Newby News - Various VaPer’s

[Old_Newby]

I started my VaPer trials this week. I usually wait til I finish before posting but decided to provide some updates as I go.

Sunday:
OGS - **** - opened new tin in morning after coffee and loaded a flake. No dry time. Been wanting to open that pretty red and orange tin for a month. Smelled clean and fresh. Lit good, burned good, delicious smooth clean sweet fruity. No bite. I enjoyed it a lot.

Anniversary Kake - **** - ready rub bulk sample. No dry time. Smoked after coffee. Lit good, burned good. Very similar to OGS. Delicious sweet, mild, no bite. Probably could be an OGS Match. I like it a lot.

Monday:
StoneHenge - *** - new tin. Afternoon smoke. No coffee. No dry time. Flake. Did not light as easy. Had to draw hard to light. I think I went too far. Burned hot and I got a little tongue bit. The taste before bite was good. Not as sweet as others but not as simple. Had more complexity. Tasted slightly sweet peppery raisin flavor. Going to allow it to dry for 30 minutes and retry with slower cadence. I love the taste but not the bite. Did not detect Lakeland or it was not a negative. I do not know what it taste Iike anyway.

more to come..

Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

 

[Skapie]

I like your methodical approach.

 

[monty55]

Definitely let Stonehenge dry out. Helps if you pull the flakes apart slightly...
Sounds like your making good progress!

 

[krizzose]

While I have to respectfully disagree that OGS and Anniversary Kake are similar, it’s enough that you like AK. Based on that, I recommend Rattray Marlin Flake if you can find any.

 

[Old_Newby]

While I have to respectfully disagree that OGS and Anniversary Kake are similar, it’s enough that you like AK. Based on that, I recommend Rattray Marlin Flake if you can find any.

I will say Anniversary taste better because it’s a bit stronger but similar to me in the sweetness fruit flavor with low peppery flavor.

 

[kcghost]

It does take Stonehenge several lights to get going but its well worth the trouble IMO. I never experience tongue of any kind with it. Be sure not to overpack it.

 

[krizzose]

I will say Anniversary taste better because it’s a bit stronger but similar to me in the sweetness fruit flavor with low peppery flavor.

I agree with that. To my taste, there’s obviously much more perique in AK, but I taste the dark fruit of it and almost no pepper

 

[Old_Newby]

Tuesday:

I retried Stonehenge plus 2 more today.
I am finding out that VaPers have a broad range of flavors from sweet, sour, peppery, salty, citrusy, raisiny, and with different intensity combinations. So it’s hard for me to grade anything below a 4 if I like it due to their uniqueness.

Stonehenge - **** after 2nd try. I let it dry out 30 minutes. It did not bite but does burn hot if you don’t go slow. I give it 4 stars because of its complexity and raisin flavor. There is something else there I can’t place whether Lakeland or cocoa, etc. I do like the OGS/AK sweetness a little more. It will be in my rotation because it has a unique flavor of peppery raisins that I feel will get better over time and as I learn to smoke it better. It is the hottest burn so far and I noticed if I don’t stop soon enough near bottom of bowl I get ashtray taste.

Elizabethan Match - **** - I set it out and it dried over an hour as I got busy. It may have been too dry since it’s a shag/ribbon cut. It lit well and burned fast. Maybe a little warm due to my cadence and dryness. This was slightly sweet, sour and salty at times, slightly peppery. I liked it very much for it own unique flavor profile.

PS Luxury Navy - ** - let it dry for 30 minutes. Its not bad but it’s my least favorite thus far. It is less sweet than others I tried plus it burns hot. I would smoke it if I have nothing else but others are favored.

more to come..

Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

 

[Old_Newby]

Wednesday:

I tried 2 blends today. Both were VaPerBur blends. I disliked both. I am a sweet or smokey guy and this ain’t it!!

C&D WinterTime Reserve Alpine Lodge -
* let me tell you this block smells fantastic. I could almost eat it. It’s probably the best smelling tobacco I have own so far. But the taste was just flat. No sweetness, No Raisins, Nada. If anything I tasted ashtray with pepper. It might have been bite but I went very slow.

Haunted Book Shop - *- I have to give it a 1.5 stars because I gave PS Luxury Navy ** and I liked it better. It has minimalistic sweetness I can barely detect only on a char light then in vanishes. Peppery and I would say earthy tart is only words that come mind. After smoking it I looked at reviews and the very first review was Jimlnks with “You'd better like nutty, earthy, dry, woody, unflavored bold burley with a few rough edges and hint of spice, or you won't like this even a little bit.”.

Well he nailed it!!!!

Maybe I just don’t like VaPerBur blends. Or these were too advanced for me. Either way it’s a hell no!!!

 

[Old_Newby]

After my tongue stress on Wednesday I needed a day off. I returned Friday with below.

Friday:

Cringle Flake **** - ok this was a much better smoke than Wednesday experience. I dried it 30 minutes. Took a few lights to take. At first kinda a sour tangy but after reading some reviews it hit me vinegary is a good term. I love vinegar, if mild. but not just that flavor but then I started tasting more sweetness mixed in which was delicious.
The only problem I guess is it’s a seasonal blend. Maybe they all are really. If I e d up being a person who buys some Christmas blends this one is on my list where WinterTime Reserve is not….

Viprati **** 1/2 - Wow!! My first rating above 4 stars. As compared to other VaPers I have to give it a 4.5 stars. This was a sample baggie gifted to me so I don’t know how ages it is or what’s on the label. I have read it could have burley or Kentucky. I was a bit nervous about a VaPerBur after Wednesday but this is tasty. I seem to taste a lot of flavors combined or in patches. Sweet, Fruity, Raisiny, Tangy, Peppery, and I can get a thick puff of smoke. No bite but the peppery flavor is a notch above others. For me this is a winner and hopefully when I buy a tin it’s the same experience.

 

[kola]

The KIng of VaPers is SG St JF. Nothing like it. ( I just had some 12 year old SJK and is was amazing.

 

[hawky454]

The KIng of VaPers is SG St JF. Nothing like it. ( I just had some 12 year old SJK and is was amazing.

I agree, it is by far my favorite VaPer and it just gets better with age.

 

[TheWhale13]

Peterson De Luxe Navy Rolls is pretty great too

 

[kola]

typo StJF..not SJK (St Jack Knife? lol)

 

[PipesRock]

First, thanks for sharing the journey, enjoyable thread. I'd suggest VaPerBur's often need gentle sipping and not much else. Even if that means many relights stick to sipping very light. Some have potential for quite an experience but it can be missed if too much smoke is visible while puffing. Of the blends mentioned in the thread (maybe not all VaPerBur's) St James Flake, De Luxe Navy Rolls, Stonehenge (after opening tin and mixing flakes around then letting the tin rest a few weeks), Match Victorian/Elizabethan all are wonderful, YMMV of course. Thanks again, now off to look at Viprati ;-)

 

[Steddy]

I really enjoyed reading about your experiences, keep them coming!

 

[sablebrush52]

Keep experimenting! Look back in a couple of years and see where you're at. It will be very interesting.

 

[Old_Newby]

typo StJF..not SJK (St Jack Knife? lol)

So is it this one you like?

 

[kola]

Yes. A bit hard to get when we get US drops but it is possible. Last drop one vendor had about 50 tins that sat there on sale for over a day. It also comes in 250g boxes and 10-12 inches long flakes.
IMO, it needs at least a few years of age on it.

 

[North of the Border Piper]

Cabbies mixture anyone?