Esoterica Tilbury

In a recent purchase of vintage tobaccos, some Esoterica Tilbury came my way.

Upon opening the bag, the scent was very strong of matured / fermented Virginia tobacco and Apricot Brandy.

The liquor smell dissipated quickly as the tobacco was laid out to dry but never left completely.

A unique mixture of thin ribbon, small broken flake and threshed cut tobacco were colored in golden to black.

It appears that the darkest pieces are pressed Cavendish / Stoved Virginia and quite a bit of it.

First charring light offered up a sweet Virginia flavor with some toasted marshmallow accents.

The next light included more depth, earthiness and a slight caramelization that seems to come from the casing (Treacle?  Fruit Liquor?).

A tamp and final light brought forth a nice, creamy smoke that was sweet but balanced.

Throughout the smoke, the Burley made it's presence known only as a supporting role adding body and balancing the sugars present.

Lighter hay and grass notes wove their way to the surface occasionally but, overall, this blend is sweet and earthy.

Towards the bottom, the sweetness condenses to a much darker, almost molasses-like, flavor.

This is a very enjoyable "all-day" type of blend that sings in a Cob pipe.

Highly recommended to the Virginia lover looking for some oomph and balance or the Burley lover looking for some sweetness.

For my personal tastes, I'll be adding a pinch of Dark Fired Kentucky and perhaps a scooch of Perique to round it out.