Jim's HU Tobacco Reviews, Round Two

[JimInks]

Here's my reviews of the eight HU blends I've been smoking.

Balkan Passion:
The latakia is sweet, woodsy, smokey and doesn’t overwhelm the other components. The Virginia is sweet and slightly tangy. The Louisiana perique is peppery as are the Orientals, which add a little spice and wood, too. Mildly sweet with some tartness and a few dry notes, I do detect an extremely mild topping that I can’t identify, but it doesn’t detract from the natural flavors of the ingredients in any way. Well balanced in its complexity, you taste nearly all the varieties of the tobaccos in every puff. Burns well with no dottle. It has enough strength to satisfy, and is smooth and creamy enough to repeat during your smoking day.

Haymaker:
A flake comprised of several varieties of Virginia with no topping. The natural sweetness of the Virginias create a mild citrus flavor which is complimented by some grass, hay, and earth notes. It reminds me of a more natural, little stronger version of Dunhill Flake. The flake is easy to rub out if you aren’t a “fold and stuff” smoker, but either way you pack it gives you a perfectly burn rate with a consistent taste and no dottle. Not much nicotine here as it is designed to an excellent all day smoke that doesn’t wear out your taste buds. As good as it is fresh, I imagine with age, it’ll be even better. Well worth cellaring.

Imagine:
The Virginias offer citrus, grass, and a few earth notes, along with a slight tangy hit. The perique is sweetly plumy and lightly spicy, and is a minor player in the game. I notice a very light sweet topping, though it does not detract from the natural flavors of the ingredients. The Virginias are slightly fermented, indicating they have a little age on them. It’s a little moist in the tin, so you may want to dry it a mite, but not so much that you’ll lose some flavor. As with all of the HU blends I have tried, it’s smooth, burns slow, well and even and cool with virtually no dottle.

Indaba:
The Virginias are richly earthy with a touch of grass and natural citrusy sweetness. There’s a little spiciness from the dark-fired Virginia that blends well with the mild spice and sweet nuttiness from the Kentucky. Overall, the spice content is a little short of medium, so it doesn’t overtake the other flavors. At times, I get a very subtle cocoa note from the Kentucky. While there are more Virginias here than Kentucky, the presence of the latter is obvious in every puff, adding a pleasing complexity. It’s a medium strength broken flake that burns well and cool with a creamy smoothness.

Khoisaan:
The tingly spice from the perique and fired cured Virginia hits you from the first puffs to the very last as it perfectly melded with an ample amount of smokey, woodsy Syrian latakia. There’s some plumy sweetness from the perique and a natural citrusy, earthy sweetness from the Virginias. The full bodied complexity of the blend never weakens, and the nic-hit is filling without blowing out your senses. It’s an exceptionally well balanced spicy ribbon cut Balkan with a smooth creaminess that burns well with very little moisture at the finish. Not an all day smoke, but if you are dedicated to this genre of tobaccos or new to English mixtures, you’ll enjoy the experience.

Makhuwa:
The description says this is “a robust, nutty and spicy mixture for fans of individuated blends.” I’m half tempted to leave it at that because it’s true, though I’d say it’s robust in flavor, not in strength. The chocolate flavor is mild, but rich, and well compliments the strong nuttiness of the burleys. I should point out that the chocolate naturally comes from the burleys. I detect no topping. The red Virginia is a minor player, offering a slight tangy sweetness that contrasts well with a sharp note or two from the white burley. The plum and spice from the Louisiana perique is mild, but important for the complexity of the blend. The cut is broken flake and cube, creating an even burn rate. Smooth, and mild to mediumly sweet, it’s creamy from start to finish and leaves no moisture at the end. It’s an all day smoke that will keep you endlessly interest for its taste and variety of flavors, some of which are subtle and some of which stand out in a most pleasing fashion.

Nashville County:
The sweet, nutty, earthy burleys are well complimented by the tangy sweet red Virginia. There’s a hint of cocoa and molasses from the burleys, too. The licorice topping is extremely light, and does not detract from the natural flavors of the tobaccos. The Virginia and burley meld together for a well balanced smoke that gives you every flavor in every puff from start to finish. Burns well, slow, cool with no dottle. Though it’s medium in strength, it has a punchy rich flavor that perks you up without wearing you down. It has a nice room note and aftertaste with no sharpness, and a creamy smoothness that doesn’t diminish at the bottom of the bowl like some burley blends will.

