Tobaccos Hearth & Home - Anniversary Kake (Signature Series)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2012-09-27		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The taste is mildly sweet, with a touch of chocolate, a vague hint of cinnamon, and a slight undercurrent of red wine, which likely from fermentation after pressing as there is no wine topping. The rum topping is light, and mildly tones down the tobaccos. The perique adds a complimentary pepper, fig and plum taste, more plum than pepper. There's some grass, earth, wood, bread, tart and tangy citrus and tangy dark fruit from the Virginias, which are the major components. All the aforementioned aspects work in near perfect harmony. Has a mild nic-hit. The strength is a step short of the center of mild to medium, while the taste is a slot short of the medium threshold. Barely has any rough edges. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with a very consistent sweet and mildly spicy flavor from top to bottom. The lightly lingering after taste and room notes are very pleasing. No bite, no harshness, no dull spots, and leaves little dampness in the bowl. The number of relights will depend on how you prepare the tobacco.

There's two things to remember. AK will linger in your pipe, but not like a Lakeland does. Just make sure you ream it well before smoking something else, and expect the first couple of bowls to have the essence of AK. This tobacco can be very moist in the tin, and may need a little dry time, but don't let it completely dry out or you'll lose some of the flavor. You'll enjoy it much better if you do dry it some, and it'll burn better, too. This could be an all day smoke if you so choose. As it ages, it loses a little sweetness, and mellows, and you'll gain just a little more Virginia taste.

-JimInks

54 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2009-04-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I hesitate to review this blend only for selfish reasons. I, as all veteran pipe smokers, are very finicky. When we find something that rings all the bells in the tower, we get alittle selfish and want the blend to remain available and in-stock when we want to order it. I hope that the life for this kake is long and storied because I think t deserves it.

As usual, I used the reviews on this site to research this tobacco. It was hitting all the right buttons with all the right reviewers. I quickly ordered 8 ounces to try, along with a pound or so of other tobaccos on my list.

At this point, I must give the people at pipesandcigars.com alot of credit. Their customer service is second to none. I would not do business with any other tobacco house if they carried all that I consume. Admittedly, that would be a monumental, and clearly impossible task. But, I encourage you to call and talk to them abou your next order if you have not already. Great people, can't say enough.

The kake arrived in the expected moist condition. I divided it into the 2 ounce portions that I always jar, and left 2 ounces out to try. I fully rubbed out the kake to dry to a smoking level.

If you didn't know better you would think that there was a topping on this tobacco. Of course, there isn't. This is the true range of natural aromas from several Va.'s treated in different ways. Absolutely fantastic!

After acheiving the humidity level I deire, I packed one of my favorite cobs and fired it up appropriately.

The first true light after char will provide a mix of roasting marshmallow sweetness and the dark mustiness of the perique. It is a youthful expression to be sure, but pleasant.

About 5 minutes into the bowl, the tobacco takes on its true character. Creamed coffee, yellow cake, and the ever so slight tang of some orange and red VA. in the blend. The perique is there, but exhibits the full on earthiness that you only get at the start. Fresh turned rich soil aroma is the flavor.

All starts to sing nicely together by mid bowl and the it just stays sublime to the end. The perique starts to shop more of its pepper and strength at the end of the bowl without turning too powerful to enjoy. The balancing act is just magnificent.

Smokes dry, if prepared properly, to the end of the bowl. Slow burning and prefers to be sipped to get all the nuance that is there in abundance. This is a very well done Vaper of a different stripe. Fillmore and Escudo are more of the savory and tangy vaper variety, this is in the sweet genre. But, never even close to cloying.

Please try it and see for yourself. This is one of the top vapers out there and in a class all it's own. There are some tobacco houses that have some catching up to do, because Home and Hearth has created what I think is the first new class of vaper in a long time worthy of near classic reputation from the start.

30 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Perique (163)	2013-02-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I recently acquired a sample of this blend with some age on it, tasted it blind, and must say I was very impressed. The sweet/sours of the Virginias were very well rounded and smoothed out. The Perique was a light condiment touch on the flavor of this blend, but provided a nice backdrop of plum and stewed fruit. Presentation was gently crumbled cake with a few clumps - this held together well despite aging and shipping via post. Overall a very nice experience. I will be purchasing some of this to jar and set aside.

I've found that some age adds a very subtle chocolate note which adds some depth to the stewed fruit flavors that predominate. I've also found that packing this one a bit tighter than usual helps draw out all of the flavor from this sumptuous blend.

Edit: after smoking more of this fantastic blend, I am raising my review to four stars from three. However, I've also recently smoked some new Anniversary Kake and, while good, it was nowhere near the experience of smoking this aged stuff. So guys: set some of this aside to age for at least a couple of years. You will not regret it.

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-05-30		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The chemical balance that makes up our personal taste is a funny thing. I liked this blend but not nearly as much as the AJ's Vaper. Yet I think this one might be Russ Ouellette's biggest triumph. This stuff seems flawless but lacks the quirky personality of AJ's that I find so intriguing.

Enough has already been said by others about this blend. I think every Vaper lover should try it, and I think most people will prefer it to AJ's. It's smoother and seems more refined. It just doesn't excite my tastebuds as much.

Russ Ouellette is very quietly making a claim to the Vaper crown. This blend is quite a statement.

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	KinnScience (30)	2014-02-13		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I first tried this blend about 4 years ago and, having aged a portion, have revisited it several times over the years. I did note some improvement in flavor and burning qualities as the blend acquired age, but not on the level of most Va/per tobaccos that I have aged in similar fashion.

The pouch aroma is pleasing, and the cake crumbles nicely. It burns better if it is dried out a bit, and definitely exhibits improvement on that account with age. Because of the price of this blend, it is likely worth trying for there are many who find it an enjoyable blend.

The initial light offers a mild yet somewhat integrated flavor of VA and Perique that merits some unique aspects when compared to other Va/Per blends, perhaps due to the subsequent heat and pressure treatment that Mr. Ouellette does when making his cake tobacco. Yet I find the flavor of the VA's and the Perique to be "muddled" and lacking in the intricacies found in many other Va/Per blends. When sipping "Anni Kake" I find that the subtle sweetness balanced against the distinct tart spice offered by VA/Per's such as PS Navy, Escudo, McClelland 2015, Solani, Sam Gawith SJF, along with many others, is somewhat muted. I do not find this blend to be remarkable as a VA/Per, but there are clearly those who enjoy it for the mild flavor it imparts. The price is such that I believe it is worth trying, but for those who enjoy a more elegant VA/Per, I believe you will find it worth the few extra dollars to look elsewhere.

Pipe Used: Charatan, BBB, DH

Age When Smoked: 1-4 years

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ROTHNH (11)	2013-01-12		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

One of the bulk H&H blends I got in today is Anniversary Kake.

It's a Va/Per and a true cake; the bag contained a bunch of dark, almost black, 1X3X1 inch moist "bricks" that smelled sweet, like plums and molasses. I got busy jarring the stuff. The room smelled great! The bricks crumbled rather easily into a nice combination of small ribbons and flakes and were easy to jar up. I, of course, kept a small baggie to smoke, leaving a bit out to dry for a while.

It's been four hours now and I just packed some of the H&H AK in a Brebbia Pura Squat Tomato, about a Group 3 or small 4. The charring light was it -- didn't need a true light and only needed one relight half way. The initial flavors are of a sweet bread and plum/fig with a bit of tartness from the virginias. The Perique quickly makes itself known but, surprisingly, this is not the Perique I am used to. This Perique amps up the plum sweetness and while the spice is there, the pepper is almost nonexistent. I thought this blend, as I prepared it for jarring, would be goopy -- far from it. It burns dry and completely to a fine ash.

Anni Kake, while not very complex, does deliver some interesting and unusual flavors. It's hard not to love this stuff. I am very interested to see what a couple years of aging will do.

Anni Kake is yet another unique, true masterpiece from Russ Ouelette. Recommended for everyone, not just Va/Per lovers. Even die hard aromatic smokers should try it.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2008-04-11		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Very Pleasant

I had to get some of this tobacco after reading all of the positive reviews. I can't give it four stars due to the lack of strength, but can certainly agree that it is a very fine combination of Virginia and Perique. I was a little concerned as I neared the bottom of the bowl because the sweetness left and the Perique got a little too strong for me. Subsequent bowls were smoked to just past the halfway point and then dumped. Some may say that's a waste of tobacco, but, its the way I best enjoyed this blend, thank you very much.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2016-12-26		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Hearth & Home - Anniversary Kake (Signature Series).

I've always wanted a Jake Hackert and I got one for Christmas, so that's what this review's done with!

The tin contains a Krumble Kake that's very easy to work with. The parts of the blend that are still in kake form aren't big or plug sized but slim and manageable, and the remainder's just ready to be stuffed and puffed. Of all the Hearth & Home blends I've had this is the only one that leans toward the moister side of things; that's good though, it's not TOO moist.

Any added flavourings have been applied VERY lightly, the smoke's quite natural tasting; exceedingly high quality, but I wouldn't call it embellished. The only flavour that could be considered anywhere near added is a dark-fruit, figgy, raisin, Perique one. But, I wouldn't personally say that's from a topping/casing; it seems natural to me. I find myself struggling to detect much Virginia, it's Perique all the way with Anniversary Kake!

I'd expect a blend containing this much Perique to be a heavy weight with nicotine but it's actually quite mild, and I like the room-note.

It didn't take me long to want to highly recommend this!

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Jake Hackert

Age When Smoked: One month

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2013-12-09		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

ORIGINAL REVIEW 12-9-2013

I just finished off the 8 oz I purchased nearly two years ago. I bought it bulk so the presentation was not of perfect rectangular cubes more like they were tumbled to say the consistency of shredded wheat after milk has been at it awhile.

The blend smokes well, which is odd as it is really moist. It seems impossible to dry hinting at a blend heavily coated with humectants. I don't get a chemical taste at all when I smoke it, rather the spicy dried fruit tastes one would expect from a VaPer. This one is pretty heavy on the perique, which is a plus to me.

Overall, I liked this blend, but did not love it. Will I buy more? Perhaps. There are just too many more Vapers I would like to try first. There are also Vapers that I prefer to this one. Mainly, Escudo, Dorcester, Dunbar, Filmore and Reiner LGF.

I do know that some people, whose tastes and opinions I respect highly really love this tobacco, so with that I do recommend it as it is likely it will be a hit. I think my biggest problem with this one is in the Virginias themselves. The Va seems to be of a lesser quality than most of the Vapers I prefer. By loading up the Perique it is less apparent, but if I want to get hammered by Perique, I would much rather light up some Fillmore. So three stars, but two to my personal tastes.

UPDATE 2/9/2018

I just finished about two ounces of an 8 oz can of this I purchased and while it has not really changed my rating on this blend, I thought it appropriate to point out that this blend has changed since I first reviewed it. The two changes noted are of the actual shape and consistency of the kakes themselves and the way the topping was applied or maybe just my perception as to how it is applied.

To start, the shape and consistency. The first time I tried this blend the kakes looked like little rectangular bricks or, if you have a dog, the shape of the heartworm medicine you feed them monthly. Now the kakes are basically the flake kakes that sutliff makes. This is more a difference in presentation than anything else. As to the consistency though, this batch was drier than that first batch I had. In any case, it still burned with no issues. So these are minor changes. I just wanted to note them so future readers understand my earlier description of the blend.

As to the topping, I didn't even notice it last time. This could have been due to the fact that I bought it in bulk and I think this was the case due to how quickly it flashed from the tin.

My first few bowls were pretty aromatic with a spicy rum type of topping. It almost overwhelmed the leaf. If that persisted throughout the full 2 ounces I would have likely dropped this to 2 stars, but it didn't. It flashed very quickly and left me with the same taste I enjoyed on the first go around 5 years ago.

This is actually an opposite effect to what I experienced with Classic Burley Kake. I am not sure if this is a problem P&C has with toppings across the board as I really haven't smoked much of their aros, but the same thing happened with Classic Burley kake. The difference was when the topping left CBK, it tasted like cardboard. With AK, it just tasted like a good VaPer after the topping departed.

Take these new revelations for what they are, but I still recommend this blend for a good VaPer.

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	musicman (131)	2013-12-31		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

After reading others reviews of this blend I feel a little guilty about writing this review. While reading my review please remember that all tastes are different and one mans trash is anthers treasure.

People absolutely rant about this blend, and many very experienced pipe smokers list this in their top Virginias. I first purchased this many years ago after hearing the soaring praises, and have tried many times over many years to get to the bottom of this enigma, but alas I have finally thrown my hands up in defeat. I just dont get this blend. It does nothing for me.

I am a Vaper lover, and I have enjoyed some other of Mr. Ouillettes fabulous concoctions, but I cant for the life of me get this blend to perform.

The tin note here is really nice. Raisin and fig. The one thing I did notice in the tin was this was very moist for a Vaper. This had an almost aromatic stickiness to it. I suspect that this is due to some sort of humicant. I must admit, I get very little flavor off of this blend but I think I do detect some sort of humicant taste.

For some reason this one does not strike a chord with me, but others just love it. Give it a shot and decide for yourself.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Trevi 320

Age When Smoked: Purchased in 2008

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2015-01-08		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Every bowl of Anniversary Kake that I have smoked has been a two-part story, one that that doesn’t get very interesting until part two. When lit, the taste is somewhat flat, and almost entirely lacking any of the initial burst of flavor that I would expect from a perique rich VaPer.

Around mid-bowl the smoke gains some body but the flavor is still reserved and seemingly held back. Eventually it improves but it sure takes its own sweet time in doing so, and I have continuously found myself enjoying the richness of the back half of the bowl, simultaneously puzzled as to why it had taken so long to develop.

As far as flavor is concerned, I am hesitant to call Anniversary Kake savory, especially after smoking through and sizable amount of Dunbar. However, I wouldn't exactly categorize Anniversary Kake as sweet either. It sits somewhere in between; more of an earthy tobacco taste with a spicy, semi-sweet rum influenced finish. The room note is okay, but I wouldn't categorize it as pleasant.

This as an okay VaPer with an attractive price point but it doesn't have the balanced flavor, intensity or the sweetness that I prefer. It does have a decent spice kick, and those looking specifically for that may enjoy this.

