You can have fun with Latakia?
Apparently so! Enjoy all!
Apparently so! Enjoy all!
Latakia Blend Tasting Test
- Thread starter Butter Side Down
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I've a couple of guesses what E and F are based on their cuts and tin/bag notes. Maybe B too, though that'd be a wild ass guess. I'm starting on A tonight. I think I'll just use this Altinay on all the blends:
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Six very-nicely-packaged tobaccos just showed up here as well. Planning to smoke them all in a trusty clay, take notes, and post my thoughts at the end. Once again, honored to be aboard the MS Latakia with this handsome crew.
This blind tasting of Latakia blends really is a nice idea and a real challenge for those who participate. Good luck to all of you taste bud(ies)!
Love your scientific approach!Just got my package! Thank you again, @Butter Side Down! Started loading ‘A’ then realized I needed to start documenting immediatelyGoing to try and be as consistent as possible with each smoke. Same pipe. Same breakfast/beverage. Same time of day. Etc. I, also, will probably not be able to guess the blend. Unless their are some *very* specific blends in here. Can’t wait to try this though!
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Ha! Thanks! Paying attention to you guys on here has taught me a little about testing theory. Now hopefully I can give more than “yep, that’s an English!”
Let me guess... They all taste like Latakia with varying degree of harshness or mellowness.
Awww yeahhh... can't wait to dig into these. I'm half tempted to smoke them in a smaller bowl to be able to squeeze out 2 smokes...1 for the blind and 1 for the savor when I know what it is. Thanks again good sir.
Got my goodie bag today! Specimen A will be set on fire this evening!
I partook in specimen ‘A’ today(
). Right off the bat, I will say this reminds me of a blend that I have only smelled- never tasted. Also, please forgive my rambling and sometimes incoherent review skills. I cannot possibly describe things as eloquently as some of you all on here. And PLEASE take this review with a grain of salt. This challenge is already reminding me that, after 3 years, I am still firmly a noob. Im not even going to hazard a guess at the components and their attributes. See, rambling already.
Anywho. Let’s get to it!
Woody and musty first part of bowl. There’s almost an anise feel on the back of my tongue- not the taste necessarily, just the feel. In no way do I think this is topped or cased in anise/liquorice/etc., just a (posterior) mouthfeel.
The phrase that keeps coming to mind is old books. Which is a positive.
Second half of bowl and I’m getting a slight hint of that saltiness, especially right before a relight is needed. Retrohale presents a touch of spice.
Mothballs also come to mind. Not in a bad way. That’s just what I am getting from scent and taste. Don’t look too hard into that statement either.
I cannot say that this is my favorite Latakia blend that I have tried so far. I also cannot say that it wouldn’t grow on me.
If you got through all that, thanks for hanging in there with me!
). Right off the bat, I will say this reminds me of a blend that I have only smelled- never tasted. Also, please forgive my rambling and sometimes incoherent review skills. I cannot possibly describe things as eloquently as some of you all on here. And PLEASE take this review with a grain of salt. This challenge is already reminding me that, after 3 years, I am still firmly a noob. Im not even going to hazard a guess at the components and their attributes. See, rambling already.Anywho. Let’s get to it!
Woody and musty first part of bowl. There’s almost an anise feel on the back of my tongue- not the taste necessarily, just the feel. In no way do I think this is topped or cased in anise/liquorice/etc., just a (posterior) mouthfeel.
The phrase that keeps coming to mind is old books. Which is a positive.
Second half of bowl and I’m getting a slight hint of that saltiness, especially right before a relight is needed. Retrohale presents a touch of spice.
Mothballs also come to mind. Not in a bad way. That’s just what I am getting from scent and taste. Don’t look too hard into that statement either.
I cannot say that this is my favorite Latakia blend that I have tried so far. I also cannot say that it wouldn’t grow on me.
If you got through all that, thanks for hanging in there with me!
You got me beat....All I can say is that it's good! lol I never really got how the frig JimInks manages to taste all those notes. I can't describe it other than what seems like a mild English. I didn't notice any topping either, but I do sense something sweet to go along with the nice campfire-ey taste. I could easily see this being in my cellar, but then again, there aren't too many tobaccos that I don't like.I partook in specimen ‘A’ today(
Anywho. Let’s get to it!
Woody and musty first part of bowl. There’s almost an anise feel on the back of my tongue- not the taste necessarily, just the feel. In no way do I think this is topped or cased in anise/liquorice/etc., just a (posterior) mouthfeel.
