Karl Erik Private Blend No.20

It is somewhat recommended because I cannot see with which blend it can be compared to as my experience with Latakia blends is very limited.

The aroma of the tobacco itself is very interesting. It has a delightful sour smell that I assume is from the Virginias and the smokey note of the Latakia.

Burning was not problematic at all and a single light was all that was needed. The taste is good and the latakia is always present in good measure.

All in all I found the blend OK. I doubt it will make your toes curl nor upset you. Its just OK thats all. OK?

OK

Tin Aroma: The smokiness of the Latakia is somewhat obscured by a sweetish overtone that I associate partially with well-aged cigars, and partially with overly cased tobacco blends. I would have to say that the aroma is, in a word, confusing. I cannot decide if this is an attractive scent, or a warning of a goopy aromatic experience to come.

Appearance: The appearance of this blend does little to clear up the confusion caused by the tin aroma. I can count a minimum of four different cuts of tobacco in this blend; with broken flake and ribbon making up the majority of the blend. I am not a very big fan of blends made up of so many cuts, as, invariably, the shorter cut parts of it end up sifting to the bottom of the tin and being ground into tiny little flakes, making the blend different than was intended, and shortening the number of smokes one can get out of a tin without sucking tiny burning tobacco bits through the mouthpiece of ones pipe. The coloring, like the cuts, is in no way uniform, and runs wildly from almost black to light blonde. The lighter elements are heavier, and make up somewhere around 60% of the blend.

Physical Characteristics: I know that it has become something of a litany in my reviews, but I will say it again: upon opening the tin, I discovered that it was far too moist for smoking, and required some airing out before I could enjoy it. Once it was properly de-humidified, I attempted to pack a pipe of it as-is, and failed abjectly. Only after removing the entire contents of the tin to a chopping board and rendering the whole mess to a uniform cut was I able to get a satisfactory pack. This acheived, the charring light was easy and effortless, and did not, unlike it's undoctored former self, swell up to five times it's original volume, depositing just lit tobacco bits in my lap.

Notes: I am not too sure about the spiciness of this blend. Sometimes it is tongoue bite in a can, and other times, it is as mellow as milk. I initially thought that perhaps the wildly varying characteristics of it were somehow tied to the different cuts present, but even after rendering the cut homogenous, the varying spiciness levels persist from bowl to bowl. However, when it is good, it is good. On those occasions where the spiciness is not overwhelming, this is, as the tin claims, "a very satisfying tobacco". The smokiness of the Latakia is pleasant and full, without becoming tastebud numbing. The Virginias are minor players here, acting mostly as a vechicle for the Latakia, but the Cavendish does mellow out what might otherwise be an overpoweringly smoky blend.

Verdict: If it were not for the cut problem, this would be an ideal blend for the smoker of "danish style" aromatics to try his/her hand at smoking an "english" style blend. As it stands, this is an interesting diversion from my normal rotation of latakia based blends, but not something I am liable to wrestle into submission on a regular basis.

I tried this blend on the recommendation of Tom Fitzpatrick of James Norman. Having listened to him extoll its virtues, I was excited when it arrived a few days later.



I cracked open the tin and was simultaneously surprised and intrigued by the aroma. The tin aroma is very, very mild. The latakia, though the predominant smell in the first sniff, seems almost muted compared to most English blends. It just doesn't seem to have the harsh, but pleasant, smokey nose that many others do. The secondary scent is slightly sweet, but barely perceptible. It isn't a 'Virginia' smell though...I found it, and still find it, difficult to place.



The cut is very unusual. There are large pieces of unbroken flake mixed with both ribbon and broken flake. I'm still trying to decide whether it's better to break up the flakes or leave them intact and layer the tobacco, but I'm tentatively leaning towards the latter. Other than the unusual unbroken flake component, it is a general mix of light and red Virginias and dark, near black Latakia.



The flavor is a touch unusual. The tin says that a 'special Cavendish procedure' is used, but I'm not really sure what to make of the flavor. It doesn't have the hollow sweetness that many cased tobaccos have, nor is the flavoring particularly noticeable. Through the first few puffs, I completely overlooked this odd flavor. I have no idea as to what it is, or is supposed to replicate and feel that it really doesn't add anything of merit to the blend. I find it more of an annoyance than an improvement. It comes out in the smoke almost as an afterthought. Hints of it are barely noticed and it is only distinctive when it is actually being sought out.



The immediate flavors come from the Virginias, which are neither particularly sweet nor full, and the latakia, which is not really in sufficient quantity to overtake the other flavors.



After about six or seven bowls in various pipes, I still don't really know what to make of this blend. It's definitely not unpleasant, but isn't particularly interesting either. The flavors are harmonious, but not symphonic. They fit together and are well-proportioned, but they just don't really play off of each other. I don't think it's sufficiently full and robust to offer the depth that it could have. I taste promise here, but only partially fulfilled promise.



I'll probably finish the tin as an all day smoke, but I seriously doubt I'll be purchasing more tins of this. Despite my minor frustrations with the blend, it would be an excellent introduction into the world of English blends for the smoker of light aromatics. For me, though, it just doesn't offer enough body, depth or complexity to hold my interest.