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Post by Cramptholomew on Oct 13, 2018 23:00:10 GMT -5
Is it just me, or are C&D blends really hit or miss? I have quite a few, and to a larger extent, I've been underwhelmed. There are a few that I really like, but more than often I find the blends harsh. Could it be that they just don't use well aged/processed tobacco? The GLP blends have been good, and stuff like Kajun Kake, Bayou Night/Morning (with a few months on it), and the deertongue blends are also good. The fresh Virginia blends are rough. The mostly Cavendish/Latakia Mississippi Mud I opened tonight was hard to get through. I'd have thought it would be a fairly smooth and creamy smoke, given its primary components. I have a jar of Sunday Picnic that's a couple months old, and it was just plain sharp the last time I smoked it (same with the White Lightening I bought in the same order). Wolfman sent me a sample of Sunday Picnic from a 2012 tin, and it was FAR better. I guess they just need a lot of age, which is pretty annoying if you just want to smoke what you've bought. I dunno. Anyone else have a similar experience? |
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Post by trailboss on Oct 13, 2018 23:07:12 GMT -5
Well.... C&D markets their cellar series for several years of aging. I thought that it was marketing genius, maybe it is truth in advertising?
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Post by Cramptholomew on Oct 13, 2018 23:19:09 GMT -5
Well.... C&D markets their cellar series for several years of aging. I thought that it was marketing genius, maybe it is truth in advertising? That's a good point. |
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Post by beardedmi on Oct 13, 2018 23:20:25 GMT -5
Most of their stuff is tinned very very fresh. I know a few people that wont smoke c&d without at minimum a year of age on the baccy. From my experience with the blends I've had fresh and with a year on them it is true of many C&d blends. I have had a couple that are going to need much longer.
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Post by jeffd on Oct 13, 2018 23:35:56 GMT -5
I have been very happy with the blends I have tried. Their Billy Budd Blonde, obviously, and a few others.
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Post by Cramptholomew on Oct 13, 2018 23:44:09 GMT -5
I have been very happy with the blends I have tried. Their Billy Budd Blonde, obviously, and a few others. BBB happens to be a good one. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2018 23:44:14 GMT -5
I bought an 8 oz tin of their Berry Nice or Very Berry. Sheesh. ANyway, it was sour grapes, literally. I put it in mylar and after a year the berry is coming out. I smoke a bowl occasionally to see if it advances. Their apple, apricot, and peaches and cream are pretty good in bulk. Sitting may make them better. I am at least satisfied with them. Some of their English, like Byzantium, Rajah, Star of the East, and Orient Express are solid gold right from the getgo.
Edit - All in all I am liking C&D and could grow my cellar (if I were inclined) with this brand and Sutliff. When it comes to Tins it's a different animal. That's when I branch out into the less obvious. I discovered Distinguished Gentleman and Iwan Reis Blends that way. Was shown the wonders of Sterling Tobacco. Getting ready to try my first order with Wilke. McC who? Dunhill who?
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Post by Cramptholomew on Oct 13, 2018 23:50:45 GMT -5
I bought an 8 oz tin of their Berry Nice or Very Berry. Sheesh. ANyway, it was sour grapes, literally. I put it in mylar and after a year the berry is coming out. I smoke a bowl occasionally to see if it advances. Their apple, apricot, and peaches and cream are pretty good in bulk. Sitting may make them better. I am at least satisfied with them. Some of their English, like Byzantium, Rajah, Star of the East, and Orient Express are solid gold right from the getgo. I haven't tried any of those English(es) yet. I've just started to enjoy English/Balkan, so I'll try them on your recommendation. I guess it mostly their Va based stuff that I've had a hard time with. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 0:06:43 GMT -5
I love C&D's burley blends, especially Billy Budd Blonde and the Bob Runowski ones. Several blends I've tried have seemed too green and would probably be much better after a few years in the cellar. I've had several others that have been pretty decent fresh, like Autumn Evening.
I haven't liked most of the GLP blends I've tried. They're OK, but nothing I would buy again. Over hyped in my opinion - YMMV.
