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All New Pipes
Brian F.
Reviews
Peterson - Sherlock Holmes 50g
Great with age!
I tried this blend back in 2012 and didn't care for it. I recall it was pretty harsh on the palette with very little flavor, albeit I was an inexperienced pipe smoker and primarily enjoyed aromatics at the time. Fast forward 10+ years and my tobacco preferences have completely changed. A few years ago, as I was reorganizing my "cellar", I rememebred I had jarred the rest of that tin and put it out of my mind. Now having an experienced perspective on a variety of tabaccos, I gave this another try with age. Wow, what a completely different experience! The harshness that I remembered was completely gone, and what remained was a very smooth, sweet, and nutty blend that was gentle on the palette. This was the first time I had experienced such a dramatic change with aging my own tobacco, and has motivated me to buy more Virginias to cellar away. So my recommendation would be to buy a few tins of this each year to cellar away, and then start smoking them a few years down the road so that you can always enjoy this blend with age. Cheers!
McConnell - Mature 50g
Excellent with age!!!
I've had 2 tins of this in my cellar for the last 2 years. Been anxious to try it, but deliberated when the right time was to crack it open. Finally decided tonight was the night. The tin note was unlike any Virginia blend I've experienced, probably due to the anise topping. Distinctly sweet and spicy, but not in an offensive way. The cut is shredded, thicker than a ribbon but smaller than a broken flake. The moisture level was perfect. I packed my Savinelli 904 KS slightly on the loose side, as I do most broken and shredded flakes, as the tobacco tends to expand in the bowl as it heats up. I used matches and it took to the flame beautifully. The anise topping did not have near the strong presence in the smoke as it did in the tin note. While it was still upfront with the sweet and spicy aroma, it was subtle and quickly took a back seat to the dry, bready, finish you expect with a quality and mature Virginia. The smoke is creamy and billows with a pleasant room note. The tobacco itself burned evenly in my bowl, and only required a relight once about half way when I paused to enjoy some hot green tea with honey, an excellent pairing. No issues with the relight and I enjoyed the rest of my bowl down to a fine white ash. I did not experience any bitter moisture in my stem, but I believe the mechanics of my smoking was a factor. Virginias need gentle sips to enhance the flavor profile, which also prevents moisture build up and gurgling. Overall, this was a fantastic experience for me, which was a pleasant surprise given the mixed reviews I've seen. I encourage anyone who reads my review to give this tobacco a try, and perhaps approach it the same way I did. If you do, I don't think you will be disappointed.