Semois Inspiring
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I totally disagree with the "is meant to smoke dry" mantra that keeps floating around. I know it comes dry and I know Vincent says it is supposed to be smoked dry but come on, use some common sense! NO tobacco is meant to be smoked dry! The reason for the "smoke it dry mantra" is strictly marketing! Vincent doesn't add any humectents to his tobacco. Furthermore he ships it in a porous loosely wrapped paper foil. Even if it was sopping wet when it left Belgium it would be bone dry by time it made the trans Atlantic flight. He can't expect pipe smokers to take and re hydrate it because that is always a sign (wrongly so)of a bad tobacco/bad packaging job by the manufacturer.
So, use some common sense. Grab a handful of Semois and if it feels very dry (and it will), then re hydrate it a little by whatever method you prefer.
So, use some common sense. Grab a handful of Semois and if it feels very dry (and it will), then re hydrate it a little by whatever method you prefer.
I love La Breumuse and can't begin to understand the negativity about it. It is unique, one-of-kind.
As regards cost, it's not much more expensive than tins. 100 g = two tins @ $10.00 each, which is $20.00. I believe it's selling for $27.00/100 g.
If you want expensive, price Condor Plug @ $11.29/25 g or $225.00/500g.
As regards cost, it's not much more expensive than tins. 100 g = two tins @ $10.00 each, which is $20.00. I believe it's selling for $27.00/100 g.
If you want expensive, price Condor Plug @ $11.29/25 g or $225.00/500g.
This makes me happy. And is the closest Allan comes to smack talk. Good going, Allan!
-- Pat
PS - on topic... I can't speak for ALL the negativity around Semois. I can, however, speak for my own. I didn't like it. It really is that simple. That there are others who noted similar flavour characteristics, and also didn't enjoy the smoke doesn't speak to, "haters," but a group of folks who tried a thing and didn't like it. No biggy. I'm also well aware that I am only speaking for myself. Please do try Semois. See if you like it.
To pick up on 4noggins post, Semois isn't that expensive. It is so dry and densely packed, and in fact, a small amount,
by looks, actually supplies many many bowls of smoking. Also, being so dry, it keeps really well. So I think the idea that
the approx. $25 for a pouch is a high price is wrong. That will last and last, even for those who enjoy this leaf a lot. I absolutely
respect those who don't like it and say so. There are some old favorites that I don't savor much. Easy, I just don't buy 'em.
by looks, actually supplies many many bowls of smoking. Also, being so dry, it keeps really well. So I think the idea that
the approx. $25 for a pouch is a high price is wrong. That will last and last, even for those who enjoy this leaf a lot. I absolutely
respect those who don't like it and say so. There are some old favorites that I don't savor much. Easy, I just don't buy 'em.
I'm not trying to be rude, but why do you think you know more about this tobacco than the manufacturer?
I bought a package from the first shipment available in the US from The Pipe Guys. I smoked one bowl of it and haven't had the desire to smoke it again until recently. One of these days I'll try it again. My experience with it was not all that good. The nicotine affected me in a way I've never been affected by pipe tobacco before. It made me feel sick. I think, in retrospect, I was smoking it way too fast. It is a VERY unique tobacco. I don't think there is anything else like it out there. So, in that respect, it's worth trying.
The aroma/flavor is very earthy. I've heard people use manure to describe it...and I would too. I don't mean that it tastes like crap. I just mean that something about the aroma reminds me of the smell of the fields in Germany I used to ride through on my bike when I was younger when they were fertilized. The first time I smelled that smell when I was a 9 year old boy riding my bike between towns, I thought it was disgusting...but now I kind of think back on it fondly. It's the smell of the land being worked.
The aroma/flavor is very earthy. I've heard people use manure to describe it...and I would too. I don't mean that it tastes like crap. I just mean that something about the aroma reminds me of the smell of the fields in Germany I used to ride through on my bike when I was younger when they were fertilized. The first time I smelled that smell when I was a 9 year old boy riding my bike between towns, I thought it was disgusting...but now I kind of think back on it fondly. It's the smell of the land being worked.
I'm not trying to be rude, but why do you think you know more about this tobacco than the manufacturer?
No offense taken! A perfectly logical question!
So... I've been growing tobacco for myself for about 17 years. I've grown over 50 varieties. I make my own Perique which is better tasting than SJP Perique as evidenced by a blinded test that I conducted with 13 pipe smokers. I also flue cure and make my own cavendish as well as some very good sugar free dip (black licorice and apple/cinnamon). I also roll some pretty dam good tasting cigars. I've grown everything from Burley, Virginia (flue cured), Oriential, Hungarian, Primitive and Rusticas. There is nothing good that comes from smoking a bone dry tobacco but I believe that with Vincent's packaging system he cannot keep it hydrated correctly for 2 reasons. (1) it would probably mold withought some type of PG added to it and (2) the nature of the package, unlike a tin allows any moisture that may be present to quickly evaporate.
