C&D Exhausted Rooster review

[RJpuffs]

The Exhausted Rooster, hilarious title with excellent tin art, was a special production for 2008. So its relatively new. Predominantly burley with VA and "a dash" of perique.

I just finished my first ever bowl - this tin was rested only 6 months.

Tin aroma - delectable fermented figginess. Reminiscent of GLP's Haddos Delight, but in a broken flake form. Kinda wet feeling in the tin.

Dried a mangled flake-bit for about a half hour on the office desk, with this AC cranking the humidity is bone dry here. Rubbed out happily into a satisfying pile of ribbon.

Used a Bjarne Rhodesian for this one, the pipe is dedicated to BurPer blends. Torched beautifully on the charring light. For a (broken) flake, it didn't expand and jump around too much. Lit up like a champ.

The figginess was present but not overwhelming. The burley stood out, unmistakably burley. The touch of sweet spice from the perique. I was driving when I started this bowl, so between slamming on the brakes and putting down the pipe to extend the one-finger-salute to passerbys, I had to relight a few times.

A superb blend. Creamy, almost buttery, from the burley. The perique is obvious, even though its supposedly just "a dash". Perfect burn, down to the heel leaving fine white/gray ash. The topping doesn't overwhelm, its there, you can taste it (rum?) but its not in the way. Just burleys rule the roost (pun, tee hee).

I think it needs more rest in the tin. I can see why they did the broken flake thing, apparently attempting to marry the VA and Perique with the burley base. Haddos is ribbon cut and it needs time to get the "melding" working, pressing into a flake kinda shortcuts that process. Still, I think it should be a year+ before one should open a Rooster tin, Exhausted or not. Time should allow the burley to pick up the VA sweetness which is kinda muted in my current tin (only 6 months age). Thoroughly enjoyable all the way through the bowl, none the less.

Kicking myself for not trying it last year and picking up a few pounds/tons in '08 to age. Now I'm gonna have to wait till 2011 for my current cellared tins. Doh

[commonsenseman]

Nice review Ron, I like seeing tobacco reviews here, just seems like they're aren't enough of them.....stupid TR hogging all the reviews!

(jk I love TR)

[indigosmoke]

Nice review. Thanks for posting. I agree with Jeff, these reviews are a big help and very enjoyable. I love to see action in this forum. When I gain enough experience that my opinion might have some value, I'll start contributing myself. I read tobaccoreviews too, of course, but would rather hear the opinions of those on this board.

[Reverie Forest]

Sounds very good! I have yet to try a Bur/Per, other than the Va/Bur/Per, Reiner's Long Golden Flake you sent me in the noobie sample...that one I really enjoyed.
I believe I'll have to put this one on my ever growing list.

[Hermit]

One of my favorites; I always have some open.
I still have four signed tins from the original release.
The tin I'm smokin' now is just over a year.

[RJpuffs]

Originally Posted by Hermit

One of my favorites; I always have some open.
I still have four signed tins from the original release.
The tin I'm smokin' now is just over a year.

How did time treat this poultry? Does the VA flavor come through better than a young chicken?

[Hermit]

Originally Posted by RJpuffs

How did time treat this poultry? Does the VA flavor come through better than a young chicken?

I liked it right away, but it is getting better all the time.
I recently popped one of my original tins for the first meeting
of our new pipe club in Baton Rouge. The tin aroma was more
pronounced than a fresher tin and the flavor made me glad
that I've been putting a lot of this stuff away for the future.