Bobs chocolate & OR Ennerdale flake

Hit my Top 3 Shockers: It's like sucking on a bar of laundry soap. Same scent. No need to take the question further - it's a disgrace to the industry.

don't sugar coat it, tell us how you really feel. :-)

well, I curse alot, a pouch of Ennerdale it is then :)

I would tweak your ear & fail you on the spot!

I guess Ennerdale needs to be experienced to understand why its so generally hated by most pipe smokers ... go for it ... don't whine about wasting your money here when you get it - we warned you!

Bob's Chocolate Flake ... for me the latakia was barely noticable. Somehow the mixture of latakia and chocolate didn't do it for me at all - and that was when I was in my latakia loving phase! Lots of folks like it so why not grab some of that too while you're placing an order.

Note that both are mild in nicotine and I know you tend to favor the stronger blends ... I'm doubtful you'll like either but who knows, these might be your dessert island blends?!!

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Edit: you might want to pick up a cob while you're placing that order for the Ennerdale ... I smoked two bowls of it in a meer and it ghosted that poor meer for a looooooooooong time. Only two lousy bowls and I nearly sold off the meer on ebay. That should tell you something!

But I can tell you that SG Chocolate Flake is very good, latakia level is condimental at best (I'm normally not a big latakia fan and it did just fine).

... mostly non-aro smokers. What's all this about Chocolate Flake? I remember a delicious Chocolate Flake in a green rectangular tin and I think it was called Bob's Chocolate Flake. If that is the one, I thought it was good stuff for a treat. But, I prefer non-aro's for day in and day out. The once in a while aro is OK but I am very fussy... usually make my own with all these flavors I have accumulated and spray it on raw C&D something or other.

RP: Your warnings are duly noted!

Ghosting a meer it rather hard to do, this thing must be dripping with perfume...

Anyway, the mentioning of latakia in a blend kind of scares me off more than heavy perfume scenting. I have yet to try a something från either SG or GH & Co that is so revolting one cannot smoke it. Well, ok, SG - Bracken Flake, this one is almost too strong and harsh, it takes alot of attention to smoke.

Bob:

the aromatics from SG or GH , at least the ones I have tried, are quite different from ordinary drug store blends or other aromatics. There are no casings, the tobacco burns cool and dry, no goop or other discomforts resulting from the scenting.

I really do not get the feeling that the scenting is put there for making an easier smoke, or even for appealing to a larger crowd or hardened pipe smokers..

As seen in this thread, and other places, especially tobaccoreviews, most ppl hate the lakeland soap. They have become a trademark of soap tasting tobacco, and they do fill a niche in the market like no one else.

As an example, this is taken from TR, about Coniston cut plug:

"It looks like a rich, dark, broken flake and smells of the cheap perfumes that old ladies in nursing homes wear to disguise the tangy aroma of piss. In other words, it smells like a good, proper, British pipe tobacco should."

I could not have described it better myself, a few bowls won me over though, now that I am all out of it I dearly miss it. CCP is a strong and stout blend, packs a punch in the nicotine department. It surely stands out from the crowd. Very demanding, and the scenting just adds to that.

You are so "right-on" when discussing aromatics. They range from horse piss to delicate "top" notes. Not all aromatics are created equal nor are they all accomplished in the same way.

"Top" note describes the manner of additive application. In other words, it is applied, last and "on top". A "top" note can be used with or without a "casing".

For example on my CBB I will either smoke it raw or with a delicate "top" note of Concord Grape flavoring. My process doesn't qualify it as an aro. "Aromatic" vs "Non-Aromatic" is an expression of "degree". And, degree is arguable among many a smoker. Those who have smoked CBB do not know "what" it is or that it is even there. They detect a very light underlying sweetness and ask, "what is the tobacco that gives an ever so slight bit of sweetness "Might that be the VA?" I answer, "well, yes it could be and then again there is a drop of flavor".

If there was a "law" stating that tobaks labled as non-aro's could absolutely never have any form of flavor additive (albeit even miniscule amounts), then there would be only a few non-aro's so labled. So, degree is the key.

A good example of this is C&D TF-Heritage. There is a "top" note of flavor that is absolutely indistinguisable by the smoker. For all intents and purposes, it is a VA blend that is non-aro. On the other hand, C&D Apricots and Cream (their most popular aro blend) is sprayed with considerable Vanilla and Apricot flavoring (heavy). It is an unmistakable aromatic to the smoker and non-smoker, alike.

