There was a guy at my shop who just got back from Gatlinburg and he visited the Gatlin-Burlier to pick up his favorite aro, "Chimney Smoke." Now this is a guy who smokes some pretty righteous tobacco, most of it aged to the hilt. I also remember him saying that one of his Nording Freehand "will never see anything but "CS."
I asked him if I could take a sniff and he tossed me a 2-3 oz bag. It smelled REALLY good. Not sugary sweet, but rich. I thought to myself, "ah, forget it, it's just gonna be another 'all note and no go' in the flavor department and I didn't want any part of it." Besides, I had just decided that Stonehaven was gonna be my "aro." (long story)
I dunno what hit me or why, but I asked for a bowl. (we always gift each other cigars and what's my pipe tobacco is his and visa versa) He tosses me the bag, I load up my peterson and set flame. Holy cockadoodle-do! I was getting this rich sweetness, but a cloying sugary sweet, ya know? it reminded me of a dry fruitcake....but hold on, was that maple at the back of my palate? IT WAS! Whoa, are we talking complexity? For an aro?! Ok, who laced this with some sorta Vulcan mind-aro-link?
Here's the good part. (these observations were made after 5 bowls) Hey, I'm a good friend and he tossed me the bag. He buys it by the pound.
1) forget the hard to light and constant relights typically associated with gloopy aros.
2) Casing and flavor stays well into the last part of bowl. It may get more subtle, but it is still firing away!
3) smokes down to nothing and no glop of a mess!
4) Not an lick of tongue bite to be seen, heard, or felt.
5) FINALLY......! It's about effing time someone got it right!
Now, of course I believe there are other aros out there that share these characteristics, I just haven't made the pleasure of their acquaintance. But until then, Chimney Smoke and I will do just fine. I'm no aro-whore and she treats me right when I have a yen for something sweet.
Btw, today I smoked some Haddo's from 04 and talked with the gents a while and lit that chimney smoke up after one of the best pipe smoking experiences I have ever had and it did not fall short or ruin my high in flavor or qualitative experience.
If I would have smoked Eileen's Dream, someone was gonna make a trip to the ER! :lol!:
Thank you Gatlin-Burlier!
I asked him if I could take a sniff and he tossed me a 2-3 oz bag. It smelled REALLY good. Not sugary sweet, but rich. I thought to myself, "ah, forget it, it's just gonna be another 'all note and no go' in the flavor department and I didn't want any part of it." Besides, I had just decided that Stonehaven was gonna be my "aro." (long story)
I dunno what hit me or why, but I asked for a bowl. (we always gift each other cigars and what's my pipe tobacco is his and visa versa) He tosses me the bag, I load up my peterson and set flame. Holy cockadoodle-do! I was getting this rich sweetness, but a cloying sugary sweet, ya know? it reminded me of a dry fruitcake....but hold on, was that maple at the back of my palate? IT WAS! Whoa, are we talking complexity? For an aro?! Ok, who laced this with some sorta Vulcan mind-aro-link?
Here's the good part. (these observations were made after 5 bowls) Hey, I'm a good friend and he tossed me the bag. He buys it by the pound.
1) forget the hard to light and constant relights typically associated with gloopy aros.
2) Casing and flavor stays well into the last part of bowl. It may get more subtle, but it is still firing away!
3) smokes down to nothing and no glop of a mess!
4) Not an lick of tongue bite to be seen, heard, or felt.
5) FINALLY......! It's about effing time someone got it right!
Now, of course I believe there are other aros out there that share these characteristics, I just haven't made the pleasure of their acquaintance. But until then, Chimney Smoke and I will do just fine. I'm no aro-whore and she treats me right when I have a yen for something sweet.
Btw, today I smoked some Haddo's from 04 and talked with the gents a while and lit that chimney smoke up after one of the best pipe smoking experiences I have ever had and it did not fall short or ruin my high in flavor or qualitative experience.
If I would have smoked Eileen's Dream, someone was gonna make a trip to the ER! :lol!:
Thank you Gatlin-Burlier!
