Beiträge von Fermat

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

    Zitat von petephil

    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

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

    Zitat von Karlo

    Hi Louis,

    well done - thx :)

    You're welcome! Pleasure is mine!

    Zitat von Karlo

    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.

    Zitat von Karlo

    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.

    Zitat von Karlo

    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

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

    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


  • McClelland - Virginia No.22 (Matured Virginias)

    Thank you Rolf!!

    Lucky you that still have McConnell VA's!! This was the last for me. Still stored some other jewels from them but...

    Indeed, BBF or FVF are tobaccos with their own magnificent personality. And they age very very well too!!

    But they play a part in the review: to avoid being overwhelmed by nostalgia, because I really think we live in a great time for pipe smoking. So many great blends in the market.

    Thanks again!

    Gruß!

    Louis

  • McClelland - Virginia No.22 (Matured Virginias)

     

    This No.22 was part of the “Matured Virginias” collection. The matured five, all together with the five “Oriental”, were the very first blends manufactured by the company. They are diverse North Carolina -middle and eastern belt- selected grades, the same stuff that made McClelland famous and as the legend tells, where tobacco was first flue-cured in 1838. The term “matured” points to a cured leaf, pressed and heated to age and shape as a cake, cut into slices and irregularly broken.

    This tin was marked in 2012 so the scents and flavors have melted over time. But each type comes pristine: sweetness of fresh and matured fruit, caramelized sugar, resin, baked dough; very close, sourness like curd, ferments, smokiness, ancient vinegars, peat and grass; also, the right amount of bitterness as pure chocolate, grapefruit or the leaf of the tea; and lastly, spiciness recalling pepper or ginger and why not, cayenne or chipotle.

    As the ember do its job it loses a little bit of freshness but never disappear its character and, of course, never gets harsh. At the end, the bright grey ash appears more or less clean, but it is more me losing the focus on my puffing than any lack on the properties of the tobacco itself. I tasted it with any kind of pipe shapes and bowl capacities and the weed never disappointed.

    So, the conclusion is that this tobacco is ranging the excellence: complex, subtle, full of nuances. It has only just one flaw: no longer in production. But there is no reason for self-pity or nostalgia: we can still enjoy many other amazing Virginias as BBF. No.22 is more like a classic building drawn with clean lines, clear perspectives, BBF is different: whoever imagined it didn't care about blind spots or impossible angles, he wanted us to walk around and get the whole picture.

    Appendix: (three interesting links about McClelland Tobacco Company)

    - Mary McNeil about the history of the company (sorry didn't find the original): https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/…lelland.539985/

    - Mary McNeil, Seleting Pipe Tobacco: https://web.archive.org/web/2012011113…697/feature.htm

    - Chuck Stanyon, For love of the leaf: https://sopipes.com/index.php?title=For_love_of_the_leaf


    Gruß!

    Louis

  • Was hört ihr WIRKLICH gerade?

    Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen!

    These days I'm actually listening everyday Alban Berg's Wozzeck :D:D

     

    A pleasant duty as it is the production we are setting up at work. Maybe some of you could have seem it years ago as it comes from the München Opera.

    Besides the music (that I really love) it's an impressive misse en scene with a flying house sharing the stage with the main characters.

    It levitates over a distressing layer of water that contributes to underline the oppressive world in which Wozzeck, his son ad the rest of characters should play

    Here below you can see the scale of the Raum (weight 6 tons) as the rear plan is 32 meters above

    Take a plane to Valencia and enjoy this wonderful piece of art! (besides that the spring has already came and everything flourish everywhere) :D:D

    Gruß!

    Louis

  • More about Perique

    Zitat von rolf

    Good Morning, Louis,

    That is a tremendous collection of information about the special ingredient of many very fine mixtures :)

    I just browsed some of them, but they seem very interesting :thumbup: Thanks for posting :) (muchas gracias por tu esfuerzo :) )

    best regards y muchos saludos

    Rolf :)

    Thank you Rolf! It's my pleasure!

    Gruß!

    Louis

  • More about Perique

    Good Morning!!

