This was my first Latakia. If all Latakia are like this, I am hooked. I am not an experienced smoker, this isn't going to be some profound review that compares this to a wide range of tobaccos. To date, I have smoked mostly aromatic tobaccos. Today I found out what I missing out on by not expanding beyond my comfort zone. The first thing I notice upon opening tin is that this smells nothing like what I have tried to date. It smells of wood smoke and cedar to me, an almost black pepper spice to it. I find this intriguing. On the first light, it is again the smell that hits me. More spice and wood smoke roll over me, the faint memory of BBQ smoke comes to mind. Being a huge fan of BBQ, I begin to salivate just a little. Second light and now my first real taste. The taste lives up to the promise of the smell. So much flavor and somehow the smell just enhances it all. Again I feel like I am tasting hickory smoke and spice, with just a touch of sourness to it all. Some how this vinegar background note unifies the whole taste experience for me. The taste is smooth and even throughout the whole smoke, unlike a lot of the other aromatics I have tried. I get to the end of the bowl and keep re-lighting that last little bit hoping to prolong the experience just a little bit longer. I think I might be in love. I will definitely be stocking up on this tobacco.
