Comoy's of London Cask #5 Bullet Rye Select

(2.25)

Details

Brand Comoy's of London
Series Comoy's
Blended By Comoy's of London
Manufactured By Scandinavian Tobacco Group
Blend Type Aromatic
Contents Black Cavendish, Burley, Virginia
Flavoring Bourbon
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 100 grams tin, bulk
Country Denmark
Production Currently available

Profile

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

Average Rating

2.25 / 4
1

6

0

5

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 12 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 21, 2014 Mild Very Mild Very Mild Unnoticeable
I am going to trash this blend because it is just so gimmicky and stupid that I found it insulting as an American and a whiskey drinker.

This is part of a new line commissioned by Comoy's of London and made for them in Denmark by one of the tobacco behemoths over there. So it's purely a European creation, but one specifically created to sell to American pipe smokers (a growing market). There's nothing wrong with that. I, myself, am a capitalist.

Cask No. 5 is subtitled "Bullet Rye Select". Bulleit Rye is an excellent, high-end American rye whiskey. At the moment it's experiencing great popularity here in the States, so the Comoy's people were clearly trying to ride that wave. For legal reasons, though, they had to alter the name slightly: Bullet Rye as opposed to Bulleit Rye. A little gimmicky, sure, a little obvious, yeah, but also fine by me. God bless capitalism.

But then I opened the flap on my free sample and read this: "An elegant blend of bright orange Virginias with rich, cool smoking Burleys, flavored with Tennessee Bourbon for a smooth, satisfying blah blah blah."

First of all, there is no such thing as Tennessee Bourbon. Tennessee whiskey uses an extra step that differentiates it from Bourbon, which is made only in Kentucky. Second of all, rye whiskey is not Bourbon, not even close. The difference between rye and Bourbon is greater than the difference between Irish and Scotch whiskey. Third of all, Bulleit (or "Bullet" rye) is made in Indiana.

What the hell, Comoy's of London? Did you even do a little research into the American market?

I'm going to come up with my own blend. I'm going to market it in Scotland and call it Single Malt Blend. I'm going to flavor it with Irish whiskey made in France. LOL.

Mild, biscuit-y pouch aroma that doesn't smell like any booze at all. Unremarkable, burley-forward taste, also without any booze. Virginia can be seen in the blend, but it is either tasteless or out-classed by the burley. I detect a subtle flavoring but it isn't boozy and is also unremarkable....kind of nutty or toasty. It reminds me somewhat of Prince Albert, but it has a longer, shaggier cut.

After a few bowls, I threw the rest away on principle.

I received 6 free samples of the new Comoy's line from my tobacconist and do enjoy two of them. Cask No. 1 Double English is a decent smoke and Cask No. 11 British Strength, a Balkan, is pretty enjoyable, so I'm not dissing the whole line.

But this Cask No. 5 is just ludicrous. It's why you shouldn't let a marketing team design a pipe tobacco blend for you, especially a marketing team so damn lazy it's almost sad.
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 03, 2015 Mild Medium Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
The Virginia is a little citrusy, a little grassy, and there are a few earth notes. The burley is nutty sweet in a support role. The black cavendish is creamy smooth with some vanilla as a back up player. While the tobacco taste is sublimated by the rich and smooth sweet bourbon topping, they do work well together to create a pleasant all day mild smoke that doesn’t wear out its welcome. Has no artificial or chemical characteristics. The nic-hit is mild, and the taste level is closer to medium than it is to mild. Burns at a normal pace with a very consistent flavor that never weakens. No harsh spots, no bite, a very pleasant after taste and room note. I see this blend has been trashed by a number of reviewers. I think it deserves better than that.

-JimInks
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 15, 2016 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant
In my opinion some people read too much into pipe tobacco names. In fact they actually expect and demand to taste a specific flavor based on the name printed on the tin or bag. 

Comoy's Cask No. 5 - Bullet Rye Select is one of those blends. To be honest, if they would have just stopped at Comoy's Cask No. 5, the name wouldn't cause the confusion some smokers seem to have with this blend. People try it and get offended because they don't get drunk off the bourbon flavoring it's supposed to contain. And, apparently, some people get their panties in a bunch when the description mistakenly says Tennessee Bourbon when EVERYONE knows only whiskey made in Kentucky can be labeled as "bourbon." I opened my tin the other day and cut open the foil liner. Initially upon deeply inhaling the aroma of the tobacco I was hit with a nice, clean tobacco aroma that made be sit back and ask, "What is this?"