The phrase that keeps coming to mind is old books. Which is a positive.
Second half of bowl and I’m getting a slight hint of that saltiness, especially right before a relight is needed. Retrohale presents a touch of spice.
Mothballs also come to mind. Not in a bad way. That’s just what I am getting from scent and taste. Don’t look too hard into that statement either.
I cannot say that this is my favorite Latakia blend that I have tried so far. I also cannot say that it wouldn’t grow on me.
If you got through all that, thanks for hanging in there with me!
I will say that I think I'll just do my best and try to pick at least 1 noticeable thing in each blend. And I'll mostly likely just put them all together in 1 post, along with my ranking of best to least (although, I'm guessing I will enjoy them all).
Sweet! Yes! And I don’t understand his taste buds either. Will never come close to his ability to describe subtle nuances of each leaf. And that’s totally cool.
Smoked "A" and I find it very enjoyable. Its a very fine ribbon cut, mostly black ribbons with some light and dark brown shreds throughout. On the palate its pretty light for a latakia blend with a clean finish. With some latakia blends I smoke, the lat really sticks to you and lingers as an after taste. This blend doesn't really do that. The taste is slightly sweet and smoky and I'm getting a light vinegar on the retro and back of the mouth. I have to wonder if this blend has a bit of a topping, some notes I was getting reminded me of Vieux Carre which has a scotch whisky topping. This was pretty subtle flavor though and only peeked through here and there. Burned at a good temperature and stayed lit. Room note was not great but there's almost no lat room notes I like.
I don't believe this is something I've tried yet I have quite a few lat blends on hand. This could be one I smoke all day. Would love to know what it is.
So far so good!
Part of my notes on A:
Ribbon cut. Sweet fruity wine note. Nice smoke. Topped with a sweet maybe fruit flavor. Very smooth, no harshness or bite, perhaps due to a cavendish component. Latakia is not dominant and on the light side; it gets lighter as the bowl progresses. The topping dominates but is pleasant.
I've a guess what this is but will leave that out for now.
Ribbon cut. Sweet fruity wine note. Nice smoke. Topped with a sweet maybe fruit flavor. Very smooth, no harshness or bite, perhaps due to a cavendish component. Latakia is not dominant and on the light side; it gets lighter as the bowl progresses. The topping dominates but is pleasant.
I've a guess what this is but will leave that out for now.
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My thoughts on sample A, such as they are…
Nice, mellow smoke. Definitely getting the Latakia camp fire “funk”, but it’s not strong. Getting a nice sweetness. Really not getting any particular fruit notes, just a general sweet taste. I like it. Good blend with which to kick things off.
Nice, mellow smoke. Definitely getting the Latakia camp fire “funk”, but it’s not strong. Getting a nice sweetness. Really not getting any particular fruit notes, just a general sweet taste. I like it. Good blend with which to kick things off.
Sample “A”.
Old German clay pipe (new)
Aroma in the bag is quite wonderful. A Latakia like you don’t smell very often these days, resiny and complex, less smoke aroma and more fragrant.
Once lit, that Latakia doesn’t translate well, as the complexity wanes. I’m guessing this has some real age on it. Very smooth and nicely fragrant, but low impact. An enjoyable smoke, but rather low key and subdued. The low nic hit could make it an all-day smoke for me, if I smoked all day, which I don’t.
It grew on me as the bowl progressed, though. Reminds me of smoking the 1997 straight Syrian Latakia that I have.
UPDATE: After finishing the bowl, and coming into the house, a really wonderful fragrance stuck with me. I have not encountered this fragrance before, pretty sure it comes from the Latakia. Doesn't smell artificial.
Old German clay pipe (new)
Aroma in the bag is quite wonderful. A Latakia like you don’t smell very often these days, resiny and complex, less smoke aroma and more fragrant.
Once lit, that Latakia doesn’t translate well, as the complexity wanes. I’m guessing this has some real age on it. Very smooth and nicely fragrant, but low impact. An enjoyable smoke, but rather low key and subdued. The low nic hit could make it an all-day smoke for me, if I smoked all day, which I don’t.
It grew on me as the bowl progressed, though. Reminds me of smoking the 1997 straight Syrian Latakia that I have.
UPDATE: After finishing the bowl, and coming into the house, a really wonderful fragrance stuck with me. I have not encountered this fragrance before, pretty sure it comes from the Latakia. Doesn't smell artificial.
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I’ve actually been enjoying the residual “mustache aroma”.