It goes on sale July 12.
The musty, leathery, smoky Orientals provide a lot of earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetation, dry, sharp sourness, mild buttery sweetness and spice. They take a very small lead, and some of their attributes are echoed/enforced by the stoved Rustica and stoved Katerini. The stoved Rustica produces a fair amount of spice, sugar, earth, wood, vegetation, herbs, bread, stewed tart and tangy citrus, peat, and mild smoke with slight touches of cigar, tea, sourness and leather. The stoved Katerini offers some earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetation, stewed creamy sweetness, spice, and light incense.The stoving sweetens and smooths the Rustica and Katerini as it fairly reduces the rough edges, and mildly tones them down. The Rustica is a step or two more obvious that the Katerini more often than not. They are right behind the red Virginia by a small margin. The aspects of the red Virginia are a fair amount of tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some tart and tangy citrus, sugar, mild grass, vegetation, and floralness with light spice, and a touch of vinegar as a supporting player. Noticeably in the background is smoky, woody, earthy, musty, herbal, vegetative, leathery, floral, lightly spicy Cyprian Latakia.
The strength is a step past the medium threshold. The taste is a slot ahead of that mark. The nic-hit is medium. No chance of bite or harshness, and the rough edges are light. The crumble cake is mildly moist, and as is my custom, I did not dry it nor did I see a need to do so. By the very nature of how crumble cakes are produced, there will be a small inconsistent in the overall flavor. Deeply rich and nuanced, it burns cool, clean and a tad slow with a very tangy, stewed fruity sweet, herbal, smoky, moderately floral, spicy, zesty, savory flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few more than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable. Four stars.
The musty, leathery, smoky Orientals provide a lot of earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetation, dry, sharp sourness, mild buttery sweetness and spice. They take a very small lead, and some of their attributes are echoed/enforced by the stoved Rustica and stoved Katerini. The stoved Rustica produces a fair amount of spice, sugar, earth, wood, vegetation, herbs, bread, stewed tart and tangy citrus, peat, and mild smoke with slight touches of cigar, tea, sourness and leather. The stoved Katerini offers some earth, wood, herbs, floralness, vegetation, stewed creamy sweetness, spice, and light incense.The stoving sweetens and smooths the Rustica and Katerini as it fairly reduces the rough edges, and mildly tones them down. The Rustica is a step or two more obvious that the Katerini more often than not. They are right behind the red Virginia by a small margin. The aspects of the red Virginia are a fair amount of tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, some tart and tangy citrus, sugar, mild grass, vegetation, and floralness with light spice, and a touch of vinegar as a supporting player. Noticeably in the background is smoky, woody, earthy, musty, herbal, vegetative, leathery, floral, lightly spicy Cyprian Latakia.
The strength is a step past the medium threshold. The taste is a slot ahead of that mark. The nic-hit is medium. No chance of bite or harshness, and the rough edges are light. The crumble cake is mildly moist, and as is my custom, I did not dry it nor did I see a need to do so. By the very nature of how crumble cakes are produced, there will be a small inconsistent in the overall flavor. Deeply rich and nuanced, it burns cool, clean and a tad slow with a very tangy, stewed fruity sweet, herbal, smoky, moderately floral, spicy, zesty, savory flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few more than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable. Four stars.
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