As a few other reviewers have mentioned, this mixture does trend toward burning a bit hot. As far as Hearth & Home VaPer’s go, I prefer the cooler smoking Virginia Spice, which is a blend that fires on all cylinders right from the beginning. AJ's Vaper is also good.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2016-02-03		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is the sweet dessert of VaPers. It is mild in strength which makes for an enjoyable change of pace. There is an abundance of flavor while keeping a clean short finish. Chocolate is a major component here along with several spices including cinnamon and nutmeg which may come from a dark rum. The Perique here is primarily fruity with fig and plum. It is spicy but not quite peppery until the end of the bowl. The Virginias are smooth, grassy, and sweet. I've never found a chemical note with this blend and I've never experienced tongue bite here either. I view this as a lightly topped VaPer and of its class it deserves 4 stars.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeDawg (82)	2014-05-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

Holy smokes this is a good one. In my opinion this one lives up to the hype, if it didnt I would say so. It was what I was hoping it was and a bit more. For the VaPer lover it should greatly please. The Virginias were really sweet, and probably the sweetest I've experienced to date and were up front and dominated the first half of bowl. That is something I was looking for as my other vapers are not so sweet and this gives this blend a distinct difference from other vapers. The perique kicked in towards the middle to end and got my nose running with the right amount of spice. I greatly appreciate the easy packing texture of this cake. It also allowed for an easy burn and good smoke. Im giving it 4 stars and I highly recommend this blend. I will buy more in bulk next time. Impressed.

Pipe Used: Peterson silver edition 69

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-01-14		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This Vaper is arguably Russ Ouellette's finest masterpiece. It's no surprise that his name comes up more and more often as one of America's best blenders. This tobacco comes with a wonderful tin aroma of figs, raisins and plums. It is moist and needs a bit of drying time. Being a vaper, it should be puffed with care as to avoid tongue bite. The flavor is on the sweet and tangy side of things. I enjoy this most in a Nording Bamboo. I have been told that the demand for this fine weed sometimes is so great that it leaves the warehouse very shortly after its made. I have cellared a good amount and watching AK's color deepen over the past several months is making it tough to wait things out! Highly recommended!

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JustinCarcerated (99)	2013-05-14		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

First blend of Mr. O I've tried-smell is figgish but with an overtone of cheap liquor. Dark tobacco, no kake to crumble, lights fair despite appearing correct in moisture contact. Taste is flat....only sense any flavor toward back of throat, but it's but bland, possibly poor quality tobacco? I don't know, all I do know is the entire tin is on its way to our local landfill, where it joins Irish Whiskey and Sutliffe's Westminster as being the only baccys achieving the title of crappy enough for the trash can... Not at all recommendable, sorry :(

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-03-09		Mild	Medium	Mild	Tolerable

The tobacco is wet, breaks too easily for a Krumble kake. and the chemical has something vaguely chemical.

I let it dried for a long period but it still felt too wet under my finger.

It smoked hot and was not pleasant.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-07-13		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Have been smoking a pipe since around '73 of the last century and have tried numerous blends. Having gone through the usual route from highly aromatic to finally settle on English and Virginia-Perique blends as many have. For the last few years I have been ordering from Pipes and Cigars.com with very satisfactory results. Presently have many of their blends and one of the most pleaaant ones is Russ' Anniversary Kake. At first put off by the smell(aromatic-like but uncased, I'm told) of the tobacco sample I declined ordering any but on a whim I re-ordered a small amount and was most pleaaantly surprised. My tastes seem to have changed somewhat and I was much impressed with this tobacco. I dried it out a little(What does DGT stand of anyway?) and it was even better. I ordered a pound of it.

Very satisfied with the resulting dried our mixture and have enjoyed it since. Russ is ,of course a master blender and a bona fide gentleman with a lot of patience and product knowledge. Correspondence with him is both rewarding and educational as it is with all of the gentlemen at Pipes and Cigars.com.

In short: relly fine Virginia-Perique mixture, a fine morning or anytime smoke and a damn fine price. Great job,Guys - Especialy Russ' blending expertise.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leon (85)	2021-10-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Based on the raving reviews I bought two ounces of this blend a few years ago. To my surprise, this blend was awful. Burned hot, no flavor, too moist, and burned my tongue like hell.. I couldn't smoke it. I left it in a jar for a while and then decided to just put it in my daily tobacco pouch and suffer through the rest of it. When someone advices you to dry your tobacco, you better do it. As it was drying in my pouch, my very last couple of bowls of this tobacco were amazing. I couldn't believe how stupid I was to miss it. Moist tobacco makes you relight and puff harder, making the tobacco hot and flavorless.

Sometime later I decided to buy two more ounces just to check it again. I left it to dry overnight and then some, regularly checking the moisture. Once it reached the best moisture I put it in a jar. This review is a bit less than a year of aging in that jar.

I absolutely love those Hearth & Home / Sutliff Red Virginias. They taste like mature wine, dark fruits, lemon, and a bit of cinnamon. This are also the notes I get in the jar.

The Perique provides both mushroom, as well as black pepper notes at the back of the mouth and through the retro-hale.

Once you rub it out and find your sweet spot in terms of moisture, this tobacco is easy to pack and smoke. It's recommended to sip in order to get the most flavor and keep it a cool smoke, but even with a bit of puffing it doesn't get hot. Flavor remains similar throughout the bowl. The balance between the Virginias and Perique gives it real depth and is perfect for me, makes it very comfortable for an all-day smoke. Not overly complex, but has enough there to enjoy every sip.

Medium body, mild-medium strength. One downside to the Sutliff Virginias, in my opinion, is the room note, which is very musty. I recommend smoking Anniversary Kake in a medium-size tall bowl. Otherwise it's harder to capture much of the flavor.

I will no longer be buying two ounce bags of this blend. It's going by the pound from here on.

Pipe Used: Medium-size billiards and Lovats

Age When Smoked: 8 months

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeQuest (20)	2019-11-11		Mild	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

I purchased an 8oz can of this in 2012 based on raving reviews, what a mistake. The tobacco was in rubbed out form not in cake form. After smoking half a bowl my tongue was on fire, I had a burning sensation all over my mouth. I dumped out my pipe and jarred the whole 8oz can, hoping it would mellow down after a few years of aging. Now 7 years later I opened the jar and tried it again, the age has made no difference, it is still unsmokable.

Age When Smoked: 7+

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BriarWoody (33)	2017-02-18		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I bough this in bulk, and it arrived very moist, loose and clumpy. It smells delicious in the jar, with a wine-like, fermented aroma, and smokes surprisingly light and fairly sweet -- so much so, that it can't stand up to a smoky dram paired with it. After the midway point, I've typically had enough.

The biggest drawback to me is . . . Where's the nicotine?

To me, this smokes like a typical light, bulk C&D blend, which is not a bad thing, but I was expecting something more given all the laudatory reviews.

Pipe Used: Amorelli, Caminetto

Age When Smoked: Fresh Bulk

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AcworthAl (38)	2016-07-28		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Full	Unnoticeable

Some days are better than others. Tonight when I got home I had two packages waiting for me. One contained three tins of Anniversary Kake. The other contained a Kaywoodie Sterling Sandblast Tall Egg. My first and only Kaywoodie. I had to try out my new (for me) tobacco in my new pipe. The Anniversary Kake was amazing, maybe the best tobacco I have smoked, mainly English and strong. I favor blends like Early Morning Pipe and Nightcap. I am not sure if it was the Anniversary Kake or the Kaywoodie, but this is one of the best pipe smoking experiences I have had.

August 1 2016 Update. It was not the Kaywoodie this is mighty good stuff

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie Sterling Sandblast Tall Egg

Age When Smoked: New out of tin

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Newbie2010 (18)	2015-10-13		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

What a complete disappointment. I was very excited to try this blend. This velvety, wonderfully fragrant cake showed a lot of promise in the bag. It reminds me of Prince Albert or Carter Hall. In the pipe, it falls way short. It may pack well, but it smokes hot and the flavor is synthetic, and somewhat chemical. Tastes like burning tires smell. Reminiscent of spilled diesel. I tried it in several pipes: a Ben Wade Danish, an Ehrlich prince, a John Bessai poker, a Peterson System 315, and a cob churchwarden. The only pipe that it was remotely tolerable was the Savinelli Trevi 626 using a balsa filter. Even with the Sav, the finish was sour. And it bites, even gently sipped. Leaves the pipe in a hot gloopy mess. I expected more from Mr. O. And the Burley Kake isn't all that great either.

Pipe Used: several

Age When Smoked: No idea

Purchased From: Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe, Central Ave, Albany, NY

Similar Blends: Prince Albert, Carter Hall, but these are far better than Anniversary Kake..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	puro66 (73)	2014-02-04		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

In spite of the fact that I have smoked two pounds of this stuff I have never reviewed it. With over 100 already posted I suppose one more doesn't matter, mostly though it's because I am at a loss to understand why I like it. Let's start first with the fact that I did not ry this blend until right after H&H switched it's manufacturing to Sutliff so many of the descriptions I have read about large dark and dense cakes are not what I have got. In fact not a single tin I've opened has ever had cakes in it, it is instead a fluffy rough cut. It is rich brown in color with no visible sign of perique. It smells in the can of a hint of rum and must. The must is enough for me to say why do I like this but I do, inspite of my disappointment in the lack of cakes to break up I filled that first bowl with low expectations. A subtle sweetness flowed from the first light and the perique wafted in and out throughout the smoke. It has an almost buttery quality and I was soon finding myself craving it and it became a daily smoke for awhile.

I don't smoke as much of it these days but I still have another two pounds (in 8oz. cans) and will buy some more in the future. It is a bit moist, as some have pointed out, but not problematic.

Anyhoo I like it, maybe after a few more pounds I will be able to express more eloquently why. But I doubt it...

I'm giving it four stars but you should probably not use my review as a reference.

Pipe Used: varies

Age When Smoked: varies

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	M42 (11)	2013-11-03		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

I had read so much about this tobacco and was anxious to try it. I'm a big fan of Hearth and Home tobaccos and when I placed my last order I got an ounce sample. In the bag the tobacco has a wonderful spicy aroma. But upon lighting it none of that spice came through. I found the tobacco to be very bland and it burned hot. You really have to smoke this one gently to the point of letting the pipe go out or you'll get a bad case of tongue bite. Although the tobacco packed well, stayed lit and smelled wonderful in the bag I found it to be a big disappointment lacking in flavor and burning much too hot for my taste.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-08-17		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've been an Aro-Smoker for over 35 years. This year I found out that you can actually TASTE your pipe tobacco and not just Smell it! Latakia and other Orientals have been on the menu in several variation,s and I really like the subtleties in flavor and taste. However, I saw some very positive reviews on a group of blends of tobaccos called VaPers (well, it was new to me anyway!). This was my introduction to H&H Anniversary Kake. So, I ordered four ounces to see if it could actually be "that good." IT REALLY WAS! I love this stuff!!! Tasty Sweet Virginias (whatever Russ found to mix in) and the Perique...Oh, the Perique. Sweet Cinnamon Bun Spicy Goodness! And, when I came back to re-order, it appeared that everyone else had discovered it too! THEN CAME THE FAMINE HIT: Backordered!!!

So, for the past three weeks I've been on an ordering rampage !my wife DEFINATELY thinks so! I've been trying desperately to find a Virginia/Perique blend to fill the void in my life since the H&H AnniKake famine began; From PS Luxury Navy Flake to Luxury Bullseye Flake. McClellands 2015, Escudo Navy Deluxe and even Dunhill's Deluxe Navy Rolls. (They seem SO similar!) Please don't misunderstand me. I can honestly say, these tobaccos I've sampled over the past couple of weeks are very good. Some of them are Extremely Good...BUT, none of them Ring my Bell like the Anniversary Kake! Please tell me that Russ has this stuff ready to ship. I'm having AnniKake withdrawals.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-12-27		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I have nothing new to add except that Russ told me he makes Ani Kake 9 pounds at a time and he has sold huge quantities of it. I save Ani Kake for when I can sit quietly and really appreciate the flavors as they evolve down the bowl. This, and Rolando's Own are my favorite tobaccos lately. They both are lovely blends...but Ani Kake is worth my full attention as I smoke a bowl lest I miss a wiff of spiciness or the evolution of the french-toast-like caramelization of the sugars in the Virginias....do yourself a favor and just get some and try it.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Serfchat (10)	2022-03-30		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I ordered a few ounces in bulk from Pipes & Cigars. It's a great predictable smoke and came in the bag as a rough ribbon cut with some loose clumping. I enjoy Virginia-Perique blends and appreciate the flavors of Anniversary Kake. If you don't like to work with flakes, this bulk VaPer might be a good option. I enjoy it more than Elizabethan Mixture.

Similar Blends: Peterson - Elizabethan Mixture, Orlik Tobacco Company A/S - Golden Sliced (Red Tin), Sutliff Tobacco Company - Crumble Kake Va. Perique.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2020-04-21		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

Back in August of 2018 I was able to get a nice sample of this. There was one catch, the tobacco was like railroad spikes. I was given two and a half of these spikes. It appears it was a bulk buy and somehow was compressed rock hard. Not sure if by misfortune or deliberate. I probably smoked some there and after two years decided to smoke more and leave a review. The ‘spikes’ had an unsweetened licorice smell or best I could make out though it says it has a rum topping to it. I crumbled some off and loaded small chunks of this into my pipe. It is definitely an aro to me and was not bad but nothing that I would write home about. A few days later I smoked some more with pretty much the same results. This does seem that it could burn hot if pushed. Not sure if something happened to this blend the past year but this one racked up 3 one-stars and one 2-star. I do not have any fresh and can only review what I was given. Okay but guess I expected something spectacular being that it is an anniversary blend. Try some, you may like it but for now my sample will go back into hibernation.

Pipe Used: Dedicated Aro Briars

Age When Smoked: 2 plus years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RonR (85)	2019-06-16		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant

3rdguy

I am in the underwhelmed group with this one. Perique is barely present. Cased to the point it is wet to touch regardless of dry time yet smokes and burns nicely. Just not enough interesting anything in this blend to make me want to try it again. I smoked 2 ounces on a trial. First blend by Russ that I found so so.

Not a bad blend just average for me.

