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3 SMOKING JACKET MAGAZINE MICROSOFTREVIEWS AND OPINIONS ON ALL YOUR SMOKING PLEASURES LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Life Makes You a Liar Sometimes I think that life conspires to make me a liar. I am a man who prides himself on his honesty. I go through great pains to make sure that I try never to be untrue. But life makes you a liar. Sometimes, with all of the best intentions, your statements turn out to be false. Your promises, broken. A few months back I promised a friend to make a large order from him after he had used his considerable talents custom blend, not one, but two tobaccos for the Okanagan Pipe and Cigar Club. Then, my finances fell apart, and I couldn t make the order. Now, I am a liar. I have made promises on layaways and then struggled to make the payment, sometimes as much as a week late, again a liar. Last month I promised you the return of Musings Under The Oak Tree, and then life conspired to make me a liar again. So, you won t be seeing Tad s column in this issue. Now, before it sounds like I m just pissing and moaning about life, my point is; don t sweat it! You may, like me, I think that your honesty is all important, and get seriously dismayed whenever you break an oath, but don t sweat it! Seriously, almost everybody will understand that life got in the way, so long as you actually try. This month, my finances are better, and I will finally have a chance to make good on my promise to Glynn, as well as catch up all my layaways. And, Tad assures me, again, that there are articles in the works, so again I can promise you the return of Musings. So on with the good news! Sutliff continues to be happy with our honesty, Tabaco SN is sending us more products, and two new companies are sending us things for review. An American Company that deals in cedar spills, and a Chinese Company that deals in cigar accessories. And, in personal news, Sable continues to write her column, along with two other regular columns and her personal blogs, and somehow finds time to continue her music career, and publish a book with Redwheel-Weiser. Check out Sable at her website at where you can find links to all of her columns, blogs, music, and her book as well as her fiction writing. Steven continues to prolifically put out articles, as well as continuing studies, and producing his own blog, theleatherlibraryblog.com. Stefan continues to write for The Leather Library, or rather video blog his reviews; even going so far is to try his hand at a pipe tobacco review. Overall I m very happy with how the magazine is going, and hopefully life is not about to get too busy! Sorry to those I lied to, I ll make good, I promise! Smoke em if you got em, I know I will! 3

4 CONTENTS Tobacco University Tobacco Types by Country & Region...5 Off the Meter G. L. Pease Odyssey Review...11 The Art of Contemplation (Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation 1882 Founders Blend)...12 A Mistakable Smoke (4th Generation 1897 Erik Paul's Blend by Erik Stokkebye)...13 Nut 'n' Honey (4th Generation 1931 Erik Peters Blend by Erik Stokkebye)...14 The Leather Library Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Review...15 Alec Bradley Select Cabinet Reserve Torpedo Review...16 La Aurora Traditional Belicoso Review...17 Vegas Robaina XV Aniversario Pre-Release (Canada RE) Review...17 A Lady s Perspective Black Velvet, If You Please (La Cohiba Extra Vigoroso Red Dot Gran Corona)...19 A Rare and Precious Gem (La Perla Habana Black Pearl Morado Torpedo)...20 Batman Would Get It & Bruce Wayne Would Smoke It (Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Dark Knight I Toro)...22 No. 5 is Number One (Sutliff Private Stock No. 5 Blend)...24 Nice, But Not Intense (Cu-Havana Intensus Toro)...26 On Their Game! (CAO Brazilia Gol! Robusto)...27 The Editor s Jourrnal Better With Coffee No, Better THAN Coffee! (4th Generation 1882 Founders Blend)...29 Missing Home (4th Gen. Tobacconist 1897 Erik Paul s Blend in a WDC Milano Cutty)...30 Tally Ho! (Sutliff Private Stock Field Master in a Savinelli Alligator 114 KS)...31 Passing the Time (4th Gen. Tobacconist 1957 Erik Michael s Blend in a Peterson Killarney Canadian)...32 Becalmed (Sutliff Private Stock Spinnaker in a WDC Milano Cutty)...33 Un Canadien Errant (Sutliff Private Stock Blue Danube in a Brigham Mountaineer 354)...35 Magical! (Tabaco Sentimiento Nacional República in a Rick Black Custom Dublin)...36 Mild Oklahoma Winters (Ted s Blackberry Winter in a Vintage Gourd Calabash)...37 Don t Cry For Me, Argentina! (Tabaco SN Mezcla Cinnamon in a Savinelli Alligator 114 KS)...38 She s My Cherry Pie! (Tabaco SN Mezcla Cherry in a Göverm Meerschaum Cutty)...39 Relaxing In The Afternoon (Ted s Cherry Royale in a GiGi Stubby Canadian)...40 An Evening Alone With My Thoughts (Tabaco SN Mezcla Oriental in an Antique West German FreeHand)

5 Smoking Jacket Magazine Tobacco University Tobacco Types by Country & Region By Sable Aradia When we review tobaccos, we talk a great deal about the country or region that the tobacco contained in a cigar or tinned tobacco originated from. Different regions tend to grow different types of tobaccos, which are cured in regionally-specific ways, and they also pick up unique elements from the local soil, especially in regards to mineral content. While it would be inaccurate to ascribe generalizations in flavour to particular regions, there are some broad guidelines that you can keep in mind when choosing your preferred smoke: Brazil Tobaccos from Brazil, especially the Mata Fina and Arapiraca varieties, are being used in more and more cigars as time goes on. They tend to have rich, toasty, sweet and spicy notes, or woody elements, and the maduro versions are outstanding. Cigars containing Brazilian tobacco include CAO Brazilia and Gurkha s Ancient Warrior. Cameroon Originally from the Sumatran black tobacco plant, Cameroon tobacco is grown in Central Africa, where the climate is so temperate that the plants are completely sun-grown, and this is made even easier by semi-permanent cloud cover which helps keep uniformity in the leaf's appearance. Cameroon wrappers have been used in a number of popular cigar brands for both premium hand-rolled cigars and machine-made cigars including Garcia y Vega, Arturo Fuente and different brands from General Cigar. They are known for a variety of flavours in the leaf, including notes of woodiness, slight spice, butter, and subtle sweetness, good for either a strong or milder smoke. Cameroon wrappers are generally a deep, rich brown in color, dark but not black. Small leaf sizes and internal strife within the country limit cigar size and availability, but 5 these are the trendiest wrappers on the planet. Costa Rica One leaf in particular, Costa Rican Maron, has become very popular. This tobacco has a unique, terrific nutty "toastiness" about it, and is used in such brands as St. Luis Rey and Mayorga. Expect to see more and more Costa Rican tobacco used in new brands. Cuba Almost universally, Cuban tobaccos are agreed by aficionados everywhere except the United States, where import of Cuban tobaccos has been illegal since the start of the Cold War, to be the universally-best standard against which all other cigar tobaccos are measured. Cuban ligeros are considered to be utterly unique

6 TOBACCO UNIVERSITY throughout the world. They have a distinct flavour, largely due to the particular mineral content of Cuba, which is high in iron. Even Cubanseeded tobaccos grown elsewhere do not have the same distinct taste. Cuban-seeded tobacco varieties grown elsewhere include Corojo (varying from smooth and creamy to very spicy and full bodied; highly sought-after and widelygrown,) Criollo (flavourful but smooth such as in the CAO Cirollo, or very powerful, as in the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño), and Cubano (mostly used for filler). The term "Habano" generally refers to Cuban or Cuban-seeded tobaccos. Cyprus (Latakia) See Syria (Latakia). Dominican Republic Ecuador Ecuadoran-grown tobacco is often of the so-called Connecticut Shade tobacco variety. Ecuador's warm and humid tropical climate makes a great environment for tobacco growing, particularly wrapper tobacco. Most tobacco in Ecuador is grown at the foothills of the Andean mountains in fertile volcanic soil. Its unique growing regions receive consistent cloud cover, and thus Ecuadorian wrappers are sometimes said to be Cloud-Grown instead of shadegrown. This naturally diffused light produces a cigar wrapper with a silky texture and fine-veined structure, and creates a leaf with consistent colour. Honduras The Sumatra region is in Indonesia. (See Sumatra). Iran Iran grows some interesting tobaccos that are unique, including Dokha, which is mixed with leaves, bark, and herbs for smoking in a midwakh or hookah, and varieties of Orientals. Italy Italy grows a transplanted Cuban seed. Its best example is in the CAO Italia, which is a rich, fullbodied, meaty cigar with woody and peppery elements. Nicaragua The Dominicans produce some excellent quality cigar tobaccos. The Dominican Republic is home to some of the biggest names in premium cigars (i.e. Arturo Fuente, Macanudo, Montecristo, and many more). The overall profile of Dominican tobacco tends to be mild, but this is certainly not true in all circumstances. Honduran tobacco is usually medium to fuller-bodied, and the typical flavour profile is earthy and flinty. Some of the Honduran cigars you may have tried might include Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Gispert, and Camacho. Indonesia This country has made huge advances in the quality of their cigars, and, as a result, the popularity of their products. Nicaraguan leaf tends to be robust and spicy, with very complex flavours. Brands from Nicaragua include Padron, Joya de Nicaragua, and many of the cigars made by Don Pepin Garcia. 6

7 TOBACCO UNIVERSITY Mexico The popularity of Mexican cigars has waned in recent years, but they still have some excellent tobaccos, such as San Andres maduro for wrappers, which is very flavourful, but can range from chocolaty smooth to somewhat peppery. Some of the bad rap comes from the harshness of some of the cheaper grades of tobacco. Brands that use a significant amount of Mexican tobacco include TeAmo and A. Turrent. Peru Peru produces some wonderful, rich, and complex tobacco, but it is normally used as a small amount of the overall blend. There s a lot of body to most Peruvian tobacco, and there s a smooth spice note without a lot of the harshness found in many heavier cigar leaves. This tobacco is used in a number of cigars, including some of the Montecristo line. Sumatra result, true Sumatran tobacco, grown in Sumatra, is rare. Many cigars use transplanted Sumatran tobacco. Some say that Sumatran tobacco is bitter; others just that it is dark and full-bodied. You can find Sumatran transplants in Cameroon, Ecuador, Indonesia, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua. The Dark Sumatran version is sun-grown, such as in the Hoya de Monterrey Dark Sumatra. Sumatra can range from sweet to tangy, again depending upon where it s grown. Syria (Latakia) Latakia is a specially prepared pipe tobacco originally produced in Syria and named after the port city of Latakia. Now the tobacco is mainly produced in Cyprus. It is cured over a stone pine or oak wood fire, which gives it an intense smoky-peppery taste and smell. Too strong to smoke straight, it's used as a "condiment", especially in English and some American Classic blends. Though Latakia tobacco from Cyprus seems to be plentiful in the present tobacco market, the prevalence of Syrian Latakia in boutique tobacco blends seems to have diminished of late. Turkey (Turkish, Oriental) Empire, it is also known as "Oriental". Many of the early brands of cigarettes were made mostly or entirely of Turkish tobacco; today, it's a main component in English blends, along with Latakia (which is itself an Oriental that's been flavoured with smoke). This tobacco derives its name from the area in which it's grown: the Eastern Mediterranean. Each of the varietals, in fact, are named after the towns or regions they come from. Thus Yenidje and Smyrna are Greek, Samsun and Izmir are Turkish, Drama is from Greece also, and Xanthe is from the region of Thrace, which is also in Greece. For all intents and purposes this is all one region, united for many years under Turkish rule (hence the interchangeable terms "Oriental" and "Turkish".) Oriental tobacco plants characteristically have a great deal of small leaves. The finished product ranges in color from yellow to brown, and is strongly aromatic. Its smell is reminiscent of used horse bedding, which could possibly explain why it's often mixed with Latakia. Cigarette companies snatch up most Turkish varietals these days, making them nearly impossible to find, even for professional blenders. United States The Sumatran black tobacco leaf is small and difficult to grow. As a Turkish tobacco is a sun-cured, highly aromatic, spice tobacco that is grown in Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. Originally grown in regions historically part of the Ottoman 7

