HU Tobacco – Tigray... Drei (?) Engel für Latakia (Mein Eindruck)

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Hallo zusammen,

    ich habe mir erlaubt, den Titel einer erfolgreichen Fernsehserie aus den Jahren 1976 – 1981 ein wenig abzuwandeln. Dem ein oder anderen von euch dürften Sabrina, Jill und Kelly als „Urengel“:batman_cuinlove: noch in Erinnerung sein, bis zum Serienende fand dann noch der ein oder andere „Frauentausch“ statt. Aber die Idee, drei starke Frauen und ein anonymer Auftraggeber, Charlie eben, waren ein Garant für spannende Unterhaltung.

    Folgt man der „hauseigenen“ Beschreibung von HU Tobacco, so gesellen sich zu dem Latakia Orienttabake, Burley und süße Virginia Grades, also drei Komponenten, welche im Zusammenspiel mit dem nicht anonymen Latakia „rauchig-süße Geschmacksnoten“ entwickeln. Der Tigray wird weiterhin als „unkomplizierter, nuancierter Latakia Blend der süßeren Art“ beschrieben. So weit, so gut. Wirft man nun einen Blick auf die Dose, so muss man feststellen, dass hier ein weiterer „Player“ aufgeführt wird. Bosley kommt in Form von Perique ins Spiel. Den Knaben, also Bosley, hatte ich in der Einleitung ganz vergessen...:o

    Nun aber genug schwadroniert, kommen wir zum Tabak selbst, denn was zählt sind harte Fakten.

    Fakt 1 – Wie kommt er daher?

    Vom Schnitt her ist der Tigray eine typische englische Mischung. Die einzelnen Tabake sind kurzfaserig und schmal geschnitten. Farblich bewegt er sich im Bereich von mittelbraun bis schwarz. Der verwendete, zumindest dem Dosenaufdruck nach, Dark Virginia weist einige helle Einschlüsse auf.

    Fakt 2 – Kaltgeruch?

    Im Vordergrund steht hier klar der Latakia, immerhin sind achtundvierzig Prozent davon in dieser Mischung enthalten. Dessen Rauchigkeit und Würze werden meiner Meinung nach durch den Perique und den Burley ergänzt, wobei letzterer auch noch eine leichte Erdigkeit beisteuert. Die unterschwellige säuerlich-schweißige Note holen neben dem Perique jetzt auch die Orienttabake mit ins Boot. Und der Virginia? Nun, den nehme ich zu diesem Zeitpunkt nicht wahr.

    Fakt 3 – In der Pfeife?

    Aufgrund seines Schnitts lässt sich der Tigray wunderbar in die Pfeife einbringen. Gedanken über Kopfdurchmesser et cetera braucht man sich dabei nicht zu machen. Nach spätestens zwei „Feuerstößen“ brennt er gemütlich vor sich hin. Ich nehme die mir liebgewonnene „rauchig - florale“ Note des Latakia wahr, die mich immer wieder an - Sorry, Weihrauch – erinnert. Die Würzigkeit des Burleys und des Periques, welcher nun auch eine Nuance Pfeffrigkeit ausspielt, umschmeicheln den Latakia. Das Ganze wird begleitet von eine angenehmen, cremigen Süße des Virginias, der jetzt erst in Spiel kommt.

    Fazit:

    Um nochmals auf die eingangs erwähnte Beschreibung „ unkomplizierter, nuancierter Latakia Blend der süßeren Art“ einzugehen, muss ich hier doch einige „Korrekturen“ vornehmen. Streiche „unkompliziert“ und ersetzte es durch komplexer. Füge vor dem „nuancierter“ ein fein ein und dann passt alles. Der Tigray zählt für mich zu den Tabaken, welche ohne Ablenkung genossen werden wollen. Es lohnt sich auf jeden Fall...:batman_up:

    Gruß und man liest sich,

    Mats

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Hallo Mats,

    sehr feines Review :thumbup:

    Den Tigray habe ich wie alle anderen HU-Afrikaner auch schon in der Pfeife gehabt. Mir gefiel er gut, aber

    er war für mich nicht so richtig PE und nicht so richtig LA und schon garnicht VA. Daher habe ich ihn auch

    nicht wieder bestellt. Aber er wird gewiss seine Liebhaber finden. Die Stärke war für mich genau richtig,

    so gerade über Medium. Aber wenn schon LA, dann nehm ich meinen Sweety Latakia (aka Port) oder

    den 7 Reserve, der mich geschmacklich an Stephan-Getzes Signum erinnert.