Sunset:
A variety of light, dark, and red Virginias work together to create a super smooth, creamy medium bodied flake with a little complexity. Minor grass notes intermingled with earth, honey, citrus and tangy sweetness with a slight tartness. All natural flavors with no topping, it burns slow, cool, and even with no dottle, which seems to be a trademark of HU products. There are many good flakes in this genre, but few match the elegance of taste inherent in this one. Should age exceptionally well, but is wonderful right out of a newly bought tin.

 

[Brewdude]

Great reviews Jim. A couple have my interest already, including and especially-

Makhuwa, Nashville County, Indaba, and Sunset.

Thanks for your input on these.


Cheers,

RR

 

[Wet Dottle]

Thanks for the reviews, JimInks. I always enjoy reading them.

 

[JimInks]

Scotney:
The Virginias are earthy, tangy sweet (indicating red Va. is one of them) with a touch of citrus, and very slightly grassy. The perique is plum, fig and dried fruit with some pepper. The amount of perique is ten percent of the components. The lightly applied topping is tomato sweet, but it doesn't taste ketchupy. Somehow, it seems to meld well with the tobaccos as the flavor is consistent all the way to the finish. Not as complex as some of Hans' other blends, it is a medium strength lightly aromatic broken flake that is easily rubbed out. It has a mild to medium nic-hit, and is more than a once a day pleasure. It burns smooth, slow, cool, and dry, requiring only a few relights, and leaving no dottle.

 

[JimInks]

Asmara:
The mildly spicy, woody, creamy Orientals hit you as soon as you light up and are noticeable in every puff to the finish, though the other tobaccos show up more often before the half way point. While it does dominate the other components a little, it doesn’t drown them out. The bright and red Virginias add a light touch of citrus and sweet, dark, dried ripe fruit with a mild earth note. I notice the latter flavors from the red Virginia more than I notice the characteristics from the bright. The perique offers a little spice, plum, fig, and raisins in a supporting role. The latakia is a minor addition, but it shows up here and there for a smoky, woody push with the taste you expect it to have, though you won’t detect much of it. The various flavors work well together with some subtleness as some tobaccos take a little more prominence than others at different times, but not enough to upset the overall complex balance of the product. Burns well, cool, clean, and even, requiring very few relights. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and has a nice after taste. The nic-hit and strength is mild, and the taste is just above that, making for a pleasant all day smoke.


RaiKo ChocoLat:
The very smokey, woody sweet latakia is the dominant component by almost fifty percent, though this is no lat-bomb. The bright and stoved Virginias are stewed fruit sweet with some citrus, earth, and a touch of grass, and are evident in every puff. The burley is a supporting player: nutty sweet, and it may have some cocoa, though that is hard to tell because of the mild chocolate topping, which is rich in flavor and sweetness. The unsweetened black cavendish provides a creaminess that helps tone down any potential rough edges. The sweetness is not over done, and is amply complimented by the smokiness of the latakia. The nic-hit is a step past the mild mark. The strength is a shade past mild, and the taste is mild to medium. Burns well, cool and clean with a well balanced, consistent taste that never weakens, and is devoid of both harsh and dull notes. An all day smoke that burns to the last shred of tobacco with a pleasantly lingering after taste.

 

[JimInks]

English Breakfast:
The red Virginia is a little tangy, dark fruit sweet with some earth and a hint of spice, and is the most noticeable Va, though it’s really a team player rather than a dominant ingredient. The bright Virginia is citrus sweet with a little grassiness. The black stoved Virginia is stewed fruit sweet with minor earth notes as a back up player. The Orientals are a little woody and smoky, with some sweetness in a supporting role. The Syrian latakia is very smoky, woody, and comprises twenty percent of the product. While it’s always obvious, it doesn’t distract from the inherent properties of the other components, which I found surprising considering the amount of latakia blended into the mix. The strength and taste is mild to medium. The nic-hit is mild. Expertly blended, you will notice all the flavors to varying degrees in virtually every puff. Ribbon cut for easy burning, it requires few relights, and barely leaves a drop of moisture in the bowl. Won’t bite, and has no harsh or dull moments. The room note is fairly pleasant. The after taste nicely lingers. An all day smoke, it makes a good starter English blend as well as an enjoyable change from stronger mixtures in this genre.