I like to use the analogy of coffee beans. A rich cup of dark roasted coffee with a drop of honey (only a drop) is a non-aro. A cup of Highlander Grog coffee is a delicious blend of caramel and hazelnut flavorings masking the "true" taste of the coffee and would be considered a "full" aro.

It is remarkable how many non-aro smoker's are so surprised when they find out that there is actually a flavor additive in their favorite non-aro. I could give dozens of examples from orange peels to cinnamon. They never knew it was there and swear they could not taste it. But, it IS there. Again, I owe my knowledge on this matter to Craig Tarler and the school of hard-knocks.

Adding cavendish to a blend would make it an aromatic. Some ppl, like corneel, means that adding perique or latakia/orientals to virginia makes it an aromatic.

As you state, drawing a line in the sand of aromatics/non aromatics might be quite hard.

I'm passing on both of those blends, purely to safeguard my already battered palate.

My 2 eurocents on the whole "what makes an aromatic" discussion, I'd say that as soon as the topping/casing/flavoring/whatevertheh*llyouwannacallit takes front seat, pushing the natural tobacco flavor slightly in the background, you have yourself an aromatic.

Mac Baren Navy Flake would be called an aromatic by purists, however the honey topping doesn't rob you from the tobacco flavors .. so in my book - not an aromatic.

Paul Olsen Sirius - topped with almond, vanilla and a few other things. They jump out at you from the first light. the topping crew will call it a natural. Since the top flavors jump out at you, I call it an aromatic.

To keep on topic, thanks for the warnings and suggestions.

I think I will strike bobs choc flake from the list, the risk is that it is to mild and weak, and I just get frustrated. Think I will beg a few bowlfulls from someone on occasion instead.

When it comes to the ennerdale flake, well, even though the nicotine level is low, I got to give this one a shot. Something that is hated with such a fervour piques my curiosity. Guess I can cure whatever pipe I use with some ropes or rum drunken 5 bros afterwards :)

Technically, this is not what I said, and pulled out of context. What I meant was that, if you define an aromatic blend as a blend where flavors or flavorings which do not come from tobacco are added to the tobacco, then any blend containing latakia would be an aromatic as well, due to the whole processing deal.

There's a wide range of blends out there, and many are or could be considered as an aromatic (or not). There are also many blends where it would depend on your definition of aromatics to know in which category they fall.

I haven't tried to define it for myself, as I know too little about blending, however, I am reading these threads here now with great interest.

Keep it up, guys!

Lars, that was very well stated and I agree with that description.

There are more than one kind of Cavendish. You're probably thinking of that yak (highly PG laden) Black Cavendish - and that stuff is horriffic. But there is unflavored Cavendish and unflavored Black Cavendish used in blends to mellow them out without adding a perfumy yakky flavor.

Transition: Lars mentioned MacB Navy Flake not being an aro - I agree wholeheartedly! Its a great Burley/Va with honey topping but the honey is secondary to the tobacco as he mentioned. The use of the unflavored Black Cavendish in Navy Flake takes away the 'biteyness' of the Va component and mellows out that tobacco to perfection.

About the only other blend I've ever tried (after growing to hate aros) that uses Black Cavendish is Watch City Cigar's C&D blended Persian Slipper. I tried it (and cellared some too!) before C&D started blending and pressing this tobacco. I can tell you it was one extremely wonderful tobacco. In talking to Ernie Q (Watch City Cigar) I now understand that the pressing changes the flavor of the blend pretty radically. I've yet to try the new version but I'll get around to it.

50 grams of Gawith Hoggarth Ennerdale flake, along with some Rum Flake and Sliced brown twist.

I have a pipe that I do not really like at all, some meerschaum lined monstrum, it looks like a TOAS, the mouth piece is to large etc etc. It will do for the initial tests of the ennerdale flake. I never use it for anything, last I smoked it was when offered some Nightcap, and I did not want any latakia ghosting in my regulars.

Thats just too funny.

