Bufflehead Canvasback Decoy

Much milder than other VA/Perique tobaccos I have smoked, yet that doesn't take away the flavor of this blend. Upon opening the sealed tin and sticking my nose right in it, the usual burning of the nostrils that comes with Perique is right there; no question that there is Perique in this blend but not overpoweringly so. The sweetness of the Viginias is there too.

Lighting is easy, being a ribbon cut. I find the flavor is very pleasant. Very smooth is the first thing I notice. No harshness as in Peretti's Dundee, another VA/Perique that I smoke frequently. No tongue bite as in Peretti's London Flake, another rather strong VA/Perique. The lack of these characteristics allows me to discern the true flavors of this blend. The sweet "woodsy" flavor of the Virginias is very apparent and the spiciness of Perique is melded almost perfectly with the Virginia. This is probably the only tobacco that I have found where the Virginias and Perique do not overpower each other and I can detect an almost equal amount of each in almost every puff. Exceptionally nice blending.

Alas, I seem to be stuck on the strength of Peretti's London Flake and thus can't consider Canvasback Decoy as my favorite, but that doesn't detract from the quality and harmony of this blend. I can well see it as a good all day smoke and relief from the stronger overpowering blends. Nice job Dave Windsor and the Bufflehead Shop.

Having just received my order from David @ Bufflehead I was anxious to try this blend because though I prefer Straight VA's, I frequently enjoy a good VA/Perique mixture. This IS a good one. Upon opening the tin you notice an appealing, lightly sweet fermented aroma that one could just sit and sniff for some time. The brown/reddish brown ribbon packs well and lights easily. Maybe just a bit moist. Usual lighting ritual works just fine. The initial flavor is lightly spicey & tangy w/a citrusy sweetness that is most flavorful and tasty. This is not an overly complex smoke but there are flavor shifts as you progress down the bowl; sometimes a little sweet, maybe a bit tart, raisiny, etc.. Becomes richer as you smoke down the bowl. Virtually no bite. I'm liking this, and I really think most anyone would enjoy this blend if you like Perique to any degree. I smoked this in a Grp. 5 Mastro 1/2bent "drip wax" Brandy, but a somewhat larger pipe would more than likely be fine, whatever pops yer cork. There was a bit of a gurgle, but this pipe does that now and then (could be my packing too), and only required a coupla cleaners. I also used a Castello Sea Rock G65 and used no cleaners till the end. Zesty & sparkling, this is a smooth, cool smoke that burns clean to a gray ash and leaves you w/a desire to smoke another bowl. What was interesting to me was as I smoked this tobak I kept saying "this reminds me of something else". This is a McC. manufactured blend, but David assures me this is not one of their blends that he put a name on. If it really is, I'm not sure which one it might be. Hmmm... but it's sorta like #5100 w/Perique, could that be it? I also thought, this is kinda like smoking one of the Pease blends. Then, I opened my tin of Haddos and smelled the two in turn. Maybe it's me, but the tin of Canvasback smells practically identical to Haddos!!! I know, sounds crazy maybe, but except for the colors (Haddos has more black in it), and the cut (Haddos has a more broad, coarse ribbon cut) and components (Haddos has unflavored black Cavendish), I think they smoke, taste and smell about the same, but, Haddos is heavier and more stout than Canvasback. I personally prefer the lighter Canvasback. Price for two oz. is pretty much the same. IMHO, I think these two could be brother & sister & I like them both. I make no insinuations, but if Greg, David and McC. have put their heads together, I didn't know it, so forgive my ignorance if this is old news. These two tobaks would work good together if you like varying degrees of Perique/VA blends (and/or mixed w/other component tobaccos), of different strengths, the lighter Canvasback ideal for AM/afternoon, and Haddos for PM time. That's my plan, and I'll keep some of both around. Works for me.

Canvasback Decoy is in Bufflehead's primium flagship "decoy" line of tabaks. I received my tin gratis from Bufflehead's David Winslow along with a sweet little Danish Crown freehand which I broke in by and large with CD. I had resisted buying this tobacco largely because of its premium price and its billing as "a milder English tobacco suitable for smoking all day".

Here is what I have come up with. This certainly is a top quality and gentle-smoking product. (Most Buffleheads I have tried are first rate.) The virginias are some of the smoothest I have come across straight out of the tin, and it burns down to a great gray-white ash. I just prefer my Va/Ps with a bit more P. This is more of a reflection of my tastes rather than a weakness of CD. I have smoked several bowls of CD back-to-back with McCs. #2015, and while I prefer the latter with its flake structure and higher perique content, I must say that #2015 has a lot more bite than CD. I find CD more along the lines of Two Friends Redwood than Haddo's.

CD is certainly worth a try (despite it costing more than twice as much as Bufflehead's regular blends, which are such a good deal!), especially if you are looking for a mild to mid-strength Va/P or are looking for a good tobacco to break a new briar in with.