JU 52:
The dark pressed Virginia is very earthy, deeply dark stewed fruit sweet, and is the major tobacco component. The Kentucky is fairly earthy, woody, smoky, and a little nutty sweet as a secondary player. The perique has a mild spiciness with raisin, date and fig overtones, adding a little complexity in its back up status. The floral essences as well as the lightly applied, rich raspberry are obvious in every puff, but they do not sublimate the tobaccos so much as they compliment them to form a well balanced medium strength, medium tasting aromatic. A broken flake mixture that burns fairly easily as a moderate pace with a consistent flavor to the finish. It doesn’t take much to burn it to ash, and leaves just a little moisture in the bowl. No bite, no dull or hot spots. The room note is fairly pleasant, and so is the after taste.


Masai:
The low key honeydew Virginia is mild, subtly sweet with a touch of citrus, and a little grassy as it forms the base for the other tobaccos. The Malawi burley is nutty, earthy, and very chocolatey in a support role, though at times it will take a more primary position due to its natural strength, which is deeper than that of the honeydew Virginia. Also playing back up is the lightly spicy, woody sweet dark fired Kentucky, which is mostly a condimental addition. The Syrian latakia is smoky and woody, and though it is eighteen percent of the blend, it mostly serves to add its intrinsic qualities as a flavor push in a subordinate role. A cool and smooth easy burning ready rubbed mixture that has some well balanced complexity, no harsh or dull moments, and will burn to an ashy finish with very little moisture in the bowl. No bite, which seems to be a hallmark of HU products. The strength is just a shade past being mild while the taste is right in-between mild and medium. The nic-hit is mild. The after taste is as pleasant as the room note, the latter being fairly mild.


Out of Africa:
The burley has a near-medium strength; nutty with some molasses, earth, and a hint of cocoa. The dark, pressed Virginia is earthy, mildly tangy, richly dark stewed fruit sweet with some citrus and a touch of grass. The perique is a minor player, mildly spicy with a few raisin, fig, and date notes, adding some complexity to the blend. The spice is more noticeable once you’re part way into the smoke. I’m not sure about the toppings, but they are sweet, mildly floral, smoky and woody. Among the fruit notes are tones of pineapple and perhaps apricot. The toppings don’t sublimate the ready rubbed tobaccos that much as the burley and Virginias work well together as the major components. The flavor is at the medium level, and is consistent to the end. No bite or harsh spots to be found; burns smooth and cool with few relights. The nic-hit is just a fraction over being mild. The strength is mild to medium, and could be an all day smoke for the experienced smoker. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl, and will burn to ash. Has a sweet room note and after taste.


Sissinghurst:
The ready rubbed Virginia flake is tangy dark fruit sweet with a drop of sugar and a fair dollop of earth. The bright Virginia is fruit and citrus with grass and hay notes. The brown Kentucky is smoky, woody and spicy sweet as a potent back up player. The floral, flowery topping is very mildly noticeable in every puff without distracting from the inherent properties of the tobaccos, and is a little less obvious by the time you get to the last third of the bowl. I think there’s a light fruit topping or casing, too. Well balanced, you’ll taste the complexity of creamy flavors in every puff all the way through. Burns smooth, and cool at an even rate with very few relights. Leaves just a trace of moisture in the bowl, and won’t bite. The strength and nic-hit are mild, while the taste is medium. An aromatic that works well without being boring for an pleasing all day experience as well as a dessert smoke. Has a delicious after taste and sweet room note.


White Dog:
The various ribbon cut Virginias offer a fair range of what you expect from those varietals: a fair amount of earth, light grass and hay, a lot of citrus and deep dark stewed tangy fruitiness, and a minor spice hit from the bright Virginia.  I also get a very light sugar hit. The “discreet spicy wood casing” has a mild to medium spiciness while the wood taste is lightly cedarish, and perhaps birch and an essence of pine needles, along with some smokiness. Burns at a moderate rate, though it does require a few relights, and I recommend a sipping pace for best effect. The nic-hit is mild to medium. The strength is mild to medium, and taste is just past medium. The complex taste is very consistent with a little creaminess from start to finish with no dull or harsh spots. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl, and the after taste lingers in pleasant fashion, as does the spicy room note. The sweetness level is also medium to full, and would appeal to smokers who like light aromatics, though White Dog is closer to being a semi-aro without touching that demarcation line. Fans of sweet straight Virginias who like blends like Dunhill Flake and Capstan Yellow may find this to be a different twist in the same genre due to the spice level.

 

[JimInks]

Here are my latest HU reviews.

