This stuff is wonderful. My tins just arrived yesterday and I've had two bowls of the Bar and one of the Green. I expect this will be an everyday smoke for me.
I have to admit, I was skeptical as to whether genuine British plug-style flavors could be recreated by a small, U.S. operation, but they've done it. I never smoked the original War Horse Bar, but I've smoked plenty of the other British and Irish plugs. The flavor of War Horse is strange and new, but at the same time familiar -- if I had smoked it blind, there would have been no doubt that it was an old-style Brit tobacco.
Unlike some of the other plugs on the market, though, the burley/air-cured content really comes through in this one. Most of the other plugs on the market are sweetened quite a bit and the nutty, earthy burley flavors are muted. This gets it just right for my tastes. There's a touch of sweetness, but not nearly as much as Yachtsman, for example.
And the flavorings work really well together. There's rumors out there on the internetz that there's a good amount of Valerian extract in here. Is there heliotrope or geranium in here, too? Seems like it to me. But this is nothing like a floral, Lakeland-style tobacco -- it's much more medicinal and just plain weird, but in a good way.
I love the flavorings, which are strong and in your face, but they don't completely cover up the earthy tobacco flavors, which really hit the middle of the palate after the first few puffs.
Along with the strong flavor, there's plenty of strength here in the nicotine department as well -- this ain't no Battle Pony. It lives up to its name.
Anyhow, I'm truly grateful to the boys at STP who worked to revive this storied Irish plug.
I have to admit, I was skeptical as to whether genuine British plug-style flavors could be recreated by a small, U.S. operation, but they've done it. I never smoked the original War Horse Bar, but I've smoked plenty of the other British and Irish plugs. The flavor of War Horse is strange and new, but at the same time familiar -- if I had smoked it blind, there would have been no doubt that it was an old-style Brit tobacco.
Unlike some of the other plugs on the market, though, the burley/air-cured content really comes through in this one. Most of the other plugs on the market are sweetened quite a bit and the nutty, earthy burley flavors are muted. This gets it just right for my tastes. There's a touch of sweetness, but not nearly as much as Yachtsman, for example.
And the flavorings work really well together. There's rumors out there on the internetz that there's a good amount of Valerian extract in here. Is there heliotrope or geranium in here, too? Seems like it to me. But this is nothing like a floral, Lakeland-style tobacco -- it's much more medicinal and just plain weird, but in a good way.
I love the flavorings, which are strong and in your face, but they don't completely cover up the earthy tobacco flavors, which really hit the middle of the palate after the first few puffs.
Along with the strong flavor, there's plenty of strength here in the nicotine department as well -- this ain't no Battle Pony. It lives up to its name.
Anyhow, I'm truly grateful to the boys at STP who worked to revive this storied Irish plug.
