Jim's Watch City Santa's Sack Review.

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JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
64,860
655,751
This goes on sale at 3 p.m. EST. Thanks to @atwaterville for asking for the review.

The various Virginias provide plenty of tart and tangy citrus, bread, sugar, floralness, grass, stewed dark fruit, very mild earth, wood and spice. They are the lead components with the bright Virginias (cased with fruit juices, spices, brown sugar) being more obvious than the stoved (cased with Indian syrup that has a light rose quality) and brown (cased like one of the bright Va.s). The aged, spicy perique offers plenty of dried plums, figs, earth, wood, bread, some raisins, and mild floralness as an important supporting player. The casings mildly mellow the varietals while comparable characteristics amplify those similar aspects inherent in the tobaccos. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps short of the center of medium to strong. The taste is a notch short of that center. There’s no chance of bite or harshness. Barely has a rough note. Well balanced and deeply rich, it burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a completely consistent, very sweet, fruity, spicy, mildly floral flavor that results in a pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is pleasant to tolerable. Barely leaves any dampness in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. Despite its inherent depth, it may be an all day smoke for the veteran, and easily repeatable for the less experienced. Four stars out of four.
©Jim Amash 2023.
 

yanoJL

Lifer
Oct 21, 2022
1,403
3,998
Pismo Beach, California
...They are the lead components with the bright Virginias (cased with fruit juices, spices, brown sugar) being more obvious than the stoved (cased with Indian syrup that has a light rose quality) and brown (cased like one of the bright Va.s). The aged, spicy perique offers plenty of dried plums, figs, earth, wood, bread, some raisins, and mild floralness as an important supporting player. The casings mildly mellow the varietals while comparable characteristics amplify those similar aspects inherent in the tobaccos. ...
©Jim Amash 2023.

Thank you, @JimInks .
If I remember correctly, Ernie mentioned casing the components of this blend using a method (or recipe?) contributed by an intern employee at Watch City. As you have mentioned the casings a few times in your review, it sounds like this kid got a hit.
That's awesome.
 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
64,860
655,751
Thank you, @JimInks .
If I remember correctly, Ernie mentioned casing the components of this blend using a method (or recipe?) contributed by an intern employee at Watch City. As you have mentioned the casings a few times in your review, it sounds like this kid got a hit.
That's awesome.
You have it right, man. Ernie is rightfully very taken by this fellow who is a hard worker, and willing to take direction. I'm sure Ernie told him what to do for the most part on this blend, but he obviously left a fair amount of the work to the guy. At least that is what I gather from reading what Ernie has written.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,857
42,252
Iowa
You have it right, man. Ernie is rightfully very taken by this fellow who is a hard worker, and willing to take direction. I'm sure Ernie told him what to do for the most part on this blend, but he obviously left a fair amount of the work to the guy. At least that is what I gather from reading what Ernie has written.
I figured his interns were your ferals!
 

Merton

Lifer
Jul 8, 2020
1,043
2,824
Boston, Massachusetts
Bought 8 ounces. Love Virginias and vapers. Sorry, but this both flavorless and it smokes very, very hot. I have been a pipe smoker for a very long time and so I know that my experience with the blend cannot be blamed on cadence or technique. For me this is a big disappointment . Wanted to like it and looked forward to delivery. 1.5 stars.
On the other hand, the 2023 cringle flake is very enjoyable and even though it contains more than red Virginia, it is more like the excellent 2019 version than the ensuing others have been. 4 stars.