Maltese Falcon

Subject: Maltese Falcon Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:04 pm

Thought I should start this thread for a more proper place for reviews. My initial tin opening and thoughts are in the other thread.

Maltese Falcon

I have had several bowls over the past two days. Amazing blend. Great stuff from the get-go. Tonight I have had two bowls in my Naked Coral Tinsky Rad-Hawk. They smoked to the bottom and just ash with one small piece as an exception. No evidence of moisture in the bowl at all.

Blend seems to start out as a latakia only taste and soon morphs into a wonderful spicy and sweet Virginia/oriental blend. Latakia fades from the lite and is creamy smooth for the rest of the bowl. The spice is never overwhelming and I have trouble putting the pipe down. The blend never gets hot for me. No tongue bite. Nice and clean on the palate. I am ready to light another bowl up now. Not from lack of satisfaction, but from a desire to continue the experience.
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Rules of Acquisition:

#223. Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:24 pm

I can't wait to get my hands on this one, although, I'll have to wait a bit.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:22 am

Sounds good Carlos!
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Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Fri Feb 01, 2008 1:13 pm

I can add nothing to Carlos' review except this;I smoked four bowls of it last night in a Randy Wiley Galleon.It's that good!
Smoking contentedly-Tony

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Fri Feb 01, 2008 1:31 pm

I haven't smoked anything else since it arrived. I stayed home today with the big snow. So all I have been doing is playing on the computer and smoking Maltese Falcon.

Very Happy

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Rules of Acquisition:

#223. Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:19 pm

Well, I can only think I am in the Mines of Moria. I have the sniffles. I have opened a 2nd tin of Maltese Falcon. But what was a fleeting spice I detected in the first tin is not present to my nose in this one. So I am reminded of the scent of Phurunargian. Earthy. A bit smokey from the fires deep beneath the great city. Musty as a tomb.

I suspect it's going to be great! Very Happy

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Rules of Acquisition:

#223. Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:38 pm

Indeed Carlos.

I have heard distant rumors of a Balrock that actually was the first to smoke this blend...and still does. Be careful indeed!!
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"The floggings will continue until morale improves."

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun Feb 10, 2008 8:30 am

I received a six-tin order last week and the only Falcon I had smoked to date was in the pre-release samples that I received.

I was a bit concerned to pop the tin yesterday, given that I had read about excessive oils and moistness in some other posts here. My concerns were redoubled in that I took the tin to my little Saturday morning tobacco klatch to share with some of my friends (I had shared the contents of the pre-release to determine reactions).

The tin that I popped was absolutely perfect in moisture content. The tobacco was packed with appropriate density in the tin (not too loose and having settled).

Some time ago I purchased a new Purdy zulu (based on the that Sixten Will owns). I decided to dedicate this pipe to Maltese Falcon. So I gave the pipe its maiden bowl with the first load of tinned Maltese Falcon.

This tobacco begins with dark chocolate and citrus; the latakia presents itself with confidence but recedes almost immediately as good quality latakia will. The citrus likewise recedes as the Virginia sugars present more sweetness. It is as if the dark chocolate sweetens. The orientals present flavors that are not unlike roasted chestnuts; there is a slightly bitter undertone in counterpoint with the Virginias. These virginias are not quite lemony; they are more like a blood orange to my palate.

Though I took no time to let the tin breathe nor to let the tobacco dry out, I had no undue problem with the burn at all. I think I relit once after the charring light about two thirds through the bowl. I was surprised that I did not experience the taste of charring briar as I smoked this tobacco; this Purdy's bowl was uncoated. From examining the bowl after smoking, it appears that the tobacco burns at a fairly cool temperature, but I am a fairly slow, cool smoker. The bowl – which is fairly small – gave me a 45-minute smoke.

