Hearth & Home Magnum Opus
(3.69)
Blend consists of Cyprian Latakia, yellow Virginias from the U.S. and Bulgaria, Izmir, Basma and Yenidje. Finally, some Perique is added for depth and smoothness.
Notes: The Latin term Magnum Opus loosely translates to “masterpiece”. https://www.smokingpipes.com/pipe-tobacco/HearthandHome/Magnum-Opus-1.75oz/product_id/277592
Details
| Brand | Hearth & Home |
| Series | Marquee Series |
| Blended By | Russ Ouellette |
| Manufactured By | Scandinavian Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 1.75 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.69 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 68 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 07, 2013 | Medium | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This one I picked up to fill out an order from the store. I happened to order during the very week they were moving to Pennsylvania, so through a series of understandable mishaps and the confusion of moving it took me a couple of weeks to get this. I just mean there was anticipation and anxiety built up. Oddly enough I didn't read any of these reviews, just the description on the site and the one or two reviews on the site (ever notice those tend to be a bit biased?) I didn't read the conflicting reviews below about the best pipe to use; I didn't read the ones calling it complex or the ones calling it boring. I would have been a bit shocked at the one suggesting moistening it. The tobacco does come dry, I think maybe if I cellar some I might throw a little humi-pillow in the jar, but it comes at the perfect dryness to my tastes for an English blend. I could go through all the smoky leathery latakia, and light strips of different Orientals, the charring, the blossoming of flavors, slow reflective sipping, or how very difficult it is to get to burn hot. The deeper I would go into any of that the more classical and traditional an English blend this is. I won't name drop about all the older blends this tastes like, but tastes just like them. When I think of an English blend this is the presentation, the flavor, the pouch scents and burn I think of. Ok, a zip lock baggy may not be how I think of an English presentation, but you know what I mean, the look and scent. I can't really imagine why this wouldn't get four stars and any other English would. Someone compared it to artisan's blend, a blend I've been smoking fairly regularly. Psychologically I think of Artisans blend as a bit more elegant and refined, but honestly I think it's the tin and the name. I suppose I have the same block with other similar blends, Solani and Dunhill flakes so neat in the tin and the white wrapper with gold crest makes the va/per or just VA flakes seem so elegant. I don't know. Whether I ever get more of this or not (and I don't see any reason not to) this is what an English blend is, the quintessence of an English blend, even down to the moisture level.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 20, 2014 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is an absolutely beautiful smoke! Lat. is there but not overwhelming everything else. Perique adds spice, the Turkish brings that characteristic herbal sourness but in a good way that is more in the background then anything. The VA's are present but I have to say that they are not quite as sweet as I would like. This however, is the only small negative. I think this will be an outstanding blend to age. The VA's will get sweeter and they blend is already very balanced. No tongue bite at all, even when pushed. I will not wait to see how it ages it is very good now, hopefully blow your mind great in 5 years. I will be cellaring several pounds of this.
Update. This jar is from 3/14 so just 8 months on it and the VA's have started to sweeten. The blend is perfect to smoke at this point. Also the various tobaccos are coming together. Now, I just need to find it in bulk again and I will add more to the cellar.
**Update** 2020-8-10 This is my last jar dating from 3/14 so just about 6 1/2 yrs old. I have not been able to find this in bulk again but I now have tins of this as well. The lid had sealed so well I had to use a flat screwdriver to pry it off. It has not changed all that much since the last update although the unflavored soda note of the yenidje seems a little more forward than before. The VA's may be just a little sweeter but not much and the Turkish elements may be just a little more sour but not much. A great smoke anytime of day.
Update. This jar is from 3/14 so just 8 months on it and the VA's have started to sweeten. The blend is perfect to smoke at this point. Also the various tobaccos are coming together. Now, I just need to find it in bulk again and I will add more to the cellar.
**Update** 2020-8-10 This is my last jar dating from 3/14 so just about 6 1/2 yrs old. I have not been able to find this in bulk again but I now have tins of this as well. The lid had sealed so well I had to use a flat screwdriver to pry it off. It has not changed all that much since the last update although the unflavored soda note of the yenidje seems a little more forward than before. The VA's may be just a little sweeter but not much and the Turkish elements may be just a little more sour but not much. A great smoke anytime of day.
