This goes on sale Tuesday, at 6 p.m. EST.
The Katerini Turkish provide an abundance of earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetative grass, dry, bitter sourness, spice, some stewed creamy sweetness, tart and tangy citrus, bread, some smoke, mild darker fruit, sugar, clove and incense as the lead component. The 2023 Canadian bright Virginia offers plenty of very tart and tangy citrus, floralness, sour lemon, sugar, spice, vegetative grass/hay, bread, and mild acidity as a strong supporting player. The years 2013 and 2017 red Virginias produce some tangy citrus, bread, grass, mild sugar, floralness, darker fruit, earth, wood, spice, cream and vegetation. They are a step short of supplying secondary support. The creamy sweet black Cavendish mostly acts as a flavor holder for the toppings. The all spice and cinnamon have a moderate effect on the proceedings. The vanilla topping is a little more than a condiment. The strength and taste levels are filling. The nic-hit is a couple of slots past the medium mark. Won’t bite or get harsh, but it does sport a tingly sensation due to the high spice and floral content, so I recommend a little slower than average puffing cadence. Has a few rough notes. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with a very consistent sweet and sour, spicy, herbal, floral, fruity, mildly smoky, creamy, lightly acidic, rather zesty, bitter flavor that extends to the long lasting after taste. The sweet and sour, spicy, floral room notes have are pungent. Leaves very little dampness in the bowl. Barely requires any relights. Not an all day smoke. I recommend a small to medium bowl at most. It’s stronger, spicier and more floral than the earlier versions. Three stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
The Katerini Turkish provide an abundance of earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetative grass, dry, bitter sourness, spice, some stewed creamy sweetness, tart and tangy citrus, bread, some smoke, mild darker fruit, sugar, clove and incense as the lead component. The 2023 Canadian bright Virginia offers plenty of very tart and tangy citrus, floralness, sour lemon, sugar, spice, vegetative grass/hay, bread, and mild acidity as a strong supporting player. The years 2013 and 2017 red Virginias produce some tangy citrus, bread, grass, mild sugar, floralness, darker fruit, earth, wood, spice, cream and vegetation. They are a step short of supplying secondary support. The creamy sweet black Cavendish mostly acts as a flavor holder for the toppings. The all spice and cinnamon have a moderate effect on the proceedings. The vanilla topping is a little more than a condiment. The strength and taste levels are filling. The nic-hit is a couple of slots past the medium mark. Won’t bite or get harsh, but it does sport a tingly sensation due to the high spice and floral content, so I recommend a little slower than average puffing cadence. Has a few rough notes. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with a very consistent sweet and sour, spicy, herbal, floral, fruity, mildly smoky, creamy, lightly acidic, rather zesty, bitter flavor that extends to the long lasting after taste. The sweet and sour, spicy, floral room notes have are pungent. Leaves very little dampness in the bowl. Barely requires any relights. Not an all day smoke. I recommend a small to medium bowl at most. It’s stronger, spicier and more floral than the earlier versions. Three stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
