Tobacco Talk

We spend a fair bit of time focusing on what's popular. Tautological as it is, well-liked things are well liked, and thus they get talked about, written about, explored in greater detail with more enthusiasm and more care, frequently, than those things that are not so well liked. ... Read More

Recently we announced the contenders and first round match ups for our Spring Showdown, a battle to decide which tobacco reigns supreme on the battlefield of best spring tobacco. We've had a week to deliberate and we're ready to announce our round one winners. ... Read More

Normally when I pick a mystery blend I choose something I think our test subjects (or my co-workers, as they prefer to be called) are unlikely to guess, or at least guess right. A blend that looks anonymous in its components perhaps, or something similar to a mixture I know at least one of them smokes, thus providing a red herring factor. ... Read More

Well, it's officially spring, though having rained most of the day here on the coast of SC, the equinox was a less than auspicious occasion. Regardless, whether you're already enjoying warmer weather or still waiting for a change ... Read More

With our Mac Baren HH promo in full swing, I thought it was about time to revisit some of my favorite blends in this natural tobacco line. Being the Perique fiend that I am, I immediately reached for our communal tin of Acadian Perique. It's certainly not a new blend to me; in fact, it regularly makes its way into my rotation. ... Read More

According to Stephen A. Ross, in his article "Tobacco Renaissance," in 1887 Harald Halberg, son of merchant captain Hans Nissen Halberg, who ran cargo including snuff, chewing, and pipe tobacco, decided that instead of going into the family business he would buy S. Bønnelycke, a tobacco factory located in their home town of Svendborg. ... Read More

Busy, busy, busy — that's been things around here of late, even more so than usual. Nonetheless, we still managed to slip in some time for me to wander around the warehouse in search for something special, and for several others to be press-ganged into smoking it. And, as usual, time for Andy to make several poor attempts at getting me to name the picked blend ... Read More

It has been a cold winter here at the beach this year. Sure, some other places have been way colder (sorry New Englanders), but I have had just about enough of those inevitable winter time blues. The other day, I decided that I needed something that was going to put me back in a summer-like mindset and maybe, just maybe, make me feel a bit warmer. ... Read More

As noted in my previous post, I resolved at the beginning of 2014 to smoke my way through the G.L. Pease line of tobaccos. My original plan to complete this project within the year went up in smoke — literally — but not frequently enough it seems, as I now find myself in a new year with several blends yet to smoke ... Read More

A few weeks back, I mentioned that my New Year's resolution was to try more tobaccos and, more specifically, a wider variety of them. My goal for the first few weeks was to explore Perique. Now I'm fairly familiar with Perique's effect on Virginia and Burley based blends, but I was curious to really explore its role in Latakia blends — namely how its spicy notes would complement the often overwhelming, smoky tones of the exotic leaf. ... Read More