Very Noob Review on various Blends

[hyper_dermic]

Hello all,
So I am VERY green when it comes to Pipe tobacco smoke, so im afraid i cant go into great detail on the actual blends.

But heres my 1st impressions anyways.

first up, my Favorite (for now)

Haddo's Delight.
Compared to other blends, this one seems medium bodied, but with lots of flavor. I can taste a slight "twangy/acidic" flavor from the virginias, mixed with the periuqe flavors. and over all, there is a plesant dried fruit flavor not unlike rasins or figs or something. I cant taste the "unflavored" Cavendish, but then again, ive never smoked anything with Cavendish in it before.
The smoke is medium and coats the pallet nicely, leaving a very plesant aftertaste (see the aformentioned figs and rasisn)
I dont think this is an aromatic, but i suppose it could be due to the dried fruit flavor.
If i were to compare it to a cigar, it would be an anejo. The tobaccos are the main flavor, but there are very tasty fruit flavors blended in. Never do they feel artificial or out of place.
Haddos Delight has earned the honors of being the blend dedicated to my 1st brair
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c..._1928_26694388
(only problem is, i can only smoke 1/2 bowls while im breaking it in.. leaving me fiending for more!)

and as a side note, i have made some progress with keeping the bowl lit and not too hot while smoking, not wanting to burn the briar, i have slowed down my actual puff/breath, and ive found i get so much more volume, and the tobacco itself burns more even.
Haddos being a ribbon cut(?) has made it easier than the flake for a noob such as myself


Next up
The "English Blends"
Penzance - Now this is more of a "Full" or "Strong" smoke to me. my definition of "Strong" does not have to do with nicotine content, but with the actual STRENGTH of flavor. And this one is STRONG. The smokey Latakia dominates the flavor, but after smoking a few bowls, ive found there is so much more underneith. Sweet, Smokey, Fragrent, all intermingle... I wish i had a better pipe vocabulary for these english blends.
My method of breaking up this flake, is to tear it into small pieces and pack according to 3 layer method.
I have yet to try fold and stuff, but i dont know if it would work with penzance, it seems to me it would jsut fall apart.
My only problem with Penzance is its a bit TOO MUCH at times.
2/3 a bowl is about my limit. After smoking an entire bowl, i find my mouth chewed to pieces. I think someone described it best as "as if i was chewing on a campfire log all night" or perhaps "licking the back of a fireplace".
I think i will be searching for a Smaller bowl to enjoy this blend in, or just pack 1/2 bowls in my meer.

Odyssey.
another Laktakia blend. The Laktakia seems a bit less dominant in this blend, and its easier for me to recognize the other flavors mixed in. I would rate this blend as being "Strong" as well. I have noticed different flavors take center stage as the bowl is smoked down. The Laktakia seems to fade out past the 1/2 point. Its still present, but i can taste Oriental and Virginais better. I enjoy the Virginias in this context much better than just by themselves.

Between Odyssey and Penzance, i prefer Odyssey (for now). They are both very enjoyable to smoke, but my pallet is better able to discern the flavors in Odyssey.


Next, Straight Virginia
I have only 1 to report
Blackwoods Flake
I smoke this blend in my Cob... And i cant say its my favorite. At first, i reached for it quite a bit, but lately its taken a backseat to other blends.
I suppose i just dont fully enjoy the taste of virginias by themselves.
Its Tangy, slightly sweet, but sort of "wet" smoking. Nice tobacco flavor, but iit leaves me wanting more.
I much prefer the tangy/sweet flavor when blended with other tobaccos.

And finally
Fillmore and Mcellands' oriental mixture #6

I cant say too much about fillmore as i only smoked it twice. It seems to be a medium to milder smoke, and i enjoy the Virginia flavor better wtih the perique mixed in. But i prefer the flavors of Haddo's

Mcellands oriental #6 i just smoked last night.
I have to say i liked it ALOT. Medium Strength, a nice combo of flavors. Nothing really took center stage, but then again.. im too inexpirenced to really say what flavor is what.
#6 may move up a bit in my rotation.... i will have to smoke some more to really decide.

The top tobaccos on my Must-Try list are....
Stonehaven.. i havnt tried a VA/Burley blend, or anything with burley for that matter.. so this is #1 on my next to try

#2 is an actual aromatic.... SG's chocolate flake, MC's Vanillia Cream, or perhaps Butternut Burly.

Taking these reviews into account, does anyone else have any "Must-try" reccomendations? Im gonna head to a local B+M/Tinder box affiliate tommrow.
So my selection will be limited to what they have.

-hyp

[CigarGal]

Thanks for the reviews. All blends I haven't tried-The orientals sound interesting. I have had Frog Morton Across the Pond and I think that has some orientals in it but the mixture sounds good. I will have to put it on my list to try.

[KnightKrusher]

A very nice review, I will have to give them a try.

[burninator]

"licking the back of a fireplace"