Hearth & Home Larry's Blend

Nicely done Mr. Ouellette. An English/Balkan done with a ?Pease? touch, in that Orientals don?t overpower the mixture. Not only a refreshing change of pace, but I can envision some who would smoke this all day. Can't add this to the 4 star catagory, but I like it very much.

For what seems to be a simple blend, this baccy gives me a complex set of tastes and odors. It has a full bodied taste, mild to medium aroma, and mixed complexities between the Latakia and Virginia. Don't know if I received a normal batch, but the Latakia in this is heavier than I have ever experienced in a blend. Actually found balls about twice the size of BBs that I had to rub out to get the stuff to mix and pack properly. Man, what A taste.

Niceties: The delivered moisture was about right, just dried it out about an hour and it lights and stays lit with no fuss; easy on the draw and nice to sip on; never gets too hot or bites; smokes all the way down with no gurgles or over powering increase in strength. Although it gets stronger near the bottom, it remains pleasant and manageable.

I like everything about this blend. The taste is great and hangs in there without having to chug on it. This has become one of my mainstays and is one of my top blends. Highly recommended, even for beginners. I just hope that my current batch is representative and the next order will be as satisfying.

After a long while of searching for a tobacco blend that would be my "go to", everyday smoke, I've found it in "Larry's Blend". Although the name does not suggest any comparisons to fine wines, it is like a fine wine inn that there are nuances of tastes that, blended together, make a full-bodied smoke with the smokyness of Latakia and the subtle sweetness of the orientals and, I suspect, some piquant zest and spiciness of the Virginias.

I really cannot do full justice to this fine blend with words - if you've not tried it, give it a shot and I think you'll be pleased if not ecstatic.

The "tin description" is spot on, with a few additional comments...

My bulk pouch arrived in good shape - no crumbles or dust, and with just the right moisture content. I've smoked the blend in four different pipes of various bowl sizes and find that it smokes cool in all with no vicious bite at all detected.

One caveat - the "room note". I smoke on the 'smoking patio' at my nursing home and the rest of the smokers there are cigarette smokers who have castigated me time and again about the "foul odor" produced by Larry's Blend. I don't detect a foul odor at all it but others, in my experience, do, so be forewarned.

Four flaming matches! Er, stars!

Larry's Blend arrived in a much drier state than most tobaccos, which is great for smoking, but not so good for handling. My sample contained lots of fine partcles and dust. The pouch aroma is strong, smoky latakia and little else. The inital flavor is straight, strong latakia, which only fades in intensity after the first quarter bowl. The middle half is characterized by some of the more subtle latakia-character flavors, notably the flavor/aroma of cedar and incense. There are very brief, muted moments of sweetness, but the savory flavors dominate. As the bowl finishes, a distinct salty flavor shows up and intensifies.

Little tendency to bite and a dry bowl earn this blend high marks for handling characteristics. I love the lingering aroma of incense that this blend leaves on my clothes and hair.

This blend is very good, but could be improved. I'd like to see a nicer presentation with fewer fines, probably requiring higher moisture content in the package. The salty finish was interesting at first, but now I notice it showing up earlier and dominating later in the bowl; I'd prefer more frequent hints of sweetness and a lot less saltyness.

My first impression of this tobacco upon opening the bag was of Penzance that had gone moldy. Whole lotta latakia here. My shipment was pretty well broken down; no big chunks or even long ribbons, just small pieces and dust. The moisture content was spot on; no drying or moistening needed. I hated my first pipeful of this stuff. It tasted like something swept up off the carport floor from beneath a spider's web. But, since I had a half-pound of it, I thought I'd better try it in a few other pipes. That did it. With every succeeding pipeful I liked it more. My respect for it continues to grow. It lights well and burns with minimal relights unless it's packed too tightly (as my first bowl was). It is very smooth, VERY smoky and musky (the latakia). If I exhale thru my nose, it sometimes stings a bit. This is a very dark, deep, stout, smooth, dusky Balkan. My impression is the smokiness of Penzance without the lighter, sweeter, spicier notes of that blend. Room note isn't awful for something with so much latakia, and seems to dissipate quickly. I just don't get the "buttery" description in so many of the other reviews here. Smooth, yes; smoky, definitely; but not buttery. GLP Westminster is what I'd call a buttery smoke. I believe that this is one of those tobaccos that will leave its mark on any pipe which has not already been heavily imprinted with the signature of a strong Balkan. If you really crave a good, stout smooth Balkan, you'll like this one. If you're not there yet, get used to Penzance first, and then brace yourself before trying Larry's Blend. It's a wonderful smoke, though it may take some getting used to.

When I first got this tobacco I was impressed with the smell (latakia). I loaded up a bowl and thought it was horrible! It was so smooth it was like smoking air but worse because it left a coating in my mouth and an aftertaste. I put it away and just used it to mix with other tobaccos where I wanted some latakia. Then I tried another bowl after about two months and YES it was very good. The aftertaste and coating were GONE. It was smooth and buttery and the price is definitely right. I would have given it four stars but it is not a complex blend. I found it very mono with the latakia BUT I do love latakia and therefore will still give it three stars and because it is very smooth with no bite. I continue to use it for a blending leaf also. Very good tobacco in all though (If you like latakia, but if not, why the hell would you buy a latakia blend right?)

Had to try this one as it has received a lot of hype. I found it to be as advertised, a very full blend with a LOT of Latakia. If that is your cup of tea, this is the blend for you. I found it a bit overwhelming. As usual the tobacco's used by Russ are TOP NOTCH.

After reading many glowing reviews of this blend, I purchased a 4 oz. bag of Larry's Blend in April 2007. After a few bowlfuls, I found it very harsh to my mouth/tongue, even after slow, deliberate smoking. I stowed it away in a glass jar and forgot about it, until yesterday (9/20/07).

What a difference a few months made! The aging process transformed this blend into something very special. Full-bodied, cool-smoking and buttery: exactly as described in the advert. Wow! Patience (and forgetfulness) truly paid off, allowing the VAs to mature a bit and the Oriental component to come to the forefront. This is a delightful, very satisfying blend with a consistently rich Latakia component. Kudos to Russ Ouellette for another superb concoction and a tip of the hat to Larry Loerzel for challenging Mr. Ouellette's blending expertise.

My first Latakia blend, and what I really like I believe are those Orientals. More later.

Yeah, this is really amazing. I've now tried Ten to Midnight as well, and though it is not that different, I do like this one better. It might freak you out if you don't know what to expect, like it did me, since I really only smoked Virginia blends of different sorts, but don't be afraid. Give it a chance and you too will be amazed.