Jim's Peter Heinrichs' Curly Block Review.

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,870
The Virginias are very earthy with a fair amount and variety of sweet fermented flavors: brown sugar, tangy dried dark fruits, a drop or two of citrus as well as a touch of grass. The perique is spicy, raisiny, figgy with date overtones. The fermentation process enhances the inherent properties of the tobaccos and creates a harmonious smoking experience that tastes the same from the first puff to the last. Has a medium nic-hit that lasts all the way through. Curly Block reminds me very much of the Murray’s version of Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls, except that this is sweeter and just a little smoother. The block (not plug) of tobacco will take some time to slice and prepare to your personal specifications. It’s moist and some may want to dry it first, though I find it works fine as it is, providing it’s packed a little loosely in the bowl. Burns very slow, requires relights, and leaves very little moisture in the bowl if packed with care, so I suggest a little patience for the full experience of what it has to offer. Though you may have to stir the bottom ten percent just a little if you don’t use a wide bowl, you can smoke it to a fine ash. The after taste will pleasantly linger. It's not currently available in the United States.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,870
Hunter: I know. I was extremely fortunate to have a friend who traded me a 50 gram block.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
It sounds like one of those exquisite Virginias that unfolds to full potential as you go along. Maybe it will show up available in the U.S. Appealing review; thanks!

 

menuhin

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2014
642
3
Hi JimInks,
People said Peter Heinrichs used the old machinery for making 'Three Nuns' to make their Curly Block.

How do you compare it (via memory) to Motzek Strang? :puffpipe:

 

menuhin

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2014
642
3
By the way, Peter Heinrichs' store is considered by most of the German pipe smokers to be the Mecca of pipe smoking in the country. A log by a forum member here:

https://dutchpipesmoker.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/heavenly-heinrichs/

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,870
Menuhin,

Curly Block is not at all like Strang, which as many know, is my favorite tobacco made today. Different tobaccos are used in Strang. Here's my Strang review so you can compare:
This is a rope blend that cuts into coins fairly easily, though you should definitely dry it some before smoking because it will smoke wet. I packed the bottom with loose tobacco, stacked the coins, adding a little loose tobacco on top for an easier char lighting. By stacking the coins, you'll get all the flavors in nearly every puff, but if you decide to cube cut first, you'll be in for a variety of flavors in varying degrees per puff. The flavors are bold and forceful. A naturally tasting earthy, very slightly sweet brown Virginia amplified by strong nutty, earthy burleys, and further fueled by a blast of peppery perique. It's a flavor bomb, but not so powerful that it would knock you to your knees. A blend for discriminating smokers best served and sipped in a pipe with a wide bowl to savor the full experience of high quality tobaccos. Expensive and available only from Germany.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,870
Menuhin,

It occurred to me that you wanted me to compare Strang to the old VaPer Three Nuns, and not Curly Block. If that was what you had in mind, I'll say they are very different. Three Nuns used an orange Virginia and Malawi along with perique, and had a mild topping. You got a sweet and sour spice smoke with some depth and character. The coins were kind of thin and smaller in diameter than Strang, which is produced as a rope (and a pre-cut). Strang is much stronger and bolder with different Virginias and Burleys, and no topping. They provide a much deeper, earthier taste than was in VaPer Three Nuns. And the burley used in Strang is very nutty, semi-sweet, earthy and just a little sharp, none of which was present in VaPer Three Nuns. Strang is more complex than the three ladies were, and the tobaccos are likely fermented longer in the rope version too.

 

menuhin

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 21, 2014
642
3
JimInks,

Thanks for the info!

So the PH Curly block and Motzek Strang are very different breeds though they both have Perique.

I asked because I read quite some of the previous posts, seemingly related, e.g.

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/a-real-three-nuns-substitute#post-620841

 

jimbo44

Might Stick Around
Aug 2, 2010
62
0
I believe it was the STG (Heinrichs don't make their own blends) machinery for making Escudo/Dunhill DLNR that is used to make PH Curly Block (rather than 3Nuns).
The diameter is that of Escudo:

Talking to Jim,I opined that it is very similar in taste to Escudo but he slightly disagrees - certainly more like the old Copes version made in UK than the later versions I would agree.
Side by side comparison:


 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,870
Jimbo: I never had the pleasure of smoking the Cope's Escudo, so I couldn't compare them.
Using the same machinery for Escudo makes more sense to me.

 

spartanfan

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 3, 2013
105
9
Thanks for the review. Makes me want to try it even more - just something neat about having a block or log of the stuff you get to cut yourself.

 

lestrout

Lifer
Jan 28, 2010
1,758
283
Chester County, PA
Yo bo - thanks for that link. I can see the answer to my question. Somehow I associated the term "block" denoted something with squarish edges, rather than a ropey thang. My PH Curly Special looks different in composition.
hp

les

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,853
553,870
Lestrout: Curly Block and Curly Special are not alike in any way. Two totally different blends. They really should have picked another name for CB to avoid confusion.

 

lestrout

Lifer
Jan 28, 2010
1,758
283
Chester County, PA
Yo Jinx - thanks for the headsup. I got a 250 'block'/rope/cable at one of the NYPC events a few months ago, but now that I can easily replenish it, at least for the moment, I might give it a try. My block might be old, but it's still sealed in the funny plastic baggie thang - it feels hard enough to drive nails. A bud with a (an?) Ulu has just the instrument to slice it up good'n proper.
hp

les

 

darwin

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 9, 2014
820
5
It's available at SP and they are seriously proud of it. 78 bucks for 250 grams which works out to almost $9.00 an ounce.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.