I first encountered this blend last week at a IPSD event at our local B&M. I've been averageing 2 bowls of this blend since.
This is the latest C&D offering under the Two Friends marque. It is a Virginia blend with latakia and chocolate added. I was curious about this strange combo so I dove straight in.
Upon opening the tin the aroma is soft. No real indication of latakia and the sweetness is barely there. The color of the blend is medium brown and you can pick out the flakes of latakia but this is by no means a "L" bomb. The cut is one of which I am seeing more often these days- ribbons, strands and chuncks. The moisture level is what we've come to expect from C&D and that's fine by me. Since I'm a grab and stuff guy this works pretty well and there are no issues with draw throughout the bowl.
The charring light introduces you to the latakia but just to let you know it is there. The chocolate can be sensed on the back of the tongue but,again, just a hint of cocao to add to the natural sweetness of the Virginias.
It also has not required many re-lights. Decent smoke volume and the room note is sublte and pleasant to my nose.
I'm smoking English Chocolate in a Ser Jacapo as I write this and I can tell you that this is a cool smoke. The Ser Jacapo is a thicked walled bowl and I can barely feel any heat. Not sure how a smaller pipes would behave. I am picking up a little bit of gurggle but that may be due to my packing technique.
I won't call this a "cross-over" blend because that's a term that is getting to be a bit overused these days but it is an interesting respite from straight Virginia or a heavier English type blend.
As a change of pace in a rotation it adds something different to the menu and that's why I would recommend it.
Choco;ate and latakia? Who would have thought it could work so well?
I'd be interested to hear others reactions to English Chocolate.
This is the latest C&D offering under the Two Friends marque. It is a Virginia blend with latakia and chocolate added. I was curious about this strange combo so I dove straight in.
Upon opening the tin the aroma is soft. No real indication of latakia and the sweetness is barely there. The color of the blend is medium brown and you can pick out the flakes of latakia but this is by no means a "L" bomb. The cut is one of which I am seeing more often these days- ribbons, strands and chuncks. The moisture level is what we've come to expect from C&D and that's fine by me. Since I'm a grab and stuff guy this works pretty well and there are no issues with draw throughout the bowl.
The charring light introduces you to the latakia but just to let you know it is there. The chocolate can be sensed on the back of the tongue but,again, just a hint of cocao to add to the natural sweetness of the Virginias.
It also has not required many re-lights. Decent smoke volume and the room note is sublte and pleasant to my nose.
I'm smoking English Chocolate in a Ser Jacapo as I write this and I can tell you that this is a cool smoke. The Ser Jacapo is a thicked walled bowl and I can barely feel any heat. Not sure how a smaller pipes would behave. I am picking up a little bit of gurggle but that may be due to my packing technique.
I won't call this a "cross-over" blend because that's a term that is getting to be a bit overused these days but it is an interesting respite from straight Virginia or a heavier English type blend.
As a change of pace in a rotation it adds something different to the menu and that's why I would recommend it.
Choco;ate and latakia? Who would have thought it could work so well?
I'd be interested to hear others reactions to English Chocolate.
