Jim's C&D Carolina Red Flake 2022 Review.

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PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
5,048
30,208
Hawaii
Your first sentence is true for the new CRF. The floral notes you get from Anthology are due to the bright Virginia.
I figured it was from the brights, never experienced these floral notes from red VAs before, but it’s very Oriental too. I’ve also never experienced brights like this too, more citrus notes in the past.
 
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Jan 30, 2020
2,171
7,187
New Jersey
Is it still a 'small batch' if there are more annual tins than a 'regularly' produced blend?

How many tins of Gentleman Caller, Bayou Morning, or Autumn Evening do you reckon they sell a year?

That said, I've hyped myself into 3 tins for blending. :ROFLMAO:
They’ve said, on this very forum, that the small batch blends constitute a low single digit percentage of their overall yearly output.
 
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JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
64,226
639,638
I figured it was from the brights, never experienced these floral notes from red VAs before, but it’s very Oriental too. I’ve also never experienced brights like this too, more citrus notes in the past.
Young bright Va.s can be as floral as Orientals. First time I smoked a bowl of straight young bright Va., m'lady, her mom, and my assistant actually left the room. I was glad I was using a meer for it.
 
Jun 23, 2019
1,929
13,223
They’ve said, on this very forum, that the small batch blends constitute a low single digit percentage of their overall yearly output.

"Low single digit percentage" sounds like marketing speak for implying rarity and scarcity and you-must-buy-it-nowity.

Plus, your statistics kind of proves my point.

Looks like C&D produces about 200-300 blends annual, I'm sure some are more popular than others and I'd expect them to make more of those blends but on average each blend should represent 0.4% of their total production. Given the wording, I'd bet the 4/5 small batch blends every year make up about 3-5%. Even using the lowest end esitmates that's still 0.6% per small batch blend or 150% of their average per blend production. So yes, they're making as much of these as their more popular blends.

Which is what my original comment was: a tongue-in-cheek critic of the validity of these 'small batch' claims if they're making as much of them as their more popular blends...
 

PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
5,048
30,208
Hawaii
Just posted today in WAYS my first bowl.

WOW, this is nothing like last years batch, and in a nice way, at least I think so.

It must be the Orange in it. For me, it takes the lead, it has a nice earth/herbal/floral, with some fruity tones to it. It also has Oriental like notes, but for me, lighter/sweeter, with also an herbal twist to this Oriental note(s), it almost seemed like very faint licorice, I’m still trying to decide.

This is certainly a light, mellow all day smoker.

I love it! ❤️

P.S. As I smoke and explore it more, I’ll report back what else out I find.
 

Puffaluffaguss

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 30, 2021
692
2,195
32
The City Different
I'm really enjoying this one. I believe it's the best CRF I've had.
I concur this blend after a few bowls has the flavor I really enjoyed about Anthology. Don't really get the same flavor from CRFwP but this years is only gonna get better with age. I can't wait to compare the trio with these specific tips throughout the next 5 to 10 years and see how the sugar content in them changes the blends.
 
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AJL67

Lifer
May 26, 2022
5,495
28,134
Florida - Space Coast
My order arrived yesterday. I opened the box to check the contents and then sealed it back up. It’ll go in the cellar.

I still have like 60 or so tins of 2019 CRF, the last of the L2DH-0-15, along with various other releases, so there’s no rush to start smoking the 2022 release.
You don’t try some right off the truck “just to see”?
 
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craig61a

Lifer
Apr 29, 2017
6,157
52,892
Minnesota USA
You don’t try some right off the truck “just to see”?
I opened a tin of 1992-2022 Anthology when I got it, but as for others, no.

I have number of tobaccos set out in “working” jars, and as I go through those I refill them as needed. I’ll usually only smoke a couple bowls per day, sometimes more if the mood strikes me.

I like to just set stuff back, and enjoy it with some age on it. No rush since I have a sufficient amount of tobacco cellared.
 

bullet08

Lifer
Nov 26, 2018
10,133
41,279
RTP, NC. USA
I opened a tin of 1992-2022 Anthology when I got it, but as for others, no.

I have number of tobaccos set out in “working” jars, and as I go through those I refill them as needed. I’ll usually only smoke a couple bowls per day, sometimes more if the mood strikes me.

I like to just set stuff back, and enjoy it with some age on it. No rush since I have a sufficient amount of tobacco cellared.
I never open Va based blends until about 3 years later. Red Va is too strong for me new. Not the nic, but something else. Then again, almost everything else also goes into cellar.
 
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FurCoat

Lifer
Sep 21, 2020
10,151
96,131
North Carolina
I opened a tin of 1992-2022 Anthology when I got it, but as for others, no.

I have number of tobaccos set out in “working” jars, and as I go through those I refill them as needed. I’ll usually only smoke a couple bowls per day, sometimes more if the mood strikes me.

I like to just set stuff back, and enjoy it with some age on it. No rush since I have a sufficient amount of tobacco cellared.
Same here
 

coys

Can't Leave
Feb 15, 2022
337
789
Missouri
I posted this in another thread about CRF, but I found a few tins locally and bought waht remained. The shopkeep said it would be the last they got. May still be some locally in your area.
 

Swiss Army Knife

Can't Leave
Jul 12, 2021
459
1,349
North Carolina
Was finally able to get to my order of this and give it a shot. My immediate impressions: reminds me a lot of Red Ribbon 2000 but with more earthy undertones and occasionally sweeter high notes. In other words more nuance. It's also not appreciably rougher which is pretty impressive.

I went deep on CRF 2022 when I saw it was a straight VA again. I'm very glad I did, thanks for the great review Jim. They're invaluable when navigating all the new releases.
 

Ben.R.C

Lifer
Nov 20, 2022
4,375
95,552
55
North Carolina
It goes on sale September 5.

The year 2020 Virginia red and orange tips are from one farm and the sugar content is 13.53 percent. They produce an abundance of mildly tart and very tangy ripe citrus, sugar, bread, grass, some tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, floralness, vegetation, mild sour lemon, light spice, and small touches of vinegar and acidity. The strength is a step short of the medium mark. The taste is medium. The nic-hit is a slot below the overall strength level. There’s no chance bite or harshness. The typical Virginia rough notes are very light. The easily torn apart flakes are mildly moist. As is my usual custom, I did not dry them nor did I see a need to do so. Burns cool and clean at a slightly slow pace with a very consistent, smoother than expected, deep fruity, sugary, mildly sour flavor that extends to the lightly lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is a notch stronger. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a couple more than an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke. Four stars.
I love this tobacco, it’s pretty cheap comparatively at tinbids
 

TexJake

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 7, 2022
224
3,574
Hill Country, TX
The only thing they’ve said for sure is that once their stock of this particular grade that they’ve been using for CRF is gone, then they will not be releasing any more CRF until something else “as special” comes along.

There have been hints that they are nearing the end of the supply, but only they know how much that is and what that means about how many more annual CRF releases utilizing this leaf will be possible.