Tabac Manil: Reserve du Patron

[popeofpiping]

I ventured into the world of semois tobacco. While the strength is right up my alley, I feel the taste is laking due to the tobacco being so dry upon receiving the package. Anyone else experience this problem with semois blends? I have never felt a tobacco with such little moisture content straight from the package.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[hawky454]

That's odd as I find it to be very bold in the flavor department. I have experimented with re-hydrating it and I actually prefer it dry and I believe they send it out that way because it tastes better and I think it's very prone to mold if moist. If you're not getting flavor now, put it aside and try it at a later date. It very well could be that your palate just doesn't pick up on the flavors for what ever reason. I find it to be very earthy and cigar like. I love the stuff!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's perfect dry to me. Try some of the D&R tobaccos, they are bone dry as well. To me, I don't get the full flavor of a tobacco while it is still watered down like most tobaccos will come. You have to learn to slow down your cadence, but I prefer it this way. I will smoke some straight out of the tin, but to my tastebuds, it tastes watered down, steamy.
But, to each their own. There's no rules in the hobby. Enjoy what you smoke, and smoke what you enjoy. If it bothers you, you might try re-hydrating it a tad, with a spray bottle or some steam. Whatever floats your boat.

 

[popeofpiping]

Well that is good to know. I will continue to smoke it as it arrived. Coming from the cigar hobby, I am familiar with the bold taste, but even cigars are kept at that optimal humidity to prevent drying out.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yes, cigar-like. That’s the flavor I get from Semois as well. Not, just like a cogar, but sort of like one.
Cigars will come apart when they get too dry. I hate it when they start to crack and layers rip while smoking a dry stogie.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Unless Italian made Toscanelli cigar.

btw, I came across with some interesting Italian made Pipe tobaccos,and all these includes Kentucky dark fired leaf,in more or lesser degree, brands like Commune, Italia,and Golf, about 7$ per 50gr(1,75oz)pouch,fine ribbon cut and are sold solely within the Italian borders.

 

[mso489]

Just to put this in context, Reserve du Patron is the brown labeled medium cut pure Semois, a Belgium burley variant. I have always accepted the dryness of these Semois tobaccos, and I certainly enjoy full flavor from both the medium and thick cut version. I'm a big fan of burley single leaf and blends so I feel I have a sense of this leaf. Several possibilities occur to me. Some people do not taste much from burley, no matter what version they smoke. In fact, some people taste it but don't like it, even unto throwing up. So there is a genetic predisposition on flavors (not just burley). Another possibility is that you are regularly smoking Latakia, Perique, Virginia, or other leaf that has trained your taste buds and it will take time to acquire a taste for burley. You can certainly hydrate the Semois; I'd do this in small increments since the packages of Semois keep very well, best to leave a lot of it dry until used. The other Semois I know about is Petite Robin that is actually a blend and not single-leaf. That I also enjoy but personally find notably mild.

 

[popeofpiping]

Mso, I do primarily smoke lats and Virginias. As with the Petite Robin, I have found its moisture content very acceptable. Pack it tight, and it will treat you right. I appreciate your input.

 

[saltedplug]

I'm reading almost everyday about the increased flavor of dry tobacco. Thought not yet ready to join the practice, I am sufficiently convinced to keep my doubts to myself.
Like others I find semois great to smoke minus most moisture.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thought not yet ready to join the practice, I am sufficiently convinced to keep my doubts to myself.

Wait, so you've critiqued and judged the whole tobacco driers crowd without ever even trying it? I mean, I expect some people not to like it after trying, because of course it's just the nature of statistics. Someone has to be the +/-5% margin of error.

But, to never even try it?.. All of these posts suggesting that tobacconists all know better than us about what moisture level... ha ha, sorry, I can't stop laughing... without ever even trying it? Ha ha... :rofl:

 

[pipebuddy]

Yea, somebody sent me a sample once and I can't say I was too keen on the experience either...

 

[saltedplug]

You got me, Cosmic!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Zi knew it!! Another case zolved. The viper in our bosom could be anyone.

 

[lasttango]

It's one of my favorite tobaccos. I prefer it in a shallower, wider bowl... I'll pack it rather tight. I just got a meer lined prince I plan to use with it.

 

[thomasw]

I like to sip my tobacco slowly, and I like it dry for the fulness of the flavour and nicotine content. Steamy tobaccos are wet and less flavourful and often bite. Semois needs no drying, yet the packing of it in the bowl needs to be quite tight -- I'll even use my tamper to get the right pack. I like all the semois varieties, but the 'green' one is a top 5 go-to tobacco for me.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Semois is quite a different type of tobacco. It really does need to be packed tighter than you typically pack a bowl and it needs to be sipped a bit slower than usual cadence. When that's done this is quite a complex blend to me. I tend to find myself coming across a flavor from it and trying to suss it out. To me it's a blend that you can't make up your mind on it from your first bowl. It really needs to go through about an ounce of it to make up your mind.
A local pipe friend of mine let me sample a few bowls at the West Coast Show a few years back and sent me home with a few more bowls worth, so I've been through a bit of it and quite frankly really enjoy the blend.
I actually just bought the green pouch, I think it's La Brumeusse, and an ounce of McClelland blending Perique to give a go pressing it into a cake. I've been informed to start with only 10% of Perique.

 

[popeofpiping]

A few more bowls down, Ive come to the conclusion that semios doesn't hit my palate quite right. If any of you semois lovers wanna trade for something, send me a PM!

 

[mso489]

pope', you might want to keep a small canning jar of it and sample it in a year or two. Individual tastes do change, and you might come to burley blends a different way and want to give Semois another shot. On the other hand, you are wise not to work too hard at liking something. You can waste time and matches that way.

 

[hawky454]

Wait, so you've critiqued and judged the whole tobacco driers crowd without ever even trying it? I mean, I expect some people not to like it after trying, because of course it's just the nature of statistics. Someone has to be the +/-5% margin of error.

But, to never even try it?.. All of these posts suggesting that tobacconists all know better than us about what moisture level... ha ha, sorry, I can't stop laughing... without ever even trying it? Ha ha... :rofl:

:rofl: Sorry, Saltedplug but this just had me cracking up too! I think it was just by Cosmic's reaction but I'm freaking crying!
Give it a try, man, just one bowl at a time for starters. Although it sounds like you've already convinced yourself that it's not going to work but it still wouldn't hurt to try.