Upcoming VaPer Showdown

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

Ha-Ha, no it was a quote from Joan. I just forgot the quotation marks.

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre you did """"""""

[Joan]

Ooooooh, ST, I had some of that 2015 today... YUM!

(Could there be such a thing as a vaper I don't like?)(giggle)

Looking forward to your showdown results, ST!

[Slow Triathlete]

Well today was a Dorchester day. I went through the whole sample that Ultramag sent to me last month (Thanks again!!). And after my enjoyment of this blend I've decided that it is now in 2nd place.

Like most people who reviewed this blend, I found that this had the least amount of Perique in it compared to the others that I have smoked so far. However, the taste was still great and somewhat creamy. The perique and the virginias were seperate in the beginning and it was a bit spicy when I finally got it going. After about a third of the bowl the blend settled down and melded together well.

I did have an issue lighting this one. I dried it correctly but I had one clump of tobacco sitting on top that refused to light. After two attempts I scooped that piece out of there and it lit perfectly. This blend stayed lit better than the other two so far. It required two relights but I believe that it was more my fault because my brother called and I was trying to smoke, review, and talk to him all at the same time.

I would recommend this blend to anyone who is just getting into VaPers and doesn't want to get blasted with Perique right off the bat.

The standings so far:

1) Escudo
2) Esoterica Dorchester
3) Stokkebye Luxury Bullseye Flake

On a side note, I found a sample of Esoterica Dunbar that will enter into the contest somewhere.

[EvanS]

Nice work on the showndown Scott. I'll be curious how many here would come up with the same order of preference that you do.

[Slow Triathlete]

Slow day at work so I finished another piece of the puzzle for this competition. I know that price sometimes plays a role in what people smoke and just in case anyone wants to try a blend that is in here I've included a price list of the blends in this showdown. These are where I found it the cheapest on the websites that I shop on. You might find them cheaper in other places.

Blend Price Where
C & D Kajun Kake $6.50 JRs
CAO TOI Limerick $7.10 Smokingpipes.com
Dorchester $8.15 Smokingpipes.com
Escudo $7.25 JRs
H & H Anniversary Kake $8.00 Pipesandcigars.com
LBE $6.59 Smokingpipes.com
McClelland Bulk 2015 $6.00 Pipesandcigars.com
McConnell Scottish Cake $7.57 Pipesandcigars.com

[hyper_dermic]

May i suggest you add the following to your showdown list.
PCCA - Beacon
Solani - 633

VA and Va/Pers are always battling it out as my most smoked blends...

Solani - 633 has been a pretty consistant blend for me... comes in nice rectangular flakes.

I've recently cracked open a tin of Beacon from last year and it damn near blew my socks off. the quality of the VA tobacco really makes the blend special. Im quite fond of McCellands VA tobaccos, add to that good quality (real) perique and you have an amazing combo.

-hyp

[IHT]

i see you have PS LBE on there. i've been smokin the poo out of the sample of PS Luxury navy flake and i think it's nestling itself up there in 2nd behind Escudo, and with a little more time, may tie or take over (that's how much i like it).

[Slow Triathlete]

I don't have the Solani, PCCA, or the PS Luxury Navy Flake in my rotation. I've been looking for an excuse to run down to Low Country Tobacco (smokingpipes.com) lately. Now I have my excuse.

I'll have to see where I can get some of the PCCA from. Do you have to be a member to order it?

[Slow Triathlete]

C & D Kajun Kake

Well, I smoked about three bowls of this yesterday. I had had this before but wanted to see if my opinion on this had changed. This is one of those blends that I really, really wanted to like but I just don't and I can't really put my finger on it.

These come in small brick-like cakes that are wrapped very carefully and placed in the tin. The pre-light aroma is awesome. The cakes smell like chocolate brownies!! This is one of those blends where the smell doesn't match the taste. The cakes arrive right around the right moisture level so I only let these dry for about 20 minutes before I packed my pipe.

The main components in this blend are Red Virginia Cavendish and Perique. Now you might be fooled into thinking that since it is a cavendish then it is going to be sweet. You would be far from the truth. It is not sweet at all and that may be why I don't really like it. It has a very dark taste similar to unsweetened chocolate or bakers chocolate to me. Someone on Tobaccoreviews.com likened it to smoking a very dry cigar. I would agree with that. There is also quite a bit of Perique in this blend but the virginias and the perique never seem to blend to me. Not to say that this is a bad blend, it just wasn't the taste that I was expecting. I think that the care of packaging and overall quality of the tobacco makes this an above average blend but you have to like the taste of it.

Overall, like I said above, I think that this is a quality blend but it just wasn't my cup of tea. I will probably trade this one out with someone who either wants to try it or really likes the taste of this one. If you're interested in a trade them PM me. I have 1 whole cake and about half of the other one left.

Overall Standings:

1) Escudo
2) Dorchester
3) Luxury Bullseye
4) Kajun Kake

In other news, I'm still waiting on my Scottish Cake, 2015, and Anniversary Kake to come in from pipesandcigars.com. I called there yesterday and they were waiting on the Scottish Cake to come in before they shipped. Really nice people there!! Anyway, I will probably concentrate on the CAO TOI Limerick and the Esoterica Dunbar until the others come in.

[IHT]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

I'll have to see where I can get some of the PCCA from. Do you have to be a member to order it?

don't have to be a member, just hope they have some left.
http://www.pipeguy.net/Tobacco.htm

[Slow Triathlete]

It probably won't enter in the running. I've already spent my pipe tobacco money allotment for this month. The wife will have my head if I order any more. I already tried the "Honey, we're doing comparitive analysis here. It's all in the name of science" line on my wife. She didn't buy it.

[tzilt]

Originally Posted by Slow Triathlete

"Honey, we're doing comparitive analysis here. It's all in the name of science" line on my wife. She didn't buy it.

Well, you could always whip out the tried and true, "Hey, we've both been working really hard, we each deserve a little treat, lets each take $20 and get something nice for ourselves."

[hyper_dermic]

My fav line is that my purchases are an "investment".

You see, these pipes and tobacco will only be going UP in value as they become more rare and limited. Therefore, i have to buy triple the amount that i would normally smoke myself.
And i should be buying the best available today. as it may not be available tommrow.

=)

-hyp

[Slow Triathlete]

Ha, I thought that I was the only one who used the "Investment" excuse. Only I tell her it is an investment for future relaxation. All the cigars and pipe tobacco that I own are to keep me away from high blood pressure, heart issues, stress related diseases etc.

[Joan]

Originally Posted by hyper_dermic

My fav line is that my purchases are an "investment".

You see, these pipes and tobacco will only be going UP in value as they become more rare and limited. Therefore, i have to buy triple the amount that i would normally smoke myself.
And i should be buying the best available today. as it may not be available tommrow.

=)

-hyp

That there is PERFECT rationalization advice.