The smoke was decent but mostly uneventful. There was a very light natural VA sweetness with a touch of perique. But it didn't stop at being a light vaper. The addition of cavendish added some additional sweetness in the taste and a bit of pleasantness in the room note. That makes it sound like there's a fair bit of complexity and a lot going on but I just didn't find that to be so. I find the lack of recent reviews of this blend to be indicative of its lack of any real depth. I'd call this an interesting blend but little more than that. Three stars because it is recommended for folks that want to try a fairly mild and lightly sweet Vaper but there are much better Vapers out there, some of which were blended by these Two Friends separately. But for what I perceive is its intended audience, this one is worth trying.

Its a bite-free Virgina, at JUST the right moisture level IMHO. No drying needed - smoke straight from the bag. It looks a little like Redwood bark - the name is well-chosen. Its a sweet and spicy VA (seems like there is just a touch of Perique) and it has the slightest HINT of being a aromatic but without any outright sugary-ness. Although it does not taste like it, the balance of VA and spice and Cavandish reminds me of another favorite of mine - Peterson's Irish Oak.

Contrary to most reviews here I did not find the nicotine overwhelming at all - and I am a someone who thinks that Dunhill Nightcap and 1792 are overwhelming. Strong and stout but no worse than the hit expected with a good cigar.

Worth a try!

Like other Two Friends products, this is a distinctly odd blend: it's almost an aromatic VA/PER, similar in concept to Haddo's Delight. I don't detect any topping, per se, but the cavendish definitely adds a bit of sweetness and my wife likes the room note more than any aromatic I've ever smoked around her (she even likes it more than Autumn Evening).

This might be a 4-star tobacco for some, but I don't smoke it often enough for me to call it a favorite. Va/Per purists might be turned off by the components, but that's their loss. YMMV.

I don't think it's a matter of age, I aged my tin a year before opening and it has aged another since. (Yeah, I know, aging pretty much stops once the tin is open, yada yada) I think this is a chemistry problem between myself and the specific tobaccos used in the mix. I had the same problem with Odessa from C&D which I thought was an ok blend, it just hit me harshly.

This was my first try from Two Friends and my second from GLP. Since C&D has many a fine tobacco, I think I'll mosey my way on down to the other end of the Pease spectrum. Probably Charing Cross.

Never give up!

Images evoked include a private first class undead soldier doing rounds in the Evil Dead army with three companies of bone-soldiers.

Appearance: A very attractive presentation of a rough ribbon cut in multiple hues yellows, tans, reds, browns and black.

Aroma: An amazing and complex aroma of rich hay, stewed fruits and cocoa and spice. Initially, it reminds me of stirring up last years pile of leaves which have broken down slightly over the long winter, but there is so much more here. There are deep forest notes of freshly cut hardwoods, a rich almost mossy or peaty smell, and finally beneath the chocolate there is carob. Next to Haddo's Delight, this may be one of the most complex mixtures I've ever smelled. I detect no flavoring of any kind, other than is naturally imparted by the stoving of VA's and allowing these wonderful selections to marry over time.

If anything, this tobacco arrives dry, although when flame is applied it rapidly re-hydrates to a perfect moisture content. I often employ the ?Frank method? or the ?palm method? of packing this one. It seems to benefit from a tight crown, and progressively looser pack toward the heal of the bowl. This allows a more even burn and slight compression from tamping over the course of the bowl.

For this review, I?ve chosen an older Jobey Stromboli Canadian (probably from the late 1960's) which is quite faithful in presenting complex Virginia tobacco mixtures. I've pre-smoked several bowls over the course of a week of Redwood in this pipe in preparation for this review. This bowl employed the ?palm method? of cupping tobacco loosely in the palm with the pipe inverted over the tobacco. Slowly turned in a circle, the tobacco slowly ?corkscrews? into the bowl.