8 TOBACCO UNIVERSITY There are a variety of tobaccos that originate in the US. They are more often used in pipe tobaccos and cigarettes than cigars. Different curing processes are mostly what differentiate the regions. Burley tobacco is an air-cured tobacco used primarily for cigarette production. A low-sugar, high nicotine, slow-burning tobacco with a very subtle flavour. In pipe tobacco, burley is often used as a base for aromatics or to modify the burning characteristics of a blend. In the U.S., burley tobacco plants are started from palletized seeds placed in polystyrene trays floated on a bed of fertilized water in March or April. Cavendish is more a process of curing and a method of cutting tobacco than a type. The processing and the cut are used to bring out the natural sweet taste in the tobacco. Cavendish can be produced out of any tobacco type but is usually one of, or a blend of Kentucky, Virginia, and Burley and is most commonly used for pipe tobacco and cigars. The process begins by pressing the tobacco leaves into a cake about an inch thick. Heat from fire or steam is applied, and the tobacco is allowed to ferment. This is said to result in a sweet and mild tobacco. Finally the cake is sliced. These slices must be broken apart, as by rubbing in a circular motion between one's palms, before the tobacco can be evenly packed into a pipe. Flavouring is often added before the leaves are pressed. English Cavendish uses a dark flue or fire cured Virginia, which is steamed and then stored under pressure to permit it to cure and ferment for several days or weeks. There are several colors, including the well-known Black Cavendish, numerous blends, and a wide range of flavours. Modern blends include flavours and ingredients such as cherry, chocolate, coconut, rum, strawberry, vanilla, walnut, and bourbon. Cavendish tobacco originated in the late 16th century, when Sir Thomas Cavendish commanded a ship in Sir Richard Grenville's expedition to Virginia in 1585, and discovered that by dipping tobacco leaves in sugar it produced a milder and more mellow smoke. Connecticut Shade tobacco is cultivated in Connecticut and Massachusetts and has been from the time of the first American colonists. Connecticut Shade is a lightcolored, delicate, yet flavourful leaf that s grown in the Connecticut Valley and also Ecuador. It s very expensive and highly sought-after, and is usually used in milder cigars. Connecticut Broadleaf is a thicker, more earthy tobacco than its shade-grown cousin, it is typically made into maduros for use as a wrapper, but is also used as binder and filler. Kentucky Kentucky is known for its aromatic fire-cured tobacco, which is cured by smoke from open fires. Firecured tobacco grown in Kentucky 8 and Tennessee are used in some chewing tobaccos, moist snuff, some cigarettes, and as a condiment in pipe tobacco blends. Louisiana (Perique) Another "spice" tobacco grown only in St. James Parish, Louisiana. Perique is subjected to extreme pressure and is allowed to ferment as it is cured, which results in a very distinctive tobacco. It was almost endangered because its small geographic area of growth makes it especially subceptible to all the hazards of agriculture. The process by which this tobacco is produced predates Columbus. The Choctaw Indians of (what would later be) Louisiana would make it by pressing it into hollow logs with a long pole, and securing it with weights. After the Acadians (Cajuns) settled the area in the mid-1700's, the Choctaws taught this process to a French colonist by the name of Pierre Chenet. The finished product was referred to as Perique, a Cajun variation on the word "prick". This referred either to the phallic shape of the carottes (the tight bundles of market-ready Perique), or Chenet himself, as it was his nickname! Perique is usually used in Virginia blends. It has a dark, oily appearance, and a taste of pepper and figs. Its flavour is very strong, so it isn't usually found in high percentages in a blend. It can be smoked straight, but isn't intended to be. Its role as a complement to Virginias is not just because of its flavour. Being acidic, it tends to

9 TOBACCO UNIVERSITY alleviate alkaline tongue bite, which is so often a problem with Virginia tobacco. Massachusetts See Connecticut. Ohio (White Burley) In 1865, George Webb of Brown County, Ohio planted red burley seeds he had purchased, and found that a few of the seedlings had a whitish, sickly look. The aircured leaf was found to be more mild than other types of tobacco, and this is now known as White Burley. Tennessee See Kentucky: northern middle Tennessee is the best region for growing aromatic firecured tobacco. Virginia Brightleaf is commonly known as "Virginia tobacco", often regardless of the state where it is planted. Prior to the American Civil War, most tobacco grown in the US was fire-cured dark-leaf. This type of tobacco was planted in fertile lowlands, used a robust variety of leaf, and was either fire cured or air cured. Most Canadian cigarettes are made from 100% pure Virginia tobacco. Aromatic fire-cured tobacco is also grown in Virginia, but this is usually not what reviewers are referring to when they write about Virginia tobaccos. 9

10 Tobacco University 10

11 SMOKING JACKET MAGAZINE OFF THE METER WITH DOM WHEELER G. L. PEASE ODYSSEY REVIEW Having been handed this wonderful flavour for the purposes of review, I thought to give this lovely Latakia, Virginia, and oriental tobacco blend preferential treatment in my Yelo-Bole briar pug. This ribbon cut mottled brown tobacco is reminiscent of bark mulch used around cedar trees. I found the tin note to be decently smokey, like the final embers of a campfire, and, much like said embers, seemed to be quite dry, though it did pack fairly well. The flavour took me to a small campfire in the woods or possibly a log cabin on a ski hill. With a light body and mild to medium strength, I thought to myself, This would be great for hiking or ski trips. Odyssey smokes medium hot, produces a light gurgle very near the end, and leaves minimal dottle to waste. You can find this tobacco at This smoke was definitely worth the adventure. As always, smoke it as you prefer, and I hope that you find the tobacco that best suits you. 11

12 Off the Meter with Dom Wheeler THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION (ERIK STOKKEBYE 4TH GENERATION 1882 FOUNDERS BLEND) SMOKED IN A YELLO- BOLE BRIAR PUG. Latakia, sun-cured orientals, mature virginias, and fullbodied Kentucky leaf blended together to create an old-fashioned English smoke. Upon opening this tobacco, I was greeted with the subtle spiciness of orientals and latakia, which I found unusual as most latakia smokes that I have experienced are quite powerful. It is a nice ribbon cut, mottled dark and light brown tobacco which leaves the impression of wood shavings in a cabinet maker's shop. The first light of this particular tobacco brought about a sense of forethought, and left me in a near meditation throughout the entire smoke. As I puffed away, I could not help but put myself in the shoes of the man who created this blend. How long did it take him to find the right blend? Seems it would have taken some time, although it's hard to say. I was contemplating the hours of smoking each tobacco type to find the perfect blend, so it was with some regret that I finished the bowl. As the flavours of the Virginia and Kentucky added a near aromatic addition to the latakia/oriental flavours, it makes a great english smoke. I did find that it burned a little hot for my poor pug and created a little bit of moisture, though not a lot of gurgle. The dottle factor was also low, but noticeable. All around a great smoke for sitting and absorbing the day's happenings. Whether before, during, or after makes little difference. As always, smoke it as you prefer, and I hope that you find the tobacco that best suits you. 12

13 Off the Meter with Dom Wheeler A MISTAKABLE SMOKE (4TH GENERATION 1897 ERIK PAUL'S BLEND BY ERIK STOKKEBYE) Consisting of golden virginias, bronze burleys, and black cavendish blended in a nice black and tan mixture. Very pleasing to the eye, and the tastebuds. This tobacco reminds me of 4 or 5 other tobaccos that I have smoked, without being exactly like any of them, though close enough to fool the senses for a short period. On lighting this mild blend I experienced a quick note of cherry, which held on throughout and was added to by a heavier nutty flavour, which almost overpowered it. A smooth smoke, great aromatic, and perfect for the everyday smoker that just wants a smooth flavour. A moist tobacco that smokes hot, or goes out, but not too much burley bite, just enough to make it worth it. Working in an orchard is a good place to smoke this particular tobacco, although these days that's hard to say. As always, smoke it as you prefer, and I hope that you find the tobacco that best suits you. This tobacco can be purchased at: 13

14 Off the Meter with Dom Wheeler NUT 'N' HONEY (4TH GENERATION 1931 ERIK PETERS BLEND BY ERIK STOKKEBYE) A balanced mixture of premium burley and virginia tobaccos, with a small amount of black cavendish for flavouring. Opening this tobacco actually took me off guard, as it has a spicy smell akin to orientals, and looks like nesting material for a bird, albeit in a pressed flake state. Upon lighting this blend I was again taken off guard as I was hit immediately by the taste of honey, followed quickly by a nutty flavour, making it seem like honey roasted nuts of some sort. (Hazelnuts or almonds is what it seemed to me.) It smoked true throughout the bowl, only lessening a little just before it puffed out. A clean, cool, dry, smooth smoke with a great richness to it, though somewhat subtle. This could be considered a great english smoke, judging solely on the ones that I have tried in the past, as it still has a little spiciness to it. Very little dottle and what there was was fully blackened, so no waste whatsoever. This tobacco can be purchased at: As always, smoke it as you prefer, and I hope you find the tobacco that best suits you. 14

