AJ
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2012
- Messages
- 2,689
- Reaction score
- 3
I know there's been tons of discussion about MrCrainie's Red Ribbon and McC 5100 RC but I don't recall anyone stating that they had compared the two that were packaged in the same year and smoked in identical pipes one right after the other. Tonight I wanted a nice smooth straight Va. that wouldn't require me to think about what I was smoking. I just wanted a nice sweet calming smoke before going to bed. I opted for some Red Ribbon. The tin was from the 2008 crop of tobacco packaged in 2012. Upon opening the tin the "ketchup" aroma was somewhat diminished and the tobacco was a little drier than what I usually find in a newly packaged tin. I also thought this is an opportunity for me to compare it to the 5100 RC. It has been said and I believe confirmed that the two blends are one and the same. Well it so happenes that I have a fair amount of the 5100 jarred up from 2012. I have two identical pipes made by Hilson. Both are Hilson Uppertens 140 paneled bent Dublins. Having smoked both many times I can assure you there is no difference in the way they smoke.
The first pipe was loaded with the Red Ribbon. After the initial light and a couple of light tamps followed by the second light I settled back for an enjoyable smoke. As expected the red Va.'s provided a smooth slightly honeysweet smoke that seemed to have a creamy note with a mild hit of nicotine. As the smoke progressed there was a notable increase in the sweetness and continued to the end of the bowl. There was never a hint of harshness, raw edges, or tongue bite. I couldn't detect and toppings or other flavors besides the tobacco. Only required one relight because I set my pipe aside to talk on the phone for about 5 minutes. At the end of the smoke there was only some gray ash in the bottom of the pipe. The smoke had been rich in sweet tobacco taste especially during the last half of the bowl. I never tasted any of the "ketchup" though it was present in the tin upon opening. The volume of smoke was about average for a good straight Va. It took almost an hour and 15 minutes to smoke the entire bowl. In conclusion I have to say I enjoyed the bowl immensely.
After getting a bite to eat an hour or so had passed so I took opened the jar of 5100 from 2012. It smelled delicious. There was a strong fermented tobacco aroma that made my mouth water. The contents were a little moist so I dried it for about 20 minutes so it would have approximately the same moisture content of the Red Ribbon. After rubbing out enough to load my pipe I picked up the other Hilson and loaded it in my usual method. After the usual two lights with some light tamping in between I settled back to smoke one of my favorite blends. I immediately noticed the same volume of smoke that was slightly sweet with just a hint of spice. None of the fermented tobacco taste was apparent only the goodness that comes from a superb red Va. I noticed the richness and the creamy taste earlier than with the Red Ribbon. The spiciness was way more noticible in the 5100 and like with the Red Ribbon the sweetness increased as the smoke continued. About half way the bowl I noticed a fruity like sweetness that I didn't detect in the other blend. The nicotine hit was definitely more acute but I would say it was still in the mild to medium range. No harshness, no tongue bite, and no relights. The tobacco burned a little slower that the Red Ribbon and perhaps a little bit cooler. During the last quarter of the bowl the sweetnes began fade with a little blandness taking its place. By the end of the bowl there was a slight ashy taste. By the time I noticed this I was at the bottom of the bowl and the fire went out. Nothing in the bottom of the bowl except just the tiniest bit of moisture and gray ash. The smoking time was almost the same with the 5100 taking only 10 minutes longer to complete the bowl.
Now to answer the big question, are they the same? Any differences I noticed could easily be attributed to when the tobacco was harvested and where it was grown. The color, feel, smell, and taste were essentially the same with minute differences. The difference in the burn rate was probably due to a difference in moisture content. The noticable difference in nicotine is probably due to the time when the tobacco was harvested, where it was grown, the weather conditions during the growing season. I believe the recipe for Red Ribbon and the 5100 RC are identical.
For me this was a fun experiment. Probably doesn't qualify for a truly strict scientific experiment but I think the my conclusions can stand scrutiny and if the experiment is repeated I think one will get the same results. Will others disagree with my findings? I can guarantee it. McClellend says they are the same and my experiment seems to bear that out but some will refuse to believe it. That's OK! We don't need a nation of sheep that believe everything they are told even if the weight of evidence is greatly against them.
AJ
The first pipe was loaded with the Red Ribbon. After the initial light and a couple of light tamps followed by the second light I settled back for an enjoyable smoke. As expected the red Va.'s provided a smooth slightly honeysweet smoke that seemed to have a creamy note with a mild hit of nicotine. As the smoke progressed there was a notable increase in the sweetness and continued to the end of the bowl. There was never a hint of harshness, raw edges, or tongue bite. I couldn't detect and toppings or other flavors besides the tobacco. Only required one relight because I set my pipe aside to talk on the phone for about 5 minutes. At the end of the smoke there was only some gray ash in the bottom of the pipe. The smoke had been rich in sweet tobacco taste especially during the last half of the bowl. I never tasted any of the "ketchup" though it was present in the tin upon opening. The volume of smoke was about average for a good straight Va. It took almost an hour and 15 minutes to smoke the entire bowl. In conclusion I have to say I enjoyed the bowl immensely.
After getting a bite to eat an hour or so had passed so I took opened the jar of 5100 from 2012. It smelled delicious. There was a strong fermented tobacco aroma that made my mouth water. The contents were a little moist so I dried it for about 20 minutes so it would have approximately the same moisture content of the Red Ribbon. After rubbing out enough to load my pipe I picked up the other Hilson and loaded it in my usual method. After the usual two lights with some light tamping in between I settled back to smoke one of my favorite blends. I immediately noticed the same volume of smoke that was slightly sweet with just a hint of spice. None of the fermented tobacco taste was apparent only the goodness that comes from a superb red Va. I noticed the richness and the creamy taste earlier than with the Red Ribbon. The spiciness was way more noticible in the 5100 and like with the Red Ribbon the sweetness increased as the smoke continued. About half way the bowl I noticed a fruity like sweetness that I didn't detect in the other blend. The nicotine hit was definitely more acute but I would say it was still in the mild to medium range. No harshness, no tongue bite, and no relights. The tobacco burned a little slower that the Red Ribbon and perhaps a little bit cooler. During the last quarter of the bowl the sweetnes began fade with a little blandness taking its place. By the end of the bowl there was a slight ashy taste. By the time I noticed this I was at the bottom of the bowl and the fire went out. Nothing in the bottom of the bowl except just the tiniest bit of moisture and gray ash. The smoking time was almost the same with the 5100 taking only 10 minutes longer to complete the bowl.
Now to answer the big question, are they the same? Any differences I noticed could easily be attributed to when the tobacco was harvested and where it was grown. The color, feel, smell, and taste were essentially the same with minute differences. The difference in the burn rate was probably due to a difference in moisture content. The noticable difference in nicotine is probably due to the time when the tobacco was harvested, where it was grown, the weather conditions during the growing season. I believe the recipe for Red Ribbon and the 5100 RC are identical.
For me this was a fun experiment. Probably doesn't qualify for a truly strict scientific experiment but I think the my conclusions can stand scrutiny and if the experiment is repeated I think one will get the same results. Will others disagree with my findings? I can guarantee it. McClellend says they are the same and my experiment seems to bear that out but some will refuse to believe it. That's OK! We don't need a nation of sheep that believe everything they are told even if the weight of evidence is greatly against them.
AJ
