Details
| Brand | Van Erkoms |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | Caramel |
| Cut | Ready Rubbed |
| Packaging | 100 grams packet |
| Country | South Africa |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Very Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.77 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2015 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
OK, up till now, I was very unpatriotic and harsh about our South African blends and the general availability of imported tobacco. I started a YT series on South African tobaccos (or as mo put it, the African blends) - with this I do not mean the SA tobacconist houseblends like Wesleys or JJ Cale, but the inexpensive 'unaldultered' tobaccos from Van Eerkoms - Jock, Assegai, Fox etc.
I was pleasantly surprised with this blend although I would not yet give it a 4 star. Lets start describing typical African blends - less sweet, spicy and earthy, probably more on the stronger side of the spectrum.
Tin: surprising, fresh smell of tobacco with notes of vanilla & caramel. First Light: at first light, something of a caramelish taste comes to the fore, but the earthy (like the smell of a fresh winters morning in the bushveld), is more prominent. As you puff away, every now and then, a slight spiciness calls your attention. A real surprise as this tobacco awakens your senses throughout the bowl.
Overall. Every time I lit my pipe, I got that immediate earthy tones which was very pleasing. As you smoke it, the spiciness (cloves ?) became more evident. The aroma around your head is a very pleasant earthy mouldy aroma. The caramel is less evident as you continue throughout the bowl, but this tobacco is never boring. Inexpensie, yet good. R65 for 100g ($5 for 4 oz).
I was pleasantly surprised with this blend although I would not yet give it a 4 star. Lets start describing typical African blends - less sweet, spicy and earthy, probably more on the stronger side of the spectrum.
Tin: surprising, fresh smell of tobacco with notes of vanilla & caramel. First Light: at first light, something of a caramelish taste comes to the fore, but the earthy (like the smell of a fresh winters morning in the bushveld), is more prominent. As you puff away, every now and then, a slight spiciness calls your attention. A real surprise as this tobacco awakens your senses throughout the bowl.
Overall. Every time I lit my pipe, I got that immediate earthy tones which was very pleasing. As you smoke it, the spiciness (cloves ?) became more evident. The aroma around your head is a very pleasant earthy mouldy aroma. The caramel is less evident as you continue throughout the bowl, but this tobacco is never boring. Inexpensie, yet good. R65 for 100g ($5 for 4 oz).
Pipe Used:
Savinelli, Peterson
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 04, 2021 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I am on a wonderful journey of discovery, relating to the joys of pipe smoking... I've seen this brand at the cigarette counter at most supermarkets many times before and while reading through reviews of tobacco that is locally available, I decided to try some Jock...
The tobacco comes packaged in a 100 g plastic pouch. I must say that once I got to my car after doing my shopping I opened the shopping bag and I was sceptical of a tobacco packaged like this... Anyway home I went and I filled my pipe. The raw tobacco smelt very fresh and pure. The smoke was smooth and there was no tongue burn. Very satisfied with the nicotine release. Very easy to smoke and easy to keep lit as well! I do think that if you live with a non-pipe smoker it would be advisable to enjoy this on your veranda. I think I will be blending this with some rum and maple to add a little bit of sweetness.
I would say this is a everyday pipe tobacco.
The tobacco comes packaged in a 100 g plastic pouch. I must say that once I got to my car after doing my shopping I opened the shopping bag and I was sceptical of a tobacco packaged like this... Anyway home I went and I filled my pipe. The raw tobacco smelt very fresh and pure. The smoke was smooth and there was no tongue burn. Very satisfied with the nicotine release. Very easy to smoke and easy to keep lit as well! I do think that if you live with a non-pipe smoker it would be advisable to enjoy this on your veranda. I think I will be blending this with some rum and maple to add a little bit of sweetness.
I would say this is a everyday pipe tobacco.
Pipe Used:
Falcon
PurchasedFrom:
Food Zone Klerksdorp
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 03, 2021 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Leaf - A course ready rub of Medium to dark brown with a few specks of lighter leaf throughout. Some nice big chunks here and there. Moisture is great, a little oily but not goopy.
Tin Note - It smells fantastic, the dark caramel molasses like topping is evident, a fairly sweet smell but still a good deal of earthiness, grass and hay from the tobacco coming through. It smells like it would taste great.A small hint of spice but probably from the topping. Smells a bit burley-ish but its a straight VA, likely a characteristic of the south african Malawi leaf.
Taste - Very different to a cased american VA, a real delight to try something so different. Very earthy and loamy, its dry and nutty like a burley blend and not as 'fresh' or grassy as you would expect VA to be. There is a really nice spiciness on the nose and at the back of the mouth, almost like perique but there is none there. Its not entirely one dimensional but it is simple and stays consistent. A bit of the caramel flavour comes across but 90% of the taste is the tobacco. There is a slight sweetness that may be part tobacco and part flavoring. It tastes rich and bolder than a bright VA does. For a single leaf VA blend it touches on a lot of Kentucky and Burley like notes.
Smokability - packs well and lights easily. Burns at a moderate pace and has no trouble staying lit. No bite at all and you dont really have to pay attention to technique to get along with it. My only criticism would be that sometimes the last 1/5th of a bowl can compress very tight even with light tamping and on occasion needs a poke and a relight.
Summary - Does everything well, nothing wrong, and nothing amazing. Could easily be an all day smoke. Room note is okay, wont make you stink, and the nic hit is moderate. If it was easy to get hold of I'd have plenty jarred up. Definitely worth a try.
Tin Note - It smells fantastic, the dark caramel molasses like topping is evident, a fairly sweet smell but still a good deal of earthiness, grass and hay from the tobacco coming through. It smells like it would taste great.A small hint of spice but probably from the topping. Smells a bit burley-ish but its a straight VA, likely a characteristic of the south african Malawi leaf.
Taste - Very different to a cased american VA, a real delight to try something so different. Very earthy and loamy, its dry and nutty like a burley blend and not as 'fresh' or grassy as you would expect VA to be. There is a really nice spiciness on the nose and at the back of the mouth, almost like perique but there is none there. Its not entirely one dimensional but it is simple and stays consistent. A bit of the caramel flavour comes across but 90% of the taste is the tobacco. There is a slight sweetness that may be part tobacco and part flavoring. It tastes rich and bolder than a bright VA does. For a single leaf VA blend it touches on a lot of Kentucky and Burley like notes.
Smokability - packs well and lights easily. Burns at a moderate pace and has no trouble staying lit. No bite at all and you dont really have to pay attention to technique to get along with it. My only criticism would be that sometimes the last 1/5th of a bowl can compress very tight even with light tamping and on occasion needs a poke and a relight.
Summary - Does everything well, nothing wrong, and nothing amazing. Could easily be an all day smoke. Room note is okay, wont make you stink, and the nic hit is moderate. If it was easy to get hold of I'd have plenty jarred up. Definitely worth a try.
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