The musty, leathery, mildly sweet Cyprian Latakia provides a moderate amount of earth, wood, smoke, floralness, vegetation, some herbs, and mild spice as it takes a small lead. The Katerini Oriental offers some smoke, earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetation, stewed creamy sweet and sourness, spice, and light incense as a close competitor that occasionally equals the effect of the Latakia. The tangy ripe dark fruity, earthy, woody, bready, mildly sugary, floral, lightly spicy red Virginia produces secondary support. The “special” Virginia/burley supplies some tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, vegetation, floralness, light sour lemon, earth, wood, spice, and a hint of nuts. They are a couple of steps above the condiment line. The casings are fruity, and very mildly tone down the tobaccos. The strength is a notch past the medium threshold. The taste is a step past that mark. The nic-hit is medium. There’s no chance of bite or harshness, and barely has any rough edges. The crumble cake is mildly moist, and although I did not dry it as per my custom, your mileage may vary. Well balanced with some nuanced complexity, it burns cool, clean and a little slow with a mostly consistent smoky, creamy sweet, floral, spicy, fruity, mildly sour, deeply rich, rather smooth flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste.The room note is a little pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires some relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Four stars.
