June ToM: Butera Dark Stoved

[perogee]

Post your reviews of Butera Dark Stoved here for the June ToM. Enjoy the puffing .

[perogee]

My tin finally arrived and I have dived into my first bowl, so I thought that I would post my first impressions and follow up when I have had another couple of bowls.
When I opened the tin I was greeted with DARK flakes (they were not joking when they named it Dark stoved), nice and damp and full of nice smells. I got hints of figs, strawberries, a little brown sugar and raisins. I rubbed out a couple bowls worth and left them to dry for a couple of hours. I am about halfway through my first bowl and am thinking it needed a little more drying, I will see how the second bowl goes with some more air time. It is smoking cool enough, considering that I got into it a little early, and no gurgling at all yet. I am finding that the flavours are very subtle, nothing that jumps out at me, I have to kind of find them (but that does add some enjoyment, almost like a game ). I am getting hints of caramel, and even a little chocolate chip cookie (perhaps I am just hungry though), with just a bare background of citrus.
I will admit that I tend to like a bolder tobacco, but I think that this would be a great early day smoke, sitting with a coffee and a paper in the morning. The room note is really enticing as well, and not too overpowering.

Just my at the moment.
Robert

[perogee]

Alright. I figured I should update after having had a few bowls.

This tobacco definitely needs some drying time. My last bowl I let dry while away at work, probably around 12 hours, and it still felt a little damp. It still smokes pretty well, not much in the way of gurgles, one or two here and there.
I find that when a bit drier the flavours are even a little more subtle. There is a little spiciness and some nice fruit notes. The citrus tends to hide more, and the spices take a slightly more dominant role, there is even a hint of chocolate and coffee running around in the mix. Overall it is still a nice light blend. I will save this for an early smoke.