This blend goes on sale this Thursday, August 7 at a presently undetermined time.
The stoved Virginias produce a wealth of fermented stewed, tangy dark fruit, floralness, sugar, bread, earth, wood, some sweet citrus, vegetative grass, and spice as the lead components. The red Virginias provide an abundance of tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, floralness, earth, wood, some tangy sour darker fruit, mild spice, wine, and vinegar as very important supporting players. They are a step and a fraction behind the stoved Va.s. The Watch City matured perique supplies plenty of tingly spice, floralness, dried sour plums, raisins, apple cider vinegar, earth, wood, bread and sugar. It offers obvious secondary support mainly due to the plums and spice. The vanilla and chocolate are condiments. The strength and taste levels are filling. The nic-hit is a couple of notches past the center of medium to strong. No chance of bite or harshness. Has a few small rough notes. Due to the spice content, I suggest a moderate smoking cadence. The tobacco is moderately moist, but as per my custom, I did not dry it for review nor did I see a need for it. Well balanced with a little complexity, it burns cool, clean, and slightly slow with a very consistent extra sweet, fruity, rather floral, spicy, mildly sour, lightly bitter, deeply rich, savory flavor that extends to the pleasantly long lasting after taste. The room note is sweet, floral, lightly spicy, and a little strong. Leaves very light dampness in the bowl. Doesn’t require many relights. I recommend a mid-medium bowl for this blend. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Will ghost a briar and in time, a meer. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
The stoved Virginias produce a wealth of fermented stewed, tangy dark fruit, floralness, sugar, bread, earth, wood, some sweet citrus, vegetative grass, and spice as the lead components. The red Virginias provide an abundance of tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, floralness, earth, wood, some tangy sour darker fruit, mild spice, wine, and vinegar as very important supporting players. They are a step and a fraction behind the stoved Va.s. The Watch City matured perique supplies plenty of tingly spice, floralness, dried sour plums, raisins, apple cider vinegar, earth, wood, bread and sugar. It offers obvious secondary support mainly due to the plums and spice. The vanilla and chocolate are condiments. The strength and taste levels are filling. The nic-hit is a couple of notches past the center of medium to strong. No chance of bite or harshness. Has a few small rough notes. Due to the spice content, I suggest a moderate smoking cadence. The tobacco is moderately moist, but as per my custom, I did not dry it for review nor did I see a need for it. Well balanced with a little complexity, it burns cool, clean, and slightly slow with a very consistent extra sweet, fruity, rather floral, spicy, mildly sour, lightly bitter, deeply rich, savory flavor that extends to the pleasantly long lasting after taste. The room note is sweet, floral, lightly spicy, and a little strong. Leaves very light dampness in the bowl. Doesn’t require many relights. I recommend a mid-medium bowl for this blend. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Will ghost a briar and in time, a meer. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2025.