HU Anniversary:
The red Virginia is tangy, dark fruit sweet with a little earth. The bright Virginia is mildly grassy with some citrus and a slight floral, vegetative hit. They form the base for the other components to play off of, though they shine all the way throughout the experience. The mildly spicy Kentuckys also add some wood. They serve a complimentary role most of the time, and every one in a while, they’ll do just a little more than that. The burley is earthy and nutty with a toasty sweetness in a supporting role. The sweet and tart Balsamic vinegar also sports a very minor sour note, and while the topping is noticeable, it does not drown out the tobaccos. The nic-hit is a shade closer to medium than it is mild. The strength and taste are medium. Won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh spots. Well blended with some subtle and obvious complexity, it burns at a moderate pace, cool and clean with a very smooth, consistent and synergetic flavor from start to finish. Requires few relights and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl as it easily burns to ash. The aftertaste pleasantly lingers a little. The room note is pleasing. Could be an all day smoke for the experienced smoker, and a very repeatable one for those who aren’t.

HU Cherry Saronno:
The deeply rich cherry/amaretto topping is the star, and yet, it manages to allow the smoker to taste the bold earthy, dark fruit sweet Virginia underneath. The Virginia also has a touch of spice and a hint of vegetative floralness. You’ll notice most every aspect of the components in every puff. The nic-hit is closer to medium than it is to mild. The strength and taste thresholds are a little past the medium level with the taste level being slightly stronger than that of the strength. Won’t bite or get harsh even when pushed. Burns at a moderate pace, cool and clean with a very smooth, creamy consistent taste. Only in the last quarter of the bowl do you get even the very slightest weakening of the topping as the strength of the Philippine Virginia peeks out a mite more. Requires few relights, and leaves very little moisture in the bowl. Easily burns to ash. Leaves a very pleasant, lingering after taste and room note. Has a bit of boldness and noticeable depth of flavor, so I would not classify this as an all day smoke for a novice aromatic smoker, and probably not for an experienced one.

HU China’s Heaven:
The lightly applied tangerine and coconut toppings are obvious, but do not sublimate the tobaccos all that much. I notice the tangerine just a little more than I do the coconut, and both are complimented by the addition of a light rose essence. The bold Virginias are earthy and vegetative, with a bit of fermented dark fruit and citrus. The very earthy, toasted nutty burley also has a little molasses and a touch of cocoa in an important secondary role. The nic-hit is mild to medium. The strength level is medium, and the taste is just past medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Well blended and mildly complex, you’ll notice most every nuance in every puff. Burns at a slightly less than moderate rate, cool and clean with a very smooth, consistent flavor from start to finish. Requires a few relights, and leaves very little moisture in the bowl. The aftertaste pleasantly lingers and the room note is sweet and floral. Not an all day smoke, but it has enough going for it that you may want to come back to it in the same day.

HU Daddy Gefftl:
The woody, spicy, earthy, mildly nutty dark fired Kentucky is the star component. The unflavored black cavendish adds a smoothing sugar sweetness in a support role. The Cyprian latakia is a minor component that provides a smoky, woody sweet flavor push to the blend. The fruit topping is a lightly applied tart lemon, and perhaps a little orange. The mild floral topping appears to be geranium, and it melds well with the other flavors. The toppings do tone down the varietals just a little. They also serve to create a well melded, very consistent woody sweet, moderately spicy flavor that, despite the spice content, is smoother than one might expect. The nicotine, strength, and taste levels are medium, though the nic-hit gathers just a little more strength as you get toward the finish. Burns at a reasonable rate, cool and clean with no dull or harsh spots, and won’t bite. Requires few relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl, and burns to ash. The aftertaste pleasantly lingers a little, and the floral room note is decent to most noses. Could be an all day smoke.

HU Hadde’s Best Irish:
The light and medium Virginias offer a little dark fruit and citrus along with a few blades of grass and some earth. The dark fired Kentucky adds some spice, wood, and a little nuttiness as a competitive, complimentary partner. The raisin, fig and spice aspects of the perique are mostly in the background. The rich almond and floral geranium toppings have some strength while the honey adds a smoothing sweetness. The toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to a mild to moderate extent. The nic-hit is mild to medium. The strength level is right at medium, while the taste level is a shade past that. Well blended and complex, it burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean, and spicy smooth with a very consistent flavor. You’ll notice most every taste characteristic in every puff. I suggest a wide bowl for this product. Requires few relights and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Easily burns to ash. Has a pleasant after taste. Not quite an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable.