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Post by zambini on Oct 14, 2018 0:38:26 GMT -5
I'm trying Chelsea Morning today for the first time and whilst the tin is about a year old it's still a little harsh. It should improve as I smoke my way through the tin.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 0:42:49 GMT -5
I'm trying Chelsea Morning today for the first time and whilst the tin is about a year old it's still a little harsh. It should improve as I smoke my way through the tin. You should really give the Murray's tins a try, if you're going for tins. Not a whit of harshness. Been smoking an occasional bowl, but the last couple days I've been going to town on it. Grossly overlooked. |
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Post by zambini on Oct 14, 2018 0:50:32 GMT -5
I'm trying Chelsea Morning today for the first time and whilst the tin is about a year old it's still a little harsh. It should improve as I smoke my way through the tin. You should really give the Murray's tins a try, if you're going for tins. Not a whit of harshness. Been smoking an occasional bowl, but the last couple days I've been going to town on it. Grossly overlooked. Thanks for the tip but you have to give me some time yet. I'm still about six suggestions behind. I'm trying to remember if Belfast 1845 is Murray's light english? I read your Dutch Schultz story, loads of action and fun; will your character hide out in Chicago and encounter Iwan Reis blends? |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 1:09:16 GMT -5
You should really give the Murray's tins a try, if you're going for tins. Not a whit of harshness. Been smoking an occasional bowl, but the last couple days I've been going to town on it. Grossly overlooked. Thanks for the tip but you have to give me some time yet. I'm still about six suggestions behind. I'm trying to remember if Belfast 1845 is Murray's light english? I read your Dutch Schultz story, loads of action and fun; will your character hide out in Chicago and encounter Iwan Reis blends? Belfast 1810 is Murray's, and another goodie. Glad you liked it. I will have to do something in Chi-Town. There's been some personal stuff coming out about Al Capone in the last couple years. I may have to use the Time Machine again. There are doubts he controlled the St Valentine's Massacre. Not saying the guy was an innocent lamb, but some older people who knew him finally spoke out. There was a documentary, never aired, I am trying to get hold of. If that won't happen, I'll have to ask the Big Guy in person. Or send some Reticulan Reporters in disguise. Oh, and there is no way Iwan Reis will be left out, nor his tobaccos |
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Post by Legend Lover on Oct 14, 2018 2:30:22 GMT -5
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michael
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Post by michael on Oct 14, 2018 5:46:45 GMT -5
Is it just me, or are C&D blends really hit or miss? I have quite a few, and to a larger extent, I've been underwhelmed. There are a few that I really like, but more than often I find the blends harsh. Could it be that they just don't use well aged/processed tobacco? The GLP blends have been good, and stuff like Kajun Kake, Bayou Night/Morning (with a few months on it), and the deertongue blends are also good. The fresh Virginia blends are rough. The mostly Cavendish/Latakia Mississippi Mud I opened tonight was hard to get through. I'd have thought it would be a fairly smooth and creamy smoke, given its primary components. I have a jar of Sunday Picnic that's a couple months old, and it was just plain sharp the last time I smoked it (same with the White Lightening I bought in the same order). Wolfman sent me a sample of Sunday Picnic from a 2012 tin, and it was FAR better. I guess they just need a lot of age, which is pretty annoying if you just want to smoke what you've bought. I dunno. Anyone else have a similar experience? Judging from your avator photo you're between 30-40. Same age as me. So maybe your taste buds are more sensistive to quality. I'm getting the feeling most of the guys on this website are age 60+ which could affect the 5 senses. Taste is one of the 5 senses.
C&D Black Frigate crumple cake was recomended here and sold out online. So I thought it would be good. It was way underwhelming. Capt. Earles wins out over C&D any day. But Earles is now sold out almot everywhere online.
MOST of the blends that were recomended here fall short for me. Almost all the bulk Sutliffs and Stokobyes fall short or no good for me. Joes Mississippi Mud was terrible for me, Plum Pudding, and several other blends most people liked fell short for me. I expect the highest quality because I am willing to PAY for that quality. So someone better pony up and pick up the frogs series under another name. Because the free market has already proven Frogs under priced thier products the entire time they were sold. People have money and are willing to pay for quality and that's a fact.
Recently sampled some local backwoods type cigars this guy made from an old tobacco stock in a barn mixed with slightly fermented leaf. It's a limited batch. The little cigars were phenominal. Not surprisingly it's almost all gone. His price? $2.50 per cigar. I would pay $15-18.00 per cigar. $2.50 is ridiculous low.
