Today I had my first encounter with Sutliff Trafalgar, and like the British fortunes on its namesake day, it was good. A smooth smoke was had, and relaxation was achieved thanks to yet another fine blend from the folks at Sutliff. Each blend from this company continues to impress, along with their attractive price point. It also helps that this is a local company - at least from my geographic standpoint of Washington DC. After a grueling day spent on USAjobs (ugh), it was a welcome respite from the tedium of KSA's and 150 Yes/no competency questionnaires.
Tin Note & Character of tobacco
Or in this case, bag note invokes notes of sweet raisins and and dried fruits. In all, it is a sensory trip to Christmases of ages past. All that was missing was visions of sugar plumbs dancing in my head. In short, it was a delightful tin note, but it absolutely belied the true nature of what I would be smoking. It appears to be mostly a shag cut, with the odd bit of well-crumbled flake here and there.
Charring Light & First Third
The first tastes of Trafalgar were alive with the sweet smokiness of Latakia, invading my senses with a wonderful air. I'm not sure how, but this is where the calm invasion began. Scents wafted, smells roiled and an idealized mental picture of the perfect campfire swirled around my mind's eye. Little notes of light bite appeared here and there, but settled out quickly as the bowl took to an even and slow burn. Perhaps I was simply punchy from hours of ridiculous employment questions, but the tobacco embodiment of relaxation promised to be mine!
Second & Thirds
The second portion of the bowl was where Trafalgar really started to shine. The smokiness of the Latakia smoothed outwards as butter in a hot pan. In came the richness of the Virginias highlighted by the fruity notes of the cavendish. It was firm, yet with a certain softness that sunk into my bones. For a minute, it seemed as if I was on the deck of HMS Victory herself, contemplating the conflagration to come. At this point it was an easy smoke, all bite was gone, and it was, quite simply, good.
But as the third part of the bowl came into its own, the Virginia seemed to peter out. Perhaps it was how I packed the bowl, but the Virginia faded into a week aspect of its former self. I could really tell there was burley now, and I was never a fan of final third Burley - ashy and a bit bitter. What had been pure exceptionalism in the first two thirds of my bowl, trickled out into a merely average. I haven't found many tobaccos I've really enjoyed in the final third, and in this case, Trafalgar, unfortunately, proved to be no exception.
The Smoke
Smooth, velvet, wispy goodness.
Afterthoughts
I like Trafalgar. It definitely lived up to its promise of being a lightly aromatic English, even giving brief glimpses of the supposed Aged Jamaican Rum promised. Folllow-up smokes will be made and promise much enjoyment in the future. :puffpipe:
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Picture courtesy of SmokingPipes.com
Tin Note & Character of tobacco
Or in this case, bag note invokes notes of sweet raisins and and dried fruits. In all, it is a sensory trip to Christmases of ages past. All that was missing was visions of sugar plumbs dancing in my head. In short, it was a delightful tin note, but it absolutely belied the true nature of what I would be smoking. It appears to be mostly a shag cut, with the odd bit of well-crumbled flake here and there.
Charring Light & First Third
The first tastes of Trafalgar were alive with the sweet smokiness of Latakia, invading my senses with a wonderful air. I'm not sure how, but this is where the calm invasion began. Scents wafted, smells roiled and an idealized mental picture of the perfect campfire swirled around my mind's eye. Little notes of light bite appeared here and there, but settled out quickly as the bowl took to an even and slow burn. Perhaps I was simply punchy from hours of ridiculous employment questions, but the tobacco embodiment of relaxation promised to be mine!
Second & Thirds
The second portion of the bowl was where Trafalgar really started to shine. The smokiness of the Latakia smoothed outwards as butter in a hot pan. In came the richness of the Virginias highlighted by the fruity notes of the cavendish. It was firm, yet with a certain softness that sunk into my bones. For a minute, it seemed as if I was on the deck of HMS Victory herself, contemplating the conflagration to come. At this point it was an easy smoke, all bite was gone, and it was, quite simply, good.
But as the third part of the bowl came into its own, the Virginia seemed to peter out. Perhaps it was how I packed the bowl, but the Virginia faded into a week aspect of its former self. I could really tell there was burley now, and I was never a fan of final third Burley - ashy and a bit bitter. What had been pure exceptionalism in the first two thirds of my bowl, trickled out into a merely average. I haven't found many tobaccos I've really enjoyed in the final third, and in this case, Trafalgar, unfortunately, proved to be no exception.
The Smoke
Smooth, velvet, wispy goodness.
Afterthoughts
I like Trafalgar. It definitely lived up to its promise of being a lightly aromatic English, even giving brief glimpses of the supposed Aged Jamaican Rum promised. Folllow-up smokes will be made and promise much enjoyment in the future. :puffpipe:
.
Picture courtesy of SmokingPipes.com
