Esoterica Tobacciana Blackpool

this had a very good virginia taste and the licorice topping appealed to my senses, i was not disappointed. the aromatic agent was noticeable in the tin, in the burn , and in the room note, but did not mask what i was looking for in terms of tobacco. i will buy again.

4/1/16 i had been having trouble finding this blend but since being able to purchase more find that it better than i remember it with one exception, the room note is nowhere as pleasent ad i recall.

I like Esoterica but i just could not see what made this special. It was a one dimensional and rather boring smoke. If you get it for free try it.

I bought a 8 oz bag of this and I really like it, it goes nice as a after dinner pipe The room note is pleasent and I like the way it smokes. I dry out most of my tobacco now so it did not matter to me that it was a little moist. Blaclpool leaves a mild aftertaste that is enjoyable.

I find it intriguing that they add minerals to pure water to make it taste more like our expectations of water. Blackpool reminds me of this concept. The flavoring, however faint, to this tobacco blend somehow makes it smell and taste more like what I am expecting from pure tobacco. This is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. It is a pleasant,though neutral, smoke that fails to overly distinguish itself.

What you do have, though, is a good midday smoke with only a mild punch, a flavor that won't overly tickle nor confuse your palate, and a smooth, even burn that does not require relights.

Definitely quality, but not my favorite.

Going alphabetically through my sample pack of Esoterica tobacco, this is the second one I tried. Since this is an aromatic Virginia blend, I was expecting a sweet smoke that required care to avoid tongue bite. While there is sweetness here, it is balanced by a musty, full, complex maturity that provides a very smooth, remarkably bite-free smoke. The aroma in the bag is very mild, a light anise casing mixed with a musty tobacco odor and a hint of sweetness. The tobacco itself looks almost like black licorice: very dark black with a flake or two of dark brown. The moisture level is average, not wet at all but not super-dry like C&D blends. The cut is medium and fairly narrow, packing easily in the pipe so long as care is taken not to press too firmly. It lights easily and burns well, requiring a normal number of relights, to a very fine, white ash. For the first third, the flavor is bright and full, the starting sweetness quickly maturing and changing into a more musty taste. The licorice casing is noticeable, but takes a back seat role to the semi-bright Virginia flavor. It compliments the fullness of flavor without distracting from the excellent tobacco base. An impressive feature of this blend is the full, smooth Virginia smoke appears thus far to be totally bite-free. Into the second 1/3 of the bowl, the brightness changes more into a darker, somewhat fuller taste, the licorice still nicely in the background. There is still a musty sweetness to the smoke, and I haven't noticed any bite or moisture problems. I've found that it is very pleasant exhaled through the nose. Moving on to the final part of the bowl, and I can say that this smoke is nearly as smooth and bite-free as my standard, Frog Morton. The taste is still complex and full, elements of sweetness and mustiness mixing well with the light licorice note. There is some moisture towards the bottom, but a single pipe cleaner took care of that. The room aroma is pleasant after smoking, and the scent lingers in my clothes. Overall, this is a very good, fully mature Virginia blend: full, musty/sweet, and complex, complemented but not overwhelmed by the licorice casing. I enjoyed smoking this tobacco, and would likely reach for it when I was in the mood for a mature, smooth Virginia without any danger of bite. So far, Esoterica is two out of two for me!

Bag note is sweet and some slight anise. My sample was at a prefect moisture level. Dark black small flakes pack nicely. The licorice taste is much milder than I expected. It also has a fruit topping of some sort. I don't get any chemical taste at all. Its a very mild lightly sweet smoke. The Virginias provide some tobacco flavors. The retrohale is quite nice. Needs a few relights. Nic hit is mild burns a bit hot. Perhaps a nice place to start for those switching from aromatics to non aromatics. Three stars

I opened a bag from 2017 this afternoon and found upon opening the magic "white dust" on the ribbon. The smell was decidedly black licorice (which I'm a fan of). The cut is typical ready rub.. not a shag but larger pieces.

Easy to pack and light. The licorice didn't come through the smoke as much as I had expected. It's not overpowering at all, but gives it a sweet top note. Burned cool in my Castello without any tongue bite. The flavor was consistent throughout the bowl for a very consistent smoke.

The only thing I wish is that this one was more available...

This is another winner from esoterica. Mild anise flavor, loads of smoke, and really easy going. Gave it a little dry time and it was perfect.

Good review Sceny, I just want to put my tuppence in here too. Blackpool is well-matured VA tobaccos, black with deep browns mixed in as well. The pleasant musty sweetness reveals the light licorice topping, but only slightly. This medium-cut tobacco packs and lights fairly easy, just don't get to heavy-fingered. It is a bit moist, but I find that once "toasted" it burns rather well. Since this is basically Kingsbridge with a licorice extract, some characteristics are the same for both blends. Blackpool seems to be not as full or heavy, though it does have some body to it. This is a smooth, virtually no-bite smoke with a light sweetness that mingles with a hint of a sour (citrusy?) note, the VA tang right there during most of the bowl. Near the bottom the flavor becomes more rich and the sweetness, though subtle, seems to still be there behind the smoky/tangy notes. This tobacco also burns evenly and dry down to a nice white ash. That to me is one (among many)of the endearing qualities of Esoterica tobaccos, that clean burn to a pure white/dove gray ash. The vibrant taste and the deep, full flavors, as well as the cool, smooth smoking properties of Blackpool make this a tobak to be enjoyed, at least for me, most anytime of the day. A very tasty and relaxing blend.