[Tobacco Blends] Drew Estate: Meat Pie

Finding that some of my favorite cigar manufacturers had begun putting out blends of tobacco meant for a pipe, I must say that I was elated. First came CAO, which had put out my favorite in flavored cigarillos. I found out once I started delving back into the pipe collecting hobby that they had released multiple blends based off their tinned line of smokes, which included my personal favorite of Eileen’s Dream.

It was not too soon after that when I stumbled upon Drew Estate and several of their blends. To this company’s credit, they aren’t blends based of off something they have already released in the past. In fact, they went out on a limb and went all out. Naturally, with my recent fascination with English/Latakia blends, I steered first towards their Meat Pie. No real hint as to whats in it (although, after some digging I did find out it is a mix of latakia, oriental and Virginia tobacco) I went for it, and I have a feeling this just might be a staple in my rotation.

Opening the tin, my nose was greeted with the familiar smells associated with these blends. Smokey…almost bonfire like in smell. For a split second, however, I was slightly confused as I examined the tobacco as there are plenty of light and dark tones…hinting at aromatic blends.

This blend was perfect, and I do mean perfect, right from the tin. There was no dry time, even for my tastes. I quickly loaded up a bowl, sat back and struck a match. It took to light easy enough. My first bowl it took a couple tries, but I have a feeling it was more out of my pack job due to excitement than anything else. Once the tobacco gets going there was no relight. It burns well enough that even after sitting for a minute I can pick my pipe back up and there’s still enough smoldering that with a couple puffs it takes off once more.

The blend tastes smokey at first, like any good English with a hint of something more underneath. I found as I went along the bowl mellows out and the latakia becomes less prevalent. As a matter of fact, I found that the blends becomes sweeter the further down the bowl I smoked. Near the end, there was something there that was almost vanilla-like in taste. This hint of vanilla was just that…subtle and enough to make me tilt my head to the side and wonder. There was no note in the room that myself or my other half could pick up (it smelled smokey, like all English tend to) and as far as I could find, there was no casing involved…so if there happens to be a bit of vanilla in this blends it is no more than a spritz or two.

The tobacco finishes out to a nice grey ash. Out of all the bowls I have smoked not a single one had more than a piece or three of dottle. Most smokes ended up burning clear to the end and other than in larger bowl (like my Nording), there was no moisture at all. What did accumulate in my Nording was more due to me and my drooling tendencies than the tobacco.

In the end, as I stated, halfway through the tin and I have a feeling this is going to be one of those I include as part of my rotation. It’s delicious and surprisingly different than the norm. If I were to recommend an English/Latakia blend that isn’t a cross-over from an aromatic I’d say this would most likely be it. It has great flavor and a complexity that piques my interest as I smoke, resulting in my curiosity in all of their blends growing. If they can make a twist on a traditional English, just what can they do with their aromatic or Virginia-based blends?

[Tobacco Blends] Dan Tobacco: Devil’s Holiday

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.

[Tobacco Blends] CAO: Eileen’s Dream

Occasionally when I hear of something reminiscent of things past, I tend to pass a little judgement. Whether that be a yay or a nay…or even, in this case, a particular taste and aroma. So, naturally, when I saw that CAO had a blend of pipe tobacco out that was named after one of my favorite tinned petite cigars, Eileen’s Dream…well…let’s just say that I was both ecstatic and already certain of how it would taste.

When the tin arrived, I popped it open without hesitation. My nostrils were hit with a delicious aroma. Hints of a light chocolate and vanilla were prevalent…almost creamy in nature. The tobacco itself wasn’t too moist nor too dry. As is my normal regime, I let some sit out for a bit to get a bit more to my liking. It didn’t take long…possibly 20 minutes at most.

I loaded up my Peterson Aran 268, a ‘Zulu’ shaped pipe, licking my lips in anticipation. With a flick of a match, we were off. It took to light with relative ease and after the false light, there was no turning back.

Like I stated earlier…I had a very particular taste in mind. This was supposed to be Eileen’s Dream  after all. However…this blend…is not the Eileen’s Dream that I remember. In fact, it is almost entirely something different. Instead it was a little something familiar, but a totally new take and it was surprisingly wonderful!

