Esoterica Tobacciana - Blackpool pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 12 of 12 reviews of this tobacco
arpie55	10/09/2009	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
this had a very good virginia taste and the licorice topping appealed to my senses, i was not disappointed. the aromatic agent was noticeable in the tin, in the burn , and in the room note, but did not mask what i was looking for in terms of tobacco. i will buy again.
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thedstnguishdgntlmn	02/17/2009	Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
I like Esoterica but i just could not see what made this special. It was a one dimensional and rather boring smoke. If you get it for free try it.
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billbo	12/27/2007	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant
I bought a 8 oz bag of this and I really like it, it goes nice as a after dinner pipe The room note is pleasent and I like the way it smokes. I dry out most of my tobacco now so it did not matter to me that it was a little moist. Blaclpool leaves a mild aftertaste that is enjoyable.
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Pipestud	11/12/2007	Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Blackpool was not at all what I expected. It arrived sopping wet, and even after extensive drying, the black and chunky bits of tobacco were a buggar to keep lit. Perhaps it was the natural oils the above descriptive refers to that kept dousing the fire. I also note that the descriptive indicates this blend contains "a dash of licorice extract." Somebody must have sneezed while pouring the stuff into my batch because my tobacco was bathed in it. On a positive note; I did taste decent tobacco every once in awhile while smoking a bowl of Blackpool.. But the licorice flavor kept me from being able to decipher what all is in the blend besides Virginia leaf. The licorice taste just overwhelmed me. I will admit that as hard as I try, Licorice mixed with pipe tobacco just doesn't work for me. I kept getting a visual of long, black, twisted licorice stix with every puff. Oh well....
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wyrmis	06/08/2006	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
I find it intriguing that they add minerals to pure water to make it taste more like our expectations of water. Blackpool reminds me of this concept. The flavoring, however faint, to this tobacco blend somehow makes it smell and taste more like what I am expecting from pure tobacco. This is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. It is a pleasant,though neutral, smoke that fails to overly distinguish itself. What you do have, though, is a good midday smoke with only a mild punch, a flavor that won't overly tickle nor confuse your palate, and a smooth, even burn that does not require relights. Definitely quality, but not my favorite.
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NapaWineLover	01/09/2006	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
At first I didn't like this tobacco at all but vowed to return to it because someone with similar tastes to mine regularly enjoyed it. Then I realized, upon my next experience, the reason I avoided judging a tobacco on one bowl full. Could be the humidity, the temperature, what I had for lunch or my attitude. Who knows, but I'm glad I had a sufficient cache to enjoy it further ... and enjoy I did. It's a bit unusual because of the mild casing and it hasn't made it into my regular rotation but, that being said, it is a very nice tobacco. A slight anise note in the aroma and taste in the beginning of the bowl, which disappears further along. I would not classify this as an aromatic tobacco. It doesn't bite and smokes pretty cool despite what the appearance would lead one to believe, dark black bits. I have found that I enjoy it best in a small meerschaum and know precisely when to reach for it. Cheers, VC
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Inquisitor	01/19/2005	Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Very similar to Esoterica Ramsgate in description, this smokes to its own beat. It arrives black and damp, but the moisture isn't sticky so I assume it is hydrated more with water than with PG. At light up (or after several light ups), a thick and creamy smoke consistency greets the smoker. While apparently topped with licorice, it isn't especially apparent in the flavor. Instead, there is a subdued melange, consisting of the usual Esoterica mid-range flavors of mushroom/marshmallow, and an unusual lingering hint of gunpowder. Like almost all Esotericas I have tried, there is a significant but well-disguised nicotine element. Once fully into the burn, the top range exhibits a zesty note that tickles the nose and tongue. Also a delicate sweetness, like shortbread. This smokes like two different blends: air-smoking and attention is essential for getting all of the subtle Virginia flavors, though this blend also is pleasant and satisfying when smoked without thought. In that sense, the style of Blackpool (though not the flavor) is similar to GH Bright CR Flake. As with Ramsgate, the sweetness grows as the bowl progresses. The mid-range features a brewing-beer or Vegamite tone, though more pleasant (apologies to the Aussies out there). Again the nicotine reminds me of its presence. There is also a cheesy note. If Esoterica Tilsbury has gorgonzola, Blackpool has Havarti, or maybe a medium-sharp cheddar, both in terms of flavor nuance and creaminess. Sometimes it flickers sweeter, as from cheesecake. (I am coming to recognize this cheesy/musty character as a signature of Esoterica's matured leaf). Top range notes are observed on the front of the tongue mostly, with the smoke trickling out of the mouth around the stem. Past the halfway mark, the sweetness has become a dominant (but pleasant) force, reminding me of apple crisp with caramel, with a zest like touching your tongue to an almost-depleted 9 volt battery, which makes this intriguing and satisfying on all levels. I have yet to detect licorice. Finally, at the junction of the top and middle ranges, I pick up an element of dried cherries. Final words: your clothes really smell after smoking this stuff, even outside. It smokes like a gentle fog. Well done.