15 SMOKING JACKET MAGAZINE THE LEATHER LIBRARY WITH STEVEN UMBRELLO ALEC BRADLEY AMERICAN SUN GROWN REVIEW Brand: Alec Bradley Line: American Sun Grown Size: 6 1/8" X 52 Shape: Torpedo Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sungrown Habano Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Origin: Nicaragua Machine or Hand-rolled: Handrolled Age: 2 Years Price: $4.72 USD Where to Purchase: Atlantic Cigar Co. Recovering from my previous review of the Alec Bradley SCR, I decided to recharge my palate with another Alec Bradley, but one that is not so vile. Rather, this American Sun Grown torpedo is the total opposite of vile, it is remarkably delicious and it lives up to the quality that I expect from AB. I purchased a box of these delicious sticks from Cigar Chief over two years ago and they have been sitting and aging in my humidor since. I decided that since today was a nice day I would take one of these dark beauty's for a spin. The cigar sports a chocolatey brown wrapper with few veins and tight seams. I cut the cap off with my table guillotine and, as I expected, it had a great draw. The notes that came off the stick were sweet and dry. I toasted and lit the foot with a cedar spill and was greeted by a nice bouquet of cocoa, espresso and hay. First Third (1/3) - 20 min Thankfully those beautiful notes that I got on the first light persisted into the first third. The cocoa and espresso flavours complimented each other very well, as did the leather which was subtle, yet present on what was a very long finish. The burn was remaining razor sharp and the smoke output was perfect. It definitely was a full-bodied smoke, but it did not have any strength kick to it (thankfully). Second Third (2/3) - 15 min The second third passed by a little faster then I had anticipated, but I think that was because I was smoking it a little too fast; perhaps because the flavours were so delectable! This was certainly a stick with dessert like flavours. This third in particular produced those flavours in abundance. Notes of toffee, and nutmeg came into the fold and the leather started to diminish. The finish remained long and the burn stayed razor sharp. Final Third (3/3) - 15 min Unfortunately the cigar got hot and mushy as it got close to the middle of the final third. The smoke output remained voluptuous, but the smoke raised in temperature as well. Eventually the smoke became unbearable and I had to put it down. The last flavours I was able to distinguish were sweet spice and toffee, with coffee notes on the finish. Total Smoke Time: 50 min The Verdict Alec Bradley produced another classic cigar that is great for later in the afternoon or after a hearty dinner. Fortunately, you could smoke this cigar on an empty stomach without any worry about a nicotine buzz, but keep in mind that the sticks have been given 2 years of age. The draw and smoke output were great and the flavour profile was likewise delicious. Taking these considerations into account I give the Alec Bradley American Sun Grown Torpedo on the Leather Library 10-Point Stogie Scale a:

16 THE LEATHER LIBRARY WITH STEVEN UMBRELLO ALEC BRADLEY SELECT CABINET RESERVE TORPEDO REVIEW Brand: Alec Bradley Line: SCR Size: 6.2" x 52 Shape: Torpedo Wrapper: Honduras Trojes Binder: Honduras Trojes, Indonesian Embetunada Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua Origin: Honduras Machine or Handrolled: Hand-rolled Age: 3 Years Price: $7.75 USD Where to Purchase: Cigar.com Being a fan of Alan Rubin's blends I decided to pick up a handful of the Alec Bradley SCR (Special Cabinet Reserve) torpedo's, knowing that they will be great. Unfortunately, when I first picked them up over three years ago I tried one and was very disgusted by the taste. It was harsh, flavourless and had a cigarette like profile. Because of that I decided to let them age and hope for the best. During my last meetup with the Toronto Cigar Club I decided to finally take one of these sharply pointed sticks out my humidor and taste to see if age has benefitted them. The sticks appearance is actually quite nice, with minimal veins and tight, invisible seams. I cut the pointed cap off with my cigar scissors and was greeted with a nice open draw. The aroma was relatively feint, with only the slightest smell of tobacco. I toasted the foot and gave it a final light with my torch. The initial notes weren't all that great, dry earth, and cigarette. This was not going as I hoped it would. First Third (1/2) - 15 min Thankfully this third was going by quick because I was not enjoying the flavours. The burn, draw and smoke output were fantastic, but these mean nothing if the flavours are not enjoyable. They did not change from the first third and this was starting to become more of a burden than a pleasure. Second Third (2/3) - 15 min The flavour profile started to mellow out here, but the flavours themselves did not change; other than a slight herby, medicinal note coming into the fold. Final Third (3/3) - 20 min The stick got quite hot as it approached the last inch. Whatever flavours were present started to become melded together into a mass of hot, ultimately indistinguishable smoke. I had to put the cigar down because it got way to hot to hold...thankfully it was over. Total Smoke Time: 50 min The Verdict Overall the performance was good, but it lacked any real substance. I would be hard put to call this cigar even mediocre. I guess I can see why the SCR has been discontinued. If you gave me a blindfold, I would have most likely mistaken it for a machinerolled, short-filler cigar from a convenience store. Overall a horrible experience and I loath having a dozen of these sticks in my humidor. Taking all these considerations into account I give the Alec Bradley SCR on the Leather Library 10-Point Stogie Scale a:

17 The Leather Library with Steven Umbrello LA AURORA TRADITIONAL BELICOSO REVIEW Brand: La Aurora Line: Traditional Size: 6 1/4" x 52 Shape: Belicoso Wrapper: Cameroon Binder: Dominican Republic Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic Origin: Nicaragua Machine or Handrolled: Hand-rolled Age: 3 Years Price: $5.00 USD Where to Purchase: Atlantic Cigar Co. It s been a while since I last had one of these sticks, but after three years of aging I thought I might as well give it its time in the light. I have always been a fan of La Aurora cigars but unfortunately this one is not one of them. The cigar comes in with a very toothy and dry-looking wrapper. The seams were visible and the back was hard yet light. I snipped the end off with my table guillotine cutter and lit it up with a cedar match. The aromas were pretty good with notes of earth, leather and hay. The taste and finish weren't that far off with slights notes of coffee on the end. The smoke was really dry; if that makes any sense, It definitely left my mouth parched. First Third (1/3) - 20 min Given the size of the stick I expected to have a far longer burn, but it seems that the light pack was responsible. There were notes of cedar on the finish but the initial draw was dominated by a bitter chocolate. The smoke output was decent, but given the open draw I expected it to produce far more. The body at this third was definitely a medium body. Second Third (2/3) - 25 min This third took slightly longer than the first and the finish followed suit. The lingering notes lasted longer and were mostly composed of coffee and leather. There was a noticeable lack of creaminess that I typically experience when I get notes of leather and this stick was certainly harsher then I would have liked. The dryness persisted and I had to keep going for a glass of water. Final Third (3/3) - 15 min There was not much change from the previous third except for a notable increase in bitter notes which were not at all pleasant when accompanied by such a dry smoke. Total Smoke Time: 1h The Verdict I will try not to be to harsh on this stick because it did produce some good flavours and I had not construction problems. However, taking into account its dryness and bitterness, its hard to call this cigar anything other than mediocre. The La Aurora Traditional Belicoso, on The Leather Library 10-Point Stogie Scale, gets a: 6 VEGAS ROBAINA XV ANIVERSARIO PRE-RELEASE (CANADA RE) REVIEW Brand: Vegas Robaina Line: Exclusivo Canada Size: 6 1/2" x 54 Shape: Sublime Wrapper: Cuban Binder: Cuban Filler: Cuban Origin: Cuba Machine or Handrolled: Hand-rolled Age: 2 Years Price: $50 CAD Where to Purchase:Village Cigar Co. It s been quite a while since I have had a Vegas Robaina cigar 17 and I thought that since I was on a Cuban binge that I would pick up one of the Canadian exclusives. The Vegas Robaina XV Aniversario Pre-Release Is a beautiful looking stick with a smooth, creamy looking wrapper with slightly visible seams and a

18 The Leather Library with Steven Umbrello full, yet soft pack. The aroma was distinctly Cuban with notes of hay and cedar. I snipped the end off that my guillotine and lit the cigar with my torch. The Initial notes were slightly bitter, but that quickly faded and was replaced with notes of cedar and all-spice. First Third (1/3) - 20 min The loose draw helped to produce a voluptuous amount of smoke which gave me my favourite chewy-mouth feeling. I certainly felt the kick in my chest and the finish lasted until the next draw. The notes of cedar persisted and they were complimented by a sweet espresso. The burn went a bit wonky but it soon self corrected. Second Third (2/3) - 25 min Thankfully the flavour didn't change very much. I was definitely enjoying this stick and the flavours were certainly classic. The notes of cedar and espresso persisted from the firs third all the way until the end of this second third. Notes of hay were present on the ambient smoke and the taste of caramel/vanilla was somewhere to be found on the long finish. Final Third (3/3) - 25 min Although I enjoyed the first third immensely, it was this final third that really shined. The flavours remained the same but as the cigar started to heat up as the burn moved closer to the end I began to distinguish notes of sweet port wine. Port is one of my favourite pairing drinks with cigars and it is definitely a Cuban cigar thing to taste port in the cigar! Total Smoke Time: 1 h 10 min The Verdict The Vegas Robaina XV Aniversario Pre-Release is an instant classic. Although the flavours are to die for its near $50 price point certainly nocks a few points off. The cigar produces a great bouquet of notes and that is accompanied by excellent construction. Taking all of this into account the Vegas Robaina XV Aniversario Pre-Release get on The Leather Library 10-Point Stogie Scale an:

19 SMOKING JACKET MAGAZINE A LADY S PERSPECTIVE WITH SABLE ARADIA BLACK VELVET, IF YOU PLEASE (LA COHIBA EXTRA VIGOROSO RED DOT GRAN CORONA) When Steven Umbrello finally exhausted his extensive appetite for his impressive, and well-chosen cigar collection, I knew that if I were doing my duty to the magazine I could no longer hold back on my Big Brand Showstopper Full-Bodied Sampler from Pipes and Cigars.com. The next cigar in the collection that I chose to explore was the La Cohiba Extra Vigoroso Red Dot Gran Corona. The first thing I discovered when I did my online research is that there are, in effect, two Cohiba brands! The first, with a white-and-black chequed label, is the original, Cuban state-owned brand. The second is the "red dot" variety which was trademarked by General Cigar Company in the US and it contains no Cuban tobacco at all; hence, making it legal to sell in the United States. As a Canadian, I might end up with either variety so I thought this was good to know! This cigar uses a blend of Nicaraguan and Piloto Cubano ligero fillers and a USA Connecticut broadleaf binder, with a dark and oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper that, we are assured, has been aged three years. It is almost certainly an Oscuro; it is very dark, almost black, with a promisingly veiny texture. I love a good rich, dark smoke, and eagerly unwrapped it. The wrapper note was a delicious blend of steak and dark cocoa; very exciting! I noticed that the pack was exceptionally hard however. It punched perfectly and the pre-light draw was strongly reminiscent of rich cocoa with the slightly sharp undertone that marks many American cigars; not at all unpleasant, but distinctly there for those 19 who know the difference. I lightly toasted the foot as instructed in Steven's video. It toasted nicely and filled the room with that rich, chocolate smoke. The first draw was, again, very chocolatey. It lit easily but slightly off-kilter. As the smoke progressed, it appeared to be self-correcting and the light leveled out. The flavour? Rich chocolate cocoa, full bodied; an excellent prime maduro. I thought instantly "black velvet" for its darkness, its richness, and its smoothness. I set in to enjoy

