Hearth & Home Louisiana Red

I think any fan of Va/Pers needs to try some of this. It's very satisfying, relaxing, doesn't bite, and unlike some of these types of blends out there, has a substantial amount of flavor with refinement. It doesn't knock your socks off with anything unique, but for me, always leaves you wanting more when your bowl is finished! Think Astleys no.2 with a bit more depth and smoothness.

I had to play with this one awhile before giving my review and it's a good thing I did as this stuff has been growing on me. For being a bulk tobacco it has an amazing complexity of shifting flavors/aromas. In the pouch the smell is hay and composting grass with a bit of raisin/plum but take out a pinch and spread it on a piece of paper and the smell instantly changes to full bodied Red Va odor (read ketchup although I despise that term) with a full perique dried fruit basenote.

Most of the H&H tobaccos I have tried are cut in such a way as to remind of me leaves after I roll over them with my lawn mower. Not here, with this tobacco we find a nice ribbon cut that loads easily. It takes a light reasonably well although it could stand a bit of drying.

As you smoke the flavour is perfectly va with the perique staying in the background and playing condiment. The flavours meld together very well although the Red Va here lacks the depth of flavour that I find in C&D Interlude.

Overall I'm giving it 5 stars because it is a truly stellar blend at an even more stellar price. Excellent job Russ O.

Looking for an all day VaPer? This could very well be it. This is one good tasting blend that is not overwhelming or complicated but tastes good and smokes mild enough and tastes good enough to easily become an all day blend. This is like McClellands 5100 with perique added. In the pouch, this is a reddish brown rough ribbon cut tobacco with some darker flakes mixed in, obviously the perique. It has a pouch aroma that just calls your name, musty, sweet and spicy. It is at a good moisture content and loads quite easily into the pipe. It lights on first light but I did find that I can never keep this one lit. In my smoking it, I have had to relight it often and this is in several different pipes and methods of packing it. But the nice, spicy, sweet, pungent smoke from it, is wonderful on the palette and worth the relights. It justs bursts with flavor, I savor every puff and with strong black tea, it is just a real pleasure. Itg burns down the pipe to a gray ash and has no issues with moisture leaving your pipe clean and ready to load up again. No tongue bite with this one, it is smooth as can be but the perique is a main player and will give it a spiciness that you never lose all the way down. I would imagine with age on this blend it would be wonderful. Simply put, this one I highly recommend as it won't disappoint you. My only complaint about it is the having to relight so often.

I received some of this when I bought a pipe from the company and finally got around to trying this va/per a few weeks later. This is my first experience with a virginia perique blend and I found it pleasant enough. The sweetness of the blend is occasionally unpleasant but tolerable...a good smoke if I'm in the mood for a sweeter blend. A bit of a bite at times but otherwise a very mild, smooth smoke.

Hearth & Home, Louisiana Red: A Simple Red Virginia with Perique

This is a straightforward blend. The red Virginia is quite earthy with a little tanginess and a tad bit of sweetness. However, it lacks any bright or grassy note. The perique is noticeable with a slight spiciness, but is not over the top.

Overall, Louisiana Red is pleasant but a bit mundane—lacking the complexity to keep me interested bowl after bowl.

Just sweet red virginia and very little perique. Taste better with aging my batch is about 2 years old, it really brings out the sweetness of the virginias. Highly recommended if you are a virginia devotee, or as a introduction to the genre.

This is a very nice and approuchable Va/Per blend. Packs well and burns well right down to a nice dry white ash. Not your typical Va/Per blend. If you enjoy the sweeter side(and I do)then this blend is a definate must try. It probably will not change your world, but it is a little different. Its not Escudo but it is good ! A little age on it helps and dry is good but not crunchy.

08-22-2006

Shortly after my last comments (below), I set Red aside and it has aged for the past 8 months. Tonight I rubbed out the tobacco, handful by handful, as finely as possible. I also spread it out to dry in a thin layer as I did so.

I tried my first pipe after supper. The aging, rubbing out and airing all worked to improve the tobacco in my opinion. Most importantly, it will stay lit through a bowl. The summer cooled my ardor for the pipe and this was my first smoke in weeks. Nevertheless, I have no tongue burn, though my soft palate did become a little hot while smoking.

The jury is still out on the taste. It reminds me in some ways of MC 5100, which I enjoy from time to time. Now that its burn qualities have improved, I can see where it would make a nice all day smoke. It would still be nice to have a little more of a nicotine punch, I speak as a former Marlboro smoker.

The recommendation is raised from somewhat recommended to recommended. At this point, I am still less than pleased with the taste and after taste.

12-21-2005 My fondness for LA Red is waning. This is not a wet tobacco, but I am having a devil of a time keeping it lit and burning well. Three and four relights have been necessary. And I retract the comment below regarding the desire for greater Perique. Originally, I must have been so overwhelmed by the Perique component, that is present in force, that it did not register. The work required is not worth the return in taste. I am downgrading to "somewhat recommended." Marble Kake, also from Pipes and Cigars is a much more enjoyable smoke all the way around.

I am still getting to know LA Red. My first introduction was a pleasant experience. All of my previous VA/Per tobaccos have been flakes or broken flakes. So the cut of Red was a new experience. Packing and lighting were not problematic. It is a very smooth and good tasting smoke. The high quality of the tobaccos is evident. Whether I buy again is still up in the air. On first impressions, I liked Marble Kake most of the two.



Advent is almost over. Christmas is almost here. A merry and blessed Christmas to all of you.

Prison Chaplain

This is one of the sweeter VA/Perique blends I've tasted.

The ribbon-cut does need to be torn up a bit to make the burn satisfactory.

The flavor - wow! A tangy, sweet spiciness remniscent of tiny cranberries and tiny Chamorroh chiles. Not a bit of sourness.

This is an extremely flavorful, high-quality blend that has earned a place in my travelling dark carnival of tobacco pleasures.

I am reminded of watching an infernal circus of malformed misanthropes performing for my utmost pleasure while I, in an inebriated state, smile with self-satisfaction.