Esoterica - dueces are wild!

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Blackhorse

Blackhorse

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All I gotta say is that JF Germaine & Son certainly know their business. They do a number of heavy hitters like Penzance and Stonehaven, And So to Bed and Margate...etc., etc., etc. And it's the etc.'s that interest me at the moment.

What I find interesting is their 'pairing' of two blends that are really close in terms of cut and components and flavorings. Much like a Lakeland, many of these are fairly to strongly scented, or flavored, or whatever...but still the tobacco flavors come shining through, they are in no way goopy and can be dried to suit one's personal preference.

The pairs? Well, there's Ramsgate and Blackpool (the licorice twins). And Dunbar and Dorchester (VA/Perique) Also Hastings and Woodbridge (fruity VA). In addition I suppose one could call Margate and Pembroke a pair as Pembroke is Margate plus Cognac...both solidly English (if you use a Latakia based definition).

Those are just the ones with which I'm directly familiar. There may be other cousins in their offerings.

Last thing...I've never tried an Esoterica blend that I didn't credit with being absolutely first quality...nearly, if not THE best of its breed. My favorite is Stonehaven, followed by Ramsgate, Blackpool, Dunbar, Dorchester...etc. I just picked up an 8oz pouch of Hastings and Woodbridge from Mars, which still has 'em for an exceptionally reasonable price. Ramsgate...my second place favorite and a top ten overall for me...a truly succulent smoke, is available here and there.

I just think they're really interesting...one of the things that makes this all so much fun and so rewarding in general.

Now, if we could just get her mitts on 'em we'd be good.
 
I agree 100% with what you've said!

Now, please tell me, where do I buy all this lovely stuff you are talking about :twisted:
 
Blackhorse,

You know you shouldn't tease us all like that. The stuff is unobtanium as it is... and then you have to go and praise it. :LOL: I was surprised that you did not include tillbury in your list of wonderful blends. I was introduced to this by Mike Butera (of Butera Tobaccos) last Friday. He had brought an 8oz bag of Tillbury that had been cellared since 2000. Oh the chocolatey notes, with the slightest undertones of amaretto (according to my wife's nose). It is almost a shag cut, and packs in a pipe beautifully. I put it in my Savanelli Oom Paul and it smoked down to a fine ash without any trying. I was able to snag about 3 oz of the stuff to bring home and enjoy. :evil: :twisted: :bounce: :bounce:

So, if anyone has a hankerin' for soem 4 yr old And So To Bed, and Margate, I would love to trade those for some aged Tillbury. :twisted: :twisted:

 
I'm not familiar with any of their tobaccos except Stonehaven, which you very generously sent me a while back. I'm ashamed to admit I didn't parcel it out and enjoy it from time to time but gorged myself on it and have fond memories instead. :oops:
 
I didn't put Tillbury in there cause I don't know of a 'cousin blend' for it among the Esoterica listings. This was all about pairs, see?

Obtainium? Try Mars for the two I already mentioned that were there, Hastings and Woodbridge. P&C has a bunch of 'em, if you don't mind paying their new price! I just paid $23 per 8 oz at Mars...P&C wants $50!!! Smoking Pipes has Woodbridge for a good price. It looks like Payless Pipes has a number of them a middling price of $35 on the 8 oz...which is the most common asking price. And that's just a five minute search via google using 'esoterica tobacco' as a search term. You'll never find it if your search technique is to sit around and whine! lol
 
I have always wanted to try Blackpool and Ramsgate. If anything just out of general interest and preference for classic British tobacco. Perhaps it's high time I tracked some down.

A while ago I was reading some info about how licorice is used as an adjunct in the casings of a lot of tobacco to boost sweetness and when used at the proper proportion the flavor that it provides is not that of black licorice candy, but more of a sweet and mellow woodsy quality.

BH, How do these two tobacco's compare?
 
I think that's right. Lots of uses of the term licorice, but very little anise flavor. The woodsy, sweetening thing sounds accurate. That and treacle, which is the raisin/molasses flavoring used in Stonehaven, though there to a lesser degree.

My take? I'd call Ramsgate the stronger flavored of the two, the aroma, to me, is wonderful. There's something succulent about it, makes me want to grab a spoon and dig in. But like most of these, the flavors, when puffed, are different than in the pouch. When smoked much more of the base tobacco notes come in. Scarborough has less scenting added...and therefore smokes with a bit more tobacco flavor, and is a surprisingly long smoke. Of the two I prefer Ramsgate, with the more potent flavor, which seems to me to be the whole point of these things. The cut on both is what I would call a broken flake plus as it's rubbed just what I would expect from something like No. 7 Broken Flake...uniformly rubbed but still heavy...very much to my liking. Ramsgate is heavy and moist but burns OK. Dry it out and the more dry it gets the less aroma it has...like Stonehaven...which is why I like to smoke Stonehaven fresh.

I think, if you smoked some Stonehaven, then did a bowl of Ramsgate you would notice a distinct similarity...but with different base tobaccos and Ramsgate having about 3 - 4 times the scenting as Stonehaven, but in the same family.

