Ok...Monday is officially gone and we can get on with things. Two spot reviews today. For reference, a spot review is an initial impression of a tobacco...typically smoking the first bowl of a blend (be it tinned, pouched, or otherwise). Today we have two...first up is Carter Hall. Carter Hall, CH from now on, is produced by John Middleton, a division of Altria. I let my initial bowlful dry for about thirty minutes, give or take five minutes (pre 7 am I'm not keeping exact times) and then loaded it in a gravity fill methodology (pinch of tobacco, dropped in bowl, light press down, onto the next pinch, etc.). The pipe was a new (never smoked) Dr. Grabow Duke Billiard (Gr. 1 to 2, max), sans filter. Took off from false/charring light (didn't need to touch this one up). Initially I noticed that this is a mild tobacco but in this instance mild does not mean tasteless. All the information I can find denotes this as a blend of burley and Virginia tobacco. The body is medium and the VA and burley play very nicely with each other...body, depth, and a gentle sweet-spiciness. As the bowl progresses the flavor adds a hint of nutty-earthiness without becoming bitter, sour, or otherwise untoward. I really relaxed and enjoyed this bowl...took me 40 minutes and had a small dottle in the bottom of the bowl still to go. I'd never tried CH before, lumping it, regrettably, into the "drug store Burley category" along with Prince Albert (PA from now on)...which is to say so mild as to be tasteless and apart from the clouds of smoke I didn't know it was still lit. This could very easily become a go-to tobacco for me...enough flavor that I really enjoy it, easy on the tongue, and affordable ($3.50 for the pouch locally, will be looking for a tub if my enjoyment continues). I'm looking forward to continuing to evaluate this tobacco.
Next up...Captain Black Royal Blend produced by Lane, Ltd, now a division of Scandinavian Tobacco (parent of Orlik and other blenders/brands). The sample has been allowed to dry for about three hours (it is an aromatic and while not as "goopy" as some, is still a bit more wet than I like to load in my pipe). Pouch aroma is very sweet vanilla and the tobacco is a very fine ribbon cut gold cavendish with some larger pieces of black cavendish mixed in. The pipe for this test is my newly christened aromatic pipe...a rusticated/bark finished (it isn't smooth, let's go with that) "London Briar" billiard with a lucite stem stamped "Italy". I noted on packing that the aroma, while still sweet vanilla, had diminished some during the drying. Had a little trouble with lighting - less the tobacco and more that the Zippo needs fuel (will remedy ASAP)...once the lighter cooperated the tobak took flame readily and we're off. Note: I enjoyed this pipe with a cup of PG Tips tea with milk and a little sweetener. First eighth of bowl provided fantastic aroma but not much else. Flavor kicked in about 1/4 bowl in and was very mild, with traces of sweet and vanilla. Smoke progressed well, staying mostly dry (no gurgling, at least). Flavor remained mild throughout...I'm not sure what the constituent tobacco(es) are here but it twanged a couple of times like Bright VA, may have just been cased Burley for all I know,never really showed that it wanted to bite. The bottom quarter or so (may have been slightly less) provided a plug of fairly wet tobacco that didn't want to stay lit and having enjoyed a second 40 minute smoke today,I decided to turn it out and be done. My thoughts: this isn't a bad tobacco. It is very mild, provides a nice room note (I smoke outside and frequently catch the aroma of my pipe), and isn't harsh on the tongue. It isn't a tobacco I'd keep all the time (the pouch aroma can be a little cloying and has to remain outside of my tobacco storage area) but I will, from time to time, enjoy a pouch as something different. My only grievance is the mildness, I tasted more from my tea than the tobacco. I will continue to evaluate these thoughts through the pouch...they, like the CH thought, are subject to change.
Today's winner is the Carter Hall...at less than half the price (locally) of the Captain Black Royal (locally almost $8/pouch) it would be my preferred smoke.
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