Flash review: Boswell Northwoods

[Fishfuzz]

Another in the Drum sample series: Boswell Northwoods. Ribbon cut, slightly moist, and just gravity fed then packed into a Washington Cob. As a bonus, the first attempt with the Ronson Adonis from Rob.

First thing I noticed is how dry this smoke is. I would be very surprised if one got bit, regardless of hard you puffed. The Lat is noticeable, but not prominent. It really does remind me of being in the woods: pine needles, cedar, and the smell of the moist loam beneath all those branches. There is also a bit of nuttiness (pistachio?) in the room note.

After the second relight, I am beginning to get a little musty incense sort of scent with a hint of sweet. The smoke is still light and cool and creamy, however.

The fourth relight (again, typing as I smoke) brought enough heat to finally feel like I could nip the taste buds, but it mellowed out just as quickly.

With as cool as it is outside tonight, I think it makes Northwoods all the more enjoyable. On the Lat scale, it is a little stronger than FMOTT and a little lighter than Sextant. While not as complex as either, it is still an interesting blend.

Further down the bowl, and I find myself distracted with the floral incense/pine needles. I feel almost like I am forcing myself to get through the bowl. A quick relight brings back in a little mellowness, but I still feel undecided.

 

[kaiser83]

Thank you for the review. I have a sample on the way after all the hype about NW. Definitely glad it has more lat that FMOTT and can't wait to try it.

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Nice Review Fish.

When I first started smoking latakia blends I was pretty impressed with Northwoods. However, I was still looking to satisfy my sweet tooth at the time, and to a certain degree Northwoods did that. I liked NW better than FMOTT, and I also view those two mixtures as deranged cousins. To me NW is a hybrid aro/latakia blend that pretty much balances the those two worlds quite nicely and FMOTT is a quality straight forward Lat mixture with a sinister topping. FMOTT needs to be dried out a bit before I can remotely begin to enjoy it.

Around the same time of my Northwoods fling, I started smoking Margate, Bill Bailey's Balkan, Billy Budd, Lancer's Slices and then later Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard and Penzance. Northwoods fell out of favor when I discovered that I wanted more strength, body and more of that musty pine wood and oak smokiness. Altogether NW is a good reference blend and I like to keep it on hand for that rare occasion when I want BBQ sauce on my vanilla ice cream.

 

[riff raff]

I'm smoking some Northwoods right now in an Upshall Dublin. It is one of my preferred smokes, as I like a light-Lat blend. I enjoy the Cavendish JM puts in most of his English blends, it smooths out the smoke nicely. Countryside is similar, but has a little more Latakia and Perique, it's a touch too spicy for me. My only gripe is the coarseness of the tobacco, it is very woody or pulpy. I would prefer more of a ribbon type cut, but left to dry a bit in a glass top decanter, it lights well enough. It is an almost daily smoke for me.

 

[BriarBrad]

I really enjoy Northwoods, Countryside and Hunters Choice Boswell puts out. I find Countryside is growing on me more and more.

 

[kaiser83]

I just sat outside and smoked Northwoods in my giant Nording. I had to relight about half way through the bowl but that was the extent of the relights. Definitely more lat than FMOTT and a lot more flavor to it. Not quite as strong of flavor as the original Frog Morton, but then there are days when that itself is a bit strong and I believe that is where this blend would fit in perfectly. A nice smoky campfire taste to it. Apparently the room note is good, I had several people pass by telling me that they could smell it a few tents down the line and it smelled "Really good". Of course min is probably a bit more dry than some as it took a month to get to me over here.

 

[forgotteng]

I have rather enjoyed the Northwoods I picked up with my Boswell Pipe. I am still working through my first ounce. It has a thick stouty like taste. Since trying Northwoods I also got into Frog Morton both of which I seam to enjoy over Full Virginia Flake and Dunhill's Navy flake. I am a 20 year cigar smoker that has over time increased my pipe smoking and I am enjoying smoking tobacco's other than Captain Black.