These have been compared to Lakelands by many. Fine. I can see it in that they have a scent profile that does not mask the tobacco it enhances. And here, as opposed to most Gawith scented blends, instead of the floral, sweet gum, incense combos you will find Germain's using more fruity essences...like the treacle thing. For me, the molasses/plum/raisin thing works very well, especially on top of very high quality medium to strong base leaf.

That's my three cents.
 
I have about 4oz of Penzance left of 16oz which I bought in May 2011. I only smoke a bowl or 2 every 2 months or so for obvious reasons.

But, I actually hate smoking it, knowing that once my stock is depleted, I might not get some more.

I had 8oz of Stonehaven as well but I'm not crazy about it.
 
Blackhorse":bofjbveu said:
I didn't put Tillbury in there cause I don't know of a 'cousin blend' for it among the Esoterica listings. This was all about pairs, see?

Obtainium? Try Mars for the two I already mentioned that were there, Hastings and Woodbridge. P&C has a bunch of 'em, if you don't mind paying their new price! I just paid $23 per 8 oz at Mars...P&C wants $50!!! Smoking Pipes has Woodbridge for a good price. It looks like Payless Pipes has a number of them a middling price of $35 on the 8 oz...which is the most common asking price. And that's just a five minute search via google using 'esoterica tobacco' as a search term. You'll never find it if your search technique is to sit around and whine!  lol
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Unfortunately the sellers you mentioned do not ship to South Africa :(
 
Blackhorse":gp5tfbz2 said:
I think that's right. Lots of uses of the term licorice, but very little anise flavor. The woodsy, sweetening thing sounds accurate. That and treacle, which is the raisin/molasses flavoring used in Stonehaven, though there to a lesser degree.

My take? I'd call Ramsgate the stronger flavored of the two, the aroma, to me, is wonderful. There's something succulent about it, makes me want to grab a spoon and dig in. But like most of these, the flavors, when puffed, are different than in the pouch. When smoked much more of the base tobacco notes come in. Scarborough has less scenting added...and therefore smokes with a bit more tobacco flavor, and is a surprisingly long smoke. Of the two I prefer Ramsgate, with the more potent flavor, which seems to me to be the whole point of these things. The cut on both is what I would call a broken flake plus as it's rubbed just what I would expect from something like No. 7 Broken Flake...uniformly rubbed but still heavy...very much to my liking. Ramsgate is heavy and moist but burns OK. Dry it out and the more dry it gets the less aroma it has...like Stonehaven...which is why I like to smoke Stonehaven fresh.

I think, if you smoked some Stonehaven, then did a bowl of Ramsgate you would notice a distinct similarity...but with different base tobaccos and Ramsgate having about 3 - 4 times the scenting as Stonehaven, but in the same family.

These have been compared to Lakelands by many. Fine. I can see it in that they have a scent profile that does not mask the tobacco it enhances. And here, as opposed to most Gawith scented blends, instead of the floral, sweet gum, incense combos you will find Germain's using more fruity essences...like the treacle thing. For me, the molasses/plum/raisin thing works very well, especially on top of very high quality medium to strong base leaf.

That's my three cents.
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Great info! and thanks. :D
 
I have been looking for stonehaven. I haven't found anyone that has it in stock. However, I have contacted the local B&M who will sell it for $39 for 8oz bag when they git it in. They will call me if they can ever get any. I told them that I would leave work and come right away if necessary whenever they get it in. :lol!:
 
d4klutz":u8fviljz said:
I have been looking for stonehaven.  I haven't found anyone that has it in stock.  However, I have contacted the local B&M who will sell it for $39 for 8oz bag when they git it in.  They will call me if they can ever get any.  I told them that I would leave work and come right away if necessary whenever they get it in. :lol!:
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Blackhorse":u8fviljz said:
That there's how to win the game, bro!
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That's the idea allrighty. And even at $39/bag is none too shabby. Hope they come through for you JP.


Cheers,

RR
 
I really like Dunbar and Dorchester - of the two, I lean towards Dunbar. Even then, though, there are plenty of other VaPer's that are just as good and better.

The only Esoterica blend that I really don't have a suitable replacement for is Stonehaven. What a little miracle that blend is.
 
idbowman":c6qe182c said:
The only Esoterica blend that I really don't have a suitable replacement for is Stonehaven.  What a little miracle that blend is.
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Yes!!
 
puros_bran":t5tqeelr said:
Isn't Margate just unpressed Penzance?
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I was curious about this as well...Margate does seem to be a bit "brighter" than Penzance to me. I suppose this could come from pressing it though.
 
I always assumed that the difference in brightness could be attributed to a slightly different VA base. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turns out I'm completely wrong, though.
 
Never heard that one. Don't they press something to at least a plug and then rub it out to get Margate? I just have this mental movie of a loose blend usually getting pressed or something. Maybe it's that most makers include descriptive comments concerning to what degree a blend has been rubbed out - and so I think it's most always done in that way.
 
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