HU Tobacco Haymaker
(3.46)
Haymaker is a natural sweet Virginia flake from Indian, Philippine and Brazilian leaf. This pure Virginia flake fascinates both by its full aroma, and a pleasurable smoking experience. Haymaker is an easy going companion with complexity for delightful smokes troughout the day. As for all HU-Tobacco flakes, no glues and binders are used and thus enable easy rubbing or fold and pack. Try it - love it !
Details
| Brand | HU Tobacco |
| Series | United Passion |
| Blended By | Hans Wiedemann |
| Manufactured By | Dan Tobacco |
| Blend Type | Straight Virginia |
| Contents | Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Flake |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin weight |
| Country | Germany |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.46 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 13 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 06, 2024 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Naturally sweet, some caramel even, citrus, and some grass and hay that you would expect to be much more dominant given the name but aren't (they are more present in the tin note than the actual smoke). There are some familiar Viriginia notes but also some notes I haven't found in other straight Virginias and have trouble really putting my finger on. Very, very pleasant but what it resembles I'm not sure.
This blend is extremely consistent. If ever a blend deserved being called an all-day smoke, it's this one. Haymaker is light and fresh, and remains so top to bottom. The flavor doesn't diminish throughout the bowl (as I find with some VA), nor does it weary the taste buds at all. The last puff is as satisfying and pleasant as the first. The perfect summer smoke!
The room note is so good, I'm sure even non-smokers would be drawn to it. The retrohale is very enjoyable and features a spiciness that's otherwise not present in the smoke. The blend isn't overly complex nor is it at all boring. Quite the contrary. And I'm doubtful more complexity would even improve this already great blend.
It might not end up the same for your tastebuds but Haymaker has sneakily and quickly made its way into my all-time top 5. Something I didn't expect from this blend. After the third bowl I found myself craving only this blend, found myself looking forward to the next bowl while I was still smoking the current one. And so my vast cellar lay neglected as Haymaker was the only blend I reached for - something that had never happened before.
Someone here described it as very earthy but I can't second that at all. There's some rare nuttiness that reminds me of HH Pure Virginia, however it pops up very very rarely and the two blends aren't similar in anything but this aspect.
My one point of critic is that at times I have trouble keeping it lit. But that's no reason to give it anything less than the full 4 stars! My big worry is that with the acquisition of HU by Kopp, I'm not sure how available this blend manufactured by Dan Tobacco will be in the future, and if so whether it will change.
This blend is extremely consistent. If ever a blend deserved being called an all-day smoke, it's this one. Haymaker is light and fresh, and remains so top to bottom. The flavor doesn't diminish throughout the bowl (as I find with some VA), nor does it weary the taste buds at all. The last puff is as satisfying and pleasant as the first. The perfect summer smoke!
The room note is so good, I'm sure even non-smokers would be drawn to it. The retrohale is very enjoyable and features a spiciness that's otherwise not present in the smoke. The blend isn't overly complex nor is it at all boring. Quite the contrary. And I'm doubtful more complexity would even improve this already great blend.
It might not end up the same for your tastebuds but Haymaker has sneakily and quickly made its way into my all-time top 5. Something I didn't expect from this blend. After the third bowl I found myself craving only this blend, found myself looking forward to the next bowl while I was still smoking the current one. And so my vast cellar lay neglected as Haymaker was the only blend I reached for - something that had never happened before.
Someone here described it as very earthy but I can't second that at all. There's some rare nuttiness that reminds me of HH Pure Virginia, however it pops up very very rarely and the two blends aren't similar in anything but this aspect.
My one point of critic is that at times I have trouble keeping it lit. But that's no reason to give it anything less than the full 4 stars! My big worry is that with the acquisition of HU by Kopp, I'm not sure how available this blend manufactured by Dan Tobacco will be in the future, and if so whether it will change.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25, 2014 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
A flake comprised of several varieties of Virginia with no topping. The natural sweetness of the Virginias create a mild tart and tangy citrus and some tangy dark fruit, which is complimented by some grass, hay, wood, and earth with light bread and floral notes. It reminds me of a more natural, little stronger version of Dunhill Flake without the added toppings. The strength and nic-hit are a step past the center of mild to medium, while the taste is a slot ahead of that mark. The flake is easy to rub out if you aren’t a “fold and stuff” smoker, but either way you pack it gives you a moderate burn rate with a clean, cool, smoothly consistent flavor from top to bottom. No bite even if you try to push it. Has a minute rough edge. Not much complexity here as it is designed to an all day smoke that doesn’t wear out your taste buds. Requires an average number of relights, and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Has a short lived, pleasant after taste and room note. Can easily be an all day smoke.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 18, 2014 | Mild | Extremely Mild | Very Mild | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is another tobacco that was recently gifted to me, I've been very lucky to get a few of these recently. I only had about an ounce of it much like the others, however, unlike a lot of tobaccos that I can usually get at least some measure of with this amount, I've struggled with this one but I'll do my best to give a review of it.