I could pick up the irish cream well enough while the vanilla and (white) chocolate played on my tongue. Unlike most aromatics that I’ve tried in the past, this was a relatively light smoke. It wasn’t thick and ‘chewy,’ but rather airy instead. It also stayed lit with little hassle so I was able to sip and enjoy the taste rather than struggle with keeping the bowl going. The tobacco did burn a little on the warm side, but not once did it get too hot. With a little self control I was able to slow down my puffing as to not be quite so greedy.

The smoke itself was cool and not once did I suffer from the dreaded tongue bite! It was great. Flavorful without being too over-the-top. The casings used in this blend play well off one another, and although not complex in the normal sense of the word, it was still enjoyable attempting to discern the additives as they were sipped.

All-in-all, if you’re a fan of vanilla and the different variations thereof, this blend should be enough to sate your appetite. Again, it was a pleasant surprise and although not everyone has tasted their cigarillos of the same name, this version of Eileen’s Dream is bound to be a favorite. I know I’ll most likely keep some around, although not in a regular rotation. This is, however, a pleasant aromatic for those new, or newer, to the hobby to their feet wet and enjoy a delightful smoke.

[Tobacco Blends] Cornell & Diehl: Autumn Evening

Where to begin with Cornell & Diehl’s Autumn Evening blend…

I’ve been trying to find an aromatic that both tastes great…or at least tastes good enough…that also fills the room with a pleasant aroma. Digging through multiple sites, Autumn Evening read well. Supposedly heavily cased in maple flavor and a lovely maple aroma. Some reviews even made mention of maple drenched pancakes. Naturally, I was sold.

Upon popping the tin, it smells amazing. It definitely has a maple aroma. This had me a little giddy, as I love the flavor and was expecting something amazing.

Right out of the tin, it was a little moist. I sat out some to dry for about 20-25 minutes. Again, I prefer my tobacco a bit on the dryer side. While I waited, I emptied out the tin into one of my jelly mason jars for storage. Then, I went about my ritual of loading my first bowl. I decided upon my Peterson St. Patrick’s Day 2006 B10.

It took to light easy enough, with the char light taking one match and one more to get things goings.

The flavor…was not anything I was expecting. I tasted no maple. There was a hint of brown sugar somewhere underneath a horrible burned/charred taste. Somewhere in there, there might have been a smidgen of expired and crusty molasses…the type that no one wanted and has sat in the fridge for generations.

I attempted to work my way through the bowl. Both puffing and sipping. It was a struggle. The aftertaste was all but unbearable. Again, no maple…and rolling my tongue around all I could get was that horrid charred taste left to remind me of what I stuffed into my bowl.

The tobacco itself burnt well. In fact, for an aromatic, it burned to the bottom well enough that I only had to tamper, rather than relight.

Thinking perhaps there was something ghosting this particular pipe, after it cooled I went about cleaning it out with some moonshine and left it to dry.

Then, second times the charm, right? I figured it was a fluke. The next day opening up the jar with reservation, it was that intoxicating smell that got my hopes up. Loading up the bowl I set my expectations high once more, giving the benefit of the doubt. I was disappointed. There was no improvement, and giving that what I had been smoking in the bowl prior too had been sweet, there shouldn’t have been too much tainted flavor.

Whatever Autumn Evening was meant to be…I don’t know. I could have simply gotten a bad batch (manufacturing date on the bottom of the tin reads 2013-12-12), but there was nothing pleasant about this blend. As I sit here writing this, I’m still cringing at the taste left in my mouth.

Usually, I will give a blend a fighting chance and won’t pass judgement until several bowls have been given a go. In this case…I think I will simply cut my losses. As this is my first sampling of what Cornell & Diehl have to offer I just hope whatever I try of theirs in the future gives me a better impression.

That being said…I will let what I do have age a bit and give it another bowl or two. If there is a noted improvement I’ll most definitely be writing up another tasting. If there isn’t…well, It’ll never again see the light of day. As it stands, however, Autumn Evening is not one I’ll recommend…ever.