June Pax Tobacco Crawl with New Head Blender for C&D - Jeremy Reeves

[cmdrmcbragg]

Autumn Evening, a fair seasonal aro.
::insert obligatory "couldn't wait" statement::
I certainly do get that taste of fall, err autumn. What stood out the most was the maple and vanilla. I saw others describe other experienced with rum, whiskey, etc. I didn't really get that.

It's an ok aro on my first go round. I can't complain too much for what it is. On that level I think it is a successful blend.

 

[publicpiper]

Morning All,

I'm just going to lurk this week, but I will be joining in on the 5 O'Clock Shadow crawl next week. I'll be smoking some tonight as my own personal "homework assignment" to myself. Now if only homework back in high school was this much fun...

 

[newbroom]

Now if only homework back in high school was this much fun...

You 'got that right'. I was so much more clueless back then.

Don't be afraid to share your observations of any of the blends on the crawl and Brass, who runs this 'show' recently posted that it would be ok to smoke any of the 4 at any time....not that I needed his permission. :lol:

 

[brass]

Pax is just the volunteer coordinator. Anyone who wishes to can organize a tobacco crawl. The only rule we have is to respect each other. The only requirement for membership is a desire to start smoking. Otherwise, things pretty much work themselves out.
I've smoked 3 bowls of Autumn Evening in my new Savinelli: Capri Ebony (121 EX), a great big slightly bent pot. This is a monster bowl that delivers huge nicotine hits even from moderately strong blends. I also think it is wonderful for aromatics as the wide surface area burns plenty of fuel and offers a flood of taste and aroma.
Length: 6.15 in./156.14 mm. Weight: 1.98 oz./56.25 g.

Bowl Height: 1.80 in./45.67 mm. Chamber Depth: 1.56 in./39.67 mm.

Chamber Diameter: 1.00 in./25.37 mm. Outside Diameter: 1.82 in./46.35 mm.

Stem Material: Vulcanite Filter: None

Shape: Bent Pot Finish: Rusticated

Material: Briar Country: Italy

Now about Autumn Evening
The tin note was overweening. It smelled like many good things: Pecan waffles from Waffle House. Warm maple syrup over buttered pancakes.
The course cut blend was ready to smoke from the moment I opened the can - moisture content was perfect. I suspect other aromatics would be improved immeasurably if they were delivered with similar humidity. Perhaps they can't be served drier without losing flavor when the casing evaporates?
Packing was easy. I just gravity fed the cut into the chamber and compressed it a bit until springy. Because of the low moisture content, the bowl lit easily and required only a couple of re-lights for the rest of the bowl.
The burning aroma was similar to the tin notes - maple, vanilla, almonds. It reminded me of the smell of an Aunt Sarah's Pan Cake House at which we stopped one Christmas morning when I was a kid. We were on the road to visit family and it was warm and smelled delightful. It was the first time I had experienced silver dollar pancakes.
The taste is similar to the aroma and can best be described as:

I did note a faint taste on the back of my tongue reminiscent to the after taste of too much almond or vanilla extract.
Not only did I get compliments on the room note, but my ophthalmologist detected the smell on my clothes and told me it was good.
I did detect a hint of imminent bite on the very tip of my tongue while smoking this blend. However, it was very mild - it didn't continue after I finished the bowl.
I will have to comment on nicotine strength later, after I try Autumn Evening in a different and smaller pipe. I have a very high tolerance for nicotine but my Save 321 delivers incredible olumes of smoke for an hour and a half. Everything I've smoked in it has threatened to kick my fanny.
The tobacco crawl pushes members out of their comfort zone. My tobacco rotation is all about variety. I keep open tins and jars representing different pipe tobacco styles: English; Balkan; orientals; Virginia periques; burleys; Virginia burley blends, etc. I didn't smoke aromatics regularly until I tried Russ's Classic Burley Kake. Now, I've been introduced to another aro that I like that I wouldn't have tried on my own.
Pax

 

[rblood]

Okay, I been smoking Autumn Evening for a few days and have 5 bowls under my belt. This is my first attempt ever at a review, so hope I don't bore you to badly...
Autumn Evening:
Nicotine Medium

Strength Mild to Medium

Taste First bowl notwithstanding, Medium

Room Note Pleasant, wife approved for porch – that is the best rating she will give, by the way My normal Old Joe Krantz is only approved for smoking in another time zone.