20 A LADY S PERSPECTIVE WITH SABLE ARADIA what I quickly felt would be my new favourite cigar, especially since I would have a whole Gran Corona almost to myself! However, I was sorely disappointed! I must have gotten a bad pack; it was a very very very hard draw! It took me forty minutes to smoke maybe a third and after that it simply would not draw at all; even for the veteran smokers with whom I live. Eventually I had to accept the inevitable; there simply was no more that I was going to get out of this stick! I offered the remainder of it to Erzulie in my goddess temple because it is said that She likes dark, rich tobaccos; and certainly the Extra Vigoroso met that description! I was distinctly reminded of a phrase from a song made popular in the late eighties by Canadian singer Alannah Myles: Always wanting more, he'll leave you longing for Black velvet in that little boy smile Black velvet in that slow, southern style A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees Black velvet if you please! Due to the crushing disappointment of near-gasm, I have to give the XV: But I am certainly going to try it again and hope for a better pack next time! I'll let you know. Accompaniment suggestions: coffee, dark chocolate, truffle or nougat; anything that could go well with chocolate. If you could smoke it long enough to enjoy the snack, that is. You can get this black beauty at CoronaCigar.com, and Pipes & Cigars.com as well, starting at $11.24 US a stick but averaging about $16.50 US. If it weren't impossible to smoke after the first third, I'd have said it was worth it. That, my friends, is a lady's perspective. A RARE AND PRECIOUS GEM (LA PERLA HABANA BLACK PEARL MORADO TORPEDO) So I was watching Game of Thrones, catching up on missed episodes, and it occurred to me to enjoy the next element in my Full-Bodied Cigar Sampler from Pipes and Cigars.com; the La Perla Habana Black Pearl Morado Torpedo. I chose this one because we were talking about thrones, and this cigar looks very regal. The exceptionally attractive purple wrapper and royal purple ribbon with cedar shaving provided for ease of lighting makes this cigar extremely appealing on the outset. The wrapper note was, not surprisingly, cedar and coffee with a dash of cinnamon. The cigar itself is a pleasing cinnamon Colorado Maduro colour with a relatively smooth texture; visible but not large veins, and a tight roll. The torpedo shape appeared well constructed and the pack was firm; but not rock-hard, as my La Cohiba XV had been. It is a large, 52 ring gauge cigar; a lot of smoke! 20

21 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia I have read that the Morado line was created to celebrate La Perla Habana's ten year anniversary. There's a limited supply due to the scarcity of its signature Cameroon wrapper. It was designed by Cuban-born Rafael Guerra with Nicaraguan long fillers and a Nicaraguan Habano binder. Since they are handmade in the Torano family factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, this is not surprising! Delighted in the overall promise, I easily sliced the tip with my guillotine cutter, and unwrapped the ribbon. The predraw light was reminiscent of nutmeg and coffee. Without further ado I promptly torched the end. A nutty-cinnamon room note filled the air; very light and pleasing. Although it was unmistakably tobacco, it was generally agreed by all present, smoker and non-smoker alike, that the scent was attractive. I don't know if I would liken it to royalty, but certainly it struck me as high-class. The first third was unmistakably caramel, coffee, and a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. It was not oily and did not leave a lingering taste of butter on my lips, however. This cigar has been described by some as dry and cracking. It was on the drier side but not unpleasantly so. It ashed beautifully; the tip held on for a good inch and a half before I tapped it off. The smoke was almost perfectly uniform straight, too; unusual for me! The second third was like tobacco and spiced bread. I almost forgot that I was doing a review, between the pleasant mellowness of the smoke and my absorption in the complex plots of Westeros! The nicotine content seemed to bring a pleasant, alert buzz; nothing overwhelming or obtrusive. The last third was leather, coffee, and spice. Very nice. I had a stub burning my fingers before I realized it, and I put out it out with great reluctance. Total smoking time: Well, I saw two episodes, without commercials, of Game of Thrones while smoking, so that would be around an hour and a half from start to finish, since I lit it right at the beginning of the two episodes. It left a pleasant room note that lingered for a couple of days, so don't smoke indoors if your neighbours don't like tobacco! I have read that others have had problems with plugged cigars and impossible draws, but I did not have even the shade of such a problem myself. It was probably the most easy-smoking cigar I've ever tried, actually. It didn't go out even once and required no correction to its light. In nautical lore, a sailor wears a black pearl in his earring when he has survived a sinking ship (betcha didn't know that, Pirates of the Caribbean fans, didja?) 21 but this ship definitely sails tight in her stays, as far as I'm concerned! It's not my usual type - I generally prefer maduros or candelas - but I will certainly smoke this jewel of a cigar again if given the chance! Cigar Aficionado gave the Black Pearl a 92 rating and it was the #16 Cigar of the Year in I can see why! My rating would be: I am sorry to say that I could not find this elusive hidden treasure anywhere online save through sets at Pipes & Cigars.com, so you'd better get them while you can! They are available at Cigars-Now.com, and they are available, but backordered, at Best Cigar Prices at $69.95 US for a box of twenty. And that's a lady's perspective!

22 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia BATMAN WOULD GET IT & BRUCE WAYNE WOULD SMOKE IT (HOYO DE MONTERREY EXCALIBUR DARK KNIGHT I TORO) In the omnipresent quest of the modern era to multitask, I have discovered an efficient way to spend time doing two things at once that I love to do. While I work at novel-writing, something I spend a good three hours a day doing, I light up a cigar to review and use my thoughts on the experience as a way to take my brain out of my fantasy world for a moment. Since I am writing fantasy, I thought that a cigar called the "Excalibur Dark Knight" might be an outstanding accompaniment. Another installment in my Big Brand Showstopper Full-Bodied Sampler from Pipes and Cigars.com, the Dark Knight is made by prime cigar manufacturer Hoyo de Monterrey. They have the most helpful and informative site for their brand I have ever seen in a tobacco-manufacturer's official website! They tell me that this stick was originally a part of the Excalibur 1066 line, which the General Cigar Company phased out in 2010, but "the Dark Knight will be given a stage of its very own to highlight the great taste of its rich and unique wrapper." Said wrapper is US Connecticut Havano Grueso (a Cuban seed tobacco sometimes mistaken for a Cameroon maduro,) the filler is Nicaraguan, Honduran and Dominican, and the binder is US Connecticut Broadleaf. Well, this sure sounds like an interesting combination of prime cigar tobaccos with a distinctly American edge! My toro was rather large, probably a 52 ring gauge. That's always good; I like a lot of smoke for my money! The label is an attractive black and gold affair with a crown and a coat of arms to match a font that might suggest medieval villainry or a certain sinister caped comicbook hero, and it is marked with the name of the designer, Gener Jose. The wrapper note was the distinct dark, chewy scent of dark maduros; like barbecued steak almost. And yet you could scent those unique Connecticut tobacco elements underneath. Very promising. It had a shiny, veiny texture and a pristine cap with perfect seams. The pack was a very firm pack; almost dangerously hard, I would say. I was, however, a little concerned with the internal folding at the center. I thought it might burn oddly. After some internal dithering, I decided that I would punch that lovely cap, but I would be prepared to clip it with my guillotine cutter if it offered a difficult draw. And it punched with the perfect grace that the cap led me to expect! The prelight draw had that promising taste of a good maduro; cocoa and BBQ. 22

23 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia Speaking of BBQ, I toasted the foot and the wafting room note was a rich buttery cocoa scent with a leather undertone. Now very eager to sample this sinister crusader, I lit up. The room was engulfed in a cloud of voluptuous smoke and cocoa butter oil coated my lips. Delicious! There was also a slightly bitter espresso undertone, which I guess would be the Dominicans; not at all unpleasant, but certainly a welcome enhancement of the complexity. In direct contradiction of my fears, the cigar burned with perfect evenness and was no work at all to draw. Indeed, the amount of smoke I could take into my mouth at once was downright luxurious! Perhaps my only complaint in the first third was that I found myself smoking it too fast because it was simply too good to put down. You can correctly infer, as a result, that the nicotine content was delightfully stimulating but not overwhelming. After the initial draws a distinctly sweet element, perhaps vanilla, perhaps honey, made itself known. Nor did it lose the espresso, the barbecue or the cocoa. Other sites have described the Dark Knight as "dark, rich, and complex." Just like Batman, the Dark Knight himself. I was finding that it lived up to its hype very well! It burnt pleasantly away in my sinister ashtray as I worked on my writing, hardly needing the slightest encouragement with my mouth to stay alight. (You know, if that were true under different circumstances...) ;) But I digress. The halfway point came all too soon because I was enjoying it so much; it only took about forty minutes to get there. And after purging, the rich buttery cocoa returned; only now there was a strong peppery element that had crept in sometime in the first third while I wasn't looking, and a smokey steak undertone, and a molasses blend to balance the vanilla. Imagine that someone took a properly well-done Montreal steak, thick with its peppery signature steak spice, and brushed it in a brown sugar glaze. Apparently the Dark Knight is full of surprises; he has many layers of complexity and quite a lot of tricks up his sleeve! I couldn't wait to see what else his utility belt might reveal. 23 As I approached the final third, it did go out twice; my fault, since I was working at the writing. At this point, the pepper diminished a little and the brown sugar flavour came into the spotlight, accompanied by a hint of leather in the aftertaste. The second light, which I insisted upon even though I was now required to remove the golden label, was a little wonky and the pack had become soft by this time. Yet that perfect cap remained intact and the experience did not lose its luster. I finally allowed the last nub of the stick to die, which it did only with great stubbornness, at 3:45 pm, for a total smoke time of an hour and a half. Yes, this is a cigar worthy of its name. Batman would understand its dark complexity, and its richness would suit even Bruce Wayne's rarefied tastes. Rich and dark are the flavours it celebrates; just like the

