Two Friends - Valle Crucis pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 21 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
SteelCowboy	05/11/2012	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I think it’s pretty neat that the boys at Two Friends thought outside the box with Valle Crucis. It is a ginger blend and one whiff of the tin will make that well known. I am with “Big Bad Jon” below as I am of the same opinion that this blend would have been great on its own, without the ginger flavor. Upon smoking, the ginger isn’t as strong in the smoke as it is in the tin and to maximize the ginger flavor, sipping this will bring out the most of the flavoring. VC isn’t as sweet as many of today’s aromatics. Even though I am a fan of ginger, in the end this blend just isn’t for me. IMHO, it will likely appeal to a small number of ginger lovers and even a smaller number that seek ginger in their tobacco. (Who seeks that when they get up in the morning??). The component tobaccos are very well done so for that reason it’s somewhat recommended.
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Elkhunter	04/17/2012	Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

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tobaccoman	05/04/2009	Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant
My review may be slightly unfair to this blend or maybe to other users because my sample is a one pound pressed block ,vacuum sealed since 2000. It required cutting and rubbing out for preperation. The block was very dark and the ginger aroma was noticable maybe even predominant. Upon lighting the latakia note was noticeable along with the ginger. The ginger stayed in the taste and mingled with the other tobaccos throughout the smoke. An everyday smoke ??? Probally not , comparable to new?? Probally not, Smooth?? Yes. A definite change of pace smoke and like most tobaccos from this maker, quality for sure.
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Big bad Jon	07/19/2007	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable
This tobacco would have been four stars if not for the ginger casing. The balance of VA, Oriental, Latakia, and Perique was perfect. The subtlety of the Perique adds just the right amount of body and balances the VA perfectly. The latakia is first rate smoky and woody. The blend does get a bit of woodiness from the ginger for the first half of the bowl, the problem is that by the bottom of the bowl the ginger is too strong and masks the perfectly balanced flavors of the NATURAL tobacco. I can say that I am glad I was able to experience this blend, but I am not going to get it again.
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BEN	11/11/2006	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
YUK! Ginger is for cooking and should have NO place in tobacco blending. While anything produced by Cornell and Diehl is always blended with the finest leaf, which this is no exception, I am still scratching my head. It burns hot and harsh, and the flavor of ginger overshadows the flavor of the tobacco, leaving nothing to be desired for those of us pipesters who want an aromatic and ALSO tobacco flavor, both at the same time. Luckily, I was given a small sample of the tobacco from a friend ( who raved about how great it is ) and did not actually spend money on this. Also, the aftertaste is foul! Burned Ginger anyone? Not Recommended at all, sorry.
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thedstnguishdgntlmn	09/14/2006	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
This is a very good Aromatic/English.The English components that make up the blend are cased with a Chinese ginger liquer.It is really tangy and luscious.This is very much like "And So To Bed" in it's flavor qualities. The difference being ginger instead of anise as the top dressing. Excellent stuff! It is funny though, the room note is just that of smoke. Go figure? 3 stars for the Aromatic/English afficianados such as myself. Although,I still prefer Dr. Bradley or St. Ives.
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emmbee	09/11/2006	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Another Cornell & Diehl product I got a chance to sample at the Chicago P & T, and I'm so glad I did. This is a very refreshing change of pace. Interesting name, and the reason for it is explained by Cap'n Dan below. The pouch aroma reminds me of something I've tried way back when, though I can't put my finger on what it was. I really taste the Virginias, though the latakia is more for the nose than the tongue. I have trouble picking out perique. Unless someone told me it was there, I don't detect it. The ginger must add that musty, teasing quality to it. It certainly rounds the flavor out nicely. Room note tends to be a bit stinky, but it dissapates very quickly. At first sight, the whole look of the tobaccos exude a purety akin to all of Pease's blends. As you proceed down the bowl, the experience changes from sweetness to spice to just the right hint of tangy mellowness. This is an American J.F.Germain ala King Charles, with that briny, peaty quality. Unique and one I'd like to return to every now and again. These are two friends who know what they're doing. Three and half of five stars ------------------------------ september 2006 I have been storing a tin of this for awhile and just opened it now that the weather is a bit cooler. Still two great friends making a superior product. A wonderful late summer/autumnal blend with lots of spicyness and probably the finest figgy/pruney perique you'll ever enjoy - and i'm not even a perique lover. A beautiful, speckled tobacco the way I remember Dunhill's Elizabethan or Aperitif to be prior to their EU outsourcing. The ginger adds the crowning finish to pure, unadulterated tobacco. Still one of my favorite English crossovers that is deserving of the true tobacco lover's attention. Four and a half of five stars
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Hemlock	08/05/2006	Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
My sample was a single ounce in bulk. It had aged at least 6 months sealed in a jar. I found this to taste simply like a mild english, with little discernable ginger flavouring or perique. Tastes a bit like a crossover blend with some evidence of sweetness coming through. I've tried this in a few pipes, yet it still eludes me. Might be worth a try for you, but nothing very memorable for me. Update 08-05 Having given this a few more rounds, I am upgrading this to *** as I have discovered some of the complexities and subtleties that take a gentle draw to discern. Not an everyday smoke, but certainly one to turn to when you don't want your usual english, aromatic or VA, but have a propensity to enjoy them regularly. The leaf is high quality, but the blend only melds to a unified taste at the 2nd third.
