[InsidiousTact]

Hello, just signed up here. I've only been lurking for 5 or 6 months, originally found the site on a search for cigar reviews or a search for pipe info, not sure which one.

A harrowing tale of TAD, and a bit of PAD follow... :biggrin:

I one day randomly found a pipe video on YouTube, and was interested. The more I found out about it, the more I liked the idea of it. Eventually, I decided I wanted to try it and went and ordered two MM diplomats, an ounce of butternut burley, an ounce of trout stream, Czech tools and pipe cleaners. But then I got impatient because I got an email that there was a delay, so I went to walgreens, and bought a grabow and a giant bag of garbage tobacco. Like, blenders gold or something, mellow blend. That was about 3 and a half months ago, so I'm still learning.

Needless to say, I burnt my tongue up a few times. Smelled good, though! :redface:

I got my cobs in, liked it more but almost instantly placed another order... I think on that one I got... Correction, my foray began midway through July!! So it's now 4 1/2 months? Well, back on track... Second order had a baraccini and a bent bob pipe, sillems black, Sherlock Holmes, c&d good morning, and last but certainly not least, anni kake (a pound!).

My next order, I think, was at the end of august, and I had an excuse this time! (just like all you get harassed by your wife for this stuff, I get harassed by my parents) I was getting my dad cigars for his birthday! So I bought 10 cigars, 10 little maduros, a st. Claude pipe (a second I believe), a tin of escudo, pipe cleaners, a book on tobacco, solani ABF, and presbytarian mixture which I just noticed I NEVER GOT!!!mg:

Then, a few weeks later, I went and ordered McC dark star, rich Virginia ribbon, epitome, brindle flake, CC, aurora, holiday spirit, Orlik GS, solani 633, c&d safe harbor flake, and 1/2 lb h&h marble kake which arrived in a torn bag... Unfortunately im an idiot and tried to rehydrate it so it's probably too late now to call.

Placed a new order last night... All I'm gonna say for now is FVF!!!!!!

Sorry for rambling...

 

[ruralhipster]

Thanks for describing the bumps you hit on your trip down the slope.

 

[CaptainEnormous]

Must say, Taylor, I'm impressed.

You managed to order a Baraccini pipe, Solani 633, Solani ABF, and McC Dark Star in your first three orders. . .it took me years to get that smart.

Well done, and keep up the posts!

 

[InsidiousTact]

Must say, Taylor, I'm impressed.

You managed to order a Baraccini pipe, Solani 633, Solani ABF, and McC Dark Star in your first three orders. . .it took me years to get that smart.

Well done, and keep up the posts!

Lol thanks! Tbh I haven't smoked most of what I have.

I did smoke the ABF, didn't really like it. I'm hoping my tastes will either evolve or change, and that I may appreciate it. Tried one bowl of the sillems, not overly impressed, so I tossed it in a bail top jar. I'm most of the way through rich Virginia ribbon now, a pleasant enough smoke. Just opened up GS yesterday, first smoke wasn't great but I may have let it dry too much, maybe 2 hours rubbed out.
Then of course I tried everything I have in bulk. So far, I think the anni kake is my favorite!

Everything else I either wanted to age more or couldn't bear to open (p&c sent me a tin of dark star from '06!!) my new order has blackwoods flake, st James woods, an another dark star so I can smoke the younger one.

 

[CaptainEnormous]

So many people love the Anni Kake. I'm a fan, but it bites me a bit. It's basically a lightly chocolate-cased VaPer. Definitely try out the Solani 633--No chocolate, but super high quality Virginias and Perique.

And I'm sure you already know this, but anything you open can be put in a mason jar where it will maintain freshness indefinitely. That's how I justify having so many open blends around, anyway.

Be interested to hear how the two Dark Stars compare. I'm working my way through a 100g tin from 2006 (purchased 2 months ago, the age was a pleasant surprise). It's awesome. Never had it un-aged.

 

[InsidiousTact]

And I'm sure you already know this, but anything you open can be put in a mason jar where it will maintain freshness indefinitely. That's how I justify having so many open blends around, anyway.

Be interested to hear how the two Dark Stars compare. I'm working my way through a 100g tin from 2006 (purchased 2 months ago, the age was a pleasant surprise). It's awesome. Never had it un-aged.

Yeah, right now the problem is the mason jars... I only know of one place to get them, a local hardware store, and they are about $5 each and they ran out of the size I like last time I checked. I should probably check again... What I've been doing instead is the GLP method, double layer of tin foil under the lid. Last time I checked the ABF, it was still doing good, and it's the first tin I opened.

Who knows, maybe I will get an even older one! I don't even know what I would do then...

 

[CaptainEnormous]

$5 each? Ouch.

I get mine from Target for less than $1/per.

 

[InsidiousTact]

Yep. And I have 6. Actually now that I think about it, that's $30... A lot of money. And I know I will need more sooner or later.

 

[Brinson]

...$5...wow...

I bought 10 for less than $5 at wal-mart...

You should order some on amazon and have them shipped.

 

[WWhermit]

Yeah, right now the problem is the mason jars... I only know of one place to get them, a local hardware store, and they are about $5 each and they ran out of the size I like last time I checked. I should probably check again... What I've been doing instead is the GLP method, double layer of tin foil under the lid. Last time I checked the ABF, it was still doing good, and it's the first tin I opened.

Who knows, maybe I will get an even older one! I don't even know what I would do then...

Check your local grocery store. Most will have mason jars for about $10 for a case of 12.

Also, just to clarify, Anni Kake is not chocolate cased. I asked that very question to Russ himself. He says it's a result of the virginias and perique melding together. There is a light topping, also told by Russ, but it's not chocolate. He says the topping is closer to a Navy flake flavoring.

WWhermit
ipe:

 

[MarkC]

Safeway had 'em at $12 a case this year. But some clown bought 'em up the first day they went clearance at $6 a case. Honk Tweet!

Taylor, for the life of me, I can't figure out whether I could tell dried Marble Kake from undried. Seemed like dried out plaster board to me without a torn bag, though I liked the taste.

 

[InsidiousTact]

Taylor, for the life of me, I can't figure out whether I could tell dried Marble Kake from undried. Seemed like dried out plaster board to me without a torn bag, though I liked the taste.

No, it was bone-dry, like crackly... Any oils it may have had were definitely gone, and after moistening it it keeps going back to drier than I think it should be... I'm sure that's just the middle of those cakes sucking up moisture though.

 

[Zulucollector]

My experience is that you can only rehydrate once and still maintain the flavor of the tobacco. Personally, if I open a blend, I jar the rest asap. But, I don't like tobacco too dried out.

I'm not a big WalMart fan, but they always seem to have the small Mason Jars that I like to use. And they're always cheap there.