Sweet Virginia parfait

[12pups]

Posted this in "What are you smoking," but may be of enough interest to some that I didn't want to just bury it there.
Been playing with an in-the-bowl layering combination that is fascinating me right now. Newminister 403 Superior Round Slice starts it, followed by pinch of Sutliff Sweet Virginia. Repeat. Cap with a slice.
Very pleased with this and have been enjoying it the past few bowls (since yesterday morning).
Had tired of 403 by itself. Sort of wore it out, I think. Or it wore me out. It's a powerful blast of flavor, flushes my cheeks and sits me down at times (haven't figured out why it isn't the same reaction every time). And it gets a little harsh if you smoke it regularly, I think. I like it, but my tongue was shoe leather eventually.
I like the Sweet Virginia, but it's missing something. And it burns fast and hot (maybe my batch is too dry).
The two together are delightful. Slices not only add an impetuous kick to the Sweet Virginia, but slow it down. Interrupt it. Result is a longer-lasting, cooler smoke that is still dry and savory. Very nice.
Started in a Sav billiard last night, picked up again after breakfast with a Stanwell 198.

 

[12pups]

Sorry for the title rule violation. Edit window no longer open. Someone capitalize Parfait for me? -- Thanks!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Sounds good. I get the same reaction to 403. I love it, but that usually leads to over-doing it, which leads to having to take a break from my pipe. Same with PS LBF. I think it's the fact that it's in a circle. The spun tobaccos all swirl the flavors, which causes swirling in my mouth, which leads to turbulence and tongue bite. Sound good? Ha ha!
My favorite parfait if late has been to load up a little H&H Freight Train and then layer on some Nightcap. The Nightcap starts it out with lots of the typical English flavors and then the Freight Train rolls it on out into the night with that sweet and sour VaPer on steroids that puts me to sleep.
I've also found that I like to load up a Virginia flake and then layer just small pinch of Fragrant Matured Virgina from McClelland sometimes. It starts it off sweet and then just when it has my attention, the natural flake-ness takes over.
Then, my all time favorite is to take a flake of LTF and LNF and twist them together and stuff them. That was my everyday smoke for a few months there. Good stuff.
Yeh, I had to read through this several time for errors myself before pulling the post trigger. I still may have missed something. I hope I didn't mistakenly write something someone would deem offensive, ha ha.

 

[voorhees]

Only lately have I layered tobacco. I stumbled upon a nice mixture of MacBaren HH Flake and Dunhill 965. I enjoy 965 alone, but the HH flake adds a sweetness that I enjoyed.

 

[pitchfork]

Great post. I didn't get on well with the Round Slices, but when I'm bored I often mix a couple of VAs, sometimes as a parfait. Almost always a good change of pace as most VAs will work well together.
One of my favorites was an even mixture (not parfait) of Union Square, McClelland VA 22 (a sweet one) and GLP Montgomery. Wonderful, nutty, buttery, coconut-like flavors.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Another one that I like a lot before bed is to layer a slice of Coconut twist rope on top of some Molto Dolce. Mmmmm, it's like smoking a bikini girl on the beach that happens to be smoking a cigar. Good stuff.

 

[brass]

I haven't tried a parfait blend yet but I'm intrigued. One of the things I look for in a good cigar is a flavor profile. A cigar might start smooth and sweet, become woodier with hay in the middle, and crescendo with peppers and spices.
The profile in a bowl of tobacco just doesn't change as significantly, or at all. And I don't think it is just my undeveloped palate. You hardly ever read of such a thing in pipe tobacco reviews.
I think I'll try a parfait tonight.
Pax

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Hmmm, I read about the changes in flavors all of the time. Do you smoke many Latakia or Oriental blends? I find the Balkan/Oriental genres to be the most varied in flavors. Latakia is usually sensed right off with the initial char but allows other flavors to come forward as you progress. Perique can hide for a while and then step forward midway. It just depends on the blend.

 

[menuhin]

Very interesting concept that I'd like to try some time.

Would suggest adding a few slices of Samuel Gawith Black XX Twist Rope to spice up the parfait / cocktail.

::

 

[brass]

CosmicFolkLore, I'm mostly a VaPer/VaBur or straight Virginia smoker but have recently, the last few months, been smoking some Lat/English/Balkan blends. I'm working on Squadron Leader right now, which doesn't seem to have a significant flavor profile. But I'll pay more attention when I drive home. I'll be smoking it in a stack, which I would think would accentuate any profile.
Now that you mention it, I can recall a few instances in which flavor changes were noted in blend reviews. But having smoked a very wide variety of pipe blends and an equally large variety of premium, hand-rolled cigars, from my experience, pipe profiles are much more subtle than those cigars with steep profiles. Of course, there are cigars, some of which are pricey, that have flat profiles, too.
BTW, I'm waiting on ten tins of Balkan Sobranie from 4 noggins. Would you say that blend has an easily discernable profile? or GLP Quite Nights?
In any case, I'm going to look for it when I smoke them.
Thanks.
Pax

 

[cosmicfolklore]

BS and QN will both have shifts in flavors throughout the bowls. Usually blends that don't change throughout are called one-dimensional.

 

[brass]

Thanks, Cosmic. I'm guessing PA would be an example of one dimensional?
I'm going to look for the profiles. Pipe blends, in general, imo, are much more subtle than cigars, so I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't just missing the change.
Pax

 

[cobguy]

Sweet Virginia Parfait ... three words which, separately, already induce the pleasure centers! :P
Sounds like a great combo and "home cooking" is fun!
I'm working on my "Pensioners Tin" this week and am always amazed at how well the

tobaccos play together.
Enjoy! ::

 

[cobguy]

I'm guessing PA would be an example of one dimensional?

Hey Pax ... PA has profile too.
There are nutty Burleys, sweet Virginias, and a chocolate / vanilla flavor to boot!
A good example of a monochromatic smoke would be a simple straight Virginia like F&T Vintage.
Although, even that flake has discernible different flavors when you really slow down.