I was going to simply post in the "What Are You Smoking" thread but I've got too much to say, I think, for that post. So just a few days ago I ordered a Ser Jacopo from Smoking Pipes along with a couple of blends I had not tried before. Both are Cornell & Diehl blends. One is Gentleman Caller, which I haven't opened the tin yet. The other is Miskatonic Mixture. And this is one of those few times when I've truly and honestly been "wowed." The last time I had been struck so by a blend was way back when I first tried McClelland's Blue Mountain. In fact I've recently been on a quest to find another Balkan blend that wows me like Blue Mountain or Black House. I've tried a few good ones, but nothing that quite hits like those. But I ramble, for this isn't a Balkan. It's more a Virginia/Perique with Orientals and a touch of black cavendish. But it has had that effect. Each component not only compliments the other components, but make thier own presence very well known as well. I find a somewhat sweet and grassy, slightly tangy thing going on with the Virginias I think, and the Perique is far more plumby than spicy, which is how I prefer it. There's a touch of spice, however, which just adds to the character. The Katerini is superb, and pretty easy to make out although I did wonder if the sweet sourdough bread like shaved fresh wood was it or was it playing off the Virginias.... if that was confusing, I'll put it this way. Say you took the flavors of those two components and twisted them together into a tight spiral. You get both flavors separately but they meld where the twists meet each other in the tight spirals.... heck, I'm confusing myself at this point. Finally the black cavendish does what black cavendish does so well in so many blends, it mellows out the Virginias that seemed like they wanted to be bitey but couldn't because of the black cavendish haha! And it also brought everything together, rounding it all out nicely while adding a perfect touch of creamy natural sweetness. Yum.
Again I say, yum.
Add to all that, the blend smokes just fine out of the tin with what seems to be a near perfect moisture level. I had to relight a couple times when I paused my puffin for ponderin while flavor fairies danced on my tongue. Flavor fairies, my friends!
Truly this is a blend I will certainly, most assuredly be buying multiple tins of in the near future. It became a favorite at first light and only got better.
As for the new Ser Jacopo? Obviously it smokes like a champ, and it might be designated to this blend alone because they matched up perfectly. What a fantastic smoke!
The blend and the pipe:
Again I say, yum.
Add to all that, the blend smokes just fine out of the tin with what seems to be a near perfect moisture level. I had to relight a couple times when I paused my puffin for ponderin while flavor fairies danced on my tongue. Flavor fairies, my friends!
Truly this is a blend I will certainly, most assuredly be buying multiple tins of in the near future. It became a favorite at first light and only got better.
As for the new Ser Jacopo? Obviously it smokes like a champ, and it might be designated to this blend alone because they matched up perfectly. What a fantastic smoke!
The blend and the pipe:
