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I was able to get some Esoterica Dunbar from a B&M. With the reputation of these blends, I figured a GBD 9607 Collector Virgin large pot would be best, as I was expecting some major flavor. Honestly on this first bowl, I'm not very impressed. It has a great tangy fruity tin note. The taste is tangy, some sourness like citrus, but I don't notice much of the perique. I almost bought Dorchester, but went with this thinking it had more perique. Oh well, it may be better the next time in a taller bowl, and may age well. I'd appreciate thoughts on pipe types for this blend.
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Swede said:
I was able to get some Esoterica Dunbar from a B&M. With the reputation of these blends, I figured a GBD 9607 Collector Virgin large pot would be best, as I was expecting some major flavor. Honestly on this first bowl, I'm not very impressed. It has a great tangy fruity tin note. The taste is tangy, some sourness like citrus, but I don't notice much of the perique. I almost bought Dorchester, but went with this thinking it had more perique. Oh well, it may be better the next time in a taller bowl, and may age well. I'd appreciate thoughts on pipe types for this blend.
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Beauty pipe, eh? I recently acquired its fraternal twin -- with vulcanite stem, but haven't puffed it yet.
 
EricC1 said:
Beauty pipe, eh? I recently acquired its fraternal twin -- with vulcanite stem, but haven't puffed it yet.
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Yes, it is one I got from Marty Pulvers. Smokes very well, and nice looking. I like pot shapes, and Marty said it was a good one. Glad you got one too. I think I'd prefer vulcanite, but the perspex is fine and you sure know when it is dirty.
 
Gawith Hoggarth Bosun Plug in a small medico straight dublin (first picture), decided to include some pictures of the new pipe project I just got in the mail. A KBB marked yello-bole stem-biter billiard, I cleaned the stem and mortise first and now it's under a heat lamp to dry out the cake as much as possible before I "ream" it down to bare wood and top it. This one is in very good shape. I haven't smoked a stem-biter before so I was worried the stem had been bitten through when I unpacked it lol, but it is easily the most comfortably shaped mouthpiece I have tried yet, so I'll be looking out for more of them!

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Swede said:
I was able to get some Esoterica Dunbar from a B&M. With the reputation of these blends, I figured a GBD 9607 Collector Virgin large pot would be best, as I was expecting some major flavor. Honestly on this first bowl, I'm not very impressed. It has a great tangy fruity tin note. The taste is tangy, some sourness like citrus, but I don't notice much of the perique. I almost bought Dorchester, but went with this thinking it had more perique. Oh well, it may be better the next time in a taller bowl, and may age well. I'd appreciate thoughts on pipe types for this blend.
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Dunbar has much less perique than Dorchester. I don't think bowl shape matters much for this blend although I would say the one you were smoking has a nice width, and should have told you a lot about Dunbar. Try another pipe anyway. And, btw, Esoterica is not using the quality of Virginias that they had before 2021, whch is why it's not as matured and flavorful as it was in the past. I would say the same for Dorchester, Tilbury and Stonehaven. They weakened the toppings, too. I added updates to these blends on my reviews if you can find Tobacco Reviews navigable.

Age may help it, but if the Virginias are like what I experienced when I smoked the 2022 and earlier 2023 versions, it may not. You have nothing to lose by aging it, so I would suggest you do that.
 
JimInks said:
Dunbar has much less perique than Dorchester. I don't think bowl shape matters much for this blend although I would say the one you were smoking has a nice width, and should have told you a lot about Dunbar. Try another pipe anyway. And, btw, Esoterica is not using the quality of Virginias that they had before 2021, whch is why it's not as matured and flavorful as it was in the past. I would say the same for Dorchester, Tilbury and Stonehaven. They weakened the toppings, too. I added updates to these blends on my reviews if you can find Tobacco Reviews navigable.

Age may help it, but if the Virginias are like what I experienced when I smoked the 2022 and earlier 2023 versions, it may not. You have nothing to lose by aging it, so I would suggest you do that.
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Thanks Jim, and I re-read your reviews but it was after I purchased. They are very helpful, and I'd guess what I tasted today was a reflection of them using less quality tobacco. I'm only out about $22, so it will be a nice experiment to to just set it aside for awhile after smoking a few more bowls in a different pipe.
 
I got some Presbyterian Mixture in the mail last Friday, and following some advice I've read a couple of times from different folks, I put it in a jar for a few days before smoking. Fired up the first bowl this evening in my Savinelli 673 KS, which I have dedicated to English. Oh, wow, this is GOOD. Enjoying the second bowl right now.

Last night I had some EGR in my Bing, and when my wife came out to the porch to sit with me, she remarked that it smelled nice. That's a win!
 
Just finished dinner, turkey salad, roasted brussel sprouts, and freshly baked Brazilian cheese bread. I also finished a Pride filled with GLP Kensington that I had while cleaning out an aquarium. Time to relax with GLP Abingdon in a Rob Roy and a k-cup of Sumatra coffee.
 
Relaxing after a wonderful salad, wild caught blue catfish and sugar snap peas dinner with strawberries for dessert. I'm not far from finishing this bowl of year 2013 Capstan Gold in a straight black 1932 Dunhill R double patent shell pot with a vernon tenon and a tapered black vulcanite stem. Ice water and bergs is my drink. Watching the Braves-Cubs game.
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Nearing the first third of this bowl of Seattle Pipe Club Down Yonder in a straight black 1963 Dunhill LBS Shell 4S billiard with a tapered black vulcanite stem. Community Coffee, neat, is my drink.
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lgoldberg said:
I got some Presbyterian Mixture in the mail last Friday, and following some advice I've read a couple of times from different folks, I put it in a jar for a few days before smoking. Fired up the first bowl this evening in my Savinelli 673 KS, which I have dedicated to English. Oh, wow, this is GOOD. Enjoying the second bowl right now.

Last night I had some EGR in my Bing, and when my wife came out to the porch to sit with me, she remarked that it smelled nice. That's a win!
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Youze need to keep dat lady, see. Myeah!
 
Swede said:
I was able to get some Esoterica Dunbar from a B&M. With the reputation of these blends, I figured a GBD 9607 Collector Virgin large pot would be best, as I was expecting some major flavor. Honestly on this first bowl, I'm not very impressed. It has a great tangy fruity tin note. The taste is tangy, some sourness like citrus, but I don't notice much of the perique. I almost bought Dorchester, but went with this thinking it had more perique. Oh well, it may be better the next time in a taller bowl, and may age well. I'd appreciate thoughts on pipe types for this blend.
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Check Jiminks posts. He smokes Dunbar quite often.
 
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