24 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia Wayne Manor. Perfect for showing off antique armour in the armoury off of the ballroom, or watching monitors in the Batcave! I have nothing bad to say about this cigar. Nothing. And I have nothing but praises to offer it in every department. I therefore have no choice but to salute Excalibur's kingly accomplishment, and offer this fine crusader: For a meagre prize-purse of $6.99 USD, you can secure the services of a single champion at Cigar.com. For a purse of $22.00 USD you can hire five menat-arms at Cigars International, and for $95.80 USD you can secure the services of twenty guardsmen at Pipes & Cigars; you can also find their heirs (there are four Dark Knight lines now; II is the most expensive and III the least). You will also find knights for hire at Thompson Cigar. I would suggest that this cigar is probably best smoked without accompaniment, but certainly it would do nothing to harm an espresso, a full-bodied red wine, or a plate of Turkish Delight. Any coffee should not diminish it, and it would be a suitable after-dinner smoke for Montreal steak or smoked and peppered salmon. Pleased to be in the High King's court, I humbly offer this lady's perspective! NO. 5 IS NUMBER ONE (SUTLIFF PRIVATE STOCK NO. 5 BLEND) Now that the magazine is rolling along, we asked tobacco companies we had dealt with to send us tobaccos to review, and one of the first to answer the call was Sutliff Tobacco Company. Trusting in their product, and knowing we don't play favourites, they began by sending us samples of their muchlauded Private Stock line. So Erin and I thought that we would take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a smoke together. Knowing that I enjoy English blends, and having his own preference for them as well, Erin thought we ought to be begin with Blend No. 5. Sutliff's website tells us that Blend No. 5 is "a robust English blend with character. Plenty of Latakia, Pressed Virginia, and Burley provide the base." Their three-pronged rating system gives it a four out of five for body, a five out of five for Latakia flavour, and a zero out of five for aromatic flavour. Pure, uncased pipe tobacco! We were excited; to emphasize the smokey flavours of strong Latakia in a good English blend seemed to us a stroke of potential genius. Eagerly we popped open the tin. The tobacco within is an attractive mottled colour. The black Latakias were easy to see in the brown Virginias and Burleys. We took turns smelling the tin note. Traces of old leather, pepper and wine or perhaps stout struck us immediately. We agreed that we were reminded of the kind of old pub where you go after work to sling a few brewskies with good friends. 24

25 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia Erin packed our pipes with the "poke and stuff" method; my Lorenzo Lula Churchwarden and his Rick Black custom Dublin. The tobacco was on the drier side, suggesting that it would burn well. We promptly struck lighters to bowls and drew. Wafts of Latakia smoke filled the air of our kitchen. It was deliciously smooth; Erin described it as "the smoothest English blend he's ever had." To him it was a really nice, pleasant tobacco. I noticed an initial peppery overtone and a lingering, enjoyable hint of an old leather in the undertone, along with the slightly-sour essence of English blends. You would think, with the heavy Latakia, that it would be overwhelmingly sour; but it was beautifully balanced by the Virginia and Burley. After a while I also detected a hint of molasses in there somewhere; not strong, and don't ask me how or why it gave me that impression, but it did. Other members of the Okanagan Pipe & Cigar Club found that it left lingering tongue bite if you smoked it too quickly, but Erin didn't really find that and my churchwarden completely negated it. If you're an inhaler, Erin said it inhaled easily enough; but if you're not, there wasn't a need. It smoked comfortably cool, making the pipe bowls pleasant to hold in one's hand. It's worth noting that although Sutliff describes it as a strong-bodied tobacco, we found it to be on the stronger side, but not overwhelming. Its room note, which was sharp, smokey, peppery, and very strong, won't win over your in-laws, but it certainly wouldn't do anything to harm an old library. It stayed lit easily, even with my incompetent pipelighting skills. Erin smoked it steadily to completion, as did I, and it left absolutely no dottle at all. Erin says, "To this point, the best English blend I've ever had is Glynn Quelch's Classic English. However, this one is considerably easier to get in North America, and therefore, Blend No. 5 will replace it as my favourite English blend." Looks like No. 5 is number one! On my personal rating system, I found this an ideal English blend, and I will certainly make it part of my regular rotation. I look forward to comparing it to Sutliff's other English blends (such as their Field Master) and I give it: You can find this fine example of English taste at Pipes & Cigars for $15.50 US for an 8 oz. tin; Smoking Pipes for $6.11 US for a one and half ounce tin; or you can contact Sutliff directly at their website, and they'll help you find a retailer near you. That's this lady's perspective; smoke 'em if you've got 'em! 25

26 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia NICE, BUT NOT INTENSE (CU-HAVANA INTENSUS TORO) It was a lovely day this past Sunday, so my gentlemen and I decided it would be a great time to go for a drive to do a little sightseeing. As I am inclined to do while driving, I thought it might be the perfect opportunity to continue to enjoy that Big Brand Showstopper Full-Bodied Sampler from Pipes and Cigars.com. My next victim was the Cu-avana Intensus Toro. Originally called the "Intenso," Cigars International tells us that the Intensus was the answer to Cu-avana fans who wanted a full-bodied smoke instead of the more mild sticks that the company typically produces (and produces well). They begin with a Habanoseed Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, and they fill it with "an extensively aged, all-ligero mixture of tobaccos from Peru and Nicaragua." Well, for those who know tobacco, you know that ligeros are the leaves from the top of the tobacco plant, and they pack the most punch in terms of nicotine content. So I expected to be a little wowed! Or maybe bowled over. The leaf wrapper was a Colorado maduro and the label was pleasantly appealing, as it reminded me of velvet art with its gold and red on black theme. The stick itself was veiny with tight seams, and it had a distinctive little fold in the leaf, probably a curled leaf when it was initially rolled that just cured that way. The wrapper note smelled like a dark Nicaraguan, with a lingering trance of coffee. I punched it eagerly and its tight cap punched well. The pre-light draw tasted of coffee with hint of cocoa in it somewhere, thought not strongly. Toasting the foot with my torch revealed an espresso room note and an uneven first light. The first draw was buttery and oily with strong coffee notes; just what I'd hoped for! I puffed away contently as I drove down the highway 97A and shared a smoke with my men, the spicy and earthy flavours tickling my senses. I noticed before long that it burned rather hot; this was almost driven home to me forcibly when I reached to the 26 seat behind to grab for the smoke in the rotation, and it was so hot, even at the center of the stick, that I thought it was going to burn me! I twisted it around in my hand by reflex; and it almost became a self-fulfilling prophecy! So just a word to the wise. However, it ashed well; a beautiful straight white ash soon developed and it fell off twentyfour minutes in, marking the first third. It was a pleasant oily and rich smoke. Not very complicated though; just the dark Nicaraguans with a strong note of coffee and espresso in the earth, with just possibly the ghost of cocoa. I didn't initially find it to be as strong as I was expecting, but it picked up noticeably after the first third. Or maybe I started smoking it harder.

27 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia By the second third, which took us another twenty minutes, we had been required to relight it twice and it had started burning wryly instead of its initial evenness. It lost any subtlety it once had and became a simple dark cigar; still strong coffee and earth elements, but no cocoa. It possibly developed a little of the oaken aspect that other reviewers have mentioned by this point, but I found it difficult to detect. After purging, it regained some of that initial pleasant oiliness also, but it also became a little gooshy from the heat. It continued to express as very fullbodied; by this time I was buzzing nicely as I drove, and remember that I was sharing! Still nothing compared to Rocky Patel's "the Edge." In the final third, which took a final twenty-two minutes, the Intensus recovered from its wonky burn, It finished strong and pleasant, for a total smoke time of an hour and eleven minutes. You can't say anything bad about this cigar. It was smooth, rich, uncomplicated and simple, but you can't really say anything spectacular about it either. It didn't scream "individual character" to any of us. We found it completely unobjectionable, and quite enjoyable: but not intense. A good smoke for a pleasant Sunday drive to spice things up just a little. I give the Intensus: There you have it, from this lady's perspective! You can order the not-quite- Intensus at Pipes & Cigars or at Cigars International for $20 USD for a pack of five toros or $69.95 for a box of twenty. ON THEIR GAME! (CAO BRAZILIA GOL! ROBUSTO) Continuing my reviews of that lovely Big Brand Showstopper Full-Bodied Sampler from Pipes and Cigars.com, I was happy to see an old friend among the elite; the CAO Brazilia Gol! Robusto. My first acquaintance with this señorita was in the CAO World Sampler; which is an excellent bang for your buck and provides some truly unique smoking experiences! But I digress. The Brazilia Gol! received a 91 rating from Cigar Aficionado Magazine and has consistently scored high in almost any review. A symphony of Nicaraguan long-leaved fillers and binders, and Brazilian Arapiraca wrappers, this fat 56 ring gauge lady was only released after five years of planning and she is a wonderful example of a double maduro. Her rich, dark chocolate skin and smoothseamed but veiny exterior are always so inviting, well-aged and set aside for months for maximum smoothness in flavour. She was firm but not rigid and her attractive and colourful label never let your forget her allegiance. She had a perfectly formed double-cap and it punched easily and cleanly with my bullet punch. The wrapper note was distinctly chocolatey cocoa and 27 espresso; one of the most appealing wrapper notes I've smelled. The pre-light draw promised some complexity and earthiness in the chocolate and coffee. The stick toasted beautifully and the room note is of roasted chestnuts, cocoa and espresso. The first draw was everything you might hope of a good maduro. Picture a rich mocha with a slight touch of hazelnut or perhaps nutmeg; just a little hint, not enough to overpower it. The buttery oil of those first few draws is probably my favourite part of a cigar. The Brazilia is described as a medium-to-full flavoured cigar, and I found her full-flavoured

28 A Lady s Perspective with Sable Aradia indeed! That first third, which took a little over twenty minutes to enjoy, was consistent in that buttery cocoa/mocha with its nutty undertone. Almost before I knew it I was into the second third. As most cigars do, she lost the buttery element at that point, and ran more to coffee, with a slight floral element. Our dark Brazilian beauty was weaving flowers in her hair and flashing a wink at me. After purging, there was a momentary return to the buttery mocha, then back to the señorita with the Amazonian flowers. I finished the second third in eighteen minutes. In the final third, the Brazilia Gol! decided to go full on with her passionate earthy side. She was rich and pleasantly bitter to the taste. I tend to associate this sort of flavour profile with smokey barbecued steak, maybe with patchouli underneath. I smoked it down to the nub, which took me another eighteen minutes, for a total smoke time of just four minutes shy of an hour. Not bad for a robusto! I might also add that, as seen in the photo, our lady burned cleanly and evenly, and ashed to perfection, and never once had to be re-lit. A fine tempered and welcoming lady indeed! Brazil might be under fire for its diplomatic skills and its performance in the World Cup they hosted, but as far as cigars go, the Brazilians are on their game! I give this indelible señorita: I heard a horrible rumour somewhere that CAO is discontinuing the line, but it must be wrong because you will have no trouble finding this lady out and about! I got my first taste at my local tobacco and liquor store, Sir Winston's Pub in Vernon, BC. Online you can find her at Thompson Cigar for $5.95 USD for a single, or at Cigar International for $20.50 USD for a box of five; or in Canada, Cigar Chief has her for $7.85 Cnd for a single and $ Cnd for a box of twenty. And that's this lady's perspective! 28

