4noggins Weybridge

I'm very surprised that I'm the first to review this blend. I can't say if it's a new blend, just recently having discovered 4 - N's (and very glad I did). I'll say straight off this is an early impression - not tempered by having tried in in various pipes, over time, etc. I ordered this because I fell in love with C & D's new Exhausted Rooster (damn near the Holy Grail) and this appeared to be close to the same blend (though it's not flake and I'm sure the ratios and specific tobaccos used must be somewhat different). But it has that same musty Perique aroma (love it, just love it) on top of the stoved VA and Burley mix. How can this go wrong? Well, it guess it could easily have gone South, but it seems to be a well designed and proportioned blend...with the Perique making it's presence known from top to bottom. It doesn't burn as easily as 4-N's self-smoldering "Down by the River" Burley blend...you have to attend to it. Maybe drying this one a bit would be a good idea - it gurgled a bit in my pipe...had to mop it with a cleaner twice. No biggie as I'm certainly a puffer. Be that as it may, this is certainly a winner in terms of flavor - high quality tobaccos here as I'm guessing in all their blends. It's nice to find another blender that really cares about that aspect...as the reviews of all their other blends will attest. My early read on this goes to three out of four stars. If further testing goes one way or the other I'll revise it. I have to add that to my mind there are maybe a half dozen blenders out there from which you can get good Burley - if you love Burley, you know who they are. Now I'm adding 4 Noggins to my short list of these.

Anyone expecting stoved Va in the fashion of McClelland or Rattrays is going to be a tad disappointed, There is no dark leaf in this blend at all, so regardless of any limitations of my nose, if there is stoved leaf here, it is stoved in a very conservative fashion. It also suggests the purported presence of perique is either imaginary or very very small.

Having said that, there IS the stewed fruits and sweaty socks aroma of both stoved leaf and perique. Don't ask me how.

It's not as rich and complex as the McC or Rattrays offerings and it certainly isn't a VaPer. It is a very good VaBur with a touch of condiment, again, don't ask me how, that lifts it beyond the usual standard codger blend.

Burns a treat and is easy in the pipe. The wife complained about the room note. Otherwise an inexpensive but enjoyable smoke that could easily be an all day choice.

4noggind - Weybridge.

A mostly medium and light brown ribbon, with the odd spot of black. The cut's slightly coarse and, as ever, from 4noggins, the moisture's smack on.

To my taste it's the Burley taking charge out of the leaves, having a slightly sweet, nutty flavour, the Virginia gives a solid support. The Perique seems to have been added very lightly, I can only pick out a touch of vinegar sourness, which I think hinders the blend a bit. I can't identify enough of the 'Other/Misc' flavouring to be able to label it. The burn from it's good, producing a cool smoke without bite.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant to tolerable.

Without the Perique this would be a solid four star blend, but the splash of Perique takes the shine off it! So, it falls a little short of being highly recommended:

Three stars.

A very interesting blend from 4 Noggins. More of a vabur as the perique has been added with a very light hand. Slightly sweet and savory in flavor, it packs well and burns cleanly. Well done! Recommended.

This is a great change of pace tobacco. I find the aftertaste a little bitter with a slight McClellands Vinegary taste (whiskey topping?), very unusual but nice.I tend to smoke this when I'm a rush and just need that N hit. This packs easy, lites easy and with a little tamping, it keeps burning great while inside or out. I love the Perique hit when blown through the nose and this never bites no matter how hard you"stoke it",although I agree with some reviewers that say it needs some drying, the burley stays in the background. It has some sweet notes but this is not a tobacco I smoke to savor and contemplate, although it is nice when sipped. A good "on the go" tobacco that's great in a cob. It's my go too tobacco for those short trips to the store or work around the yard. This is very similar to P&C Sunza Bitches and OJK but I think this is mellower. I always want to keep this around.

Updated 9/8/11 I was looking for that evening smoke but my tonque just about had it. In the back of the cellar was some Weybridge, only cellared for about 6 months. What a treat, sweet, no bite good "N". Totally improved tobacco in only 6 months and now complex and very smooth unlike OJK that I find harsh. Want a little more spice, go for Prarrie Wind or C&D's 3 Friers but if you want something that you can really suck the "N" , Weybridge is for you ( great for us Northern Winter Smokers who can only stand outside for a few minutes)

Updated 2/27/2012- I recieved a new batch of this blend and I was a little disappointed with the consistency. It seems as though the Burley shows through more and doesn't have the Perique hit or topping note. I've got to take this down one star.

This is a gentle Three Nuns, I prefer Prairie Wind a little more because of personality and unreferable flavor.

I have a lot of tobacco in the rotation every day, when you are bored, Prairie Wind will give you a different reminder, Weybridge is a well-behaved boy.

When I opened the bag, I smelled a pair of stinky socks that could stand up.I had to do it outside in the open

When I first received this sample in my shipment I was really excited because of all the reviews I had read on this site. Was I ever disappointed, I got the bread flavour from the Virginias but that was it, this blend was just too wet: like a moist towlette to get much of anything. After a few months of drying in an old tin, I got what all the excitement was about. Very nice tobacco, tending toward the sweet side in terms of flavour, I find the burley is in the background on this one. Can't give it four stars, just too much drying time