CAO Eileen's Dream

Mostly known for its market position as a leading provider of premium cigars, CAO selectively brands this featured mild Scandinavian Tobacco Group aromatic mixture within the folds of their extended product line of choice smokables. A well-trained, intensely top-coated selection of Black Cavendish and assorted Virginian strains forms the essential baseline of the recipe. Stylishly arriving in a fashionable shamrock adorned tin, Eileen’s Dream gets the full Gaelic up reeling with a sweetened jig of lively Irish Mist whiskey, posh cream, milk of coconut, savory white chocolate delight, a quaint nutty emulsion, and a final blessing of Mother Machree’s very own enhanced vanilla.

Opening the tightly sealed cannister unveiled a densely packed mass of skillfully crafted thin ribbons of refined copper and golden-browned Virginian leaf. These strands are handsomely clustered with an equal gathering of blackened coarse-cut pieces of European styled Cavendish. An emanant fragrance flushed with a veritable plethora of notable elements opulently greets the senses. Get ready for it’s a long one indeed. In specific, this most original tinned aroma nurtures a spicy note of spry whiskey, sweet cream, some cloying nuttiness, hints of softer fruity-vanilla, sugary chocolate, bright tarty grass, and the graces of regulated sour and passive wood elegantly lifting with impressive splendor. Whew! To merely say that Eileen’s Dream has a bolstered state of exciting fragrance would be a shabby declaration of the simple truth.

Let me clearly say, this mixture is one of those compulsory aromatics that has been on my hopelessly doomed trial list for a sheer eternity with not much follow-on action at that. Yet selectively nudged by the impetus of Muttnchop’s February Blend Club agenda, finally I was forced to move forward in pulling the forgotten dusty tin from the ridiculously bloated hoarding I call a personal cellar. And now having smoked the blend as prescribed by the reverent hosting emcee, shamefully, I am somewhat beside myself for unwisely burying it into the far reaches of neglectful oblivion.

In prefacing the ensuing taste profile, at least for the first two thirds of the bowl, Eileen’s Dream proved to be effectually top-dressing privileged as no real great surprise. Even so, I detected the native tobaccos daintily registering in the procession of composite flavor, although somewhat curtailed at best. However, about the last third of the pipe, the strengthened effect of these coatings attenuated to a level that allowed for the pleasant influence of the citrusy laced Red Virginia to push through, still comfortingly sweet and seasoned with an attractive natural herbal woody flair. On that note, I should disclose that the smoking of this blend was surprisingly a slow metered experience, meaning the extended duration and accompanying savor that followed were quite impressive for a heavily infused aromatic.

Upon striking the charring light, I could tell immediately that this mixture would prove to be an intensely complex excursion, as the first waning faux notes of the sugary bliss proceeded to hit my palate with celebrated introduction. Once the pipe came to practice with proper smoking formality, the magnificence of Eileen’s very dream was put on display for my captured discretion.

With unreserved candor, an energized swell of colorful moving pleasantness overcame the initial tasting. The tobacco proved to exercise no delay in coming boldly forward with a sweet dense creaminess in line with French-styled vanilla expertly fused with the sugary succulence of milky white chocolate. Taken back by the assertively enchanting specter, I found myself genuinely charmed by this character of tremendously buttery, malty, and elegantly cultured brilliance; straight talk my friends.

As I became less fixated on the latter, my sense noted the equally prominent bundling of the resident liqueur as bracing evidence of its presence projected with tandem embellishment. For itself, the Irish Mist came into notice, primarily recording with a healthy impression of spirited alcohol spice, a dark sugar/honeyed herbal quality and just a manageable glimpse of a very delicate cherry-like fruitiness on the trailing accent. The confluence of these two principal streams defines the standard persona of this mixture’s leading characterization.

Furthermore, I soon discovered a pacifying lower nuance contained by the combined bands of flavor was annotated by a burnished nut-centric note. Specifically, what registered were indications of the thinned soft chocolatey undertones of toasty hazelnut and the bitter, blanched affluence of standard almond. These nutty condimental projections, when combined with the overtly sweet whiskey spiced coalescence transpiring above, solidified the uniquity of character of the blend’s memorable and complex persona. And as a final perplexing development, I consistently sensed a mystery seasoning that expressed itself as something between nutmeg and of all imaginable things, paprika. As to the native varietals, in adding to what I have already mentioned, the Virginia resided constantly on the core bottom mostly of Red attributes, primarily herby seasoned salty wood with an occasional bright flash of floral tinge. Not to mention, the Bright itself did manifest a very light tangerine-like/citric accent which surfaced as an amusing bonus feature.

Optimally functioning in its fundamental capacity of smartly melding flavors, the Cavendish directly rendered a facet of sugared earthiness that was strong in the base profile. The magnetism of its zesty worth was well felt within the nasal passage that is for sure. Final assessment revealed a bit of soiled, soured wood painted with a spearmint hearted climax as the trailing finale of its essential contribution.

And what can I say of Eileen’s Dreams expired room essence other than exquisitely delightful. As one should imagine, the luxury of fragrance evoked by its hearty plumes of candied smoke is nothing short of very pleasant by final judgment. Just a succulently sweet and light-bodied marriage of all the assorted condiments and principally the earthy woodiness of the Red leaf seemed to come in unison to produce perhaps one of the finest aromatic traces that I have chance encountered. It was as if I stepped into Willy Wonka’s factory on get a free shot of Wooden Cork Day my friends, as that provides a close approximation of the experienced scent of this mixture. Too much satiating goodness in basic terms.

If you are so inclined to engage in a trial of this quality STG production, discovery will expose that the critical mechanical features perform at a level commensurate with honest blending excellence. Again, for a heavily alcohol and flavoring steeped tobacco, being Virginia focused at that, the burn was consistently even and modest in temperature. The smoke quality itself, as well as the moving flavor streams, were delectably creamy with no harsh edging in the transitions. Moreover, the mixture posed no discomfort whatsoever in terms of disrespect to the palate. And last, the mellowing savor of the excitable complexity led to a stellar smoking indulgence.

So, there you have it folks, my bottom-line on this one, I liked Eileen and her dream told. 3.5 Pipes