Paul Olsen Big Coin

Paul Olsen-My Own Blend Special: Big Coin. This has got to be one of the best roll cakes available! I don't wish to sound melodramatic but it blew me away with pleasure the moment I took a puff!

In the tin the rolls resemble a darker version of Dunhill De Luxe Navy Rolls. They give off a similar aroma and are of a good hydration. An area where the tin differs is the way they're laid out. Dunhill arrange theirs in the same fashion as Orlik, a pleasant disc of overlapping coins whereas these are just sat in a pile. I guess that as the tin is rather large any neat presentation would easily be ruined the first time the tin's moved!

The thickness of the coins is the same as Dunhill and they rub out in the same fashion, I usually opt to rub flakes and coins as opposed to folding and stuffing.

Igniting Big Coin is relatively easy. I let it have a small toasting light to initiate the burn and then give it a few bigger puffs on full flame.

The flavour is sublime. I can't see how any lover of Va-Per blends wouldn't be captivated by it. I find the Perique to be stronger than in Dunhill's De Luxe, it really is spicy and lively! I find the Virginia to be much lighter than the Perique, it's present but very mild.

The nicotine is quite strong, probably not a good one for newbies!

I've had this cellared for a few month as I just couldn't bring myself to open it, I was looking forward to it so much I wanted to savour it! Now it's opened I can't see the tin lasting too long, I love it! The last blend to blow me away like this was Davidoff Flake Medallions and this has received the same reception! Highly recommended.

I actually ordered a tin of this in error when I placed my most recent order with The Danish Pipe Shop. I wanted to try the Orlik Bull's Eye clone: Dark Perl, to help eke out my dwindling supplies of one of my favorite, now discontinued, blends. I'd placed the order late one night after a few ales and realised my error when the order arrived. I didn't really mind as it gives me an excuse to order some Dark Perl later, and maybe another Danish pipe while I'm at it. Anyway, this turned out to be a very happy mistake.

The tightly spun coins look like they have just be bunged in a big tin and shaken about a bit, which is fair enough as they have traveled over a thousand miles to get to me. That said, the vast majority of them have held together, with only a few breaking up ever so slightly. The moisture level is great straight out of the tin and the tin note smells like summer.

I consider it a very 'medium' tobacco in both taste and strength. I can happily smoke this all day and into the evening. Back to back pipes cause me to really feel the Nicotine, but in a pleasant and not overpowering way. I get raisins, cooked fruit and Perique throughout. Building to a very peppery finish yet remaining cool and enjoyable with the Virginias present all the way to the end.

As for it's behavior: exemplary. My most recent bowl really surprised me when I tried to dump out a bit of ash to facilitate a relight and a fine white ash with no dottle fell out. I'd finished it and hadn't even realised.

I'm not sure if I'll buy more of this yet as I'm still sampling other VaPers at present. But I'm very glad I stumbled across it and will think about it again one day. Now, time to go and order some Dark Perl.

My very first Va-per blend.So delicate, so nice for first vaper ... After months passed, my opinion did not changed.Very good quality tobacco, one of the best roll cakes available!Similar to deluxe navy rolls from Dunhill but a bit darker ,perique is spicy and live and intense and nicotine is medium to high but balanced perfectly.Smoke slow and easy, no tongue bit at all,and for me can be an all day tobacco.I don't just like it, i love it and highly recommend it !!!

once upon a time Escudo was the best version of this sort of spun Virginia with a core of perique. But escudo went the way of most corporate owned blends...corporate consolidation has destroyed many a classic. So this is far better than the current incarnation of escudo. The perique is moderate....but you taste it. It smokes slow and cool. And there is that wonderful hit of perique every now and then regardless of how you rub it out. A little surprise every third or fourth puff. Very neglected.

I was hesitant to buy this tobaco but damn im sure glad i did! An amazing tobaco simple but amazing Smells really good both in the tin but also in the pipe and the taste is just wonderful i will buy more of tins of this for sure Its not nearly as strong as some of the other reviews says so i strongly advice to try this tobaco if you like vaper or want to try it 4 stars!