Tin Note Strong Maple and hints of brown sugar

Pack/Smoke Ready to go right from the tin with no dry time, nice even burn all the way to the bottom with a few re-lights, and burns dry.
The first quarter bowl or so, the intense sweet maple taste was way too much for my liking (being mostly a burley/VA/Per smoker). So much so that I contemplated giving up and dumping the bowl. No tobacco taste at all over the maple over-load.
About 20 min. in that started to change – the maple became less and less intense. I found the latter part of that first smoke (and surprisingly, every other bowl since) to be very pleasant and enjoyable with the maple no longer in my face. The maple taste calmed down A LOT, leaving a nice VA Cavendish tobacco taste out front with just a light maple taste backing it up. That initial intense maple has not come back - I guess I just got accustomed to it or something…
While not particularly complex in terms of flavors, it is consistent from beginning to end (first bowl notwithstanding) and does hold my interest all the way through. I did find that when rushed the blend quickly took on an ashy hot taste. This was quickly remedied with a return to proper “sipping” form.
I would have never chosen this blend on my own, but to my own amazement, I quite enjoy it now that it has settled in a bit. This will be the first aromatic on my “keeper” list that I will return to for an occasional “treat” (full disclosure, I have really only tried a handful of aros). A solid 3 out of 4 for me.

 

[jkrug]

Here we go...
I opened the tin up last week to have a sniff and check the moisture level. The moisture level was perfect right out of the tin and the tin note was absolutely delicious...wasn't sure if I should smoke it or eat it! I just loved the sweet maple scent. My wife and daughters all thought it smelled amazing as well.
I've smoked 4 bowls of it so far and each one has been very good. They took flame readily and very few relights were required. I was a bit concerned that the taste would be too sweet as indicated by the tin note but I did not find that to be the case. The leaf smoked cool and dry with no gurgle and a pleasant mapley sweet taste that was just right. There was a slight nuttiness in the back ground for me which I also enjoyed. At this point I wouldn't say this is a complex or dynamic smoke for me but it just plain and simple good.
I've tried a couple small chambered pipes and a couple mid sized bowl pipes and the tobacco performed well and tasted good in both sizes. I don't have any large bowled pipes to try this blend in but I am happy with the taste and how this leaf smokes in the pipes that I have.
My wife and daughters found the room note to be very pleasant. I have a wedding rehearsal tonight and decided that this will be the blend I bring to smoke tonight to see what others think of the room note.
So far so good and I'm looking forward to smoking more of this blend. I see that Smokingpipes carries this in bulk and can see me ordering a good amount to keep on hand for future enjoyment. I also plan to share this blend with my wife who smokes with me once in awhile to see what she thinks of it.

 

[newbroom]

Now, I've been introduced to another aro that I like that I wouldn't have tried on my own.

from Brass.

The maple taste calmed down A LOT, leaving a nice VA Cavendish tobacco taste out front with just a light maple taste backing it up. That initial intense maple has not come back - I guess I just got accustomed to it or something…

from rblood.

I quote these smokers because my experience is quite similar, in that I may not have opted to try C&D's best seller if not for the crawl, and the intensity of the tin note and first light tastes have mellowed in the time I've had this out of the tin and into a jar.

I enjoy this all by itself, and as a 'burley stretcher'..which is something I like to do with blends that have significant flavor to lend to an otherwise tasty but monochromatic burley. I actually use Match ERR a lot for this purpose, mixing it with Carter Hall, Chatham, Prince Andrew, or Peter Stokebbye pressed burley.

Lately, I'm sensing more nicotine in all my blends, pretty much, for some reason.

This blend, by itself does have the vitamin which accumulates as you progress through the bowl.

The thing I want to believe about C&D, is that they're SO quality conscious that they don't produce a market blend that isn't worth a try, at least. So far, that's been the case with my exposure.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Holy Cow! My package arrived just now! Packing it for a weekend away, will try it asap. Thanks, 4noggins!