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2018-12-15		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I've been on a big run lately trying blends in my possession that, allegedly, have a rum flavor infusion in them. Some are okay and some are failures. Here we have a winner that shows the rum flavoring adequately and, at the same time, is a fine vaper. I could detect the rum in both the tin and smoking aromas, although it was all but gone by the one quarter point in the smoke-a fate shared by most aromatic blends. Although called Anniversary Kake, my tin came in a sliced and partially rubbed out form that made it quick and easy to light up and enjoy. The enjoyment level shot straight up at about the time the rum infusion quit, though I don't think they are necessarily linked. AK quickly became a four star smoke and that level of enjoyment lasted throughout the top third of the bowl. Like many pipe blends, the strength and tenor of the smoke leveled off in the middle third to an okay blend. To my surprise and delight, the toasty strength and aroma came back in the bottom third to a beautiful finish. Pretty sure by now that this was a four star blend, I began to insert it into micro blends and was just as happy as in smoking it straight. That's what I call a four star pipe blend and, once again, thanks Russ!

Pipe Used: Charatan Free Hand Relief half bent billiard

Age When Smoked: 4 years old

Purchased From: Ebay seller

Similar Blends: although slightly milder than most other vapers I have smoked, it most resembles Dan Tobacco's Roper's Roundels.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	jvnshr (23)	2016-07-27		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Smoking Hearth & Home Anniversary Kake is like eating the celebration cake of your marriage anniversary, it's tasty but it's still missing something as well as you miss being single. Recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	brashboy (84)	2016-05-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Read all the great reviews, had to try it, did. In fact, I bought three tins on ebay at 5.00 each, about 3 yrs. old. I used to like VaPers more than I do now. This is good stuff, but I found it bitey if pushed, and unlike many bitey blends it burned my mouth, not the tip of my tongue. It also bites if I have more than one bowl a day. Also had a tendency to get harsh at the last of the bowl.

Having said that, the figgy tin note is nice and very promising, and the taste is good, a very refined VaPer, though not much strength. The room note is very VaPer-ish, I like it, others not so much. Very good tobacco indeed, just not a great fit for me, chemically speaking. I had to buy three tins. Two stars.

Age When Smoked: 3 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	beercritic (33)	2014-09-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

OK, I've been through all the H&H VaPers, this one, despite being a bit weaker on N, is the winner. I didn't like Escudo, but I will cellar some Peterson's Irish Oak, for an occasional treat. I'm usually craving an N or Lat Bomb, but I will repeatedly return to this wonderful stuff.

Pipe Used: churchwarden

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: P&C

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dualkarnain (75)	2014-08-19		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I've had these blocks in the cellar for 8 years now and, by George, it is still too wet to smoke! After drying out for a few minutes I'm a bit underwhelmed at first light.

Citrusy-sour Virginias are well-accordant with perique and I could swear I detect a hint of Cavendish. Halfway through the bowl a toastiness gradually rises and flavor intensifies - slightly.

The Perique comes into its own during the final phase of the bowl and I am a bit more encouraged.

Images evoked: Three blind mice constructing a miniature bidet with lemur-femur Lincoln Logs and tinker-toys made of rat skulls.

Pipe Used: Straight Briar

Age When Smoked: 8 years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hiplainsdrifter (9)	2014-07-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

My review is pretty much an echo of KinnScience's- Anniversary Kake is fine, nothing to complain about really. However, it certainly does not wow me at all. Solid Virginia flavor without too much sweetness, with varying degrees of Perique spice as the bowl progresses. This varying amount of spice is the only thing that saves this blend from one-note mediocrity. Using Gawith St. James Flake as a yard stick, this blend comes in somewhere just shy of 1 ft. Worth smoking in of itself, but it pales dramatically when compared to some of the other great VaPers out there.

Pipe Used: Ruthenberg 1/2 bent brandy

Age When Smoked: Unknown

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Houndstooth (34)	2014-06-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A perfectly adequate smoke but nothing noteworthy. OK, the Vaper church isn't quite where I worship to begin with, but I'm sure there are better Vapers out there- and they also cost more. That's what this blend is not.

But what it is; I'm barely aware of the perique or the toppings. Doesn't get bitey either or deliver anything tangy which could get unpleasant. Performs well and smokes slowly like other good VA-centric blends. Maybe I'm more partial to flakes, but what I like about this is that it's good to go.

Yeah, that's blasphemy to those into the ritual. Me- there are times I never get to smoking those flakes because they're not ready when I need them, and if I rub them out I might not get around to smoking them soon enough. This is a reality for those who live in relatively dry climates.

This is for VA fans who are looking for something that doesn't break the bank. There's much to be said for that. I'd smoke more flakes if it wasn't for the expense and preparation. Two stars.

Pipe Used: cobs/small bowls

Age When Smoked: arrived a couple months ago

Purchased From: Hearth & Home

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2013-05-24		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a great VAPer. It has the sweet and the spicy, but they don't overpower. This is not a daily smoke for me, but it it tasty, and I have a couple of pipes with large bowls that seem especially well suited to this blend. There is a certain complexity to the smoke and I find I savor it in an occasional bowl. There is a whiff of a topping that I think is rum that adds a slightly heavy quality to it.

I recommend this a little higher than Rolando's Own (also a H&H). If you think you might like to try a VaPer, this is a good place to start. I suspect I will always have some of this on hand.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2009-11-18		Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

With the four star reviews of this blend, I thought I was in for a treat as I have been liking H and H blends of late. Wrong! This is just smoke in my book. Flat, cigarette like. It is a gorgeous tobacco, in the pouch it is a velvety thickly cut broken flakes with a dark oily appearance, simply looks great and inviting. Very moist so must be dried out overnight. It is fairly dark in color and a mixed brown in color. It smells terrific, the fig like aroma in the pouch of the perique and the tangy aroma of a good Va. After drying, it rubs out to large loose flakes and it packs in the pipe very easily. It lights quite well and with one light after char. It stays lit and burns clean down to a fine dark gray ash. But it never develops into anything. It does not have the sweetness that I like in a Va and the Perique is way in the background and never comes out. I really wanted this tobacco to sing for me as it's well priced and is just a fun tobacco to work with, but flat all the way through is what I get. I don't understand all the 4 star reviews it gets. So, I cannot recommend this one, it's just smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2006-09-16		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a blend that needs drying out. From the tin, the tobacco is "sticky and clumpy" and I suspect that the chocolate is to blame.

When you spread this tobacco out to dry and smell it, the chocolate is there in a good amount. That's not a bad thing, just understand that chocolate is what you're smelling and not the virginia nor the perique. It's not V/P figgy smelling, it's Hershey®.

If you are or were ever a cigarette smoker (I raise my hand as a former cigarette smoker) then you'll understand when I call this the Marlboro® of pipe tobaccos. That's a compliment coming from me, not a negative remark.

Some won't know that chocolate is one of the biggest components of cigarette blends. I always smoked Camels and Marlboro Reds; The Camel gave a little turkish "bang" to the smoke and the Marlboros were full and smooth with that chocolate flavor. In fact, I'd say that Marlboros are probably the most chocolatey cigarettes as I remember them.

Anniversary Kake is still moist even after the drying and is more difficult than most to get lit properly. I wanted to be careful and not "over-heat" the tobacco and get into a harsh beginning. The cut is excellent for packing the pipe.

Patience is rewarded. Once settled, the blend hits a good full note and smokes consistently down the whole bowl. The Chocolate mutes the sweetness/woodiness of the virginia but keeps the perique from becoming a "pepper bomb" on the tongue. Solid, round and satisfying.

I found myself attempting to light the ashes once the bowl was done. The last quarter of the bowl was hearty and full. If you're not careful, you'll find yourself inhaling this tobacco (cigarette smokers/ex-smokers).

Anniversary Kake - I'll buy more. It's different enough to warrent a place in my tobacco rotation. If you like Gawith and Hoggarth "Louisiana Flake" then this is similar, maybe a bit fuller and definitely a cool smoking V/P with a heavy chocolate bass note.

Good stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (153)	2021-12-24		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

There was no production date indicated on the tin, but I'm pretty sure the blend was made this year.

The appearance is that of a finely chopped tobacco blend pressed into an easily crumbled cake. Component colors range from straw to bitter chocolate. The different varieties of tobacco are fairly easy to distinguish. The moisture content of the blend appeared to be excessive. The tobacco is easy to pipe and light, but I recommend a little drying.

The flavor is, to describe it in one word, "luxurious." When I opened the can outside, I smelled two bright notes - mocha coffee and cream and hazelnut. In reality, however, it turned out to be much more complex. Beneath the rum topping, which I mistook for a hint of hazelnut, was hiding a whole ensemble. First of all, the aforementioned chocolate and coffee, with cinnamon and a light peppery set next to it. The citrus duo - bitterish lime and sweetish mandarin - played the second role, but not inferior to the leaders. In the background lurked a light note of stale hay, dried fruit (a little prune and pear), some wheat bread and barely perceptible saltiness. The whole bouquet unfolded very gradually - after a couple of minutes, in general, quite reminiscent of a rum-soaked biscuit cake. The only thing left to do was to taste it.

An equally complex set awaited me. Baked sweet dark fruits, citrus, a creamy chocolate note, sweet biscuit, a bit of walnut, pepper and spices, and all generously topped off with an alcoholic dressing. The blend lived up to its name. Fruity and citrus notes played together with the topping the main melody, biscuit, cream and chocolate were in the secondary roles, the rest created the shades. Surprisingly, the main notes of flavor and aroma almost switched roles, without destroying the overall composition and idea of the author.

The tobacco smokes softly, slowly and quite cool, but the overall flavor and relative lightness of the blend provokes you to take longer puffs. In this case, it, because of the excess moisture, can bite the tongue. Of course, you can protect yourself from this by taking a pipe with a filter, but then some of the nuances of the blend will probably be lost. The strength of the tobacco is below average, but the XL pipe can remind you with a weak nicotine kick that it is still a vaper and not a light flavoring. The tobacco burns into a light gray dust, leaving quite a bit of moisture in the pipe. The aftertaste is sweet and spicy, with a slight sourness.

The smoke from the tobacco has the flavor of caramel and allspice and, being light, it is easy to disperse.

Bottom line: the blend is definitely not made for every day. Again, it has a great smell and a great taste, but it can get boring if you smoke it all the time. If you indulge yourself with it as a tasty dessert, it is a lot of fun. The only disadvantage is the excessive humidity, but this little thing can be easily corrected. It remains to add that if the Golden Triangle blends were a vape assignment for beginners, this tobacco is a real test. I hope I passed it.

Pipe Used: Peterson System B42

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Online

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	IlIlIllIlIlIlIlll (2)	2019-11-10		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Tolerable

I had high hopes for this, but after two ounces of very persistent and stubborn attempts to make this work, and I wish it weren't the case, but I have a lot of bad things to say. Tried drying it or not, packing it loose, tight, etc. It always smokes hot, it always smokes wet, and these two features would be tolerable if the blend was amazing tasting even once per 8 puffs, but no, it's also extremely flat. It has a very cheap cigarettey character to it, it has a very cheap chocolate/liqour flavoring which is what I suspect the "chemical taste" the negative reviews describe is, very unfortunate. The cut of this stuff is all over the place-- very long ribbons of VA, huge uncut chunks of bright va(you can find an unfold these and they are huge!), chopped up red VA, and flecks of perique. I cannot imagine such a non-uniform cut makes for a good smoke, I have no clue what the blender was thinking.

It gets worse. This stuff is absolutely soaked in PG/humectant, it just doesn't dry. I don't know if this is just a bad batch, or if quality went down, or what, but this is one of the worst tobaccos I've tried.

The only decent thing to say is it smells okay, but some of that artificial chocolate chemical topping comes through in the dry leaf-- I'd rather smell Escudo which smells naturally raisiny/figgy.

Age When Smoked: Under 1 Year

Purchased From: PipesAndCigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bent-1 (39)	2018-12-22		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Since McClellands is no longer, I’ve been seeking a replacement for 2015. This satisfies my want. The sweet Virginia marries nicely with the fig, peppery perique to give a taste similar to 2015 + a kiss of cinnamon. I don,t think it’s topped with it, but has the same affect on my palet. The nic level is a solid medium and satisfies. AK has a refreshing effect like that of big red chewing gum, but with depth & a solid tobacco taste. What I find interesting, it smokes well in a number of my pipes, and has not failed to taste delicious. Blend is consistent, yet enticing.

Pipe Used: Cobbit Shire, Tinsky Bullmoose

Age When Smoked: 6-months

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: 2015.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2018-10-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Still on my search for a McClellands Virginia and Dunhill Flake replacement.

I purchased a 2 oz sample. It came pretty moist but I left it as is. The bag aroma smells just like Levi Garrett or Red Man Golden. I also get a deep dark sweetness and chocolate like scent.

First light was a bear due to the moisture, but stayed going after the first 5 minutes of fighting it. Flavor is very consistent from first puff until last. A deep, dark sweetness, with some earthiness, figs, spice and light chocolate.

The flavors even hold after letting it rest for a couple of hours. The room note is amazing. Will bite some if you hot box it.

This is a great blend. Very well crafted and quite affordable. I am becoming very keen with Hearth and Home's Virginias. Obviously not exact with McClellands but very unique. This is my second offering from H and H. They have a few more Virginias that I can't wait to try. But so far between Anniversary Kake and Marble Kake, I believe it's safe to say I found my go to Virginias.

Update 5-28-19 as I've gone through 2 more oz of this blend, I find this is better suited if you're looking for more of a diabetic coma desert smoke. It does have a tendency to bite if you're not careful as with most Virginia. Definitely have to have a sweet tooth to smoke this blend frequently.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_dalai_lama_himself (43)	2017-03-27		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Gifted by a friend from my birthday in October, tin note is very good. This blend has nice sweetness, virginias are complex and I get everything from lemony citrus, to breads, wine, and vanilla from this blend which could be from the Rum. I don't get much chocolate however- more pastry. Perique is more on the peripheral and adds some fruit/plum notes and some earthiness, virginias are the star of the show. Kind of roundness that makes you think there could be burley but it's just well balanced. Needs some drying time and some further breaking up of the broken Kake pieces.. smokes easy with no bite, some moisture- can be an all day blend and have smoked back to back bowls with ease.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gahdzila (61)	2017-03-20		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I assume, as the name implies, that this stuff was an intact cake at some point in its life, but what I got was soft fluffy ready rubbed. There were a few larger chunks in my sample, but they crumble and fall apart with the slightest touch. It feels very soft between my fingers...sensual, almost! I thought at first that it was overmoist, but it retains that silky soft feel even after drying. The small and irregular cut means it's easy to over load your pipe...but as long as you keep that in mind and use a gentle hand, it's very easy prep and load.

