Hearth & Home Anniversary Kake

(3.31)
Created in celebration of the 1st anniversary of the Hearth and Home line of tobaccos. This is a special blend of Virginias ranging from lemon through brown, combined with a liberal dash of St. James perique, presenting an exquisite aroma and naturally sweet flavor.

Details

Brand Hearth & Home
Series Signature Series
Blended By Russ Ouellette
Manufactured By Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blend Type Virginia/Perique
Contents Perique, Virginia
Flavoring Rum
Cut Krumble Kake
Packaging bulk, 1.75 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.31 / 4
95

30

29

8

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 162 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 27, 2012 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
The taste is mildly sweet, with a touch of chocolate, a vague hint of cinnamon, and a slight undercurrent of red wine, which likely from fermentation after pressing as there is no wine topping. The rum topping is light, and mildly tones down the tobaccos. The perique adds a complimentary pepper, fig and plum taste, more plum than pepper. There's some grass, earth, wood, bread, tart and tangy citrus and tangy dark fruit from the Virginias, which are the major components. All the aforementioned aspects work in near perfect harmony. Has a mild nic-hit. The strength is a step short of the center of mild to medium, while the taste is a slot short of the medium threshold. Barely has any rough edges. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with a very consistent sweet and mildly spicy flavor from top to bottom. The lightly lingering after taste and room notes are very pleasing. No bite, no harshness, no dull spots, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. The number of relights will depend on how you prepare the tobacco.

There's two things to remember. AK will linger in your pipe, but not like a Lakeland does. Just make sure you ream it well before smoking something else, and expect the first couple of bowls to have the essence of AK. This tobacco can be very moist in the tin, and may need a little dry time, but don't let it completely dry out or you'll lose some of the flavor. You'll enjoy it much better if you do dry it some, and it'll burn better, too. This could be an all day smoke if you so choose. As it ages, it loses a little sweetness, and mellows, and you'll gain just a little more Virginia taste.

-JimInks
56 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 11, 2009 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
I hesitate to review this blend only for selfish reasons. I, as all veteran pipe smokers, are very finicky. When we find something that rings all the bells in the tower, we get alittle selfish and want the blend to remain available and in-stock when we want to order it. I hope that the life for this kake is long and storied because I think t deserves it.

As usual, I used the reviews on this site to research this tobacco. It was hitting all the right buttons with all the right reviewers. I quickly ordered 8 ounces to try, along with a pound or so of other tobaccos on my list.

At this point, I must give the people at pipesandcigars.com alot of credit. Their customer service is second to none. I would not do business with any other tobacco house if they carried all that I consume. Admittedly, that would be a monumental, and clearly impossible task. But, I encourage you to call and talk to them abou your next order if you have not already. Great people, can't say enough.

The kake arrived in the expected moist condition. I divided it into the 2 ounce portions that I always jar, and left 2 ounces out to try. I fully rubbed out the kake to dry to a smoking level.

If you didn't know better you would think that there was a topping on this tobacco. Of course, there isn't. This is the true range of natural aromas from several Va.'s treated in different ways. Absolutely fantastic!

After acheiving the humidity level I deire, I packed one of my favorite cobs and fired it up appropriately.

The first true light after char will provide a mix of roasting marshmallow sweetness and the dark mustiness of the perique. It is a youthful expression to be sure, but pleasant.

About 5 minutes into the bowl, the tobacco takes on its true character. Creamed coffee, yellow cake, and the ever so slight tang of some orange and red VA. in the blend. The perique is there, but exhibits the full on earthiness that you only get at the start. Fresh turned rich soil aroma is the flavor.

All starts to sing nicely together by mid bowl and the it just stays sublime to the end. The perique starts to shop more of its pepper and strength at the end of the bowl without turning too powerful to enjoy. The balancing act is just magnificent.

Smokes dry, if prepared properly, to the end of the bowl. Slow burning and prefers to be sipped to get all the nuance that is there in abundance. This is a very well done Vaper of a different stripe. Fillmore and Escudo are more of the savory and tangy vaper variety, this is in the sweet genre. But, never even close to cloying.

Please try it and see for yourself. This is one of the top vapers out there and in a class all it's own. There are some tobacco houses that have some catching up to do, because Home and Hearth has created what I think is the first new class of vaper in a long time worthy of near classic reputation from the start.
30 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 02, 2013 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I recently acquired a sample of this blend with some age on it, tasted it blind, and must say I was very impressed. The sweet/sours of the Virginias were very well rounded and smoothed out. The Perique was a light condiment touch on the flavor of this blend, but provided a nice backdrop of plum and stewed fruit. Presentation was gently crumbled cake with a few clumps - this held together well despite aging and shipping via post. Overall a very nice experience. I will be purchasing some of this to jar and set aside.

