Esoterica Tobacciana Stonehaven

I just trashed my other review and am writing a new one. First tip: KEEP THIS STUFF DRY! If it's wet, it tastes like hot air. If it's dry, it provides a very nice taste. I don't like it as much as Full Virginia Flake, but it's like a lighter version of the forementioned. Smoke it very slow, and chill. Got out of a stressful day of college, got in my car, and simply folded it over and put it in my pipe. It was one of the most relaxing smokes I've ever had. This stuff can be finnicky, so treat it right and you'll get a great smoke.

When dried out for about an hour, one can find this to be an enjoyable smoke. Puff with modesty, and it will return a subtle sweetness, as most Virginia's do. Wonderful hint of a coffee/chocolate, especially in first 1/3 of bowl. It slowly dissipates and the aroma becomes more of a natural tobacco smell...(for a lack of a better explanation)

I agree with the previous review. I had some for 2 years and pretty much gave up on it. I decided to give it another try and found it delicious. I would rate it 4 stars except you have to age it for so long before it can be appreciated. I will not miss Orlik Dark Kentucty as long as this is available. Prior to ageing it has a strange taste that I cannot describe. Dark Kentucky has an Anise taste that pretty much goes away after a week of opening the tin. I like strong VA's the best and some of them need ageing or at least some dry time. My favorite Burley's are Solani's Aged Burley Flake and CD's Riverboat Gambler. Now I believe Stonehaven has taken the lead, and is among my top 10 favorites of all tobaccos.

A very high quality flake no doubt about it. Much tastier with a little moisture remaining. Too dry, and it takes on a cigar like quality. I wouldn't call it a burley exactly. At least not in the classic sense, making it unusual and hard to desribe. It contains quality burley tobaccos, yes, but the presentation seems to change most of the burleys' characteristics to a dry, flat character instead of nutty and mellow. Think "dry vs. wet" martini All and all a very nice tobacco.

I do like a good Burley and Virginia blend, and this is one of the better ones I have found. Stonehaven is good any time of day. I?ve used this tobacco in all shapes and sizes of pipes with pleasure. The long strips of flake are laid out neatly in the foil pack. I have a pair of sharp scissors that I keep handy for cutting up this blend. On opening the foil bag I find a somewhat fermented vegetal smell with a hint of chocolate. Moisture content for a bulk is good. I cut this up with scissors into small chunks and let the tobacco air out a while before smoking. I do not rub out any of the tobacco. Once lit, this tobacco blend is an excellent smoke, no bite at any time, and the tobacco does not become overpowering. The second and third quarters of the smoke are the best for me. The Virginias in this blend provide a light tartness to the smoke. The Burley seems somewhat neutral. The last quarter gets a little sour for me sometimes so I do not always smoke this all the way to the bottom. Produces a dark gray ash. I can imagine how some would smoke this all day.

As others have pointed out, Stonehaven looks like beef jerky or bacon, and has a slightly fermented taste/aroma. VA and burley are combined in perfect proportions, making for a sweet/sour experience that evokes no easy comparisons. There's very little -- if any -- tongue bite here, and as it ages the VA becomes more assertive. This is a "must try" for lovers of both VAs and burlies. I suspect that latakia junkies might like it, too, for a change of pace -- this tobacco is as rich and complex as many English or Balkan blends. This is the Balkan Sobranie or Penzance of VA/burley. As such, it might not work well as an all-day smoke: it's incredibly rich, and better suited for times when you can sit and leisurely enjoy the nuances. Some people consider this their hold grail, and there are times when it seems as though it's worth its weight in gold on E-bay. I don't like it quite that much, but YMMV.

Stonehaven has been on my short-list of 'must try' tobaccos for too long now. Having been sampling it of late, I admit to wishing somewhat ruefully that I had smoked it sooner. The aroma is compelling, something of sugary liquor, cordial perhaps? The flakes are thin, pliant and jet black, staining the fingers as one massages them. With the naked eye you could never tell burley was included in this concoction but it does sneak in about half way down the bowl. The flavor is akin to some of the Lakeland greats, albeit sans certain English 'essences', growing dark near the bottom of the bowl. I found Stonehaven to smoke relatively dry and cool, but the casing implies that it will flavor the pipe to a degree. Ultimately, not spectacular but decidedly interesting enough to warrant further consumption. Fans of Bracken Flake, take note of this offering.

I picked up a couple ounces of this stuff at Rich's in Portland, and similar to the experiences in most of the above reviews, found Stonehaven to be a very unique smoke. A gigantic, almost symphonic taste, rich fermented tobacco that produces billows of thick white smoke. I rolled the flakes up "sausage style" and stuffed them into a medium sized Bjarne apple. The stuff took a bit of work to get lit (as expected) but burned nicely all the way down to the bottom, leaving an intersting bronze-tinted ash. As for the taste, there was no shortage of it! In addition to a Gawith-esque rich Virgina body, a prominent plum flavor seemed to be present throughout the smoke, I would almost venture to say that Stonehaven is something of an aromatic. Perhaps, as Pipeline suggests, it is flavored with alcohol, maybe a port or brandy. It could also just be the fermented burley. Either way, this tobacco is quite sweet and fruity but not in any way foofy or gussied-up like a typical aromatic. The flavor of this blend tends to hang around for awhile so caution is recommended in selecting or dedicating the right pipe. Stonehaven is a bit too wild to be in my regular rotation but its quite an unusual and enjoyable treat on occasion.

This uniquely dark, beautiful bark-like slice requires a bit of care and preparation. For one thing, be careful of the pipe you put it in or you won?t taste any of the fascinating subtleties as you proceed down the bowl. If you have a pipe that you have dedicated to a full English or Balkan or even a light aromatic, you will not appreciate what this special blend has to offer. I made that mistake, and was unable to taste much more than raisiny smoke. In a large, clean pipe that hasn?t been dedicated to any one particular favorite, Stonehaven will reveal it?s charms to you. Also, be sure to rub this stuff out well into nice strands; do not fold and pack. The slices themselves are gorgeous, rubbery strips of tree bark, pliant and moist like birch. In the bulk pack, the smell is winey, with hints of rum, anise and sun-ripened raisins. The taste has that typical Esoterica top dressing, like that found in ?And So to Bed,? though it?s much less aggressive. The first 3rd of the bowl is decent, but nothing too inspiring. It?s probably the last 3rd that garners the most appreciation. This is so similar to Esoterica/Germain, and yet, completely different. Like Penzance, I didn?t like it first, but over time, I see this as becoming an occasional favorite. I wish it were available in smaller containers and not 8 oz bulk. I?d love to try the other blends, such as Cardiff or Hastings, if only they came in smaller packages. Bravo once again to Esoterica of Jersey, Channel Islands for producing some of the most interesting and complex tobaccos a pipe smoker can enjoy.

Three and a half of five stars