Sometimes I’m a sucker for aesthetic packaging. In the case of Dan Tobacco’s Devil’s Holiday, I was sold by the label of the tin. Adorned with artwork reminiscent of the 1960s and 70s, I didn’t care how it tasted because the tin alone would make a nice addition to the ‘smoking section’ of the house. It wasn’t until I made my rounds online to the various retailers out there that I found it was consistently sold out. Once, I thought I was in luck having found a store that had it in stock, but made the mistake of waiting until morning to try and order only to find it sold out yet again. In fact, it took almost three weeks of checking and cycling through my retailer rotation before I found one that had some in stock. Needless to say I didn’t dilly-dally this time and ordered it straight away.
During those three weeks, I did a little digging trying to figure out why Devil’s Holiday was constantly out of stock while other Dan Tobacco blends remained. In the end, it came down to this being a fan favorite and a must-try for anyone into aromatics. Like every blend, there were individuals who hated it, but those who spoke out in favor outweighed the Negative Nancies.
Finally, the tin arrived…although later than anticipated. Nonetheless, upon popping the tin I was not disappointed in its aroma. It was advertised as a cavendish with golden Virginia leaves and the flavorings of sweet wild forest berries. Now…I don’t know exactly what sweet wild forest berries truly smell like…but if this blend is an indicator, they smell exactly like tropical punch Kool-Aid. And, in this instance, I didn’t mind at all.
The tobacco felt a little moist to me right out of the tin, so I went about leaving some out to dry a bit before loading my Peterson Aran 268. Just a warning, this blend is tricky. It doesn’t take nearly as long to dry as what one would anticipate, so be sure to check often. After several bowls, I still haven’t mastered it yet. Initially I left it out for about 30 minutes, lessening my time each sampling thereafter and each time it was on the verge of crumbling to dust. I’m sure it’s the casing used as it’s obviously rather surgar-heavy, but nonetheless, keep an eye on it if you feel the need to dry.
It takes to light quick and easy and the taste isn’t half bad. It’s not as strong as the tin note would suggest, but I did pick up on that same tropical punch-like flavor. The Virginia was nowhere to be tasted and the casing mottled out any and all complexity, but if you’re buying this blend this most likely isn’t a priority. The taste is consistent right down to the bottom of the bowl. Even after a re-light due to being sidetracked, there was no ‘skunking’ towards the end of the bowl like some aromatics.
It is worth noting this is the first, and thus far only blend, I’ve smoked that had my other half rushing from the living room to inquire what I was smoking. At first, I figured she was there to complain, but surprisingly she liked it and commented on how, “…sweet,” it smelled.
This is one of those blends I’ll think I’ll keep around to enjoy from time to time, just not in my regular rotation. It’s too sweet for me to enjoy often, but it’ll be pleasant to revisit every now and again. It is also a blend I wouldn’t recommend starting out with for new pipe smokers, as the casing is dominant and any nuances are lost. Unlike some other aromatics I’ve sampled, there isn’t any play on the tongue of varying flavors. Instead, it’s “sweet forest berries” from beginning to end.
However…I do look forward to giving this a go out of a churchwarden just to see what a longer-stemmed smoke will do to enhance the flavor!
Tip: If you’re unsure about this blend and/or just giving it a try, my recommendation is to smoke it from a corn cob pipe. You’ll get a better flavoring…and you won’t be ghosting a briar or meerschaum for future use. Even in a meer the taste tends to linger for a few bowls of other blends and kool-aid doesn’t always add positive nuances to other tobaccos.
The Rustic Briar 