Be careful of which blends you critique here. Someone's cousins sisters brothers friend could be the blender and you might offend someone here. I learned the hard way after receiving a tin of fungas.
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,912 
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
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Post by chasingembers on Oct 14, 2018 5:58:22 GMT -5
Over the past twenty-seven years I've been through most of their offerings and really can't find much to dislike about them. I'll take anything they offer over Esoterica but my favorites are Black Frigate, Crooner, Speakeasy, Redburn, and Night Train. I'm 44.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 6:55:49 GMT -5
C&D makes some fine tinned tobacco’s, but I too find they smoke best with at least 2 years of aging. Some of their bulk blends are my favorite...Billy Budd, Billy Budd Blonde, Red Odessa, Old Joe Krantz, Cube Cut Burley and Bayou Night all excellent tobacco’s.
In the past two years I’ve had a number of their tinned tobacco’s, once opened I noticed they were covered in mold. Now I ONLY purchase C&D bulk tobacco’s....never any mold issues👌👍👍👍
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Post by johnlawitzke on Oct 14, 2018 7:45:27 GMT -5
Most of their stuff is tinned very very fresh. I know a few people that wont smoke c&d without at minimum a year of age on the baccy. From my experience with the blends I've had fresh and with a year on them it is true of many C&d blends. I have had a couple that are going to need much longer. I’m one of those people. C&D ships their stuff too young. The majority of their blends need a year in the tin before they shine. |
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Post by Legend Lover on Oct 14, 2018 8:09:19 GMT -5
I actually go against your theory, michael. I don't taste anything much except smoke and I'm only a young whippersnapper. I'm not sure it's an age thing as much as you might think (imo). I've also found it helpful not to paint with broad brush strokes regarding how the older generation perceive things. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 8:15:25 GMT -5
Is it just me, or are C&D blends really hit or miss? I have quite a few, and to a larger extent, I've been underwhelmed. There are a few that I really like, but more than often I find the blends harsh. Could it be that they just don't use well aged/processed tobacco? The GLP blends have been good, and stuff like Kajun Kake, Bayou Night/Morning (with a few months on it), and the deertongue blends are also good. The fresh Virginia blends are rough. The mostly Cavendish/Latakia Mississippi Mud I opened tonight was hard to get through. I'd have thought it would be a fairly smooth and creamy smoke, given its primary components. I have a jar of Sunday Picnic that's a couple months old, and it was just plain sharp the last time I smoked it (same with the White Lightening I bought in the same order). Wolfman sent me a sample of Sunday Picnic from a 2012 tin, and it was FAR better. I guess they just need a lot of age, which is pretty annoying if you just want to smoke what you've bought. I dunno. Anyone else have a similar experience? Judging from your avator photo you're between 30-40. Same age as me. So maybe your taste buds are more sensistive to quality. I'm getting the feeling most of the guys on this website are age 60+ which could affect the 5 senses. Taste is one of the 5 senses.
C&D Black Frigate crumple cake was recomended here and sold out online. So I thought it would be good. It was way underwhelming. Capt. Earles wins out over C&D any day. But Earles is now sold out almot everywhere online.
MOST of the blends that were recomended here fall short for me. Almost all the bulk Sutliffs and Stokobyes fall short or no good for me. Joes Mississippi Mud was terrible for me, Plum Pudding, and several other blends most people liked fell short for me. I expect the highest quality because I am willing to PAY for that quality. So someone better pony up and pick up the frogs series under another name. Because the free market has already proven Frogs under priced thier products the entire time they were sold. People have money and are willing to pay for quality and that's a fact.
Recently sampled some local backwoods type cigars this guy made from an old tobacco stock in a barn mixed with slightly fermented leaf. It's a limited batch. The little cigars were phenominal. Not surprisingly it's almost all gone. His price? $2.50 per cigar. I would pay $15-18.00 per cigar. $2.50 is ridiculous low.
Be careful of which blends you critique here. Someone's cousins sisters brothers friend could be the blender and you might offend someone here. I learned the hard way after receiving a tin of fungas.