    Many of you probably know about this but just in case anyone find this interesting.

    Rare text about St James Parish Perique published circa 1930's: https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/state-lwp%3A9538

    Article about the Perique industry: https://es.art1lib.org/book/12656378/026348

    1884's Book giving an overall vision over curing methods. Extended chapter over Perique and Louisiana: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75921#page/13/mode/1up

    1898's book, same characteristics: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/91934#page/8/mode/1up

    1973: Book belonging to the America's Industrial Growth serie that covers, regionally, America's tobacco production. This volume dedicated to Louisiana: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/78141#page/2/mode/1up

    This web is a gold mine of information about tobacco: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org

    Paper about the fermentation process and micro-organism involved in it: https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/#id=mqjc0196

    I came to this document via this interesting discussion, here: https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/microo…mentation.5542/

    This article (sorry, in Spanish) about Hansenula anomala (now named Pichia Anomala) main yeast involved in the fermentative process of Perique Tobacco (the article principally focus in the wine process but could be an interesting reading about fermentative processes): http://www.scielo.org.pe/scielo.php?scr…332011000300010

    Paper about Volatile constituents of Perique Tobacco: http://www.leffingwell.com/download/Volat…%20Tobacco4.pdf


    Two similar interviews with the legendary last Perique farmer (:|:(

    https://www.reesefuller.com/articles/perique-the-native-crop/

    https://www.reesefuller.com/articles/the-last-perique-farmer/

    Curious article about barrel fermentation at Drew State and its use in cigar manufacturing: https://drewestate.com/learn-barrel-f…w-estate-style/

    Gruß!!

    Louis

  • Kennt jemand den "neuen" Motzek-Strang ?

    Indeed Mani!!

    The summer before Covid the target was south Germany: starting at München and finishing in Fribourg.

    It was planned to make the North but it was impossible. This year we will be touring England (Nadia wants to improve her English) but I'm sure next year willl be the one to make that tour.;)

  • Kennt jemand den "neuen" Motzek-Strang ?

    There are two tobacco houses that you can enjoy but still are forbidden to me (damned customs!):

    - One is Tabakhaus Falkum. I enjoy (masochist pleasure?) hanging around their web, reading the descriptions and trying to imagine how it could be to open a tin and taste the tobacco. X(;(

    - The other one is Motzek. The variety is incredible and the tobaccos look really great. I guess I should plan a summer trip to stock a little bit of both gems!

    You are so lucky!:cursing::D

    Gruß!

    Louis

  • Welchen Tabak rauchte ( raucht) wohl Sherlock Holmes?

    Hello guys!

    Here it's the definitive answer to this long asked question that has disturbed the world for ages. After exhaustive research, the author was able to solve this mystery and our souls can definitely rest.

    For that purpose, the author uses the "canon" settled by Mr Baring-Gould and the up-to-date version published by Mr Klinger (see below).

    For more information, you can also consult the essential volume:

    The author covers all the aspects of the topic: pipes, tobaccos and circumstances involved in the issue. Special mention deserves the attention given to the Holmesian pipes:

    Here I let the pages with conclusions of this thorough inquiry:

     

     

    Saludos, Gruß! ^^^^^^

    Louis

  • Idee für Tabakgläser / Jars...

    This is it. You can buy it easily anywhere.

    Heat sealed. Just the iron you use for the clothes or if you have one at home the one to straighten the hair. You reuse them: cut and seal again. So many sizes.

    PD: I don't have stocks. ^^^^

    Saludos, Gruß!

    Louis

  • Idee für Tabakgläser / Jars...

    My options:

    - If it's time to cellar the tobacco I prefer the tins. Or if it comes as bulk then I use Mylar Bags because saving space is a priority for me and it's a cheap method; finally, in my experience, they keep safe the tobacco for ages without any problem)

    - When it comes the time to open the tins, I use the hermetic glass jars that preserve the moisture for months. It is true that it's mandatory to change the rubbers from time to time, but they are cheap too.

    Saludos, Gruß!

    Louis