Seattle Pipe Club Mississippi River

This is my fist posting on this forum, however, I and my wife have enjoyed pipe smoking since 2002. We found ourselves getting back into pipe smoking in the last few months and this has been an interesting experience. During my quest to “get current” with the tobaccos blends and the general hobby/lifestyle, I started looking at YouTube and reading this forum, as well as cruising the internet and my chatting up my local B&M tobacconists. The Seattle Pipe Club blends have certainly received some nice write-ups and accolades, so I took a chance from Pipes and Cigars and ordered a sample of 4 oz.’s of MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

Ok, on to my notes concerning SPC Mississippi River -

Taste: Excellent flavor of the initial light and first few puffs. I could immediately taste the Latakia and the smooth VA and the Orientals. The Perique hid the back until about mid bowl and then I caught the taste in subtle manner. The Orientals seemed more pronounced to me than the Latakia throughout the bowl. All together I think it is a mild to medium English blend with some unusual spicy smoothness and a faint brandy note. This mix never had a bite and was consistent in taste. I just can’t figure out the secret flavor that makes this blend so unique tasting. Is it the pressing? Nice finish with no lingering unexpected flavors.

Mixture: The mixture was smooth and well balanced all the way to the dottle. I really appreciate the married flavors that did not compete with each other or change as the smoke progressed. Again, is it the pressing and resulting marriage of the components that adds this nice touch?

Texture; My sample came as a solid brick! There was “some assembly required” to get the weed in a smokable condition. Others have commented that there is no known casing, but the moisture content was high after breaking the cake. I let it dry for an hour or two on a clean poster board before placing in a glass air-tight jar. After that I’ve had no issues with the moisture content.

Smoking notes: I lit nicely and stayed lit with normal sipping. I didn’t have to honk on the mixture to keep it lit. As other have stated, it finishes in a nice white ash. Reminds me of EMP in that respect. Great smoke with limited aggravation to my nose.

Summation for the jury: I really like this blend and plan to keep it in my regular rotation I prefer English and Balkan mixtures in general, but this SPC blend stands apart from most all that I usually enjoy. I think it is the uncommon smoothness and unique flavor for this type of blend. Additionally, with my Dunhill favorites I do not have the added task of rubbing out the blend.

Recommended.

P.S. I have many blends that have been cellared for over ten years that I will be sampling in the coming months. Some of these well-known international blends are no longer being produced or distributed. Stay tuned.

Another blend I would call "meat and potatoes" but all I really mean by that is that the blend is "okay."

There are aspects of this which remind me of the Frog Morton blends, but frankly, I personally find the Frog Morton's much more enjoyable.

In the case of this blend, I got a bit of that Virginia sweetness, but only a bit. Some smokey latakia. I also could tell as I worked through the bowl that there was perique -- something that I am not a particular fan of, though it wasn't too bad all said, so I think its only a little bit of perique.

I rate blends in three ways:

Those I absolutely love. Those I find okay. Those I cannot believe I wasted money on.

I'd put this blend in the middle category. It's not something I am going to crave, It's not something I will buy again. But it's not a blend that I find distasteful either.

My reasons? Well mainly, I like something a bit sweeter, like a pure Virginia flake. I like latakia, but I like them a little more smokey-sweet like Frog Morton's Cellar. But all said, this is an okay blend. Reminds me of Plum Pudding and Presbyterian in terms of my reaction to it.

I'll finish this tin, but will hold fast to my Frog Morton's Cellar when I want a blend in this sort of family.

Firstly, I would not say this is an English blend, so don't let that put you off if your anti-English. I've smoked it in straight VA pipes without the standard Lat ghosting. Although present, the Latakia takes a background in this blend and doesn't in any way try to out-do the other tobaccos. I have smoked and shared many tobaccos but this one I hid when others were around to preserve it all for myself. A real top-shelf treat. The sweetness of extra mature Vas are so balanced with the spicy perique and smoky Latakia in a marbled looking little crumbly brownie that's as visually stimulating as it is tasty! Buy some and you won't be sorry.