    Nichts deto trotz wieder ein sehr guter HU-Tabak. Da brauch man keine mehr Angst haben,

    dass Dunhill/Peterson ausstirbt, solange es den Wiedemann und die Kohlhasen gibt.

    Gruß

    Thorsten

    p.s. Bitte keiner mehr aussterben!! Ich weiß, wir sind nicht viele, aber wir brauchen den Stoff!! ;)

  • Hi Mats,


    mal wieder schönes und kompetentes Review! :thumbup::)

    Ich weiß jetzt nicht wie es im Handel mit dieser Kräutermischung steht, aber ich bin sicher dass er bei den HUs in der Hitliste ganz oben mitspielt, Mit Recht ! ... in der„ Afrikanerserie“ ...

    Mich pers., auf die Gefahr mich zu wiederholen, leckert da der Zulu deutlich mehr an. Rein pers. Empfinden...

    Und, der von Thorsten erwähnte Port(ex Sweet) Latakia...


    So oder so... nochmal... der Tigray ist many friends Darling... andernfalls wäre er nach all den Jahren seit dem Debut weg vom Fenster... wie dem Massai geschehen, mangels Nachfrage.

    Happy puffing,

    Rainer

    Glaube nicht an Dinge von denen du nur Echos und Schatten kennst (Japanisches Sprichwort)

    Glaube versetzt selten Berge, Aberglaube immer ganze Völker (Rafik Schami)

  • HU Tobacco African Line Tigray

    [Blended by Hans Wiedemann; produced by Kohlhase & Kopp; first released in 2012]

    Tigray belongs to the African Line first generation. Six blends of a very “English” style with a great amount of Latakia, Virginia-Buley bases and Orientals-Perique as spicy tobaccos. Even if here and there, the “glorious British Empire” has offered us the chance to taste some excellent African weeds for a long time, its exclusive use here allows a closer insight over scents and tastes.

    According to Peter Hemmer this very first batch from 2012 could be seen as a set grouped in pairs: Tuarekh/Tigray; Zulu/Khoisan; Makhuba/Masai. Makhuba was the only one that didn’t load Latakia and the last one has disappeared from the catalogue.

    It seems that the pair Tuarekh/Tigray was sweeter than the pair Zulu/Khoisan. Until the point that Hans Wiedemann insisted to ask Peter during the test phase if it could be “so much sweet”.

    Maybe the original Tigray formula could have been changed: its constant amount of Latakia (48%?) was balanced at those early times by a combination of Oriental leaf, Zimbabwe Virginia grades and Malawi Burley; now, Dark Virginia has appeared instead of the original sweet grades and some amount of Perique has been added. Therefore, the blend could be represented as follows (in decreasing order): L-Bu-Va-O-Per. These are not hard statements, just guessing, as I don’t have the information, but if It’s true the change could be related to an attempt to balance the sweetness that worried the blender.

    The cold smell is clearly dominated by the sweet-sour component, in their smoky, toasted and fresh versions. The cut is something like Mixture: thin and mid-short threads ready to pack. The Colour range goes from dark brown and black with the appearance of some other lighter. Moisture is perfect.


    When the flame is applied, the aromatic base, formed by L-Bu-Va, hits instantly. The first provides a sweet-sour fermented taste, both fresh and smoky, some kind of intense floral sweetness like caramelized spices and an earthy touch. This appreciable amount of Latakia is perfectly balanced with Burley and Dark Virginia. The Burley brings something that so often is compared to nuts but to which I don’t find the simile. Delivers something fatty, oily, barely bitter, barely sweet; offering a wide mattress for the rest to deploy their flavours. Virginia offers its usual caramelized, spicy sweetness, slightly Picante, but this time as it has passed briefly over the fire, the citric sourness, the earthiness, the pungency, and the bitterness go up one point. Orientals and Perique are rounding that created base, pointing where it’s needed. Orientals far from being overwhelmed find their place to strengthen the Latakia floral spiciness and deploy some sweetness over the smoked wood. Perique, which makes its presence known, searches for allies bringing some milky fermented freshness, a bit tangy, a bit sweet. Is this the description of a Balkan blend? Fuzzy logic, muddy waters. If somebody asks me with a red-hot iron, what the fuck! I will say yes without a doubt. [Mini appendix: Jeremy Reeves about Balkan blends (https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesbl…y-balkan-blends); GL Pease telling a beautiful story about the Balkans: (https://pipesmagazine.com/blog/out-of-th…a-balkan-blend/); Some crazy french guy solving an interesting algebra problem about tobacco: https://fumeursdepipe.net/artclassem.htm]

    In my mind, Tigray is not a fresh or a light or a playful blend, is not Asmara, but it is not needed or wanted. The earthiness, and the pungency place this tobacco on a completely different shelf. But certainly, it is fresh in the other meaning: it kept the flavours from beginning to end. They don’t degrade at any time and the perception of the proportions is not smudged by the fire: it contributes to emphasising its character but doesn’t change the “ecosystem”. Excellent raw material.