It takes a couple of matches to get started, but is relatively fuss free once it's going. I mainly get typical VaPer flavors. There's a little taste of some sort of fruit that I can't identify...kiwi comes to mind, but that's not quite right. Nice subtle sweetness from the Virginias. I find Anni Kake to be very well balanced...that said, I do like perique, and Anni Kake has quite a healthy dose, IMO - peppery in the mouth, and a nice ZING! in the nose on retrohale; thus, I wouldn't recommend it to the perique-averse. As is typical for me for quality virginias to do, the flavor really ramps up and develops more complexity near the bottom of the bowl. I've smoked Anni Kake in cob and briar...as is also typical for me with Virginias, I much prefer it in a large bowled briar.

Objectively, this is fantastic stuff. As good as this young sample is, I'd be willing to gamble that it is phenomenal with some age on it. I'm tempted to pick up a couple of tins and hide them for a year or two.

Subjectively.....yeah, I like it for what it is. But it's just not the type of thing I reach for very often. While I certainly wouldn't turn it down, I don't anticipate Anni Kake making its way into my regular rotation.

originally reviewed 12/19/2012

Age When Smoked: fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	anglocatholicpiper (34)	2017-01-03		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Upon opening the tin I was stunned by the wet, liqueur-sweetened sight and smell. I was used to VaPers that were dry flakes. In fact, my first reaction was, "how could the tobacco reviews have been so good for this obviously aromatic VaPer?"

And, to be clear, my first three bowls of this were hard to understand. The unnatural wet feel and smell of this blend made itself known.

BUT... a couple of weeks later I tried again. I left the tin open here and there to see if it might dry some (it didn't). I loaded up and surprisingly enjoyed it.

Since my change of heart on AK, I have continued to enjoy it almost against my will. The flavor really is something. And the topping is a joy and (almost inconceivably) not that abundant during the smoke.

I still don't understand how this can be considered an all natural VaPer, like Solani or others, but it's good, really good, in its own right. I would probably buy this occasionally Simply because I can't say I've tasted anything else like it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SuccinctSimilarities (4)	2016-09-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

To many flavors for my taste, also slight tongue bight. I would recommend this tobacco to aromatic smokers.

You must dry for quite a while to be smokable

Pipe Used: Brebbia Ninja

Age When Smoked: 1 month

Purchased From: Pipes&Cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	J.R. Patton (106)	2016-05-28		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I see a few reviews stating the lack of a topping, but I have to disagree. Leaving it to air dry for a couple hours will show this...moisture seems to drop only minutely. There is a humectant/topping, but so what? It doesn't detract from the overall fine smoking characteristics. It has not ghosted my pipes, and the pure tobacco flavors are there. This a great variation on a Vaper, and a mainstay in my rotation.

Nice aroma of chocolate, figs and hay in the tin. If I have any complaint at all, it's that the Virginias are comparatively mild and mellow. Like McClelland No. 27 when you want Blackwoods. I like mine rich, red and robust as a general rule. But where the VAs lack, the perique makes up. And there's a healthy quantity of it too, though never overwhelming. It lends just the perfect amount of plum sweetness and nasal spice to keep the blend from falling flat. Also, it smokes nicely with no bite.

This is a very good blend, expertly blended as always, and I recommend all Vaper fans try at least once. I liken it to Viprati's less mature brother. It may be worthy of 4 stars, but for me it sits very well at 3 to 3.5, if only because I so enjoy the extra richness of AJs Vaper and Viprati from the same blender.

Age When Smoked: 9 months

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: H&H Marquee Viprati.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mhulsey (36)	2015-12-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

There isn’t much more that I can say about Anniversary Kake that hasn’t already been said, and I must say that this blend is deserving of every star that it has earned, however, the blend is so good that I felt compelled to write a review and share my experiences with this wonderful tobacco from Hearth & Home. The 8oz tin that I am reviewing just arrived from PipesandCigars.com fresh, and to my knowledge has no age on it. Upon popping the lid on the tin I am greeted with a wonderful mixture of deep rich brown tobaccos in the form of a crumble, being mostly medium chunks, with some smaller loose bits mixed in. The tobacco is of excellent quality and I have never found any twiggy or woody bits mixed in with the tobacco in any tin that I have purchased. The tin note is absolutely amazing with aromas of sweet fresh baked bread that come from the Virginias, and a smoky coco powder or bakers chocolate that I get from the Perique. The moisture content of the crumble cake was a little on the damp side, and in order to achieve a bit dryer smoke, I rubbed out a portion of the tobacco fully and set it aside for thirty to forty minutes to dry. After the tobacco had set out for a bit, I chose a small Group 2 Dunhill Chestnut, with a rather shallow and narrow bowl to enjoy my evening smoke. Upon lighting the pipe, the first flavors that I am confronted with, are the wonderfully sweet and bready flavors of the Virginias. The Perique quickly joins the show and presents itself with a slightly smoky and yet slightly sweet flavor as well. The Perique is also noticed in mouth feel, as there is a slightly spicy tinge that is noticed on the tongue, however it is not overbearing and never goes so far as to make me uncomfortable. The tobacco is incredibly smooth and balanced and remains so, down to the last draw on the pipe. As for the burn characteristics of the tobacco, I never once had to tend to the pipe, even when sipping slowly, and even setting the pipe down for a while to carry on a conversation. The tobacco burned down to a fine white and gray powdery ash that made cleaning the pipe a simple procedure, only requiring that I run a pipe cleaner through the stem to collect any moisture. As for the room note of the tobacco, those around me never seemed to be put off by the smell of the smoke, and one individual even made mention that the tobacco smelled sweet, so I take this to mean that the room note is pleasant to tolerable. I would say that the nicotine level of the tobacco was a medium, and I was left feeling satisfied after the smoke, and did not feel the need to immediately smoke another bowl. Overall, I am very satisfied with Anniversary Kake, and it has quickly become one of the top VaPer blends in my rotation. I would recommend this tobacco to anyone who loves a good VaPer blend, but also to those that enjoy a tobacco that has a natural sweetness to it.

Pipe Used: Group 2 Dunhill Chestnut

Age When Smoked: fresh from tin

Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Timbo 556 (6)	2015-11-08		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

This will be my first review here. I created this account because I had to give my opinion of this blend. I stayed away from AK as I had tried other VaPer blends and they just didn't jive with my palette. I finally broke down as a last minute add to my order as it was on sale. I figured I would buy 1 oz. and likely wouldn't finish it but I had to say I tried. Boy was I impressed with this blend! I burned through that 1st oz. quickly and ordered more ASAP. This blend was good to go right out of the pouch. It came slightly crumbled with some large blocky portions as well. I broke off a piece and stuffed it in my pipe and lit it up. There is a sweetness with just the right amount of spice. I almost get a caramel flavor with a little pepper zing which doesn't sound good but they marry together well when smoking. This is now in my rotation of three at this time and I really don't think ill get tired of smoking this anytime soon. Another note to add is that it seems to have a slightly different profile if I fully rub it out as opposed to just breaking off a piece of the kake and stuffing it. Either way I really enjoy this blend and recommend it to the newer pipe smoker that is looking to venture outside of aromatics.

Pipe Used: Stanwell Sandblast 9mm

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	curttuck (12)	2015-04-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The tin note is kind of like dried cranberries or figs mixed with a slight banana nut bread essence. The taste is grassy, sweet, citrusy, raisiny, figgy and tart. There is an occasional floral aroma in the nose. Also present are notes of paprika and ginger. So far I haven't really gotten much rum or cocoa from it. I really love this blend but it was my first Va/Per and it really does make me realize how much I love blends like Plum Pudding which have Virginia and Perique AND Latakia. It is a blend which isn't incredible complex, but did have those more floral moments It was nice to experience just the Virginias and Perique without the latakia but I do like Latakia. You really have to like the taste of Virginia tobacco because it's very prevalent in this. It was moist out of the bag but it still smoked really nice and consistently. I enjoyed it, but the first time I felt the sweet and sour Virginia grassiness was kind of jarring. Since then I have begun to like it more. It's not as overwhelming like it was the first time. I have noticed that this particular blend will definitely ghost your pipe, so keep that in mind. It had a moment at the end of the last bowl where I got a note of something I would almost describe as cologne-like. Sometimes a smell at the end creeps in that is very similar to taking a tuft of fresh pine needles, twisting apart and inhaling deeply. Piney and with a bit of orange. It also has something else towards the end in the nose that you can experience occasionally. It's similar to a brand of incense made in an ashram in India called "Triloka Ayurvedic Meditation (Air)" incense, which is made from sandalwood, and various exotic gums, herbs, woods and resins. It's by far the most exotic incense I've come across in my life and I've explored a lot of different ones. There is a note that you sometimes get which is something like that. I don't know what else to compare it to really. It's very subtle but ethereal and exotic. Something like the elemental essence of air and water. It's hard to explain. It doesn't happen through the entire bowl and you really have to pay attention closely. This blend is good practice for honing the palette to perceive subtle variations that occur over the course of the smoke.

Pipe Used: Tom Briar, MM Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OldTallMike (13)	2015-02-04		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Received a sample of this, a little aged and drier than from the tin I assume. It was a good long smoke, Had great flavor and a hint of spice. I am new, and for a VaPer I have Comoy's Cask 7 to compare it to. I do enjoy the Comoy's a bit more right now-but time will tell. Overall a great smoke, and it seems to have a good following. Probably not in my regular rotation, but I would not turn it down either.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TnRooster (15)	2014-04-24		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Wow is this good! Sweet and creamy, with a citrus tang from the Virginia's and a great tingle on the tongue from the Perique. My tin arrived ready to smoke but some have said it may need some drying time. Russ knows his tobaccos! Gonna have to give more of his blends a try.

Purchased From: PipesAndCigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darby (15)	2014-04-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Hearth & Home - Anniversary Kake (Signature Series)

After seeing so many positive reviews, I bought a small evaluation sample from PipesandCigars, which came ready rubbed rather than in the cake form I was expecting. The tobacco did not disappoint.

First, the visual and tactile: I found the color and feel of the ready rubbed version to be reminiscent of a freshly crumbled bran muffin ... essentially a pile of soft, mildly sweet smelling semi-moist short broken ribbons of a nearly uniform med-dark brown color (with a few darker flecks present). As someone else mentioned, there seems to be a small amount of humecant present, giving the tobacco a soft and slightly spongy feel.

The tobacco packed and lit easily, and midway though the first third of the pipe, the flavors slowly began to steady and come into focus as the remainder kilned off its moisture. Given my experience with VaPrs to date, and the hefty dose of perique mentioned in the description, I was expecting a somewhat austere and mildly sweet smoke with a long peppery finish, and I was surprised instead by a mellow, buttery, and semi-sweet flavor that (for me) prominently evoked Scottish Shortbread, accompanied by subtle hints of bran muffin and fig. I’ve never experienced a butter-cookie note in a non-aromatic VaPr before, and yet there it was, and it carried all the way though the middle third as well. As I reached the bottom third, the smooth gentle salty/pepperiness of the perique finally emerged from behind the short bread, and lingered pleasantly long after the pipe was done.

This is a very pleasing smoke, and an entertaining left-of-center choice for VaPr fans looking for something a little different. Recommended. I give it a solid three stars (of 4). I'd like to give it 3 1/2, but the rating system here doesn't allow halfsies.

Pipe Used: Grabow Freehand (Group 4) & Royalton (Group 3)

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	halpuff (11)	2014-03-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Not being completely new to Va/Per's I found A/K to be somewhat of a disappointment. The tin note is extremely sweet and has a strong nose resemblence to Prince Albert in my opinion. The brown and tan pieces of crumble cake are very light and airy and one would need to use a magnifying glass to see any of the black perique within the mix. It's claimed to contain 15% Perique like Escudo but when smoking one would be hard pressed to sense any Perique at all. I suspect that the extreme sweetness of the virginias somewhat mask the perique. This loads and lights nicely with the tin moisture level being just right. There are many Va/Per's that are far better than A/K IMO and comes no where near the level of Escudo and others. The smoking experience is somewhat like smoking warm air. This is so light in strength and taste that I found it to be quite boring. This is just my opnion though. I tend to lean toward blends with a little more kick. Since this is all subjective, you may find it to be quite good.

I'm humbly revising my earlier review of this blend after revisiting Annie Kake for another try. I don't know what to attribute my change of heart to, but I decided to give Annie Kake another opportunity to impress me and for some reason it did just that. I found the experience to be much different than my first encounter with this blend. It just goes to show that one should never judge a blend without giving it an honest attempt. The lack of a presence of Perique was still the case but somehow it was not missed. I did notice a nice sweet taste on the back of my toungue and the snork aroma was heavenly.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: New

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mudguts (14)	2014-01-11		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Best to smoke this tobacco in a small cob to get the flavor, body and improve burning characteristics. Virginias blend well, and together with the somewhat sweetish-mellow perique and chocolate undertones (and sweet, tinny highlights), finds the introductory pulls on this VAPER scoring high for this smoker. Really a fantastic first impression. After the first 2/3 of your bowl, things go a bit downhill. Last 1/3 of bowl can be bitter and just really full of wet unburned tobacco. Not sure why this blend of Russ’s stays so wet. Anyway, give it some time to dry, smoke it slow, take in the thick smoke and mild nicotine, and keep it in a small cob for best results. Small cob does not require much drying time at all, but if you plan on smoking in a medium to large briar, plan on lengthy drying sessions before you put it to the flame. Rating is as smoked in small cob.

Pipe Used: small MM corn cob

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: pipesandcigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (93)	2012-09-27		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Anniversary Kake. A very nice toasted sweetness leads into a plummy, spicy, perique. The Virginia is dark, hay, toasted and wonderful. Virginias aren't the lead though and leave lots of room for the Perique. It's a load of good luck this is available as a bulk blend. Very well balanced. Great morning smoke with that toasted dark fruity note. A real Joy to smoke.

Pipe Used: Bjarne

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking pipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	piedpipester (19)	2012-09-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Tin aroma is rich with fruit/fig notes, upon the first few openings it almost has a liquor casing scent, but after several weeks, that has cleared up. The taste carries on as the aroma, rich, with the fig taste persent. This is a different kind of vaper, one i've never experienced before. The burn is good, it's tangy which can lead to a little bite if smoked too fast.

