Hearth & Home Stogie

Is 3 bowls of this too early for a review? I'll edit later, if that proves the case in my mind, but I'm just too excited about this to not start one right now.

A pipe will never give you the cigar experience, and if that's what you are looking for, slice off a cigar piece and put that in your bowl. (I once knew a psychologist who did this with butts at times). Other than that, I find this very reminiscent of a cigar. A strong one, to be precise.

Like Ted Nugent once said at a show, "If anyone is here to get mellow they can get the F*** out". Not that I'm a fan of his, but I'd say that's good advice for this tobacco.

It might be a little sweet at first- the key word is "might". I also think that it burns pretty quick, which is the one thing that's not like a cigar. My first bowl had me going "Oh no- this IS actually like a cigar- I dunno about this!" Then I suddenly realized that I must not be much of a cigar nut anymore because other than lasting too long, they're too strong-especially vitamin N-wise. And that's part of why I'm more of a pipe guy now....

Last evening after a good dinner of fish and potatoes I chose my Peterson's System Standard (a very lucky antique store cheapie find) for a good bowl, and I think I'll be relying singularly on this pipe for this blend in the future. The Virginia was mostly what I first noticed, and maybe the burley too. But the flavor just grew as I went. I'm not much of a sipper either, but by about halfway through, my pipe had grown significantly hotter, and the flavor had reached a crescendo I'd not experienced before in pipe smoking. At this point I was FORCED to take little sips; anything else would've been too much.

When it was all over, I was happy to find myself intact. There was a little dottle left maybe, but I was past caring. I spent the rest of the night reading with little use for smoking another bowl of anything. There was some ALMOST tongue bite, but I was past caring about that either.

This isn't totally my thing, but I confess that I do like it. Reviewers of Peterson's Irish flake have often referred to cigars, but Irish Flake isn't the full flavor tempest that Stogie is. For pipers who have enjoyed cigars, I say try this, it'll put a smile on your face. If you like classical, Try Holst's The Planets or Janacek's Glagolitic Mass as a companion to smoking Stogie.

I really appreciate what the blender is trying to do here. It's not like smoking a cigar in your pipe. It's more subtle and ambitious than that by far. What the blender has tried to do is interpret cigar smoking for the medium of a pipe. It's a stretch, I know, but it's like listening to a jazz ensemble play Bach. You could say it's Bach, and you'd be right. But you wouldn't have said half of what's going on. The rhythms and instruments have changes, emphasis on notes and phrases change, so that what results is a new piece of music from the marriage of two worlds.

Cigar smoke is earthy, smooth, low-toned. This tobacco uses Cavendish and orientals to add sweetness and mid-range, and then a touch of perique to finish the spectrum and balance (but not cancel) the bottom notes of the cigar leaf. If I weren't over sensitive to perique I'd say it's a perfect "cigar blend" for the pipe. But I am oversensitive to perique and that blunts the experience for me.

It fits a mood, it has an aroma of a cigar, the thick, creamy smoke of a cigar, and a very faint cigar flavor. When I first bought this tin I smoked 3-4 bowls of it in as many days.

It is not a cigar replacement, it is a cigar *influenced* pipe tobacco. I enjoy it well enough for a change of pace, as a rich flavored, low bite, smoke with a slight tendency to burn a little hot.

It does smell very much like a cigar, which keeps me on my porch when I could be smoking a more aromatic blend indoors.

I always had mixed thoughts about this blend. It was the only Hearth & Homes I finished the entire tin.

Hearth & Homes always seems to have this weird taste to it. Not sure what it is, but it's something i'm not fond of.

This blend did have hope because it was full bodied, and had a good flavor. It wasn't trying to be something else.

I give this two stars, but add an extra, because I would like to see others try this, and give thoughts.

I would also like to say C & D makes great cigar blends, if your on a search.

This tobacco taste like described in the description, mildly sweet earthy/ [smooth]tobacco flavor, with a touch of pepper on the finish. Its a bit creamy, and the draw flavor stays around for a few seconds in full force after the exhale, which i found very nice, then slowly tapers to a finish of the same flavors but more subdued with the added touch of pepper. Medium bodied overall, and very nice burn.

I didnt get much cigar flavor, but the overall presentation of the flavor reminds me of a cigar a little bit.

Overall this is a nice tobacco. Im not too versed in pipe tobacco yet, but this is a satisfying smoke(thats coming from a full bodied cigar smoke :D). Reccomended.

Short story: this is a very good blend that has a slight cigar essence noticable...lots of component tobaccos for interest...bowl & burn friendly...well priced...currently readily available...makes you glad you smoke a pipe and that God developed Burley tobaccos for us to enjoy. Sidebar Note: If you're taking a journey through cigar blend territory, be sure to stop along the way and check out 'Storm Front' by John Patton.