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked:
2.5 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2014 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
Just cracked a tin about 1 yr old. All I can say so far is that this is magnificent. I do not find it one-dimensional, as the orientals keep poking around the latakia with an almost impish hinting at sweetness followed by pleasant sourness. Smoke volume is full & rich, moisture perfect. Cut is lovely. The aroma surely reminds me of the great blends of old, but, as another reviewer noted, my memories of BS & 759, Durbar & Standard Full, Cotton's, State Express, etc are quite foggy by now. This is their equal in modern guise. The Golden Age is NOW.
Pipe Used:
Dunny Gp 5, big meer
PurchasedFrom:
P & C
Age When Smoked:
1 year
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 08, 2016 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
I LOVE BlackHouse, so i thought id give Magnum Opus a try. As such, my review is skewed, since its mostly a comparison. MO seems to me to be a less full-bodied, spicier, less incensy, higher in Nicotine, dryer alternative to BlackHouse. It is a bit more subtle. It doesnt have this huge incense/maple taste that i find and love in BH. It is very dry, very spicy, but its taste is closer to a ''classic'' english than BH. The perique, to me, is noticeable in the taste, not as an individual component, but rather in the fact that the base notes of this blend are very VaPer-ish. The figs, pepper, spice and fuller mouth feel are there lurking in the background. For some reason, even though the cut and moisture level seem the same as my tin of BH, and even though i tend to smoke both in the same pipe, MO is a hassle. It is hard to keep lit, for unknown reasons. It can get harsh and bitter if pushed, as opposed to BH which can be abused with no real consequences. And after a bowl of MO, your mouth will be parched for sure. Overall, not as great as BlackHouse in my opinion, but still a great blend.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Kinsale
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2011 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
This stuff is fantastic! It's aptly named as I don't see how Russ could possibly do any better. It's complex, but not in the way I normally use that word. At any given time I only experience a couple different flavors and can pick out the various types of leaf, but the complexity comes in the changling character of this awesome blend.
Although some Virginia sweetness comes through at times, it's not a particularly sweet blend. In wine terms it's more dry, but absolutely overflowing with flavor. As the bowl progresses, it just gets better, richer, more complex, and more enjoyable as it wanders from Virginia to Latakia to Orientals and back again. It works in every pipe I've tried to far, but I love it in my big Laird with a two inch deep bowl, just because it stretches out the experience as long as possible.
Although some Virginia sweetness comes through at times, it's not a particularly sweet blend. In wine terms it's more dry, but absolutely overflowing with flavor. As the bowl progresses, it just gets better, richer, more complex, and more enjoyable as it wanders from Virginia to Latakia to Orientals and back again. It works in every pipe I've tried to far, but I love it in my big Laird with a two inch deep bowl, just because it stretches out the experience as long as possible.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 2018 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Naming a blend as your greatest achievement sets the bar quite high, so is Magnum Opus worth the hype? It is!
As good a smelling English as I've had the pleasure of huffing. The sharp spicy Oriental odor is intoxicating, yet reigned in with some Latakia wood smoke. A warm bouquet not overtaken by an English "charcoal" taste. Even non-smokers will likely smell the tin and issue forth a reluctant, "mmmmh." Veteran reviewers have noted there is no flavor added, yet my feeble brain can't accept something natural being so lively, so I defaulted to "very mild".
No complaints on the moisture or texture. Lit and performed without issue. Maintained a good beefy taste that satisfied without being overwhelming. For the hardened smoker, this could be an all day smoker, but is likely one-and-done for beginners.
Falls somewhere between two great smokes: McClelland's Frog Morton and Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe, and since neither is still available, Magnum Opus makes a great replacement.
As good a smelling English as I've had the pleasure of huffing. The sharp spicy Oriental odor is intoxicating, yet reigned in with some Latakia wood smoke. A warm bouquet not overtaken by an English "charcoal" taste. Even non-smokers will likely smell the tin and issue forth a reluctant, "mmmmh." Veteran reviewers have noted there is no flavor added, yet my feeble brain can't accept something natural being so lively, so I defaulted to "very mild".
