The 8 oz of RTW Maple Cask that I ordered through Smoking Pipes arrived today, and I'm giving my first bowl, first impressions here as I finished dinner and sat down to my garage desk (it's too windy tonight for a patio smoke).
First off, the bag note is a nice light maple, with a hint of another sweetness that I think is the Cavendish peeking through. I don't really smell much by way of rum going on in the bag.
It was packed in two 4oz ziplocks, taped shut.
The blend is a slim ribbon cut, (seems a little finer cut than SWRA, my go to aromatic, but not fine enough to be a shag) light tans and browns, with darker Cavendish mixed liberally through. Not being too scientific in my measure, I'd eyeball the proportion as being somewhere in the 2/3rds burley and 1/3rd Cavendish range. The moisture is good, and the blend doesn't feel goopy or sticky.
I loaded my 1974 Travers LaRue freehand (RIP Dr. Golden, original owner of the pipe), and sat down to a nice hour long smoke..
The blend took the flame very well, and revisiting that moisture was in a good place, I didn't need to do any moisture control until well after the halfway point.
Flavor wise, the maple was more prominent in the first 2/3rds of the bowl than in the last third. I did occasionally get some rum, but very light. As a comparison, I think the maple flavor of Vermont Meat Candy is more prominent than the maple flavor of this first bowl.
I definitely get the burley in the last third of the bowl, that slightly coppery, slightly bitter woodiness is there, but it's not overpowering or harsh in my estimation. It's actually pretty comfortable. Not too nutty, but some walnut hints now and then.
Nicotine wise, I need to put a few more bowls through before I think I can give a good call, as it's after dinner and I'm already feeling mellow. However, there is some definite Nic action. Smoke rings are good for about 3 feet in the still air of the garage.
Regarding room note, this one is wife approved. She's visited me in the garage twice already, something she never does when I smoke Balkans or English's.
I'm pretty happy with this blend. It's got good codger appeal, seems like a blend that will equally good for fishing, reading a good book, or cleaning your guns.
First off, the bag note is a nice light maple, with a hint of another sweetness that I think is the Cavendish peeking through. I don't really smell much by way of rum going on in the bag.
It was packed in two 4oz ziplocks, taped shut.
The blend is a slim ribbon cut, (seems a little finer cut than SWRA, my go to aromatic, but not fine enough to be a shag) light tans and browns, with darker Cavendish mixed liberally through. Not being too scientific in my measure, I'd eyeball the proportion as being somewhere in the 2/3rds burley and 1/3rd Cavendish range. The moisture is good, and the blend doesn't feel goopy or sticky.
I loaded my 1974 Travers LaRue freehand (RIP Dr. Golden, original owner of the pipe), and sat down to a nice hour long smoke..
The blend took the flame very well, and revisiting that moisture was in a good place, I didn't need to do any moisture control until well after the halfway point.
Flavor wise, the maple was more prominent in the first 2/3rds of the bowl than in the last third. I did occasionally get some rum, but very light. As a comparison, I think the maple flavor of Vermont Meat Candy is more prominent than the maple flavor of this first bowl.
I definitely get the burley in the last third of the bowl, that slightly coppery, slightly bitter woodiness is there, but it's not overpowering or harsh in my estimation. It's actually pretty comfortable. Not too nutty, but some walnut hints now and then.
Nicotine wise, I need to put a few more bowls through before I think I can give a good call, as it's after dinner and I'm already feeling mellow. However, there is some definite Nic action. Smoke rings are good for about 3 feet in the still air of the garage.
Regarding room note, this one is wife approved. She's visited me in the garage twice already, something she never does when I smoke Balkans or English's.
I'm pretty happy with this blend. It's got good codger appeal, seems like a blend that will equally good for fishing, reading a good book, or cleaning your guns.
