4noggins Bald Headed Teacher

This particular blend came with a pipe I bought, When I opened the box I could smell the aroma of this blend which was strong and unusual to me having smoked PA and CH for awhile, I didnt touch it for a week, Then I loaded up the pipe and lit up, I got through the first bowl and It was very good, It had a sweet and tangy taste along with the burley and something else that had a strong aftertaste when I finished, I found out that was the small amount of latakia that is blended in, after the second bowl it was on then, This blend packs and lights well, smokes well and tastes great with no bite, I highly recommend this blend even to the beginner who would like to ease into the latakia road, In fact I would recommened it for the new pipe smoker.

Great blend. Very satisfying smoke that gets better the more you smoke as you discover the flavors. So subtle. Hard to describe without it sounding gross...I mean, how can you love a nutty flavor coupled with some sweetness & that fantastic (very very very sparingly used) lat? Still, I cannot recommend highly enough. Added bonus: non-smokers in my home comment on how good it smells!

Excellent blend by Rich. Upon first light I am greeted by the warm mellow burleys that occasionally zest into the tang and sweetness of the Virginia, or the smokiness of the Latakia. While the burley definitely takes the main stage in this one, its nice that it lets the other tobaccos get a word in edgewise.

I found this to be a very harmonious blend overall. A very enjoyable and relaxing smoke.

The burley is the most prominent flavor here, but is carefully balanced with the virginias and the modest sprinkling of latakia. I like the fact the latakia doesn't dominate like it does in so many other blends. For some it might lack a bit of punch or body, but for me, it was just about right.

I found if I puffed a bit too quickly that it did bite a little bit, but I suspect that it was because the tobacco may have still been a tad damp. A few minutes of drying on a paper towel might make all the difference.

There seems to be some kind of casing here, something that provides a sweetness in the aftertaste and aroma. It is quite nutty and sweet and brings out the virginias. The latakia is more evident in the smell than the taste as far as I could tell.

If you are an aromatics smoker and are looking for an easy going blend that is a cross over to an English blend, then this would be a great choice. It is not a genuine English, but it is more English than aromatic I would say.

I have only smoked two bowls thus far so I will come back and update after I have made my way through the rest of the pouch. But I can already recommend it on the strength of what I have tried so far.

I saw someone describe this somewhere as "easy going". I think that fits nicely.

Nice low maintenance, low key smoke. Definitely somethign I could see soemone smoking ans their all day every day.

Other comments here are in line with my thoughts.

A little nutty, a sweetness. Just barely enough latakia to remind you once in awhile. Otherwise easy to forget its' there.

Also it grows on you in a strange way. First time I smoked it I liked it but was on now way "wowed".

Next bowl...good stuff. Whatever. Nice enough blend. I'll certainly smoke up the 4 ozs I bought.

But as days went by I started realizing I was specifically craving the old BHT. Really a nice blend. Fills a niche.

I tend to smoke it as a first bowl of the day more than any other right now.

Very good stuff. I cant' imagine anyone outright hating this blend. Certainly worthy of a try for any pipe smoker who likes to explore and experiment with a variety of blends.

UPDATE: 11/29/10

My wife rarely comments one way or the other as to room note.

The other night, unsolicited, she said BHT "makes a nice smell". A glowing review in context.

The predominant flavor of hazelnut and a subtle sweetness and light, characterizes this blend, and blend in the least that I received, I, taste of Latakia is very nearly (if not entirely) invisible. The color of this blend is a rather dark tone in general, not like the photo!! In general, almost all positive comments on this blend, there is something that I found. But honestly, after all the good reviews read here, I expected to be pleasantly surprised, which did not happen, because the same taste I found in other blends. One observation that I have to do is to take the reviews with relevant issues, by not later, unexpected surprises. If this blend can be seen that the majority agrees in its characteristics.

Wow, a latakia blend that actually DOES use the latakia very sparingly, in balance, to add interest and dimension to the smoking experience, rather than dumping in gobs of the stuff to sledgehammer your palate into submission and drown out the other tobaccos. This is pretty tasty and interesting stuff, indeed, with a good combination and interplay of flavors. The smooth, nutty burleys are constantly in control of the blend, with tangy-sweet, sugary virginias pushing through mid-bowl. The smokey latakia is savory and always present, but never overpowering. Plenty of rich, creamy smoke, and burns cool and dry down to a fine ash. Well done. Three stars.

I should mention how I was introduced to this blend...I received a very small amount of this mixture randomly in a little baggie, as a free surprise/thank-you sample, when I purchased a pipe from 4noggins. Well, it worked. After enjoying a few bowls of this I promptly ordered a half pound, and will order more. Good move guys, samples are a pleasant treat, are far and away the best marketing, and of course it worked here! Thank you!

Update: This fine, cool-smoking, long-burning, easy-lighting mixture is essentially what you'd get if you mixed the good characteristics of McClelland's Deep Hollow with a helping of Pease's Samarra and threw in a smattering of McClelland's Tastemaster. Good stuff, very mellow and enjoyable.

I really cannot say enough good things about this blend, especially in light of the fact that I am not the world's biggest burley fan. BHT is what I call an aromatic-english and it falls on the light side of that scale. It is a flavorful, structured english-style smoke with just a hint of sweetness that gives it a certain roundness, rather than the usual sharpness I find in burley blends. To my taste the sweetness is just that, not necessarily a flavor, but rather the sweetness you would find in a good sweet tea. Sweet, but not cloying or syrupy. I think that this blend would appeal to both english and aromatic lovers with something to satisfy both enough to keep them coming back.

I picked up 2oz of this tobacco because of the name. I am a somewhat balding eductator. I am glad I did. It smells great in the bag. It is easy to pack and stays lit. I love the creamy smoke this produces. I am a bit of a puffer and it hasn't bit me yet. The taste is mildly sweet with a bit of vanilla but nothing overpowering. I have smoked several bowls in a row doing things around the house and never felt a nicotine. This is a nice easy smoke to enjoy anytime of the day or all day. It might make a nice crossover for someone looking to try an aromatic to a less flavered tobacco or vice versa.

ENJOY!