Hearth and Home Anniversary Kake

[Briar Lee]

While about fifty hours a week during the day I keep one of my numerous Lee Star Grade pipes filled with great tasting, easy smoking, bulk aromatic blends I do have quite a selection of other tobaccos to chose from other than all the Smoker’s Pride and Super Value offerings my legal assistants love the aroma of so much.

One of the classic Va Per blends by Russ Quellette is Hearth and Home Anniversary Kake. I have a full pound I keep tubbed.

I enjoy it at home, at my leisure, in the largest and best briars I own such as my White Spot NOT FOR SALE, my Preben Holm Matt Special, my GBD Colossus, or other huge briars.

Anniversary Kake is for adults, preferably at least fifty years of age. This is as high of quality of pipe tobacco as exists on earth. It’s all crumbled and gooey and gives off a sour, fermented smell from the tub, and the aroma causes my wife to ask if my tobacco has gone skunky.

This is a heavy, hearty, full flavored slipping tobacco. Every subtle flavor of the Virginias is melded with the ever present sour background note of Arcadian Perique, and quite a bit of it.

I put on my Bose headphones and listen to appropriate music as I smoke it.

If you want a Va Per, this blend is one of the benchmark Va Per blends to keep.

A pound ought to last me, for quite a while.

 

[Ryan]

The first couple of bowls I smoked of this left me wondering what was good about it. Then I developed my technique a bit and smoked it every day for about a week.

I get it now, but I think that if you don’t go slow and easy with this one you will always be disappointed in it. Those wonderful flavors just don’t show up otherwise. I noticed the same thing you did about the tin note, it seems a bit fermented.

I am a new smoker, but of all the tobacco blends I have tried so far, none of them had more of a difference between the smell and the smoke taste. Good stuff!

Lucky for me I really like the Burley Kake too, the best deal for this is to buy the “battle of the blends” bundle that has this and Burley Kake. It’s cheaper than buying any quantity of either on their own.

 

[renfield]

Anni Kake is a winner, for sure. Seems to get less mention than it deserves. It’s good fresh and ages well.

I think I need to pull some Anniversary Kake out of the cellar. It’s been too long.

 

[mikefu]

I’ve got a few pounds of Anni Kake put away. I really like it after 5 years or so of aging. It does get a bit too sweet when smoked repeated, so I keep it for more of an occasional treat.

 

[Sir Yak]

I put up about a pound and half of it several years back. I had been liking it and then suddenly didn’t. I think I may have to give it a try again.

 

[beezer]

I found six 8 oz. tins of it from 2014 in the cellar last week along with at least a dozen other H&H blends in 8 oz. tins as well. I believe I purchased these back in the days when 2 for 1 deals were plentiful and 20% discounts were no big thing.

 

[lukasstrifeson]

I've always found the liquor topping to 'get in the way' of the perique. Of their offerings, I much prefer Louisiana Red and AJ's Vaper. Worth a try if you haven't already

 

[condorlover1]

@Briar Lee : But the question we all ask is 'Are you ruminating?' whilst carrying out these smoking activities

 

[mikefu]

I've always found the liquor topping to 'get in the way' of the perique. Of their offerings, I much prefer Louisiana Red and AJ's Vaper. Worth a try if you haven't already

That's fair. The "VaPer" ness of Anni Kake is certainly different than a more unadulterated VaPer like Louisiana Red. I think that is what I both love about it and what I can find cloying if repeated too often.

 

[futureman]

This is a lovely and delicious blend. Unfortunately I can't smoke it without getting bit no matter how slow I sip.

 

[BROBS]

It sucks donger

 

[craig61a]

I never met a Russ’ blend I didn’t like…

With all the VaPers on the market today, there are some that stand out and some that don’t.

Anniversary Kake is a good blend. I don’t have a ton of it laying around. There’s a “Navy” rum note to this tobacco, along with some other toppings. I guess if you’re a purist, it wouldn’t fall into the category of a VaPer.

I do have a significant amount of Classic Burley Kake cellared. It’s one of my all time favorites.

As far as VaPers go, WCC Old Dominion is at the top of the heap for me. Probably a little more robust than what a lot of people might like.

 

[Gooseman]

I need to go dig some of this out of the bottom of the cellar. I know i have a few jars but its been awhile since Ive pulled them out