Esoterica Tobacciana Dorchester

Esoterica- Dorchester.

Although most of it's a mid-size ribbon cut, there's one or two coarser pieces in it; longer ribbons and even a few tiny pieces of broken flake. The smell's one of a fruity VaPer, nothing too unorthodox. This tin has good moisture, not wet but nicely hydrated.

Just the first puff attests what all the fuss for Esoterica is about. Loads of refined, fruity-sweet, not too sharp Virginias, and very rich Perique. The Perique gives a wallop of ''tang'', quite sour, but it's not too astringent; I wouldn't imply it's a spice-bomb, instead it has an almost ''BBQ'' vibrancy from the Perique!! The different Virginias form the prominent flavour, with the citrus notes at the bottom of the pack and the succulent, ripe flavours on top. It burns perfectly, giving cool, bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: quite nice.

Dorchester? A cracking smoke. Four stars:

Highly recommended.

First impressions, cracked the tin and was greeted with an overwhelming hit of strawberry jam. An actual jar of jam wouldn't be this strong. Highly suspected of added topping, but I can get past that. The presentation and cut is great as always with Esoterica. Mostly coarse ribbon with some chunks of unbroken flake. Moisture is very good, very smokeable, at least my tin was.

I let it air out a bit to let the ghosts of strawberry jam escape.

Very nice flavor. Tangy Virginias, some spice from the perique. Tad bitey which leads me to believe I actually do need to dry this longer. Or at least slow down a bit.

Pairing it with some nice cognac.

Coming off a couple weeks with Dunbar, and restocking my Elizabethan and getting used to that all over again, this is a very nice change.

I'm feeling some nicotine which seems rare with pipe tobacco. I like it.

The Va;s remind of Gawith Va's. Tangier and more flavorful than STG type. But require more care and preparation. I get an old world tobacco vibe with this.

I'm not getting any artificial flavor in the smoke, only in the tin note. I will say none detected, since it's the taste that counts. But that tin smell.. Tastes like a VaPer. Va's way up front. A lot of sweetness and some mild spice.

Finding these Esotericas is a huge pain in the butt but it isn't impossible to get them. You might find yourself obsessing for a month to actually find a few tins though, and it's usually Margate & Pembroke.

I wish they would step up their production game. These tins sell out literally in a couple minutes of going up online, making it only a dream of some smokers to every try these.. And what about Germain's standard tins? I have yet to see even one in the wild.

Nearing the bottom 1/3rd of the bowl, very hot , I gotta slow down.

Very enjoyable smoke, right to the end. Plenty of nicotine.

I'll air dry the next bowl for 20-30mins even if it feels dry in the tin.

After a month with this tin:

The strawberry jam smell has morphed into peanut butter & jelly. its rather off putting.

I still like the tobacco. Nice treat after a few bowls of Elizabethan.

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.

This was my second Esoterica blend, after the legendary Penzance. I won't elaborate on all the subtle notes of this blend. I do not do this with wines (I am a big fan of claret) so for sure I won't do this with tobacco as it would simply be ridiculous (I am a newbie).

But I can say that this blend delivers. It is extremely well balanced and full-bodied. The taste is delicious, I felt like I could eat the smoke as if it were some gourmet food. The aftertaste is very pleasant and lingers on for some time. Dorchester is spicy but the spiciness is not overwhelming. It got me hooked on Perique (I am a Latakia fan). The Esoterica blenders must have been true artists.

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.

This is most probably my favorite tobacco. Opening the tin, the smell of this blend reminds me of fried okra, if that makes any sense. This would be hard to smoke right out of the tin, and takes for me an overnight drying-out to smoke properly. While I normally smoke stronger blends ( my all-day smoke is Cornell and Diehl's Old Joe Krantz), this one is plenty strong, and the flavor is the perfect balance of Virginia and Perique. This one will always find a place in my rotation!

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.

I have been attempting to compare and contrast Dunbar and Dorchester for a few months now and they are very similar. They are both excellent quality with about the same amount perique that is contained in our benchmark Orlik Golden. Dunbar and Dorchester are natural and smoke wonderfully. These blends definitely provide a unique experience worth trying. the difference in taste between the two is small, but dorchester is lighter, sweeter, and fruitier while dunbar is spicier and has more of a rich plum taste. If you could only choose to try one, I would personally recommend Dorchester.

Yes. It is good! Perique is dominant and very noticeable throughout all but the last third of the bowl. Best described as a peppery smoke. It's a very interesting VA/Per with good burning qualities.

An enjoyable VA/Per for "me." I believe that top shelf leaf was used in this blend. Simply a no nonsense blend of quality tobacco that can be enjoyed any time if one likes Perique blends.

This, for me, was a unique tasting VA/Per that is unlike any other I've ever smoked. The end of the bowl tastes good, smokes mild and doesn't become harsh or bitter. Therefore, IMHO, Dorchester merits four stars. Sampled in a size 2 Dunhill Shell Briar.