Sutliff Tobacco Company Court of St. James

Presentation: CoSJ appears to be a mixture of broken Virginia flake and a HEFTY dose of black coarse cut ribbons of barrel fermented St. James Perique. Because the broken flakes are thick cut, stiff, and long, this mixture needs to be thoroughly rubbed out and partially dried before you can smoke it.

Tin note: The tangy aroma of Ketchup/Tobasco that’s the hallmark of MacBaren’s matured Virginias (re: Sutliff owns MacBaren) is present, but not to excess. It’s accompanied by a pungent note of dark BBQ sauce, which implies (to me) the flakes were hot pressed after maturation, in the same fashion as MacBaren’s HH Old Dark Fired. The Perique’s plummy and mushroomy aroma is overpowered in the tin, but not in the bowl ... more on that in a moment.

Smoking: Skipping ahead to Mid-bowl, this is rich, full bodied and spicy smoke. Picture a three way combination of roasty HH Old Dark Fired, tangy HH Mature Virginia and peppery Perique, in almost equal measure, and you’ll have a good idea what to expect here. Courtesy of the hot pressed matured flakes used as the base, and the hefty dose of Perique used to balance them, this falls deeply into the strong end of the VaPr spectrum, and almost goes into the upper decks. Despite its strength, this blend works quite well ... the savory caramelized flakes pair nicely with the intensely peppery perique, the plummy notes of the latter round out the saucy tang of the former, and the thickness and age of the flakes (and admirably restrained use of sugar) help keep the smoking temperature in check. Despite the pungency, you can actually puff this at a fairly good clip without it overheating or biting back ... and unlike 1792, you can actually do back-to-back bowls of this potent mix without suffering ill effects.

Summary: This is a big, pungent, and very spicy VaPr that should please aficionados of hot-pressed flakes, perique-heavy blends, and BBQ fare alike. This blend works well, and gets a solid three stars. Add a full star if you're a fan of the MacBaren 'tobasco' note, HH Old Dark Fired and Perique in general.

*Speculation: I'm guessing this is a discounted limited release (read: Sutliff blending a bunch of well-aged but overstocked MacBaren flake with some overstocked perique in order to clear warehouse space). I suggest buying it now, while supplies last and discounts abound. Definitely worth laying down a few tins.*

---------- Pairings: I’d say pepperoni pizza with hot sauce, or hot wings with a chipotle based BBQ dip, or a dry-rubbed steak (served with A1 or HP), would all be winners here. For liquor, I’d go dark and full - for whiskey I’d do Baker’s 107 or Macallan 12, and for rum I’d do Gosling Blackseal. For beer & wine I’d counterpoint with a crisp dry pilsner or a dry sparkler, to keep flavor fatigue at bay.

This is an odd sort of blend. I did enjoy it, but I can't say I would purchase anymore. I think of this as one of those blends that a year from now I will have to look at this review to remember what I thought of it.

My biggest problem with it is the inconsistency each bowl presents; which in a way, also made it somewhat enjoyable. The reason I believe this happens is more the cut than anything. It is a mix of broken flake and ribbon cut that is all over the place with nearly all pieces being quite large, so unless you rub out the whole tin first and then mix it together, you will have a smoke that is dominated by one or two of the elements.

I used to be zealous enough to rub out a whole tin, but I have grown a bit lazy over time. I used to rub out flakes now I fold and stuff. Not for the flavor or burn, but because it is easy. so with this blend I would have some bowls that clobbered me over the head with Latakia or perique. The virginia element was quite nice and seemed to bring sweetness to each bowl which clearly shows that it is the lead component with the other elements holding a condimental role.

As I stated at the beginning of this review, this made for many different tasting bowls and there is something to be said for that. That alone might propel this to four stars for some, but for me, this is a three star blend.

Quite possibly my new favorite blend from Sutliff. This broken flake smells amazing right out of the tin. Rich with perique and just a touch of latakia to give it a nice smokiness. I usually never expect tobaccos to burn perfectly right out of the tin without a little dry time but this one took to the flame and smoked beautifully. Although it's not a phenomenal blend with tons of complexity, the flavors are there for fans of good Virginia/Perique blends. The latakia was a welcome addition for me. One I will probably want more for sure.