No complaints on the moisture or texture. Lit and performed without issue. Maintained a good beefy taste that satisfied without being overwhelming. For the hardened smoker, this could be an all day smoker, but is likely one-and-done for beginners.
Falls somewhere between two great smokes: McClelland's Frog Morton and Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe, and since neither is still available, Magnum Opus makes a great replacement.
PurchasedFrom:
pipesandcigars.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 01, 2016 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Yet another homerun from the H&H Marquee line, another resounding 4 star blend for me. The same superb quality and flavorful latakia and orientals as White Knight and Black House. In fact, it's very close to BH in presentation, only the cavendish/Kentucky duet has been swapped for a Virginia/perique duet. Being a vaper and Kentucky man myself, this makes it a little tricky to pick between BH and MO. Honestly, I usually smoke one right after the other...they're both utterly satisfying! Never harsh, no burn issues, tobaccos are balanced and married beautifully. Good amount of oriental top notes and that pleasant sweet nasal pinch from the perique. Tasting is believing...if you haven't tried Russ O's blends, get you some of this ASAP. Hell, go on and grab the whole Marquee lineup while you're there. Can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
PurchasedFrom:
Pipesandcigars.com
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 06, 2015 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable |
This blend has been reviewed enough so another review really isn't needed, but I like Magnum Opus so much I want to add my opinion to those already given. Magnum Opus is one of my go to blends. I never tire of it. It never feels old to me. I enjoy each bowl just as much now as I did when I first began smoking Magnum Opus. In every aspect it is outstanding.
Pipe Used:
Castello, Kaywoodie
PurchasedFrom:
Pipes and Cigars
Age When Smoked:
two years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 20, 2015 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
I only have 6 words to say!! Russ O. I could kiss ya!!! This blend is just outstandingly wonderful. A true masterpiece! I have been meaning to order this blend and I kept forgetting. This time I remembered ...and I will never forget again. I won't waste a lot of time on embellishment....you folks know what it's all about. This blend is smooth on the palate...mild on the throat...but delivers a nice peppery kick thru the old nostrils. Kind of like a good shot of horseradish...only a little more peppery. I don't think I am ever going to worry wether or not I ever get a tin of Balkan Sobranie again. Between this blend...White Knight and H.H. Balkan Sobranie Match....I won't need to. Again I say...get it...try it...you be the judge. But I do not think you will be disappointed if you lean towards English/Balkan type blends. Bon Appetite!!!
Pipe Used:
Peterson 106S 1979
PurchasedFrom:
Pipes & Cigars
Age When Smoked:
New tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 19, 2015 | Medium | None Detected | Very Full | Tolerable |
A very complex Oriental forward blend, creamy, herbal, sometimes bitter, tangy, nice pepper, Latakia is there but not in your face same with the Perique, expertly blended by Russ, thank you.
I most certainly prefer Russ' touch and balance when compared to Greg's blends.
Perfect tin moisture and great combusting characteristics although the cut and blend do move down the bowl rather quick, which is fine since I can use some of my massive bowls to enjoy it. The nice part is despite being complex it does not fatigue the palate and mellow enough to enjoy consecutively or interspersed. Although if you're a pipe-packer who enjoys a few bowls per week or per month this one satiates just as well.
It does harken to JF Germain 1820 which is golden in my books and Opus is easy to acquire in N. America, an excellent value for the price.
I most certainly prefer Russ' touch and balance when compared to Greg's blends.
Perfect tin moisture and great combusting characteristics although the cut and blend do move down the bowl rather quick, which is fine since I can use some of my massive bowls to enjoy it. The nice part is despite being complex it does not fatigue the palate and mellow enough to enjoy consecutively or interspersed. Although if you're a pipe-packer who enjoys a few bowls per week or per month this one satiates just as well.
It does harken to JF Germain 1820 which is golden in my books and Opus is easy to acquire in N. America, an excellent value for the price.
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