 

[beastkhk]

This is my first time trying Autumn Evening and I have to say I am very impressed. I am not an aro guy; and I really thought this was going to be the first C and D blend I encountered that I wouldn't like. Boy was I way off, this stuff is great. The maple and vanilla really comes through in both flavor and aroma. I find it funny Brass mentioned the Maple Nut Goodies, because I was thinking maple candy as well.(I don't recall the exact name, but was a Brach's chocolate with a maple nougat-like center)
I got a little tingle sensation on my tongue while smoking it, wasn't tongue bite though, felt more like a feeling I would get when smoking something with a decent amount of perique so I don't know what was causing that.
My wife really enjoyed the room note.
Burned really well, especially for an aro. Minimal relights, there was a little dottle, but no where near what I would have expected. Actually, probably less dottle than some VaPers I have smoked.
I only have one pipe I use for testing aros, so I will only be doing one bowl per day to let it rest a little. I am excited to try again. I kind of wish I had tried this one while smoking pipes was still running their 20% off bulk sale, I probably would have picked up a pound. It will be fun to see if I still have that opinion after smoking it for a week ; I can get kind of A.D.D. when it comes to blends.(Except OJK.....I can't seem to get tired with OJK)

 

[bigjoe]

I've decided to compare Autumn Evening with Sutliff's Maple street since I've received both in the last few weeks, after about a half dozen bowls of each.
Both tin notes are a wonderful maple scent, Autumn Evening also has a subtle creamy fruity vanilla scent and the whole thing really smells like pancakes or waffles covered in syrup. The rum on the Maple Street Keeps the scent more like straight syrup, it needed a little drying.
Once lit, Autumn Evening's maple flavor falls to the background through the first third but never quite goes away, the richness of the other flavors also sticks around and goes well with the Virginias as they come forward. I found AE had a stronger nicotine hit, and it burned a little hotter. Maple Street's casing flavor is stronger throughout the bowl, and the VA/Bur tobacco flavors don't really intensify as it burns. Preferred the MS room note.
I can't pick a favorite, enjoyed them both!

 

[shanelktown]

Yeah many people who are non aro smokers would probably enjoy a bowl of autumn evening from time to time. I will be honest I have smoked this blend for years and for some strange reason I love smoking this out on the porch during the peak of autumn. For some reason just having this blend in the pipe and the maple flavoring and the red Virginias on this just create an awesome atmosphere. Nothing like having some autumn evening and watching falling leaves. I recommend everyone to do this this autumn. That is if you enjoy maple. Also I pair this stuff with a good rye. It just has a good balance. So far a lot of guys doing reviews and it's cool to see. I haven't been able to chime in as much as I would like to I have been very busy.

 

[rblood]

I am with you on the rye pairing shanelktown. I am also finding that it really sweetens a good bourbon as well. Knob Creek and Autumn Evening on a cool November night - sounds like just the ticket.

 

[beastkhk]

The maple flavor has toned down the last couple of bowls I have had. I can start to pick up some of the tobacco flavors now which is nice. Not enough to get the subtle nuances for me, but enough that I can now tell that there is some tobacco flavors in there.
The last third of the bowl I had last night turned into an ashy burnt sugar type flavor. I didn't notice that with the earlier smokes so I am wondering if it was just an abnormality. I will definitely be on the look out for it now though. I wouldn't say it is a deal breaker; just wasn't as pleasant as the first two thirds. If continues I would just cut the smoke short.
I would also comment that some of the novelty of the blend has already worn off for me. I mentioned earlier I would have likely bought a pound, I don't think that is the case any longer. I would likely keep some on hand for instances where I would be around non smokers, as I keep getting compliments on the room note, but it isn't something I have been craving, so it isn't something I would buy a lot of stock of to cellar.(cellar in a sense to have on hand, not with intention to age)

 

[newbroom]

I don't know why we start the week with Friday on this crawl, if it's a June crawl...anyway...the next one up is listed as 5 O'Clock Shadow, and I'm 'excited' to try this one because it's one of Jeremy's current favorites.

I kinda hate to open the tin though, knowing that it's got VA and will likely be one of those that ages to improvement, unlike myself, so, with that in mind, I guess I won't worry so much about aging tobacco and more about aging my self. Virginia, Dark Fired KY, and perique in a pressed kake. What's not to like?

 

[brass]

I got a little tingle sensation on my tongue while smoking it, wasn't tongue bite though, felt more like a feeling I would get when smoking something with a decent amount of perique so I don't know what was causing that.