Michael, Where do you get your knowledge from?? Making a statement that most members of this forum are of the age 60+. If “ YOU “ were an experienced pipe smoker and knew how to age, prepare and smoke Black Frigate you’d probably enjoy the blend. You are the only pipe smoker I know that ever thought Black Frigate was an underwhelming smoke. If most of the blends recommended to you from members here on the Patch fall short to your liking try joining another forum! From what I’ve read in your posts....” your an odd duck “!! |
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Post by william on Oct 14, 2018 8:20:56 GMT -5
Judging from your avator photo you're between 30-40. Same age as me. So maybe your taste buds are more sensistive to quality. I'm getting the feeling most of the guys on this website are age 60+ which could affect the 5 senses. Taste is one of the 5 senses.
C&D Black Frigate crumple cake was recomended here and sold out online. So I thought it would be good. It was way underwhelming. Capt. Earles wins out over C&D any day. But Earles is now sold out almot everywhere online.
MOST of the blends that were recomended here fall short for me. Almost all the bulk Sutliffs and Stokobyes fall short or no good for me. Joes Mississippi Mud was terrible for me, Plum Pudding, and several other blends most people liked fell short for me. I expect the highest quality because I am willing to PAY for that quality. So someone better pony up and pick up the frogs series under another name. Because the free market has already proven Frogs under priced thier products the entire time they were sold. People have money and are willing to pay for quality and that's a fact.
Recently sampled some local backwoods type cigars this guy made from an old tobacco stock in a barn mixed with slightly fermented leaf. It's a limited batch. The little cigars were phenominal. Not surprisingly it's almost all gone. His price? $2.50 per cigar. I would pay $15-18.00 per cigar. $2.50 is ridiculous low.
Be careful of which blends you critique here. Someone's cousins sisters brothers friend could be the blender and you might offend someone here. I learned the hard way after receiving a tin of fungas.
Michael, Where do you get your knowledge from?? Making a statement that most members of this forum are of the age 60+. If “ YOU “ were an experienced pipe smoker and knew how to age, prepare and smoke Black Frigate you’d probably enjoy the blend. You are the only pipe smoker I know that ever thought Black Frigate was an underwhelming smoke. If most of the blends recommended to you from members here on the Patch fall short to your liking try joining another forum! From what I’ve read in your posts....” your an odd duck “!! |
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Post by Cramptholomew on Oct 14, 2018 8:35:29 GMT -5
Over the past twenty-seven years I've been through most of their offerings and really can't find much to dislike about them. I'll take anything they offer over Esoterica but my favorites are Black Frigate, Crooner, Speakeasy, Redburn, and Night Train. I'm 44. I'm 43, and smoked pipes in the past occasionally, but didn't get really into until February of this year. As a new pipe smoker, I haven't had the pleasure of smoking much that's sat around long enough to turn into something great. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely C&D blends that I like, Crooner, and BBB included. Bayou Night/Morning, Kajun Kake, Gentleman Caller, and the Pease blends I've had all get a big thumbs up. I even ordered Black Frigate yesterday, due to some of your passionate posts about it. I'm not going to stop trying their blends, since I want to support any player that's still in this business. I guess I'm just guilty of wanting more immediate satisfaction, rather than buying something, finding it sharp out of the gate, and having to put it away. The sample of 2012 Sunday Picnic Wolfman sent me was great. But, that took 6 years to happen. Also, it looks like C&D has far more blends than any other blender, so there's definitely more room for stinkers, too. I guess my major frustration is that when I've bought a lot of my C&D tins, they have been too young fresh, and they need to be put away - which means not only monetary investment, but years of time investment in something that you're not sure is even going to even be good in the long run. Quite possibly it will be, but you never know... |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 10:36:11 GMT -5
Most of their stuff is tinned very very fresh. I know a few people that wont smoke c&d without at minimum a year of age on the baccy. From my experience with the blends I've had fresh and with a year on them it is true of many C&d blends. I have had a couple that are going to need much longer. I’m one of those people. C&D ships their stuff too young. The majority of their blends need a year in the tin before they shine. +1. I like Exhausted Rooster, Epiphany and Opening Night; however, all have been better with three years plus age. |
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Post by slowroll on Oct 14, 2018 11:23:30 GMT -5
It is well to remember that people have very different taste perceptions regardless of age. I find the C&D latakia blends superb. Engine 99, Ten Russians, Byzantium , SOTEF are my favorites bar none. Not harsh to me at all right out of the tin (but need some drying) I found Mississippi Mud smooth but bland. Can't comment on their other offerings because the only non-lat blend I smoke regularly is MacBaren HH ODF.