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Willy	08/22/2002	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Good review Sceny, I just want to put my tuppence in here too. Blackpool is well-matured VA tobaccos, black with deep browns mixed in as well. The pleasant musty sweetness reveals the light licorice topping, but only slightly. This medium-cut tobacco packs and lights fairly easy, just don't get to heavy-fingered. It is a bit moist, but I find that once "toasted" it burns rather well. Since this is basically Kingsbridge with a licorice extract, some characteristics are the same for both blends. Blackpool seems to be not as full or heavy, though it does have some body to it. This is a smooth, virtually no-bite smoke with a light sweetness that mingles with a hint of a sour (citrusy?) note, the VA tang right there during most of the bowl. Near the bottom the flavor becomes more rich and the sweetness, though subtle, seems to still be there behind the smoky/tangy notes. This tobacco also burns evenly and dry down to a nice white ash. That to me is one (among many)of the endearing qualities of Esoterica tobaccos, that clean burn to a pure white/dove gray ash. The vibrant taste and the deep, full flavors, as well as the cool, smooth smoking properties of Blackpool make this a tobak to be enjoyed, at least for me, most anytime of the day. A very tasty and relaxing blend.
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NEWMAN	04/14/2002	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This blend is almost as black as licorice with a few dark brown flakes intermixed. If not rubbed out, it is slightly difficult to lite due to the moisture content. Once going, a cool and even burn results without a hint of bite leaving a nice white ash. Only a slight hint of the anise is present in the pouch aroma, taste or room aroma and the quality VAs dominate the taste. An enjoyable smoke but not so interesting to be an all day or steady smoke for me.
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lustra	01/17/2002	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
As a licorice lover, I was anxius to try this blend. Unfortunately, my tin opened up way too wet and I had to let the tobacco dry for several days. Even after drying it, I had trouble keeping it lit, and found it bit pretty bad. I eventually mixed it with a drier, more neutral tobacco that burned OK but that did not, unfortunately, taste much like licorice. This stuff does burn to a nice white ash, but it was enough of a problem that I don't plan to buy any more.
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MikeB	12/17/2001	Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
Being new to pipes, I have stayed with the safe tobaccos that people have recommended to me. This one was a gift and I love it! Easy burn, even for a beginner and very nice flavour. The smoke was incredible. I don't have many to compare it to but it is on my "to buy" list when this runs out.
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Sceny	03/31/2001	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Going alphabetically through my sample pack of Esoterica tobacco, this is the second one I tried. Since this is an aromatic Virginia blend, I was expecting a sweet smoke that required care to avoid tongue bite. While there is sweetness here, it is balanced by a musty, full, complex maturity that provides a very smooth, remarkably bite-free smoke. The aroma in the bag is very mild, a light anise casing mixed with a musty tobacco odor and a hint of sweetness. The tobacco itself looks almost like black licorice: very dark black with a flake or two of dark brown. The moisture level is average, not wet at all but not super-dry like C&D blends. The cut is medium and fairly narrow, packing easily in the pipe so long as care is taken not to press too firmly. It lights easily and burns well, requiring a normal number of relights, to a very fine, white ash. For the first third, the flavor is bright and full, the starting sweetness quickly maturing and changing into a more musty taste. The licorice casing is noticeable, but takes a back seat role to the semi-bright Virginia flavor. It compliments the fullness of flavor without distracting from the excellent tobacco base. An impressive feature of this blend is the full, smooth Virginia smoke appears thus far to be totally bite-free. Into the second 1/3 of the bowl, the brightness changes more into a darker, somewhat fuller taste, the licorice still nicely in the background. There is still a musty sweetness to the smoke, and I haven't noticed any bite or moisture problems. I've found that it is very pleasant exhaled through the nose. Moving on to the final part of the bowl, and I can say that this smoke is nearly as smooth and bite-free as my standard, Frog Morton. The taste is still complex and full, elements of sweetness and mustiness mixing well with the light licorice note. There is some moisture towards the bottom, but a single pipe cleaner took care of that. The room aroma is pleasant after smoking, and the scent lingers in my clothes. Overall, this is a very good, fully mature Virginia blend: full, musty/sweet, and complex, complemented but not overwhelmed by the licorice casing. I enjoyed smoking this tobacco, and would likely reach for it when I was in the mood for a mature, smooth Virginia without any danger of bite. So far, Esoterica is two out of two for me!
Showing reviews 1 through 12 of 12 reviews of this tobacco