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

[jpmcwjr]

Agreed. I joined for the learning experience and to sorta get to know a few folks better. Fellowship if you will.
Unfortunately, I just can't smoke even a small bowl of FOS without my head telling me to stop before I am really sorry. I don't know whether it's nicotine or burley or some combo I can't take, but I will try it a time or two more, drier, to see what I can see.

 

[brass]

FOS is rated medium at tobaccoreviews.com but most rate it medium to strong. I have a relatively high tolerance for nicotine but I would also say it is medium strong. Since you are relatively new to pipe smoking, this may be a bit much for you at this stage.
You're smart in taking it easy. There is nothing wrong with smoking a bowl for a few minutes, putting it down for a few minutes, and picking it up again.
When I smoked FOX in my big bowl poker, I did exactly that. Even for a seasoned smoker, 60 plus minutes of chugging FOS can be challenging.

 

[jeremyreeves]

Great reviews everyone! I am glad most of you are enjoying FOS.
Brass, FOS has a real Burley character because of the Dark Fired KY Burley in it, and because of the Perique which made using Burley. The pressing melds the Burley flavor through the mixture and the Red VA Cav. takes on all the flavors and adds just a touch of natural sweetness.
Newbroom, the slivers of paper in the tin are, as you suspected, from the paper insert, which is cut by the manufacturer, in stacks. We shake the tin inserts, which we call "mouse-ears", to remove as many of the loose slivers of paper as possible, but some always seem to make it past us. I can tell you from experience, that they don't add any flavor and I usually end up with a couple of them in my pipe when I pack FOS. I have never noticed any taste in the smoke from them, but I always try to pick them out as best I can.
JMPCWJR, I agree with Brass, that for a beginner with nicotine sensitivity, less is more, and there is nothing wrong with smoking a little and then resting yourself and the pipe. That said, no blend is for everyone, and that is part of the fun of exploring, and finding your preferences. I would add that many blends that did not work for me early on in my piping, have really grown on me as I have found my stride, so don't be afraid to revisit and reassess blends over time. Maybe they will change, due to aging and maybe you will find that your tastes have changed over time, as well.

 

[rblood]

brass, I am really enjoying the crawl and as you and others have pointed out it's a great way to get to know folks on the forum and to explore your own tastes.
As I said in my review, FOS is a quality smoke but not 100% to my tastes - AE on the other hand, just ordered another 8oz (which is quite something for a professed non-aro smoker) AE is now my go-to morning smoke with coffee.
Being an introvert, generally, I very seldom post on forums and this crawl has given me an excuse to come out and participate. So, if any of you are sitting on the sidelines thinking you have nothing to add, you could not be more wrong. Let's hear what you have to say, I for one am very interested.
Thank you again brass, Jeremy and Rich at 4Noggins for hosting us and making this possible - having a blast!

 

[brass]

Welcome, Blood and thanks on behalf of all of us. And welcome to PipesMagazine as well. I second your invitation for your lurkers to chime in. There are no wrong tastes.

 

[brass]

I forgot that Kentucky Dark Fired IS burley.

 

[jeremyreeves]

Blood, I am having a blast too! Thanks for chiming in and I look forward to hearing more from all of you!
Jkrug, I haven't noticed the cigarette taste in FOS, but I definitely agree with those that have made references to the cigar taste and aroma. Dark Fired Burley definitely has a cigar like taste and aroma when smoked, and in fact, is quite popular for use in cigars like Parodi's or Drew Estate's Kentucky Fire Cured line.
I find that FOS smokes best for me when I gravity feed fully rubbed out, and fill the pipe just over the rim. Then, with very light pressure, I tamp the over flow into the pipe, and flatten it out.

 

[drunkblowhard]

I just stumbled onto this crawl thread. What a great idea.
Is it a regular thing? A monthly thing?
I hope so, and if so, count me in for the next round!
Cheers!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Thanks, brass and Jeremy. I used to do two+packs a day mostly Camels and Winstons, both filtered. But that was 35 years ago! My nic tolerance seems to be next to nil.
Last night I filled a largish bowl 3/4 full with Cask 11, and 1/4 Pirate Kake on the top. It was pretty heavenly. My first attempt at amateur 'blending', though it wasn't mixed at all uniformly.
Is it just not done to provide the nicotine content of a tobacco or blend?

 

[dmcmtk]

I hope so, and if so, count me in for the next round!

The tobacco is still available! Rich put together a special,
http://www.4noggins.com/Pax-Crawl-Sampler.aspx

 

[jkrug]

I agree that I find more of the Burley flavor coming forward than I do the Virginias, sometimes it is reminiscent of Carter Hall with a bit more zip. The flavor is very steady and constant from start to finish. I don't have any issues with the nicotine content and don't find it too strong. Krumble kake is new to me and some of the issues I've been having could very well be my inexperience with this cut. I'm not giving up on this blend yet. I've been smoking long enough to know that blends change over time as do personal tastes so there is always a chance I will grow to like and enjoy FOS. ::

 

[jkrug]