I swear it is a pipe tobacco I smoked back in the 70s and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I have fond memories of a lot of the pipe tobacco I smoked during the mid to late 70s even if they were mostly the OTCs that were available in the ship's store when you're floating in the ice halfway between Alaska and Russia. Even if it were OTCs that are alive in name only today (I'm talking about you Borkum Riff and Capt. Black - neither of which is as good now as they were back then.)

From the open tin of No 5, I get the burley right up front I also get the Black Cavendish and I can even smell the Virginias sneaking around in the background. What I, as someone who has been intimately familiar with good Tennessee Sour Mash and with Rye Whiskey, don't get is a sensory hit of either type of whiskey. If it's there it is so low key as to be undetectable. Sort of like the way a friend of mine likes the vermouth in his martinis - Set the unopened bottle next to the glass while he pours the Vodka. In otherwords, non-existent.

I have now smoked No. 5 in a clay, meerschaum, cob and briar and found it to be a smooth, satisfying smoke that is bite free. It has a nice mild flavor to my taste buds with just a hing of grassiness from the Virginia. I just couldn't shake the notion that I have smoked this before as a different label. Maybe it's a little like Prince Albert. Maybe it's a little like one of the old Amphora blends? I just don't know.

What I do know is that I found Comoy's Cask No. 5 to be a good smoke even if I can't find the Rye or Bourbon in it. I will buy it again because I think it is a good day-to-day tobacco.
Pipe Used: Briar, Clay, Cob, Meerschaum
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New Tin
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 04, 2017 Mild to Medium Mild Mild Pleasant to Tolerable
Funny thing about this tobacco, I had forgotten all about it. I had jarred it up in Jan of 2015 and squirreled it away behind some books on a shelf in my livingroom. Hey, out of site out of mind. My wife found it yesterday and of course I had to light it up because I don't remember tasting it when it first arrived. It's a pretty mild aro. I found it to be pretty good and satisfying. It lit well, stayed lit and smoked slowly. I experienced a cool smoke and no bite. It has a mellow sweetness. I believe it is a keeper for occasional use; you know when you feel like an aromatic.
Pipe Used: Several briars
PurchasedFrom: Pipes and Cigars
Age When Smoked: 18 months
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 10, 2015 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
I got this blend as a sample from P&C and I have to say I like it a lot. Since I am not a Whiskey or Bourbon drinker I cannot comment on whether this blend is infused with either spirits. However, if one just enjoys it for what it is I think one will find it enjoyable. There is a nice smooth booze like flavor and plenty of tobacco taste. I did not experience any bite in any pipes I smoked this blend in.

Extra Notes: My Dad used to Marinate his steaks in Bourbon and the taste of this tobacco does remind me of a smooth Bourbon like taste - like I said before while I don't drink Whisky or Bourbon - can't really say for sure.

Bulleit does make a Rye Whisky and a Bourbon - I mean seriously Folks - you know they didn't flavor this tobacco with real "Bulleit" so why get your nickers in a knot over the name or where "Bourbon" is really made.Does it taste good? Sure does! If you are going to quibble about names, casings or appellations rather than judging the smoking merits of a "pipe tobacco" - perhaps stick to smoking cigars and give up pipe smoking. That way you can impress the rest of your Buddies by smoking "Real Cubans!"
Pipe Used: Major French Bent
PurchasedFrom: P&C
Age When Smoked: New
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 29, 2014 Mild Mild Mild Pleasant
I was quite surprised to see the reviews that were already done on this blend. I had quite the opposite experience.

I purchased a number of these comoys blends in bulk to explore the offerings of this manufacturer. I have not at all been displeased. They are very classic style blends and due to the fact they are offered in bulk, I consider them a good value.

Cask no.5 was a pleasurable experience for me. Although technically an aromatic, it does not possess many of the symptoms that usually give aromatics a bad name. It is not at all goopy, it is not horribly bitey, and it stays lit quite well.

When I first opened the bag of cask no. 5 I was hit with a smell that was familiar yet elusive to me. I finally realized the smell was very similar to the chewing tobacco redman ( a blast from the past when I was a younger avid fisherman). The smell was exactly like redman to me and that is not a bad thing. In fact, I love the smell.

