So having tried Plum Pudding standard and Special Reserve, I was interested in the 3rd offering of course.
Opening I was greeted to the same Plum Pudding smell found in the Special Reserve version, more diffused scent there (see my previous reviews) but a very strong bourbon scent as well, as expected, though to me reminded me more of the smell of Jack Daniels' Single Barrel than any bourbon I have on-hand. I have about 20 bourbons and I suppose it's closest to the scent of Wild Turkey Rare Breed mixed with Buffalo Trace in equal parts. It's not a heavy bourbon smell, it's quite Irish Whiskey buttery light and not thick and heavy. Maybe Old Grandad standard.. or Old Crow? Yeah. That's it. Old Crow.
Now, that's not to say I don't have fine quality bourbons in my menagerie, but I usually put a few bottles of "standard" stuff around as well. I rarely drink the stuff and it usually sits so after decades, I have a reasonable collection of scotches, whiskeys, bourbons, and the like, some very old indeed. I really should find a broker that I can use to legally sell some ancient bottles I have someday such that the ATF doesn't get fussy.
Anyway, this tobacco comes in ribbons like the standard Plum Pudding and not like the cake of Special Reserve.
It smells like the Special Reserve once you get past the bourbon scent, but it doesn't quite taste like either of the other two.
Lighting was difficult!!! It took 6 times to start it, and then it stayed nicely and burned very very cool and long.
Smoking is not quite as smooth as Special Reserve, and the flavors, once noted, are muted but not as well-blended and quite distant as well. The flavors don't jump out and fight each other for your attention like standard Plum Pudding, but they're not subtle and friendly and mixed and cellar'ed like Special Reserve either, nor does it have the S.R. taste of clove or the Standard taste of Maduro cigar. It's very backed-off like watered-down Peterson Early Morning level (in a good way) or maybe Sutliff Edward G. Robinson.
The reason I say all this, and I've been holding back here, is that you taste, first and foremost.. Bourbon. Bourbon like super strong flavor bourbon up-front and non-stop, all day, all night light, young bourbon. Bourbon for days bourbon. This is not completely unlike Sutliff Whiskey in taste but times 10. What's for dinner? Bourbon.
It's because of this, the other flavors might be actually around the same level as Special Reserve, but I can tell it wasn't aged as long. Maybe the equivalent of cellar'ed 1 year, you know, where the flavors get a bit muted? Just a bit. Instead? Replacing all that? Yep, you guessed it! Bourbon. It doesn't even have the trumpet valve-oil taste from 1960 the other two sort of had (I hadn't mentioned that but those tastes came rushing back to me, spit-valve and all, and I remembered it just now from the past previous reviews I didn't add that fact.)
The lemon-y flavor is there too, as if it's bourbon with a lemon twist, but then you scowled at the bartender because you don't want a fruit salad in your bourbon so he grabs it with his sausage fingers and pulls it out and flicks it behind him in the trash so there's a little tiny bit of lemon but you don't care because you're recently divorced and just want to forget the alimony bourbon all-healing, he-man-woman-hater's-club reward bourbon quaff delight.
It's reasonable smooth and adult tasting and pleasant. Seattle Pipe Co. did a great job here. It's tasty and well-flavored and interesting, particularly to the aromatic fan that I am, and really a different animal than the other 2. There are some vague similarities, as if it's the same genus or something.
I smoked the whole bowl and was wanting more. Easily an all-day-smoke like the Special Reserve is. Vanilla room-note with a splash of, well, bourbon, sweet and tasty is the most pleasant room-note of the 3. I doubt anyone will complain nearby.
All 3 of these left me with a mild taste of cigar-flavoring the next day, but it's a pleasant memory like if a girl left her garment overnight that you noticed in the morning but you can return later tonight for that date to the Cheesecake Factory, because that's where she likes to go, because she likes to eat, and you like that she's not shy about eating in front of you, and you might consider having kids with her, and you just were told your ex got married so the alimony checks can stop, so things are actually gonna be allright.
That's Seattle Pipe Company Plum Pudding Bourbon Barrel Aged.
..
Recommended.
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