d4klutz
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2014
- Messages
- 821
- Reaction score
- 1
So, I was wanting a smoke this evening, but after yesterday's gormet of Virginias, I was put off by the smell of a va flake. I decided that I wanted something in the middle of a VaPer and an English. I started browseng through my hoardcand stumbled on a tin of GL Pease - Key Largo. The description sounded really good, claiming hints of cocoa, leather, and Dark Roast coffee. Since I like all three very well, I decided to try it.
When I cracked open the tin, I hesitated because this has been aged for 3 years, and I wasn't sure if I should wait. But, at my wifes prompting, I heard the rush of air into the can and then took a deep sniff of the aroma. I was very surprised and delighted at the same time. I was half expecting to be bowled over by the lataki. I could smell the red va's, the latakia, and the cigar leaf. However, I could smell hints of leather and chocolate. My wife even remarked that it smelled pretty good, as she is not a fan of the latakia.
From what I could tell, this was originally a flake, but time and shaking of the can in the mail caused the flake to start crumbling. It therefore rubbed out extremely well and easily, with an almost perfect moisture content.
I decidedvto try this in my meer, and only a half bowl as I didn't want to waste any baccy if I didn't like it. It packed really easily. I then made me some coffee and retired to the porch to see if I made a mistake or not.
When I set my lit match to the tobacco for charring light, it caught quickly with strong flavors of latakia and cigar leaf. I was instantly creastfallen as this is NOT what I was hoping for. I let the ember die down and tamped the baccy down. Took a sip of coffee and re-lit. Now I could taste the red va coming through lightly. I took a couple sips and let the ember die again. I was going totry to find the cocoa, leather, and coffee if I had to smoke the whole tin. As I waited a minute, I could start to get an aftertaste of creaminess an could faintly tell there were other flavors to discover. Infigured I would slow down my sips a bit and let the smoke linger a bit. Latakia and Cigar leaf was still at the forefront with th Va bringing up the rear.
I sip coffee, tamp and relight again, I sip a bit fast and furious to get a good ember, and then let it settle. I give it about 10 seconds from my lat sip and take a slower sip and let it linget. Ahhh, theres the cocoa. It is there, but faint, the leather taste is not so much a scent, but more the drying of the palate like what happens when you walk into a leather shop, or saddle shop.
As I smoke some more, the latakia fades out, and the orientals come out to mix it up with the cigar leaf. This smoke is starting to get interesting. I have never been a fan of cigars, but this is intriguing to say the least. As I get further down the bowl, I start to get a really strong spice note. I could do without that, but hope there is more in store in the way of surprises. As a note, the cocoa flavor seems to have gone into hiding permanently. This is sad, because the hint I got of it was wonderful.
I finished the bowl, and I feel I have gotten a handle on this tobacco a bit. I kept working through cycles of tamp, relight and sip slowly till the ember was out and needed more flame. As the smoke got cooler, the flavors went from latakia/ cigar, to oriental/ cigar, with the virginias always in the background. This blend is very touchy with heat, smoke speed, air draw. I never did get that cocoa flavor back.
All in all, it was a complex smoke that is medium strength, both in Lady N and in flavor. Room note is distinct. I can see why people would like it, especially if they like cigars. Personally, I think that the blend would be better with less cigar wrapper, as it tended to add too much spice. I will have to revisit this again when im not off on virginias. over all, I would have to give this 3 out of 5 stars.
When I cracked open the tin, I hesitated because this has been aged for 3 years, and I wasn't sure if I should wait. But, at my wifes prompting, I heard the rush of air into the can and then took a deep sniff of the aroma. I was very surprised and delighted at the same time. I was half expecting to be bowled over by the lataki. I could smell the red va's, the latakia, and the cigar leaf. However, I could smell hints of leather and chocolate. My wife even remarked that it smelled pretty good, as she is not a fan of the latakia.
From what I could tell, this was originally a flake, but time and shaking of the can in the mail caused the flake to start crumbling. It therefore rubbed out extremely well and easily, with an almost perfect moisture content.
I decidedvto try this in my meer, and only a half bowl as I didn't want to waste any baccy if I didn't like it. It packed really easily. I then made me some coffee and retired to the porch to see if I made a mistake or not.
When I set my lit match to the tobacco for charring light, it caught quickly with strong flavors of latakia and cigar leaf. I was instantly creastfallen as this is NOT what I was hoping for. I let the ember die down and tamped the baccy down. Took a sip of coffee and re-lit. Now I could taste the red va coming through lightly. I took a couple sips and let the ember die again. I was going totry to find the cocoa, leather, and coffee if I had to smoke the whole tin. As I waited a minute, I could start to get an aftertaste of creaminess an could faintly tell there were other flavors to discover. Infigured I would slow down my sips a bit and let the smoke linger a bit. Latakia and Cigar leaf was still at the forefront with th Va bringing up the rear.
I sip coffee, tamp and relight again, I sip a bit fast and furious to get a good ember, and then let it settle. I give it about 10 seconds from my lat sip and take a slower sip and let it linget. Ahhh, theres the cocoa. It is there, but faint, the leather taste is not so much a scent, but more the drying of the palate like what happens when you walk into a leather shop, or saddle shop.
As I smoke some more, the latakia fades out, and the orientals come out to mix it up with the cigar leaf. This smoke is starting to get interesting. I have never been a fan of cigars, but this is intriguing to say the least. As I get further down the bowl, I start to get a really strong spice note. I could do without that, but hope there is more in store in the way of surprises. As a note, the cocoa flavor seems to have gone into hiding permanently. This is sad, because the hint I got of it was wonderful.
I finished the bowl, and I feel I have gotten a handle on this tobacco a bit. I kept working through cycles of tamp, relight and sip slowly till the ember was out and needed more flame. As the smoke got cooler, the flavors went from latakia/ cigar, to oriental/ cigar, with the virginias always in the background. This blend is very touchy with heat, smoke speed, air draw. I never did get that cocoa flavor back.
All in all, it was a complex smoke that is medium strength, both in Lady N and in flavor. Room note is distinct. I can see why people would like it, especially if they like cigars. Personally, I think that the blend would be better with less cigar wrapper, as it tended to add too much spice. I will have to revisit this again when im not off on virginias. over all, I would have to give this 3 out of 5 stars.
