Hearth & Home Steamroller

The burleys are nutty sweet with a little molasses, and generally takes the lead with some boldness. The red Virginia is a little tangy and dark fruit sweet with a mild earth note, and well compliments the burleys. Every so often, it’s a little more noticeable, too. The smoky, woody Cyprian latakia is a supporting player, but usually a little obvious. The perique offers more spice then it does raisins and plum, while it plays back up. The unflavored black cavendish rounds out the components, creating a nice smoothness. Overall, it’s not very sweet, and I occasionally get a hay note, too. It’s strong in strength, taste and nicotine, so I can’t classify it as an all day smoke by any means, as the name implies. Burns well with few relights, and isn’t harsh or dull, though I recommend sipping this a little. Leaves little moisture in the bowl. Your friends won’t care much for the room note.

-JimInks

Blind test blend #1. Recently participated in a blind test of 5 blends, one of which I've already commented on here. Thankfully, I guessed it correctly so I didn't embarrass myself! Based on 5 bowls of each blend. This one was interesting. Mostly dirty brown with hints of black. Bag aroma was musty with an "old book" scent - sort of old school OTC. Reminded me of C&D Haunted Bookshelf. Loaded and lit easily. Cut was sort of a quasi-ribbon with a chop cut that seemed much less haphazard than what I'm used to from C&D.

Flavor was of several different tobaccos in a mostly harmonious exchange. The black was clearly latakia but I found out here that there is also black cavendish to "take the edge off". It may have done its job, as I didn't find any edge to this one. It was fairly potent, but not rough. The predominant flavor came from the burley with some added sweetness and tang from the red virginia. I thought I may have noticed perique, but couldn't be sure, as I'm not as sensitive to it as I am to the presence of latakia. The latakia was subtle and took a clear backseat to the burley and VA. Basically this one tasted like a Bob Runowski invention to me, as it smacks of those things that Bob seemed to enjoy... strength, nicotine, OTC-like flavor and depth of flavor. It was rich tasting but controlled rather than over the top - strong but not obscenely so. It would definitely satisfy all but the most nicotine tolerant among us and did so without using a club to drive the nic in. Complexity was definitely there but it too was a bit subdued. Overall a nice tasting smoke that does everything right but doesn't ring my personal chime enough to stock it. I encourage all burley/va lovers to try it, however. It's a winner, and I'm sure this will have a nice share of the market for strong tobaccos that are also smooth.

I purchased 4 oz bulk from P&C and I'm not so sure that there might not be a problem. First of all, there's an inconsistency with moisture levels between the individual components as if the mix was blended to order and although the bulk of the mix is bone dry, there's little soggy bits, probably cavendish here and there. I have the impression that some ingredients have gotten dry or stale, while others are fresh. Then there's the complete lack of the notorious strength. Id say what I was smoking was barely medium strength and I've never been a cigarette smoker, so it doesn't take much N to impress me. About the only thing positive I have to say is that the moisture level overall is ready to smoke, but this might be part of the problem... If this tobacco is relying on the virginia or burley for the supposed kick, then something has gone off, gotten too dry, or gone by the wayside. I thought about throwing it out but I decided to cellar this 4oz of Steamroller for six months and see what happens. As it is, this stuff is uninspiring and I'd rather not waste my time smoking it. Perhaps Ill report back in the Fall.

I've smoked 3 bowls of this on 2 successive nights through an MM General. Mine arrived moist, not dry as others have experienced, and so required a fair amount of drying. Smoked moist everything was dull and uninteresting. But when I dried it to my satisfaction, I found an astonishingly-good tobacco. Smooth, with a nicotine concentration that builds gradually until you're fair across the border of "Gawithland" (although you're still not in the 1792 area code). The flavor is low-toned but distinct, unpretentious, friendly, comfortable, and rich. I didn't detect any flavoring. The experience gave me the strongest memories of smoking, many years ago, Sobranie's No. 10 Virginia. I expect if I mixed in some "choicest cigar leaf" the resemblance would be uncanny, but the taste and smoke of Steamroller are very close to perfect now. The flavor and strength make this a fantastic "firesisde" tobacco, best smoked in the evenings. I can't praise it highly enough.