I brought my tin to work with me tonight so I could smoke another bowl. I work steady midnights and when my machines are running I can slip outside for a puff or two.
I krumbled out a portion on a napkin and left it to dry for a few minutes and went out to check my machines. One thing led to another and before I knew it the tobacco had been drying for almost an hour and a half. When I went to pack my pipe it had dried so much it was slightly crispy to the touch. Oops! No worries, I packed my pipe and went outside to smoke. It was a nice calm cool night and I parked my butt on the bench outside and proceeded to light up. I touched fire to the crumbled tobacco which I noticed looked somwhat like nice potting soil....just my thoughts. Unlike my previous attempts the pipe lit quite nicely. I waited a bit for it to go out, tamped gently, more fire and I was off and puffing.
I had planned to pay real close attention to my cadence but this was not necessary as the pipe stayed lit nicely and thick rich plumes of smoke filled my mouth with each gentle sip. I noticed a difference in the flavour right away. Gone was the ashy cigarette like taste and in its place was a nice mix of mild nuttiness and light grassy hay trading back and forth. The Perique was somewhat muted but still present as a nice mild tingle on my tongue and the roof of my mouth, a bit more noticeable when exhaled through my nose. What a pleasant surprise. I puffed away and did not need a single relight except for the one time I put my pipe down and went inside for a few minutes to check my machines. Upon returning I lit up and smoked right to the bottom on a single light needing only to tip out the fine white ash once along the way. What a pleasant turn his has taken. The further into the bowl I got the more I found myself really enjoying this smoke. When I was done I tapped the pipe out on my palm and all the came out was fine white ash and a tiny bit of dottle, the bowl was clean and dry when I peered into the bottom. Nice. As I walked back into the shop I had a pleasant mild hay like taste in my mouth, not the ashy aftertaste ihad experienced on previous smokes.
As it turns out it appears that perhaps I didn't dry the tobacco enough before. This probably explains my trouble keeping the pipe lit and I was probably smoking to hard trying to keep it lit and overheating the leaf which would explain the ashy taste.....live and learn.
I'm very pleased with this turn of events and actually find myself looking forward to the next bowl to see how it goes. ::

 

[brass]

We don't have a formal schedule set but I'm thinking we're shooting every other month, maybe skipping one in the winter months.
We did every month last year for a while but members began to burnout and get bored. Also, I think a breather between crawls is good for a couple of reasons. Not everyone can afford to crawl every month. And I personally want some time to explore blends on my own. Smoking just the crawl tobaccos all the time would be too constraining.
Finally, it takes a lot of time to organize crawl, line up guest blenders, etc. So, every other month or ever quarterly seems about right.
BTW, the August Crawl will feature blends by Rich of 4noggins. Down the line, we'll look at Boswell and Greg Pease. I know Boswell is on board. Getting hold of Greg Pease has been more difficult.

 

[jackswilling]

Five O'Clock Shadow - My findings are consistent with other members' reviews. It burns for a long time, i.e. perfect for smaller pipes. All my briars are Zulus which have small bowls and I am going at 3/4 full at that in the smaller bowl and it burns a good long time. A bit too strong for me. I can tolerate the strength, but not the most enjoyable strength level for me, I like a milder blend. I like the red VAs but always appreciate some bright VA in the mix. I can see why this is a highly rated blend, the quality is evident in the tobaccos. Most experienced smokers should and will love Five O'Clock Shadow.

 

[brass]

An extra note: I smoked FOS in one of my several Missourie Meerschaum Freehands on the way to work this morning. I was once again reminded how sweet these cobs smoke. I've said it before, I'll say it again: These Freehands smoke at least as good as any briar I own, and better than most.
So far, as you know, I've enjoyed FOS. But this bowl was by far the best.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Should we be gearing up on Pirate Kake about now??

 

[brass]

You can if you like. The official kickoff is Friday but many smoke a bowl or two first, and publish their reviews on kickoff day.

 

[beastkhk]

I tried FOS in a cob last night.(Huck Finn Straight) I found it was still good, but I felt the burley elements came more to the forefront and pushed out some of the virginias.
Overall I would say I prefer this blend out of a briar.
Also, I didn't want to say this earlier as it may have skewed impressions, but there are a handful of times I commented to myself on similarities to H&H El Nino when I was smoking FOS. The tobaccos are different, but the way the kentuckys/perique play with the cavendish felt like a similar dynamic. FOS is definitely stronger in the lady N department though and didn't have the transitions El Nino had. FOS might be something to try if you are a fan of El Nino, and vice versa.

 

[brass]

Kickoff for Pirate Kake​

Friday, June 19th​

(Pressed Only) A smooth, robust blend with LOTS of exceptional Latakia accompanied by Turkish and Cavendish Cut burley. This is the blend for the Latakia lover.
Brand Cornell & Diehl

Blended By Craig Tarler

Blend Type Other

Contents Burley, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish

Flavoring None

Cut Krumble Kake

Packaging Bulk

Country US

Production Currently available

Where to Buy 4noggins.com

BnB Tobacco

PipesAndCigars
Strength: Medium

Flavoring: None Detected

Taste: Full

Room Note: Very Strong

Favorite Of 19 Users
3.2
138 reviews Reviews

4 star: 61

3 star: 48

2 star: 26

1 star: 3

 

[bigjoe]

FOS - Not much of a Virginia smoker but I enjoyed it more than most. Not sure what it was that made it different, the red, dark fired, perique, or all three. It didn't have any of the cigarette flavors I don't like but I find in some VA blends. The spice from the perique came through clearly and overall I found it quite flavorful. I'll need to get back to this tin after the crawl to explore it more.
My first crumble cake, cut, rubbed out and gravity filling without too much tamping seemed to work well but getting a good solid light to start was important. Nice dry smoke.