Haunted Bookshop is a New Favorite - Other Recs?

[brooklynpipeclub]

I'm thoroughly enjoying my first bowl of Haunted Bookshop and it's already a favorite. I put it up there with my other top choices: OJK, Bold Kentucky, ODF, Billy Budd, Manil's Semois Revor Plug, and Irish Flake. What other blends would you recommend based on this list? Thanks very much in advance.

 

[seanv]

Haunted Bookshop is a favourite of mine. The spicy, earthy and musty qualities are fantastic

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

Haunted Bookshop is a favourite of mine. The spicy, earthy and musty qualities are fantastic

What are some of your other favorites?

 

[jttnk]

I’m slowly working my way back to it. It was an interesting first strong burley for me. It was the first pipe tobacco that made feel the nic hit.

 

[ray47]

If you like OJK & Haunted Bookshop, I think you'll like C&D's Three Friars. It's in the same ballpark as OJK & HB.

 

[sittingbear]

Mac Baren Bold Kentucky strikes me as being in the same family as Irish Flake and ODF. Definitely stronger than ODF, I recommend smoking it in a smaller bowl.

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

If you like OJK & Haunted Bookshop, I think you'll like C&D's Three Friars. It's in the same ballpark as OJK & HB.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll put it on my list!

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

Mac Baren Bold Kentucky strikes me as being in the same family as Irish Flake and ODF. Definitely stronger than ODF, I recommend smoking it in a smaller bowl.

Bold Kentucky is in my top 5 and agree with your assessment. I love it in a cob.

 

[seanv]

Three friars is good but lacks the earthy flavors in Haunted Bookshop . I have not tried Old Joe Krantz or billy budd but hear they are similar. For me, I haven’t found anything comparable to haunted bookshop.

 

[trubka2]

+1 for the Three Friars. It's sweeter than HB, but they share some good qualities. Amphora Burley and Kentucky are wonderful no-nonsense smokes. For strong DFK smokiness-cigaryness a la the HH flakes, I like C&D Five O'Clock Shadow. It softens out incredibly with a couple months in the jar. A nice satisfying smoke, and very easy to deal with. A little smoother than the DFK blends in your list is John Cotton Double-Pressed Kentucky. Jury's still out, but I think it's good. For the Latakia-cigar-leaf combination like Billy Budd (but without the burleys), GLP Key Largo is worth trying IMO. I haven't touched my stash of Billy Budd or BB Blonde since I first tried Key Largo. If you're digging the stanky-bitter-old-man-burley (I mean that in a good way) aspect of OJK and HB, I think C&D Big 'n Burley and Daughters and Ryan Picayune could fit the bill for you. For stuff like Irish Flake, but probably better, you've got get into all the British VABur flakes and DFK shags, which is a big ol' can of worms.

 

[hawky454]

Based solely on your love for Revor Plug I’d recommend you try McConnell’s Latakia Flake and Sillem’s Commodore Flake.

 

[rogers]

C&D Riverboat Gambler. It's a bit spicier than HB but just as smooth. You might give Pegasus a ride, also.

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

+1 for the Three Friars. It's sweeter than HB, but they share some good qualities. Amphora Burley and Kentucky are wonderful no-nonsense smokes. For strong DFK smokiness-cigaryness a la the HH flakes, I like C&D Five O'Clock Shadow. It softens out incredibly with a couple months in the jar. A nice satisfying smoke, and very easy to deal with. A little smoother than the DFK blends in your list is John Cotton Double-Pressed Kentucky. Jury's still out, but I think it's good. For the Latakia-cigar-leaf combination like Billy Budd (but without the burleys), GLP Key Largo is worth trying IMO. I haven't touched my stash of Billy Budd or BB Blonde since I first tried Key Largo. If you're digging the stanky-bitter-old-man-burley (I mean that in a good way) aspect of OJK and HB, I think C&D Big 'n Burley and Daughters and Ryan Picayune could fit the bill for you. For stuff like Irish Flake, but probably better, you've got get into all the British VABur flakes and DFK shags, which is a big ol' can of worms.

Thanks for all of this insight. I do have a pouch each of the Amphora blends you mentioned and a tin of the Cotton Kentucky just waiting to be opened. Key Largo has been on my list for a while and I'll probably buy a tin when my Billy Budd runs out. I'm intrigued by Picayune but see that it's sold out everywhere at the moment. Which British VaBur flakes and DFK shags are you referring to specifically? I've tried a few Lakeland flakes and they aren't to my liking with the exception of Dark Plug. Thanks again.

 

[alexnc]

For an HB lover, OJK is a must try blend. +1 on the Pegasus. I do like those dark fired blends but to me it’s almost a different venue. But you’ll probably like them too. Billy Budd is a pretty heavy whallop of Latakia but a good smoke. Not very similar to HB in my book. Irish Flake? Just do it! But it’s not like HB or OJK. It may be a category of one. (Except Sterling Flake of course)

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

Based solely on your love for Revor Plug I’d recommend you try McConnell’s Latakia Flake and Sillem’s Commodore Flake.

I do enjoy McConnell's Latakia flake but haven't checked out Commodore flake. I'll see if any online merchants have it in stock. Thanks!

 

[haparnold]

Here's another vote for Three Friars. It's easily in my top 3 favorite blends, and I have more of it cellared than any other tobacco.

 

[brooklynpipeclub]

Here's another vote for Three Friars. It's easily in my top 3 favorite blends, and I have more of it cellared than any other tobacco.

I'll have to put some in my cart!

 

[hawky454]

I do enjoy McConnell's Latakia flake but haven't checked out Commodore flake. I'll see if any online merchants have it in stock. Thanks!

It’s very, very similar to McConnell’s LF. I’m actually fine with just one or the other because like Stirling Flake & Irish Flake I have a feeling they are the same blend.

 

[alexnc]

This thread made me try Tree Friars. I like it. But I’ve not tried it on a fresh palette yet, so far it seems a little more mild mannered than HB or OJK. After two bowls of Carolina red flake right now to change it up on a Saturday morning.

 

[brooklynpiper]

I think it would be better instead of looking for blends of similar components to try out all of the Bob Runowski blends and the Craig Tarler's. Aqui, papa

This isn't as opposed to what most people are saying - I think they're spot on.