alfredo_buscatti
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2007
- Messages
- 2,217
- Reaction score
- 0
I’ve smoked lbs of Escudo over the years and none in preparing for this mini-review, relying on what I think is a trustworthy memory; I’ve smoked 150 g of the Flake Medallions, all at only several months of age. I’ve smoked Escudo at many different levels of age, anywhere from zero to 5 years.
I had a devil of a time finding the right pipes in which to smoke the Flake Medallions (FM) whereas I have two pipes dedicated to Escudo. They have long since acclimatized and thus I cannot say how hard it might be for a pipe to take to Escudo. I finally settled on an Ashton stacked ring grain and a Brissett billiard for the FM.
The Perique level is more or less the same in both blends; that is, it can be tasted in every puff but in no way is either tobacco a Perique blend. The Perique is more melded with the VAs in Escudo, while the FM Perique is completely separable. The blends’ Virginias (VAs) are different but tasty. Whereas Escudo’s VAs are mid-range, the FM are bright.
The little spot of black cavendish in the FM’s center is more eye candy than anything else as it ratio’s to the VA is so small as to preclude any influence in the smoke. In preparing the FM, I removed the center of black cavendish and then rubbed its VA and cavendish out, separately. I then sprinkled the cavendish atop the VA and sifted it into the VA.
Aside from these small differences, the blends are remarkably similar.
Which do I prefer? Escudo, for two reasons: Escudo’s VAs are mostly medium notes and can reach up or down while the FM VAs, being high, can only go down. And as I’ve said the Perique is more melded to the VAs in Escudo, thus again making this a richer tobacco.
While I’ve got my war chest of Escudo aging, I only have 3 tins of the FM. To the core question: would I buy more FM? Yes, but maybe only a tin or two once in awhile. This is not because it’s not a very good blend-it is. It is because I’ve got a lot of 5+ year tins of Escudo that hit the sweet spot last December and have more that will hit it this December. And I Iike it better.
I had a devil of a time finding the right pipes in which to smoke the Flake Medallions (FM) whereas I have two pipes dedicated to Escudo. They have long since acclimatized and thus I cannot say how hard it might be for a pipe to take to Escudo. I finally settled on an Ashton stacked ring grain and a Brissett billiard for the FM.
The Perique level is more or less the same in both blends; that is, it can be tasted in every puff but in no way is either tobacco a Perique blend. The Perique is more melded with the VAs in Escudo, while the FM Perique is completely separable. The blends’ Virginias (VAs) are different but tasty. Whereas Escudo’s VAs are mid-range, the FM are bright.
The little spot of black cavendish in the FM’s center is more eye candy than anything else as it ratio’s to the VA is so small as to preclude any influence in the smoke. In preparing the FM, I removed the center of black cavendish and then rubbed its VA and cavendish out, separately. I then sprinkled the cavendish atop the VA and sifted it into the VA.
Aside from these small differences, the blends are remarkably similar.
Which do I prefer? Escudo, for two reasons: Escudo’s VAs are mostly medium notes and can reach up or down while the FM VAs, being high, can only go down. And as I’ve said the Perique is more melded to the VAs in Escudo, thus again making this a richer tobacco.
While I’ve got my war chest of Escudo aging, I only have 3 tins of the FM. To the core question: would I buy more FM? Yes, but maybe only a tin or two once in awhile. This is not because it’s not a very good blend-it is. It is because I’ve got a lot of 5+ year tins of Escudo that hit the sweet spot last December and have more that will hit it this December. And I Iike it better.
