Low Country Pipe & Cigar Santee
(3.07)
The Santee River has been central to South Carolina history since early colonial times. Particularly suited to rice cultivation, the swamps of the Santee River soon gave rise to stately manors. This sophisticated Virginia based aromatic captures the languid lifestyle that was synonymous with the region. Subtly fruity, with hints of apple, this would be the perfect accompaniment to a mint julep on a sultry summer night.
Details
| Brand | Low Country Pipe & Cigar |
| Blended By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Apple |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Very Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.07 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 06, 2010 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Very Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I had high hopes for Santee when I added it to an order a few months back. On paper, it seemed a perfect choice—a light aromatic (which I like) that evolved as a result of the collaborative efforts of one of my favorite blenders and one of my favorite online sources for pipes and tobacco. I'd already tried “Black,” another of their collaborative efforts, and a tobacco I think of as a small masterpiece of the blender's art. How could I go wrong with Santee?
It's entirely possible that I'm just getting old and my tongue is turning to leather, but I find Santee more than a little shy on flavor. In the tin, Santee is a mix of medium brown and light brown leaf, golden yellow Virginia, and about 5-10% black Cavendish—probably that nice unsweetened stuff C & D likes to use. The aroma in the tin is very pleasant. Sometimes it reminds me of a well-spiced apple sauce, while other times, I'm transported to the state fair and surrounded by caramel apples. But the tin aroma, pleasant as it is, never seems to linger in the pipe for me beyond the charring light.
The cut? I believe the polite term is “rough.” But I prefer to call it “half-assed.” Prep time is nothing compared to a rope but I do find that I invariably have to pull apart great chunks of leaf and tear them down a bit before loading. Moisture levels are fine and I found that after the first few smokes, I was able to load straight from the tin with no additional drying required.
The smoke itself is also pleasant—dry, moderately smokey. The only thing that was missing was any sort of compelling flavor. Despite the fact that this is advertised as a “Virginia-based” aromatic, I find it smokes more like a rather plain Burley—Carter Hall in a pretty tin. There is as little Virginia sweetness as there is aromatic intensity and as the bowl progresses, familiar Burley themes tend to arrive on the scene: faintly nutty flavors, increasing astringency, and the creeping flavor of bitterness. With every bowl, I kept thinking things might change, but the tin is now empty and it's not likely that I'll give this one another chance.
It's entirely possible that I'm just getting old and my tongue is turning to leather, but I find Santee more than a little shy on flavor. In the tin, Santee is a mix of medium brown and light brown leaf, golden yellow Virginia, and about 5-10% black Cavendish—probably that nice unsweetened stuff C & D likes to use. The aroma in the tin is very pleasant. Sometimes it reminds me of a well-spiced apple sauce, while other times, I'm transported to the state fair and surrounded by caramel apples. But the tin aroma, pleasant as it is, never seems to linger in the pipe for me beyond the charring light.
The cut? I believe the polite term is “rough.” But I prefer to call it “half-assed.” Prep time is nothing compared to a rope but I do find that I invariably have to pull apart great chunks of leaf and tear them down a bit before loading. Moisture levels are fine and I found that after the first few smokes, I was able to load straight from the tin with no additional drying required.
The smoke itself is also pleasant—dry, moderately smokey. The only thing that was missing was any sort of compelling flavor. Despite the fact that this is advertised as a “Virginia-based” aromatic, I find it smokes more like a rather plain Burley—Carter Hall in a pretty tin. There is as little Virginia sweetness as there is aromatic intensity and as the bowl progresses, familiar Burley themes tend to arrive on the scene: faintly nutty flavors, increasing astringency, and the creeping flavor of bitterness. With every bowl, I kept thinking things might change, but the tin is now empty and it's not likely that I'll give this one another chance.
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