Group Tasting of Ancient Velvet Pipe Tobacco

[Donb1972]

Very generous of you, as I've come to expect! I had a tin of Mixture 79 that my Grandfather must have bought before he died. When I finally inherited his box of pipe stuff, the tin was still there, unopened. And after over 30 years, it was exquisite!

This should should be an interesting experiment.

 

[scloyd]

Update. I’m leaving town for a couple of days for work. Oh the ebb and flow of my job.

BUT. I got on the hustle and the packages were dropped off at the Post Office a few minutes ago.

So, I’ve run these tastings before. There’s alsomeone who doesn’t post their experiences.

Dick Signed Up
Dick Received Package
Dick Dropped Off Face of Earth

DO NOT BE A DICK

Even if this is a horrible experience and you hate everyone, have the common courtesy to at least tell us to go to hell.

Final note, I have your address, I have a particular skill set. (Of course I kid)

Don't be this guy.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Update. I’m leaving town for a couple of days for work. Oh the ebb and flow of my job.

BUT. I got on the hustle and the packages were dropped off at the Post Office a few minutes ago.

So, I’ve run these tastings before. There’s alsomeone who doesn’t post their experiences.

Dick Signed Up
Dick Received Package
Dick Dropped Off Face of Earth

DO NOT BE A DICK

Even if this is a horrible experience and you hate everyone, have the common courtesy to at least tell us to go to hell.

Final note, I have your address, I have a particular skill set. (Of course I kid)

I'm interested in watching this play out and appreciate what you offered.

Earlier today, I stumbled across a thread from 2014 that was about "passing the box" of tobacco. In short, someone put various samples of tobacco and a few pipes in the box.

Members signed up and were responsible for paying postage and replacing whatever they sampled over a 2 week span before mailing the box to the next member. By replacing, if you smoked 4 ounces of blend A, you replaced it with 4 ounces of your choosing so the box remained filled when you passed it along.

Of course a Dick member botched it and a nice member started it up again by filling a new box.

Maybe an older member could elaborate and chime in as to if it would be worth doing again.

These type of games/experiences make the forum fun and renew my faith in humanity when done right.

Again, nice work and cheers.

 

[ashdigger]

I'm interested in watching this play out and appreciate what you offered.

Earlier today, I stumbled across a thread from 2014 that was about "passing the box" of tobacco. In short, someone put various samples of tobacco and a few pipes in the box.

Members signed up and were responsible for paying postage and replacing whatever they sampled over a 2 week span before mailing the box to the next member. By replacing, if you smoked 4 ounces of blend A, you replaced it with 4 ounces of your choosing so the box remained filled when you passed it along.

Of course a Dick member botched it and a nice member started it up again by filling a new box.

Maybe an older member could elaborate and chime in as to if it would be worth doing again.

These type of games/experiences make the forum fun and renew my faith in humanity when done right.

Again, nice work and cheers.

You’re referring to the Box Pass. Yes, it was a good thing, but humans can’t allow a good thing and irresponsibility creeps in.

I contributed heavily to several of the Box Passes and while it was good, I’d rather my X have all of my tobacco and pipes than assist with it.

My reasoning is extremely simple. Tobacco is not free, postage is not free, time is not free, but irresponsibility and cowardice are.

I completely understand life happens. It happens to me all the time. Communication is instant. But since people are unwilling to send a single email, text or smoke signal explaining that shit happened to them, the box sat.

Here’s how generous I am, if someone said the Box got thrown in the trash by accident I’ll fill a box out of my cellar to restart it.

None of that happened.

Read the opening of this thread and the one you responded to. You’ll notice a theme.

Now I’ll step off my Box and Pass on further comment.

 

[pantsBoots]

Update. I’m leaving town for a couple of days for work. Oh the ebb and flow of my job.

BUT. I got on the hustle and the packages were dropped off at the Post Office a few minutes ago.

So, I’ve run these tastings before. There’s alsomeone who doesn’t post their experiences.

Dick Signed Up
Dick Received Package
Dick Dropped Off Face of Earth

DO NOT BE A DICK

Even if this is a horrible experience and you hate everyone, have the common courtesy to at least tell us to go to hell.

Final note, I have your address, I have a particular skill set. (Of course I kid)

Feeling very fortunate to be a part of this. Is there a specific format to the reviews, i.e.: further instructions to follow, or is it more freeform where we try a few bowl of the old and the new, and post our thoughts?

Thanks again for running this! Very cool.

 

[seanv]

Feeling very fortunate to be a part of this. Is there a specific format to the reviews, i.e.: further instructions to follow, or is it more freeform where we try a few bowl of the old and the new, and post our thoughts?

Thanks again for running this! Very cool.

You must channel your inner JimInks

 

[ashdigger]

Feeling very fortunate to be a part of this. Is there a specific format to the reviews, i.e.: further instructions to follow, or is it more freeform where we try a few bowl of the old and the new, and post our thoughts?

Thanks again for running this! Very cool.

There is no format.

There are no mistakes.

There is no pressure.

Just keep it simple.

 

[pantsBoots]

You must channel your inner JimInks

Uff da. My inner JimInks is still in training pants. I'll see what I can do.

 

[hairvise]

I received my package yesterday and I'm feeling the pressure already!

Actually, my 85 year old dad is coming up to San Francisco this afternoon and I'm going to see if he's game to test it out with me. I'm feeling a bit like Indiana Jones when I even look at the tin that I'll be cracking open.

 

[fireground_piper]

Received mine today! I find it amazing these things survive for 90 years, tax label still intact.

 

[reloader]

I smoked a bowl of each today and will have a few more over the next few days so I can give my humble review.

 

[Kobold]

Got mine yesterday! So cool. Hopefully this head cold goes away soon so I can try it out.

 

[geopiper]

Got mine today...the USPS crushed the tin can and sent it along in a "sorry" bag. The tobacco is fine and will be smoked. First smell impressions: the "new" has a wonderful smell and the "old" smells old, dusty and like cardboard...but is still recognizable as tobacco. Can't wait.

 

[JimInks]

I just smoked a bowl. I sensed enough of the topping to state it's very close to the 1950s and 1960s Velvet, both of which were a tad lighter than it was in later years.

 

[SpookedPiper]

Awesome @ashdigger ...a true trial by fire!!
Hope everyone enjoys and please make sure to post the burnt ends! ?

 

[Fralphog]

I received my baccy. I will start smoking ‘em tomorrow!

 

[geopiper]

Smoked a bowl of the ancient Velvet last night. The tobacco is prepared as small flecks, similar to cigarette tobacco, which is probably why the tin states "pipe and cigarette" tobacco. It was obviously very dry but smoked well. It did get hot, but that may be more due to technique. The flavoring came through more during smoking rather than in the tin note. It was a pleasant flavor but I can't put my finger on it. I'm 100% confident there is no latakia in this blend. The flavoring is more floral than sweet and I would classify it in the same family as lakeland, although I have only smoked a lakeland blend a few times. My two-cents.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I imagine the package will be waiting for me when I get to the house tonight—looking forward to it this weekend!

 

[onestrangeone]

I also received my sample and tin, since I’ve never tried Velvet before I decided I want to set a baseline so I smoked a bowl of the STG version yesterday and will have another here shortly, I may have one more before I open the vintage tin. I’m planning on posting the results for both together.

 

[OldWill]

For the record, I have smoked Velvet on and off for 35 of my 52 years of pipe smoking. I still keep a large can of it in my stash. I'm interested in the opinions of those who are new to it, particularly from the aged tins.