pipesandcigars.com Scotty's HPCS Owl's Head

Wow! What a surprise this was! This is a variation of Sam's Blend or Mississippi Mud by C&D. A very flavorful and potent mixture. The Latakia almost attacks you right from the pouch!This is a very heavy mixture to be savored after dinner.This is in the flavor class of Penzance or Pirate Kake. The flavor is so rich and it will leave ou satisfied for hours after you smoke it. It must be smoked dry . I made the mistake of adding distilled water and it altered the flavor in a most unpleasant way.IMHO this is Sam's Blend with the addition of Turkish tobacco.It is not for the faint of heart. If you enjoy really wonderful Latakia laden mixtures,this is for you. 4 of4 stars!

This owl has a well-proportioned head. The components are few and are melded quite well. The description names three ingredients: Turkish, Latakia, and Perique, so if you like those I bet you'll like this. In the bag I see black leaf (Lat & Per) and a uniform velvety brown (Turkish), and that's it.

In the bowl there is a cigar-like note to Owl's Head which I suppose comes from whatever Turkish variety this is. There are also peppery and nutty notes as well as an occasional hint of something like mulling spices. I've smoked it in a variety of pipes of differing shapes and sizes and like it best in a tall, narrow chamber.

Owl's Head is one of the best bulk blends I've tried in this genre, and I believe I'll be ordering more once my current supply runs dry (which I believe will happen shortly).

This is the most satisfying English blend that I have tasted in a long time. It is well balanced without sacrificing body and strength. Mine was received in a fairly dry condition and smoked well right out of the bag, needing no drying. Satisfying is the word that comes to mind with this blend: satisfying body, satisfying volume, and satisfying flavor. The flavor is not a strained mix of flavors but more of a perfect union; no one tobacco type sticks it's head out for attention.

This tobacco has a magnificent heavy smoked aroma right out of the package! Even more so than Altadis Count Pulaski. The tobacco is real crunchy (i.e. porous) making it a little harder to stay lit, so it requires frequent packing. It really has a strong latakia room aroma and that peppery plum flavor of the Perique. This one has more perique than their Louisiana Red, so it really provides a spicy taste! The price is very pleasing as well. It just has a little too much latakia for me. I'll give it 3-stars.

I really enjoy this tobacco. It has a very satisfying rich flavor. The Turkish & Latakia dance perfectly with the Perique giving this a unique flavor. The Perique adds a very nice bit of spice to this wonderful blend. I would recommend this to those that enjoy Sam's Blend from C&D or if you are looking for a unique smoking experience.

Scotty’s Owl’s Head arrived a little dry, not crispy, just right for smoking. Appearance is about an even share of tans, dark browns, and black ribbon cut tobaccos. Pouch aroma is Smyrna, Latakia, and some mustiness probably from the Perique. A pleasant sweet smoky aroma not at all offensive.

Upon first light I immediately taste smoky Latakia and a mild earthy tang probably from the Smyrna. It’s not as tangy or sour as Hearth & Home’s Drawing Room or Cerberus. The Smyrna is mild and a little overpowered by the other tobaccos.

It could be said that Scotty’s Owl’s Head is simply Scotty’s Great Hiatus with the addition of Perique. Pipe smokers who enjoy Perique in their Balkans might consider this a desirable blend. But that's not so for me, so Owl’s Head won’t be in my rotation.

I tried this as a change of pace from aromatic blends. It is a good smoke for the golf course or mowing the lawn. I normally prefer lighter tobak such as Trout Stream or Dan's Blue Note.

Be careful to smoke this dry and slowly as to not scorch the tounge.

Nice name, and I like owls. Not bad, but like many other tobaccos I've tried. A quality generic, but not very memorable or great. I much prefer pipes and cigars' Count Pulaski. Perhaps it's the perique I can live without. I should probably revisit this one early in the day when my mouth doesn't taste of other things.

Two and a half of five stars

Update: My apologies to Mission - the blend I reviewed is from pipesandcigars.com and was purchased at the Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe in Albany, NY. Still not good even though I love a number of the great blends put out by Russ and this outstanding shop including Trout Stream, Country Gold and Danny Boy.

The Owl's Head blend I smoked came by mail order out of the Mission Pipe Shop in Olde Cali. I am just at a loss to recommend this blend even to a proven enemy. An absolutely bitter, rough tasting tobac that left a foul aftertaste; I even tried smoking this in a virgin cob to no avail. A thoroughly unpleasant encounter overall. This version is way too heavy on the Latakia and the Turkish tobac within is just plain nasty.

Okay, so I'm a sweet aro lover and burley meister at heart, but I do occasionally switch to a mild English or so-called Oriental blend; this one just doesn't do it. I thought this pouch would get better with age. Let it sit on the shelf for a while but it just got worse. Not recommended even in the coldest of weather and climes when any old tobac will do because your're more keyed to surviving the extreme termperatures around you than weighing the finer points inside the bowl.