This goes on sale May 17 at 6 P.M. EST.
The very nutty, bready, sugary, earthy, woody, cocoa-ish, slight molasses-like burleys takes a small lead much of the time. The rugged Nicotiana Rustica offers a fair amount of earth, wood, toasted bread, vegetative grass, floralness, herbs, sugar, spice, mildly zesty tart and tangy citrus, a little peat, leathery cigar, tea, tartly acidic sour lemon, and smoke. It’s a strong supporting player that occasionally shares the lead with the burleys. The stoved Virginia produces a fair amount of stewed dark fruit, earth, wood, sugar, bread, mild floralness, and light spice. It’s a couple of steps behind the Rustica. Not far behind the stoved Va. is the red Virginia, which furnishes some tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, mild sugar, floralness, light vegetation, spice, and touches of smoke and vinegar. The strength and nic-hit are in the center of medium to strong. The taste edges past that center. There’s no bite or harshness although there are a few light rough notes. This easily broken apart, mildly moist crumble cake needs no dry time. Deeply rich with some complexity, it burns cool, clean and a tad slow with a fruity, sweet, nutty, floral, mildly spicy, sour, savory flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is pleasant to tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few relights. It’s not an all day smoke, but it is certainly repeatable. I suggest a wide bowl, e.g., pot, egg, or apple to capture the multiplicity of nuances as crumble cake blends rarely have a totally consistent flavor profile. Four stars.
The very nutty, bready, sugary, earthy, woody, cocoa-ish, slight molasses-like burleys takes a small lead much of the time. The rugged Nicotiana Rustica offers a fair amount of earth, wood, toasted bread, vegetative grass, floralness, herbs, sugar, spice, mildly zesty tart and tangy citrus, a little peat, leathery cigar, tea, tartly acidic sour lemon, and smoke. It’s a strong supporting player that occasionally shares the lead with the burleys. The stoved Virginia produces a fair amount of stewed dark fruit, earth, wood, sugar, bread, mild floralness, and light spice. It’s a couple of steps behind the Rustica. Not far behind the stoved Va. is the red Virginia, which furnishes some tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, mild sugar, floralness, light vegetation, spice, and touches of smoke and vinegar. The strength and nic-hit are in the center of medium to strong. The taste edges past that center. There’s no bite or harshness although there are a few light rough notes. This easily broken apart, mildly moist crumble cake needs no dry time. Deeply rich with some complexity, it burns cool, clean and a tad slow with a fruity, sweet, nutty, floral, mildly spicy, sour, savory flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is pleasant to tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few relights. It’s not an all day smoke, but it is certainly repeatable. I suggest a wide bowl, e.g., pot, egg, or apple to capture the multiplicity of nuances as crumble cake blends rarely have a totally consistent flavor profile. Four stars.
