Public Profile

CAO - Moontrance 50g
Unexpected
This tobacco was a fun one to try as I smoke a pipe regularly but will occasionally smoke a cigar as well. Being as I have had these in cigar form and enjoyed them very much I was eager to try this in my pipe. The tin note is amazing, and smells identical to the cigars that I so enjoy, smelling heavily of vanilla, raisins, and honey. Taste however, is a completely different experience altogether. I am glad that I tried this one in both forms as they are completely different experiences for me at least. I did not think that this one tasted anything like a cigar which was surprising to me as that is what I had expected. The tobacco was easy to pack, light, and burned well through to the end of the bowl. The taste was much milder than expected especially for those that have had the cigar and after smelling such a strong tin note. Upon lighting this tobacco one is greeted with the mild taste of vanilla with hints of sweet honey and a faint fruit-like taste which stay with you through to the end of the smoke. The room note was not as strong as I would have believed that it was going to be after smelling the tin note, and according to the wife, had a mild smell but definitely had the aroma of honey and vanilla. Overall, I was surprised at how mild this blend is after having the cigar, but was pleasantly surprised at how well this worked for me in my pipe. Definitely a good aromatic to keep around for those days when you just crave something slightly sweet.

Hearth & Home - Egg Nog 1.5oz
Nog
First, I have to say that I wouldn’t consider this to be strictly a holiday blend as it was a good all-around, everyday smoke, however it could fill that void as a holiday blend for some. The tin note was that of vanilla, nutmeg, sweet caramel, with maybe a hint of cinnamon detected. The moisture content of the tobacco in the tin was spot on perfect, which makes this tobacco easy to pack, light, and maintain a steady burn through to the bottom of the bowl. Upon lighting the pipe there were subtle hints of sweetness which remain throughout the entire smoke, however there was more of a spiciness that comes to the front of the pallet. By mid-bowl there was a mild nutty flavor which seemed to remain through to the end of the smoke. The room note according to the wife was mild, but definitely sweet and warm.

Cornell & Diehl - We Three Kings 2oz
A good smoke
Although sold as a holiday blend I believe that this tobacco could be smoked just about any time. The tin note reminded me of vanilla, nutmeg, rum, and spice and was very pleasant. Before lighting there was a sweet and spicy like taste in the pipe when drawn which hints at what is to come. The tobacco was easy to load and pack and took the initial light well, staying lit through the majority of the smoke, although I did have to relight midway through the bowl, but this is meant to be smoked slowly in order to avoid any bite. The taste was mild and slightly sweet with a hint of vanilla and a touch of spiciness on the initial charring, but progressed into a more spiced, almost ginger like note by mid-bowl. Towards the end of the smoke there was an almost fresh baked bread taste that was detectable with just a hint of the sweetness coming through. The room note according to the wife was warm and pleasant. All in all, a good smoke any day of the week.

Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding
initial thoughts
This was my first taste of an English blend tobacco so I really had nothing to compare it to. Since smoking this blend I have tried several of the Dunhill English blends and now understand more of what I am supposed to be looking for in an English blend tobacco. Before the English blend foray I had been smoking primarily aromatic blends and this is definitely different than smoking the aromatics as it has no sweetness at all, however it is not lacking in flavor. As for the tin note or bag note as mine was ordered in bulk from smokingpipes.com, there was the strong smell of new leather, almost as if one had walked into a fine leather shop and opened up a new wallet only to stuff their face in it. If you can’t tell I enjoy the smell of new leather. The tobacco was also in a different form than I am used to and required a little work to pack and smoke a bowl, but that was part of the fun of this smoke, and it left the same new leather smell on the hands for a time. Once the pipe was packed the tobacco took a light well and stayed lit throughout the entire smoke with no need to relight. As for taste during the initial light there was a strong evergreen campfire taste which sent me on a trip back to my youth on the banks of a well-known lake, sitting around a campfire and taking in all the sights and smells. Of course there was the smell and almost taste of the rich leather throughout the smoke and a mild slightly musky, almost mushroom earthy taste by midbowl, but the evergreen or conifer campfire taste was the predominant flavor of the tobacco. The taste was stronger than expected and the tobacco had a good nicotine boost and no detectible bite. Again, there were some really earthy tastes that were very complex, and it will take some getting used to, and will definitely need to be smoked several times before all of the flavor profiles can be detected. A bit on the strong side as far as taste goes which means that everything smoked afterwards will be hard to decipher, so best smoked as a standalone at the end of the day. The room note according to my wife was the inviting smell of a campfire. All in all a good smoke that was enjoyed and will be purchased again in the future.