29 SMOKING JACKET MAGAZINE THE EDITOR S JOURNAL WITH ERIN MCROY BETTER WITH COFFEE NO, BETTER THAN COFFEE! (4TH GENERATION 1882 FOUNDERS BLEND) Over a month ago, Erik Stokkebye sent me four tins, one each of Fourth Generations 1882, 1897, 1931, and 1957 blends. However, I ve been so busy with other things in the magazine, that I have not had a chance to review any, but one, of them, the 1931 Navy Flake. So it was that I sat down this morning to wrap my head around a review before I managed to smoke all the tins, or give away all the tobacco, without having written reviews on them. And, wrap my head around it is the operative term. First, I had to untangle my brain, which felt exactly like swimming in molasses just to grab a thought. I managed to say good morning to my hubby twice, totally confusing him, and stared for 20 minutes at my computer. Then, he asked me if I had any English blends, and molasses stroke after molasses stroke, I came up with the 1882 Founders Blend. That was when the first cohesive thought on the review hit me! When the can was opened, and passed around to smell, the rich, earthy, leathery tack fragrance of the brilliantly constructed English mix tobacco began to kick my brain in gear, and at least I was able to make a decision as to which of the other three blends I would be reviewing. So, I ve loaded my Brigham Mountaineer Partially Rusticated 354 with an ample bowl of the tobacco, which I just had to smell again, and prepared to smoke up. After about 5 minutes of puffing on the tobacco, my brain was now organized enough to think, a cup of coffee would go well with this. And I stood up to fetch one. It was then that the tobacco hit me and my brain jump into overdrive. I thought to myself, Maybe, I don t need a coffee with this? but, I fetched myself one anyways. It, of course, took another couple of minutes to get the coffee together, all the while 29 puffing on my pipe, and my brain began to ramble over this review. The taste of the tobacco is simply great! The only English blend that I ve found that is better is GQTobaccos Classic English, and that is the meter stick by which I measure English blends. The mix of Latakia, Oriental, Virginia and Kentucky tobaccos creates a nutty, unpretentious flavour that, though hard to describe, just amounts to a simply stupendous smoke. By the time the bowl was finished, I had a good buzz, and emptied my pipe to absolutely no dottle. Now, wide awake, with still more than half a cup of coffee left, I m ready to face the day, and I tip my hat to Erik. You can get it at pipesandcigars.com, for $17.50 USD per tin, and they have this to say about the tobacco; 1882 Founder s Blend is Erik Stokkebye s tribute to the year his family s tobacco business was created. This rich and hearty blend is redolent with Latakia and excellent Oriental leaf and

30 THE EDITOR S JOURNAL WITH ERIN MCROY enriched by sweet, matured fluecured and robust dark-fired Kentucky. Truly a must-try for Latakia blend enthusiasts. I, for one, know that I will try this tobacco again, and look forward to the next can. Smoke em if you got em! MISSING HOME (4TH GEN. TOBACCONIST 1897 ERIK PAUL S BLEND IN A WDC MILANO CUTTY) Some days you just get on a roll, so I decided after doing my review on Fourth Generation 1882 Founders Blend, I waited about an hour and then decided to do my review on another Fourth Generation tobacco, the 1897 Erik Paul s Blend. As I so often do when doing reviews, I try to get into the head of the tobacconist who created the blend. What were they thinking? What message were they trying to get across? It is one of the most wonderful things about pipe tobacco and cigars, recognizing the theme behind the blend. So, I opened the tin of 1897 to take in its aroma. The heady scent of vanilla and honey brings to mind mom s kitchen, and dad s pipe. Erik Paul Stokkebye, I assume, was born in That would have made him 17 in 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War. So, it is highly likely that when Erik Paul was smoking his pipe, as a young man, he was doing so in the trenches somewhere in Europe. Now, you see where the title of the article comes from. Just the smell of the tobacco alone fills one s mind with home, and if Erik Paul had this tobacco with him in the trenches, I am sure it exacerbated his homesickness. The oldest pipe I have is my WDC Milano Cutty, so in honour of Erik Michael s grandfather, I loaded a bowl of the blend named for him, while I read the back of the tin; Erik Paul, my Grandfather, was an entrepreneur and collector who loved to travel and experience many things. The 1897 blend is a colorful combination of light, golden Virginias, bronze Burley and a touch of Black Cavendish. The base of rich 30 vanilla combines with notes of mild, sweet honey for a gentle aromatic sweetness. The taste is quite good, and brings to mind afternoon tea on the back porch of my grandmother s with vanilla wafers and honey. I find, after smoking for about 20 minutes, that the tobacco is not too strong, though strong enough to satisfy, and the grassy Virginias, and nutty and peppery Burley are mellowed nicely by the addition of the Black Cavendish. The room note is very pleasant, and scented enough that I can pick it up with my limited sense of smell. As other reviews have stated, and I will reiterate, the 1897 is too moist out of the tin, and needs to be aired out for at least 30 minutes before smoking. Alternatively, just leave the can open for about a day, that ll take care of most of the excess moisture. The great thing about this WDC Milano Cutty, it is that I bought it from Keith Keller about six or eight months ago, and thought I had wrecked it by getting a pipe cleaner jammed in

31 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy the stem. My best friend spend hours with drill bits and a Dremel tool getting the pipe cleaner out, and fixing my pipe, so I enjoy it that much more. Besides, it s just a great smoker! He has done in such a great job in restoring this pipe that it remains one of my favorites. Another 20 minutes, and the bowl was finished. I tapped out the pipe to a small plug of dottle, and reflected on my childhood with my grandmother. Erik Michael, I hope you knew your grandfather. If this was his favorite blend, I m sure he was a very interesting man. Not sure how often I ll buy this blend, but it is definitely worth a try, and you can get it at pipesandcigars.com, for $14.50 USD a tin. Smoke em if you got em! TALLY HO! (SUTLIFF PRIVATE STOCK FIELD MASTER IN A SAVINELLI ALLIGATOR 114 KS) Sometimes you find yourself just unable to get motivated to do much of anything. Either it s too hot, or you didn t sleep well, or the kids stressed you out, or even all of the above. So, even though my shipment of Sutliff Private Stock tobacco arrived today, it was hard to get enthusiastic about doing more reviews. However, after my recent bout with Fourth Generation aromatics, a good English mixture sounded like just the right thing to get my mind in gear. Boy, was I right! I started off by reading the book that was sent with tobacco about the product lines; In fox hunting, the quarry, the pack, the field and the field master are all essentials of the hunt. Conversely, this luxurious English mixture has its essentials: Smoky Latakia, Matured Virginias, Rich Burley and Quality Turkish. Seemed like just the thing to kick the mind into action! I opened the tin, or rather got my hubby to open it, and was greeted to a tin note that was so mild that I couldn t even smell it. I had to hold the tin right up to my nose to even get a whiff. The mild note was that of tack and harness, leathery with a sharp undertone and immediately attracted my senses. Being an English mix, the tobacco doesn t appear too moist in the can and the ribboncut leaves are brilliantly blended into a beautiful charcoal, brown, and tan assortment. Dipping my fingers into the tobacco I find that the moisture levels are just about perfect, and Sutliff tobaccos a packaged loose, not compressed, so someone like myself, with limited mobility in their fingers, finds 31 packing a pipe with this tobacco to be very easy. By the time I had finished loading my pipe, a refinished Savinelli Alligator 114 KS, my mind was racing over the details of this review. Maybe it was an unnoticeable hint of aroma, or the feeling of the tobacco on my fingers, but like a horse that had broken its lead, my mind was off and running. I thought to myself, I need to smoke this pipe just to calm down, and I took off my glasses,

32 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy leaned back in my chair, and lit up. 30 minutes later, the bowl was reduced to ashes, and my mind was clopping along, like a welltrained stallion under the heel of a fox hunter, and the words to this review were flowing off the tip of my tongue. I actually had to stop and reflect upon the taste of this tobacco, as I had been totally engrossed in the experience. However, just about that time my hubby came back into the room, having finished his bowl of the same, and we were able to compare notes. The tobacco is very heavily based in Burley and Latakia, and leaves that distinct Latakia taste in your mouth, peppered by the Burleys and sweetened by the Virginia Or maybe it s the other way around? All in all, I found the blend quite enjoyable, both relaxing and invigorating at the same time. In my opinion, a definite win for Sutliff, though being an uncased tobacco, the room note is not going to win points with your in-laws. It is, however, a wonderful, smoky Latakia aroma that Latakia lovers will love. You can get this prize at pipesandcigars.com, for $6.10 USD, a full penny cheaper than you can get it at smokingpipes.com, or at cupojoes.com, for $9.99 USD. Each for the 1.5 ounce can. If none of those work for you, check with Sutliff, and they will help you find an American retailer near your zip code. Smoke em if you got em! PASSING THE TIME (4TH GEN. TOBACCONIST 1957 ERIK MICHAEL S BLEND IN A PETERSON KILLARNEY CANADIAN) Some days are better than other days for absolutely no reason. It s not that anything better happens, it s not done anything bad doesn t happen, that they just feels better. So, suffice to say I m having a good day. Basically, I just spent the day passing time in my own company 32 and then in the company of my wife. While my wife and my hubby were doing their music project I managed to do two