 

[AJ]

Looks like I'll be placing another order with Hans pretty soon. Thanks Jim for the reviews.

AJ

 

[Brewdude]

Yikes Jim, that's TMI for my tiny lil' brain......

:!:



Cheers,

RR

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Yikes Jim, that's TMI for my tiny lil' brain......

:!:



Cheers,

RR

That's a whole lot of Hu-plah right there..... Pretty much all of them I am curious about....

Go figure!

 

[monbla256]

The English Breakfast and HU Anniversery sound right up my alley ! I LOVE Red Va's !! :twisted: :twisted:

 

[JimInks]

Here's my latest HU blends reviews:

HU Aus Dem Krater No.1:
The Virginia is moderately spicy with a little citrus and hay/grass. The spice kind of gives it a feel of perique without the other aspects that perique has to offer. The burley is toasty, a little nutty, woody and earthy along with a minor molasses note in a support role. The unsweetened black cavendish offers some mild sugar to smooth out the blend. Has a mild nic-hit. Won’t bite, and has no harsh or dull spots. The strength is mild, and the taste is just a shade beyond that. A well balanced blend with less complexity than expected or as implied by my description. The flake is mildly moist and easily broken apart to fit your packing preference. Burns at a moderate pace, cool, clean and smooth with a consistent taste. Requires fewer relights than your average flake, and leaves virtually no dampness in the bowl. The after taste is pleasant, but short lived, and the room note is pleasant as well. A mild, all day smoke that lacks flavor depth and body, but does okay as a work and play smoke. Two and a half stars out of four.

HU Aus Dem Krater No.2:
The Virginias are fairly citrus sweet with a little dark fruit, along with a bit of grass, earth and a little floral wood and spice. The very mild floral note does weaken a little as you go along. The Virginias are the star component. The raisin, fig, and spice from the perique are supporting players, though there is a slight inconsistency regarding their presence. You’ll always notice the perique, but there are times when its strength level will vary. At its least, it’s a background player, and at its peak, a very complementary addition. Most of the time, it leans toward the latter. The nicotine is in the center of the mild to medium threshold. The strength and taste are mild to medium. It won’t bite or get harsh. Burns at a moderate pace, cool clean and very smooth from start to finish. Requires few relights, and easily burns to ash with little moisture in the bowl. Has a short lived, sweetly pleasant after taste and room note. An all day smoke for those looking for a mild to medium VaPer.

HU Aus Dem Krater No.3:
The red Virginia is mildly tangy, dark fruit sweet with some earth and a hint of spice. Playing a very important support role is the dry, smoky, woody, slightly buttery sweet and mostly sour floral Orientals, which often competes with the red Va. The raisin, fig, and spice from the perique mostly plays back up. The sweetness of the red Virginia is toned down by the Oriental. The nic-hit is closer to medium than it is to mild. The strength and taste are medium, particularly due to the Oriental. It won’t bite or get harsh, though it will get slightly warm on the tongue if you puff beyond a moderate rate. Burns reasonably well and clean with a mostly consistent, mildly complex flavor. Requires few relights, and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. The woody, lightly sweet after taste and room note linger a bit. It’s not an all day smoke even though it is a medium bodied blend.

HU Brullende Leeuw:
The very richly smoky, woody sweet and fragrant Cyprian latakia leads much of the time. The woody, buttery sweet and sour spicy Orientals (including Syrma) well complement the latakia in a secondary position. The red Virginia is very tangy, ripe dark fruit sweet with some earth. The light Virginia has some citrus and grass as a minor ingredient. The red Va. is just a little more noticeable, but it’s not a major player. The unsweetened black cavendish offers some smoothing brown sugar, while a pinch of perique provides a little raisin, fig, and spice way in the background. It won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh moments. The nic-hit and strength is closer to medium than it is to mild. The taste level is medium. This well blended tobacco is lightly moist, but needs no dry time. Burns at a reasonable pace, cool, and clean with a richly smooth, consistent flavor in every puff. Requires an average number of relights, and barely leaves any moisture in the bowl. The smoky, woody sweet after taste pleasantly lingers, though the room note is a bit pungent to the non-smoker. It’s has enough strength to suit an experienced smoker in this genre, and for that person, can be an all day smoke. Three and a half stars out of four.

