Posts from Smoke of the Fatherland Auto-translated

Difficult choice, need help

Sure, take both and don't worry. Use one for a week, then the other for a week.

Great plan, but my bank card doesn't agree with it.

I knew it. :(

Second.

Second.

Your opinion has been heard, and the order has been placed.
Actually, the first one might have appealed to me more; the finish is truly stunning. And it would fit the design of the Latakia pipes better. Perhaps I'll buy one when I have the opportunity.
The eagles are more brutal, rougher, and will pair perfectly with corn pipes. Considering the cowboy-style hat, plaid shirt, jeans, and eagle belt that my grandfather brought from America in the last century, I'll look more like an American than most Americans today.

I wanted to recommend the first one – the second one is too simple. Ah...

Let’s be honest, they are both beautiful.

It's strange, I saw three, not two, on my computer.
And now, on my phone, I see two.
Oh well, never mind.

From my computer, I can still see 3, but the third one is garbage.

I actually wanted to recommend the first one – the second one is too simple. Ah...

Well, the first one is obviously the best, even despite its somewhat childish feel.

Congratulations! to myself

This holiday has been celebrated for years, the history of pipe smoking in Europe dates back centuries, and the history of smoking tobacco goes back millennia. Men and women, rich and poor, southerners and northerners smoke pipes. Some smoke briar pipes, others smoke corn pipes, some love English blends, and others prefer Danish ones. But today is the day when these little things don't matter. It's a day that belongs to all those who share this noble passion for good tobacco and the most refined way to enjoy it. And even if our crazy age tries to turn us away from ancient customs, good things never go out of style.

And personally, I'm opening the pipe smoking season starting today, thankfully, the merciful Lord arranged for a warm-up at the most opportune moment. I've updated my collection – for example, with this vintage bulldog, but reviews will have to wait until the pipes are broken in.

And I express a modest hope that on February 20, 2021, I won't be the only one celebrating on this forum.

Oliva Serie V Lancero

For once, I'm choosing a pairing before the fact, so it should be interesting.


Wrapper: Colorado Maduro, velvety, with dark spots and a prominent vein. It exudes aromas of leather and buckwheat honey, with a slight peppery note. In a cold draw, it tastes like biscuit, nuts, and cloves. The draw is almost too tight.

It starts with a strong and dry nutty-woody profile with barely perceptible notes of nutmeg. The cigar is strong, but not excessively so. However, the taste seems both harsh and bland at the same time, which is a shame. The smoke's aroma mirrors the taste, but with the addition of buckwheat. Towards the end of the first third, you can detect a flavor reminiscent of Riga bread.

In the second third, the taste noticeably softens and acquires distinct leathery notes, against which hints of beans, marzipan, white pepper, and rope can be detected, adding a slight saltiness. The taste of nutmeg is very noticeable; they clearly didn't skimp on the Ligero leaves. The whiskey reveals a spicy theme: cloves and saffron. Not bad, not bad at all.

While the whiskey makes the spicy notes more prominent, the cigar makes the fruity flavors in the drink much more distinct, as well as the anise notes that were previously imperceptible. Furthermore, it is in this combination that you realize just how sweet "Valkyrie" whiskey is.

In the last third, the cigar plays a very soft tune with a dominant leather flavor, notes of hazelnut, and less noticeable tastes of wood, dark caramel, cloves, and cinnamon. The taste becomes smoother, less sweet, and less rich than in the middle, but the strength and intensity increase. The closer to the end, the stronger the flavors of black coffee and peppermint become. Unfortunately, by the 1/6 mark, the cigar completely loses its individuality, and I lose the desire to continue smoking, especially since my body doesn't like the combination of so much nicotine at the same time as alcohol and coffee. I take a couple of sharp puffs and let the cigar fade out.

Smoking time – about an hour and ten minutes, strength 7/10 A decent cigar, strong, very Nicaraguan, balanced. But it takes a very long time to pick up pace, it degrades towards the end, and in the end, with such a serious length, it provides real pleasure for about half an hour. The presence of Ligero leaves pleases me, but the wrapper is slightly bitter. It paired very well with whiskey; I guessed both the type of drink and the region. Variations are possible, but neither cognac, rum, nor Speyside whiskey would have been suitable. To be honest, I expected a little more. And I'm unlikely to become a fan of this format. 87/100.

But today I realized that, in general, I like the taste of pipe tobacco more than cigar tobacco. Nevertheless, the question of whether I prefer smoking a pipe or cigars remains open

Gregory Pease is an icon of modern pipe smoking. He creates genuine products, and perhaps the "Old London" series is the quintessence of his unique style.
An ancient technology is used in the production of these tobaccos: whole tobacco leaves with the midrib removed are laid in layers and aged under a light press for some time, and only then are they cut (if necessary) and put into production. This ensures not only additional fermentation but also allows the components to "marry" for a more even and deep flavor. Most manufacturers mix raw materials immediately. As the Maestro says, this series was created in hopes of turning back time and embodying blends similar to those that have not been produced for many decades. Traditional technology combined with modern achievements in blending thought gives the smoker an opportunity to embark on a journey where one foot stands in the present, while the other steps into the past.


G. L. Pease Gaslight
Cut: Krumble Kake
Composition: Latakia, Oriental, Virginia
Strength: 6.5/10

"On a misty, moonless night, along twisted cobblestone lanes illuminated only by the glow of ancient iron lanterns, you follow a scent as dark as the night itself, the exotic fragrance hauntingly familiar, compelling, irresistible...

Open the tin. Discover the mystery."

Intriguing, isn't it? Let us begin our journey.

Upon opening the tin, one is greeted by a thick smoky aroma with tones of aged hard cheese, rough leather, and even salty-mineral notes that you would usually expect to find in an island whisky, but certainly not in pipe tobacco.

