Let me spin ya a yarn about my journey with Briarworks Back Down South, a tobacco blend that, for better or worse, made me feel like I was chasing the sunrise out on the plains. Y’see, my first dance with Va/Pers—Virginia and Perique, for those less initiated—weren’t exactly a waltz under the moonlight. No, it was more like a fistfight in a muddy street. Peterson Irish Oak? Smelled fine, sure, but flatter than a prairie horizon. GLP Windjammer? Promised the heavens, but all I got was dry wind.
When I was about to pack it in, reckonin' Va/Pers just weren’t my trail to ride, I stumbled across St. James Plug. Now that was somethin'. A smoke with backbone—fruity, spicy, the kind of blend that makes you stop and sit by the campfire a little longer. Trouble was, it was rare as gold teeth in a crow's beak. Folks'd fight over it like stray dogs over a bone. I knew I needed to find somethin' more reliable. My quest led me into American blends since English tobaccos were out of reach, and Scandinavian ones… well, they ain’t my style.
Enter Back Down South. I didn’t go in with high hopes. The reviews painted it as middling, and my heart was heavy from past disappointments. But hell, the mason jar caught my eye—had a charm to it. The jar note smelled sweet, like raisins and figs, but none of that chocolate nonsense they mentioned in the description. First bowl? Well, let’s just say it didn’t exactly make me tip my hat. Felt simple, like C&D Virginias with a whisper of fruity-spicy Perique and a touch of sweet topping that stayed shy. Unimpressed, I lit up again outta stubbornness. And wouldn’t ya know it? The blend started to reveal itself like a sunrise through the fog.
By the time I’d smoked a few bowls, I realized Back Down South was something special. The Virginias are sweet, the Perique adds a tangy, peppery kick, and that mysterious topping? It’s there alright, lending complexity but keepin' itself humble in the background. It ain’t no aromatic—let’s make that clear—but it dances on the edge of semi-aromatic, with tobacco flavor takin' the lead. It’s bright yet complex, the kind of smoke that keeps you comin’ back like an old friend.
Now, it ain’t all sunshine and wildflowers. There’s the matter of batch inconsistency. I’ve burned through four jars, and let me tell ya, each one’s been a little different. The 2021 batch? Broken flake, Virginia-forward, Perique shy. The 2023 August batch? Dark, dense flake with Perique struttin’ front and center. February 2024 was loosely pressed, with Virginias dominatin’, while July 2024 looked like someone fed it through a woodchipper—ready rubbed, with a balanced ratio of Virginias to Perique. So, yeah, it’s a roll of the dice, but the flavor’s worth it.
If you’re out there searchin’ for a Va/Per that’s bright, fruity, spicy, and maybe just a little unpredictable, I’d say give Back Down South a try. Worst case, you’re left with a fine reusable jar. Best case? You’ll find yourself sittin’ by the fire, pipe in hand, wonderin’ why it took you so long to discover this hidden gem. And that, my friends, is worth the ride.
When I was about to pack it in, reckonin' Va/Pers just weren’t my trail to ride, I stumbled across St. James Plug. Now that was somethin'. A smoke with backbone—fruity, spicy, the kind of blend that makes you stop and sit by the campfire a little longer. Trouble was, it was rare as gold teeth in a crow's beak. Folks'd fight over it like stray dogs over a bone. I knew I needed to find somethin' more reliable. My quest led me into American blends since English tobaccos were out of reach, and Scandinavian ones… well, they ain’t my style.
Enter Back Down South. I didn’t go in with high hopes. The reviews painted it as middling, and my heart was heavy from past disappointments. But hell, the mason jar caught my eye—had a charm to it. The jar note smelled sweet, like raisins and figs, but none of that chocolate nonsense they mentioned in the description. First bowl? Well, let’s just say it didn’t exactly make me tip my hat. Felt simple, like C&D Virginias with a whisper of fruity-spicy Perique and a touch of sweet topping that stayed shy. Unimpressed, I lit up again outta stubbornness. And wouldn’t ya know it? The blend started to reveal itself like a sunrise through the fog.
By the time I’d smoked a few bowls, I realized Back Down South was something special. The Virginias are sweet, the Perique adds a tangy, peppery kick, and that mysterious topping? It’s there alright, lending complexity but keepin' itself humble in the background. It ain’t no aromatic—let’s make that clear—but it dances on the edge of semi-aromatic, with tobacco flavor takin' the lead. It’s bright yet complex, the kind of smoke that keeps you comin’ back like an old friend.
Now, it ain’t all sunshine and wildflowers. There’s the matter of batch inconsistency. I’ve burned through four jars, and let me tell ya, each one’s been a little different. The 2021 batch? Broken flake, Virginia-forward, Perique shy. The 2023 August batch? Dark, dense flake with Perique struttin’ front and center. February 2024 was loosely pressed, with Virginias dominatin’, while July 2024 looked like someone fed it through a woodchipper—ready rubbed, with a balanced ratio of Virginias to Perique. So, yeah, it’s a roll of the dice, but the flavor’s worth it.
If you’re out there searchin’ for a Va/Per that’s bright, fruity, spicy, and maybe just a little unpredictable, I’d say give Back Down South a try. Worst case, you’re left with a fine reusable jar. Best case? You’ll find yourself sittin’ by the fire, pipe in hand, wonderin’ why it took you so long to discover this hidden gem. And that, my friends, is worth the ride.