Good observation, beaskhk. I notice a little tingly burn on the tip of my tongue when I smoke it but it doesn't carry over. So, it probably isn't tongue bite.
I've gone through a 1/3 to 1/2 of the tin and I think the blend has benefited from airing out for a week or two.The maple flavor, although still assertive, no longer overpowers the blend. The toned down casing is now letting the burleys/cavendish breath. The vanillas and citrus have melded. The sharpness I originally attributed to too much vanilla extract is gone. I suspect that may have been the rum or whiskey ingredient speaking out.
When we first started our crawls, I noted that it took most of a tin to learn to appreciate the nuances of a new blend. I'm sure that is true partially but probably as important, the blend benefits from drying and airing for a few days, as I mentioned earlier. Autumn Evening is much more palatable now that it has been sitting for a week.
I've smoked this blend in a large cob Free Hand, a small billiard, medium poker and a very large pot. I can't really say that any particular shape or size makes this blend shine.
I had the opportunity to have a cup of coffee and smoke a bowl with Al Jones over the weekend and I finished the large pot, pictured above, with just one light.
BTW, Al and his wife are terrific hosts, solid citizens and interesting people.
I look forward to hearing from Jeremy, especially as to why he picked this blend for the crawl.
Pax

 

[rblood]

I'm looking forward to 5OS too newbroom. May have to cheat and crack it open tonight ::

 

[jackswilling]

Agree with comments that Autumn Evening is ready to go right out of the tin as to moisture content. C & D is a class act and the quality is evident. I have only had one other maple based aero and this is far better. Tin note and taste match up nicely. Fairly mild and very enjoyable. I also agree with the notion that this would be perfect for an autumn evening or crisp day. Been using a Mark Twain Cob with this one and have had no bite. Great start to the Crawl for me. Thanks to all concerned in making this happen and all to all the participants for their posts.

 

[brass]

I don't know why we start the week with Friday on this crawl, if it's a June crawl...anyway

Newbroom, we start the crawls on the first Friday of each month. The idea is that participants can look forward to trying a new blend at the end of the work week. Also, some folks smoke just on the weekend. We keep everything in sync by starting on Friday night. By Monday, we will have several postings from people who have smoked casually and while entertaining, inside and outside.
Having said that, if you think there is a better day to start it, we're open for suggestions. We can change if there are significant advantages.

 

[newbroom]

I had the opportunity to have a cup of coffee and smoke a bowl with Al Jones over the weekend and I finished the large pot, pictured above, with just one light.

You must have let AJ do all the talkin. :D

Why Autumn Evening?

brass, probably because it's their best seller?

An homage to most newbies (and we were all newbies once) because they/we usually reach for the stuff that smells like fruits, syrups, or spirits?

To show us that an aro can deliver the goods?

 

[echie]

Ok, here goes. So far I've smoked Autumn Evening on a couple of days, 2 bowl on the first, then 1 bowl about one week afterwards. I'm usually not keen on aromatics, and I confess that I chose a pipe I'm not overly fond of for this (a straight, medium-small bowled Peterson - I think it's the P-lip I'm not sold on).
Day 1: I never thought I'd like an aromatic, and I won't say this will become a favourite, but so far I'm pleasantly surprised. The tin aroma is far too sweet for my taste, but when lit it becomes a pleasant undernote. I get the maple, but to me it tastes more of caramel. It gets much better halfway through, as the heavy sweetness is toned down significantly.
[Interlude: I then waited about a week, and kept the tobacco in the tin - that is, no jarring]
Day 2, one week later: the tobacco seems drier, but not too much. Lights well, and stays lit easily. The tin smell is subdued and much better. Actually, I don't know if someone else gets that, but to me it smells and tastes of melted dark chocolate! I asked my wife what she thought, without telling my opinion, and she also said "dark chocolate", and we both can still feel the caramel, specially a bit later in the smoke. I'm surprised to find the chocolate smell and taste delicious. I can actually see myself wanting to smoke this every once in a while. In fact, I usually don't eat sweets (I simply don't get the urge, and get tired of them really quickly), but I see myself reaching for a bowl on Autumn Evening as often as I see myself reaching for dessert - which is not too often, but it's good to have it around when I get the urge.
So, all in all, an enlightening experience!
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some jarring to do ::