Nørding Hunter Blends
Erik Nørding is among the most renowned names in pipe making, creating dynamic pipes beloved worldwide for over 60 years. With humble beginnings in pipe carving as a hobby, he built a lasting legacy that has influenced the Danish Freehand style we know and love today. Beyond his success in the industry, his love for hunting is a hobby that has persisted in his life. His renowned Hunting pipe series has been ongoing since 1995 and is a celebration that embodies both his love for the briar and his life as an outdoorsman. Beyond this pipe series, Nørding is excited to release a reimagined take on the Hunter tobacco blends of old, continuing the celebration with three new mixtures, ideal for an array of smoking palates with plenty of distinctive Danish style.
These three new blends — Labrador, Pointer, and Fox Hound — may share the familiar themes of the old series, yet these blends have been reinterpreted and were manufactured by Cornell & Diehl, resulting in classic takes on the Virginia/Perique, Virginia, and English family styles as a tribute to the great Erik Nørding.
Conception & Artistic Direction
"It started on a video call with Knud Nørding, Erik's son," says VP of Marketing Andy Wike. "We were talking about potential pipe-tobacco projects for the Nørding line. They were hoping to expand their range of offerings, and Shane Ireland and I brought up the Hunter series."
Knud liked the idea of this release being dedicated as a tribute to his dad. "Shane and I had the idea of doing English countryside-style oil painting on canvas for the artwork, so Ania Nierwinski (the Graphic Designer on our Marketing team) painted with actual oil paints. All the artwork that we're using for the tins was hand painted on canvas over the course of around six months," says Andy.
Her efforts were fruitful and the results impressive. "One of the hard things about oil on canvas is that every layer has to dry before you can apply anything else, so it was time-consuming to create," says Andy. "All the artwork centers on Eric Nørding as the primary figure, wearing traditional English hunting gear accompanied by various hunting dogs, and the breed of the dog on the label corresponds to the name of the pipe tobacco. When we showed the artwork to Knud, he was over the moon, and his mother and Erik both loved it too."
The three tobacco mixtures each represent a different hunting companion — the Labrador, the Fox Hound, and the Pointer, respectively — each bringing delightful smoking experiences that are prepped to remain steadfast on your journeys, perhaps on hunting pursuits or on early-morning treks through the wilderness.
Labrador
The first of the three blends, Labrador, is the perfect companion for Virginia/Perique lovers, comprising the finest Red and Bright flue-cured leaf alongside genuine St. James Parish Perique and a hint of Black Cavendish.
"Labrador has a very traditional Virginia/Perique profile," says Andy, "with a little bit more of a velvety mouthfeel, with tang and natural sweetness from the Virginias. Va/Per smokers who enjoy that flavorful, classic profile will really love this one."
"It is a blend of aged Red and Bright Virginias as well as roughly 8 percent Perique, so I would put this in the medium strength category," says C&D Head Blender Jeremy Reeves. "It has a roasted and toasted note to it, and the classic Virginia/Perique flavor profile."
This loyal and trustworthy blend, much like its namesake, is reliable and happy to please as your newest smoking sidekick.
Fox Hound
The next blend in the Hunter series is Fox Hound, an English blend well-suited for morning smokes, with cube-cut Burley, matured Red and Bright Virginias, Cavendish, and St. James Perique, enhanced by a pinch of Turkish Latakia. "It's an English blend but the proportions of Latakia are light, which makes this more of a Virginia-forward English," says Andy. "It's really more of a Scottish-style mixture."
Fox Hound packs a bit more strength than you would typically expect from an English blend from the Burley. "There's a little bit of Perique as well," says Andy. "It's complex and creamy with a lot of natural sweetness. When I picture this one, I see Erik hunting on foggy mornings and enjoying this mixture."
"Fox Hound is light on Latakia," says Jeremy. "It has a very subtle fruity top note added that works really well with the savory notes of Perique and Latakia, and the cocoa notes that the Burley brings to the equation. There's some really nice vintage on all these tobaccos. All of these components are aged. Strength-wise, I would put this more toward the fuller side of medium, but it's not at all a Latakia bomb."
This amiable blend is ideal for those who like English mixtures and want something with more body and strength for a strong start to the day.
"The focus on Burley and Perique there, I think, helps round out the Latakia," says Andy, "which is very full in flavor, but mild in nicotine and overall strength."
Pointer
The last blend joining the new Hunter series is Pointer, which is a straight, pure Virginia composed of top-tier Red and Bright flue-cured leaf that is naturally sweet and rich.
"There are some great Red Virginias and some really great Brights in Pointer," says Andy. "This one is very zesty, very bright, and has the rich baked goods sweetness that you get from Reds, but also those tangy and grassy highlights from the Brights. It will have a creamy mouth feel and enhanced natural sweetness, and I think it showcases C&D's Virginias quite well."
"The Pointer is a regular Virginia with a lot of natural sweetness, so if your nicotine tolerance isn't too high, you'll enjoy it," says Jeremy. "There are some Danish elements to the flavor of the blend."
"It also has a really nice balance between toasted Red and Bright Virginias and untoasted Red and Bright Virginias," says Andy. "It's got a citrusy kind of vibe to it, and it is easy smoking. I would call it an all-day smoke on the lighter side of medium."
Nørding Hunter Blends Reimagined
The reimagined Hunter series was several years in the making and will be a regular-production line of pipe tobacco to be enjoyed in your smoking rotation for the long haul. "These are intended to be a mainstay in someone's tobacco selection," says Andy. "I think these are tobaccos for anyone who is interested in experiencing natural, pure tobacco flavors.
"These entries in Nørding's portfolio represent Cornell & Diehl as a manufacturer and also Nørding as a brand, which has a lot of heritage and legacy," says Andy. "Erik Nørding is a truly monumental figure in the pipe world. Not only does he have his own brand, but he's taught a bunch of people. This was a really cool project to work on collaboratively to bring some new blends to the market. There's something there for everyone."
Discover all three of the Nørding Hunter blends, dedicated to Erik Nørding and the Danish tobacco style with classic, subtle, and dependable mixtures that are ideal for pipe smokers of all experience levels and preferences.
Comments
Really excited to try these all!
I’m looking forward to trying fox hound. I have an unopened tin of the McClellan version of fox hound and want to compare the two.
Beautiful artwork Ania
Ordering one each of Nordings new tobbaco's. Interested in trying his flavors...