My First Taste of Orientals

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gord

Can't Leave
No, my order has not come in yet, but a buddy coughed up a hundred bucks he owed me, and being an impatient man, I moseyed on down to the local (ie only) tobacconist in Prince George, and decided to cast the die. All he had in the genre was Amphora Absolute, which I know from reading promos it's burley and virginia with lots of Orientals in it. Now I have 20 bucks in my wallet.

Got home, selected a small volume briar, filled it with Absolute, and smoked it. Verdict? It is a really really nice tobacco. I tasted notes (floral, pungent, sweet . . . . ) I had never experienced before. Light medium in strength to me at least. I would buy it again, and probably will on occasion to keep Sheffields PG alive. Hard to believe there is only one tobacco shop for 65,000 people, eh?

Also surprised that nobody on the forum mentioned this blend in my original post. It's a keeper, 4 out of 5 on the Gord scale.
 
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...a buddy coughed up a hundred bucks he owed me, and being an impatient man, I moseyed on down to the local (ie only) tobacconist...

LMAO - i go through spurts like this, too. When life's not busy and i get a little to-try list going the impulses begin and i'm off to the races till i've got everything off the queue and on my shelf.

I, too, was unaware of this blend. I had my first Amphora recently (Burley Blend). Never even considered them. So many good tobaccos out there and the last time i really stocked up was some years ago.

Enjoy! :)
 
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Swiss Army Knife

Can't Leave
Jul 12, 2021
455
1,335
North Carolina
The first blend that made me "get" orientals was Watch City's Glass Slipper. Like you I got spicey, sour, soda cracker notes I'd never gotten before, it was great. I usually reach for the familiar comfort of a straight virginia but occasionally I'll try chasing that Oriental dragon with mixed results.
 

burleybreath

Lifer
Aug 29, 2019
1,069
3,800
Finger Lakes area, New York, USA
Apparently, Absolute is known as Amphora Full Aroma outside of Canada.
If that's the case, I smoke it all the time. Didn't know it had any orientals. I only know that the current version is an "absolute" favorite of mine, and tastes nothing like the Amphora Full Aroma of yesteryear, which I couldn't even begin to like. Wish I could buy it in bulk.
 

ParkitoATL

Can't Leave
Mar 11, 2023
389
1,440
Atlanta, GA
Orientals have been big on my list lately: Embarcadero, Sam's Flake, my own blend of Turkish and FVF, even got to sample some 10 year old MCC #24. I've really been enjoying all of these. Oriental tobacco greatly enhances VAPER mixes as well. I am not a big fan of perique but the mustiness of Oriental complements the mustiness of Perique beautifully. I highly recommend grabbing an ounce of Turkish or Oriental blend bulk and blending it with some Virginias.
 

ItsKarl

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 3, 2024
121
196
Norway
No, my order has not come in yet, but a buddy coughed up a hundred bucks he owed me, and being an impatient man, I moseyed on down to the local (ie only) tobacconist in Prince George, and decided to cast the die. All he had in the genre was Amphora Absolute, which I know from reading promos it's burley and virginia with lots of Orientals in it. Now I have 20 bucks in my wallet.
I can't help but picture some sort of Michael Cainean shakedown. I guess when you gotta have it, you gotta have it.
 
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ParkitoATL

Can't Leave
Mar 11, 2023
389
1,440
Atlanta, GA
Back when I started smoking a pipe FOR REAL, there were certain tobacco blends that really intrigued me. I had no idea, but I later found they all contained a healthy portion of Oriental tobaccos.
Sinse then they have been a mainstay in my cellar.
What are some of your favorite Oriental blends?
 
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seanv

Lifer
Mar 22, 2018
3,064
10,943
Canada
Try low country virginia oriental. Super cheap and very reliable. If you don't some larakia, try red rapparre from rattray
 
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