. After a month of smoking it from the tin, however, it developed into another stunning offering from HU.
Thanks for this! I finally logged into Estervals today and placed my first order. Among the HU blends, I decided to try Makhuwa and Nyala. Makhuwa seems like a stellar burley mixture from what I have understood, and it has been awhile since I’ve smoked a good cigar blend w/o the inclusion of Latakia, so the Nyala seems right up my alley. Can’t wait to report back when these arrives and I am able to smoke them.
Thanks again,
Scott
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