Smokers' Haven Cognac Mixture

Wow! After smoking half of a two once tin of this tobacco I have decided this one is a keeper. The tin note is very heavy of cognac. However the flavoring is very muted while smoking it, barely noticeable even. The orientals are very present and the latakia flavor hides in the background. A very well blended cross-over tobacco. More for the English smoker than for someone looking for a heavily cased smoke. It also burns dry and cool. If you have not tried the Smokers Haven blends, which I believe are made by JF Germain. I highly recommend trying them out.

I hate when I am about to do a review and I read a review that just sums up everything that I feel about a blend, but is stated better than I would have said it. Such is the case with Jiminks review on this one. He has pretty much nailed my feelings on this one and the rating as well.

The only thing I will add to this has to do with its comparison to Pembroke. I have often seen it said that all the Germain Produced SH blends are just mirror images of an Esoterica blend and I think it is hogwash. IMO. This one is said, by those who make such a claim, to just be Pembroke with a different label.

I can honestly state that this is not the case. Where I agree with Jim that this deserves a little more than 3 stars, but does not rise to the level of 4, I would solidly place Pembroke in the four star region. I find Pembroke to be a more silky smooth smoke, which is perhaps, a bit monotone. Cognac is an edgier ride than Pembroke. I think this is more due to the proportion of Turkish/Oriental to Latakia. Whatever it is, the two, while similar, are also different and If I had to choose between the two, it would be a quick selection of Pembroke.

It is due to that simple comparison that after I finish the tin in the cellar, I will not be repurchasing Cognac, not because it is not a good blend.

This has a dark, almost cavendish look in the tin with a long ribbon cut. The tin note is of virginias, latakia, and a sweet, spicy something extra which is most likely the cognac. The strands are long enough that I prefer to try to pull them in half so that it packs more easily. Otherwise it can be challenging to get a good, consistent pack. Overall this blend works best in somewhat larger bowled pipes due the nature of the cut.

Upon drying the cognac essence fades, and the latakia becomes more pronounced. The turkish is there, but mixed in the background.

Surprisingly this is not one of the easiest burning blends. While it will accept a char and light readily, I find that I have to relight this more frequently than many other blends. This is most likely due to the cognac treatment, which almost gives the tobacco, even when fully dried out, a tacky feel. Nevertheless it does not bite unless smoked far too rapidly, and burns cool and dry.

I find that many alcohol cased tobaccos can have a little bite to them, and this is no exception. It is not tongue bite in the classic sense, but rather a tingle in the mouth that is not present in other English style mixtures. This has that effect to my palate, but the sharpness dissipates as you move down the bowl, and overall I find the second half far more rewarding and enjoyable than the first.

The flavor is rich and mellow after the initial sharpness recedes. It is earthy and pungent from the latakia, and even the virginia's are almost musty, but not in a bad way. Smoker's Haven alleges that this is an exceptionally slow burning blend, but I really have not found that to be the case. It is average in that regard in my experience, and given the propensity from the ribbon cut to take up room in the bowl, can in fact produce a shorter smoke than other blends in the same size bowl. There is no significant nicotine strength to speak of.

This is a fine, tasty latakia mixture. I have mixed emotions about the cognac. I personally enjoy the smoke after the cognac has dissipated. While it lends itself to a wonderful tin aroma, I do not think it does the flavor or smoking characteristics of the blend any favors. I also do not believe that the flavor comes through in a pronounced way while smoking after the first quarter or so of the bowl. While it is a nice change from the average, I am not sure it is a mixture that I would seek to have on hand at all times. For the quality of the tobacco and the well rounded, cohesive flavor as you move through the bowl three stars is a fair assessment.

Cognac is the second of the currently tinned Smoker's Haven blends that I have tried, the first being 20th Anniversary Mixture. Overall I liked Cognac better. I feel that this blend is inherently stronger and, of course, it has the cognac flavoring that gives it it's name. The appearance is more reddish brown than 20th AM and the darker colored elements in the blend are more pronounced. While still a narrow cut, Cognac has a wider cut dark component that fattens the whole mixture up a bit compared to the uniformly narrow cut on 20th AM. The mixture was quite damp upon opening and had to be aired-out seriously for proper combustion. The smoking qualities of Cognac were superior to 20th AM in that there was more strength and body to the blend. Now, the only area in which I have an actual criticism of this blend is, ironically, in the flavoring that gives it the famous name. The tin's cognac aroma was weaker than I remember from the past and the smoking aroma was correspondingly the same; but, all in all, an enjoyable smoke. I've been enjoying it straight out of the tin and have slipped various amounts into my microblends, which has worked out rather well. I'm giving this blend three stars and have no problem recommending it to all smokers.

Cognac has the characteristics of the other Germain-made Smokers' Haven English blends--a thin ribbon cut of Virginias, Orientals and Syrian Latakia. Like the others, it burns slowly and cooly, leaving a whiteish ash. Cognac has some topping, ostensibly Cognac, which, for this reviewer, detracts slightly from the fine qualities of the source tobaccos. Consequently, I give Cognac 3 stars rather than 4. But, overall, a fine tobacco.