    I like it. As a matter of fact, I like it so much. Proportions, its neatness and how flavours and scents interact; I don’t see it as “uncomplicated”. It has a lot of things to enjoy and to discover.

    Gruß!

    Louis


  • Hi Louis,

    well done - thx :)

    Your tin shown here: is it from new production or older? You bought it in Spain?

    From the shop side:

    The Tigray - ist eine mittelkräftige Latakiamischung. Zyprischer Latakia, Orienttabake, ein Hauch Malawi Burley und süße Virginiagrades aus Simbabwe kennzeichnen diese Mischung. Harmonisch aufeinander abgestimmt überrascht der Tigray mit rauchig - süßen Geschmacksnoten

    from your tin: Latakia, Orient, Burley, Dark Virginia, Perique

    Dark Virginia and sweet Virginiagrades is no conflict?

    Perique is also Orient?

    You like it, but not as a cat with three legs ;)

    Gruß Karlo

  • Hi Louis,

    well done - thx :)

    You're welcome! Pleasure is mine!

    Your tin shown here: is it from new production or older? You bought it in Spain?

    It was produced recently, May 2021. African Line label, not Foundation by Musico. Bought online in Germany.

    Dark Virginia and sweet Virginiagrades is no conflict?

    Not sure but I bet for "no need". Let me explain. I suppose that sweet Virginia grades could be Fire-cured but then their sweetness, wouldn't be decreased, masked by the smoky treatment and turn to some kind of sourness? I'm just a smoker I don't know anything about curing methods and blending, I'm just guessing and having fun. That's one of the reasons for my "open debate". Maybe one expert could bring some light on that.

    Perique is also Orient?

    I suppose that is easier. Oriental leaves should be sun cured while in the case of Perique tobacco leaves must suffer some kind of anaerobic fermentation under increasing pressure for a long time. Another question is: where does this African-Oriental tobacco come from?:D:D:DWhere is produced that aromatic weed in Africa?^^^^

    So many questions, and not enough answers. But anyway, let's smoke another pipe!!^^^^

    Gruß!!

    Louis

  • I'd say fire cured virginia does have it's own dose of sweetness. My impression is that fire curd Virginia (if indeed dark virginia in this case is supposedly fire cured virginia) through the fire curing there will be a condensed sweetness.

    ------------------
    Gruss, Phil - Sounds mean nothing without music (Jerry Goldsmith, film composer) | Pipes mean nothing without a silver ring... (Phil, Pete smoker)

  • I'd say fire cured virginia does have it's own dose of sweetness. My impression is that fire curd Virginia (if indeed dark virginia in this case is supposedly fire cured virginia) through the fire curing there will be a condensed sweetness.

    That is so reasonable: fire+sweet virginia grades=heat+sugar=sweeter tobacco. I agree with that.

    But what about this other line of reasoning. This is the official definition for Fire-cured (even if this is specifically for Kentucky I think we could agree that the process should be similar for Va):

    Fire-cured. Tobacco cured under artificial atmospheric conditions by the use of open fires from which the smoke and fumes of burning wood are partly absorbed by the tobacco. (taken from here: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/200806#page/8/mode/1up)

    So, the heat here is not the main purpose but the instrument to change the properties of the leaf. When the tobacco hangs in the barn or wherever it is not to achieve the goal of heating it but to smoke it and that is done by allowing it to absorb the "fume and the smoke". How does it change the flavour of tobacco?

    Gruß!

    Louis

  • Hi Louis,

    first of all, sorry for my ugly english....:batman_shocked:

    Did you ever compared the Tigray with Zulu? As far as I can see, the ingridients are almost similar. The Zulu got a bit more of Latakia (58% vs 48%) but the "Idea" ist the same. But, according to the desciption, I didn't find any Virginia in Zulu.

    Gruß Jens

    Die schlimmste Weltanschauung ist die Weltanschauung von Leuten, die die Welt nie angeschaut haben.