All treble and no base! This tobacco left me wanting more... much more! I was expecting to be bowled over with flavor and aroma but instead I fell asleep with boredom and the wife asked me if I was done yet every 15 minutes.

I lit the bowl and was greeted by a very dry smoke. Unlike most VA blends this blend's smoke left a sourness inside my mouth that sucked the moisture from inside my mouth. I poured some Crystal Light and after a long drink I lit the bowl and searched for the heavy machinery this blend was named for. After 45 minutes of smoking, two quarts of Raspberry Ice Crystal Light and my wife asking if I was done with "that" I realized there was nothing more this blend offered me except a very dry mouth. The only Steamroller here is the feeling of being "steamrolled" into thinking there was more to this blend other than a dry mouth and a "pucker factor" of 8/10.

I give it one star due to there being nothing more than some VA tobacco that offers a mouth drying nic kicking smoke.

When I first tried Steamroller, I enjoyed it greatly, but while the depth of flavor was outstanding and the various elements provided strength, too, I was not a fan of the way Perique finished the presentation. When Russ O. (the blender), heard this, he sent me about eight ounces of Steamroller without Perique. I fell in love immediately and appreciated Russ's gesture. I think this was as stout a blend without giving me the hiccups that I had ever tried. All kinds of flavor from the Virginia & Latakia and strength from the Burley, combined with the fullness provided by the unflavored Black Cavendish, steamrolled me, boys!

Steamroller is no longer in production and that's quite unfortunate. I should've stocked up on this stuff a long time ago. This is a beautiful, heavyweight American English.

I am savoring the last bit of a small sample that a friend sent me and I really wish that I had invested in some. With age, we're talking 4-5 years, it smokes like a dream. It's very creamy and the flavor is nutty, full, sweet & tangy. The Latakia creates a perfect amount of nuance, lending a touch of smooth smokiness to the finish. The perique lends more sweetness than spice but is definitely there in strength.

Steamroller is a full flavored blend with a lot of depth to it. It really hits it stride around mid-bowl with subtle hints of coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes from the burley that are nothing short of delicious.

Steamroller is stout but in all the right ways. This isn't strong for the sake of being strong, in fact everything is perfectly balanced, so much so that the actual strength of this blend can easily ambush you.

I love a good American English, and this is a massive one. It's blends like this that reaffirm my love for pipe smoking.

As a former cigar smoker, I have smoked my pipes more for flavor than aroma, not that I don't appreciate and sometimes desire the compliments that I've received when the blend which I'm smoking happens to please somebody's nose as much as it does my palate. Therefore, when I smoked this blend for the first time (fresh out of the bag one month ago) all I could think was "Where the fuck is the Latakia?" However, I didn't really buy my sample for that alone, I also have found that unflavored and ungooped Burley is fine stuff which smokes very clean and lights easy, despite having little more flavor than the blandest of stogies. The Virginia and Peique don't fail to come through either. Overall, I find the flavor more comparable to H&H Stogie than anything English or Balkan. Also, the flavor came through a lot better when I smoked this blend in a cob pipe, which now has me second-guessing so many recent briar purchases, despite the visual briar aesthetics which I was unwilling to live without as a relatively new pipe smoker - DAMN!!!

On to the nicotine strength...wOooOOOwwOWWWWW!!!! I was missing the great feeling that I got when smoking good cigars, and because I never smoked cigarettes, and there isn't much comparision for nicotine strength with cigars, I honestly thought the rush from cigars was in my head. I had wondered why I never got such a kick when smoking my pipes, but I sure got a good one with Steamroller! This stuff will put a big, goofy smile on your face quick, so be prepared not to do anything too demanding for awhile, and be careful when you stand up.

This blend always intrigued me because of the complex blending. It's an overall heavy smoke, which I very much enjoyed. The flavor would be good, if it didn't have that odd Hearth & Homes taste and smell.

It's not something I would get more of, but I wouldn't tell anybody not to try it. Hearth & Homes is a personal disliking that I can't really describe with facts. If your looking for a strong blend that has complex flavors and aromas, I would suggest something else, but once again a good starter blend for a cheap price.

This blend is everything its advertised to be. The amount of latakia is just perfect as a condiment. Smoke carefully or Mistress Nicotine will dance naked before your eyes! (Which I like, but I'm a Jalapeño eating Texan).