Miyagi's Mindfulness - Short Review And Availability Questions

[cshubhra]

When I started pipe smoking about a month ago, this is one which my local B&M recommended, and I got two ounces of the stuff. As a brand new smoker, I felt this was exquisite, but a little too complex(Maybe needlessly). I have smoked this regularly over a month, and I feel I have some experience to review it properly.

Summary: It is a fantastic tobacco - One of the best I have smoked (And I have already smoked 20 different varieties)
It is a nicely created mild English Blend, and contains a bunch of individual tobaccos. I looked up online, and found it is a blend of Burley, Cigar Leaf, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia. It is extremely complex from the first puff till the last puff, and each puff is slightly different. I could taste most of the individual components throughout, though it becomes slightly more oriental at the bottom of the bowl. Does not appear to have a topping, and does not burn your tongue. I would recommend this to try, if you enjoy the English Blends.
Now the caveat - it is extremely rare to find, and where I could get a regular supply it is extremely expensive (New Jersey B&M - A Little Taste of Cuba sells it for about $11 an ounce after taxes). Does anyone know where it is available cheaper?

 

[papipeguy]

That same B&M has a store in New Hope, Pa. way less tax out here. The blends are made by C&D. Check out St Basil's Facebook page.

 

[aquadoc]

Is there an available C&D blend similar to this melange? Does not look like they ship even if you are nuts interested enough to pay 11 per ounce.

 

[kanse]

aquadoc
The abundance of ingredients reminded me of Peretti's Cuban, can't say for certain if there is a common taste profile.

 

[cshubhra]

New hope is not bad - 25 miles or so from home... will travel when I am ready to buy next!

 

[dmcmtk]

I just sent the guy who came up with the blend a link to this thread, he4's at the New Hope location.

 

[dmcmtk]

cshubhra, PM sent.

 

[aquadoc]

Thanks Kanse. Will check it out.

 

[dmcmtk]

Anyone with any questions about St. Basil's tobaccos, contact the blender Gabriel at: Gabriel@stbasilstobac.com

I'm posting the email here with Gabe's permission.

 

[cshubhra]

Cool ... I exchanged emails with him

 

[Sjmiller CPG]

Been wanting to try a few of the blends since they first came out but have never seen it online.

 

[mso489]

The burley and especially the cigar leaf take this off the beaten track of English blends, but it certainly sounds good to me, however it is categorized. C&D has taken a leading role in using burley in sophisticated blends. Another mild and refined English blend you might enjoy trying, though it has no burley nor cigar leaf, is Nat Sherman 536, available in tins from smokingpipes.com. Thanks for this interesting review.

 

[inquisitor3]

I never was a C&D fan, but I got several bulk blends in a trade several years ago, and with a few years age, some of their blends are amazing. And they are usually much less than $11/oz!