I've found that some age adds a very subtle chocolate note which adds some depth to the stewed fruit flavors that predominate. I've also found that packing this one a bit tighter than usual helps draw out all of the flavor from this sumptuous blend.

Edit: after smoking more of this fantastic blend, I am raising my review to four stars from three. However, I've also recently smoked some new Anniversary Kake and, while good, it was nowhere near the experience of smoking this aged stuff. So guys: set some of this aside to age for at least a couple of years. You will not regret it.
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 30, 2009 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Pleasant
The chemical balance that makes up our personal taste is a funny thing. I liked this blend but not nearly as much as the AJ's Vaper. Yet I think this one might be Russ Ouellette's biggest triumph. This stuff seems flawless but lacks the quirky personality of AJ's that I find so intriguing.

Enough has already been said by others about this blend. I think every Vaper lover should try it, and I think most people will prefer it to AJ's. It's smoother and seems more refined. It just doesn't excite my tastebuds as much.

Russ Ouellette is very quietly making a claim to the Vaper crown. This blend is quite a statement.
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 13, 2014 Mild Mild Mild Pleasant
I first tried this blend about 4 years ago and, having aged a portion, have revisited it several times over the years. I did note some improvement in flavor and burning qualities as the blend acquired age, but not on the level of most Va/per tobaccos that I have aged in similar fashion.

The pouch aroma is pleasing, and the cake crumbles nicely. It burns better if it is dried out a bit, and definitely exhibits improvement on that account with age. Because of the price of this blend, it is likely worth trying for there are many who find it an enjoyable blend.

The initial light offers a mild yet somewhat integrated flavor of VA and Perique that merits some unique aspects when compared to other Va/Per blends, perhaps due to the subsequent heat and pressure treatment that Mr. Ouellette does when making his cake tobacco. Yet I find the flavor of the VA's and the Perique to be "muddled" and lacking in the intricacies found in many other Va/Per blends. When sipping "Anni Kake" I find that the subtle sweetness balanced against the distinct tart spice offered by VA/Per's such as PS Navy, Escudo, McClelland 2015, Solani, Sam Gawith SJF, along with many others, is somewhat muted. I do not find this blend to be remarkable as a VA/Per, but there are clearly those who enjoy it for the mild flavor it imparts. The price is such that I believe it is worth trying, but for those who enjoy a more elegant VA/Per, I believe you will find it worth the few extra dollars to look elsewhere.
Pipe Used: Charatan, BBB, DH
PurchasedFrom: Pipes & Cigars
Age When Smoked: 1-4 years
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 12, 2013 Mild to Medium Mild Medium Pleasant
One of the bulk H&H blends I got in today is Anniversary Kake.

It's a Va/Per and a true cake; the bag contained a bunch of dark, almost black, 1X3X1 inch moist "bricks" that smelled sweet, like plums and molasses. I got busy jarring the stuff. The room smelled great! The bricks crumbled rather easily into a nice combination of small ribbons and flakes and were easy to jar up. I, of course, kept a small baggie to smoke, leaving a bit out to dry for a while.

It's been four hours now and I just packed some of the H&H AK in a Brebbia Pura Squat Tomato, about a Group 3 or small 4. The charring light was it -- didn't need a true light and only needed one relight half way. The initial flavors are of a sweet bread and plum/fig with a bit of tartness from the virginias. The Perique quickly makes itself known but, surprisingly, this is not the Perique I am used to. This Perique amps up the plum sweetness and while the spice is there, the pepper is almost nonexistent. I thought this blend, as I prepared it for jarring, would be goopy -- far from it. It burns dry and completely to a fine ash.

Anni Kake, while not very complex, does deliver some interesting and unusual flavors. It's hard not to love this stuff. I am very interested to see what a couple years of aging will do.

Anni Kake is yet another unique, true masterpiece from Russ Ouelette. Recommended for everyone, not just Va/Per lovers. Even die hard aromatic smokers should try it.
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 11, 2008 Mild None Detected Mild Very Pleasant
I had to get some of this tobacco after reading all of the positive reviews. I can't give it four stars due to the lack of strength, but can certainly agree that it is a very fine combination of Virginia and Perique. I was a little concerned as I neared the bottom of the bowl because the sweetness left and the Perique got a little too strong for me. Subsequent bowls were smoked to just past the halfway point and then dumped. Some may say that's a waste of tobacco, but, its the way I best enjoyed this blend, thank you very much.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 26, 2016 Mild to Medium Very Mild Medium Pleasant
Hearth & Home - Anniversary Kake (Signature Series).

I've always wanted a Jake Hackert and I got one for Christmas, so that's what this review's done with!