33 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy reviews, and still found time to slack off. Then, when they were done, my wife came out to be companionable in the kitchen with me while we both wrote. This is how I found myself lining up to do a third review in the day, and why not finish off the fourth generation reviews. So, I opened the tin of 1957 Erik Michael s blend and was immediately greeted with a warm smell of vanilla and exotic fruit. Though I highly doubt that Erik used anything of the kind, the smell reminded me of banana. I thought to myself, most interesting. Like the 1897 blend, the 1957 is too moist to load straight out of the can. So I let it air for about 20 minutes to shake off the excess moisture. Then I loaded my Peterson P-lip and prepared to enjoy the smoke. While I was waiting for the tobacco to air out, I took the time to read the back of the tin; My personal favorite! Bright Virginias, light brown Burleys and a touch of Black Cavendish combined to create perfect harmony in this blend. A naturally sweet tasting blend, the soft, creamy vanilla adds to the elegant room notes. Perfect for a relaxing moment any time of the day. Looking at the tobacco, I see that it can only be touched by Black Cavendish as the tobacco has none of the telltale characteristics except a few darker leaves. My wife expressed for enjoyment of the room note and when I asked her to indicate what it smelled like she can only respond with vanilla. In a world of vanilla aromatics it is often difficult to create a product that truly stands out in the market, but with other interrogated my wife espoused that this was the best vanilla smelling aromatic that she had ever smelled. So, I handed her my pipe to give it a try. Well, she was delighted! It must truly be an exceptional aromatic for my wife to have anything to do with it as she says most aromatics taste like chemicals. This however, she said was like smoking of vanilla bean in with your tobacco. I, on the other hand, found the tobacco enjoyable, though not as delightful as my wife found it. I found, that the tobacco tended to burn a little hot, and in a P-lip, that tends to mean tongue bite. But, then again, my wife tends to naturally sip a pipe, and a P-lip is designed for sipping, so she is probably just better at it than I am. However, I can say this about the tobacco, it left no dottle, burning to a fine white ash. My final decision; I like it! Not sure how often I ll smoke it, as I tend not to smoke aromatics, but you can get it at pipesandcigars.com for $14.50 USD per 100 gram can. I recommend you try it, it really is a good blend! Smoke em if you got em! BECALMED (SUTLIFF PRIVATE STOCK SPINNAKER IN A WDC MILANO CUTTY) Recently one of our sponsors, Sutliff Tobacco Company, has begun sending us samples for review. One of the samples sent this month from their Private Stock Collection was Spinnaker. I had recently undergone a bout with Fourth Generation Tobacconists aromatics, and decided to leave the aromatic flavours that Sutliff had provided until the end, and began with their non-aromatic mixtures. So, by the time I was ready to do some more aromatic blends, my choices were Blue Danube, Molto Dolce and Spinnaker. Since my wife is 33 already doing the Molto Dolce review, I was left with the other two, and being a retired sailor I thought Spinnaker sounded just about right. Man, oh man, was I wrong! I started off by taking out my WDC Milano Cutty, keeping with

34 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy the nautical theme, and cleaning it out for the new tobacco. Then, I opened the tin and was assaulted, and I do mean assaulted, by the overwhelming scent of cherry cough syrup! Now, anyone who reads my reviews knows that I have a limited sense of smell, so for me to say it was powerful is certainly saying something. Visually, the tobacco was a beautiful affair, mottled browns and blacks coming together in a truly mouth-watering assembly. Also, the tobacco was none too moist, which I expected after the extreme aroma. Hesitantly, I packed my pipe and lit up. At first, the taste wasn t too bad. The nutty and peppery Burley was strongly flavored by the cherry topping, and I could hardly taste the Cavendish at all. While smoking at, I looked up its description online at tobaccoreviews.com; Sailing, as in all sports, has its own jargon, understood only by interested fans. If you have ever admired the beauty of a sailboat gracefully gliding with a brightly colored headsail, then you have seen a spinnaker. Open yourself up to a new and exciting experience by trying this delightful mixture of Sweet Burley and tart Black Cavendish. Well, it certainly was a new experience, and I could even call it exciting. Sort of in the same way that you would call horror movies new and exciting. As a smoked the tobacco, the taste got steadily worse with the cherry topping becoming more and more chemical-like, and more and more overwhelming with each draw. I did manage to finish the entirety of the bowl, but it left a dottle in the bottom of the pipe something fierce. On the other hand, my hubby found the tobacco to be simply unappealing, not downright disgusting. As an old sailor, if I were stranded on a deserted island with only this to smoke I d quit! Definitely not a win in my opinion, but you can get it at pipesandcigars.com, or smokingpipes.com, for about $6.10 USD for a 1.5 ounce can. Or, if you live in the states, Sutliff Tobacco Co. will help you find a retailer near you. Smoke em if you got em! 34

35 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy UN CANADIEN ERRANT (SUTLIFF PRIVATE STOCK BLUE DANUBE IN A BRIGHAM MOUNTAINEER 354) Having recently had a bad experience with Sutliff Private Stock Spinnaker I was, understandably, a little leery of their Blue Danube. So it was with some trepidation I opened the can. I was immediately greeted with a sweet scent that I later found out is sweet rum, sugar, and vanilla. Unlike my last experience, it was neither overwhelming, nor unpleasant, and reminded me of toasted coconut, and reminded my wife of children s play dough. Well, that lifted my spirits and I was much more hopeful about the blend. So, I began to load my Brigham Mountaineer with the not too moist, though a little plain-looking, ribbon-cut tobacco, using the three layer method and a Czech style tamper. While lighting up, I checked out the information on the Sutliff web site, and they had this to say about the tobacco; The scenic Danube is both unique and vast. It is the only major European river which flows west to east, gushing some 1,770 miles through ten countries. Much like the Danube, this Aromatic Golden Cavendish of Burley and Rich Virginias has depth resulting in a distinctively delicious character. They also rate the tobacco four out of five on aromatic flavour, five out of five for body, and zero out of five for Latakia flavour. The tobacco lights easily enough, and I am soon greeted by voluminous, billowing clouds of smoke, though I find that I have to puff hard on the tobacco to keep it lit. No matter, I usually puff hard on my pipes, so I don t find that inconvenient. I also spent some time online looking up the Danube River, trying to get into the head of the tobacconist who mixed this blend, and what they were thinking when they named the mix. 35 The Danube is the second longest river in Europe, after the Volga, and flows from Germany to the Black Sea through 10 countries, and scores of cities. The bike path follows the course of the river from where its head begins through four stages, to end at the tributary on the other end of the river. The pictures of the Blue Danube are amazing, and an old sailor, like me, pictures sailing down the river like the ancient Vikings of yore, and suddenly wished to be abroad. Anyway, back to the review; I was greeted with the exquisite taste of the tobacco, which was completely not at all overwhelmed by the rum/vanilla casing. Indeed, the tobacco is so masterfully blended that the Burley and Virginia, naturally sweet, and nutty, are merely accented by the casing, and even though the tobacco is rated four out of five for aromatic flavour, it is not overpowered by it. The mountaineer always delivers a great smoke, especially when you remember to change the rock maple insert. The bowl burned slowly, and even though I puffed quite vigorously upon the pipe it did not get overwhelmingly hot. The tongue bite was minuscule, and

36 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy when the bowl was finished it left only a modest amount of dottle. I tapped out the bowl, quite satisfied, though not buzzed. Like a day spent sailing on a wide river, I felt relaxed and invigorated and ready to take on the rest of my week. The room note of the tobacco lingered for a good while after I put out the pipe, but was not all unpleasant, cloying, or intense. This tobacco is available at pipesandcigars.com, HERE, and smokingpipes.com, HERE, for about $6.10 USD per can, or you can get it by finding a retailer near you using the tools provided at Sutliff Tobacco Co., HERE. Smoke em if you got em! MAGICAL! (TABACO SENTIMIENTO NACIONAL REPÚBLICA IN A RICK BLACK CUSTOM DUBLIN) It is said that any technology suitably advanced is indistinguishable from magic. I say, so what? Magic is wonderful all on its own, and sorcery is a great answer for why your computer did anything! So given that pipe smoking technology is hundreds of years old, and hardly magical, you may ask, what does this have to do with pipe smoking? In answer to that question, let me tell you about a man named Antonio Norberto Petti. Antonio, or Toni, is a master blender and tobacco exporter in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is the man behind Tabaco Sentimiento Nacional (National Feeling Tobaccos). Check out Tabaco SN at their website; Where you can order this Republica blend for $13.00 USD for a 50 gram sealed pouch. Anyway, I first met Toni when I was spamming my contacts on Linked In with a business proposition to sponsor my magazine. Toni wrote me a reply, with the help of a translator, to explain that he was interested in having me review his products, but that he did not speak English. So, I dug out Google Translate and composed a letter, in Spanish, asking him to forgive my poor Spanish skills, and bad grammar, but assuring him that I was capable of translating the letters out of Spanish. His next letter to me assured me that my grammar actually wasn t incredibly bad, but since I know about a dozen words in Spanish, I have to thank the technology that translated it for me. Magic! So, a few letters later, and a very busy Toni confirmed that four samples were on their way from Argentina to Canada. They arrived yesterday! The samples were mailed in four vacuum-sealed packages of 50 g each in a bubble mailer. And as soon as I opened the cellophane wrapper, I was immediately struck by the scent of Ceylon cinnamon. More on that aromatic later. 36

37 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy Being a fan of English mixes, I was told in a letter this was, 3 Virgíneas madurados de mas de 4 año cada uno, orientales, turcos y Latakia de Siria en buena proporción. Or for those of you who do not speak Spanish (thanks to google translate), 3 Virginias matured more than four years each, Oriental, Turkish and Syrian Latakia in good proportion. Personally, I thought it sounded delicious, and I was so right! The note in the bag is incredible! One of pure tobacco, untainted by any sort of casing. It was packaged and sealed with the perfect amount of moisture in order to load directly into your pipe, and lit with the ease of a fine English blend. The taste was delicious, nutty and sweet from the Burley and Virginias and smoky and slightly sour from the generous quantities of Latakia. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire bowl, finishing it some 40 minutes later with negligible dottle. As far as taste goes, Toni has created a masterpiece; there simply is no better English blend out there. Being a classic English, the room note of this tobacco is not going to win friends or influence people, but if you like the Latakia smoke, you ll love this one. So, what, if any, drawbacks does this tobacco have? Well, I would say that it is simply the best English blend on the market, and it s only drawback; shipping! Unfortunately, the only way to get this tobacco in Canada with reasonable shipping, is to order it in bulk, and then you are going to get hit with the duty. I am uncertain how importing it into the U.S. would work, but I encourage you to pick some up and try it. If you like English, you ll love this! I will probably try to get more of it, I even at the high shipping costs, it is just that good! Smoke em if you got em! MILD OKLAHOMA WINTERS (TED S BLACKBERRY WINTER IN A VINTAGE GOURD CALABASH) I know Oklahoma s not famous for its mild winters. It is, however, the first thing I thought of when I d lit up a bowl of this new blend from Ted s Pipe Shoppe in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Some time ago, my friend on Facebook, Jamie Palo, offered to send me some of his favorite aromatic blend that he imports to Tennessee from a friend in Oklahoma, and things being what they are, he finally got a chance to send it to me recently. This is what Jamie had to say about the tobacco; I find it to be a light aromatic with a nice light taste and a tin note (or plastic baggie note, lol) that reminds me of my Grandma's Blackberry Cobbler - YUM. It is a light smoke that would be an easy all day smoke for myself - I especially enjoy a bowl of this one as a dessert tobacco I, myself, am generally not an aromatic fan at all, and especially those based on fruits, so I hesitantly opened the bag. I was not immediately assaulted by the overwhelming smell of blackberries, to my surprise, but rather a nice fermented tobacco smell subtly 37 coloured with a light blackberry aroma. I was also amazed by how unsticky and not too moist the tobacco was. It required absolutely no airing out before loading into my vintage gourd calabash. My calabash is always a tough light, but it was not exacerbated by an overly wet tobacco, indeed, quite the opposite, the tobacco lit fairly easily. The tobacco is obviously a black Cavendish base, salted quite