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Post by jeffd on Oct 14, 2018 14:43:39 GMT -5
I have been very happy with the blends I have tried. Their Billy Budd Blonde, obviously, and a few others. BBB happens to be a good one. With respect, and not wanting to start a fight or any kind of hard feelings, but I want to acknowledge that BBB is good by design, because educated talented people who know what they are doing designed the blend. Of course they cannot control my response or your response to any given blend, but I am uncomfortable with the idea that such quality just happens. I don't think we disagree, perhaps, but just have different tastes and different delights. And maybe we are emphasizing different things. I do not think C&D applies any less talented people or less care in the design of any of their blends, just that my tastes align this way and others align another way. My apologies if I have misunderstood your position. |
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Post by monbla256 on Oct 14, 2018 14:47:22 GMT -5
Since I don't smoke any burley I can't speak to any of C&Ds Burley based blends but I do like what they can do with their Va. based blends though I will agree most of them could use more age in the tins. As far as the GLP blends they sell I've really not been impressed. JMHO  |
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,912
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
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Post by chasingembers on Oct 14, 2018 15:29:49 GMT -5
Difference of taste I suppose. I've never came across a tobacco that wasn't fine to smoke when purchased. The only reason any of my cellar has any age on it is due to not getting around to smoking them yet. As for Black Frigate, that one has been a favorite since the late '90s. Still have a few of the old metal shoe polish tins that have never been opened. I just miss when you could order straight from C&D prior to Laudasi buying them. You could get a one pound brick of BF for $28.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2018 15:37:12 GMT -5
THIS ^^^^^^^^^^ is “ the man “ that introduced me to Black Frigate.....now I’m addicted and have enough back up. A few months ago I gave a tin to a friend here in NC.....he fell in love with this blend on his first Thanks Duane |
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Post by Cramptholomew on Oct 14, 2018 16:39:41 GMT -5
BBB happens to be a good one. With respect, and not wanting to start a fight or any kind of hard feelings, but I want to acknowledge that BBB is good by design, because educated talented people who know what they are doing designed the blend. Of course they cannot control my response or your response to any given blend, but I am uncomfortable with the idea that such quality just happens. I don't think we disagree, perhaps, but just have different tastes and different delights. And maybe we are emphasizing different things. I do not think C&D applies any less talented people or less care in the design of any of their blends, just that my tastes align this way and others align another way. My apologies if I have misunderstood your position. I wasn't trying to be argumentative, controversial in any way, or knocking C&D's ability to produce good blends. I was just stating that in, my limited experience, a lot of what I've tried has been too sharp to my tastes fresh. That is definitely regarding my own taste and experience. I guess my initial post could have came across as a dig at a well-loved company, but that wasn't my intention. Like I've previously stated, I like a lot of blends by them, but by comparison to what I've bought from other blenders, the ratio (for me) of "smokeable now" to "smokeable in the future" is far more varied. I was wondering if this has happened for anyone else, or if it's a known-thing with them that you're kind of expected to "purchase for later". It is definitely a subjective issue, because taste is just that - subjective. This closely correlates to what I experienced when I started making my own vape liquid. In that rabbit hole exists a plethora of concentrated food flavoring companies. Each company does something different with their flavors, and some do certain things better than the others. Flavor Art makes better realistic flavors. Capella does better candy flavors. The Flavor Apprentice makes certain things better than the others, BUT their flavors we're hit or miss when blended fresh. It also happens that their wheelhouse of available flavors was also vastly larger that anyone else. Not that the quality was any less, but it was well know that once you blended with Flavor Apprentice flavors, it needed to sit and age for at least a couple weeks for the flavors to soften. Again, all that is subject to personal preference or taste. I guess I'm looking at C&D as being a similar experience for me in the pipe smoking world. I haven't meant any offense to anyone, so please forgive me if I've caused any hard feelings for what I've posted. |
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,912
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
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Post by chasingembers on Oct 14, 2018 17:01:25 GMT -5
I read no argumentative tone or any sort of animosity. Individual tastes are different and we have thousands of tobaccos to satisfy each of them. Lots of folks say that my beloved straight Orientals smell like feet in the jar.😂
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