I have added it to my rotation, it is not an all day blend for me, but I usually find myself smoking a bowl in the evenings when I have time to take it slow. When you factor in the price, it's a great deal, and well worth keeping a tin of around.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Merven the Great (18)	2012-09-08		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Hard to beat! I have been cellaring this for two years, after a small taste when I received it of course. It was great then and now it is awesome. Nice hint of chocolate and nice aftertaste. Room note is not offensive at all I've been told. Recommend with a heavy red or port/muscat. cheers

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JuanOrez (22)	2012-08-19		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is my favorite VA/PER blend. Russ really did an excellent job with this one. The best part about this blend is how well it ages. If you add a couple years of age the smoke just really sings. I can't give this one high enough praise. It's naturally sweet and a little tiny bit spicy from the perique. The longer this one ages, the better it gets. Smoother, more refined and more amazing every year. Thanks Russ!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	brogreggblues (45)	2012-04-14		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

When I bought this blend in October 2010, I liked it. My notes at the time were "Big, gorgeous VaPer. Like smoking a charbroiled steak, with a little Bloody Mary mix added". After a year and a half of focusing almost exclusively on English blends, I dipped into the jar of AK that has been quietly aging, all of this time.

Pouch aroma still good, baccy a bit dry but still serviceable. Packed into my medium bowl Mario Grandi, a quick light, and WOW. All the sharp edges I remember with this blend have been removed, the Bloody Mary mix has been replaced with cocoa powder. Mellow, mellow, mellow. For a non-latakia blend, this is very rich and satisfying. Reminds me a bit of Sam Gawith's Commonwealth Blend.

Stays lit, no bite, copious clouds of thick smoke. Not much Nick to be found, which is fine by me.

The only other VaPer I really like is Bayou Morning, by Cornell and Diehl. That blend is very sharp, and bitey unless sipped slowly. This aged AK is neither sharp nor bitey, and I've been pulling on it pretty hard.

My rating for Anniversary Kake: Upon arrival, 2 1/2 stars. Aged since October 2010: 10 stars out of 4. Really outstanding.

*Update 12/26/15: Even more mellow. Absolutely no sharp edges. The cocoa powder sensation is gone, allowing the red VA to come through like a soft, downy kiss. This blend just gets better and better.

Pipe Used: Mario Grandi, Norwood custom blast

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-02-07		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really wanted to love this, got it as a part of a sampler from p&c and all the other baccys in the sampler was excellent. This one ive tried in meers and briars and cobs but it still doesn't work for me. It burns cool enough and does not bite easily, love the crumble cake form. However the taste does not tickle my tastebuds the right way, not for me but would recommend trying it. Gonna stock up a macon-jar and let it age some years, the review will be subject to change after that.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2011-11-26		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Chocolate covered figs served on graham crackers with a glass of port best describes the tin note and initial lighing. Crumble kake does just that, crumbles when you pick it up. Easy to prepare and light, a few months of resting in a jar delivers perfect moisture. I do not get any bite from this whatsoever, and I have a very VA sensitive tongue.

I cannot see myself smoking this all day, but it is a great evening smoke that paired very well with a VSOP Cognac.

After a year of aging, I upgrade to 4 stars. And I can see myself smoking this all day long!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wellpipe (66)	2011-09-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Rubbed out and left to air a while this blend has good burning qualities. Some sweetness of the VA comes through countered by the peppery spice of Perique but I have to say the flavors seemed a bit muted. I smoked this very gently because I could tell from the start that it was trying to bite. ESCUDO is my benchmark for a 4-star VAPer and this one did not reach that height. 3 stars for a good effort and a decent blend. If I were stuck on a desert island with nothing but Anniversary Kake I would probably be content for a while, but eventually would build a raft in hopes of finding ESCUDO or Stonehaven on a neighboring island.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2011-07-28		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I love the Krumble kake cut, but my initial try with this blend I fought some bite all the way. I cellared the remainder for about 6months and tried again after letting the tobacco dry for about an hour. The smell in the jar has a distinct whiskey or rum topping. The retry was OK, but not something I would get excited about. The tobacco still smoked hot for the first 1/3 of the bowl, even at a sip. It seemed to smooth out after that, and gave a nice sweet flavor with a hint of whiskey, I don't get the chocolate, or Perique fig . It failed the wife test , but then again, they all do. I think this needs to go back in the cellar for about a year. I can't see why I would buy this again with all the better Virginias/Vapers available. I'm surprized by all the 4 star reviews below, what am I doing wrong?

Updated 12/26/13- NOPE ! Just don't feel this is for me . Even after two years of cellar time ,this is still hot and spicy. Less sweet and more sour, dries and puckers the mouth. Flavor reminds me of "Prince Albert". I know , different tobaccos, but still a similar experience, almost tastes like a drug store burley.

Pipe Used: cob and maple

Similar Blends: Prince Albert.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-02-27		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Tolerable

I wanted to like this one I really did.I like both english and aros and after reading all the good reviews I ordered this one right away.I was expecting a nice sweet smoke .It was like smoking air.There was nothing there nothing at all.No tobacco taste no sweet taste nothing at all.Il;l finshing the pouch but wont reorder.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-01-07		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant

Not what I had expected nor anticipated, though certainly not a bad smoke, either.

To set the Record straight, I had previously been smoking a full bodied Turkish blend, strong enough to cause headaches and make my 18" fez tassle spin like a propeller on a beanie-copter. Having finished the Turkish blend, I decided to smoke this blend. It was like listening to a Germanic operetta sung by a tenor barritone and suddenly going to the alto soprano of Tiny Tim, singing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips".

The strength is very mild with the typical Virginia-noted tongue bite characteristics of unaged tobacco. Sipped, relatively no bite remained, to cause alarm. The Room Note, is nice. The flavor, bizarre. Maybe my tastebuds are finally shot after 45 years of smoking a pipe, because what I taste is, sweetened brewed tea (no milk), and toasted bread. Not bad, but definitely not what I expect in a pipe tobacco blend. This is a softer blend which I will venture a guess, that has been aimed towards a younger/newer pipe smoking audience, and there is nothing wrong with doing just that. I rate this blend at 2-stars.

Bear in mind, I love full bodied, robust blends. Latakia, I am immensely fond of. All lovers of lighter blends, or if you simply desire a lighter blend in your rotation, sipping this one is important, to avoid the Virginia tongue bite issue. I would think that aging/cellaring this blend for about three years minimum, will render a thigh-soft smoking experience. As for me, I will continue the Southwestern Orient blends, and Balkan blends, in particular.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (121)	2010-12-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

First, I was disappointed this blend didn't blow me away after reading all the four star reviews. The blend did smell nice, a bit lemony in the bag and it had a nice tang to it whether it was from the lemon virginias or perique I'm not sure. It burnt smooth but I found it to be otherwise bland. I smoked it intermittantly in rotation over 2 months while keeping it in a flip seal mason jar.

I think I gave it a fair trial, smoking through the bag and going back time and again. But it didn't knock me out and I can't say I ever really got to looking forward to smoking it. Perhaps I got a substandard batch and there's a quality control issue?

Generally, I favor english/oriental blends over english/virginia/vaper blends but I like to have a straight virginia in the non-aromatic rotation to have a change of pace. Importantly, I should note, some of the best blends I've smoked have been predominantly English virginias and I recently rated a virginia flake at 4 stars. So, I am not entirely adverse to predominantly virginia blends.

This blend has no detectable casings or flavorings. Anyone who thinks it's an aromatic has been smoking wacky weed.

Worth a try especially for the virginia fans.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hiram Briar 23 (12)	2010-09-22		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Excellent tobacco blend.

arrived in nice little bricks/ kakes with a little shake from shipping. smells amazing right out the bag, very fruity almost like a prune/ fig/ bakers chocolate aroma. very sweet smelling. a little damp but lights very easily. i broke it up in my palm a tad and it packs very well. not fluffy at all so i gave it a light tamp. flavoring is not apparent at first but the smoke is abundant light and fluffy. flavor reminds me of a light brew of good coffee, all the way through. towards the end of the bowl the flavor became very sweet and i could definitely taste the fig casing. no bite at all and very mild and relaxing. i Highly Highly recommend this blend. when i heard virginia perique i was concerned it may be a little peppery but its not at all. room note is very nice and dissipates shortly after a good smoke and doesn't linger.

I would give it five stars if i could.

edit: after smoking this for a while ive learned a few things: keep your pipe clean. Anniv Kake will leave a dusty old resin aftertaste in the stem thats not very pleasant and ruins the experience of this tobacco, cleaning with spiced rum brings out the flavor of this blend: It also combines well with many other tobacco blends, so if youre a mixer like me youll have fun blending this one around. also: i am pretty sure there were several batches made during the single run of this, some turned out better than others, the more compact solid block cakes turned out very nice whereas the light crumbly cakes are lackluster. and: leave it in block form until youre ready to smoke it

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kashmir (21)	2010-05-25		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I just recently purchased 16oz. of Russ Ouellette's Anniversary Kake. It arrived as a slightly broken dark "kake", with some of the original bars, measuring 2 x 4 inches, still intact. However, the bulk of it was pretty well broken up due to the packaging.

I found the contents slightly moist to my taste and, after storing the bulk in labeled Mason jars, I broke up a few oz. and placed them on a plate for 2 days in the garage, at which point, the material had dried somewhat and was entirely smokable using only one post-charing light.

Jar scent: Fig-like, sweet with chocolate overtones. Pipe: Dunhill #4112 shell briar billiard. Packing using Frank's method. Beverage: Diet Coke.

The first half of the bowl smokes very smoothly, producing a rich creamy smoke, where the sweet virginias really come through. The Perique component could be higher in my opinion, but its there and only intensifies as one progresses down the bowl. I like to smoke Va/Per blends in tall bowls, such as billiards and chimneys, because it intensifies the smoke in the second half of the bowl, allowing less air, as compared to pots and open apples etc. which allow more air during the burn. Anniversary Kake needed only an occasional tamping to cool down the smoke.

I really like Escudo, HH Acadian Perique, Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Flake and McClellan's 2015 and Anniversary Kake from Russ Ouellette really fits the bill. Be aware however that the stock is limited, so make sure you have enough on hand for cellaring. All in all, highly recommended and with a price ($27/16oz.) that can't be beat.

Nice going Russ on a great blend!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-05-16		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

I agree with Modelman; I think I got a bad batch. Judging from all the wonderful reviews I was anticipating a sublime smoke from this tobacco. Unfortunately, I did not receive one. I enjoyed cutting and rubbing out the kake, but the taste was just bland. Nothing at all like the reviews on this page.

I must have gotten a bad batch but I'm reticent to purchase more to find out if I did or not. Giving it two stars for merit alone.

Good luck.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	modelmanmodels (12)	2010-04-03		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

I guess I am missing something here. When I received the 2 ounces that I ordered I was excited at first. Interesting, rich smell and very dark. It was from a bulk supply and partially rubbed. I wasn't sure if it was chewing tobacco or smoking tobacco...VERY moist. Too moist. I smoked 2 pipe fulls today and I really can't get a sense of the flavor or the room note. I realize that Perique is supposed to be a big part of this but not with this batch. Very bland and dissapointing. I'm honestly wondering if I got a bad batch. I rely heavily on our reviews to obtain new frontiers. I also live in New York and have to pay the usary tax that is so ridiculus. So, when I saw the popularity of this blend I had to try it. Maybe it will improve with some drying out. I for one would like to experience what eveyone else seems to. I'm drying out the balance of the batch for a day or two and we'll see. If you live in NY, it's not worth the taxation levy...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-04-02		Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Extra mild with a slight spicy/sweet perique essence. I was a bit disapointed with the mildness of the blend. However, someone who likes perique blends, but finds most of them a bit too strong, may like this blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wandererfromtx (2)	2010-03-17		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Just like to add to the number of reviews, this is a fantastic smoke

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sagesmoke (14)	2010-01-30		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My first "cake". Yum. A bit peppery when blown out the nose.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Benton (13)	2009-12-09		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Good news: Unlike other reviewers, I got a sample which came as a genuine cake: a 2 oz. block of fine red ribbon pressed into a solid mass. The smell is wonderful in the pouch. The flavor is great; very sweet with lots of perique raisin/fig/prune flavor.

Bad news: This stuff bit me very baddly over and over. Drying, less rub out, and smoking slowly all help, but in the end I had to cut it 50/50 with a very heavy Balkan. Surprizingly, the AK ended up as the dominant flavor in the mix, which I enjoyed very much.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Meisterlowin (16)	2009-10-06		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Anything that I could write about AK would be largely redundant. That said, I'll give it three stars for being a very nice and satisfying smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Sailorjack (57)	2009-09-17		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

My God I love this stuff! I'm not really big on Perique but it is so well balanced by the sweet Virginias in this blend. Sweet and spicy, complex, smooth and so satisfying. I have had my most sublime smoking moments with Anniversary Kake. This is definitely my desert island smoke. LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!!

THANKS RUSS!!!!

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-07-06		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

The first couple of bowls of this I thought this is going to be a regular smoke. But it quickly lost its flavour and became somewhat boring. The Perique taste at the end of the bowl was tolerable but nothing I liked and without the sweetnes coming through more it was just OK. With all the hype I was diappointed. Not much tongue bite and fairly easy to smoke. 2.5 stars

1 person found this review helpful.

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	JLong (36)	2009-06-29		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I got a generous ounce of this stuff from Pipes and Cigars two months ago and it just seemed bland at first. It wasn't bad though. After half a dozen bowls or so, I lost any desire for it, stashed it in a Mason jar, and forgot about it.

I cracked the jar this evening, loaded a bowl, and holy moly is this sheat ever delicious. Smooth, full bodied, sweet, and chocolaty. I'm on my second bowl as I write this. One just wasn't enough.

