D & R Tobacco TAPS VIP

(3.50)
Triangle Area Pipe Smokers is located in the historical heart of tobacco country. The remnants of tobaccos glory days can be seen in the Victorian homes lining somnolent streets of isolated small towns, and in the tobacco barns that dot the rural landscape. Fortunate to have within its membership a master blender, VIP combines two great classics of southern tobacco. From the tobacco heartland comes bright Virginias. From the bayous of Louisiana, spicy Perique. With a classic aroma and flavor, the result is a local expression of a fine Virginia Perique.

Details

Brand D & R Tobacco
Blended By Mark Ryan
Manufactured By Daughters & Ryan
Blend Type Virginia/Perique
Contents Perique, Virginia
Flavoring Anisette, Bourbon, Honey
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 40 grams tin.
Country United States
Production No longer in production

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

3.50 / 4
10

2

1

1

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 14 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 09, 2015 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
The light and brown Virginias are tart and tangy citrus sweet with a hint of butter, bread and grass, some wood, tangy dark fruit and earth. The smell of the tobacco from an open tin is fruity: apricots, figs and raisins, and much of that is mildly evident in the smoke. The perique is more stewed fruity (figs, raisins, plums, and dates) than peppery, but the latter is an important part of the experience. The toppings are a light German honey bourbon and a small touch of anisette, and they moderately tone down the tobaccos. It's A.P. Rimboche with toppings. The strength is a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium, while the taste almost reaches the medium mark. The nic-hit is a slot behind the strength level. No chance of bite or harshness, and has almost no rough notes. The tobacco is a tad dry out of the tin, so you may prefer to lightly hydrate it. I usually don’t. Well balanced, it burns cool, clean and slightly fast with a very consistent, fairly smooth and complex, sweet and spicy flavor that translates to the pleasantly lightly lingering after taste and room notes. The sweet taste never wanes or gets boring. Hardly leaves any moisture in the bowl, and requires few relights. It may not have enough strength satisfy hardcore VaPer smokers, but for those who aren't - and perhaps for those are who are - whether or not you are looking for an aromatic VaPer, it's a four star blend.

-JimInks
22 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 08, 2015 Mild None Detected Medium Pleasant
This is a wonderful Va/Per. Upon lighting you get this very sweet and peppery taste with a nice almost florally finish. While I'm not very good at piecing up room notes while I smoke, my girlfriend seems to like the smell of it. Overall, I would say this is a very nice and relaxing smoke; perfect for sitting out on the patio and enjoying a nice summer afternoon.
Pipe Used: Cassano Canadian Shape
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 19, 2015 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
A straight forward VirginiaPerique blend with Bright and Dark Virginia that combines to give a strength to the blend that may be over the top for some, but perfect for others (like me). I was only given an ounce to review, and it went quickly. I really like this blend!

Pipestud
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 19, 2018 Mild Mild Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
I was searching to replace an out of production tobacco called Caledonian. I specifically liked the fig newton qualities of this delicious 20yr old flake tobacco. TAPS VIP didn't quite meet the exact replacement (ribbon, not flake), but the tin and room note was pretty close. Flavor/Taste profile - I don't have a deep cellar of VaPers, but this is unlike every other VaPer I have tried. The Virginias certainly bring their characteristic sweetness to the tobacco, but the real player here is the perique. It comes in with a spice, but don't think pepper. This is more of a sweet cinnamon spice that comes from the honey/bourbon flavoring, but it is not overwhelming. Room note - delightful and very pleasant sweet smell. Strength - this is a light/mild tobacco with a mild (almost indiscernible nicotine profile).
Pipe Used: Various cobs and briars
PurchasedFrom: SmokingPipes.com
Age When Smoked: Smoked when I ordered
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 26, 2016 Medium to Strong Mild Medium to Full Very Pleasant
Daughters & Ryan TAPS VIP... love this one - ordered some tins!!! The Virginias and Perique in the D&R blends are phenomenal... SPICY and sweet! If chasing flavor and trying to guess if it's there is not your thing, try this one and other D&R's... FANTASTIC!

Another Top 10 desert island dream blend... Thanks again jiminks - BULLSEYE!!!
Pipe Used: Cob
PurchasedFrom: Gift
Age When Smoked: Gifted, so unknown...
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 02, 2019 Medium Mild to Medium Medium Tolerable to Strong
D & R Tobacco - TAPS VIP.

Firstly, as this has received mainly high recommendations up to now take my review with a pinch of salt. I'd hate to sound pugnacious, but I really don't care for TAPS'.

In the tin it's far too dry. Mine's virtually crunchy. The ribbons are quite coarse, and mostly light and medium browns. The tin-note's one of a VaPer, but ever so slightly aromatic.

Of course, being dry it ignites easily. Then, to be fair, the tobaccos don't taste 'that' bad. I get more of the fruity/tangy Perique, than I do the Virginias. The Virginias are notable, giving a sweet-breadiness, just not so headstrong. It's the toppings which ruin the flavour; for me. The anisette and bourbon collaborate to cause a sour, bitter, taste. There isn't enough honey to counteract this; some more honey would have placated the acidulous casing. It burns fast, too warm, and bites.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: unpleasant.

TAPS VIP? Sorry to say I won't recommend it:

One star.
Pipe Used: Altinok Lee Van Cleef Replica
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 3/19/19
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 08, 2017 Mild to Medium Very Mild Medium Pleasant
A very good and sweet VaPer. The VaPer portion would be a quality smoke by itself. Very fruity with a fair amount of spice. Add the topping and this hits 4 star level easily. I get a sweet bourbon flavor with just a touch of anisette. Very tasty, very satisfying and a lovely smoke all way around.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in taste. Flavoring is very mild. Burns very well.
Pipe Used: MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus
PurchasedFrom: smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: fresh
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 13, 2017 Medium to Strong Medium to Strong Full Tolerable
Got as a gift for Christmas. Was a bit worried about the strength. Nice room note lots of different aromas. Trouble I had was the taste. Started off kind of sweet with rum highlights. Once it got going I got a light hint of pepper with flavor. But as I went along the pepper got stronger and stronger. I rarely ever throw out a bowl before finishing but I had to with this blend. Just not a huge fan of heavy pepper and this has it in spades. Just not my cup of tea. If you like the flavor and taste of pepper this will be a favorite for you.
Pipe Used: Peterson P-lip
Age When Smoked: Gift unknown
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 17, 2016 Mild to Medium Mild Medium to Full Very Pleasant
This VA Per mange to be unique and wonderfully satisfying. The marriage of the tobaccos provided a tick and grassy favor as well as the musky earthiness of some Red Virginias. This is a delightful blend and a standout in a crowed tobacco genre.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 15, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Tolerable
I must say that this one kind of surprised me as I hadn't thus far been too impressed with the D & R blends that I have tried. Unfortunately, my sample of this was quite small. I only ended up smoking about two and a half bowls of this.

My general impression was that this was a pretty good VaPer. Nice Virginia sweetness and a very light spice touch from the perique. It was good, but the perique was a little light for my personal tastes as my favorite VaPers tend to be a little heavier in Perique.

Remember that this is based on two and a half bowls. I am putting this at 3 stars as I liked what I tried, but I can't give it a fourth star as of yet. I will be buying another tin or two and will probably do so in a few weeks at the Chicago Show since they are always there. I will be revisiting this review after I have had a chance to smoke a tin.
3 people found this review helpful.
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