John Aylesbury London

The leathery Cyprian Latakia offers a lot of smoke, earth, wood, floralness, some incense, sweetness, and mild spice as the lead component. The dark fired Kentucky provides a fair amount of earth, wood, vegetation, floralness, spice, some sourness, mild nutty sweetness, and barbecue as an important supporting player. The very peppery, earthy, woody, sweet plumy perique is not far behind the Kentucky. The aspects of the nutty, woody, earthy burley mostly melds with those from the Kentucky. The bright Virginia cavendish produces a little tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, vegetation, sour lemon, floralness, spice, and a touch of acidity in the background. The strength and nic-hit are a step past the medium level. The taste is a notch past that mark. Won’t bite or get harsh, but it does sport a little roughness. Well balanced with some complexity, it burns cool and clean at a moderate rate with a very consistent sweet and sour, floral, smoky, spicy campfire flavor that translates to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran piper, and repeatable for the less experienced. Three stars.

-JimInks