Pure tobacco, with nothing added to it will dry out very quickly. The trick is to add enough water to it to make it moist but not so much that will allow mold to develop. This is the "art" part of tobacco proccessing/manufacturing.
I've also identified the strain of tobacco he uses ( I have it narrowed down to 2) and might consider growing it next year.
I'm not saying I know more than Vincent but I know tobacco growing and processing and I know marketing when I see it.
Make sense?
No offense taken! A perfectly logical question!
So... I've been growing tobacco for myself for about 17 years. I've grown over 50 varieties. I make my own Perique which is better tasting than SJP Perique as evidenced by a blinded test that I conducted with 13 pipe smokers. I also flue cure and make my own cavendish as well as some very good sugar free dip (black licorice and apple/cinnamon). I also roll some pretty dam good tasting cigars. I've grown everything from Burley, Virginia (flue cured), Oriential, Hungarian, Primitive and Rusticas. There is nothing good that comes from smoking a bone dry tobacco but I believe that with Vincent's packaging system he cannot keep it hydrated correctly for 2 reasons. (1) it would probably mold withought some type of PG added to it and (2) the nature of the package, unlike a tin allows any moisture that may be present to quickly evaporate.
Pure tobacco, with nothing added to it will dry out very quickly. The trick is to add enough water to it to make it moist but not so much that will allow mold to develop. This is the "art" part of tobacco proccessing/manufacturing.
I've also identified the strain of tobacco he uses ( I have it narrowed down to 2) and might consider growing it next year.
I'm not saying I know more than Vincent but I know tobacco growing and processing and I know marketing when I see it.
Make sense?
Wow, that is really cool Jitterbugdude. I hear ya about the fine balance between mould and moist tobacco if it is untreated. I tried growing my own a couple years ago and lost 1/2 my crop to mould after processing.
Thanks for the great response!
Thanks for the great response!
I actually enjoy Semois as is, but I also enjoy really hefty cigars. There certainly is quite a nicotine hit, but I've had worse. I've been playing around with it to see how it would work as a blending component. I've had a couple of trials that I would consider promising, but will require more work. I also don't notice any ghosting because it's a low sugar tobacco with no flavorings. I can smoke a bowl of Virginia after it and notice a bit of the Semois taste, but it's gone by the second bowl.
I definitely see it as a love-it-or-hate-it type of smoke, but as they say in the automobile business, "There's an a$$ for every seat".
Russ
I definitely see it as a love-it-or-hate-it type of smoke, but as they say in the automobile business, "There's an a$$ for every seat".
Russ
Russ, I admit that I'm pleased that a real professional tobacco guy also likes Semois. This leaf is polarizing, but
for those who enjoy it, it's unique. I'm not sensitive to ghosting, but I sure don't get much with Semois. It's dry
and burns clean, mostly down to the ash more than most tobaccos. I don't get any of the "manure" scent/taste
experienced by some, and even with high test burleys I don't seem to get that much of a nicotine buzz, though
it may draw me back for another bowl. I still seem to be happy rotating to low nic blends. Semois is an interesting
test case on how different people experience different tobaccos. "There's an a$$ for every seat."
for those who enjoy it, it's unique. I'm not sensitive to ghosting, but I sure don't get much with Semois. It's dry
and burns clean, mostly down to the ash more than most tobaccos. I don't get any of the "manure" scent/taste
experienced by some, and even with high test burleys I don't seem to get that much of a nicotine buzz, though
it may draw me back for another bowl. I still seem to be happy rotating to low nic blends. Semois is an interesting
test case on how different people experience different tobaccos. "There's an a$$ for every seat."
There are some tobaccos that from first smoke I absolutely love. Then there are others that take some time to appreciate. I'm finding Semois to be in the latter category. I purchased a package a couple weeks ago, and I'm smoking my way through it. Within the past couple hours I smoked two bowls of the stuff. It burns so quickly - even when tightly packed. And that's one thing I enjoy about this tobacco, as I tend to prefer shorter smokes. I've also found that I prefer Semois in my cobs rather than briars. If you can't get a sample to try, I would recommend purchasing it. It's different, and a nice change of pace for me from my usual Virginias and Latakias.
A photo from a few minutes ago with Semois in my Diplomat.
A photo from a few minutes ago with Semois in my Diplomat.
I sometimes wonder why I own so many briar pipes when my cobs smoke so well, can be smoked every day, and look pretty good too. This one was under $25 including the stem and the stain work on the cob.That stem adds a nice touch to your diplomat, Andy.
I futzed around with maybe a dozen different briars before I sharpened up enough to try it in a clay. Night and day. A good tight pack with a long slow burn burn yields an earthiness similar to Germain Brown Flake.
I went from hate to love in one bowl.
I would recommend trying the Bouchons as well. A definite treat.
I went from hate to love in one bowl.
I would recommend trying the Bouchons as well. A definite treat.
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