Austin Pipe Club

This is nice, and totally qualifies for what I consider as an all day smoke. It's not an overpowering VaPer but it has interest, flavor , is easy to work with and has no bite and yes, it's zesty. I wouldn't say this has a strong Perique note, just a hint of spice and some incense aroma. The Virginia is mellow, yet bright and adds a natural sweetness. I won't even consider the touch of Latakia , it's not a factor.

I find myself reaching for this when I just don't want to be bothered with " slow sipping, contemplating, packing techniques and searching for complexities" . Just hit it with a match and it's all good. You know those times when you're going to the store to get a gallon of milk ; you really don't want to start a bowl of "GLP's Odyssey ", well, here you go , take this, It's also great on relights.

Now here is my one hard spot......the price !!!!! It's really not as dirt cheap as the low price appears. It comes in a "Gigantic" tin and when you read the fine print, it's only 1.5 oz's. Compare that to a GLP blend at 2 oz's and you're almost paying the same . I'll give this 4 stars with one removed for deception.

Notes: I enjoyed this blend immensely. Received it from Sutliff for our Austin Pipe Club monthly sample and tore into it. The tin note has a slight vinegar ketchup smell. I broke up the flakes more to smaller pieces and loaded my pipe lighting fairly quickly and enjoyed spicy peppery goodness with a hint of latakia - even though it's not listed, I would swear it's in there. If you like Vapurs, this is for you.

If you like a VaPer with the spice kicked up a notch, this is a good blend to go to. It isn't loaded down with Perique, but it definitely contains more than other VaPers that I have had. The tin note is light and grassy - almost like fresh hay. This is to be expected I suppose, but I don't find the tin note quite as sweet as some other VA's. The cut of the tobacco is a broken flake, so it might take a little preparation if you have a penchant for smaller cuts. I pack it in most pipes as-is without preparation and it seems to work fine. It takes a flame well and keeps it (only 1 or 2 relights on average).

As for the smoke, it is thick and flavorful. The sweetness of the Virginias is interrupted by the sweet peppery feel of the Perique. It is actually very well behaved and it has yet to bite me. I will admit, however, that I often smoke this in a meer because I find the VA's to fade out a little more than normal. I'm not sure why this is, but smoking it in a meer seems to help prevent this from being so apparent (comparing to briar and cobs). I think the Perique holds my interest the most though, and keeps it throughout the entire bowl. It burns down to a fine ash if it is kept at a lower temperature. Otherwise, you will find some charred chunks that won't really burn (I am assuming this is from the sugars becoming too hot). I appreciated the nicotine kick it provided, which I feel is a little more than more VA blends offer.

I would recommend this for someone like myself who enjoys a variety of smokes. If you like Perique, then this is a good choice. I don't gravitate toward it normally, but it is great for a change of pace. I can't say that I would recommend it to a beginner because of the risk of biting it presents. Not a daily smoke, but one that I won't shy away from in the future.

By the way, when you age it for about a year, the Perique really mellows down - especially during the first half of the bowl.

Blend Name:Court of St. James

Description on Tin: Spicy Perique with tangy Virginia Flake

Leaf: Virgina/Perique Broken flake

Tin Aroma: Sweet tanginess with a hint of smokiness

Taste: a mild sweetness with a hint of spice

Smokability: the first few bowls were mildly unpleasant but as i visited a week later it became surprising enjoyable, burns to an ash with very little moisture build up.

Room Note: it had a nice solid tobacco sent with hints of sweetness and little smokiness, not any hints of artificial flavors.

Thoughts: Originally I thought it was a little lackluster in the smoke but after the tin had been open a good week it has seemed to developed to very solid smoke, It has a nice mild sweetness and little zest to brighten it up. The tin doesn't label any latakia but the tin note says otherwise, there only seems to be enough to help smooth out the taste. It plays a nice supporting role but lets the red Virginias and perique stand out. The Virginia smoke is mild and doesn't contain much if any bright yellow,

Recommend to: those who are entering into Periques or those looking for a mild solid smoke.

Summary: after a week I found this to be an enjoyable smoke but just needed a little time with oxygen to smooth out the edges. The wife likes the room note

My Background: I am a Chef and rely on scents and flavors and how they interact with each other. I mix liquors and brew beer in my free time. I have been smoking pipes since 2009.

Pipe Used: a variety of shapes and sizes

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Sample