It's been unseasonably warm lately, so I have been clinging to my VAs a little longer than usual this year. I have been sampling various aged LBFs over the past few weeks. I was put off by this blend back when I first started smoking pipe tobacco. The top note didn't do anything for me. As a result, I pushed it to the back of the cabinet.
I gave it a second chance two years later and found a completely different blend. The top note had dissipated to the point of just being another subtle nuisance in the flavor profile. At this point, I understand the blender must add the top note to these coins to be remotely smokable fresh, as the tobaccos are very green. Here are some inflection points I have come up with while smoking this blend over the years.
After about a year, the top note is still very present. The tobaccos are starting to develop the plumy soft sweetness. The top note falls off 30% of the way through the bowl, and it continues to stove and get sweeter.
3.0 out of 4 stars
The subsequent aging inflection for me was around two years. It's similar to one year. However, it's just changing in the same direction. Less top note, more sweetness from the VA/Per. The flavor starts to deepen.
3.3 out of 4 stars
The final and last inflection point was at four years. The top note has diminished, but it is not gone. It has moved to the background and has dramatically softened. The flavor profile moves to more of a reduction of plums than the delicate softness it once was. There is more depth, and the flavors are darker, and the body seems fuller. I would smoke this all day, every day, and not complain about missing the latest not-so-small batch release.
3.5 out of 4 stars
If you have smoked some aged LBF, what were your thoughts?
I gave it a second chance two years later and found a completely different blend. The top note had dissipated to the point of just being another subtle nuisance in the flavor profile. At this point, I understand the blender must add the top note to these coins to be remotely smokable fresh, as the tobaccos are very green. Here are some inflection points I have come up with while smoking this blend over the years.
After about a year, the top note is still very present. The tobaccos are starting to develop the plumy soft sweetness. The top note falls off 30% of the way through the bowl, and it continues to stove and get sweeter.
3.0 out of 4 stars
The subsequent aging inflection for me was around two years. It's similar to one year. However, it's just changing in the same direction. Less top note, more sweetness from the VA/Per. The flavor starts to deepen.
3.3 out of 4 stars
The final and last inflection point was at four years. The top note has diminished, but it is not gone. It has moved to the background and has dramatically softened. The flavor profile moves to more of a reduction of plums than the delicate softness it once was. There is more depth, and the flavors are darker, and the body seems fuller. I would smoke this all day, every day, and not complain about missing the latest not-so-small batch release.
3.5 out of 4 stars
If you have smoked some aged LBF, what were your thoughts?
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