Inside are neat blocks of loose "cake," mottled with all shades of brown, from canary yellow to black. You can pinch it off immediately, but the manufacturer recommends cutting the tobacco like a plug. I did both. I wouldn't say that the tobacco loses anything when packing pinched pieces of cake, but for a consistent experience, it is better to cut. To the touch, it seems somewhat dry, but this is normal for Latakia blends. The tobacco is in perfect condition for smoking.

The magnificent, beloved, and recognizable smoky taste of Cyprian Latakia asserts itself unequivocally. Sheep's cheese, smoked meats, tanned leather — this is the flavor base of the blend. Virginia provides a balance of sweetness: the tobacco is rather dry in the sense that it isn't sweet, but a barely noticeable natural sweetness still peeks through, bringing the taste of bread crust. The nutty-spicy taste of Orientals is almost imperceptible in the flavor, but clearly noticeable in the spicy-woody scent of the fragrant smoke.
Perhaps there is a bit of black pepper and something like the smell of old books, but these may be inventions, or as I call them "phantoms," which appear in the taste rarely and disappear quite quickly. The main things are cheese and smoked meats, albeit separately. The tobacco truly is a mystery; the taste is very full and deep, yet muffled, and breaking it down into components is not easy. This in no way diminishes the pleasure of smoking.

The candle burns down, measuring the time allotted to me; the tobacco in the bowl burns down as well. By the middle, the initially distinct taste of cheese smooths out. The tobacco shifts toward smoky-campfire notes. The bread crust transforms into sponge cake, but without a distinct sweetness. During retro-nasal analysis, aromas of roasted meat and the woody scent of a Russian sauna are caught. A mineral-metallic salty aftertaste settles on the tongue.

As the journey nears its end, there are fewer smoked notes in the taste, while minerality, roasted, and campfire notes increase. One can distinguish a "damp" aroma of decaying leaves; occasionally, fragrant aromas of lily of the valley and jasmine appear. The flavor-aromatic experience is indescribable in the literal sense of the word; listing components can only give an approximate impression of it.
A campfire in an autumn forest is a good association, though not mine. I would add that it must be a night forest, when smells become smoother, deeper, and damper.

Throughout the entire smoke, the taste remains rich and very smooth. The tobacco burns very evenly; this is almost the only case where I could smoke an entire bowl without any relighting at all.

A real thing! Sometimes it seems that something is missing. Whether it's strength, though it is decent. Or perhaps some sharpness or piquancy would be welcome. Or more depth and clarity. Should Perique have been added? But then it would be a completely different tobacco, with its own advantages and disadvantages. The best is the enemy of the good. Full and soft taste, above-average strength, ease of smoking, and subjectively — the best of the cuts; Gaslight is a thing in itself, an unsolved mystery, a path one wants to walk again and again. Of course, it's not a pleasure for every day.
19/20

Samuel Gawith Black XX
Cut: Twist
Blend: Virginia
Strength: 7.5/10


A smoked twist made from pure Virginia tobacco, this blend is a product of the unique Kendall school. These twists are made from whole tobacco leaves and were originally developed as chewing tobacco, but more on that later.

The black rope retains moisture well, while being very easy to cut and flake. Remembering the hard plugs of Gawith – it’s surprisingly convenient. The tarry smell from the tin is overwhelming! The unrefined are scared, the refined are scared, but those "in the know" start salivating.

At the start, there's tar soap, sooty smoke (you know those iron stoves in the shape of a pipe? That's the smell I immediately think of), overcooked meat, black pepper, and woody-earthy, astringent flavors swirling together in a dance on the back stage of this rather gloomy carnival. The taste is rich, the strength is more than decent, but not excessive, and it doesn't leave any unpleasant sensations in the throat. The tobacco is sharp in every sense, making you want to sneeze as it releases smoke through your nose.

The aroma of the smoke is heavy and spicy, but unexpectedly sweet, with notes of roasted nuts and biscuit.

That biscuit sweetness is also present in the taste. It doesn't appear immediately and is only noticeable with careful, cool smoking. A pleasant surprise.

After half the pipe, the tobacco starts to come alive. Notes of baked apples are noticeable, with cinnamon. There's also a perfumed sweetness to it, sometimes turning into a men's cologne. However, that slight "soapy" note persists until the very end, although it is often lost against the main roasted-earthy-peppery theme. And, of course, the smell of smoldering logs.

I really like how it unfolds in a corn cob pipe. The smell of burnt corn suits it very well, in my twisted opinion. And I even smoke it quite differently than most blends: with very frequent, though not deep, puffs. At a temperature slightly above average, it seems even richer, even more brutal, although it loses some interesting nuances.

15/20. Objectively, this is not one of the best tobaccos. The soapy taste, frequent stalling, and the overall impression of being disjointed and uneven. But sometimes, that's exactly what you want. Moreover, without it, the understanding of the possibilities of pipe smoking would be incomplete. You can love it, you can hate it, you can, after smoking it once, forever forget about smoked twists and twists in general, but every pipe smoker should try it.

This is the dark side of Virginia. Not for every day, it seems... But once you start, it's impossible to stop. Sometimes I smoke several bowls in a row, disregarding common sense and the desperate protests of my stomach.

And I also chew it. For consuming nicotine "in a cowboy style" (if you didn't know, real tough cowboys chewed tobacco, while slaves and the poor smoked it), you need a tinned quid, nerves of steel, and complete indifference to your health. I'm doing well with the second and third, and the first is something I'm working on. The tobacco is pungent, slightly bitter, and the taste can only be described as "strange," and the saliva, saturated with resins, scratches the throat, but it's still fun. When there's no way to smoke, but a dose of vitamin N is needed, this option can be useful.