GQ Tobaccos Chocolate & Vanilla
(3.79)
The first of our Aromatic Latakia Series, a classic North American style of black cavendish and Virginia aromatic, but with the added richness of latakia. Initially, the concept seems a little odd; latakia is something you associate with English/Oriental/Balkan blends, sweet and sticky aromatics are the last place you would expect to find this smoke cured Cypriot leaf.
Latakia is a very smooth and cool burning tobacco; it has lots of flavour and is low in nicotine. The cool and smooth qualities really enhance the often hot aromatics by slowing down the burn rate and cooling the smoke. The sweetness from the casings and toppings give the Latakia a smoky flavour and a sweet and fragrant backdrop.
Notes: Currently available in their "blend it yourself" kit. The kit includes pre-measured components and blending instructions.
Details
| Brand | GQ Tobaccos |
| Series | Aromatic Latakia |
| Blended By | Glynn Quelch |
| Manufactured By | Glynn Quelch |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Black Cavendish, Latakia, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Cocoa / Chocolate, Vanilla |
| Cut | Mixture |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.79 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 14 of 14 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2016 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Chocolate and Vanilla smells slightly smoky and chocolaty with a wisp of vanilla. After some dry time, in the pipe I get more chocolate than vanilla although the two make a creamy combination. I am not surprised by the use of the Latakia as both GH’s Bob’s Chocolate Flake and SG’s Chocolate Flake also use some Latakia along with chocolate flavoring. The difference here is that it is more noticeable here in this blend. With that said, it still remains in a supporting role offering up a smoky chocolate flavor without overtaking the chocolate. There is a nice amount of body to this blend too, but compared to other aromatics that I have tried from GQ, this is milder in nicotine. I also enjoy the fact that the quality of the tobacco is apparent all the way through. C&V really makes for a nice dessert smoke!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 19, 2020 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The longer you leave this to mature the better it gets. This is not what I would call a Lat bomb but the Latakia plays a great role in this blend. Requires no drying time, lights easily, but I find it does require some relights especially as the bowl gets near the bottom third. This tobacco is very different from anything else I've smoked but is beautifully crafted by Glynn at GQ. The smoke is mellow and creamy and the combination of chocolate and Latakia has a mushroomy taste which is the closest I can get to describing it. And not in a bad way at all. Sort of reminds me of smoky truffles (not the chocolate ones) and is very moreish. I tried it in various briars but for me it shines in my meerschaum. I get very little vanilla to be honest but the flavour is so good that it doesn't matter. Great tobacco with coffee at any time of the day, no tongue bite or gurgle. My only downside is that I need a bigger meerschaum as its so intriguing that I want longer to enjoy a bowl. I wouldn't say that the chocolate is a strong flavour, but it works insanely well with the Latakia and I'm surprised that this flavour combination hasn't been worked time and time again by the big tobacco houses. I will definitely cellar a good quantity of this. I would think that quite a few people would enjoy this one, both those who like aromatics and Lat blends as it's not what I would call a classic aro, but rather a lightly cased and very interesting Lat blend. Everyone should try this at least once. 9/10 but only because I couldn't find the vanilla.
Pipe Used:
Bent meerschaum
PurchasedFrom:
GQ
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 31, 2016 | Very Mild | Extremely Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The more I read other comments, the more I think I must to have gotten a bad batch. As a Latakia lover, I just don´t get any of the smokiness and full body that usually comes with a nice latakia leaf. I´ve got a 10gr sample, and most of it must be Cavendish because the result is plain and dull at best - A huge dispointment - and the Latakia, Where is the Latakia? The GQ Classic English is unbeatable from my point of view, and my favourite English blend; I had high spectations for this one, but crashed. I´m glad I just got a sample. However I find GQ a very interesting blender and there are still many blends of his to try out.
Pipe Used:
cob and Stanwell
PurchasedFrom:
GQ Tobacco
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 07, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium | Very Pleasant |
I really like Chocolate Tobaccos. And this one is one of my favorites. The aromas is the tobacco itselfs is amazing. When you light it, it is even better. It burns pretty well, has dark chocolate flavors. Medium body, well balanced and dark chocolate flavors at the end, that persists in the mouth for minutes.
Pipe Used:
Peterson POTY 2016 w/ filter
PurchasedFrom:
GQ Tobaccos
Age When Smoked:
New
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