This goes on sale Wednesday, July 26 at 6 p.m.
The 2019 Basma and 2018 Turkish Izmir provide plenty of earth, wood, floralness, some dry sourness, vegetation, herbs, spice, mild tangy buttery sweetness, and light incense and smoke. They take a small lead. The 2019 bright Virginias offer a fair amount tart and tangy citrus, bread, vegetative grass, sugar, mild floralness, sour lemon, spice, and a hint of acidity as close competitors to the Orientals. The 2019 red Virginia produces a complimentary amount of tangy ripe dark fruit earth, wood, bread, some sugar, tart citrus, light floralness, a few blades of grass, and a couple pinches of spice in secondary support. The most prominent topping is the very sweet Tupelo honey, which has some creamy butter and a few floral notes. The lightly fruity, earthy tequila is a condiment at best. Playing at the same level is the tart, grape and berry-like, acidic, floral, herbal, Just as obvious as the tequila is the tart, grape-like, floral, herbal, acidic, sweet elderflower. The strength and taste are a couple of steps past the medium threshold. The nic-hit is medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. The rough edges are minor. The easily broken apart, mildly moist flakes need no dry time. Well balanced with some nuance, it burns cool, clean and slow with a very consistent creamy sweet, fruity, floral, mildly sour, spicy, herbal, zesty flavor that extends to the long lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is a tad pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Not quite an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. It is a tad sweeter with a lightly more Oriental presence than past productions. Four stars.
The 2019 Basma and 2018 Turkish Izmir provide plenty of earth, wood, floralness, some dry sourness, vegetation, herbs, spice, mild tangy buttery sweetness, and light incense and smoke. They take a small lead. The 2019 bright Virginias offer a fair amount tart and tangy citrus, bread, vegetative grass, sugar, mild floralness, sour lemon, spice, and a hint of acidity as close competitors to the Orientals. The 2019 red Virginia produces a complimentary amount of tangy ripe dark fruit earth, wood, bread, some sugar, tart citrus, light floralness, a few blades of grass, and a couple pinches of spice in secondary support. The most prominent topping is the very sweet Tupelo honey, which has some creamy butter and a few floral notes. The lightly fruity, earthy tequila is a condiment at best. Playing at the same level is the tart, grape and berry-like, acidic, floral, herbal, Just as obvious as the tequila is the tart, grape-like, floral, herbal, acidic, sweet elderflower. The strength and taste are a couple of steps past the medium threshold. The nic-hit is medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. The rough edges are minor. The easily broken apart, mildly moist flakes need no dry time. Well balanced with some nuance, it burns cool, clean and slow with a very consistent creamy sweet, fruity, floral, mildly sour, spicy, herbal, zesty flavor that extends to the long lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is a tad pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Not quite an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. It is a tad sweeter with a lightly more Oriental presence than past productions. Four stars.