A one match light is brings billows of rich white smoke, followed with a brief visit of the tamper. The deep stoved VA is immediately there and while a bit tangy at first becomes a nice compliment to the fine quality leaf underneath. Flavors of cocoa and Red Virginia are dominant throughout, Perique chimes in with rich fig like and cigarish notes the Black Cavendish rounding out the edges and corners so to speak.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the fullness tends to building layer upon layer of complexity. The tones of forest deepen steadily as this mixture gains strength. There is a slow building of fruitiness as well, almost as in mincemeat pies or very thick fruitcake. The Red Virginias build in depth and character there is also a very subtle sweetness just in the back ground. There seems to be a high sugar content to this blend, but it does not come off candy sweet as so many others do. The Black Cavendish seems to play a role in keeping this mixture tame in heat Slowly building a rich cigar like quality also builds steadily and I find myself relaxing ever more deeply into my stuffed chair, smiles widening across my face.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, I find that it becomes more intense though never overpoweringly so. The palate is very complex, very rich, strong and satisfying. The tangy symphony of Red and Stoved VA's, Perique and Black Cavendish with cocoa and cigar like notes seem to keep expanding until suddenly tamping and repeated application of flame no longer yield any more. I am consistently surprised to find that I'm done! If rushed, the delicate balance can be disturbed, bringing on a bitterness and nearly unmanageable doses of nicotine. If smoked with patience and proper technique (nothing unusual for a Virginia mixture) the reward is rich and heady. The deep primal rain forest experience awaits you.

Supplemental Notes: This is a regular part of my rotation as something reached for when mature adult pleasures are craved. It is NOT however a blend for a novice smoker **** 4 full stars

The smoke starts off with a burst of Va flavor that will make you want to order more, right now. Just as you start to settle in with the sweet Va flavor, the Cavendish kicks in with a backdrop of dry, spicy flavor. About halfway down the bowl, the Perique subtly joins in, but even between the two of them, they still don't outshine the Va at all.

If you love Virginias with a dash of Perique, you owe it to yourself to try this one. If you aren't a fan of Va/P, you just might change your mind.

A cool, smooth, and very flavorful smoke that I highly recommend.

Two things distinguish this blend from Va/Ps in my mind. First, dryness makes this smoke a bit faster than other Va/Ps (though not bitey mind you). Second, it seems like the perique was added in as an afterthought. How much perique is enough is a matter of personal taste. I prefer it in your face from the start, and Redwood seems to introduce its perique only in the second half of the bowl.

I agree with a previous reviewer's comment that this in a way resembles P. Stokkebye's Curly Cut on first light. The downside of this tobacco in my book is that it gets a bit harsh and hot just when the perique starts to kick in. I believe that this is becuase the tabak is just a bit too dry and not due to the perique. I have noticed this in both briars and meerschaums. I have found that moistening a film cannister of Redwood helps the bowl finish a bit more smoothly.

All in all a good Va experiece, and an OK perique one.

This leaf is lovely to look at and to pack, though packing too densely leads to some wet harshness at the end. The fine, light red, brown and gold ribbons are attractive and smell succulent in the bag.

Upon lighting just a hint of that sweetness comes through, especially in the first third of the bowl. On the subsequent portions of the pipe more of the Perique and Cavendish creep in, but not in an overwhelming or unsettling way. The predominant taste is a smokey nuttiness.

I tend to be very sensitive to Perique (it has the "hot pepper" effect on mouth and throat) and Redwood was not at all upsetting until the very end of the bowl. But there it *does* become a bit tricky if you puff without consideration. I experienced very little bite from this blend, a marvel considering the toothy nature of the few other predominantly VA blends I've tried. Except for the tangy spice, it is a very mellow smoke.

The quality of the tobacco is high, and the blending is masterful. The various tastes and aromas meld and work together instead of fighting one another for attention. I've smoked this in large full bowls and in smaller portions, with equal success and enjoyment. Keeping it lit has been little trouble.

If you want something spicey, smokey and just a tiny bit sweet, try Redwood.

Packing, lighting: This packs and lights easily

Smoke: The flavor is rich but not overpowering. Solid gently sweet Virginia flavor with just a touch of pepperiness. It's fairly consistent throughout the bowl, getting just a little harsher towards the bottom of the bowl. The best word to describe the experience is mellow and round. Flavorful but not to the point that you have to devote all your attention to it but interesting enough when you do want to pay close attention.

Any Virginia smoker should find this a good weed, unless he or she demands only the most aged and fermented Virginias.