Any time I encounter a blend without Virginias, I take note, as the Virginias, for me, are like rolling the dice of discomfort.
Through slowly improving technique, I'm able to enjoy many VA blends now, but, like a ninja, one will occasionally sneak in and rough me up.
Tashkent contains only Latakia, Izmir and Turkish leaf.
It gives a lightly sweet and smokey tin/bag note, enough to let you know the Latakia is there but not a bomb.
My one ounce bag came from a forum trade and was just a tad more moist than I strive for, but it fired up with ease.
I chose a Savinelli Roma 111KS, my first string Latakia pipe.
On light, the Latakia and Orientals both make their presence known and neither seems to be jockeying for the spotlight. It's hard to believe that there are no other components, as well behaved as the flavor is.
I get a little creaminess, almost buttery like background. Sweetness from the Latakia goes just to the edge of "more than enough", but shouldn't cloy most. To steal some descriptors from Jim, the Orientals slide a complimentary combination of the woody and soda-like taste. It tempers the sweet and smoky and the whole thing just works.
I don't think I've appreciated such a well balanced outcome since my very first tin of John Cotton's #1 as a total noob.
The tobacco is a slightly obese shag with a beautiful mottling of black and tan, well dark brown, but black and tan sounds better... :nana:
It produces lots of smoke with little effort. Despite my minor moisture concern, I'm past 2/3 without a pipe cleaner swipe. Two relights, so far, one due to farting around with the phone camera. Re-ignition was quick and easy. No poking or excessive tamping required.
I won't go so far as to say this reminds me of Syrian Latakia, but it kind of does. I'm still struggling to finger the differences but I've had enough Vintage Syrian and Cyprian Latakia to have half a clue. More likely, they both contain the Lat/Oriental combo, which must certainly produce some shared taste notes.
Finally, near the end, I loosened and dumped a bunch of the mythical fine, white ash before the last tamp and relight.
LJ Peretti has endured for a reason. If their other blends are as good as this one, it's no mystery why. Yeah, it's more expensive than some others but a rib-eye exceeds the cost of a burger and a Cadillac exceeds the cost of a Focus. All will allow you to smoke/eat/drive. It's just a matter of wants and needs.
In conclusion, I can assure you that this baggie has the life expectancy of a 'Nam era radio operator.
My verdict, an emphatic GET SOME!
Through slowly improving technique, I'm able to enjoy many VA blends now, but, like a ninja, one will occasionally sneak in and rough me up.
Tashkent contains only Latakia, Izmir and Turkish leaf.
It gives a lightly sweet and smokey tin/bag note, enough to let you know the Latakia is there but not a bomb.
My one ounce bag came from a forum trade and was just a tad more moist than I strive for, but it fired up with ease.
I chose a Savinelli Roma 111KS, my first string Latakia pipe.
On light, the Latakia and Orientals both make their presence known and neither seems to be jockeying for the spotlight. It's hard to believe that there are no other components, as well behaved as the flavor is.
I get a little creaminess, almost buttery like background. Sweetness from the Latakia goes just to the edge of "more than enough", but shouldn't cloy most. To steal some descriptors from Jim, the Orientals slide a complimentary combination of the woody and soda-like taste. It tempers the sweet and smoky and the whole thing just works.
I don't think I've appreciated such a well balanced outcome since my very first tin of John Cotton's #1 as a total noob.
The tobacco is a slightly obese shag with a beautiful mottling of black and tan, well dark brown, but black and tan sounds better... :nana:
It produces lots of smoke with little effort. Despite my minor moisture concern, I'm past 2/3 without a pipe cleaner swipe. Two relights, so far, one due to farting around with the phone camera. Re-ignition was quick and easy. No poking or excessive tamping required.
I won't go so far as to say this reminds me of Syrian Latakia, but it kind of does. I'm still struggling to finger the differences but I've had enough Vintage Syrian and Cyprian Latakia to have half a clue. More likely, they both contain the Lat/Oriental combo, which must certainly produce some shared taste notes.
Finally, near the end, I loosened and dumped a bunch of the mythical fine, white ash before the last tamp and relight.
LJ Peretti has endured for a reason. If their other blends are as good as this one, it's no mystery why. Yeah, it's more expensive than some others but a rib-eye exceeds the cost of a burger and a Cadillac exceeds the cost of a Focus. All will allow you to smoke/eat/drive. It's just a matter of wants and needs.
In conclusion, I can assure you that this baggie has the life expectancy of a 'Nam era radio operator.
My verdict, an emphatic GET SOME!
