Esoterica Tobacciana Dorchester
(3.27)
A special formulation of six light Virginias plus golden and dark Virginias with air-cured leaf and a pinch of Louisiana perique. Easy burning is ensured by the carefully selected cut. The perique balances the Virginias; for the discerning palate.
Details
| Brand | Esoterica Tobacciana |
| Blended By | J.F. Germain & Son |
| Manufactured By | J.F. Germain & Son |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Apricot |
| Cut | Ready Rubbed |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce bag |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| 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
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.27 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 30 of 32 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 30, 2008 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
My tin had about three years of aging on it, and the inside wrapper was stained a greasy brown. There are lovely little crystals sprinkled throughout. I have a complaint, though: while the virginias may be accurately described as "ribbon cut," the perique is present in gobs that are practically pressed flakes by themselves. I went through the tin and broke these up. Perique is not a tobacco that I want to mess with in thumbnail-sized chunks, thank you very much.
I find a two finger pinch of Dorchester needs a good hour to dry out before it's ready to go in the pipe. And, as other reviewers have mentioned, it's important not to overpack it. The virginias are sharp, toasty and a little sour at first. The perique is rich, tangy, spicy and woody, and not at all subtle. This is less sweet and more savoury than McClelland's 2015. The taste is like fig balsamic vinaigrette with cracked pepper.
Dorchester is not a classic of the magnitude of Penzance or Stonehaven, but it certainly has character. Hasty puffers should be careful, as this stuff can easily incinerate the tongue.
UPDATE: I like the taste of Dorchester, but I burn the heck out of my tongue every single time I smoke it, no matter how slowly I go. I'm of the opinion that virginia tobaccos smoke better in flake form almost invariably, with or without perique.
I find a two finger pinch of Dorchester needs a good hour to dry out before it's ready to go in the pipe. And, as other reviewers have mentioned, it's important not to overpack it. The virginias are sharp, toasty and a little sour at first. The perique is rich, tangy, spicy and woody, and not at all subtle. This is less sweet and more savoury than McClelland's 2015. The taste is like fig balsamic vinaigrette with cracked pepper.
Dorchester is not a classic of the magnitude of Penzance or Stonehaven, but it certainly has character. Hasty puffers should be careful, as this stuff can easily incinerate the tongue.
UPDATE: I like the taste of Dorchester, but I burn the heck out of my tongue every single time I smoke it, no matter how slowly I go. I'm of the opinion that virginia tobaccos smoke better in flake form almost invariably, with or without perique.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 02, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is another excellent example of why Esoterica is one of the premier tobacco companies in the land. It is made with an exceptionally sweet blend of Virginias and a very healthy dose of Perique. If you don't thoroughly enjoy V/PA blends then you pbobably won't enjoy this very much. The perique is of the fresh jalapeno variety and interplays with the virginias quite well. If you think the perique is a little strong when you first light up, just wait until you reach the halfway point! This is certainly the most perique I have ever encountered in a blend. I noticed that some of the previous reviewers thought that there was cavendish and burley present in the mix when they did blind taste testing. This is probably due to the extremely sweet Virginias used. This is necessary however to offset the strong perique content. The burley taste comes from the interplay of the Virginias and the perique, the same faux burley taste I have found in other VA/P blends. This will bite like the dickens if you are not paying attention to it. Due to the complexity of the flavors here however, this is a tobacco that needs to be smoked nice and slow anyway. Too strong and complex to be smoked everyday, it is something that I will enjoy smoking on occasion, when I can focus solely on the experience.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 2018 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Where to begin.. and what hasn't been said.
I guess I'll start with let everyone else fight over Penzance and Stonehaven, I'll stock up on any tins or bags of Dorchester that I see on my local B&Ms shelf.
The tin note to me is always hay and pepper. The cut makes it easy to pack in any pipe but like several others have said, it shines in smaller bowls to me. Don't pack too tight or it will burn hot.
I imagine it ages well, I have some tins put back to test this theory, but even straight from a fresh tin it gives a light smoke. Sweetness from the VAs, fruity/pepper from the perique which drifts in and out as I savor the bowl.
I guess I'll start with let everyone else fight over Penzance and Stonehaven, I'll stock up on any tins or bags of Dorchester that I see on my local B&Ms shelf.
The tin note to me is always hay and pepper. The cut makes it easy to pack in any pipe but like several others have said, it shines in smaller bowls to me. Don't pack too tight or it will burn hot.
I imagine it ages well, I have some tins put back to test this theory, but even straight from a fresh tin it gives a light smoke. Sweetness from the VAs, fruity/pepper from the perique which drifts in and out as I savor the bowl.
Pipe Used:
various
PurchasedFrom:
Smitty's Cigar & Tobacco
Age When Smoked:
fresh from tin to 2 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 08, 2018 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Not much I can say that others have already said about this fine blend. It is similar to Dunbar but the flavors are lighter, meaning the lighter and delicate notes show through more than some of the darker notes that Dunbar has. A bit less spicy than dunbar as well.
