This blend goes on sale this Tuesday, October 21 at 6 p.m. EST.
C&D From Beyond (The Old Ones) Small Batch 2025
The 2019 Thai Izmir and 2022 Greek Basma provide an abundance of floralness, herbs, vegetation, earth, wood, peat, some sharp bitter sourness, smoke, spice, incense, and mild buttery sweetness as the lead components. The Izmir lightly leads the Basma. The premium 2024 Turkish Latakia and 2004 Cyprian Latakia offer a wealth of smoke, floralness, herbs, incense, sourness, vegetation, leather, earth, wood, some soft wine-like sweetness, mustiness and spice. I notice the Turkish Latakia a little more than I do the Cyprian. Both Latakias are close behind the Orientals although they nearly equal them a few times. The year 2024 31 Farms St. James perique supplies a little more than a moderate amount of mildly sweet and very sour dried plums, spice, dried figs, floralness, bread, earth, wood, light dried raisins, and smoked mesquite in secondary support. There’s several red Virginias in the mix lead by the 2017 North Carolina reds. The others are from years 2013, 2019, and 2023 along with some red Virginia cavendish. They combine to produce a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, some darker tangy fruits, earth, wood, floralness, mild spice and a hint of vinegar. They are a couple of steps behind the perique. The aspects of the 2022 Canadian bright Virginia are floralness, tart citrus, sour lemon, grass, bread, sugar, spice, and light acidity. They almost equal the red Va.s due to their high floral, sour content. The 2014 and 2023 dark burleys add light nuttiness, sugar, molasses, earth, wood, and bread in a condimental role.
The strength and taste levels are a notch past the center of medium to strong. The nic-hit is in that center. There’s no chance of bite or harshness. Has a few small rough notes as there’s no toppings. Well balanced with obvious and subtle complexities, it burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with mostly consistent sour and moderately fruity, floral, smoky, herbal, spicy, lightly acidic, zesty flavor that extends to the pleasantly lasting after taste. The smoky, floral, spicy room notes are pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a tad less than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. I recommend a wide, medium size bowl to help capture the various flavors. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
C&D From Beyond (The Old Ones) Small Batch 2025
The 2019 Thai Izmir and 2022 Greek Basma provide an abundance of floralness, herbs, vegetation, earth, wood, peat, some sharp bitter sourness, smoke, spice, incense, and mild buttery sweetness as the lead components. The Izmir lightly leads the Basma. The premium 2024 Turkish Latakia and 2004 Cyprian Latakia offer a wealth of smoke, floralness, herbs, incense, sourness, vegetation, leather, earth, wood, some soft wine-like sweetness, mustiness and spice. I notice the Turkish Latakia a little more than I do the Cyprian. Both Latakias are close behind the Orientals although they nearly equal them a few times. The year 2024 31 Farms St. James perique supplies a little more than a moderate amount of mildly sweet and very sour dried plums, spice, dried figs, floralness, bread, earth, wood, light dried raisins, and smoked mesquite in secondary support. There’s several red Virginias in the mix lead by the 2017 North Carolina reds. The others are from years 2013, 2019, and 2023 along with some red Virginia cavendish. They combine to produce a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, some darker tangy fruits, earth, wood, floralness, mild spice and a hint of vinegar. They are a couple of steps behind the perique. The aspects of the 2022 Canadian bright Virginia are floralness, tart citrus, sour lemon, grass, bread, sugar, spice, and light acidity. They almost equal the red Va.s due to their high floral, sour content. The 2014 and 2023 dark burleys add light nuttiness, sugar, molasses, earth, wood, and bread in a condimental role.
The strength and taste levels are a notch past the center of medium to strong. The nic-hit is in that center. There’s no chance of bite or harshness. Has a few small rough notes as there’s no toppings. Well balanced with obvious and subtle complexities, it burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with mostly consistent sour and moderately fruity, floral, smoky, herbal, spicy, lightly acidic, zesty flavor that extends to the pleasantly lasting after taste. The smoky, floral, spicy room notes are pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a tad less than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. I recommend a wide, medium size bowl to help capture the various flavors. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