My friends, likewise, had a good experience. They too concluded that the tinned blend is both different and better than the pre-release sample. One of my friends – a gentleman who smokes the strongest cigars imaginable with no effect whatsoever – loved this tobacco but said that he found it somewhat strong, leaving him a little light headed. This is hard to believe as the tobacco had almost no effect on me and I am a real wuss when it comes to overly strong blends.

I have decided to cellar this tobacco in significant quantities. It is, surprisingly, fast becoming my favorite tobacco. This is surprising because I am primarily a smoker of Virginias. I do love this blend, however.

Full disclosure: I have worked with Greg on marketing and market research for G.L. Pease Artisanal Tobaccos, commencing with the Embarcadero blend. I was creative director and art director for Greg's new logo, and for this new label design that you see with Maltese Falcon. So, it would be disingenuine of me to claim no association or interest. That having been said, I've marketed a lot of products that are not for me. This one, however is one with which I am infatuated – a happy circumstance.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun Feb 10, 2008 9:06 am

ZuluCollector, I love to read your posts. There is an interesting quality in your writing. Thanks!

I hope to be back into my tin of Maltese Falcon, perhaps today. Now that this cold has had it's way with me. I did however sample some old Dunhill from the middle 1990's yesterday which was very good. Especially given that I really didn't know what it was, and it was just a bit dry.
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Rules of Acquisition:

#223. Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:58 am

Carlos, thanks for your kind words.

Like most people who write for a living, I love to write and I hate to write. I love to write when there is no money involved and I feel liberated from concerns about writing well, choosing the perfect word, and nailing an idea or story in clear terms.

I hate writing when I sit on my own shoulder like some kibitzing version of my haggish 5th Grade Teacher, Mrs. Tuttle, who made my 11th year of life reek of miserable resentment. Like many fascists who decided they could best answer their call by becoming a teacher, she loved discipline more than learning and command more than inspiration. Her relentless disapproval lives on in my self-editor who is equally adept at conjuring miserable resentment from my otherwise sunny and lazy mind.

With respect to Dunhill tobacco, I must be missing an important gene. I have never found a single Dunhill tobacco that I did not despise, but I have not tried them all, either. I open tins, try a bowl, and then feel horribly guilty about tossing the balance. I need to find people who love these tobaccos to whom I can send them. To those who love Dunhill tobaccos, please do not take offense at my post; I accept that the shortcoming is probably in me, not in the tobaccos. I make no defense, whatsoever, for my plebian tastes.

Further, forgive my digression from the stated topic: Maltese Falcon Reviews. As I indicated above, it is a blend worth consideration if you like blends with these components.

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:02 pm

nice review carlos..

i had my first bowl of MF last night, so far it's the best english blend i've tried.
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Nick

www.stjude.org/donate

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:11 pm

I decided to open my first tin of Falcon today and I'm very happy I did, what a wonderful tobacco. I have a nice Castello Sea Rock #19 that will be my pipe of choice. Upon opening the tin I was greeted with a beautiful array of colors from dark to light brown with flecks of yellow mixed in, the fine ribbon cut finished off nicely the visual feast. The tin aroma is just amazing, think of a smoldering campfire deep in the woods, moisture content seems near perfect. On to the smoke, after the charing light the Latakia is there, not overpowering or harsh, very nice. The room is filled with creamy thick wafts of swirling white smoke. At about 1/4 down the bowl the blend exhibits a change to a toasted nutty flavor and at this point I couldn't be happier. At the half way mark the blend takes on another change, roasted coffee mixed with chocolate, at first I thought I was mistaken but I gave it a little more time and my first thoughts were right on. The last half of the bowl the latakia was back, again not overly so. The bowl ended with a nice peppery finish. Greg did it again, Maltese Falcon is a wonderfully complex blend I am very happy to recommend.
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United We Stand, Brothers Of Briar

Subject: Re: Maltese Falcon Sun May 11, 2008 6:11 pm

Can anyone speak as to how this compares to Renaissance? I seem to remember that this was supposed to help fill the void. That was one fine blend.