Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2018 15:44:53 GMT -5
First, be warned that there are not as many details as feelings.
Second, my overall rating may be more subjective than objective... meaning slightly jaded.
At the urge of the Chroniclers I am setting about opening tins of tobaccos I have not yet tried.
Sounding like a fanboy, Danny Kaye was a fave of mine, so wanting to experience what he smoked is of interest. The House Blend, with Dick Gautier (RIP) will be another.
As I was opening up the tin I heard a gentle voice say, "The flagon with the dragon is the brew that is true."
As far as lighting, packing, and all the mechanics it was unremarkable in a very good way.
First puff to the last this was pure joy. Like my ratings of Iwan Reis's blends there is a secret sauce that really isn't secret. Supposed to be Irish Mist. I dunno. I do know that the toppings mix with and alter the latakia. The best way I can say this is that it lost some of the smokiness. Yet the flavor the lat takes on is very unique. Kind of like a steak vs a steak with a mushroom sauce on it. It becomes a hybrid, as so many of the Reis's are.
It is listed as an English Aro. John Wayne agrees (dah ha). You do get the English and a bit of an aro. Non-aro smokers would NOT be disappointed with this blend.
This (IMO) is a must try for the Lat-Intolerant. Again, the new flavor created may take away all of the things you dislike about Lat.
It has a sweetness to it.
Tobacco components: Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia
I listed this to show what you MIGHT NOT get while puffing it. The Perique may be a condiment or has blended down into the Lat aspect. I am not saying they are not there, but I got no grassy VA.
What you do taste are two veins in this gold mine: The unique Lat and like Gilligan's Island, The Rest. They both sit well next to each other and do not start arguments. They are both in tune singing Kum Bah Ya.
In the way of 5 Star Blends, Iwan has a few. Let's see how this rates:
Strength: 4 of 5. PLEASE NOTE: This does not mean it's strong. It's the quality of the strength that gets the rate. It's mild, actually.
Sweetness: 3.5 of 5 - This is a measurement of sweetness, not the quality. 3 would be neutral. 2 would be more bitter.
All Day Smoke: 5 of 5 - If there ever were an all day smoke, this is it. First wonderful puff is like the last.
Originality vs other English: 5 of 5 - Will explain in summary.
Overall rating, remembering I said I may be jaded: 5 of 5
Summary: Though you may argue is this really as good as Penzance or Captain Black Grape? If you base everything on Penzance you may never be happy. In the realm of tobacco blends this is an equal with the tops of the hobby.
In originality, this is on par with the Reis's. What makes these different is they are their own genre. If you were an in person customer of Iwan Reis a hundred years ago you would be happy smoking their blends and their blends alone. These true tobacconists create varieties to make all their customers happy. Kramer's has done the same thing. A blend for everybody and season. The idea is to KEEP you smoking their blends. If they are out of Dunhill, Please, Mr. Kaye, try some of this. If you get your foot in their mouth you have just converted someone to your way of blending. Naming them with stars that actually smoked them is obvious, yet still genius. I am pretty sure that though these have been blended by C&D to their original expectations you are not getting 1Q rebranded.
I have not tried Wilke, but I am guessing if you ask johnbrandt , who hopefully knows the history of Wilke, they did the same for the same reason.
A tobacco shop I used to go to was based on Sherlock Holmes. Flavors included Grimpen Mire, Dartmoor, etc. When he found out I liked Captain Spice he gave me a blend that was either it or close (memory fades). Whenever I was in the neighborhood I would buy his brands. Before someone says Captain Spice is 1Q or whatever, no it's not. Anyway, the point is that he got a customer out of me by making me happy with his shop blend, whether orignal or not.
Now, before someone guesses what I did next, I'll tell you. I immediately ordered a pound. Nuff said
Second, my overall rating may be more subjective than objective... meaning slightly jaded.
At the urge of the Chroniclers I am setting about opening tins of tobaccos I have not yet tried.
Sounding like a fanboy, Danny Kaye was a fave of mine, so wanting to experience what he smoked is of interest. The House Blend, with Dick Gautier (RIP) will be another.
As I was opening up the tin I heard a gentle voice say, "The flagon with the dragon is the brew that is true."
As far as lighting, packing, and all the mechanics it was unremarkable in a very good way.
First puff to the last this was pure joy. Like my ratings of Iwan Reis's blends there is a secret sauce that really isn't secret. Supposed to be Irish Mist. I dunno. I do know that the toppings mix with and alter the latakia. The best way I can say this is that it lost some of the smokiness. Yet the flavor the lat takes on is very unique. Kind of like a steak vs a steak with a mushroom sauce on it. It becomes a hybrid, as so many of the Reis's are.
It is listed as an English Aro. John Wayne agrees (dah ha). You do get the English and a bit of an aro. Non-aro smokers would NOT be disappointed with this blend.
This (IMO) is a must try for the Lat-Intolerant. Again, the new flavor created may take away all of the things you dislike about Lat.
It has a sweetness to it.
Tobacco components: Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia
I listed this to show what you MIGHT NOT get while puffing it. The Perique may be a condiment or has blended down into the Lat aspect. I am not saying they are not there, but I got no grassy VA.
What you do taste are two veins in this gold mine: The unique Lat and like Gilligan's Island, The Rest. They both sit well next to each other and do not start arguments. They are both in tune singing Kum Bah Ya.
In the way of 5 Star Blends, Iwan has a few. Let's see how this rates:
Strength: 4 of 5. PLEASE NOTE: This does not mean it's strong. It's the quality of the strength that gets the rate. It's mild, actually.
Sweetness: 3.5 of 5 - This is a measurement of sweetness, not the quality. 3 would be neutral. 2 would be more bitter.
All Day Smoke: 5 of 5 - If there ever were an all day smoke, this is it. First wonderful puff is like the last.
Originality vs other English: 5 of 5 - Will explain in summary.
Overall rating, remembering I said I may be jaded: 5 of 5
Summary: Though you may argue is this really as good as Penzance or Captain Black Grape? If you base everything on Penzance you may never be happy. In the realm of tobacco blends this is an equal with the tops of the hobby.
In originality, this is on par with the Reis's. What makes these different is they are their own genre. If you were an in person customer of Iwan Reis a hundred years ago you would be happy smoking their blends and their blends alone. These true tobacconists create varieties to make all their customers happy. Kramer's has done the same thing. A blend for everybody and season. The idea is to KEEP you smoking their blends. If they are out of Dunhill, Please, Mr. Kaye, try some of this. If you get your foot in their mouth you have just converted someone to your way of blending. Naming them with stars that actually smoked them is obvious, yet still genius. I am pretty sure that though these have been blended by C&D to their original expectations you are not getting 1Q rebranded.
I have not tried Wilke, but I am guessing if you ask johnbrandt , who hopefully knows the history of Wilke, they did the same for the same reason.
A tobacco shop I used to go to was based on Sherlock Holmes. Flavors included Grimpen Mire, Dartmoor, etc. When he found out I liked Captain Spice he gave me a blend that was either it or close (memory fades). Whenever I was in the neighborhood I would buy his brands. Before someone says Captain Spice is 1Q or whatever, no it's not. Anyway, the point is that he got a customer out of me by making me happy with his shop blend, whether orignal or not.
Now, before someone guesses what I did next, I'll tell you. I immediately ordered a pound. Nuff said