    Alexander von Humboldt

  • Good morning everyone!

    Finally, we have something to begin with. Yesterday, Jeremy Reeves from C&D answered about Dark Virginia. Here I let you part of the mail with his response:

    "Dark Virginia simply refers to a style of tobacco that is now grown all over the world, including in Africa, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Italy, France, Russia and many other countries but which originated in Virginia. The leaf to produce Dark Virginia comes from the upper third of the stalk, and if allowed to mature and deeply ripen, these leaves can then be cured by flue method to achieve a deep reddish or reddish-gold color. Typically, the darker color denotes higher levels of nicotine and lower levels of sugar, whereas, the brighter the leaf color, the higher concentrations sugar are to be found.


    While I have heard from hobbyists of something called Fire Cured Virginia, I am not aware of any such product, and know of no tobacco that is first flue cured and then fire cured. In fact the only tobacco that I am aware of that
    is processed by two methods of curing is Latakia, which is fully sun-cured Oriental that is then hung over smoldering fires of aromatic woods and resins for several months, far longer than would be necessary to simply cure the tobacco.

    As for tartness or sourness, this characteristic tends to come more from Bright to Orange leaf, which has more sugar and a little fruitier flavor. Dark Virginia tends toward more muted, earthy sweetness.
    These are the natural characteristics of the tobaccos in question. However, most pipe tobacco manufacturers use additional materials and methods to produce sweet, sour and tart flavors that go well beyond the natural character of the tobacco.
    "

    So, in conclusion:

    - I was wrong in assuming that Dark Virginia is fire-cured. It was naive on my part to assume that "Dark" was related to some Dark Fired curing method. It is simply one of the grades of Virginia.

    - Nevertheless, It lasts as something to check if the original formula of Tigray changed or not, given that Dark Virginia can't be one of the "sweetest grades of Virginia" as it's in the HU description. But it seems that this is something that only Hans Wiedemann himself could state for us.

    Gruß!

    Louis

    Einmal editiert, zuletzt von Fermat (15. Juni 2022 um 07:17)

  • Hello Louis,

    ...Nevertheless, It lasts as something to check if the original formula of Tigray changed or not, given that Dark Virginia can't be one of the "sweetest grades of Virginia" as it's in the HU description. But it seems that this is something that only Hans Wiedemann himself could state for us.

    yesterday morning HU-Bosch informed me that they sent my questions directly to Hans Widemann.

    So I am excited to his answer.

    Gruß karlo

  • Hello Louis,

    ...Nevertheless, It lasts as something to check if the original formula of Tigray changed or not, given that Dark Virginia can't be one of the "sweetest grades of Virginia" as it's in the HU description. But it seems that this is something that only Hans Wiedemann himself could state for us.

    yesterday morning HU-Bosch informed me that they sent my questions directly to Hans Widemann.

    So I am excited to his answer.

    Gruß karlo

    supercalifragilistico espiralidoso!!!😂😂 Great news!!

    Let’s see what tell us the creator of all of that!!! 😂😂

    Greetings!!

    Louis

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Hola Louis,

    I remember that I was corresponding with Hans directly several years ago about his

    creations after meeting him at the pipe fair in Lohmar. He's always excited about

    getting feedback and "talking" tabacco. So you should try to contact him.

    I took a look at my eMails but unforunately I lost some old ones after setting up

    new systems (always the same MS-story :rolleyes:), so I can't send you the adress.

    But I've seen that Carlito already took the chance and mailed a request to HU...

    Saludos

    Thorsten

  • Hi Thorsten!

    I did it but I’m just waiting for his answer. Mr Reeves is the quicker gunner in town! 😂😂Let’s see if Karlo has the proper reply!

    Greetings!

    Louis

  • Good morning,

    yesterday evening I got an answer form Hans Wiedemann:

    the description on the tin is correct. He changed it now on his own website:

    https://hu-tobacco.de/afrika-linie/tigray/

    Tigray – ist eine mittelkräftige Latakia-Mischung. Zyprischer Latakia, Orienttabake, ein Hauch Malawi Burley, Dark Red Virginias

    und eine Spur Perique kennzeichnen diese Mischung. Harmonisch aufeinander abgestimmt, überrascht der Tigray mit rauchig

    süßen Geschmacksnoten. Der Tigray ist ein unkomplizierter, nuancierter Latakia-Blend der süßeren Art.

    and at last

    und liebe Grüße an das Forum.

    Enjoy the hot Sunday ;)

    Karlo