HU Geniet Moment:
The golden Virginia has a burst of citrus with some sugar and grass, and forms the base of the blend. The nutty, earthy, toasty burley has a light molasses hit in a strong support role, and seems to peek out a fraction more in the last quarter. The unsweetened black cavendish provides a bit of brown sugar, which added to the very rich coffee topping, helps to compensate those who ran out of their morning drink. The vanilla is also rich, though it mainly lurks in the background. The toppings do sublimate the tobaccos a bit, especially the Virginia, though there’s enough tobacco taste to balance out the overall, very smoothly sweet consistent flavors. No chance of bite here. Has no harsh or weak spots. The nic-hit is mild. The strength and taste thresholds are mild to medium, with the taste level being a little stronger. Well balanced, you’ll notice most every aspect of what this blend has to offer in every puff. Mildly moist, it burns at a moderate pace, cool and clean from beginning to end as it easily burns to ash. Requires few relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. Has a very pleasant, lingering after taste and room note. An easy going all day smoke that won’t wear your taste buds out no matter how many bowls of it you smoke during the day.

HU Janneman Flake:
The main tobacco is the fire cured red Virginia, which is very tangy, ripe fruit sweet with a bit of earth, and some spice. In a support role is the earthy, dark fruity pressed brown Virginia, which also has a few blades of grass, some wood, and a touch of floral vegetation. A pinch of raisiny, figgy, spicy perique lurks the background in most every puff, though I think it’s just a little more than a “pinch” as the description claims. The nic-hit is just past the mild level. The strength is mild to medium, and the taste falls just shy of the medium threshold. Won’t bite, and has no harsh or dull spots. Well blended, you’ll notice every nuance most of the time. The long flake is a little moist, but needs no dry time, and easily breaks apart to suit your packing preference. Burns at a moderate pace, cool, clean, and smooth with a consistent flavor from start to finish. Requires a minimum number of relights for a flake, and leaves very little dampness in the bowl. The after taste and room note are pleasantly sweet with some spice. An all day smoke which will hold the interest of the experienced smoker, and makes a good starter blend for those interested in trying a VaPer for the first time.

 

[AJ]

Good reviews Jim. Thanks for posting them.

AJ

 

[JimInks]

HU Aus Dem Krater No.4:
The lemon and orange Virginias offers a range of flavors, including a touch of grass and light spice, some earth, a bit of citrus and tangy ripe fruit, along with a hint of wood and smokiness. The sweet toppings are hard to define, but I get a very slight undercurrent of vanilla and coconut among them. They don’t tone down the tobaccos that much, but you’ll notice them in every puff as the flavor is very consistent from start to finish. The nic-hit is just past mild. The strength and taste levels are mild to medium. The square flakes are not thick and are mildly moist, but they break apart very easy. Mildly complex, it burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean and fairly smooth with no dull or harsh spots. Won’t bite. Requires few relights and leaves almost no moisture in the bowl as it easily burns to ash. Has a sweet, lightly spicy after taste and decent room note. An all day smoke with a fair amount of flavor. Three and a half stars out of four.

 

[JimInks]

Red Fox:
This blend is soon to be released by HU Tobaccos.

The main components are the red Virginias, which are mildly tangy, and are richly, deep ripe dark fruit sweet with a touch of fermented stewed fruit. They also have a very earthy, malty quality as well as a couple pinches of spice and wood, and a light sugar note. The bright Virginia takes a support role with a burst of citrus, earth, and hints of honey, grass, and sugar that underscores the red Virginias. There’s no topping. The nic-hit is just shy of the center of mild to medium. The strength and taste are a step below the medium level, but both sit squarely at that threshold after a few puffs. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool and clean with a very consistent, mostly smooth and naturally sweet flavor from start to finish. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights as it easily burns to ash. Has a very pleasant, mildly lingering after taste, and room note. This is an all day smoke with a little character to hold your interest as you go about your business.

 

[Cadfael]

So . . . he is still shipping?

 

[JimInks]

So . . . he is still shipping?

You'll have to contact him directly, and have him update you on his policies.

 

[Lonecoyote]

Thank you Jim for the great reviews as always!! Now I guess I have a few more I need too also try. Be well young man :cheers::cheers::cheers:




KEEP ON PUFFING!!!

