Erik Stokkebye Afternoon Melange

The musty sweet Cyprian Latakia provides smoke, wood, earth, floralness, and is a bit leathery as the lead component. The fragrant, floral Orientals offer earth, wood, herbs, vegetation, some buttery sweet, dry sourness and spice along with a little smokiness. They are important supporting players. The aspects of the fermented mature Virginias are tangy ripe dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, sugar, some tart and tangy citrus, very light spice and floralness. They are the base for the other components in the third position. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps shy of the medium mark, while the taste level just touches that line. No chance of bite or harshness, though it does have a few very small rough edges. Well balanced, it burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a very consistent, mildly sweet and spicy, savory campfire flavor that extends to the lightly lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is a little more pungent. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

Erik Stokkebye - Afternoon Melange (4th Generation).

As you can see here it's a mixture of browns, under closer inspection some of the pieces are black. Sadly my pouch includes a few twigs which are lobbed straight in the bin. Other than those the majority is a medium size ribbon, which had a decent amount of hydration upon delivery but that's depleted somewhat over the month or so since arrival.

To me the smoke is predetermined by the short description here! A show that's governed by the Latakia! But, not harshly or nastily; I'll elucidate! I don't find too much smokiness from the Latakia but plenty of the 'heavier', musky characters. The Oriental leaf conjugates nicely with the Lat' giving a buttery, yet slightly aromatic and fragrant nuance to the leading flavour. With this blend, the star of the show is the Virginia. It isn't as formidable as the others but the scintilla of sweet fruit has enough volume to really make this blend sing! Even when slightly moist it gave a decent burn, and the slight dehydration hasn't speeded it up any. I've had no bite from word 'go'.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: not the best.

Afternoon Melange? A definite four star blend:

Highly recommended.

Package note of smoky, sharp sweet, and mild mustiness. The tobacco is mostly a dark brown, black, and tan ribbon cut. Tobacco is moist, but not enough to warrant drying out. There are some sizeable stems that may need removing or cutting down. Burns slightly slow with relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and consistent, with notes of smoky wood, dry earth, tangy lemon, floral, leather, mild sweet grass, mild spicy, mild bread, mild musty sour bitterness, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Oriental supporting. Virginias provides minor support from the background. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Classic mild to mid strength English blend. Latakia forward but not harsh or overwhelming. Nice thick smoke with subtle tastes of the Orientals peeking through. Average number of relights.
I enjoyed this blend. Smokey, sweet and at times hints of spice. I could see this as an all day smoke.

Entertaining smoke and would purchase again. Medium thick oily campfire smoke with almost full body. One match if properly packed in the bowl. Less than medium nicotine hit. Fairly balanced blend, but heavier on Latakia and some might care for. Occasionally, there is a bitter taste, but the spice, citrus, herb, and slight sweetness handily take care of that.