I should begin by noting that this was the first non-aromatic blend I’ve ever tried. In fact, with a name like “Plumcake,” I was expecting a sweet, candy-coated aromatic. This blend is anything but sweet and candy-coated, but that’s not a bad thing. The name is just a little misleading is all I’m saying.
Plumcake is a mixture of Virginia, Burley, Mac Baren Cavendish, and “a touch of Syrian Latakia.” The tin note was smoky, a little like Georgia barbecue (pork) or smoked meat, with little nutty undertones. It was different from what I expected, but not bad. In fact, it was quite intriguing, despite my aromatic tendencies.
At first light, I was getting flavors of tar (or was that rum?) and smoky flavors (perhaps the “touch” of Latakia). Actually, the tar was more like creosote, and it reminded me of an old wooden ocean pier I used to go to or even this big pirate ship that housed a seafood restaurant, where we used to go eat while on vacation in Florida. Either way, I was getting a definite seafaring aroma on some level. Perhaps this was the power of suggestion, since the tin label also reads “Navy Blend” under the “Plumcake.” Anyway, I smoked it slowly, so it was a cool smoke with very subtle bite. It was a relaxing smoke, with a medium strength and flavor. I tasted more tobacco than flavoring. If there was any flavoring, it was mild. I’m not sure what the esoteric “Mac Baren Cavendish” is, but it was subtle. Middle way through the bowl, I was still tasting the “tar,” but also picking up on roasted nuts, then a tiny hint of sweetness toward the end. All in all, it was a pretty tasty, satisfying smoke. It had a pleasant to tolerable room note. Out in the open air, it’s fine, but it could possible become less tolerable in more confined spaces. My wife approved.
I should add that I was having some serious issues with moisture and gurgling. It seems like I was shaking out my pipe every minute or so. This is probably due to user error, I should admit: Since I’m a little new at tobacco storage, I made the mistake of putting the tobacco in a sealed glass jar with a fully loaded pouch moistener, so I should’ve expected a swampy smoke from the beginning. Or maybe I’m drooling down the stem. Who knows? In fact, I was unable to smoke it all the way to the bottom, much to my chagrin, as it was a tobacco bog down there. Perhaps, I will dry it out a little before my next smoke, and yes, there will be another smoke, as I highly recommend Mac Baren Plumcake Navy Blend, despite the aforementioned setbacks.