The tobacco was very dry and I debated whether to bring some life back to it but I decided to try it as is. It was a very nice smoke. The flavor was very smooth and nice. I quite enjoyed it. I think the problem some other smokers have had with ts is this. When we think of Bourbon we dont think of soft subtle flavor. Bourbon is a mans man drink, and maybe some people expected those flavors to jump out at them. They are there but I really had to slow down and look for them. If you rely on blends like pirate kake to get your taste buds going this blend may be lost on you. I enjoyed it very much.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 29, 2014 Extremely Mild Very Mild Extremely Mild (Flat) Very Strong
I recently ran across this tobacco while visiting the Newtown location of Havanna Connections in Williamsburg, Va. There were three Comoy's offerings and, as I had already blown most of my tobacco budget for the month, I decided to select one. I chose Cask #5 Bullet Rye Select, as it sounded interesting. I am not really into aros but the description sounded appealing and I thought I would give it a go. I wasted my $20. Upon opening the "paint can" style tin I was pleased to find an inner foil liner ensuring the freshness of the tobacco. The tin and liner are quite attractive and the tobacco looks very nice. It is ribbon cut, and mine had a nice bright brown color to it. Very visually appealing. The smell, however, was a bit "off putting." I was expecting a tobacco/rye whiskey aroma. Instead I got, almost nothing. I really had to take a whiff to smell an old, musty smell. Not very appealing. The moisture was good, though a little drying works better for my taste. It did pack and light ok. Maybe one relight was needed on a bowl or two but that may have been me not paying close enough attention to the matter. I really did not notice much flavor to this tobacco. Perhaps I have been spoiled by much better blends but I was expecting...more...something...anything. There just was not anything to it. That is until... I should say here that most of my trials, with Comoy's Cask #5, were done while driving my truck and I had my window either down or cracked thus drawing off the smoke. I generally do not really notice the "room note" when driving like this. When I rolled my window up, one chilly moring, that is when I discovered what I really do not like about this tobacco. Its "room note." A few moments after the window closed I started smelling a familier smell from my youth. My father was a woodcutter and I used to accompany him to the woods. I well remember the smell of chainsaw exhaust, from poorly maintained and oil leaking saws, and fresh cut firewood mixed with mud. I swear that is the room note of this tobacco and it is strong. How I cannot taste it but I can be overwhelmed by it in the surrounding smoke I will never know but it is the case. If you like chainsaw smoke, then this is the tobacco for you. Otherwise, I simply cannot recommend it it all. IMHO
Pipe Used: MM Diplomat, MM Patriot, no name Algerian Oom Paul
PurchasedFrom: Havana Connections, Williamsburg, Virginia
Age When Smoked: 1-2 years
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 23, 2015 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild Tolerable
Comoy claims their Cask #5 is topped and/or cased with Tennessee bourbon. Evidently they don't know bourbon comes only from Kentucky. Anyway, I got the stuff because I thought it would be similar to Borkum Riff which was good stuff 40 years ago but it got degraded each time company ownership changed hands. It seems to have as high grade leaf as the original Borkum Riff but I couldn't detect any whiskey taste at all. However, it does taste okay and it is similar to Amphora brown label or Sail ivory or yellow label. It has a sweet/sour tin smell and tastes like a flake VaBur mixture. It would make a good everyday, go-to mixture if you like pure natural broken flake tobacco and you don't want perique or latakia. I like it but it will not replace Sail in my regular rotation.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 07, 2014 Mild Mild to Medium Extremely Mild (Flat) Pleasant to Tolerable
Another attempt to make tobacco taste like liquor that, by and large, just doesn't work. It's a basic, light colored, mild smelling Danish aromatic with some bigger chunks of black Cavendish. It loads easily and catches alight with little coaxing. I could tell from the start that I would have to smoke it carefully or it would bight my tongue and generally scorch my palate.

Bullet Rye Select stays mild and boring all throughout the smoke. There's a little bit of sweetness and just the slightest hint of what may be whiskey. I couldn't say for sure. If I want bourbon, I'll just drink bourbon and look for a more interesting, flavorful tobacco to smoke with it.

2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 30, 2017 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Tolerable to Strong
Comoy's of London - Cask #5 Bullet Rye Selection.

Note: bought from bulk.

I guess my review will sort of echo Gentleman Zombie's, I'm not what you'd call a fan.

The larger part of the blend incorporates medium ribbons, but it also includes a few coarser pieces. It contains all different colours, a few blacks, some yellows, but the prominent number of ribbon's are dark brown. The moisture's good for immediate smoking, but not cellaring.

So, it lights easy enough, burn's at a medium pace, and those are the only good points. To be fair, the first quarter's a lot better than the subsequent part. There's a far stronger vanilla black cavendish flavour and it seems smooth enough, but after the initial part it goes rapidly down hill: it becomes way too hot, bites unbelievably hard, and the whiskey becomes much louder, and tastes very sour.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: I don't like it.

Cask #5? It's not very nice. One star:

Not recommended.
Pipe Used: Britain's Best Briar
PurchasedFrom: Cup O' Joes
Age When Smoked: New
1 person found this review helpful.
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