|
|
Normally when I pick a mystery blend I choose something I think our test subjects (or my co-workers, as they prefer to be called) are unlikely to guess, or at least guess right. A blend that looks anonymous in its components perhaps, or something similar to a mixture I know at least one of them smokes, thus providing a red herring factor. This time I didn't do that. Instead I took a recommendation from Shane. On the upside, they all enjoyed it. On the downside, and it's a big downside from where I'm standing, they also all were able to guess, and guess right. The lesson I take away from this change in pace, is that next time around I'm volunteering Shane as one of our subjects, and I'm picking a tobacco that will teach him a lesson. That having been said, on with it:
Sherlock Holmes once boasted that he could readily identify over 140 different types of tobacco solely based on their ashes. I, unfortunately, possess no such powers of deduction, if my results in previous posts have been any indication. I can, however, spot some rather obvious details.
For starters, this is a C&D blend. The cut is unmistakable: a mix of ribbon-cuts and larger micro-flakes. The main component seems to be Virginias, some bright, some a bit darker. Darker specks of Perique, I believe, are scattered here and there, but there's something else: a number of greenish-yellow colored pieces mixed in with the rest. Deertongue! A C&D blend with Deertongue? Well that narrows things down a bit, doesn't it?
The initial light is sweet, with a subtle vanilla undertone that pairs nicely with the sweetness of the proposed Virginias. A few puffs in, a spiciness appears, reinforcing my thoughts on Perique as a component. The sweetness actually fades a little as the blend progresses, giving way to those spicier notes, and offset by a slight floral tone. That being said, the subtle vanilla note remains pretty prominent throughout, making for a pretty complex mix of spiciness, sweetness, and a more floral hint of vanilla. The burn is even, with few relights required, and the room note is quite pleasant — almost like a sweet, infused cigar or cigarillo of some sort.
These things considered, there's but one blend that fits all of these characteristics: Gentleman Caller. But like I said, I'm no Sherlock Holmes...
And thanks to Shane, Andy, you don't have to be.
It's not often that I feel confident in a mystery blend's identity before even packing a bowl. But this one offers a lot of visual clues. There's plenty of Burley in small chunks and a few black pieces, which I suspect is Cavendish. But the tell-tale ingredient is Deertongue: small pieces of green leaves scattered amongst the tobacco. The Deertongue contributes an herbal, vanilla-like scent to the pouch note. There aren't many blends on the market today that contain this particular condiment leaf. Off the top of my head, I can think of two: C&D's Gentleman Caller and the same marque's bulk offering, Crooner. So before I even touch flame to leaf, I'm pretty sure that I'm about to smoke one of those two blends. While I've been curious about both blends for a while now, I haven't quite worked up the courage to try them. So thanks, Eric, for putting your finger on the scale.
In the charring light the Burley takes the lead, providing a full-bodied smoke. Following closely behind it is a mild sweetness that probably comes from the Cavendish. After a few sips, the Deertongue begins to show up in the smoke: it's creamy, herbal, and fragrant, not unlike a lightly perfumed talcum powder. A quarter of a bowl into the smoke, the flavors have settled into a nicely balanced harmony. The Burley is nutty, the Cavendish is sweet, the Deertongue weaves in and out of the smoke but never overpowers the other flavors.
I'll guess that this one is Gentleman Caller. Overall, this is a surprisingly nice blend. It's strong enough to be satisfying and complex enough to be interesting. It's not something that I'd smoke every day, but I'll probably pick up a tin to have around for a change of pace.
I'm pleased Josh enjoyed this one so much, actually. Especially since his office is still carrying a Deertongue ghost three days later. Lovely aroma, but it should be noted that this herb's room-note does tend to linger as much as those of potent Latakias.
I'm not sure if Eric is slipping or, after two months of no one guessing correctly, he just felt bad for us. Both seem at odds with everything I've learnt about Eric, but then yesterday, Andy and I caught him discussing spoiling his cat [finding ways to distract my cat, Adam - Ed.] with Sykes and Alyson, so maybe he's softened. Maybe. [No. - Ed.]
Anyway, the obvious inclusion of Deertongue (which looks like crushed bay leaves, and therefore quite distinctive) in this blend does make things significantly easier, narrowing the field to two entrants, and both of them Cornell & Diehl products: Crooner and Gentleman Caller. I recall Hearth and Home's Capital Stairs including Deertongue at some point, but apparently they stopped using it. Looking through the rest of the leaf in this blend I see light brown, dark brown, and black, none of which is cube cut, so I guess we can rule out Crooner. So, Gentleman Caller I guess.
I smoked a few bowls anyway, both to be fair to the spirit of the review, and out of curiosity, and I'm glad I did. I've cast a glance at this blend in the past but never succumbed to its siren song, which was my loss apparently. The slight vanilla/mint/citrus flavour from the Deertongue is sweet but not overly so, and, where I was expecting a cloying sweetness, it is actually kind of refreshing. The Perique isn't prominent, so I don't get much of a plum note, but there is a light spiciness, and this seems to be grounded by the slight nuttiness from the Burley.
Yep, definitely Gentleman Caller, and really quite good. Eric may have a fight on his hands if he tries to take back this sample.
So there we have it. In brief: Gentleman Caller, a pleasing blend, but don't ever count on being able to fool anyone with it.
You may also enjoy:
Comments