The note in the sample bag it came in was mildly of vanilla and toffee, very pleasant. The dark brown flakes were not difficult to rub out and made for easy packing and lighting. The smoke itself is very mild and there is very little nic hit. I did have some difficulty discerning it, but there are sweet tones of caramel and toffee with odd little hints of vanilla. There is also something else creeping around underneath, it's quite an earthy tone I think but am not sure, something savoury, it's seems like the kind of flavour that shouldn't fit with the others but does, and does so very well. I'm not sure but it seems to be a taste akin to the smell of pipe tobacco I used to get as a kid from my great uncle and other pipe smokers I had the luck to pass by and a catch a whiff of their very pleasurable vice.
To be honest, having smoked so little and struggled to discern properly the full merits of this tobacco, I don't feel in any way qualified to review it. However, these are my impressions on the modest but generously gifted sample I was lucky enough to receive, so I am quite happy to be corrected and pulled apart by subsequent reviewers to whom I would advise "please do". However, I have had tremendous pleasure from smoking and working out the nuances of a very mild tobacco that I have, nonetheless, enjoyed thoroughly. It upholds the standards of all other HU tobaccos I have smoked and am starting to expect of them. A very guarded four stars pending further qualification from either other reviewers or my acquisition of more.
The note in the sample bag it came in was mildly of vanilla and toffee, very pleasant. The dark brown flakes were not difficult to rub out and made for easy packing and lighting. The smoke itself is very mild and there is very little nic hit. I did have some difficulty discerning it, but there are sweet tones of caramel and toffee with odd little hints of vanilla. There is also something else creeping around underneath, it's quite an earthy tone I think but am not sure, something savoury, it's seems like the kind of flavour that shouldn't fit with the others but does, and does so very well. I'm not sure but it seems to be a taste akin to the smell of pipe tobacco I used to get as a kid from my great uncle and other pipe smokers I had the luck to pass by and a catch a whiff of their very pleasurable vice.
To be honest, having smoked so little and struggled to discern properly the full merits of this tobacco, I don't feel in any way qualified to review it. However, these are my impressions on the modest but generously gifted sample I was lucky enough to receive, so I am quite happy to be corrected and pulled apart by subsequent reviewers to whom I would advise "please do". However, I have had tremendous pleasure from smoking and working out the nuances of a very mild tobacco that I have, nonetheless, enjoyed thoroughly. It upholds the standards of all other HU tobaccos I have smoked and am starting to expect of them. A very guarded four stars pending further qualification from either other reviewers or my acquisition of more.
Pipe Used:
Basket briar
PurchasedFrom:
Gifted
Age When Smoked:
Unknown
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 26, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Wow! What a great Virginia! I got two tins of this in a trade a made with a German Friend. The tins were well aged which was a plus. I hadn't tried this one, but my friend assured me that I would love it. I did.
This is a Virginia right up my alley. It is hay like, citrus rich with that bright sweetness yet fulfilling enough to satisfy with both body and nicotine. To my tastes, I believe this to be a very pure Virginia since I really don't detect any topping. Any treatment done to this leaf is done with perfect sublety.
If I had to compare this to a blend, I would say it is close to Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia, but I felt this one had a little bit more body than HHPV. I am nitpicking though as both are splendid and, as it appears, the latter may be the only one available soon as HU appears to be another blender about to be lost to time, due to over regulation in Europe.
This is a Virginia right up my alley. It is hay like, citrus rich with that bright sweetness yet fulfilling enough to satisfy with both body and nicotine. To my tastes, I believe this to be a very pure Virginia since I really don't detect any topping. Any treatment done to this leaf is done with perfect sublety.
If I had to compare this to a blend, I would say it is close to Mac Baren HH Pure Virginia, but I felt this one had a little bit more body than HHPV. I am nitpicking though as both are splendid and, as it appears, the latter may be the only one available soon as HU appears to be another blender about to be lost to time, due to over regulation in Europe.
PurchasedFrom:
Trade with friend
Age When Smoked:
4.5 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 19, 2014 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Very Pleasant |
Super tobacco. Similar to the Sunset Flake, but a touch fuller and with a bit more of a tang, I felt. Really creamy, smooth smoke, wonderfully soothing and calming. A beautiful fresh taste, with a biscuity feel. Great tin note and aroma. This grassy blend has all the hallmarks of a great handmade blend, with considerable attention to moisture, texture, cut, burn and taste. As with the Sunset, this leaves me satisfied and full of contentment. No bite, bitterness or tart aftertaste, just a fine mellow virginia sweetness on the tongue. A perfect smoke.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Harp Bulldog
PurchasedFrom:
Direct from HU
Age When Smoked:
About two months from purchase
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 31, 2015 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I have returned to pipe smoking a few months ago after retaining from it for over 20 years. YES-I do enjoy it. I ran into this tobacco after reading some really qualified reviews on this site. This tobacco was my first flake after my "restart". I love it! It is easy to use (I´m using a burner for lighting and the fold-method for the flake) and delivers a very smooth,cool smoking experience down to the last peace of tobacco. It has a very pleasant taste with a little bit of lemon and -at some times- some light flowery element to it. But fortunately the taste always stays on the real tobacco side!
