Just For Him Ruins of Isengard

(3.12)
The fifth blend in our Middle-Earth Pipeweed Series. Burley, Virginia, Latakia, and Cavendish tobaccos are blended together to form this thick, satisfying smoke.

Details

Brand Just For Him
Series Middle Earth Pipeweed
Blended By Bob Schafer
Manufactured By  
Blend Type American
Contents Black Cavendish, Burley, Cavendish, Latakia, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

Strength
Mild
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.12 / 4
13

12

9

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 34 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 11, 2009 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
This is the last of the Just For Him tobacco samples that I recently received from a fellow TRC member who wanted me to try them and then post reviews.

Although the descriptive above indicates no Latakia in this blend I sure detected it... I do believe the Black Cavendish is flavored with something but I have not a clue as to what. The delicate sweetness of the Cavendish enhanced the Virginia presence and the hint of Latakia "manned up" the smoke to the point where I liked it.

A most unusual blend and it was probably my favorite in the series.
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 10, 2015 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
Tons of thick, delicious smoke! I thoroughly enjoyed the smoky taste of latakia combined with the caramelized sweetness this blend offers. It reminds me of marshmallows left a bit too long over a fire in that way. Room note is pleasing, moisture is great. This blend burns beautifully in my meer. I typically like my aromatic blends to be heavier on taste but "Ruins" refuses to be held back by my preconceptions. I really like this blend as a departure from my usual aro routine. I will be buying more of this smoky blend to have some on hand regularly.
Pipe Used: my test meer and my relaxing briar poker
PurchasedFrom: Just for Him
Age When Smoked: fresh
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 01, 2014 Very Mild Medium to Strong Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
Caramel in a bowl.

Loads of big flavourful caramel taste in an ultra smooth, completely bite-free blend. This is a wonderful aro, I don't get all that much tobacco taste, the VA comes through here and there, but this is all about the aroma, and what a nice one it is. Its sweet without being cloying, monotone without being boring, and so hassle-free that you can really enjoy it without messing with it.

Wouldn't order a huge amount of it, nice to have on hand for a change of pace.

3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 27, 2011 Mild to Medium Mild to Medium Medium Very Pleasant
This being myfirst foray into latakia anything; I will say wow what a wonderful intro. This is a mildly sweet incredibly smooth full smoke. While the sweet hovers and lingers behind a rustic smooth campfire smokey flavor. But this is not a hard smoke to the uninitiated it is an inviting, and again smooth comforting smoke. More mature in flavor than say a black cordial for comparison. The gentle almost marshmallow charcter of the sweetness is supported by a vanilla or honey hint. I can't place what Ruins is. Other than fun satisfying and a good smoke. Highly recommend This, and I may venture into latakia because of this delicious welcome. You wont be disappointed. Room note is wonderful, array and business like just good.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 17, 2016 Mild Medium Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
This is really a singular blend. I guess I would classify it as an aromatic English. The Latakia dominates this smoke but in an unusual way. There is some smokiness to it, naturally, as well as that soapy backdrop from the wood/leaves used to cure it, probably laurels and bays or similar. However, I get intense incense, like frankincense and sandalwood. My imagination takes me to lamp lit bazaar after nightfall. If this isn't flavored I would be shocked, otherwise the preparation of the Latakia was really interesting. It's a sweet and perfumy fragrance, but utterly unlike the Lakelands, as it's dark and brooding. I would call it good and interesting. Maybe next time I'll try it in a hookah. It's strongly scented, but not overwhelming and the base tobaccos are present though muted.

Like other tobaccos in this series, it is heavily cased with propylene glycol, and thus makes one hell of a cloud of smoke with good burning characteristics.

