Jason A.

Reviews


Cascadia - Trail Head 1.76oz
One of my staple favorites
The description is perfectly acurate: tasting notes of fruit, earth, and (mild) spice. Yes it’s a dense plug. I shave it vertically with a sharp knife into several thin flakes, as thin as Capstan blue comes out of the tin, then hand rub it out thoroughly. This generally fluffs away all the dense chunks. Then I put it right in my pipe and smoke it. I’ve enjoyed it in little-bowled pokers, big dublins, MM corn cobs, and deep-bowled pokers. At the time of this review, I just finished a rewarding 75 minute bowl of it with a Barling Marylebone poker. All that to say it’s been well sampled before sharing this opinion. What I love about Trailhead is that it is kind. From the first puff to the last draw it is mellow and sweet, with absolutely zero bite or end-of-bowl acridity. It’s a consistent smooth pleasure from start to finish.

Cornell & Diehl - Dark Chocolate
It’s exactly what the description says
I always wonder what motivates the one star reviews on things that are very obviously perfectly good. This is actually about a 4 to 4 1/2 star tobacco, but I’m giving it a five to balance out the silliness. Anyway, it smells like chocolate, it tastes like chocolate, and it’s clearly a natural flavor that’s not overly artificial like so many aromatics. That quality alone deserves the respect of a decent review. As a bulk mono flavor Cavendish, it really shines when blended with other tobaccos. If you’re looking for a blending element that will give a mellowing chocolate note to your mix, you can purchase with confidence.

Cascadia - Open Water 1.76oz
If a Larabar were smoke, this is what it would taste like
This blend is proof that you don’t need to make tobacco smell like a Latakia campfire for it to have an assertive and satisfying flavor. Open water is distinctive yet sweet and well balanced. I got flavors similar to the other reviews here, with both the smoke and room note reminding me very strongly of.. not kidding here: a Larabar snack bar. lol, seriously. If you could have one of those things without chewing your way through a dense sticky brick, this is what it would be like. So good.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Kentucky Nougat
The nougat is back!
I bought 1 oz. of this Kentucky Nougat as a sample because it sounded so good, and I like that G&H follow strict standards for their ingredients. (Side note: I'm not usually a fan of aromatics, as I like the complex flavors of Virginias and burly, and I'm not a fan of artificial flavorings and preservatives. As far as I know, most big aromatic producers use them. So I'm on a mission to find some crowd pleaser room notes that aren't a bag of chemicals.) Anyway, after ordering, I read the reviews, and was a little concerned that the recipe had changed, and there wasn't going to be a natural nougat to be had. SO, after a call I made to check the status of the complaints, my first kudos go to Anthony at SmokingPipes for taking the time with me to review the history of the mix possibly changing to cherry, and working to make it right. Awesome customer service, thank you! But that's not what the 5 stars are for. (Note to the folks who vent through ratings: that doesn't help us choose tobaccos. Rate the darned smoke, not the purchase experience, please.) The bag I got is sure enough coca & toffee on the nose, though subtle, and with a slight hint of fruit (A European nougat would have a bit of fruit, and what I'm getting is almost a tangy un-roasted coffee bean as you get longer into the bowl). The mix is an absolute pleasure to smoke; not a flavorless bland experience as with so many aromatics. This blend is mellow, but the tobacco flavors don't hide. Just an easy satisfying smoke. Hopefully whatever was going on with the batches noted in some recent past reviews seems has been resolved?

Rattray's - Ahoy Sandblasted (9mm)
Outstanding bring-along pipe
I bought this pipe to be my traveler for trips, camping, and work. (I am a professional merchant mariner, so for me the Ahoy isn’t just a cliche marketing gimmick; It will actually be going to sea.) Anyway, compared to my other pipes, some of which are slightly expensive, and include a couple that smoke exceptionally well, this light, simple, and unassumingly stylish little thing has actually turned out to smoke so well that now it’s the one I reach for first. Not needing a stand is also a definite plus, and the bowl is what I would call a moderate size; so it isn’t the longest smoke, but it’s not too quick either, and it sits well. It’s about just right for its purpose as a bring-along pipe. If the apocalypse were coming and I was running out of the house, this would be the pipe I grab..

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