Sweet Haunted Bookshop???

[robwoodall]

Looking at my records I see that Haunted Bookshop has been my go-to blend since February. I just bought my 5th pound. I haven't smoked 5 pounds since February. I generally put 10-12 ounces in long-term storage and smoke the rest.
So... last night I opened my fifth. I jarred up a lot, and packed a pipe from the rest. I detected a distinct sweetness. Not like Lane BCA. Subtle, but distinct. Kind of like I've always imagined Virginia to taste. (I can't taste any sweetness in Virginias. I suck.) Today, I'm smoking another bowl, and the sweetness might be even more pronounced.
Did I get a weird batch? I can usually taste the "peppery" aspect of the Perique. Sometimes I can even get the musty-fruity taste, but without any sweetness.
I've never detected any sweetness whatsoever from Haunted Bookshop, and I can't imagine that I just suddenly developed the ability to detect the tiny amount of Virginia in the mix. I can't really test between batches without opening one of my older jars, and I don't really want to do that.
So what gives? I'm sure I'm not the only Haunted Bookshop smoker here. Do any of you ever taste sweetness in this blend?

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I smoke a lot of Haunted Bookshop these days. Since my first smoke, I've picked up on a very subtle background sweetness behind the nuttiness and the perique's pepperiness.
This is particularly noticeable for me through the nose - after the burn of the perique backs off (WHEW).
Could be a function of changing taste bunds (they do that), or something you ate last night/this morning before you smoked, the pipe you smoked it in... who knows.
Or you got a weird batch

 

[skraps]

I'm gonna guess it's the Red VA. The Burley that C&D uses in that blend isn't flavored and barely cased.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Maybe fire up a straight Virginia now and see if you get sweetness from it.

 

[pitchfork]

That's interesting. I've had the same experience. Every once in a while a fresh batch will have a bit more sweetness than I'm accustomed to. I have no idea why, but I like it when it happens. I would guess it happens because a higher proportion of VAs ends up in the mix.

 

[pagan]

I noticed the sweetness first time I tried it, didn't appeal to me so never ordered again

 

[perdurabo]

I Think it's the red Virginia, that happened to me too. I started picking up different flavors, the perique seems to change from bowl to bowl. I'm thinking it's because of the amount in the blend, sometimes it's more pronounced because more perique made it into the bowl. I've also been noticing a musky sour milk flavor. Who knows?

 

[robwoodall]

Cool!
Maybe I'm not losing my mind. I've loved Haunted Bookshop since I discovered it, and I'm really loving this subtle sweetness, so I'm gonna just keep on smoking it.
Thanks!