Esoterica Tobacciana Dunbar

I finally opened a bag of this that I had bought circa 2015. After I jarred it, there was about 3/4 of an ounce left over, which I used to break in a new Peterson Sherlock Holmes Squire. Delicious stuff! Very naturally sweet Virginias, helped along by the aging process, I presume. Some tartness. Notes of stewed fruit and black pepper from the perique. Typical Germain full tastiness, along with the characteristic mustiness--literally mouthwatering. Mrs. Fittleworth hated the aroma, for what it's worth. Strength and nicotine are both medium. Even with 6+ years of age on it, it would occasionally get hot, but that may have been due more to my using a new pipe and/or puffing cadence, than the actual tobacco. Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.

The first thing that surprises me is the state of the paper that makes the cover, impregnated with tobacco oils. Considering it's only been a couple of years, tops, since it was canned, that's not typical. Is this tobacco aged before it is canned? It could be… After smoking the first pipes I find a different flavor from the many virginias and va/per that I have smoked to date, and that already seems to me a great virtue. At first it made my tongue bite a bit, but after a few weeks opened the tin improved considerably in this regard and I was able to smoke it carefree and dedicate myself solely to enjoying the tobacco. Thinking about it, to a certain extent it is normal that being made up of seven virginias (in addition to the perique), it is not surprising that one of them comes out a little rabid. The fact is that once the bite problem was solved, I found it to be a very tasty and high-quality tobacco. In my humble opinion, it is not like any other va/per including Dorchester, from the same Esoterica, where the presence of the perique in the latter is somewhat inferior and the flavor of the virginias is also different.

I will not shut up that it has a very big defect: it is difficult to obtain.

It will never bite you even if you rush, it keeps its flavor all the way to the last puff. Mild VaPer, if you want to initiate with Virginia Perique blends, this is the one. Not overly complex for my taste but pleasant to be a all day smoke. Low on perique, more like a condiment. I am not sure about 7 different Virginias!? Reading this statement on the tin label you might be leaded to think this is something near to McClelkand’s Black Woods, but it’s nothing close, It’s more to a Elizabethan mixture from Dunhill. Bottom line, it’s a good baccy but not excellent.

I’ve only been at this pastime for six years, and I am surprised to find that I continue to be surprised (astonished, astounded, amazed, flabbergasted, taken aback) at just how wide-ranging, multifarious and richly diverse the world of pipe tobacco is (compared to, say, cigars) and how fortunate we all are as a result of that fact. I’ve been stockpiling Penzance and Stonehaven for the past several years, only to have just discovered Margate, Pembroke and Dunbar. (UN-believable). I haven’t had the Dorchester yet, but I’ll refrain from comparing Dunbar to Escudo or DNR or any other VaPer, for the only reason that this VaPer is uniquely distinctive and one of a kind – there really is nothing else to compare this with and/or to (I’ll edit this after I get my hands on some Dorchester). To begin with, this stuff presents like no other VaPer I’ve come across. This is a choice, ready rubbed offering of the highest quality – you can actually see the individual ribbons of Perique intermingled amongst the Virginia (it’s Esoterica from J.F. Germaine – why would anyone expect anything but)? Furthermore, the tin note is at once juicy and mouthwatering -- its bouquet quite unlike any other VaPer I’ve come across. This is the first VaPer I’ve encountered with such notes of apricot – and along with the raisin, fig, hay/grass, I also detect some kind of mystery note that reminds me of animal feed or something akin to it (and I don’t even think I know what the hell animal feed smells like) . . . I’m quite taken with this stuff – so much so that, before my first bowl was over, I drove back to my local B&M and relieved them of their last five remaining tins of Dunbar. Lovely find; delightful stuff. 4-stars.

A lot has already been said about Dunbar. Unfortunately, I am not joining the crowd with my praises. Dunbar is not a bad tobacco, far from it. But it is not, contrary to some opinions, what I would consider a bucket list item. Dunbar is an average Virginia and Périque, no more and no less, even after two years of aging. When taking into account this and especially how difficult to get this offering is-and how ridiculous some of the prices asked for it are set at-I will certainly not acquire some again and invest my money into better offerings that are readily available. I can only suggest you do the same.

Let me first say that I adore this blend. The Virginias are truly incredible in a way that is distinct from the other truly beautiful va smokes ive had. They are many layered and richly, creamily complex. There are definitely the bright sweet notes that come from a va no. 1, but they are balanced by stoved and cavendished varieties that make this blend a simple pleasure to taste. Truly unique in the plain va satisfaction regard. Now my only complaint: the perique is not evenly distributed throughout the blend. And oh, what a perique it is, juicy, darkly sweet and ferment-laden. I actually salivate to imagine it. However it is spottily mixed in in strands throughout the broken flake arrangement. For those of us who like to tinker this may be a plus, as you can adjust three perique content while packing. I often end up doing just that. But I'd prefer to just have it consistently blended throughout. Ive only purchased tge bags and would be interested to know if tge tins are the same. That's my only complaint, and it does vex me, but truly the vas here are truly magnificent in their own right and even on the odd pipeful that contains nearly no perique the blend is a true standout. But when the perique is present as i expect the blender intended, this is a smoke that is right off the charts. True pipe bliss.

Great tin presentation and perfect moisture! Top quality leaf that delivers on point. As I take in the smell I get a fig, apple, hay smell that just has me beside myself. Perfect balance of spice and sweet for me with propper burn qualities. If I can ever put my hands on it I will certainly stock up on Dunbar!

Dunbar is one of the best blends I have smoked. It almost smokes itself. Sometimes, at first, it may takes some re-lights, but once you get it going, it goes to the bottom of the bowl evenly. I don't find, as some reviewers have that it smokes fast, and I'm a fast smoker. The aroma that I detect is of honey and a woodsy fragrance, with a sweetness, but it's not an unnatural sweetness, like some aromatics. I also smoke Escudo, but this is better to me. I think Escudo is stronger. I'm new to Va/Pers, but so far this is my favorite. I just got 8 oz. of Hearth & Home Rolando's Own, and it is a great smoke, too. It has the woodsy flavor and smokes pretty much evenly, as Dunbar, but to me, Dunbar is a little sweeter and more to my liking. I plan to buy more of both.

Ah, Dunbar! This is currently my favorite Vaper. As far as I'm concerned up there with the best. And I've tried a bunch! Great out of a 2oz tin and an 8oz bag. Tin note is fantastic...malty, raisiny. Both the tin and bag are well packed with ribbons of rather moist virginias so its best to stretch this stuff out on a cookie sheet for some air and dry time. Very hard to unpack since some of the strands are several inches long and tend to stick together at the ends. As far as packing in a bowl, I like to grab a bowl's worth and tear these long strands into something that will pack more efficiently. Initial lighting can be a bit challenging. Can take a couple o'three matches to get her going but once up it's pure pleasure. Nice spicy perique overtones with the VAs bubbling up all during the bowl and really intensifying near the end. Probably the best burning blend I've ever had. Volumes of smoke that preclude the temptation to over-puff. Burns down to a fine gray ash that sometimes just pours out of the bowl. I believe this would be a flavorful and efficient blend with which to break in a new pipe. This blend operates on the threshold of my perique tolerance. I toyed with the idea of giving it 3 stars due to a possible over-abundance of the LA weed for my tastes. But judging how fast the jar is emptying, can it really be that much of a problem? I guess not. If you like VAs(hell, there's 7 of 'em in here) and Vapers, and have an affinity for perique, you really owe it to yourself to give this a whirl.