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Group 4	06/23/2006	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
When I first lit VC, the first thing I tasted was a grassy Virginnia flavor, fresh and citrusy. This didn't last long and on second light a more uniform, rounded taste took over, the combined ingredients. The ginger casing is subtle -- though you can taste it -- but it's hard to identify. Without having read what it was I wouldn't be able to say. It is a very light aromatic. It builds flavor strength as it is smoked and it is pleasant. The ginger becomes more noticeable on relights than retreats in the mix. It smokes dryly and leaves a clean grey ash. Final asessment: Nice, mild aromatic, probably for the guy who winces at the thought of cherry blends. For the aromatic smoker I would say keep looking. For me it's a little too subtle, though obviously good.
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hazmat	05/18/2006	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable
Long after I abondoned most purely aromatic blends for "real tobacco", I still didn't have the proper nose or palate for Latakia blends... they all smelled like, well, old sweat socks, to me... and then I tried Valle Crucis. As this was my first ever enjoyed Latakia blend, it holds a special place in my tobacco smoking heart, despite the ginger casing, which seems to meld nicely with the rest of the blend. This tobacco is smooth and flavorful, the Latakia appropriately smokey while the VA and Perique combine to level the blend out. The Cavendish adds a nice "toasty" flavor which the oriental and ginger seem to accentuate. While this isn't your garden variety English/Balkan blend, it is a nice starting off point for those smokers who have generally turned their noses up to most other Latakia blends. It certainly made me a believer while opening up yet another wonderful door to the wold of pipes and tobaccos that I had steered clear of for far too long.
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tonyg	05/16/2006	Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I was reluctant to try this blend for several reasons. Smokeasaurus' comment "This is very akin to Esoterica's "And So To Bed" in flavor except for the ginger spicyness..." really put me off. Out of the tin, And So To Bed, just doesn't cut it for me. (Aged a few years is another matter.) The thedstnguishdgntlmn calls this an aromatic.With very few exceptions, I don't like blends with added flavors, and especially those that are aromatics. The fact it was blended by G L Pease and Craig Tarler compelled me to give it whirl. If you like what these two do with other blends, you owe it to yourself to give this one a try. I'm not sure if this is cased with Chinese ginger liquer or topped with ground ginger. Whatever is done, is done with subtlety. This is a very flavorful blend that I can enjoy from time to time. Too much is like too much of a favorite dessert. A most distinguished blend unlike anything else I've tried.
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DUPE.1512	05/31/2005	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
This is very akin to Esoterica's "And So To Bed" in flavor except for the ginger spicyness instead of anise. Aroma is of tobacco though and not ginger. A quite interesting and unique smoke.
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Mr. Dottle	02/25/2005	Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
VC is a light, mild English blend with a sweet, ginger flavor. As some others have noted, I found it an OK smoke for a change of pace but found the ginger flavor grating, i.e., it does grow tiresome. If you like tobacco with a ginger flavor, try this and Shandygaff. A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored. I rate this tobacco 5.5 out of 10.
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Beer	08/31/2004	Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable
The pouch aroma is a bit too strong due to the flavoring, but the smoke isn't. Very mild, with a sweet/spicy aroma that can grow boring on the long run but it is not bad if you like ginger. It reminds a bit of And so to bed, with its flavoring, but milder. I actually can't stand the taste of ginger very much, and especially the flavor it leaves in the bowl, so I won't buy this blend again.
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CaptnDan	04/26/2004	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Having enjoyed the efforts of both Craig Tarler and Gregory Pease individually, I knew I had to try the Two Friends offerings. The first Pease Influence I noted was the name. ?Valle Crucis? translates to ?Valley of the Cross?. Valle Crucis Abbey is in North East Wales, near Llangollen. The abbey was founded in a remote location particularly suitable for the Cistercian order. Valle Crucis was founded in 1201 but some rebuilding of the church was necessary after a mid 13th century fire. The Abbey is in a very picturesque setting. The kind of place where you could really lose yourself in your surroundings and your pipe. No wonder the monks chose it. The tobacco is attractive, with a nicely balanced contrast in color. The aroma is sweet with an underlying scent of the Latakia. It packed well, and lit easily. The ginger topnote is present throughout the smoke, but never overpowering. It plays well with the Latakia and Oreintal with the Virginia adding that hint of sweetness. The real treat though is when the ginger combines with the hint of Perique to create a taste that just can?t be adequately described. Plenty of flavor without being strong, and more than its share of complexity make this a very pleasant smoke. Hats off to Greg and Craig. I will be enjoying the fruits of their labors for some time to come.