To me this is as palatable as a Vegemite sandwich, with that said there are millions that consider Vegemite a staple in their diet. I guess the same could be said for this blend, there is obviously enough fellas out there that like this stuff, or just say they do as to not upset Joe Lankford perhaps? I'm at a loss to understand the subtle and pronounced flavour notes some reviewers mention here. Quite frankly I couldn't keep it lit long enough to get much of anything out of it, the flavour reminds me of SPC Plum Pudding and I don't mean that to be complimentary (another tremendously over rated and over priced smoke in my opinion) Eternally moist, bitey, absent of any quality tobacco flavour and about as exciting as a glass of water served at room temperature. To each their own I suppose, but I sure missed the punch line on this one. If you are looking for a similar blend at a fraction of the cost, come hang out at my place around 5:45am at any point throughout the week, my neighbor's German Shorthaired drops a big Brown twist on my lawn and kindly leaves it for me to dispose of(or step in). In a blind taste test I'd put a 50 cent piece on the table that one could not tell the difference between the two.

I had no idea what to expect with this one, especially after having just smoked a tin of it's stable mate Plum Pudding. So, I popped the tin and saw a mélange of pieces of a rather dark and mottled tobacco that looked like an irregularly rubbed-out flake. My initial sniff test caused me to think - what? It smelled like several things all at the same time; but, mainly sweet and somewhat spicey and, yes, latakia. The semi-flakes rubbed out easily and the loading and lighting was also easy. The sweetness seemed subdued during smoking and the frequently encountered English pair of tobaccos, latakia and perique, played nicely together. All in all, a rather pleasant smoke that I enjoyed; however, I don't see it as a mainstay blend. I have been including it in my English microblends to great success and enjoyment.

What we have here is, in essence, an aromatic English. I have no problem recommending it to smokers for both smoking and blending. Three stars.

This blend is one of my absolute favorites! It attacks my taste buds in all the right ways. It's spicy, sweet, smokey, and tangy. I still remember the first time I had a bowl of this. As soon as the flavors opened up, I shook my head in disbelief that I had found something so good! I think this blend is a great one whether you prefer aromatics or non-aromatic and English blends.

Nice, dark crumble cake with inviting tin notes of plum, leather, and a background aroma that would be familiar to Copenhagen dippers (although that last one dissipates with a little drying time).

Needs some tending and an occasional relight, but burns well overall.

Some nice spicy and earthy notes from the orientals, but the Virginias are still very much in front. Personally find them a little thin in the smoke and taste departments, and the flavor is a bit too much like a (quality!) cigarette.

Nicotine level is pretty solid.

Similar, but doesn't quite measure up, to Pebblecut or Tudor Castle, imo. (And those two are a lot easier to get your hands on!) But fans of these types of VA-oriental blends will almost certainly enjoy this. It's pretty damn good for the genre, just not my cup of tea.

Well it took me 3 tins to really figure out what Mississippi River was all about. That’s an odd opening sentence, but this is not a one dimensional blend. I always knew there was something there hence the 3 tins, but now I can properly relay my experience very well. Firstly if your looking for a sweet tooth Virginia forward blend this is not it, the Red Virginia does however add a subtle nuance of both dark fruit and a pleasureable spice note. The Perique is muted, but noticeable just how I like it. The interplay between the Latakia and Perique is very nice, and the Turkish leaf lends a bit of a sour yet tasty element. In my estimation the Latakia and Turkish leaf are the main players with the aforementioned as condiments. Now why did this take 3 tins ? It’s all about the Kake ! The krumble Kake is probably the best I’ve seen, but as expected was always moist. You can smoke this straight from the Kake, but I found out over 3 tins it really doesn’t shine as many reviewers describe it. This blend needs to be broken down and dried a LOT ! A good 2 hours or, until it feels almost too dry. Once the moisture is muted, the real Mississippi River comes out to play very very nicely. This now has become something I’d buy again and again. I wouldn’t say this is my top shelf go to, but I will visit this at least a few times a month or, whenever I can spare the time to wait for my pipe fix. An easy 3.5-4 stars now that I learned how I enjoy this blend.

A somewhat barbeque flavored blend that could be accompanied with a smoked beer. Creamy, smooth and spicy, smoking very well to the last draw. No tongue bite. It is funny how latakia and perique can blend so nicely, giving pleasure in equal parts. As I have not yet discovered any similar blends, I would highly recommend it.