 

[JimInks]

Here's my reviews of the four latest HU blends:

HU Darkwood Scenery:
The dark fruity, citrusy, earthy, grassy Virginias form the case of the blend, but are not the major component regarding their effect on the blend. The boldly earthy, woody, mildly nutty, dry burley is a little more noticeable. The floral, dry and lightly buttery sweet, woody, earthy, lightly spicy Orientals seems to take the lead over the other varietals. The sugary, toasty black cavendish is in the background. The toppings are the stars here, and fairly sublimate the tobaccos. The deep licorice and cloves are the lead toppings in that order. The sandalwood is soft, smooth, creamy, woody and floral in support of the other toppings. The black pepper is a condiment. The mildly, citrusy fruity addition is mildly obvious. The strength is medium, while the taste level is in the center of medium to full. The nic-hit is a little closer to medium than it is to mild. Won’t bite, but the spice may tingle the tongue of a fast puffer. Burns slightly warm and clean at a reasonable pace with a rich, very nuanced, complex sweet and savory floral, spicy flavor from start to finish. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste, and the room note is a little stronger. Not an all day smoke.

HU Manyara:
The nutty, earthy, woody, lightly molasses sweet burley is the lead component with the cocoa/chocolate being the most conspicuous aspect. The fire-cured Virginias offer wood, earth, a little citrus, spice and grass, as well as a bit of dark fruit with a touch of fermentation as a supporting player. The very raisiny, plummy, spicy Louisiana perique also plays a support role. The woody, earthy, spicy, rather dry, mildly floral and nutty dark fired Kentucky is an obvious condiment. The same can be said to a lesser extent for the floral, woody, earthy, dry, slightly sweet Oriental. The smoky, woody, leathery Cyprian latakia is just noticeable, and I can’t say I really observe the Brazil to any degree. The strength level just reaches medium, while the taste is a little stronger. The nic-hit is a step or so past the center of mild to medium. No chance or bite or harshness, Burns cool and clean, and a slightly slow as some ready rubbed flake is in the mix with the ribbon cut. Has a complex, nuanced, sweet and lightly savory flavor all the way to the end. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, but does need a little more than an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, slightly lingering after taste. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran, and it’s certainly repeatable to varying extents during your smoking day. Three and a half stars out of four.

HU Moroccan Bazzar:
The dark fruity, earthy, citrusy, grassy Virginias are the base of the blend, and are a lead component. The buttery sweet, mildly floral and spicy, woody, earthy Orientals play just below the level of the Virginias, but at times rises up to compete and occasionally, surpasses the Virginias. Sweetened or unsweetened, I only detect the black cavendish here and there. The pepper is one of the more obvious toppings. The very floral clove has an important say in the proceedings as, to a little lesser degree, the incense, ginger, honey, and coriander. The figs, anise, and jasmine are the least noticeable toppings, but in a wide bowl, they reveal themselves a tad more. The tobaccos are sublimated by the toppings to a medium extent, and essentially provide a subtext of flavor. It takes a little time to figure them all out, too, as they meld well with each other. The strength is medium, and the taste level steps a little past that line. The nic-hit is closer to medium than it is to mild. Won’t bite, but the spice may slightly tingle the tongue of a fast puffer.

Burns cool, clean, and a little slow as the tobacco retains some moisture, and there’s broken flake in the mix. You may want to give it a light dry time, but you may risk losing some toppings if you do. I did not dry it. Has a lightly inconsistent, highly charged sweet, rather spicy, flowery taste from start to finish. Leaves just a little moisture in the bowl, but no goop or sludge. Needs some relights if not dried a mite. Has a very pleasantly lingering after taste and room note. Not an all day smoke. Reminds me of a seasonal type of mixture with an entrancing variety of flavors that work exceptionally well together.

HU White Horses:
The various Virginias offer a bit of dark fruit and earth as well as some citrus and grass, along with a touch of fermentation as the base of the blend. It’s mostly a team player. The woody, sweet and lightly dry and floral, earthy, very mildly spicy dark fired Kentucky is a supporting player. The sweet, lightly leathery, mildly floral, woody Havana leaf is a secondary player, and is a step more obvious than the spicy, raisiny, plummy perique, which is closer to being in the background. The strength barely makes the medium threshold, while the taste sits squarely on that mark. The nic-hit is nearly as potent as the strength and body of the blend. Won’t bite or get harsh, and is smoother than expected. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a rich, mildly bold, complex and consistent flavor from top to bottom. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste. Can be an all day smoke.

 

[Brewdude]

Ach du lieber Himmel!

:cyclops:


Cheers,

RR