It does seem on the moisty side and after 30 minutes of air drying, it smokes effortlessly.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	WmZiggy (81)	2009-04-25		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

The last review noted that there are blends that "ring your bell" and this one certainly does that for me, too. There is little to be added to the excellent reviews below. This is an interesting flake, not made with long strands, but with chopped tobacco. The finished "Kake" looks like particle board and I have mostly rubbed it out, although you could break or cut it into chunks and smoke it that way, which I will have to try. It burns nicely, does not heat up the pipe no matter how hard you puff. Anniversary Kake performs well in a range of pipe sizes and shapes. AK smokes smooth, never bites, and delivers a sweet spiciness that is a delight. This will easily be my "go to" baccy. Russ Ouellette has a home run with this one.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Country Piper (12)	2009-02-28		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I am usually found smoking a good English/Balkan but wanted a little change of pace. I ordered 8 oz of Anniversary Kake. When it arrived I loaded up my 35 year old Larsen ( Ole made some beautiful pipes )and had a most enjoyable smoke. This tobacco arrived with a perfect moisture content and was easy to light. What a wonderful blend of va/per! The room note has brought no complaints from those around me. This stuff can be smoked all day long without worries. I kept out two oz for smoking and set up the rest for long term storage. Cant wait to try this in about five years! I will be ordering more. You cant go wrong.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	doc'spipe (242)	2009-02-04		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

As a new reviewer I first want to say how thoroughly I enjoy tobaccoreviews.com. It is a fantastic database of information that provides for many hours of pleasurable reading - and it goes without saying - helpful insights for all fellow pipe aficionados. I visit the site several times a day and always come away with a new perspective concerning pipe tobaccos. A big thank you to all of my fellow reviewers and for the hosting of this site.

After reading all of the reviews for ANNIVERSARY KAKE (a Hearth & Home bulk tobacco blend that can be obtained through pipeandcigars.com), it was a blend I just had to try. My 1 pound order arrived yesterday in a zip-lock bag. It was a combination of solid kakes and the rest of the kakes crumbled (shakes). The aroma upon opening the bag was sweet and spicy with a mustiness present as well. I didn't detect any chocolate aroma from the bag per-se. I don't know if there really is any in the mix: the word "chocolate" being used more as a descriptive item along with "fig-like" to describe the pouch aroma by the blenders. I believe the "chocolate" description to be attributed to the Perique. In spite of this, there was a chocolate-like quality to the smoke that I found very appealing, and in no way cloying.

It was moist in the bag, but not overly so. I scooped out some crumbled, partly broken bits, and set it on a napkin while crumbling it some more. I didn't feel the need to dry it out and proceeded to load it into a 7 inch sandblast ALPHA Canadian that hasn't been smoked very much over the years (I have over 100 pipes) and was set aside just for this blend after placing my order.

I've been a pipe smoker for nearly 35 years and have tried virtually all different types of blends ranging from the smokiest of Latakia to the goopiest of aromatics. With ANNIVERSARY KAKE, the Virginia was very subdued as far as Virginias go - not a typical VA tasting blend in my opinion, and only mildly sweet. It was never hay-like or grassy. The Perique did present with its characteristic pepper-like taste. I am not a huge fan of Perique, but it was just right for me. It burned nicely; a fine, medium-gray ash was all that was left at the end.

I found that taking your time with this one was needed to bring out any of the Virginia flavor. This also brings out the chocolate note which is way better tasting than if chocolate had been added to the tobacco by the blenders (according to the blenders, no chocolate is added). A very skillfully blended tobacco that definitely gets better with aging, and very tasty in a narrow guage bowl.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Pipe4ever (204)	2009-01-18		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

There is too much chocolate/cocoa syrup casing in there, the Virginia has absolutely no flavor and the perique is completely imbalanced, the second half bowl is unsmokable because is the perique overdose.

This is an Aromatic with Virginia, Perique and CHOCOLATE, the Virginia is there but without any true flavor or personality. The taste is sweet, chocolaty, creamy and extremely spicy.

There is so many high grade, true Va/per with true Virginia flavor, to try before this one, Flake Medallions, Escudo, Solani 633 etc.

As long as I can buy the above mentioned Va/Per blends, I really don?t see why I should smoke this "Anniversary Kake".

For me, this is typically a nonsense blend, in fact, this is not really a VAPER, and not really an aromatic; this is just an experimental "Kitchen made" house blend surrounded with an unbelievable hype.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	NONSUMDIGNUS (11)	2008-12-14		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Firing this baby up was tasteless for the first several puffs... but then again it could've been the freezing temperatures outside when I smoked it. After warming up this blend became a symphony of rich flavors and experiences. The balance of va/per tends towards the perique side but the va's provide great accompaniment. Somewhere in there is a chocolate undertone to all this that only adds to the experience.

The caked tobacco looks and smells good enough to eat in the pouch and crumbles into the most easily ignited tobacco I've encountered; fears of constant relights are nil.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	haredawg (47)	2008-12-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I know, AK needs another review like George W needs another term, like Don King needs a weave or like Dr, Graybow needs an economy minded pipe. Still, it?s almost 2009 and it?s either add to the large pile of reviews or not do any at all, and I?m a nervous reviewer, can?t help, sometimes I?m in a crowded elevator and I start reviewing the String quartet version of Muskrat love ?The violas lend a masculine quality ?? Worse yet I?m giving AK four stars, so it?s not like a controversial review either.

I?ve ordered a lot of things from pipesandcigars dot com, pipes, accessories, the narcissistic but informative Alfred Dunhill Pipe book, tins of Germains Special Latakia flake, esoteric blends in bulk (ok, just stonehaven and Penzance) yet I had never ordered a Hearth and Home blend until last week. I bought this beautiful Peder Jeppesen egg with a sort of curved Candadianish shank and still had a buck or two burning a hole in my pocket, so I opened a second window and checked Tobacco Review dot com for four star blends. What the hell, I what the helled, Anniversary Kake it is.

A few years back as a novice pipe smoker I tried every aromatic that sounded like pastry, moved, thankfully to Virginians, found Hal O the Wynd, fell in love, and then moved to Balkans and English blends where I firmly sat with a smug and superior cast to my mug. I?ve really wanted to like a VAPER, and I do keep some Virginians around for when I need a change of pace or when wimmenfolk start asking why I?m burning Old Sweat Socks in my pipe.

I was ready to blame all of y?all in Anniversary Kake disappointed me the way so many other VAPERS have. It?s like the perique is heavier than the VA?s and sinks to the bottom of the bowl in most VAPERS and you go from this friendly, mildly complex blend of gregarious smoke into the fiery bowl of black pepper. Anniversary Kake isn?t much different in that regard, except the Virginians are more than a little complex, friendly to the point of buying the next round and the perique is so well blended that nothing creeps up on you and shrieks boo in mid bowl.

I went in with all the skepticism of an atheist at the Vatican and Anniversary Kake has made a believer out of me, I might even dedicate this excellent new pipe to AK exclusively. I?m ready to order a pound for cellaring and one for smoking, even though I can?t imagine that age could make this much better than it already is. The first bowl I just rubbed out a chunk, let it dry for maybe fifteen minutes (which felt too much like foreplay and I got impatient). It took maybe two more matches than usual to make it to the bottom of the bowl of clean white ash with very little dottle and nothing wet.

I had ordered a mere four ounces, silly dawg, it came in a single cake, figs and raisin scent in the pouch, sticky and sweet, rubs out nice and easy. I think it was Mark Twain who said I didn?t have time for a short note so I wrote a long letter. Apologies all around. I desperately need to get Larry?s Blend now too. I am very impressed by the folks at pipesandcigars and their hearth and home blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Jaybee (77)	2008-11-27		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is perhaps my favorite va/per to date. I don't find the perique overwhelming and the melange of flavors provided by the various virginias is superb. It's uncommon, in my experience, to find a blend this mild and user-friendly, with such good taste. Unoffensive in room note, mild in temperament, easy to smoke.....a real winner.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Hemlock (69)	2008-09-13		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tried the bulk and it is tasty. Dried it out for a half our or so. Smoked mostly rubbed out, and enjoy a toasty virginia flavour. Room note does not offend. It smokes well through the whole smoke and offers a lovely virginia flavour. Can't say that there is much of a distict perique flavour, as it is well worked into the overall flavour due to pressing. This is comparable to Samuel Gawith Full Virginia Flake or Best Brown Flake, in my opinion. Try it and you'll like it. If you favour a more distinct Perique seasoning, it may not do the trick. --

update 09-2008 Hmm.. last smokes were disappointing. a bit flat and seems to have some PEG in the bulk batch I'm smoking (can't dry it completely). This would be better as a flake, since this seems to only be a pressed ribbon cut, which doesn't have the rich building flavour of flake tobacco. I've come to realize flakes to be the best format for VA or VAPer blends.

2010-03 Over a year and a half later, same block getting close to the end. This is a good blend after all. Best dried for a little bit and smoked in a dedicated VaPer pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Puffer (42)	2008-08-21		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

Another great product from Mr. Ouellette. This stuff constantly surprises me with orneriness. It looks like a normal, ordinary, everyday shagged Va. It tastes like an ordinary well cared for Va. It has no distinctive room note or aroma. But, somehow, I can't leave it alone. Every time I finish a bowl, I think, "what was so great about this baccy?", and then can't seem to wait for the next filling.

After a day of drying on a cookie sheet, it packed very well, lit up normally, stayed lit extremely well, produced ample smoke and rich taste, smoked cool with no hint of a bite, smoked all the way to the bottom without a whimper, and left me feeling extremely satisfied. I even noticed after blowing out the bottom of the bowl, there was no sign of evil tobacco odor.

I wish that I could point out some extraordinary trait of this baccy, but I can't. It's just darn good stuff. I have seen complaints about an overabundance of Perique but I can't agree and feel that some folks are just over sensitive to it. In puffing, I only noticed a hint of Per, but it really did let me know it was there when blowing smoke through the nose.

Although I can't put AK above my beloved Count Pulaski, it certainly stands beside it at the top of my list. A solid 4 stars please.

Thanks again, Russ!

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Fumatore (49)	2008-06-07		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I really prefer English tobacco but like an occasional Virginia or other blend. I find this weed to be very good and if you puff slowly you will think you actually taste cake. Russ did a nice job on this one.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mo (81)	2008-05-22		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

One of my most anticpated blends. I recently ordered some tobacco from my new supplier 4Noggons and am very happy with their service. Included in my package were a few samples which i really appreciate, one of which was a most generous amount of Anniversary Cake.

I rushed to prepare this for smoking even before unpacking the box by laying it out on a baking sheet for the rest of the day. The next morning i had my first bowl. Before i go into detail i absolutely need to bore you guys with my opinions of Virginia and Perique.

Virginia and Perique is a combination that is earth shattering when done right, but disastrous when not. It is possibly the most dangerous thing to try and mix because the wrong quantities of Perique really ruins a good bowl of Virginia. Virgina in its own right is something i smoke all the time, Perique in my opinion is only there as a spice to enhance, not to overpower. It is for that reason we call them VaPers not PerVaps. The most perfect example of this marriage shall remain Reiner LGF IMHO. I have a tin of Escudo that is aging as we speak, but until i have smoked it, LGF shall remain the benchmark.

This blend starts off wonderfully, delicious Virginia burst of creaminess with a delightful Perique tang that i find fantastic. This flavourful smoke continues until the last third of the bowl comes along and just sours the whole thing very quickly. I have smoked many bowls and have finished my sample but i noticed that i always find myself staring down the bowl during the last third to see if an insect has somehow managed to fly into the bowl and i am smoking it, the answer is a naughty little insect called Perique.

I really wish it could maintain its composure until the bowls end but alas.

This blend only deserves 2 stars, it is low on nicotine, the Perique/Virginia mixture needs to be adjusted and it really stunk up my pipes. That horrible last third of the bowl really left a ghost in my pipes and whatever i smoked after still tasted like it for at least one smoke.

I guess lots of Perique will suit many pipers, just not me.

Mo, South Africa

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Slow Triathlete (62)	2008-04-08		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This blend is made for pipesandcigars.com by master blender Russ Ouellette. I had never had any of his blends before this one but everyone raves about his skill. After tasting this blend I believe them. I ordered 4 ounces of this about a month ago. I spoke with someone there before I got my order and he stated that when they make this, they make it in a 3 lb cake and then split it out from there. He also stated that they run the machinery that makes this blend pretty much 24 hours a day to keep up with demand. My sample was about an inch thick and looked like it had been ripped off of the larger block. It was extremely dark brown and smelled wonderful. The only way to get this blend smokable is to rip off a hunk, rub it out and then rip off another hunk. By the time that I got done my hands were a bit stained but I didn?t mind because it was fun rubbing it out. This is a hard blend to describe when you rub this out. It just kind of falls apart and packs into the pipe extremely easy. I went to do my false light and soon realized that this was all I needed to get this blend going. From there this blend never stopped surprising me. This bulk blend was better than a lot of tinned blends that I have tried so far. The description on their website states that there are many different Virginias in this blend, from Brown to Lemon and it has a healthy dose of Perique added in. Although I?m not experienced enough to know that difference in taste between a Brown or a Lemon Virginia, I can say that this blend is delicious. The flavors change throughout the smoke and the Perique really kicks in towards the end of the bowl. I thoroughly recommend this blend not only as a good, cheap bulk blend but possibly as an everyday smoke. I plan on grabbing a couple of pounds of this, separating it into smaller samples and cellaring it. I want to see how this blend changes over time.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2008-01-01		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

What a VaPer! This is an amazing smoke, I never get tired of it. Mellow Virginias with a very mild cocoa taste and a good dose of Perique which can be quite strong by the end of the bowl (just the way I like it, but if you're not a Perique fan it could get a bit overwhelming).

Definitely one of the top Virginia/Perique mixtures.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	flaminbill' (57)	2007-12-30		Mild	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

First of all, my tobacco was not delivered as a Kake, it was totally broken up and closer to a ribbon. We are talking an 8 Oz. shipment here.

At this point I find this blend overrated. I have certainly had worse, but this is not what I expected or what was advertised. It is just mediocre at this point. I did cellar some for future use and will update if it gets better.

There are much better vapers to be had.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Indian (14)	2007-12-12		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

Well I have to go against the grain again........Don't get me wrong I loved the blend and may at some time in the future get some more. The first time I bought this it came VERY compact and was a little stronger. This last time it was pretty loosley compacted and a little weaker (QA????) With that being said it was a great mix that didn't bite at all and was a little sweet and VERY smooth. The only reason I didn't give it 4 stars was due to the fact that it didn't have the tobaccy flavor that I like. It was too weak, but still an excellent tobacco.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Big Blue Jazzman (73)	2007-09-03		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I've always been a fan of Sam Gawith's FFL and didn't think anyone could come up with a better Virginia. Russ O has done it with Anniversary Kake. A masterful blend with no equal. What can I say that hasn't already been said in the previous testimonials? Everyone loves this blend. If Virginia's are your pleasure, give this one a try, it's TOP NOTCH!

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-08-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Although I've only been smoking this blend for 7 or 8 months, I've noticed recently that I reach for it more and more often when I feel like having a Virginia/Perique blend. It's slowly worked it's way past several old standbys all the way to the top of the pyramid.