You'll need an exorcist.

he actually did it. Congrats Stieltje, I would like to say I would follow in your footsteps but the truth is your neck of the woods is just way too cold for me. However, one day I just may give in to the urge to order a tin of Ennerdale Flake and see what all the fuss is about. I am looking forward to your opinion.

on the MPC hate list, some Mixture 79 perhaps :)

I am more excited about the Sliced brown twist, supposed to be stronger than anything I have smoked yet according to the synjeco grading system. Their grading system even seems to work, so hopefully I am in for some truly strong tobacco

It is absolutely appalling that ERRd is being yanked from the market and this old lady perfume tasting abomination has cursed the pipe smoking world since the late 1700s and continues unabated even today. They've got to be selling some of this stuff somewhere but I know of no one who smokes the putrid garbage.

On a side note, House of Windsor's Bourbon Street is only a bit better. Picture soaking you favorite shirt in starch then shredding the shirt and smoking it. BAD, BAD, BAD. Although admittedly nothing could ever be as bad as Mixture 79 (MHO only, you may smoke it and love it if so knock yourself out.)

M79. Sounds like a rare and obsolete military weapon.

I love to throw old Mixture 79 into the conversation for humor's sake, but I have never tried it. As much as I do not want to, I really think I need to snag a pouch and a fresh cob and try this weed. If I am going to make fun of it, I should at least be slamming it from experience. Who knows, I might end up really digging it.

Want to know what is disturbing... it is the only thing that Hugh Hefner smoked... and to really top it off... he smoked it in gorgeous Dunhill's. Can you imagine sullying up a Dunhill with that garbage. Ugh.

...aromatic flavor of Mixture 79 is Black Licorice? I knew a Banker that smoked the stuff for years and probably still does. I guess the folks that like it, really, really, like it. And, I can't knock them for that. I still see 79 for sale at the super-market.

But what bothers me is that so many "favorite" blends have gone by the wayside like "Friends" (the hunter with a dog on a yellow can). That was a pretty darn good drug store blend. If I recall correctly, the flavor was Almond on Coger Burley. I'd sure like to find that one again just for the heck of it!

To each their own.

Q, the M79 was an effective armament: "The M79 grenade launcher also know as "the Thumper," is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break open grenade launcher which fires a 40 x46 mm grenade and first appeared during the Vietnam War." Ironically, Mixture 79 does the same level of damage to your pipe.

Ennerdale was the only tobacco I couldn't smoke, as in load my pipe w/ it. I know that Ennerdale has its adherents, but I was fearful of tainting a pipe that I used for Bosun's Cut plug, which I consider an over-the-edge smoke. BCF is really tasty and more VA/burley than either the topping or the latakia.

Cap'n, I remember Friends as a crimp cut blend in a yellow can, hunter in plaid, dog in b/w. I don't know if it was almond, but it burned well with a lighter taste than Union Leader.

Well, I'll be damned. Teach me to make stuff up without Googling it first.

Ha!

If Sliced Brown Twist is Brown no4 Kendall Twist, I highly recommend it. I haven't found the nic hit too bad at all. Admittedly, I've smoked it in small pipes. Superb aroma, burns well.

I'm intrigued by the stock design of the M79 launcher - it appears so contrary to the usual principles of drop at heel. Anyone here actually fired one?

This is my line of thinking exaclty. if I hate it, I can form a hate choir with the oldGI, if I come to like it, I can debate him on the subject :D hehe, I win both ways :)

Muddler:

Brown No. 4 is from Sam Gawith
Sliced Brown Twist is a curly cut from Gaw Hoggarth. Supposedly it is even stronger than the brown no 4.

Glad you have come to like the ropes :)

If I read this right; Bosun cut plug has Latakia ?

Smoking Ennerdale flake as I type this.

first impression from the pouch scent: WTF, Banana ?

This banana taste is in the smoke as well, but there is some very spicy undertone as well, peppery, heating my tounge and pinches my nose. Not very strong at all, at least not in my measures.

Not very smooth nor creamy as other Lakeland tobaccos usually are. If it wasn't for this peppery spicyness it would be a very sweet, but very boring as well I think. A whole new set of parameters when it comes to smoking experience, that is for sure. So far it has not WOW'ed me, but as I wrote above, I am using a very lousy pipe for it, not wanting to take any chances with this potent scent.

As I am smoking this first bowl, I think Ennerdale flake will have its place in my rotation, but perhaps not a priority tobacco.

The bowl progresses nicely, the banana scent wears off a bit, and the sweetness really increases. next bowl of this will be smoked in a proper pipe, that is for sure!

I am moving on to the twists next, but I think I need some dinner first.