pipesandcigars.com Russ' Tastykake

I've observed this tobacco being compared to Seattle Pipe Club's Plum Pudding Special Reserve (PPSR), and even called "the poor man's" version of it. I've only smoked PPSR once as a friend was able to obtain some, and I have other tobaccos that call to me more loudly, but PPSR is an excellent tobacco. And I must admit, this does call up the spectre of PPSR when smoking it, and both are Balkans, which I enjoy the most, but I certainly wouldn't call this the poor man's version of anything. In fact, gun to my head, I would choose this instead. I find this particular blend better balanced overall with the same smoky latakia notes, sour orientals in the background and naturally sweet cavendish and virginias with the occasional pungently spiced perique flavor peeking through. Breaking the kake up by hand isn't a chore at all from the tranferred mason jar and filling the pipe from the rubbed pieces from the lid is a nice and easy movement. If you pack densely it will force a few relights more than you're used to, but it isn't goopy at all, simply holding more moisture within the particles due to the nature of kake as opposed to a ribbon cut. If you like, rub into smaller pieces or allow to dry a few minutes more. This is one of those offering where you wonder due to price and quality you don't see people speaking of it more often. It's not a latakia bomb as due to the addition of more tobacco varieties, but you can see it's heritage in the brother offering of "Ten to Midnight" which is a well done tobacco, but not as good as this.