Overall it's an enjoyable smoke. It's like nothing else that I've come across and on that basis alone is worth a try, but even on its own merits it is decent. Probably not something I'll buy again, but certainly memorable.
PurchasedFrom: Just For Him
Age When Smoked: Fresh
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 14, 2015 Medium Mild to Medium Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The third blend I tried from middle earth sample pack. Lit and stayed lit after initial Light/tamp/relight like the other two I've tired so far, Treebeard and Shortcut to Mushrooms, then this one. Not sure how to label this one, could taste the quality blending ingredients but since it is to mirror the fall of isengard(flooded ruins) I detected like the first two an intended earthy flavour to it. This also burned slightly hot like Shortcut to Mushrooms but not untolerable, I sip/puff often. Unlike the two previous blends(Treebeard,Shortcut to Mushrooms) it did not build a sweetness to it but seemed very consistent throughout, maybe a slight nuttyness near the end. Burns very even, no gurgle at all.
Pipe Used: Kaywoodie drinkless billiard style
PurchasedFrom: Just for Him
Age When Smoked: Just opened from sample pack
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jun 06, 2015 Mild to Medium Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
This tobacco was a bit confusing....couldn't tell if it wanted to be an english or an aromatic. Latakia was present and then the cavendish, that has some type of casing on it, would take center stage. Hints of vanilla with some sweetness from the VAs and some smokiness from the Latakia. Not a bad smoke. By the end of the bowl it actually grows on you a bit. It's pleasant, but I don't think I'll be ordering more. There are other blends that utilize latakia along with aromatic components that are better, IMHO (Momoyama, Fusilers Ration)
Pipe Used: Churchwarden, Billard, Corn-Cob
PurchasedFrom: Just For Him
Age When Smoked: New from store - 1-5 years
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 29, 2014 Mild to Medium Mild Medium to Full Pleasant
I got this as part of the sampler. I'm not sure, but I think the favors all married together bc they packed all the blend packets in one bag. I got samples of three others bc they were out of exhausted rooster at the time. Unfortunately, they were all packed in with the sampler as well. Insofar as a bag note, no clues here. Aromatic. A big mish mash of fruit and vanilla. Maybe berries in there too.

The mixture is pleasant to the eye. Reminds me of any number of house blends. I've noticed people saying that the moisture level was good for them. I retort. Those of us adults who read the books, and those younglings who saw the movie series may agree. If you recall, Isengard was flooded when a river was diverted into it in the battle with the ents. haha. The second half of the bowl was poetically ironic. I was upset, and thought I may have funked my new butcher boy (185$ pipe) when that river hit home.

Enough whining then. Packed very easily. On the charring light two women in the room commented on it smelling nice. That's like the first time that's ever happened to me. I swear I could taste butterscotch. Settling in, it lit deceptively well. Working through the bowl it was delicious. Sweet tasting, good volume of smoke for practicing rings with. Decent Latakia content. Didn't really notice it most of time however. Cool burning. Every once in awhile you get a little lat hit off it. About two thirds down it started to gurgle and hiss on me. I had to unload the pipe before I finished. I will definitely dry this out some next time.

All in all, I like it enough to recommend it to a aromatic smoker. I haven't smoked aros since I was about 15 yrs old, so it was fun to try one again. I may just be out of practice with them. It was very tasty and had a very pleasant room note. Good tobacco for mixed company. Not very strong nicotine wise, so it could be smoked whenever. Interesting mixture. Not really English to me, not really an aromatic either.
Pipe Used: Rattrays butchers boy (church warden stem)
PurchasedFrom: Just for him
Age When Smoked: New
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 20, 2017 Mild Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
This one started off tasting as it smelled in the bag. A mixture of Cavendish. Heavy with vanilla, fruity, and maybe some fig. I smoked it aggressively and it didn't burn too hot. No bite. The best part of this blend is the hint of latakia. You may not notice it the first few puffs, but it will show up if you're looking for it. Clever how it brings the slight smokiness to the blend considering the name. I enjoyed this smoke for the most part. The last third of the bowl, the flavour kind of thickens just enough to cover up the pleasant pinch of latakia providing a boring fourth quarter- This doesn't bug me much as I am usually satisfied by this point and rarely finish the very last bit. This blend is definitely in the realm of an all-day smoke and is good for those who want just a taste of latakia, but prefer smooth sweet cavendish. No relights and left my pipe fairly dry. I'll certainly smoke the rest of this bag and recommend it to any who are interested in trying it. A little less aromatic-vanilla and a bit more latakia would push this blend to 3 stars for me.
Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum, Corn Cob
PurchasedFrom: JustForHim.com
Age When Smoked: Fresh from Bulk
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 14, 2013 Medium Mild Medium Tolerable
I bought a few ounces of this along with Lane 1Q as my first tobaccos. Smoked a few bowls of this and then ordered a pound of it. I had one bowl that was just perfect. Burned properly, nice cool dry smoke. Great flavor, left a very faint sweet taste behind that I could taste, along with the tobaccos, on my lips for a few hours after smoking it. Still trying to get that great smoke out of it again. I like it enough that it will stay as one of my primary tobaccos. I have not had a bad smoke out of it yet.
1 person found this review helpful.
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