Overall highly recommended, and some that I will be keeping in my cellar.

Have just finished the second (or is it the third pipe) of Prarie Wind from 4 Noggins. Very reminiscent of a tobacco that no longer exists. About 1974 or 75 I had the pleasure of smoking a can or three of "Mullingars Knockbrack". Then,of course, it disappeared becoming unavailable to nothing more than memory. Quite a shame too since it was a really nice tobacco.

Had forgotten about it until I smelled the aroma of Richard Gottlieb's "Prarie Wind". The first stirring of an old memory tape started playing.The first part plainly said "Knockbrack" and the Internet supplied the company name "Mullingar". A sort of a deja vue taste experience followed on lighting up for the first time.

I don't know what the tobacco consitiuents were at the time that Richard used or if there is any casing or whatever but this was as close as could be imagined to that lost blend though.

Richard's headnotes say that it is a Virginia-Perique misxture. I'm sure that's true from the taste and burn qualities. It doesn't say anything about casing but there surely must be some since this blend smokes unlike anything I have tried in that particular blend genre since the now-ecesed "Knockbrack".Exactly like it in fact.

Sum it up here:

Great taste, easy filling,easy lighting.non-goopish and cool burning (after a little drying out, that is)and a wonderful aroma or so my wife says. Sweet, yes but not overly sweet, to my taste and a really nice nostalgic change of pace. No discernable bite or nastiness of aftertaste and a fair price. For those "Knockbrack" smokers around in 1995 or 96 you might want to give this one a contemplative try as it does bring back memories of a long-extinct very pleasant blend. For those not around then you may want to try it for the new memories it is capable of generating.

A small word of warning to those expecting a traditional unflavored Virginia Perique mixture. This is not like the more conservative British or even American blends and tends a little more towards the Danish versions of that type of blend. This in my opinion is very nice for a change of pace and a "little something different without being too outre. This is a very well done mixture that I'm sure it will improve even more with a little age and patience on the part of the smokers.

As Bob hope used to say "Thanks for the memories" Richard. Appreciate the skill of blending and the professional attitide of your establishment.

----The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

When i recieved the sample from 4Noggins, i sniffed the little bag and thought that it smelled a lot like Anniversary Cake ( a blend i do not really care for ) It was only recently that i lay the contents on a baking sheet to dry out. Again i was still convinced that this blend is gonna be identical to AC.

Upon the first few puffs this blend still resembles Anniversary Cake to the extent that i thought it was the same blend sold under a different name. As i smoked it, it became clear that this blend is much better and much more suited to my tastes.

The Perique is there but not overpowering, it tasted like McCranies Red Ribbon with a bit of Perique added, just the right amount. I assume other smokers will appreciate this and recommend it.

Mo, South Africa