The tin contains a Krumble Kake that's very easy to work with. The parts of the blend that are still in kake form aren't big or plug sized but slim and manageable, and the remainder's just ready to be stuffed and puffed. Of all the Hearth & Home blends I've had this is the only one that leans toward the moister side of things; that's good though, it's not TOO moist.

Any added flavourings have been applied VERY lightly, the smoke's quite natural tasting; exceedingly high quality, but I wouldn't call it embellished. The only flavour that could be considered anywhere near added is a dark-fruit, figgy, raisin, Perique one. But, I wouldn't personally say that's from a topping/casing; it seems natural to me. I find myself struggling to detect much Virginia, it's Perique all the way with Anniversary Kake!

I'd expect a blend containing this much Perique to be a heavy weight with nicotine but it's actually quite mild, and I like the room-note.

It didn't take me long to want to highly recommend this!

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Jake Hackert
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: One month
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 09, 2013 Medium Mild to Medium Medium Tolerable
ORIGINAL REVIEW 12-9-2013

I just finished off the 8 oz I purchased nearly two years ago. I bought it bulk so the presentation was not of perfect rectangular cubes more like they were tumbled to say the consistency of shredded wheat after milk has been at it awhile.

The blend smokes well, which is odd as it is really moist. It seems impossible to dry hinting at a blend heavily coated with humectants. I don't get a chemical taste at all when I smoke it, rather the spicy dried fruit tastes one would expect from a VaPer. This one is pretty heavy on the perique, which is a plus to me.

Overall, I liked this blend, but did not love it. Will I buy more? Perhaps. There are just too many more Vapers I would like to try first. There are also Vapers that I prefer to this one. Mainly, Escudo, Dorcester, Dunbar, Filmore and Reiner LGF.

I do know that some people, whose tastes and opinions I respect highly really love this tobacco, so with that I do recommend it as it is likely it will be a hit. I think my biggest problem with this one is in the Virginias themselves. The Va seems to be of a lesser quality than most of the Vapers I prefer. By loading up the Perique it is less apparent, but if I want to get hammered by Perique, I would much rather light up some Fillmore. So three stars, but two to my personal tastes.

UPDATE 2/9/2018

I just finished about two ounces of an 8 oz can of this I purchased and while it has not really changed my rating on this blend, I thought it appropriate to point out that this blend has changed since I first reviewed it. The two changes noted are of the actual shape and consistency of the kakes themselves and the way the topping was applied or maybe just my perception as to how it is applied.

To start, the shape and consistency. The first time I tried this blend the kakes looked like little rectangular bricks or, if you have a dog, the shape of the heartworm medicine you feed them monthly. Now the kakes are basically the flake kakes that sutliff makes. This is more a difference in presentation than anything else. As to the consistency though, this batch was drier than that first batch I had. In any case, it still burned with no issues. So these are minor changes. I just wanted to note them so future readers understand my earlier description of the blend.

As to the topping, I didn't even notice it last time. This could have been due to the fact that I bought it in bulk and I think this was the case due to how quickly it flashed from the tin.

My first few bowls were pretty aromatic with a spicy rum type of topping. It almost overwhelmed the leaf. If that persisted throughout the full 2 ounces I would have likely dropped this to 2 stars, but it didn't. It flashed very quickly and left me with the same taste I enjoyed on the first go around 5 years ago.

This is actually an opposite effect to what I experienced with Classic Burley Kake. I am not sure if this is a problem P&C has with toppings across the board as I really haven't smoked much of their aros, but the same thing happened with Classic Burley kake. The difference was when the topping left CBK, it tasted like cardboard. With AK, it just tasted like a good VaPer after the topping departed.

Take these new revelations for what they are, but I still recommend this blend for a good VaPer.
PurchasedFrom: Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked: 2 years
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 31, 2013 Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
After reading others reviews of this blend I feel a little guilty about writing this review. While reading my review please remember that all tastes are different and one mans trash is anthers treasure.

People absolutely rant about this blend, and many very experienced pipe smokers list this in their top Virginias. I first purchased this many years ago after hearing the soaring praises, and have tried many times over many years to get to the bottom of this enigma, but alas I have finally thrown my hands up in defeat. I just dont get this blend. It does nothing for me.

I am a Vaper lover, and I have enjoyed some other of Mr. Ouillettes fabulous concoctions, but I cant for the life of me get this blend to perform.

The tin note here is really nice. Raisin and fig. The one thing I did notice in the tin was this was very moist for a Vaper. This had an almost aromatic stickiness to it. I suspect that this is due to some sort of humicant. I must admit, I get very little flavor off of this blend but I think I do detect some sort of humicant taste.

For some reason this one does not strike a chord with me, but others just love it. Give it a shot and decide for yourself.
Pipe Used: Savinelli Trevi 320
PurchasedFrom: Pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked: Purchased in 2008
7 people found this review helpful.
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