One of the highlights of my career as a tobacconist has been the privilege of working with Jeremy Reeves, the head blender at Cornell & Diehl, and Kaz Walters from Laudisi Distribution Group, on a series of pipe tobacco blends that would essentially be a tobacco line extension to Kurt Kendall’s storied 7-20-4 cigar brand. The first of the five-blend collection is Boston Tea Party, which was released in the first quarter of 2022. It was an immediate success for us and continues to be enjoyed by our customers at Twins Smoke Shop and other smoke shops around the country that carry the 7-20-4 brand.

The tin that I am smoking from for this review is from the original release, which was tinned at Cornell & Diehl on March 2, 2022. With nearly three years behind this particular tin, I was curious how the blend had aged.

Boston Tea Party is a ribbon-cut blend of White and Dark Burley, Bright and Red Virginia, and Turkish Oriental tobaccos. The tin note has notes of sweet hay, nuts, and fruit. The tobacco had the perfect amount of moisture. It packed well and lit up easily in my Savinelli 628.

Right off the bat, it is smooth and creamy with nutty undertones with notes of buttercream, leather, with pepper and cedar in the retrohale. The long finish offers notes of nuts, hints of chocolate, and black tea. The Orientals add a zesty spice to the palate as well.

There are distinct cedar and floral notes in the room note, with occasional hints of lemon zest or citrus. About a third of the way in, the Red Virginias become more pronounced, presenting as rye bread. The finish evolves to cream and black tea, with the black tea becoming more pronounced towards the middle of the bowl.

In the second half, the cedar profile intensifies, accompanied by a floral and tangy spice from the Orientals. There are also flavors of nuts, caramelized cream, hints of cedar, and light spice on the palate. The nuttiness of the Burley remains, though it’s not as sweet, and the black tea finish is replaced by stronger cedar notes and a cedary spice, increasing its overall body from medium to medium-plus, possibly reaching full towards the end of the bowl.

Looking back at my original notes back in 2022, the profile and major themes of the blend are still there. But I can say that the 32 months of age have made it more complex and enjoyable for me. It is sweeter than I remember, and smoother. The notes of buttercream and rye bread seem to be born of its aging as well. If you like Burley blends, I highly recommend giving 7-20-4 Briary Blends: Boston Tea Party a try. It is available at Twins Smoke Shop and any at any tobacconist that carries the 7-20-4 brand of cigars.