Warped The Red Hunt Topping?

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

I've considered opening one of my older tins of Red Hunt to see if I'm losing my mind.
Something about having two open tins of the same blend just irks the hell out of me though.

I dont think your loosing your mind. I think they must have changed this blend at some point in time. The initial reviews from when it first released didnt mention anything about a topping/flavoring, Only the more recent ones did and my tin was from 12/22
Maybe they had an F up at the plant and stuck something else in the tin? Who knows but this smell is unmistakable and overwhelming

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I dont think your loosing your mind. I think they must have changed this blend at some point in time. The initial reviews from when it first released didnt mention anything about a topping/flavoring, Only the more recent ones did and my tin was from 12/22
Maybe they had an F up at the plant and stuck something else in the tin? Who knows but this smell is unmistakable and overwhelming

Ok I'm going to do it today after work.
Fact of the matter is I don't love what I've experienced with what's currently jarred.
So, if the older tin is more akin to how I remembered it, I'll be tossing the newer stuff - unless someone wanted it.

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

Ok I'm going to do it today after work.
Fact of the matter is I don't love what I've experienced with what's currently jarred.
So, if the older tin is more akin to how I remembered it, I'll be tossing the newer stuff - unless someone wanted it.

Me either the tin I opened from 12/22 is unsmokeable
The smell and taste of cheap alcohol is way too much

 

[kcghost]

It is rather tough to gather a consensus of opinion on this one. Do the pipe gods know what they are doing?

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

It seems like there is a semi-clear dividing line based upon reviews (youtube and written) that the recipe must have changed sometime in 2020.
The earliest I can find mentioning of the soup topping is from a review on TR.com with a tin date of 5-19-20
" The initial tin note is swamped by a topping, something like a deep chocolate liqueur"

 

[bluegrassbrian]

When was this blend released?

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

When was this blend released?

Not 100% but Warped expanded into pipe tobaccos in early 2019

 

[Peter Turbo]

I think it for sure has a topping and one I couldn't stand. Was the only pipe tobacco I ever bothered to trade away.

I like Until the End and Sarto though!

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Looks like Red Hunt came out Spring of '20.
Jarred Red Hunt from '22 on the left, and a tin from April '20 I just opened on the right.



They LOOK the same. But I can say unequivocally that the tin from '20 smells like a nicely fermented Virginia blend with a hint of natural sweetness.
The one from '22 - now that I smell it over and over- it DOES smell like chocolate covered cherries!

I wish everyone in this thread could come compare the two. What in the hell happened?!

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

Looks like Red Hunt came out Spring of '20.
Jarred Red Hunt from '22 on the left, and a tin from April '20 I just opened on the right.

View attachment 215589

They LOOK the same. But I can say unequivocally that the tin from '20 smells like a nicely fermented Virginia blend with a hint of natural sweetness.
The one from '22 - now that I smell it over and over- it DOES smell like chocolate covered cherries!

I wish everyone in this thread could come compare the two. What in the hell happened?!

I wonder if they started using crappier components and tried to cover it with that cheap ass alcoholic topping

 

[kg.legat0]

I have jars of this from 2020-2022 ...it all smells the same to me: definitely that chocolate covered cherry note, even from the batch that has been jarred for years - a pretty solid blend imo, but definitely has a topping ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I wish someone could come stick their nose in the jars and tell me I'm right.

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I wish someone could come stick their nose in the jars and tell me I'm right.

I can tell you that you are 100% correct about the newer version having a over the top topping .

I don't have an og tin to compare only the reviews written and online

 

[bluegrassbrian]

I can tell you that you are 100% correct about the newer version having a over the top topping .

I don't have an og tin to compare only the reviews written and online

Looking at the reviews on SP, there's one from 2020 where the guy complains about a heavy topping - also a couple folks saying they get grape overtones from it.

Guess I'll query Jeremy.,

 

[coming to_falling too]

Looking at the reviews on SP, there's one from 2020 where the guy complains about a heavy topping - also a couple folks saying they get grape overtones from it.

Guess I'll query Jeremy.,

I'm curious to know. I opened a recent production tin a few months back and tried to like it, but the topping I get from it is just too much.

 

[Ebarber]

Just revisited some yesterday in a jar with 2 years of age on it. It is some wonderful, wonderful stuff. I still believe there has to be a topping of some sort on it.
I'll have to look today when I get to the office to see the date on it.
It didn't seem to be topped the extreme to me yesterday and I'm not a big aromatic fan.

 

[kg.legat0]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I wish someone could come stick their nose in the jars and tell me I'm right.

Not to add to your paranoia - but I don't think you're crazy ...I wondered what happened with the tin in question. The component tobaccos seem to be high quality, perhaps you got a toned-down dose of the topping somehow..? Very interesting!

 

[JJ_JJ_JJ_JJ]

Not to add to your paranoia - but I don't think you're crazy ...I wondered what happened with the tin in question. The component tobaccos seem to be high quality, perhaps you got a toned-down dose of the topping somehow..? Very interesting!

I agree about the component tobaccos seeming to be high quality, but the topping is just god awful . Its like gas station liqueur and it drowning in it

 

[BriarBrook]

Smoked 2022 version last night and it was not enjoyable. I agree it definitely has an aro-like quality on the tin and room note, but the taste was very dull. I don't think I have ever smoked anything that generated so much heat in the bowl... even at a slow pace. Tongue bite/heat wasn't an issue at all, but my goodness, that bowl temp. Not a pleasant experience.

 

[kg.legat0]

I agree about the component tobaccos seeming to be high quality, but the topping is just god awful . Its like gas station liqueur and it drowning in it

What's wrong with gas station liqeur? lol

...the couple tins I have smoked (a 2020 and 2021) have been 'definitely topped', but not overbearing ...usually just a nice Va/Or with a little extra booze note; it actually reminds me of Sun Bear, in a way. iirc it also can get harsh if pushed, but nothing crazy.

the impressions in this thread make me wonder if there aren't some consistency issues present...