With it's slighty sweet chocolate flavor that is first noticed upon lighting, to the spicy overtones of Perique that become stronger as I reach mid-bowl, this is genuinely one of the very best VaPers to be had anywhere at any price.

Although you may find it to appear a bit moist when breaking up the cake, I tried a bowl without any drying and surprisingly it burned almost to the bottom of the bowl without a re-lite, and is not at all particular about packing, so in to the Mason Jars it went. I later dried a little but found I preferred the taste of the blend with the moisture content it had when I received it.

Anyone who enjoys the sweet spicy taste of a good Virginia/Perque needs to give this one a try. Chances are, you won't regret it. Four **

F. Prefect

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-05-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I saw two reviewers describe this tabak as "Wow", well, I am adding a third WOW! This is a really fantastic smoke. In fact, the only thing I do not like about it is that it costs $10 more per pound than Butternut Burly, my favorite all day smoke. This is now my second choice for an all day smoke.

When received, it was very moist and needed drying out before smoking. When I fired it up, I wittnessed a pure joy in the flavor department. Maybe it is the perique or perhaps it it just that Russ uses high quality Virginia's or a combination of both. Then again, it could be the pressing into a cake that marries the Virginia's to the Perique that presses my button.

It is smooth enough to be inhaled which I do occasionally being an ex-cigarette smoker. I get no tongue-bite from it at all and it smokes dry all the way to the bottom of the bowl and does not become bitter. It also leaves a very nice ash.

This tabak should age very well and I am going to order a pound to put away for an extended period of time to see what happens.

I am continuing the tradition with a four star rating and would give it five if it were avaible.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-05-13		Medium	Medium	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have smoked many bowls of this and find it a little inconsistent. Some bowls are sweeter than others. I must say this is one of the most satisfying blends I have experienced. It has an upfront tobacco taste with a complex sweetness hinting of chocolate and raisins. All of the sweetness is subdued and tame which keeps it from being too overpowering or considered an aromatic. If you're looking for a complex and sophisticated treat with rich tobacco taste, give this a try.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-04-21		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A completely unique tobacco in my experience. The sweet stickiness of the Virginia base compliments the rather subdued Perique in this blend perfectly. I can't decide if this is topped/cased or not, although the flavor is unique enough that a flavoring of some kind would be indicated - I get none of the telltales of such while smoking - no excess heat or steam, no slop in the bowl at the end. Gorgeous clouds of thick, chewy white smoke - consistent taste to the end, where it becomes very strong indeed without turning ashy. Nice chunky little cakes that are a joy to work with and smell kinda like little brownies. This is truly the work of a master blender - Russ, you da man!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-04-07		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is indeed a favorite... another of my 'order a pound at a time' dessert tobaccos. I smoke probably 10 bowls of tobacco a day in various pipes and easily 4 are AK. I like it just the way it arrives, without aging or drying or baking. It's got that wonderful cayanne peppery nip without a tongue bite, but has multiple layers of scent and taste. Great smoked very slowly so that the smoke just seeps into my mouth for a time, then leaks out to be inhaled through my nose. I know that many don't like the distinct tongue prickle of perique, but I do... much as I enjoy good cajun cuisine. This loads easily into my pipe and settles with a few thumps, then packs nicely in three standard steps. It's easy to crumble the cake or rub it to the right consistency. A treat well worth the price. I place this second choice after Solani 633, but smoke it much more often simply because of price.

I tend to enjoy it most when loaded into my various Bjarne pipes simply because they are so easy to draw and I don't have to worry about huffing and puffing to keep it lit.

From Utopia TX...havagoodun!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-02-28		Medium	Medium	Full	Pleasant

just cracked my first tin of AK yesterday. I was a little concern intially with the overall stickiness of the tobacco and thought "Here we go...Barbary Coast all over again."

But, it actually did light well. Initial burn, tamped down, re-lit and off I went down to the bowl with only a relight when I set it down for a spell (I inhale so, I have to stop here and there).

I truly enjoyed AK intially and will update after I finish the tin.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2007-01-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

My bulk came as a nicely pressed block of mostly brown VAs with some lemon and a few black pieces. It was sticky and moister than I normally prefer but packing and lighting were surpisingly easy and no relights were needed once the packing technique was mastered. Smoked cool without a hint a bite and minimum condensation. Initially, I thought there was a bit too much of a Perique and chocolate influence but in subsequent bowls it became more enjoyable. That's just a matter of personal taste. If you like VA/Periques, give this one a try.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Mr. Dottle (162)	2006-12-21		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I think OSR?s review sums up my opinions and thoughts about this blend very nicely. This is, indeed, a VAPER of a different sort. The chocolate is there and upfront but I did not find it overwhelming. It was gentle. The figginess was in the background for me. The flavor tempers the perique and tones down the overall flavor of what you ordinarily might expect and taste in a typical VAPER blend. In short, this is an anomalous VAPER ? very different and yet very good. Anniversary Kake, like Dorisco Mixture, is one of those blends you actually have to try for yourself to see what it?s all about.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this blend 9.6 out of 10.

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Buster Bluth (56)	2006-11-24		Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

I was inspired to purchase this stuff based on other reviews, but it definitely needs more time to age, IMHO. Found it to be similar to McClelland bulk 5120 Va Ribbon. Too wet and too fruity. Into a Mason Jar it goes for a few mos. if not years. I like my Va's a little woodsier.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-06-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

WOW!! Russ Ouellette has really outdone himself with this one! I recently acquired 2 very nice unsmoked clay "Tavern Pipes" from the Estate of the late Tom Dunn (Founder/Editor of The Pipe Smokers Ephemeris) and was trying to figure out what tobacco to smoke in them. Well, this is it!! The tobacco rubs out exremely well and I must say, smells wonderful right out of the tin! I confess I tried this in a briar and got little to no flavor, but in a clay, WOW!! The tobacco's just sing..all the way down the bowl, the wonderful marriage of the high quality Virginias with the Perique is fantastic! Not overpowering, and a completely relaxing smoke. I am definitely going to order more of this and put it away to age. Highly Recommended! I wish there was a five star rating, this would get it!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	huffnpuff (53)	2006-04-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Wow,this is some nice tobacco. My sample came moist burned nice and cool ,breaking was good and loose leaving this sticky tomato paste smell on my fingers I thought I was smoking tomato soup or something like that .But it is very good and will smoke more for sure. I smoked this in my homemade claypipe .

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipepundit (168)	2006-04-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A delicious concoction of virginias and perique, Anniversay Kake bears a family resemblance to Esoterica's Dunbar in the taste and flavour profile. Dunbar is a little more sweet, AK a little more tart, but both have comparable quality of basic and condimental tobacco.

The usual caveats on smoking with care apply. Greedily smoking bowl after bowl I managed to sear my tongue.

An excellent smoke and highly recommended without any reservations.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-02-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Anniversary Kake from Russ Ouellette is yummy stuff. Mine came in a 1oz sticky yummy brick that was fun to rub out, stained my fingers nicely =). This is a perfect balance in the Vaper genre. The Virginia and the Perique marry so lovely in this delicious kake. It goes without saying I thoroughly enjoyed this smoke. I will gobble some more of this sticky kake up for sure. Everything I have put in a bowl from Russ has been top notch.

This blender definitely loves what he does and we reap the benefits thereof...thanks Russ! 3.5 stars...almost 4.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-01-17		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

The trick to making a good Virginia/Perique blend is balance; balance between the red and lemon Virginias tempered by just the right kiss of Perique. Therein lies one of the secrets to this blend's success; Russ has nailed that perfect amount of the peppery Louisiana leaf.

One other thing I also love about this tobacco is its' cake form. I really enjoy rubbing out the correct amount to the texture I want. AK does come a little moist and some have reported success with drying it a bit before smoking it.

The taste is nothing short of exquisite. Tangy notes from the lemon Virginias mingling with the sweetness of the reds with the peppery Perique tones adding spice to the mix. Complexity is this blend's middle name. Towards the bottom of the bowl, the Perique moves more towards center stage to finish off the smoke.

Packing, lighting, and relights are all above average, particularly for a cake tobacco. Being a cake, it is also easier to store, since it takes up less room than a bulk tobacco.

Scores; Taste- 19 of 20; Packing and lighting- 8 of 10; Value- 9 of 10. That comes out to 36 points, the highest score I have totalled to date. Anniversary Kake gets ** big time!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-01-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Russ has another great blend to his credit here. The darker colors of the tobaccos used announce what sweet pleasure is to be found when smoked slowly. Earthy high and low notes associated with Virginia leaf moderated by Perique are present from start to finish. My sample was well hydrated and presented only a minimum of trash commonly associated with use of the whole leaf. A perfect counterpoint to a good cup of hot beverage it makes a good all day smoke to those so inclined. Smooth and rich, it burns to a fine grey ash leaving a desire for more as an only regret. I must get some more of this for ageing, which it should do nicely. Don't let this one get away without trying some.

Meerschaum Man Smoking a circa ' 83 Ural Meerschaum

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (563)	2023-01-24		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Jar note of tart plums, sugar, and rum. Tobacco is dark and medium brown Krumble Kake. Moisture content is a little high, drying may be needed for some. Kake breaks apart and rubs out easily. Burns slow with few extra relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. Flavoring is mild, with notes of spiced rum. Flavoring plays nicely with the tobacco, then it dissipates around the first 1/4. Taste is medium and fairly consistent, with notes of wood, leather, spiced dark fruit, dry earth, floral, hay, fermented sour, tangy citrus, mildly spicy, savory, sweet grass, lemon zest, mildly acidic, vinegary, a very bready background note, and a peppery retro. Virginias are leading with Perique and Flavoring supporting. Room note is pleasant, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 2016 Northern Briars Premier Rox Cut #4 Prince

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ZachJJ (14)	2023-01-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Mellow, savory, tangy, naturally sweet. Bread and malt, alternates with vinegar and musty sweetness. Has a mature and antique vibe like a second hand book store next to a French bakery. A staple of my cellar.

Pipe Used: Stanwell large bent Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 2+ Years

Purchased From: P & C

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mijnnif (130)	2022-06-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Bag note is very pleasant sweet and slightly sour slight citrus. Defiantly Crumble Cake. Rubs out very easily. The perique is not overwhelming but its there with the Virginia. It took me to the 1/2 way point to taste the chocolate in this. It hides for a bit but at the 1/2 way point in the bowl it comes out very nicely just a light coco note with the other flavors. I was very pleased with this blend and I will easily give it 4 stars. Nic hit is mild to medium. Not sure I would smoke this all day but defiantly could do a few bowls . I smoked this is a deep bowl and I think it helped the flavors come out. Burns fairly quickly but very even. If you like a light coco taste with your Vaper this is highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Modified Peterson with condenser

Age When Smoked: fresh bag

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

Similar Blends: Similar to HU Makhuwa.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2016-10-24		Very Mild	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

Good aromatic topped with rum and maybe some wine. Sweet & sour, with an underlying note of nut and cocoa. Low nicotine content and very wet from humectant. Could not taste any perique, but felt an ever-so-slight tingle in nostrils upon retro-hale. One of the better aromatics.

Pipe Used: Dr. Hardy billiard

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: Lane Limited - 1-Q, Sutliff Tobacco Company - Molto Dolce (Sutliff Private Stock).

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-10-27		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

smells great out of the tin doesn't pack or burn well underwhelming in the taste department but give it a shot if you can try it for free like I did

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2013-01-25		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

AK is a rough mix and the flavors revolve around and a constant surprise. To me this has "age it" written all over it. I can't wait to try the jars I have at one year and five, and hopefully have some left by ten years. This is one that I'll be stocking beside my BBF and FVF for the future years of enjoyment. The difference being I know what to expect in my planks, but this crumble is going to have some surprises.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-09-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a wonderful blend. The crumbled presentation is very easy to pack. My tin is very moist. I have found that allowing it to air out for at least an hour makes it much easier to smoke. Even then, it still has a moist texture, but behaves much better.

My advice is to pack it tightly and draw very gently. You will be rewarded with a slightly sweet smoke. The first light is heavenly. I get a faint graham cracker taste. Absolutely fantastic. Higly recommend. I have been smoking it in a large bowled Ser Jacopo picta magritte and loving every bowl. Allow it to dry a bit or you may have difficulty keeping it lit. Pack it a little tighter than you think you should. I can't recommend it enough. Russ has given us a very tasty blend here!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-06-21		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Chocolate and Raisins, nice room note, burns well in most of my pipes

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is my first VAPER so keep this in mind. I recieved a sample of this blend after it was stored for 6 months and dried out to the correct moisture level by a differint person. It had very low bite, smoked with a lot of flavor. I got the VA sweetness and the perique was definatley not overpowering, as many reviewers have stated after about 6 months or so, that it goes into the background. I definatley want to order more of this before it runs out and to celler it for a while.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-09-23		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

As far as Vaper's go, for my enjoyment, First came 2015, then Fillmore. Now...after smoking two 8 ounce tins, Anniversary Kake is my number one Vaper. Upon opening the tins, the tobacco in both was in medium sized broken chunks. A little rubbing out and a few hours of drying time and this is a great smoke. Smooth, creamy, sweet and a tad musty. Perfect with a cup of coffee on the porch swing in the late evening. Great natural notes of cocoa in both the aroma and flavor. Burns clean, dry and to the bottom of the bowl. Has been very consistent and a 4 star blend for me.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-07-28		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

To me this is just a good tasty tobacco. It does not have any especially amazing qualities; however it burns well, packs well, lights well, smells good, tastes good, doesn't bite, and has a nice little dose of vitamin N.

I do pick up the chocolate figgy notes, but for me I get that in the taste. The flavor really comes out on a slow drawl, and a wide open exhale. I don't really associate this with a topping. It is just a natural tobacco taste.

Best in a medium sized bowl of your choice. I would buy more, but currently have a lot of new blends to work through.

I am saving 4 stars for tobaccos that blow me away, but I do recommend trying this blend, and I will likely buy more if it is available.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-06-26		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I was gifted a mason jar crammed full of Anni Kake recently. It smelled like the description says, of figs with a hint of chocolate. The tobacco was purchased February 2010, but it was still moist. Looks like a good quality crumble cake type.

I rubbed out a good quantity and thought I would try it without any dry time. I loaded a Wiley freehand with a large bowl. Anni Kake lit fairly easily and was smooth and sweet from the start. My Wiley has an easy draw, so it was easy to smoke it slow, but still get a nice volume of smoke.

