D & R Tobacco Rimboché A.P.

My resolution for the new year is to only post reviews for 4-star blends. As I prep my cellar for the Zombie Apocalypse, there is no need to stock-up on anything less than 4-star tobaccos. There are many tobaccos that I would rate a 3-star or 2-star tobacco which are much more highly rated by much more experienced pipers than I, so, why go through the trouble of posting venom about a blend that I might personally dislike (what's the point)?

---

D&R Rimboché A.P. is a pitch-perfect Virginia/Perique. Lovely stuff this is . . .

On the char, I'm like, "OMG -- this is The Kind" . . .

Rimboché is an absolutely delightful Va-Per -- methinks my absolute favorite Va-Per as of this writing. I love the plummy pepper, the grassy Virginias; I love the fat, chewy smoke it produces.

It does, in fact, smoke quickly -- very much like John Cotton's Smyrna, and John Cotton's #'s 1 and 1&2 medium -- but that is not necessarily a bad thing: I can manage to seek refuge on the front porch with a wee dram and a quick smoke of this Rimboché in a mid-sized Rhodesian whilst the grandkids are all down for a nap . . .

I love the plum, the spice, the earth, the smoke -- and the price point: $27 for 16-ounces of this stuff? Perfect!

If you're a piper who claims to love Va-Pers, then you need to purchase yourself some of this Rimboché Acadian Perique.

This is a great basic va/per with a lower perique content, and for the price it’s a must buy. I’ll be stocking up on this as my bulk-buy every day smoke. Though i love blends like Escudo, the specificity of their flavor profile can wear on you, but not with this. It’s cool, clean and satisfying. The cut is fairly uniform and the moisture content in the 3.5 ounce container i purchased was perfect. Tastes similar to bayou morning but with less perique.

I opened this tin this morning so my taste buds would not have been compromised by some other tobacco. Since my arising at 6 AM I have smoked four bowls so as to get a taste for this smoke. Upon opening the tin, the blend smelled of dried mowed grass, almost haylike. The moisture content seemed to be what I how I like my tobacco to feel. It packed easily and lit well. I needed no other lights after my first. The blend is sweet. The Virginias really show through. The Acadian Perique is present in taste, but subtle. It adds a spicy note to the smoke. I think I prefer Rimboche S.J. to this blend, but they are really almost twins. S.J. has more of the Perique flavor than this smoke, but A.P. is very good. It is a keeper, in fact all of the D&R Rimboche blends are keepers in my book for those who are VaPer fans.

3rdguy

I really enjoyed this blend and just finished about 6 ounces of it. Comes dry so it is an easy smoke to just pack it tight and light her up. Enough to keep me interested with a peppery retrohale and a good solid Virginia base. On sale you can find this for $20 a pound which does not hurt it either. Burns to a clean white ash, no gurgle or relights.

I will not cellar it deeply but I will always keep some on hand. Highly recommended to at least try a tin.

Excellent balance between naturally sweet Virginias and slightly spicey, but generally fruity Perique. I think this Acadian Perique has all the flavor of St. James without the extreme pungency of the latter -- and I prefer it.

The tin note is dark dried fruit, a bit of floral, and perhaps a hint of bbq. It’s very pleasant, especially after aging a bit. A bit dry perhaps, for some, but perfect for my tastes. Burns at a moderate pace, not too hot, few if any relights. Sports a harsh note here and there but nothing unpleasant. I taste the VAs up front as grassy with a touch of citrus. I can’t well distinguish the perique-processed dark fired from the hint of Latakia, but I taste some smoky bbq. There is a bit of nuance here that makes focusing on the flavors over the course of the bowl fun. I enjoy the aroma, some may not. The nic hit is mild to medium for me, may be stronger for some. 3 stars, but considering the affordability, maybe it deserves 4.

A quality blend, to be sure. However, the Acadian Perique is a bit spicier and "in your face", compared to Rimboche SP which is similar except using St. James Perique which is less spice and more figs and prunes which, to my palate, is preferred. VaPer lovers have a nice assortment of D&R offerings to experiment with. Give it a try!