McCranie's Hell's Gate
(3.43)
An English aromatic you won't believe. An extremely smooth mixture of Orientals blended with an aged, mellow Latakia cube. Trent blended this for a good friend in the Big Sky country in Montana and now it is a favorite of many.
Details
| Brand | McCranie's |
| Blended By | |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | Aromatic |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production |
Profile
Strength
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Extremely Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.43 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 14 of 14 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 08, 2004 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
The name sold me. Along with the reviews of course. Where Moor's Gate suffers from the aromatic component, I think this element in Hell's Gate truly shines.
I enjoy the stronger English and Latakia mixtures, and have so far had very sketchy luck with aromatic tobaccos. Even the famed McClelland and C+D blends have always managed to drop from my rotation sooner rather than later. However when I imagined myself puffing away on a sweet yet savory pipe - *this* is the taste I imagined.
I believe this would be the perfect tobacco for someone looking to try something a bit more interesting than Frog Morton when the desire for latakia and added flavoring conspire. A huge step up from CVS and Lane brands.
VERY smooth, no bite or goop or gurle. I may not smoke it all the time, but will likely keep some on hand for when the mood strikes.
I enjoy the stronger English and Latakia mixtures, and have so far had very sketchy luck with aromatic tobaccos. Even the famed McClelland and C+D blends have always managed to drop from my rotation sooner rather than later. However when I imagined myself puffing away on a sweet yet savory pipe - *this* is the taste I imagined.
I believe this would be the perfect tobacco for someone looking to try something a bit more interesting than Frog Morton when the desire for latakia and added flavoring conspire. A huge step up from CVS and Lane brands.
VERY smooth, no bite or goop or gurle. I may not smoke it all the time, but will likely keep some on hand for when the mood strikes.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 30, 2004 | Medium | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
This was my first tobacco from McCranie's and I am happy I tried it. Hell's Gate is delicious, particularly if you are fond of Latakia but also like a bit of sweetness in your smoke.
The tobacco is a large ribbon cut of what must be Orientals and Cavendish with a healthy dose of cubed Latakia. The pouch aroma is good enough to eat. Sweet, a bit fermented, and smokey.
The flavor is even better. This tobacco is a perfect mix of Latakia smokiness and sugary-molasses sweetness. Sort of like a sweet yet spicy BBQ sauce. Yum! I have tasted English aromatics in the past and have not liked the sweet/smokey interplay. Not here! It is done so very well in Hell's Gate.
Mild in nicotine but full in flavor. This tastes good all the way down.
A must try in my opinion.
The tobacco is a large ribbon cut of what must be Orientals and Cavendish with a healthy dose of cubed Latakia. The pouch aroma is good enough to eat. Sweet, a bit fermented, and smokey.
The flavor is even better. This tobacco is a perfect mix of Latakia smokiness and sugary-molasses sweetness. Sort of like a sweet yet spicy BBQ sauce. Yum! I have tasted English aromatics in the past and have not liked the sweet/smokey interplay. Not here! It is done so very well in Hell's Gate.
Mild in nicotine but full in flavor. This tastes good all the way down.
A must try in my opinion.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 24, 2004 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Tolerable |
Hellsgate is a must-try in my opinion, if you're a fan of Latakia. Well balanced, subtle nuances that I just can't identify. Someone more experienced may be able to name everything in this blend, but not me.
If you're used to light aromatics, you might want to work up to this one. They call it an English aromatic, but aromatic means something very different here.
This is a great cake builder too.
I didn't rate room note, because I haven't smoked it around anyone but my wife. And her rating of anything with latakia is not complimentary.
I must confess, the reason I bought it was the name. It was intriguing. Hinting at something evil, forbidden. I bought the small bag, and after trying a few bowls, I ordered a big bag right away. I didn't want to run out!
The name Hellsgate conjures images quite opposite from the experience of smoking it. Fire and brimstone? No way - smooth and cool. Loaded with flavor. In my opinion it is on a par with Dunhill's 965 - But don't tell the folks at McCranie's that, they might increase the price!
You owe it to yourself to try this one!
UPDATE: I have dedicated a pipe to this blend exclusively and as I smoke more of it I am finding a subtle taste that reminds me of cloves. It appears to have more complexity than I originally thought!
Also, my wife said that of all the latakia blends I have smoked around her, this was the best smelling. She said she smelled something like chocolate (?)
Based upon this, I have updated my rating on room note and flavoring - though the flavoring may be entirely natural.
If you're used to light aromatics, you might want to work up to this one. They call it an English aromatic, but aromatic means something very different here.
This is a great cake builder too.
I didn't rate room note, because I haven't smoked it around anyone but my wife. And her rating of anything with latakia is not complimentary.
I must confess, the reason I bought it was the name. It was intriguing. Hinting at something evil, forbidden. I bought the small bag, and after trying a few bowls, I ordered a big bag right away. I didn't want to run out!
The name Hellsgate conjures images quite opposite from the experience of smoking it. Fire and brimstone? No way - smooth and cool. Loaded with flavor. In my opinion it is on a par with Dunhill's 965 - But don't tell the folks at McCranie's that, they might increase the price!
You owe it to yourself to try this one!
UPDATE: I have dedicated a pipe to this blend exclusively and as I smoke more of it I am finding a subtle taste that reminds me of cloves. It appears to have more complexity than I originally thought!
Also, my wife said that of all the latakia blends I have smoked around her, this was the best smelling. She said she smelled something like chocolate (?)
Based upon this, I have updated my rating on room note and flavoring - though the flavoring may be entirely natural.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 05, 2002 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Pleasant |
Hellsgate is one of my "regulars". It consists of equal amounts of dark brown, and black tobaccos that appear to be broken flake & heavy ribbon cut orientals,and course crumbled latakia. The package aroma is tangy sweet, pungent, and leathery. It comes feeling fairly moist, for a bulk blend, but sprinkles nicely into the bowl, and holds a loose pack very nicely. The pre-light taste is just like it smells. Enough already.......get me a match!!
Hellsgate chars easily, despite it's moistness, and holds the second light very well. AHHH, this is a cool, rich, and full bodied smoke, right from the first puff. Smoky latakia, tangy orientals, and an overriding sweetness combine to form one of those "stick to the mustache" flavors that remains consistent and complex throughout the bowl, but gains some potentcy in the last third.
As for room note, I've gotten several favorable comments, even from non-smokers, and feel that this is a good "party smoke".
As if you couldn't tell, I really love this tobacco. If you're looking for that more acceptable, smoke in the house, english blend, give this one a try. 4 stars+++
Hellsgate chars easily, despite it's moistness, and holds the second light very well. AHHH, this is a cool, rich, and full bodied smoke, right from the first puff. Smoky latakia, tangy orientals, and an overriding sweetness combine to form one of those "stick to the mustache" flavors that remains consistent and complex throughout the bowl, but gains some potentcy in the last third.
As for room note, I've gotten several favorable comments, even from non-smokers, and feel that this is a good "party smoke".
As if you couldn't tell, I really love this tobacco. If you're looking for that more acceptable, smoke in the house, english blend, give this one a try. 4 stars+++
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