The flavor remained to the bottom of the bowl, which lasted nearly an hour. About 2/3 down, I had to set the pipe down for 20 minutes and come back to it. This tobacco DGT's well too. After a quick relight, the flavor was right back without any ashy taste.

I'm glad I received a good 6-7 ounces of this blend because I really like it. I wouldn't mind putting away a pound in the cellar to make sure it's around when I want it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-05-22		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco, while not high quality, was wonderfully chocolate covered cherry flavored, and burned well, when I first tried it two years ago? based on others' reviews. Unfortunately the taste has gone downhill since.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-12-31		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Arrived in slightly broken-up 2X4 cakes. They were a little moist and could have used some aging. The pouch aroma, as described by the blender, is a very unique figs/prunes/chocolate that I like a great deal. The smoking flavor is consistent with the pouch aroma. It burns well with a little drying and easily stays lit with a slow pace. One of my current favorites and deserving of 4 stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-09-27		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

When i first bought this and smoked i fell in love with it. Gots a great smell and a great chocolate cake taste to it. This has became one of my favorite tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-08-29		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

To me, this is the epitome of a fine VaPer tobacco. Interesting complex flavor components, wonderful tin aroma, cool smoking and bite free. I like to smoke this in a big bent Meer to pull the most out of this smoke. The taste is creamy, rich and sweet with undertones of dates and raisins. Highly recommended!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-08-26		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

It's my first v+p bland.It smell nice.I think the blander has mix some red wine in it.The taste is very sweet.I have to say the Anniversary Kake is a wonderfel bland.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-05-27		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very smooth and pleasant Virginia blend. Tasty and easy on the tongue. It's relatively inexpensive and keeps fresh for a long time in its cake form. Love opening the jar of this and taking a big whiff! Will certainly be ordering more of this next time I order from pipesandcigars!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-05-09		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I loved the taste of this blend. However, it appeared to be missing something? I blended 2 ounces of Kake with 2 ounces of Tinderbox Burley Light and for me, that was the trick! I know that may be blasphemy to some on this board, but I love the way this blend now stays lit. I've been hitting this as an all day smoke for a few weekends now.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-05-07		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Russ has proved himself a genius in my book with this superb blend. For me it was just right out of the pouch for moisture content. The flavor is fantastic!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-04-26		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I like this one well enough that, after ordering a 4 oz sample, I ordered 2 lbs. That should say it all! Great smoke! I can't say enough about it. It's better if you let it dry for a half hour or so, but it's really good straight out of the bag (or jar, or whatever).

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-03-14		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

WOW. I love this tobacco. This is elegant, intellectual stuff for the sophisticated palate. The aroma of this kake is rich, sweet, and luscious, with lots of earthy overtones, dates, and raisins. It looks and smells so good I almost ate it. The flavor and aroma convey all of these elements nicely in the smoke, along with a delicious, mildly spicy truffle element from the perique. The VA flavor is smooth and rich, and this stuff is beautifully balanced. I cannot recommend this highly enough. It burns beautifully, has no bite, and smokes great in any pipe I've tried it in (including clay tavern pipes, cobs, and briars). This is my favorite weed right now, no question. If you are looking for something strong and aggressive, this is not the best choice, but if you want a refined, beautifully orchestrated, contemplative smoke, this is it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-01-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

first review guys. this is far and away one of the finest tobaccos i've smoked in 30 plus years. i've always sought a non aromatic smoke that gave flavor and rich layers. this one is spot on for me. lights beautifully and keeps it's character through the entire bowl. it is not a bowl you over smoke. Mc 2015 does that nicely and StJames flake is over the top for me. if Marie Antoinette had offered the masses this 'kake' she'd have kept her head. morning, noon and night a lovely smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-12-19		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

So many others have stated the samething I am going to say. This is nice tobacco. Medium in flavor with good smoke volume. I am a puffer and I have found just a little bite. I consider when I do get "bitten" by any tobacco it is my fault because of that.

I recommend reading the reviews below and take a chance. For the price it is hard to beat. AK is in my regular rotation and I lookf forward to each bowl I smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-11-10		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Not much to add to these glowing review except the volume of my voice. This is an absolute premium blend at a bargain basement price. I buy it bulk and celler most of it, as this is one of those blends we are going to cry over when it is gone.

For new smokers, this is an easy tobacco to appreciate, and as you become more experienced, it's complexity will unfold for you.

Buy it. Smoke it. Enjoy it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-09-30		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Update: I'm finding the more I smoke a pipe that the more I find that it takes many many bowls of a particular tobacco to get a real 'feel' for it. It's like eating food, at times you will have the best bowl of ice cream that you ever had in your life, then the next day you'll have a bowl of the same ice cream and it's just OK. That's one of the reasons I like to rotate my toaccos, it just seems at times I have the perfect blend at the perfect time and life is good!

That said, I'm finding that after many bowls of this blend the first light seems to be pretty harsh indeed, but about mid bowl I can't put it down, and I often find myself with that feeling of 'the best tobacco in my life', but the next day it's just OK and another blend rises above this one.

Original Review: I was a bit disappointed when I first got this tobacco becuase it's the first pressed tobacco that I've ever bought. It's amazing how it can be compressed into a small block, and I've always wondered how they come up with the weights, do they weigh it real wet, or is it based on dry weight, do you get more tobacco when buying a dry bulk blend, do the aromatics cost less because of the weight of the propylene glycol? And what is the effect of smoking propylene glycol with your tobacco? Well we don't have to worry about that with this tobacco because it is all natural with no 'casings' added.

After smoking some low nicotine aromatics, no tobacco taste strong nicotine aromatics, and smokey latakia blends, I have to say that this is a welcome change and will have a permanent place in my rotation. This truely is 'spicey' as they say, and has significant nicotine as well. I am an infrequent smoker, having about a bowl a day, and I have to say that this blend really satisfies. Highly recommended. Not sure about the room note as I always smoke alone outside, and I don't think a smoker can really tell what the room note is unless another person is in the room, but I listed it as 'pleasant'.

Update: After trying several other blends I came back to this one. Usually after half a bowl I dump it and move on to other activites but upon smoking this one a second time I found that I just couldn't bring myself to dump the bowl, it was that good. It's surely one of my favorites.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-08-05		Medium	Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

I started smoking a pipe (2nd time round) in April. I ordered 10 different types of tobacco. After several months all are gone, or close to it. I don't think I am experienced enough to give an in-depth analysis, but I can say, Ann. Kake is on the top of my list of 3(out of the original 10) that I will re-order. It was good enough to get my girlfriend to start smoking a pipe (this is her preferred tobacco as well). Definitely worth anyone's time and money to try once.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-22		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

A good, strong, VaPer... but... the taste is a bit harsh at times. I prefer C&D Night Train which to my ignorant palate is just as flavorful and nic laden but smoother and more consistently well behaved.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-19		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I am a die-hard McClelland Virginia fan; no apologies. Now, after smoking AK for a month, I would pick this tobacco as the one I would want to be stranded on an island with. At times, I cannot tell the Perique presence at all. Others, it sneaks out at the end of the bowl, but doesn't slap my taste buds silly. The most notable aspect of this smoke is that, as soon as I finish a bowl, I want to fire another one up. I can't get it to bite and the palate aftertaste is nil. I have a few pounds cellared and may well add to that before the summer is over. Kudos to Russ on a grand slam.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-19		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

What can I say that the other's haven't already said? This was my first non-aromatic. It's flat out a great smoke! Smells great, tastes great, highly recommended! I'll definitely be cellaring some of this!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-13		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I have just finished the very generous sample of Anniversary Kake that P&C sent with my last order, and I'm hooked! This has become my first smoke of the day. Easy to crumble and load-up, easy to light, sweet, with just enough perique to spice it up. I'm ordering a pound, no, two pounds incase they run out of this stuff! If you like VAPERs, do yourself a favor and try this one out.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-06		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

My sample of Anniversary Kake arrived with a perfect moisture level and was easy to prepare for smoking. After switching back and forth between this blend and Hal O' the Wynd (another blend I like), I can't decide which one I prefer. AK smokes cooler for me, but HOTW better satisfies my nicotine craving. I plan to buy a pound of Anniversary Kake for aging.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-01		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

This is based on a relatively small sample from a buddy of mine that arrived fully rubbed out. Probably five bowls or so, perhaps a bit more. I found this blend to be a bit on the sweet side and a little bit goopy as well. It had a nice rich flavor without being overpowering and no noticeable amount of nicotine.

This blend strikes me as a VA/Per crossover blend as it has a lot of aromatic characteristics.

Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No. For me personally I'd prefer McClelland 2015... that's just more up my alley.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-05-07		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am certainly pleased with this blend. puff after puff i was rewarded with a smooth sweet n' peppery taste that lingers. the perique is noticable which gives the blend an extra kick.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-04-01		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Almost a mystical tobacco. Taste is wonderfully addictive. I am mainly a smoker of strong english blends, but, for some unknown reason, this one is a go to every day. A must try for all pipe smokers.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-14		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Anni Kake is a very nice bulk blend. It's cheap and it is a great smoke. The aroma in the bag is fruity with a hint of chocolate. It also appears to be like 5100 hundred if 5100 was in cake form. It is very satisfying but needs a long time to dry out to smoking level, very wet. My biggest complaint is the moisture and I wish there was a bit more perique in this blend. Overall it's good stuff.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The prelite note is chocolate cakiness, the room note (although I was smoking outside, so the backyard note) was pleasant, typical VA scent to me.

the first half of the bowl was sweet, chocolate/figgy-raisin, etc. really good. I enjoyed it. The second half of the bowl was more typical of perique to me, I got some pepper in addition to the va flavor. It was still somewhat muted though, and not offensive to the palate. Great Tobak, definitely my dessert island smoke

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-02-19		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

very easy to smoke! I have some of this stuff that i aged now for 3 years and it just gets better with time

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-02-02		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This kake rolls out very nice. Perfect balance between moisture and loft- it packs very easily. The smell upon breaking it or while in the bag is of raisins, plum, fig and a bit of vanilla with a definite promise of a clean tobacco taste. The charring light brought a wonderful sweet cherry and charcoal aroma to my nose and I became very excited about this blend. This blend reminds me of some the house blends of my local tobaccanist offers- the aroma is almost aromatic but the taste is where this blend excels. The perique shows it self as a smooth, cool and sweet addition- not very spicy through the nose. I miss that aspect a bit. The lemons come and go adding a bit of citrus to the blend. It burns well enough and overall is a wonderful blend.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

An interesting tobacco that comes in a sticky pressed block. A bit difficult to light unless dried out, but tasty nonetheless. Overall a very good creation by Russ. A word of caution, smoke slow it it will bite you. If I had any complaints about this tobacco, that would be the only one.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-17		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

Ahhh! What can I say about this -- smooth, smooth and then even smoother!

"Mouth-watering" is very correct with richness and enjoyment blended in to the core.

Buy some to smoke now and some to put up for aging, but buy plenty as you will go through it quickly.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-02		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Great price, great flavor, just great! Almost a cross between an aromatic and an english.

But... don't even try it until you dry it!!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-11-26		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Pepper on everything including my tobacco! If you love perique... This blend is for you. I thought I liked perique, but after this blend it was confirmed that I love the stuff. While I still feel this blend is evenly balanced, and perique is not overloaded, some others think so. Spicy, Sweet, and Smooth is what you can expect from this blend. Highly recommended.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-10-17		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This Kake is superb in every way. Very pleasurable to smoke and was also very easy to light. The strength of the tobacco was just how I liked it very mellow and not at all overwhelming. The flavoring was very light, chocolaty and was suited well for this blend. I found the smoke thoroughly enjoyable and would highly recommend to anyone. Thank you Mr. Ouellette for what I consider one of the best tobacco blends I have ever smoked.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-09-17		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

For some reason it isn't letting me review this w/o complaining about some HTML formatting junk... so i have to cut my review short.

Basically all you need to know is that there's no defining characteristic that makes this an outstanding tobacco... it's just darn good stuff and i can't tell you why. I ask myself the same thing every time i smoke it, "What do i like so much about this?" I'll never know, but I love this blend regardless. A reviewer before me said something to this extent and i'm backing him up. Oh and just try to get this blend to bite... literally try it. You'll probably pass out from a buzz before it bites your tongue.

There are times when i was sipping on it that I actually tasted chocolate cake. I dunno if that's just because i associate it's name "kake" w/ the actual food subconsciously... or that it actually tastes like it. Either way, look for it. It was quite pleasing once i found it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-05-05		Medium	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I tried this after talking to Mr. O at a pipe show, and was very pleased, initially. "Yum, yum, eatem up," I believe is how the saying runs? My third purchase was the problem -- all I can taste is bite. A bit of the peppery perique, but it burns hot and has little to know taste. Must be running out of the stuff. I would cellar, but my experience with doing so is iffy. I have smoked twenty year old virginia that everyone was raving about, but I believe the emperor was in his altogether.

Sorry, Pipesandcigar.com dudes, but I'll stick with the 965 and the 2010 with my own perique blended in.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-05-01		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

While on my trip down the VAPER hiway I tried AK. I liked it enough from the first bowl to turn around and order a pound to cellar. Each time that I revisit this blend I find that I like it even more. From rub-out, pack, light, sip, to the end of the bowl, one word comes to mind...........pleasureable. It could certainly become a "go to" smoke. 'nuff said I give it

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-07-19		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This one starts out as a very nice Virginia, producing creamy clouds of smoke with some chocolate-like notes. The Perique is barely there at first, slowing begining to show itself. By half-bowl, the Perique makes itself known in no uncertain terms.

If you are not a fan of Perique, stay away from AK. This is one spicy meatball.

A joy to look at, work with and smoke, this is a masterpiece from Russ Ouellette. A must try for Va/Per lovers.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2006-04-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is yet another one of Russ Ouellette's masterpiece blends from the Hearth & Home series. The cake is packaged in in 1 ounce pressed blocks about 4 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. The appearence is a brown, yellow and black mixture that is rather sticky to the touch. Upon opening the bag, a sweet yet grassy aroma comes forth.

This blend would probably light a bit easier if dried out. However, once it is lit it generally burns slow but consistant. This blend provides a creamier smoke than most VA/PER blends I've tried in the past. The flavor is nothing short of wonderful. A sweet, creamy treat with just the right amount of perique that should not be missed. A wonderful smoke. Four stars and then some.

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