Smoked my first bowl today. Very cool smoking. The Oriental leaf was more subdued than I expected. Was quite good, I'll buy more when available.
Jim's Watch City Simply VOriental Review.
- Thread starter JimInks
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My opinion is that Jim's palate is off the charts compared to just about anyone else's. Criticisms of it have no basis of comparison given the lesser flavor we taste.
Absolutely. The closest analogue would be Jiffy Pop marinated in Tab.
That's why it's called "Simply". A couple of earlier versions were stronger with less complexity, and while they were good, we felt they were too strong and sour.
I smoked a few bowls straight to understand it: mildly sweet and very sour, very floral, herbal and entrancing.
I think a couple of Ken Byron blends use it.
As a big Va/Or fan and no stranger to Ernie's (WCC) blends, you are absolutely correct.
I was going to do a long review but it basically boils down to - "It's good, but it will be amazing with some desperately needed time in a jar."
Jim, it is a nice piece of blending for sure. Not your usual VaOr in the least. The Simply Red can be pretty "tangy" and Oriental Leaf can be quite tart. It was kind of like expecting to get punched in the face and receiving a love pat instead. I wasn't disappointed at all, just surprised. Pleasant surprises are a good thing. As I said, I'll be buying more when it comes around again.
The rejects do hit you in the face, and I wondered if that was what the average Oriental fan wants? It seems like you do, right?
I found some Macedonian Prilep for sale online. I'll be grabbing some to add to this - after the second bowl of Simply Voriental, I'm a bit disappointed, especially considering the premium I paid over Simply Red. The Oriental is simply too light. Hopefully it marries in the jar and comes to the fore down the road, but if not, I'll start mixing in my own to get it where it needs to be.
I think it is more of what I'm accustomed to than what I want.
in six months this blend will make grown men cry. I'm a big fan of Oriental forward blends.
I’m only two bowls in but both had a very similar trajectory- 95% Simply Red at the light and steadily shifting to 95% oriental by the end of the bowl. Balance is tough to pull off, especially with two components that have such a strong character. SVO nails that balance and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Smoked two bowls of SVO today and I am impressed. The balance and interplay between the Virginia’s and Oriental’s is masterfully done. The blend is sweet and tangy, and at the same time sour with a delightful spice on the retrohale. There is a bunch more going on in this blend and I look forward to exploring it. My hats off to Ernie and @jiminks for this one. Brilliant job, guys.
We discussed making a stronger version as well. This production was not meant to be that. But, I'll talk to Ernie about yours and the other comments. A stronger version may be possible, though I can't guarantee anything because I don't work for Ernie, and obviously, he will decide what he wants to do. But, he likes feedback, and I'll certainly tell him there may be a market for a stronger VOriental to compliment this one.
Dear heavens, everything these days has to be a bomb. Doesn’t anybody appreciate condimental use of varietals?
Long term, I would think so. Short term, probably a residual ghost as a guess.
I saw that email from Ernie today and almost tripped over myself trying to order it. Then the follow up email crushed my dreams 
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