Pipe Used:
Design Berlin Annual Pipe 2016
Age When Smoked:
fresh from the pack
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 03, 2021 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Tolerable |
Haymaker is extremally elegant and to some extent velvety blend of different types of Virginias for me. Absolutely high-quality blend without doubt for all day pipe puffing. A very special flavor / smell out of the opened tin. The smell consists of different herbs & floral essence. Absolute unique blend of pure blended Virginias. I am not a fun of Virginia at all, but this blend is out of my expectation, amazing smoke, aroma in the mouth, easy to go, easy to enjoy, easy to relax, easy to end up the process. This unique blend is designed based on different types of Virginias from India, Philippines and Brazil, thus, a combined ratio could provide such boiled soap of this unique blend. Definitely, different continents, soils, winds, angles of sunshine hitting on tobacco herbs are for sure contribute to this unique blend. It is worth to try it !
Pipe Used:
Castello no filter
PurchasedFrom:
German online retailer
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 31, 2014 | Very Mild | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
This is a pleasant Virginia smoke, no bite, easily lights and stays lit, burns to a nice soft white with little dottle. I really don't think there is anything that separates it from other Virginia tobacco blends that are much easier to obtain. This tobacco is not available to me locally so I probably won't go out of the way to obtain more. I did enjoy it and wouldn't discourage others for making it an all day Virginia blend they might prefer. Slightly more smoky taste than grassy which is one minor difference leading pipers to perhaps be surprised by the blend.
Pipe Used:
Blatter squashed tomato
PurchasedFrom:
Gifted
Age When Smoked:
new out of the tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2020 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Hrm. Haymaker. I had fairly high hopes for this, but i have to say, i'm having real difficulty trying to warm up to it.
Opening the tin, you're greeted by a smell of earth and grass, as well as the sight of some rough flakes, pressed together so tightly that it's almost like a plug. Not really a problem, but a curious thing you sometimes get with flakes.
It doesn't really need any drying before you pack your pipe with it, and it packs and lights perfectly fine. It also smokes fairly cool and consistently.
The issue i have with this is the flavour. It's earthy. Really earthy. As if there was some actual soil mixed in with the tobacco. There is the occasional hint of bread and grass/hay, as well as the occasional sweet note, but overall, the earth-notes are so overwhelming that i find it rather grim. Almost cigarette-y.
It's also the kind of flavour that makes me suspect i won't remember this tobacco for too long. It strikes me as a bit character-less.
In all fairness, it's very well behaved. Smokes cool, doesn't need many relights at all and doesn't bite. A bit of dottle and moisture, but for that, it's got the excuse of being a straight virginia.
It's got positive reviews, so i suspect it's more me than the tobacco, but ultimately, i just cannot seem to get on with this stuff.
Opening the tin, you're greeted by a smell of earth and grass, as well as the sight of some rough flakes, pressed together so tightly that it's almost like a plug. Not really a problem, but a curious thing you sometimes get with flakes.
It doesn't really need any drying before you pack your pipe with it, and it packs and lights perfectly fine. It also smokes fairly cool and consistently.
The issue i have with this is the flavour. It's earthy. Really earthy. As if there was some actual soil mixed in with the tobacco. There is the occasional hint of bread and grass/hay, as well as the occasional sweet note, but overall, the earth-notes are so overwhelming that i find it rather grim. Almost cigarette-y.
It's also the kind of flavour that makes me suspect i won't remember this tobacco for too long. It strikes me as a bit character-less.
In all fairness, it's very well behaved. Smokes cool, doesn't need many relights at all and doesn't bite. A bit of dottle and moisture, but for that, it's got the excuse of being a straight virginia.
It's got positive reviews, so i suspect it's more me than the tobacco, but ultimately, i just cannot seem to get on with this stuff.
Pipe Used:
Briars, mainly a Molina Churchwarden
PurchasedFrom:
Cigarworld.de
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 25, 2020 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Very good blend that you hardly hear anything about. It reminds me of Dunhill Flake in its strength and balance. I’m not sure why some have labeled this as mild, to me, it’s a solid medium. A very nice, stout, flavorful Virginia. I’ve only had it three times so far, but I’m really digging it and will be ordering some more.
Pipe Used:
Small Briar, Cobs
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 06, 2021 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Unnoticeable |
HU Haymaker-This is a great Virginia flake ! It is on the mild side for sure .i enjoy mild sometimes. It has the usual Virginia characteristics of hay and citrus , bread and floral notes. The sweetness is just right . It has a faint orange like flavor that is delicious. It is very fruity and bright . Good morning smoke for me . No bite and mild in nicotine . The only blend i can think of that would compare to this would maybe be a Christmas cheer of an orange Virginia crop but without the ketchup.It has that flue cured sweetness. I enjoy this when i am in the mood for sweet mellow Virginias. Would buy again for sure ! 4
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
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