Hearth & Home Black House

[teamkazam]

Hum... Just smoked my first bowl of H&H Black house and was not impressed. If it won in 2011 then my guess is that they have changed the blend. Perhaps I should cellar it for a while. Do you think that will help it out?

 

[weezell]

HMMMmmmm 8O

 

[lordnoble]

What about the blend didn't impress you? I love the stuff, but I can see how it may not be for everyone, particularly if you're looking for a blend that's high in nicotine.
-Jason

 

[rmbittner]

Teamkazam:
I'm not a fan of Russ Ouelette's blends in general, and I was disappointed in Black House as well. Didn't feel anything like a Balkan blend to me. (And I think it's sacrilegious to include burley in a Balkan.) I am cellaring the rest of my tins, but I'm not hopeful.

 

[dottle]

I think its an ok blend, but didnt blow me away by any means,, I realy like Magnus Opus wich I ordered at the same time,

over it prob because there is more latakia,wich I prefer.

 

[sparroa]

Different strokes...
I also don't need to say that it has been hyped to the high heavens here on the boards, so you probably had unrealistic expectations going in.
Some love Black House, some love Blue Mountain, some love other latakia blends to various degrees, some love completely different styles. There is no accounting for taste.

 

[teamkazam]

Lol... I think you are right on the mark.... "There is no accounting for taste." Might be the best thing about pipe smoking. There is a pipe and blend for everyone. Thanks much!

 

[doctorthoss]

Personally, I don't care for either Blue Mountain or Black House (and I've been a daily English/Balkan smoker for more than 20 years now). I think both are very well-executed, but they just miss the mark for me. I much prefer Magnum Opus, Larry's Blend, or most of the GL Pease/C&D blends of similar types.

 

[fitzy]

I find Black House to be fantastic. Everyone has their own tastes. I also enjoy Magnum Opus which I feel is a bit more complex than Black House.

 

[undermidnight]

So here is my take on Black House vs. Blue Mountain:
Blue Mountain to me is like a really good steak. Lots of good savory flavors. Black House is the same steak but with a spicy edge that leaves that spicy feeling at the back of your throat.
I like both but I prefer Blue Mountain over Black House.
Of course I think Smoker's Haven Exotique is better than both of them (good lord is that stuff good).
Jason

 

[blendtobac]

Every blend has its proponents and detractors, so I actually enjoy the feedback. I just find it curious to read a comment about it being sacrilegious to put Burley in a Balkan blend, as Sobranie 759 contained dark-fired Kentucky as well. That's the reason I included it in the blend. I like the discuss, anyway.
Russ

 

[sebastian]

Every blend has its proponents and detractors, so I actually enjoy the feedback. I just find it curious to read a comment about it being sacrilegious to put Burley in a Balkan blend, as Sobranie 759 contained dark-fired Kentucky as well. That's the reason I included it in the blend. I like the discuss, anyway.
Russ

Good to see you posting here Russ. I thoroughly enjoy Black house. Keep up the good work!

 

[brian64]

to me, the latakia in Black House is mellow and creamy

Agreed.
The first time I tried BH I was somewhat disappointed after the first couple of bowls, but I found that it grew on me steadily. I'm almost through my second tin of it, and I find that I really like it a lot now. For me, I think one reason it took some getting used to is that the taste and various characteristics are quite different than the other English/Balkan blends I had tried previously. For example, I also very much like Balkan Sasieni, but IMO, the two blends are very different. My experience with English/Balkans is not very extensive yet, but I consider BH to be in the top 5 for me at this point.

 

[rmbittner]

Sobranie 759 contained dark-fired Kentucky as well

I stand corrected, then.
To be honest, though, if it was in the original, I certainly don't recall it coming through nearly as much as it does in Black House.
That said, it's been 25 years since I last smoked the 759, so my memory may be affected somewhat by all of the Balkans I've enjoyed since then, which have not included a burley component.

 

[rev413]

Thanks to a Black Blood Society member, I was able to try BH for the first time yesterday. I really enjoyed it and it was the best smoke that I have had so far. But there is my .02 worth.

 

[dburrows]

It's interesting to see the different reactions and I'm sure the hype may have set the expectations unrealistically. That said, I think BH is great and it's actually one of the blends I can pick out the Burley and enjoy it. Magnum Opus is a bolder blend but I tend to save that for special occasions (or after a really rich dinner!) whereas BH I can see as more of an anytime smoke.

 

[bogglor]

In my head, this is how I make sense of the Balkan flavor tree:
Latakia dominant (ie Lat bombs): GLP Odyssey, C&D Star of the East Flake

Latakia forward: Larry's Blend, LJ Peretti's Omega, Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding

Harmonious, complex: Blackhouse, Magnum Opus

Oriental forward: LJ Peretti's Royal Blend, Dunhill Nightcap

Oriental dominant, very little or no latakia: Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, LJ Peretti's Tashkent
I don't really care about how tobacco composition affects nomenclature. When I reach for a blend to load my pipe, I don't think "I'm in the mood for an English blend" or "A Balkan would go great in this pipe" -- I just think about what flavors I'm in the mood for. I'm not saying that my way is right or wrong, just how I pick what I want to smoke.
Getting back on topic, Blackhouse is damn good. It's my favorite tobacco to smoke when I have "quiet time" on my hands and can really focus on the multitude of flavors. It's just an expert blend.

 

[tanless1]

I much prefer black house to larrys blend. Larrys seem's one dimensional to me. I have a large jar of larrys and will probably give most of it away to an impovrished smoker;and replace it with 1lb of black house. I'm waiting for national pipe smoking day....p&c usualy celebrates well.

 

[spartan]

+1 tanless
Larry's blend is too much of a one dimensional latakia bomb in the face and not much else. I can't describe it very well... but it's like smoking smoke. I'm crazy. :crazy:
Blackhouse is a very nice blend and I'm interested to see how it ages.

 

[teamkazam]

I want to truly thank everyone who gave feedback on this post. I can't tell you how much my pipe smoking experience improves every time I glean from those with more experienced than I. Even when you disagree I find my self better informed. Thanks again everyone!