tobacco reviews
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Haddo’s Delight is a blend of Virginia, Perique, Burley, and Black Cavendish from Greg Pease. The tin description informs you that it undergoes an “exclusive process [that] darkens and marries the mixture.” I am thinking that refers to the flavor profile, because the tobaccos themselves (other than the Perique) do not look darker that I
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Gawith Hoggarth’s Rum Twist is a rope spun with stoved Virginia and flavored with rum. To properly prepare this tobacco, I recommend slicing shavings from it—as thin as you can make them. The twist was originally intended to be a convenient means of transporting tobacco on long voyages in a compact format that would hold
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G.L. Pease Penny Farthing is a very fine cut shag blend of Bright and Red Virginia, Perique, and Dark Fired Kentucky. The tin note offers aromas of figs, along with the notes and sweetness of stone fruit. Upon lighting, I pick up flavors of fig, cocoa, sweet hay, and lightly smoked nuts. The blend is
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G.L. Pease’s Charing Cross, released in 2003, is a Balkan blend featuring Virginia, Latakia, and Orientals. This particular tin, dated April 2022, has been in my collection for a while. The aroma from the tin is smoky, earthy, and musty, with hints of dark unsweetened chocolate. Upon lighting, I get flavors of smoked mesquite, dark
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Samuel Gawith Navy Flake is a blend of Virginia and Latakia tobaccos, pressed with a hint of rum. The tin note was slightly musty and smoky with hints of raisins and spice. The initial flavors are reminiscent of mesquite, steak sauce, stewed fruit, citrus, and rye bread. After the first few minutes however, the profile
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Toscano’s Puccini is a flake made from Italian and North American Dark Fired Kentucky. The tin note is a delightful blend of smoky, woody, dried fruits, and spice aromas. Upon lighting, I picked up notes of smoked wood, nuts, and pepper. The retrohale was very spicy, featuring black and red peppercorn. This tobacco is definitely
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Sillem’s is a German brand currently manufactured by Kopp Tobacco, with roots going back to the 16th century in Hamburg, Germany. Commodore Flake is a blend of Latakia, Dark Fired Kentucky, and Black Cavendish. The tin note is sweet and fruity, with hints of nuts and raisins. The flakes are very soft and easily turn
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HU Tobacco’s Nebari is a ribbon cut blend of Virginia, Burley, Orientals, and Perique. After opening the tin, it feels like it might need some drying time (this turned out not to be the case) and had a light and pleasant tin note. The Orientals and Burley combine in interesting ways, creating a kind of
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How to Properly Prepare Twist Tobacco I have talked to a lot of people who want to smoke twist or rope tobaccos like Gawith Hoggarth’s Black or Brown Irish X but get frustrated with keeping it lit. I have been learning that the problem is often in how it is being prepared. When it comes
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Since 2019, when Not Just Blowing Smoke began, I have shared my thoughts on the best new cigars and tobaccos of the year. On the one hand, the last thing the cigar/pipe world needs is another list of the best of 2024. But I am not just blowing smoke when I confess that some of
Not Just Blowing Smoke with Pastor Padron 