I'm still dying to break into my sample, but the weather has been far from cooperative the last couple of days.
War Horse Bar from the Late 60's - Group Tasting
- Thread starter ashdigger
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Late 60s War Horse review:
First a big thank you to Ashdigger for making this possible. I'm using a MM Eaton for this experience. I broke up my cube and fill my pipe about 3/4 full with enough leftover for another smoke tomorrow. Charring light I get the taste of geranium and valerian. True light and I'm getting more tobacco flavors mixed with the floral top note. My tobacco is very dry but it still is hard to keep burning; many relights. A little harsh to retrohale. As I smoke down through the bowl the tobacco comes forward, earthy notes and a little nutty. Floral notes are still there but more subdued than at the beginning of the smoke. Nicotine? Oh yeah there is a lot but going slow with all the relights help make this survivable. Plus the smoke killed all the mosquitoes buzzing around my head.
Overall a pleasant experience that I look forward to repeating tomorrow with the remaining tobacco. Compared to the new version by SToP I find this not as sweet but better balanced between the floral and the tobacco notes which may be due to the aging process. Strength is about the same.
First a big thank you to Ashdigger for making this possible. I'm using a MM Eaton for this experience. I broke up my cube and fill my pipe about 3/4 full with enough leftover for another smoke tomorrow. Charring light I get the taste of geranium and valerian. True light and I'm getting more tobacco flavors mixed with the floral top note. My tobacco is very dry but it still is hard to keep burning; many relights. A little harsh to retrohale. As I smoke down through the bowl the tobacco comes forward, earthy notes and a little nutty. Floral notes are still there but more subdued than at the beginning of the smoke. Nicotine? Oh yeah there is a lot but going slow with all the relights help make this survivable. Plus the smoke killed all the mosquitoes buzzing around my head.
Overall a pleasant experience that I look forward to repeating tomorrow with the remaining tobacco. Compared to the new version by SToP I find this not as sweet but better balanced between the floral and the tobacco notes which may be due to the aging process. Strength is about the same.
Fired up my sample in a 1950 GBD, size 3.4. Chose a 2003 wooden match from The Strip House in Vegas. The sulphur burn off was redolent with tones of turpentine and, well, sulphur, of medium quality, such as found in all restaurant and club matches of the era. After the initial burn, the heavenly scent of smoldering pine gave off notes of Northern Oregon forest, the Bend are, is my guess. Deeper tones of sphagnum moss—the type that grows only in that region— lingered in the nostril for a few seconds, and then the flame stabilized, once again revealing its piney origins, with nary a grassy taste. The flame shifted to a clear bright orange as I drew it down to near the top of the tobacco.
I have now ridden the War Horse.
My cube arrived pretty dry, but that's how I like to smoke, so I didn't add any more water to the party. I used a sharp chef's knife to roughly chop up the cube, and gravity filled it into my small (group 2-ish) Crappy Pipes billiard. In the bag, I got some of the floral scent which has been mentioned by other reviewers, but in the pipe I was only tasting tobacco. The chopped up plug took a little lighting, but once lit burned fairly well.
The retro-hale was a little rough around the edges, and this was by no means a mild smoke, but it wasn't uncomfortably harsh at any point. Mostly I was tasting good, slightly harsh dark-fired tobacco. Burned down to a very soft white ash. Required about an average number of relights for a plug.
But you don't care about any of that-- you care about Lady Nicotine.
I have to say, it's the highest-octane pipe tobacco I've ever smoked. I'm far from a lightweight in the nicotine department, and have never gotten a nic-hit from a pipe before. Well that all changed today. I didn't get bowled over, and I didn't get sick, but this stuff has some serious punch.
The uninitiated need not apply to this heavy hitter. If you're looking for a smoke that will test your mettle, this is the one.
If anyone needs me, I'll be laying on the couch feeling a nice, warm glow.
My cube arrived pretty dry, but that's how I like to smoke, so I didn't add any more water to the party. I used a sharp chef's knife to roughly chop up the cube, and gravity filled it into my small (group 2-ish) Crappy Pipes billiard. In the bag, I got some of the floral scent which has been mentioned by other reviewers, but in the pipe I was only tasting tobacco. The chopped up plug took a little lighting, but once lit burned fairly well.
The retro-hale was a little rough around the edges, and this was by no means a mild smoke, but it wasn't uncomfortably harsh at any point. Mostly I was tasting good, slightly harsh dark-fired tobacco. Burned down to a very soft white ash. Required about an average number of relights for a plug.
But you don't care about any of that-- you care about Lady Nicotine.
I have to say, it's the highest-octane pipe tobacco I've ever smoked. I'm far from a lightweight in the nicotine department, and have never gotten a nic-hit from a pipe before. Well that all changed today. I didn't get bowled over, and I didn't get sick, but this stuff has some serious punch.
The uninitiated need not apply to this heavy hitter. If you're looking for a smoke that will test your mettle, this is the one.
If anyone needs me, I'll be laying on the couch feeling a nice, warm glow.
I love the flavor of this tobacco. It is very peppery on the tongue, though. I have to get 4 puffs into the smoke to get past that. Then the spicy yet flowery flavors come into their own and I can enjoy the smoke...until the nic forces me to stop.
Smoking this stuff is a serious task. Great stuff, however.
Smoking this stuff is a serious task. Great stuff, however.
Great reviews, ya’ll. I’ve really enjoyed everyone’s take on this. I feel like I would have loved this stuff when it was relatively fresh but we all know that’s not gonna happen and it’s really no secret that I don’t like the current iteration.
I haven't done much more than a charring light and damn this is strong!
The Peterson is ghosted by STP War Horse, so it actually augments the flavor of the original a little.
I'm truly grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Er, twice-in-a-lifetime. :lol:
The Peterson is ghosted by STP War Horse, so it actually augments the flavor of the original a little.
I'm truly grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Er, twice-in-a-lifetime. :lol:
Tonight I had just the tiniest bit of the sample leftover so I mixed it with some PS Norwegian - waste not, want not. Just enough to fill up my tiniest briar pipe.
It worked out pretty well. I've done this before with some of the G&H / SG ropes when I just wanted to tame it down a bit. Yup, enjoyed that.
Thanks again Ash, you're a stand up guy and I think we all appreciated your kindness in providing the opportunity. Cheers!
It worked out pretty well. I've done this before with some of the G&H / SG ropes when I just wanted to tame it down a bit. Yup, enjoyed that.
Thanks again Ash, you're a stand up guy and I think we all appreciated your kindness in providing the opportunity. Cheers!
Just got home from a camping trip. Among the thousands of flyers stuffed into my mailbox I found it. The horse had arrived. Im very excited to try this one out. Ill report back after I get a bowl into me. Thanks Ash!
I have been fascinated by the comments on here and how people are able to detect the various nuances and flavors. It is indeed a strong smoke and highly reminiscent of my 'Warridor' blend. I would imagine that mixing the original with the new WH either RR or Bar would also produce some interesting results. All in all a very interesting group of comments that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and many thanks to Ashdigger for organizing this whole excursion back into the 1970s without anyone having to wear a pair of flared jeans!
You mean I stayed up all night sewing my fingers to the bone to turn my straight leg jeans into bell bottoms, and it wasn't even necessary?!?!
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