Quintessence No.2

Having purchased an old tin at a substantial discount, I looked forward to a quality replacement for Middleton?s Hickory, my first smoke 31 years ago. The tin promised Virginia tobacco flavored with ?original hickory aroma?. Well, it smelled very sweet in the tin, but lacked any hickory aroma. Think dried fruit, devoid of maple/pecan/hickory aromas. Not to complain, my mouth watered after a sniff or five, but I liked the more characteristic smell of Hickory better.

The cut was irregular but reminded me of burley blends with light ribbons. The contents seemed equally divided between one light and two darker brown types. I cannot tell their identities by color. I almost always have to dry off tinned tobaccos, but this one seemed about right out of the can. I misjudged: gurgle and steam big time.

This one bewildered me at first. I could taste *nothing*. Steam only. I get annoyed with reviewers who purchase mild blends only to turn around and complain about their mildness. Yet I reasonably expected virginia and hickory flavors, and for the first time felt their frustration when nothing showed up. Then I realized that that might be due to the bowl of Three Nuns I finished an hour previously, leaving my tongue numb. OK...

I retried the next day with a fresh tongue and an overnight- dried fill in my biggest pipe. While I liked the room note, and normally like mild blends, I still felt let down. I could only enjoy the middle third, and then only because of very muted Virginia tobacco characteristics. Nothing in the first third, bitter in the last. Casing is minimal. It reminded me of Lane?s Rum & Maple, what little I did taste. This was the first ever tobacco that never bit my sensitive tongue. I?ll put the tin way, way back in the cabinet for some boring day when I?m out of everything else. Oh well...

Update 12/04 Ah! Insight: this was an OLD tin. Aromatics don't age well. A pity: could have pawned it off on eBay. Still available at tobaccomkt.com, but don't bother.