In the bag it smelled of raisins, plums, earth and a bit of hay. Loads and lights easily and remains so with gentle but firm tamping. The smoke is slightly sweet and creamy with hints of earth, hay, dark fruit and just a tiny tiny bit of spice. Good stuff, I'll have to pick up a tin of this to explore it more.
In the bag it smelled of raisins, plums, earth and a bit of hay. Loads and lights easily and remains so with gentle but firm tamping. The smoke is slightly sweet and creamy with hints of earth, hay, dark fruit and just a tiny tiny bit of spice. Good stuff, I'll have to pick up a tin of this to explore it more.
Pipe Used:
Bent Billard, Dublin, Egg, Acorn
PurchasedFrom:
Gifted
Age When Smoked:
Unknown
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 29, 2013 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
Many of the Esoterica tobaccos are overlooked because of the adoration (properly bestowed) for Stonehaven and Penzance. I've only recently come to Dorchester as I explore VaPers and it is a solid favorite of mine. A decent helping of Perique gives it spice and fruitness. Ready to smoke out of the tin without much additional drying, Dorchester burns cool and always satisfies and relaxes. I favor it in a Meerschaum which seems to accentuate the rich raisin-like flavor. It has become an addition to my cellar and I always look forward to a bowl. Recommended.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 20, 2009 | Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
This is my first review so understand that I am not familiar with describing pipe tobaccos. I usually smoke more aromatic and sweet tobaccos so this one was a bit of a change for me. I like the taste and the strength of it, but it is a bit on the spicy side. I enjoy the packaging and tin smell, but I feel like when it is smoke it is rather spicy and a bit harsh. I don't think I'll buy it again because of that but I am glad I tried it out.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 14, 2005 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I must admit to having smoked very little of this to date. I will update this as warranted. At this time it is too rich a flavor for my less-experienced palate. I much prefer Dunbar to Dorchester. If you like big taste in tobacco, give it a whirl. It is of the highest quality as well.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 09, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Not much more need be added to the reviews of my esteemed colleagues, I'm just pokin' my nose in the door. I've stated before that I seem to reach for Esoterica tobaks quite frequently, and Dorchester is another winner that finds its way into my pipe bowls. Smooth and cool, the VA's are obviously high quality, lightly tangy, sweet and nutty & the Perique offers a bit of spice and balance to the smoke. Easy to pack and burns evenly and dry to a whitish ash. Virtually no bite, nary a gurgle. For some, IMO, this could be an all day smoke but YMMV. Another Olde World kinda smoke that too me is reminiscent of thatched roof cottages and quiet country lanes on an Autumn day. One of the better VA/Perique blends out there. Works for me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 27, 2003 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Unnoticeable |
So far my experience with VA-perique blends is pretty limited having only tried Haddo's Delight. That being a bit too overwhelming for me I decided to continue my adventures into VA-perique blends elsewhere and I seem to have run into something good on my second try.
On opening the tin this stuff smelled very familiar. Spicy, sweet, fruity... for a while I couldn't place it but then it occured to me. This stuff smells almost exactly like a good strong spicy-hopped ale like perhaps an IPA (india pale ale). Being a lover of such beers, and not being able to drink them much due to health reasons, this was very appealing to me.
The cut for this stuff seems a little odd to me. Its almost a shag but not quite. I find this a bit hard to pack and I'm left wondering why they cut it in this manner.
The smoking qualities of this stuff are pretty much like it smells: spicy, fruity, sweet. Compared with some other VAs I think this is a bit less prone to tongue bite. I'm not sure what else to say except that its really good.
Especially if you like a good strong ale of this character, you should give this one a try.
On opening the tin this stuff smelled very familiar. Spicy, sweet, fruity... for a while I couldn't place it but then it occured to me. This stuff smells almost exactly like a good strong spicy-hopped ale like perhaps an IPA (india pale ale). Being a lover of such beers, and not being able to drink them much due to health reasons, this was very appealing to me.
The cut for this stuff seems a little odd to me. Its almost a shag but not quite. I find this a bit hard to pack and I'm left wondering why they cut it in this manner.
The smoking qualities of this stuff are pretty much like it smells: spicy, fruity, sweet. Compared with some other VAs I think this is a bit less prone to tongue bite. I'm not sure what else to say except that its really good.
Especially if you like a good strong ale of this character, you should give this one a try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 25, 2001 | Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Strong |
This is my first VA/Perique blend. It hit me like a ton of bricks by half way throught the bowl. The smoke started off well and the taste is very nice. I smoke aromatics mostly and this is a very nice switch. I will try some more blends like this one.
If you like a little spice in your smoke, this is very nice. And the easiest to keep lit. I made it all the way to work with only one relight. (30 min drive)
If you like a little spice in your smoke, this is very nice. And the easiest to keep lit. I made it all the way to work with only one relight. (30 min drive)
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