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chaplikc	02/16/2004	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
This is one of the best cross over english blends that i have tried. It smokes very cool and is very flavorful. The ginger flavor was present in the smoke but seemed to play a more background kind of role as a supporting flavor. This element of the smoke reminded me kind of the way mephisto is with the rum. I did not see the ginger as prominant as some of the other reviewers have commented about, however I did age this for a while and this may have had an affect on it. This is a good blend for me when I am in the mood for a quality english blend with a twist. This may not be a good blend for everyone but I highly recomend this.had a update 3-12-11. I have had several tins of this now and realise that the 1st tin I had was more subdued in the ginger flavoring. I have to downgrade this to somewhat recommended because this is a blend I now only go to occasionaly and recommend it that way.
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Inquisitor	07/19/2003	Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
This isn't an awful tobacco, but I have no reason to try it again. It is hard to focus on the underlying tobacco due to the ginger casing. Yes, casing, because it is applied heavily enough that it definitely comes through into the flavor of the smoke. The ginger flavor is quite interesting, and quite engaging for the first 10 minutes or so. As the bowl continues to burn, however, the somewhat disharmonious flavors of ginger and overweighted Latakia begin to wear tire tracks in your taste buds. There isn't enough going on elsewhere to distract you, and your mouth tires before you hit the half-bowl mark. If I was a die-hard English fan, I might keep some of this on hand for the occasional niche smoke in a size 1 pipe. I can't imagine anyone using this as a regular go-to blend. I nonetheless commend the blenders for trying something new. Keep up the effort!
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Nimrod	11/22/2002	Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium
I really love ginger and that combined with the high ratings given to this so far meant I had to give it a try. Upon opening the package I was met with the highly distinctive sharp sour smell of Chinese liquor. I've been to China, where I drank a significant amount of chinese liquor, and so I'm extremely familiar with this smell and flavor thats so rare here in the US. This stuff absolutely SCREAMS "CHINESE LIQUOR!" to me, and even though I think the taste of Chinese liquor is interesting, in chinese liquor, the smell still sort of turns my stomach. After packing a bowl and lighting up it tasted like, well, Chinese liquor. I may be a neophyte but I knew that I couldn't give this stuff a fair try without letting it dry out a bit. So I loaded up a tobacco pouch and let it sit for 4 days in that. The nasty sour chinese liquor flavor faded from overwhelming to just a tiny hint in the background. Now this stuff tastes like a fairly mild english blend with a significant amount of ginger in it, which I suppose is more like what it was intended to taste like. This stuff is a good tobacco, especially if you are looking for a milder english blend with a little something extra, but it's a bit too mild for me and I don't think it's going to be one of my regulars.
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Mike Castello	01/11/2002	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant
This is wonderful blend. It does not overpower, but it is subtle with a distinctive flavor. Among so many unmemorible but good English blends, this one carves out a niche for itself. When I want an English, but light on the latakia, VC is a worthy choice. It is easy to pack, burns very evenly, and smells very nice to those who like the smell of English. To the non English smokers, it is not as offensive as most English blends. So, on a scale of 1 to 10, a solid 8.
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CJ	05/22/2001	Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable to Strong
My congratulations and appreciation to C&D and GLP for creating this blend. Most English mixtures with aromatic additions fail me as the aromatic overwhelms the blend disguising the taste of the tobaccos. This blend follows its description to the mark. Visually, it looks like a good English mixture. All the pieces, cuts and colors are there. The pouch aroma is also a typical English aroma with an extra whiff of ginger. The ginger adds to the blend rather than disguise it. It simply is an extra ingredient as if it were another tobacco element. Throughout the smoke, it tastes like a good quality medium to strong English mixture of Virginia, Oriental, Latakia, Perique with an addition of ginger just as advertised. The underlying tobacco blend comes through loud and clear. What I refer to as the C&D zing when exhaling through the nose is present. The ginger waifs around the tongue adding a spicy tingle. I can only assume that it adds a pleasing element to the room aroma. I seldom can smell what I am smoking. The end of the bowl was a light grey ash. This blend, in my package, was just a bit on the moist side fresh from the pouch, and it did produce a gurgle about halfway down. One pipe cleaner took care of that. The only negative was that it became a bit too strong at the bottom of the bowl. Most likely, this will cure itself overtime. As with most C&D tobaccos, it probably will improve and mellow after a few months of aging. I definitely recommend Valle Crucis. I do a lot of cooking with fresh ginger, so this blend may be more at home for me than to others.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 21 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >