This goes on sale this Tuesday, May 7th at 6 p.m. EST.
The vintage sun cured year 2005 Black Sea Sokhoum, year 2005 Turkish Izmir and 2006 Katerini Orientals offer a wealth of abundant tart and tangy citrus, bread, earth, wood, floralness, vegetation, herbs, some tangy dark fruit, spice, leather, dry sharp sourness, buttery creamy sweetness, mild smoke, and cigar along with light molasses, nuts, and a small incense note. They are the lead components. The 31 Farms St. James perique produces plenty of dried plums, figs, spice, earth, wood, bread, and moderate floralness as an important supporting player. Right behind the perique are the six Virginias (years 2017-2021) from three states. They include various shades of the more obvious red Virginias as well as some orange and bright. The Virginias provide a healthy amount of tart and tangy citrus, 17.72 percent sugar, tangy ripe dark fruit, bread, earth, wood, grass, mild vegetation, floralness, light spice, and a touch of acidic vinegar. I notice the mildly sweet casing a tad more this time, and the Va.s are a touch fruiter, too. The strength almost reaches the “strong” threshold. The taste is almost full. The nic-hit is almost the equivalent of the overall strength level. Has a few small rough notes; lightly less than the previous production. The easily breakable broken flakes may need a light dry time although I did not do that for this review. Well balanced with a little complexity, it burns cool, clean and slow. The most notable aspects in its deeply rich and zesty flavor are a mostly consistent tangy fruitiness, creamy sweet and dryly sourness, spice, floralness, herbs, and is moderately smoky with light cigar, molasses and nuts notes. The after taste pleasantly lasts a while. The room note is rather pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. It’s not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. I don’t recommend a big bowl, but I suggest one with some width. Overall, it’s a tad tangier and fruitier this time, which slightly reduces the potent strength and taste levels, but the flavor aspects are mostly the same. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2024.
The vintage sun cured year 2005 Black Sea Sokhoum, year 2005 Turkish Izmir and 2006 Katerini Orientals offer a wealth of abundant tart and tangy citrus, bread, earth, wood, floralness, vegetation, herbs, some tangy dark fruit, spice, leather, dry sharp sourness, buttery creamy sweetness, mild smoke, and cigar along with light molasses, nuts, and a small incense note. They are the lead components. The 31 Farms St. James perique produces plenty of dried plums, figs, spice, earth, wood, bread, and moderate floralness as an important supporting player. Right behind the perique are the six Virginias (years 2017-2021) from three states. They include various shades of the more obvious red Virginias as well as some orange and bright. The Virginias provide a healthy amount of tart and tangy citrus, 17.72 percent sugar, tangy ripe dark fruit, bread, earth, wood, grass, mild vegetation, floralness, light spice, and a touch of acidic vinegar. I notice the mildly sweet casing a tad more this time, and the Va.s are a touch fruiter, too. The strength almost reaches the “strong” threshold. The taste is almost full. The nic-hit is almost the equivalent of the overall strength level. Has a few small rough notes; lightly less than the previous production. The easily breakable broken flakes may need a light dry time although I did not do that for this review. Well balanced with a little complexity, it burns cool, clean and slow. The most notable aspects in its deeply rich and zesty flavor are a mostly consistent tangy fruitiness, creamy sweet and dryly sourness, spice, floralness, herbs, and is moderately smoky with light cigar, molasses and nuts notes. The after taste pleasantly lasts a while. The room note is rather pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. It’s not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. I don’t recommend a big bowl, but I suggest one with some width. Overall, it’s a tad tangier and fruitier this time, which slightly reduces the potent strength and taste levels, but the flavor aspects are mostly the same. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2024.
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