pipesandcigars.com Snow Drift

The burley is nutty, earthy and woody with a light molasses, and I notice it a little more than the grassy, citrus sweet Virginia. The sugary black cavendish is a condiment. The mild chocolate and the lighter applied vanilla topping have a distinct thinness to them, though no chemical notes. They mildly tone down the tobaccos. Has very little nicotine. The strength and taste levels are very mild. Won’t bite or get harsh even for a fast puffer. Burns at a reasonable pace, cool, clean and very smooth with a consistent unfulfilling flavor that lacks depth in comparison to other blends in this genre. Leaves little moisture in the bowl. The after taste is exceptionally mild. Gets two stars only because it doesn’t bite or leave goop.

-JimInks

I was somewhat disappointed with this blend. It may have just been my batch, but this blend failed me as an aromatic and failed to bring forth the tobacco as well. A double whammy. I prefer a little of both and I can live with a blend if it's good on one front or the other. Thought it burned a little hot and never matured as it progressed through the bowl. I jarred it and will hold onto it for another six months and see what it has to offer. I generally like the Russ' blends, but this is my least favorite of the five I've tried.

Egads, this stuff made the whole box it was shipped in stink to high hell, giving off eye watering vapors of chocolate mist. The room I keep tobacco in began to stink, so the tiny 1 oz bag had to live out it's short life in the garage. This toxic cloud experience happened before, when I ordered a bag of Boswell's Cupcake/Christmas cookie.

Suffice to say the initial chocolate aroma was dealt in spades... and clubs, and hearts, etc. The rubbery bits packed tightly and took several waves of the torch to immolate. The first few puff were deep and the flavor translated well, better in fact than the initial bag potency. Thankfully it never got too sweet, so the coco stayed consistent all the way to the bottom.

The real winner here was the audience. Those in the room with me said it was like walking into a kitchen with cookies baking, so it may be the kind of thing you smoke more for your guest than yourself.

A very good beginner's aromatic. Chocolate top notes and middle notes and undertones. Did I mention it smells and tastes like chocolate? Be sure to dry it out as it is persnickety and you will have to keep relighting it and packing it. Pack it lightly and it behaves. I love the taste but it is a diversionary tobacco for me. Fun to own and share. It ghosts pretty bad so keep the 4 figure pipes away....

Pipesandcigars.com - Snow Drift (Russ' Monthly Blend).

Another Aromatic Sunday and Snow Drift fits the bill today!

The blend includes a healthy amount of black Cavendish. Although not completely consumed by it I see more black pieces than brown. The pouch-note's of chocolate and vanilla, I find no issue with the moisture.

Unlike the prominent number of reviews to date I rate this higher than one or two stars. I get a 'comforting' character from it! The tobaccos are driven by the black Cavendish, I taste some Burley but no Virginia comes over to my palate. I feel quite indifferent toward the tobaccos, they're neither here nor there; just a standard aromatic blend. What makes me rate this higher are the toppings. The chocolate leads, without being bitter, and the touch of vanilla gives the smoke a little creaminess. This causes the flavour to be one of luxurious, indulgent, chocolate, as opposed to cheap, nasty, stuff! The burn's of a good standard, fairly cool, and it doesn't bite me.

Nicotine: mild. Room-note: nice.

Snow Drift? A nice blend which I have no problem recommending:

Three stars.

When I first got a sample of Snow Drift, I was very disappointed, and mentally put this one down as a 1-star. I just expect these more expensive special blends to have a more pronounced flavor. But perhaps that extra cost is due to the more limited amount being created. Many found it to be excellent, but what little taste I found in it was somewhat bitter, and lacking much of the cocoa/honey advertised. Today, a month later, I tried it again. And, while the taste is still very mild, the bitterness is still there, but subdued. At least some of the cocoa does come through, and for that I would give it 2-stars.

My SOP with these lackluster blends, is to then begin adding some BCA usually, although Vanilla Black Cavendish might work just as well, to see if I can't pull something worthwhile out of the pouch. It worked with Snow Drift, although I've also wasted some excellent BCA in the past, by doing this.

I mixed a bowl that was roughly 60/40 Snow Drift to BCA, thinking that the BCA would overpower the SD. Well, the BCA was there, certainly, in all its vanilla wonder, but subdued, and now the cocoa of the SD began to emerge. This turned into a fairly enjoyable smoke...just enough vanilla to tell me the BCA was on board, and now smoothed by the BCA. But, the cocoa and gentle sweetness of the SD could be tasted, too. There is little to no tobacco taste, however, and I miss the nuttiness of my Carter Hall in mixes like this.

While I've found better BCA blending...most especially BCA and 1Q, this certainly salvages the Snow Drift. Now, in the dark of winter, when the Postal Gnome can't make it to my hanger door, at least I'll have something in my emergency stash that works.

2-stars for Snow Drift, solo. 3.0 stars with BCA mixed. 2.5 overall...would not be on my list of all-time fave mixes.

This is a pretty disappointing aromatic. There is not much "there" there. Tin note has little to no real distinct aroma. Perhaps some chocolate but very light. Light up was fine and burn is good for a aromatic. Flavor and taste is just not there. Hints from time to time of sweetness but it's hard to identify the exact taste. This is really a pretty disappointing blend. Room note is so mild it is hard to identify as well. Frankly, for me there is really no reason to return to this blend again.

Your basic cavendishy aro. Smells nice in the jar, and Mrs. Bruck says the smoke smells good, but the flavor is pretty lacking - it's saved from being a complete dud by having a little burley in the mix. On the plus side, there's no bite.

Allow me to say first that if you like strong cocoa (I'm talking sticking your nose in a pouch of hot cocoa mix strong) with tobacco then you will like this blend. I found that I do not like that much cocoa, not a knock on Russ because his blends are amazing but snow drift was simply too strong of an aromatic for me. I was able to smell the cocoa through the box when it was delivered and upon opening it got even stronger. I filled my pipe and tried it out, I could not taste or smell tobacco at all, just chocolate with sweetness. As I said, if you like very strong aromatics this may be your holy grail but this blend was not for me.

I bought a couple ounces of this to try over the Christmas season. The first few bowls I thought I had made a mistake as it burned hotter than the sun and torched my tongue. After letting it dry down for a few days I had a much better smoke and really enjoyed it. It leaves a pleasant mocha/coffee room note and is great with a good stout beer while you hang Christmas lights. Pairs with: Stout beers, Christmas lights, Christmas tree lots, candy canes, elves