This blend goes on sale August 22 at 6 p.m. EST.
The exceptionally tangy vintage sun cured Orientals include year 2005 Black Sea Sokhoum and provide an abundance of earth, wood, floralness, vegetation, herbs, some spice, leather, dry sourness, mild buttery, creamy sweetness, smoke, cigar, and a little nuttiness as the lead components. The spicy St. James perique offers plenty of earth, wood, dried plums, some raisin, figs, and a little floralness as a strong supporting player. The old belt (North Carolina and Georgia) orange, mahogany, bright, and six grades of red Virginias (with 17.72% sugar) are steamed to various degrees as secondary supporters. They produce a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, sugar, bread, earth, wood, grass, tangy ripe dark fruit, mild vegetation, floralness, light spice, and touches of acidic vinegar. The red Virginias lightly lead the other Virginias. The strength and taste are fulsome. The nicotine is almost as potent. No chance of bite or harshness. Rough edges are very minimal. This broken flake mixture is a tad more than mildly moist, but as is my custom, I did not dry them. Your mileage may vary on this point. Well balanced, deeply rich and piquantly zesty, it burns cool, clean and a little slow with a consistent spicy, floral, herbal, creamy sweet and dryly sour, fruity, smoky, mildly cigarish, nutty, very tangy flavor that extends to the pleasantly long lingering after taste. The room note is pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. It’s not an all day smoke, and I recommend a small to medium bowl for this hearty blend. Four stars.
The exceptionally tangy vintage sun cured Orientals include year 2005 Black Sea Sokhoum and provide an abundance of earth, wood, floralness, vegetation, herbs, some spice, leather, dry sourness, mild buttery, creamy sweetness, smoke, cigar, and a little nuttiness as the lead components. The spicy St. James perique offers plenty of earth, wood, dried plums, some raisin, figs, and a little floralness as a strong supporting player. The old belt (North Carolina and Georgia) orange, mahogany, bright, and six grades of red Virginias (with 17.72% sugar) are steamed to various degrees as secondary supporters. They produce a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, sugar, bread, earth, wood, grass, tangy ripe dark fruit, mild vegetation, floralness, light spice, and touches of acidic vinegar. The red Virginias lightly lead the other Virginias. The strength and taste are fulsome. The nicotine is almost as potent. No chance of bite or harshness. Rough edges are very minimal. This broken flake mixture is a tad more than mildly moist, but as is my custom, I did not dry them. Your mileage may vary on this point. Well balanced, deeply rich and piquantly zesty, it burns cool, clean and a little slow with a consistent spicy, floral, herbal, creamy sweet and dryly sour, fruity, smoky, mildly cigarish, nutty, very tangy flavor that extends to the pleasantly long lingering after taste. The room note is pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. It’s not an all day smoke, and I recommend a small to medium bowl for this hearty blend. Four stars.