38 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy generously with a dash of Virginia, and quite possibly Burley. And being a black Cavendish base, it is extremely mild. I find Jamie is probably correct in the best use for this tobacco is as a dessert tobacco, it would go nicely after a good meal when you are not looking for a strong kick of nicotine. Almost every blackberry aromatic that I have tried, screams BLACKBERRY at the top of its lungs then tries to slap you in the face with it. This one melodically whispers blackberry, and caresses you with a fruity back note. Finally, the tobacco burns quite coolly, and leaves behind only a reasonable amount of dottle. Overall, a decent smoke, and while I m not about to give up my English, I just might reach for this one again! Smoke em if you got em! DON T CRY FOR ME, ARGENTINA! (TABACO SN MEZCLA CINNAMON IN A SAVINELLI ALLIGATOR 114 KS) Do I have to iterate, once again, that in preference I shy away from aromatics, as I find most casings to be disgustingly overdone? Furthermore, many cased tobaccos, especially the cheaper Brands, leave a chemical taste in your mouth. I guess that to get something really good you have to go to places where craftsmen are required to put in more time, and more effort, with fewer resources. That is why I say that Antonio Norberto Petti is a master of his craft. That craft being tobacconist, and the place being Argentina, Toni is required to put in more time and more effort with fewer resources and thus creates beautiful works of art. Eva Perón was the champion of the Shirtless, the Descamisado, the working man. In the fictionalized musical Evita, Eva Perón is responsible for rallying the labor unions to free her husband, and while in reality this is unlikely, she would have. Eva Perón would have admired the work and dedication that Toni puts into his blends, and Juan would have smoked Tabaco SN blends in his pipe. This is what the web site at has to say about the tobacco; Virginia bright (brillante) y Burley extra estacionado, dan una base de armonía en sabor y aroma, siendo sometidos a un tratamiento especial donde predomina la genuina y tan codiciada canela de Ceilán, con un agregado justo de dulzor. Suave, exótica, extremadamente aromática y muy agradable para los fanáticos de la canela natural. Se sorprenderá el fumador y maravillará a su entorno. Quizás lo remonte a tiempos pasados de su infancia, encontrando familiaridad por la memoria olfativa de cada uno de nosotros. Opinión 38 vertida por quienes la fumaron. And thanks to the magic of google translate we understand that this means; Virginia bright (bright) and extra [aged] Burley provide a basis of harmony in taste and flavor, being subject to special treatment where the genuine and coveted Ceylon cinnamon, with a just added sweetness predominates. Soft, exotic, extremely aromatic and very enjoyable for fans of natural cinnamon. The smoker will be amazed and marvel at their surroundings. Maybe it dates back to his childhood past, finding familiarity olfactory memory by each of us. Opinions expressed by those who smoked. The note in the bag is one of strong cinnamon, though not overwhelming, and not cloying. I recommend airing the tobacco out for five or 10 minutes, as it is

39 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy quite moist, and the smell certainly can t hurt the room. The tobacco is very strongly cinnamon flavoured, so much so that both myself, and my hubby were afraid that it would ghost our pipes. Fortunately, since the tobacco is flavoured with genuine Ceylon cinnamon, ghosting is not a problem. The description is quite right, I find nostalgic memories in the olfactory recollection of cinnamon candies as a child. The smoke is rather heavy, and takes a little getting used to, especially if you plan to inhale it, but it smokes coolly and slowly. I thoroughly enjoyed the bowl, which took me about 35 minutes to get through. The bright Virginias ensure that is a very satisfying smoke. Finally, an aromatic tobacco that is not based on black Cavendish, I ll definitely reach for this one again and at $7.00 USD for 50 gram bag, only the shipping is prohibitive, and that only if you don t order in bulk. It seems that in order to get a good aromatic, you have to go to a country where they can t afford to use cheap artificial flavouring! Another masterpiece, Toni! Smoke em if you got em! SHE S MY CHERRY PIE! (TABACO SN MEZCLA CHERRY IN A GÖVERM MEERSCHAUM CUTTY) Sometime during the middle of doing something in the urge strikes you to do something entirely different. Or if not entirely different, at least somewhat different from what you re doing already. So it was that I found myself sitting in the middle of a review, when the urge to explore smokingpipes.com suddenly overcame me and I found myself flipping through the pages of the fresh pipes until I came to the meerschaums. Then the urge struck me to break out my Göverm Meerschaum Cutty, which I haven t smoked in months, and what better way to celebrate a great pipe, than to do a review. So, in the middle of my other review, I go on an Internet browsing spree, break out an old pipe, open up a new tobacco, and start a new review. Talk about schizophrenic Or perhaps that s ADD? In any event, here I am in the middle of a new review, enjoying a great pipe, that I just noticed is starting to colour nicely, and a great tobacco, which is yet another masterpiece from Antonio Norberto Petti. 39 We find when we look this tobacco up at th at it says; Combinación de Virginia suave y un toque adicional de Burley para su justo equilibrio. Un proceso especial le confiere esa fragancia definida a cherry y su sabor tan característico, tan

40 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy apreciado por su seguidores, convirtiéndolo como único en su género. Sabor muy dulce y extremadamente aromático. Again, using the power of sorcery (google translate) we decipher; Combination of soft Virginia and an extra touch of Burley for fair balance. A special process that gives it a definite cherry aroma and flavor so characteristic, so appreciated by its followers, making it unique in its genre. Very sweet and very aromatic flavor. I have to say that I m beginning to like aromatics that are not based on Cavendish, and even a few Cavendish mixtures have made me a liar in the past, and this one was no exception. Opening the vacuum sealed pouch, I am immediately greeted with a warm smell that reminds me of cherry brandy. Not all overwhelming, cloying, or chemical smelling, just strong fermented cherry. The tobacco is a little moist, so airing out is the order of the day, but after 10 minutes the tobacco is dry enough to load. The little meerschaum cutty is easy to load, and easier to light, and the small chamber makes for a nice quick smoke of about 15 to 20 minutes. The taste of the tobacco is incredible, a strong enough cherry case to make it interesting, but enough of the natural Virginia and Burley tobacco taste to satisfy the smoking palate. My wife describes the room note as, someone baking a cherry pie. After about 20 minutes of smoking, the bowl is finished, and the dottle, almost nonexistent. The tobacco is strong enough that after a 20 minute smoke, I m satisfied but not overly buzzing. Gotta love those Virginias! Toni tells me, that the Virginias in this tobacco are aged for seven years, and the Burleys for six. He also tells me that it is a natural cherry extract that they used to flavour it. My only wish with Tabaco SN s products is that the shipping weren t so expensive. A flat rate shipping cost $25.00 to send any package to Canada, so that only makes shipping worth it if you buy a lot, and importing more than 200 g (7 ounces) of tobacco into Canada results in serious duties! I will probably make an order of about 200 g of tobacco, perhaps these four blends again, perhaps four different, they are just worth it! At $7.00 USD for 50 g (1.76 ounces) the prices are competitive with the American market. So, I say support a small businessman, a little extra shipping, and make a purchase from Yet another masterpiece Toni, you ve made a believer out of me in Tabaco SN s blends. Un abrazo, Toni Smoke em if you got em! RELAXING IN THE AFTERNOON (TED S CHERRY ROYALE IN A GIGI STUBBY CANADIAN) Sometimes, a hot lazy day just calls for a good smoke, and a good smoke calls for a good review. So, being alone, I broke out my GiGi stubby Canadian and a new bag of Ted s Cherry Royale sent to me by my friend, Jamie Palo in Tennessee, from a shop that he orders it from in Tulsa, Oklahoma called Ted s Pipe Shoppe. You can order this tobacco directly from Ted s 40 online in 8 oz and 16 oz bags for

41 The Editor s Journal with Erin McRoy $35.00 USD and $65.00 USD, respectively. Anyway, the review; Ted s Pipe Shoppe says this in description of the tobacco online; Cherry Royale Remember a Cherry Smash when you were a kid? This is it and it s not fattening. Cherry and rich chocolate. Not a calorie in a bowlful. Now, I don t remember Cherry Smash when I was a kid, I imagine it is a local Oklahoma thing, or at the very least not widely known outside the USA, but I imagine that it was some sort of cherry chocolate treat. Many cheaper cherry flavoured Brands, not to say that this is one of them, I believe use cherry cough syrup to flavour their tobacco, or at least that s what the smell and flavour remind me of, so suffice it to say that I was hesitant on this one. Furthermore, cheap chocolate flavouring tastes like stale chocolate. Now, to be honest, I had no reason to suspect that Ted s had used cheap flavouring, in either case, but I was still leery. Turns out I was cautious for no reason. Opening the bag, I was greeted by the soft scent of the brown and black Cavendish that this tobacco was obviously made from, sweetened by a, none too powerful, Cherry Cordial fragrance. Not too moist, the tobacco, which also contains some Virginia from the looks of it, loads easily into my pipe with a threelayer method using a bat style multi-tool, and I am soon puffing away. The taste of the tobacco is very mild, but that is to be expected from a brown and black Cavendish blend and the case has just enough cherry and chocolate to be interesting without being overwhelming. I asked my wife about the room note and she said it reminded her of black forest cake, so it s bound to be a room pleaser. To say I was soon puffing away is a bit of an exaggeration because this review was interrupted by another review before I even got started smoking this pipe. The strength of the tobacco is so mild that even after 30 minutes of smoking, and smoking another pipe for 20 minutes before this, I didn t even have the slightest hint of a buzz. Overall, this is a great tobacco for smoking after a nice dessert, or with a sweet drink, like my iced tea, on this lazy, hot Monday afternoon. Not sure whether or not I will ever reach for this tobacco again, it just doesn t have enough kick for me, but if you like a mild tobacco, this one s flavour is to die for! Not bad, Ted! Smoke em if you got em! AN EVENING ALONE WITH MY THOUGHTS (TABACO SN MEZCLA ORIENTAL IN AN ANTIQUE WEST GERMAN FREEHAND) Well, it was just after midnight and my wife and my hubby had gone off to bed, leaving me alone, and in a contemplative mood. Having messed up my pills for the day, I knew sleep wasn t going to come easily, so I decided to do a review, and having only one tobacco left to review, the choice was obvious. What wasn t so obvious was a fresh pipe with which to do the review. So, I contemplated my pipes. An Oriental blend with its Turkish 41