A Case of Glad Latakia

[alfredo_buscatti]

Only during the first year or two of my pipe smoking career have I ever smoked latakia regularly. Then I pretty much stopped smoking it at all, and I made no serious effort to understand that smoky palate again until a year ago. But as I knew I was probably missing out, I dropped what was for me an unaccountable aversion to it and got some Billy Budd, then Westminster and finally Nightcap. Nothing much happened one way or another until I opened Nightcap, which I did out of some vague memory of liking it in the past. The tin is almost gone in 3 weeks, which for me is torrid consumption.

This time around I have enjoyed the basic taste, but then I get an incense taste and more--I can't put it into words.

At any rate I think I've made an important find, another array of tastes to savor. Now I can say I like everything, the VAs, burley, Dark-Fired, Oriental and Latakia.

 

[Clay]

For me Nightcap is my favorite English blend, every time it's an outstanding smoke. I don't know why I don't have it more often. Every time it's spot on!

 

[ftrplt]

Nightcap is just plain wonderful (no matter what time period we are discussing!!). But I'm a Lat-head, so perhaps a bit biased. Somewhat like AB, in the last year I have ventured back into Va's, VaPers, VaBurs, and Burley. Quite the adventure for me!! Things I could not stand 40+ years ago I (for the most part) really enjoy now!!! Must be an age thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol!: FTRPLT

 

[Brewdude]

Nice to hear that you've moved beyond your Lat aversion Mike. I still suffer with mine. For the most part anyway........

.........what I mean is that I generally avoid Lat-forward blends like several that have been mentioned on this thread. Years ago it was different. But my tastes have changed, and perhaps will again at some point.

In any event it's always good to hear about someone who has a whole new playing field open to them. Or perhaps I should say a whole revisited playing field?


 


Cheers,

RR

RR

 

[idbowman]

Those of you who like it...how old are the tins you're smoking?

I have a five tins of the stuff - I opened one a few weeks back and just can't get it to work for me. I've tried it in different pipes (all of which work well with other seemingly-similar blends), and it just won't settle down. I'm finding it pretty rough around the edges, with a heavy taste of tar/ash, and a tendency to bite (I don't usually have many problems with bite - even the MacB's that so many have problems with don't usually get me). Heck, I even tried to trade the stuff away for other blends in the TP and when I didn't get any takers I figured other fans of the genre had the same sorts of problems (despite this being an old and trustworthy blend).

I must be going wrong somewhere - glad you guys are enjoying it though.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

My tin is fresh.

 

[monbla256]

Those of you who like it...how old are the tins you're smoking?

I have a five tins of the stuff - I opened one a few weeks back and just can't get it to work for me.  I've tried it in different pipes (all of which work well with other seemingly-similar blends), and it just won't settle down.  I'm finding it pretty rough around the edges, with a heavy taste of tar/ash, and a tendency to bite (I don't usually have many problems with bite - even the MacB's that so many have problems with don't usually get me).  Heck, I even tried to trade the stuff away for other blends in the TP and when I didn't get any takers I figured other fans of the genre had the same sorts of problems (despite this being an old and trustworthy blend).

I must be going wrong somewhere - glad you guys are enjoying it though.

Might I ask - What have you done "wrong" ?  Because a Latakia heavy blend does not work for you, have you failed as a smoker ? I DON'T think so! Latakia, Perique and many Orientals just don't work for some folks palate and other 'bacs do. Smoke what WORKS FOR YOU and the hell with the "I smoke English/Balkans so I'M a pipe smoker" attitude. I've a neighbor a few houses down from mine who is older than I and has smoked Carter HALL for the over 50 years he's been smoking and because he doesn't smoke any of the Balkans or Va's that I enjoy I'm to presume he's doing something "wrong" ? Smoke what you want and ENJOY it  :twisted: :twisted:

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I must be going wrong somewhere - glad you guys are enjoying it though.

I smoke a good amount of Latakia & I love a rich Latakia blend. Sometimes certain blends just don't work for certain pipers. I found Nightcap to be pretty good, and strangely I enjoyed the latter half of the bowl more than I did the top half.

Others you may want to check out: Odyssey, to my taster it has more clarity in flavor while maintaining that brooding & thick Nightcap-esq body. Margate is more simplified but it's very fragrant a still quite full. If you've gotta have the perique as a part of the equation, Quiet Nights or SPC Plum Pudding are both great, although I recently had a wheezing attack smoking the Plum Pudding, (my allergies have been hell this year)

For brute strength minus the perique, Captain Earle's Ten Russians is quite good although I think it needs some age on it for it to be its best.

 

[idbowman]

Might I ask - What have you done "wrong" ?  Because a Latakia heavy blend does not work for you, have you failed as a smoker ? I DON'T think so! Latakia, Perique and many Orientals just don't work for some folks palate and other 'bacs do. Smoke what WORKS FOR YOU and the hell with the "I smoke English/Balkans so I'M a pipe smoker" attitude. I've a neighbor a few houses down from mine who is older than I and has smoked Carter HALL for the over 50 years he's been smoking and because he doesn't smoke any of the Balkans or Va's that I enjoy I'm to presume he's doing something "wrong" ? Smoke what you want and ENJOY it  :twisted: :twisted:

It's not that Latakia/Perique/Oriental doesn't work for me - many of the blends that I smoke regularly feature those same components (Blackpoint, Syria Super Balkan, FMOTB, etc)....Of course I know that these blends aren't all "the same," but they all share some similarities with each other and with Nightcap.

I'm totally with you in thinking that it's just plain silly to try to define what makes someone a "real" pipe smoker.  I've always said to smoke what you like and like what you smoke, so it's not a matter of trying to fit myself into a preconceived mold or anything.  It's just that in this case we're talking about a blend that I really expected to like and was surprised that I hasn't worked out that way.  I don't think I'm wrong for not liking it, I just can't wrap my head around why I don't! :scratch:

I smoke a good amount of Latakia & I love a rich Latakia blend. Sometimes certain blends just don't work for certain pipers. I found Nightcap to be pretty good, and strangely I enjoyed the latter half of the bowl more than I did the top half.

Others you may want to check out: Odyssey, to my taster it has more clarity in flavor while maintaining that brooding & thick Nightcap-esq body. Margate is more simplified but it's very fragrant a still quite full.

LOVE Odyssey.  Actually, I keep meaning to stock up and stick some away.  Fatman sent me a sample of Margate a while back and I really enjoyed that too.  Oddly, my experience with Nightcap was the exact opposite of yours - had a decent time with it for the first quarter or so of the bowl, then things went steadily downhill.  Go figure.

 

[monbla256]

Some blends JUST DON'T work for folks no matter what they try! I've a friend who is a long time Va smoker who helped introduce me to them and I took to Royal Yacht which is a VERY FULL Va but he cannot stand it !! I'd just go on and try some others ( as you've done) and just not bother with Nightcap :twisted:

 

[Bluefisher]

Have you tried GL Pease Abingdon? I can't get enough of it.

 

[Storm_Crow]

I'll jump on the Odyssey bandwagon. It's the best lat blend current in production that I've tried, followed closely by Artisan Blend.

I did finally crack open Raven's Wing and despite my assumption that my enjoyment of the blend would never match expectation, it truly is outstanding stuff.