Peck: I like Cuban Mixture, but it is a little too light for my personal taste. But I do enjoy looking for the taste of the various tobaccos in it, and it makes a decent work and outdoor smoke. And yeah, I haven't found another burley that tastes quite like it either.
The B-94 has a nice burley taste, nutty and a little molasses with a hint of spice, and a little cocoa. The black Cavendish imparts virtually no vanilla. Burns exceptionally well and has a little more body than the Cuban Mixture. The rum topping is very mild, and not only doesn't detract from the burley, but compliments it nicely. I don't think you could get tongue bite from this if you tried, though you will get a little tongue tingle from the spice. I'm still smoking it to see if there's anything else to discover in it before I write a formal review.
Note to layinpipe: it's not like ABF to me, and at the moment, I can't quite compare it to anything else. Maybe I can after I smoke a few more bowls of it.
I'm going to get to the Royal, the #333, and Tashkent soon.
Here's my review of the Cuban Mixture:
The mildly molasses sweet and nutty burley is the star, and is given a flavor push by a number of components in such proportion that it's takes a while to distinguish them. I certainly notice a small amount of cigar leaf (Connecticut shade?), which is nicely supported by a smaller amount of latakia, and a little Oriental/Turkish for a light smokey hit. I can't detect the Maryland, and just barely notice the Kentucky. The Virginia is a minor player, too, but adds just a tad sweetness and a whisper of grass. Elusive hints of peppermint and vinegar show up now and then, too. The Gold cavendish is slightly present with a sweet note or two. Burns exceptionally well and cool with no bite and no moisture or harshness at the finish. Possibly the mildest complex blend I've had the pleasure of smoking, I also had fun picking out the subtle varieties of flavors.
