February 2010 - What are you smoking?

[python]

I've been smoking:

H&H Anniversary Kake

H&H Virginia Spice

H&H Louisiana Red

Scotty's Bulk Blends Old Red

McClelland Holiday Spirit 2008

Captain Black Gold
I think that covers everything since the last time I was on.

 

[ghost45]

has anyone seen this video
big ass pipe

 

[cortezattic]

Novel, amusing, silly, idiotic...

Gloves? Gloves? We doan need no stinkin' gloves.

 

[cortezattic]

Breakfast was coffee, the morning paper, and a bowl of P.A.
Brunch was McClelland's bulk 2035: Dark Navy Flake, "Pungent Cake," Eastern Belt Lemon Leaf and cutter grade tobacco; aged and lightly stoved. Vaguely sweet, pungent, fermented, orangey taste with a citrus-like tartness that lingers in the finish.
Shovelled snow and rewarded myself with a bowl of H&H's Capitol Stairs, a Burley, Va., Perique and Deertongue blend that compliments the holiday-like weather.

 

[clanobucklin]

How is the H&H Capitol Stairs? I saw it being advertised on 4 Noggins. What does it taste like? It certainly sounds intriguing. I especially love complex VA blends.
Tonight its going to be P@W #191 (aka Honey Vanilla) and Magic #13!

 

[cortezattic]

The best I can do for a description is a slightly tart Vaper backed by a nutty Burley; and the deertongue, which I think is the leaf of a wild vanilla plant, provides an herbal spiciness that seems to fit-in with the Christmas Holiday. The whole blend leans gently toward the sweet end of the spectrum; by which I mean to say it is by no means saccharine.

I don't smoke this more than once a day, if that. And if I could recommend any changes it would be to use a bit less deertongue, because it is too prominent -- not cloying, mind you, but too prominent. It would be better if there was just the mere suggestion of the taste that deertongue creates.

H&H's Capitol Stairs would be a good introduction to deertongue, if you haven't had it before.

Bob smokes Russ Ouellette's blends. Maybe he could give us a better review sometime.

 

[cortezattic]

Finished the day with a bowl of GL Pease's Cumberland, a robust blend of mahogany Kentucky, red and matured Va., and Perique.

Lot's of vitamin N.

 

[igloo]

Frog Morton in a cheap pipe with ice water .

 

[clanobucklin]

How about it Bob can you fill me on Hearth and Home tobaccos and which ones you recommend?

p.s.

I finished my day by smoking P&W #400 in a Dr Grabow Fancy - I include the description below. Beware - smoke this one on a full stomach. This is the first time I have tried this blend and all I can say is WOW!
WILKE No. 400

A full English blend for those who prefer something with greater body or as an after dinner smoke. A base of the finest Latakia to which is added Turkish Yenidje, Kentucky Burley, Perique and Virginia in medium, long, and granulated large cuts. Not for the timid!

 

[porshcigar]

Butera's Royal Vintage Latakia #1 in a stubby pot, after snowblowing the driveway and sidewalks.

 

[dunendain]

I am hunkered down in SoCal, with Peter Stokkebye Bullseye Flake, Twist Flake, Orlik Golden Slice, and Count Pulaski. So far so good.

 

[cortezattic]

Snowed-in in Chicago, using P.A. to bring my energy level (read ambition) to the point where I can face 10 in. drifts

yet another time within 24 hrs.

 

[python]

Smoking H&H Virginia Spice in the Blizzard of 2010 Version 2.0
I have never had H&H Capitol Stairs, but it sounds pretty interesting and I will have to give it a try soon. I have never tried a blend with Deertongue.
Here are the Hearth & Home blends that I have tried and what I think about them:

Anniversary Kake - Awesome

Virginia Spice - Awesome

Louisiana Red - Awesome

LJ Heart Virginia - Really Good

Namaste' - Really Good

EggNog - Really Good during the holidays

LJ Heart Burley - Good (Haven't smoked it in years, have to re-visit it)

Old Companion - Good (Haven't smoked it in years, have to re-visit it)

Marble Kake - OK (Haven't smoked it in years, have to re-visit it)

Grandma's Kitchen - OK (Haven't smoked it in years, have to re-visit it)

 

[cortezattic]

Bob, Capitol Stairs is a good place to get introduced to deertongue because you're familiar with Ouellette's "signature tastes," if you know what I mean. I can't decide if it's a Burley blend sweetened with a Vaper, or a Vaper braced-up with Burley.
If you're more comfortable with the signature tastes of Cornell & Diehl, then Trinidad would be a more appropriate introduction to deertongue. That's Cavendish, Burley, Perique and deertongue. Delectable!
I just can't recommend their Crooner however. It is a pleasant deertongue-seasoned Burley, but I just can't keep a bowl of the stuff going. They call it cube-cut Burley, but I'd call it "nuggetized." Rock-hard little 4mm cubes of Burley.
Just rewarded myself for plowing thru 10 in. drifts by smoking a bowl of P.A. in a... (pardon my snobbery Kevin)... ⅛-bent deadroot briar bulldog handmade by Julius Vesz. Put P.A. in a Vesz deadroot briar, you say? Well, the only Vesz I could afford is an humble "circle-3," so I guess I can't be too snooty. (LOL) "Circle-3" resides at the bottom end of a scale from 1 - 9 + A thru D !!!

 

[igloo]

I cant get enough of Nording Pointer does anyone know of a close match .McClelland blends this for the label .I smell choc and and candy corn , Daughter says coffee and pancake syrup .reviews say Cracker Jacks . I like it not all gooey and messy like most aro blends .

 

[admin]

On a bender with Nat Sherman Old Oxford No. 649 since I bought a pound of it. Smoking it in my Charatan Knightsbridge Pot #2502.

 

[clanobucklin]

Hey Bob,
How is the quality of Hearth and Home tobaccos - I am used to likes of Esoterica Tobaccoiana, G.L. Pease, and Wilke blends. No offence but they are so cheaply priced and I saw review in Tobacco Reviews that said something about ...gasp...it looks like Fish Flakes. Let me know. Am going to light up P@W #400 soon - a latakia based blend.
By the way I love red virginias and perique.

 

[porshcigar]

Frog Morton in a straight brandy with bamboo shank.

 

[cortezattic]

Iwan Ries' Virginia Flake in a Brigham Rhodesian.

 

[clanobucklin]

Hello Bob,
Decided to order some H&H tobaccos - I ordered Sunza, VA Spice, Lousiana Red, Capitol Stairs, Stogie, AJVAPER,

Aniversary Cake - I will be posting and letting you and Cortezattic what I think about them.
Had a morning pipe - before I went out to sell "hootch" aka wine - Smoked P&W Gramercy Park - in a long Stemmed Sir Scot Canadian.