Escudo Topped

[keen smoke]

If true this would certainly be a bummer.  I'll hold out hope that your experience was with an unfortunately tainted batch or something - like maybe they processed an aro before tinning escudo or something.  Perhaps unlikely, but I'll hold my breath and hope this is an isolated experience until I hear more from others with new tins.  I try to smoke only stuff that has aged for 2-3 years in the tin nowadays, but I suppose I should buy one fresh and open it myself too...

 

[RDPipes]

KS, I'm not the only one that has experienced this AB that started thread has also.
But, everyone may not be affected by this just because our taste buds are all different to a degree. Being some (like mine and AB's) can taste and smell the difference while many others may not even notice anything different.

 

[Sean68]

Pardon my ignorance, but could somebody define "topped" for me? I am assuming it means a new tobacco has been added to the blend but I am not completely sure. Thanks!

 

[Slartibartfast]

Pardon my ignorance, but could somebody define "topped" for me? I am assuming it means a new tobacco has been added to the blend but I am not completely sure. Thanks!

Sean, this is from the tobaccouniversity.org website:

Toppings are actually what is more associated with the stereotypical sweet flavor or aroma of an "aromatic" pipe tobacco blend. For example, a Cherry Tobacco will have a cherry topping. The topping is applied last, at the very end of the processing just before the tobacco goes into the tin or pouch.

Casing, on the other hand is done to ALL pipe tobacco blends - NOT just AROMATICS.

Casing happens around the middle of the processing, and it is not meant to add anything that is detectable to the flavor. Casing is applied, and then the tobacco is left to sit for about a day to absorb the casing.

So, casing is absorbed into the tobacco, and toppings, as implied, sit on top of the tobacco and quickly burn off. You don't so much as taste the topping as smell it.

The most typical casings are as follows:

Virginia tobaccos (which are not strictly from VA, but that's another lesson), are typically cased with sugar-water.

Burley tobaccos are typically cased with a solution that contains chocolate and / or licorice.

Even though chocolate and licorice do have distinct flavors, they are not detectable as a casing.

Casings serve the purpose of enhancing and bringing out more of the tobacco's natural flavor.

Toppings serve the purpose of adding an additional flavor (taste+aroma) to a blend.

The simple way I use to remember the difference is to think of casing as a marinade, as it is added during the processing, and soaks into the tobacco. And think of toppings as a sauce. You could marinate (casing) a steak, then grill it, and after it is cooked, you can put some A1 sauce (topping) on it.

Hope that helps mate. :arrow: 

http://tobacconistuniversity.org/forum/showthread.php?239-Casings-Toppings-Not-the-Same-CMT-Contribution-Kevin-Godbee


Sad news 'bout escudo for sure. FWIW bullseye's still bullseye...:lol: 

 

[Sean68]

Pardon my ignorance, but could somebody define "topped" for me? I am assuming it means a new tobacco has been added to the blend but I am not completely sure. Thanks!

Sean, this is from the tobaccouniversity.org website:

Toppings are actually what is more associated with the stereotypical sweet flavor or aroma of an "aromatic" pipe tobacco blend. For example, a Cherry Tobacco will have a cherry topping. The topping is applied last, at the very end of the processing just before the tobacco goes into the tin or pouch.

Casing, on the other hand is done to ALL pipe tobacco blends - NOT just AROMATICS.

Casing happens around the middle of the processing, and it is not meant to add anything that is detectable to the flavor. Casing is applied, and then the tobacco is left to sit for about a day to absorb the casing.

So, casing is absorbed into the tobacco, and toppings, as implied, sit on top of the tobacco and quickly burn off. You don't so much as taste the topping as smell it.

The most typical casings are as follows:

Virginia tobaccos (which are not strictly from VA, but that's another lesson), are typically cased with sugar-water.

Burley tobaccos are typically cased with a solution that contains chocolate and / or licorice.

Even though chocolate and licorice do have distinct flavors, they are not detectable as a casing.

Casings serve the purpose of enhancing and bringing out more of the tobacco's natural flavor.

Toppings serve the purpose of adding an additional flavor (taste+aroma) to a blend.

The simple way I use to remember the difference is to think of casing as a marinade, as it is added during the processing, and soaks into the tobacco. And think of toppings as a sauce. You could marinate (casing) a steak, then grill it, and after it is cooked, you can put some A1 sauce (topping) on it.

Hope that helps mate.   :arrow: 

http://tobacconistuniversity.org/forum/showthread.php?239-Casings-Toppings-Not-the-Same-CMT-Contribution-Kevin-Godbee


Sad news 'bout escudo for sure.  FWIW bullseye's still bullseye...:lol: 

Sir, this was very informative. Thank you!

 

[Aristokles]

I've got a few tins of Navy Rolls. I'm going to open one, and when I know something, report back here. Maybe it's not trashed.

The Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls? Please do let us know.

Although most here discount a change in the perique, I have to wonder as my new batch of C&D Bayou Morning had a noticeably different taste from my last purchase. I had figured this to be due to the length of time between purchases and that my previous supply had aged a lot; now, I am not so sure.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Yes, Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls.

 

[BigCasino]

I have had the dunhill navy rolls, My tastes actually prefer them to Escudo, not that Escudo isn't very good I just thought the Dunhill had a little more depth to it

Has anyone compared PS Bullseye flake to the escudo? i believe them to blended by the same folks

 

[Storm_Crow]

Has anyone compared PS Bullseye flake  to the escudo? i believe them to blended by the same folks

Bullseye Flake shares more similarities with Marlin Flake than Escudo, but I'd wager that like Escudo it has more perique than MF.

 

[Kapnismologist]

For what it may be worth, I first noticed this when the new tins (with Scandinavian Tobacco Group noted on the front label) started to enter distribution in 2009. Interesting, however, that new tins of the "other Escudo", i.e. DNR which are also made in the STG Assens factory, do not seem to display the same top note.

 

[old_salt]

still have AC Petersen tins from 08, so I'm ok for a couple more years. If you guys have not tried it yet, check out
Robert McConnell's Scottish Cake. It's an excellent VaPer, It's my #1 choice , with Escudo 2nd.

 

[mark]

No No No,,,do not  aquaint yourself with Robert McConnell's Scottish Cake.

until I get another couple dozen tins ordered :roll:

 

[BigCasino]

they wont smoke it all Mark

 

[Smoker99]

Think it has always been cased/topped, maybe stronger now. European blenders are notorious for applying casings etc.

 

[Kapnismologist]

...If you guys have not tried it yet,  check out
Robert McConnell's  Scottish Cake. It's an excellent VaPer .../quote]

+1 to that. Among the best of the current K&K blends.

 

[cigrmaster]

I just opened a tin of Escudo purchased on May 26th 2013 from Smoking pipes, it was part of a 40 tin Escudo order, with a date code that reads 1210064519, so it is one of the latest batches. I have been smoking Escudo since 2000, I still have tins from 01, 08, 2010 2011 and 2012. I cannot detect any casings or anything abnormal on this most recent tin. It looks the same, tastes the same and I still love smoking it. It has the normal spicy sweet, peppery flavors that I expect from this blend. There are definitely no off putting flavors that I can detect. I am smoking it in a Rad Davis Dublin that is dedicated to Escudo and Solani 633.

 

[RDPipes]

Yours has the same exact date code mine has but, I detect a difference in the smell of the coins and a big difference in the taste and strength, on top of it having a chemical after taste. And I made this comparison after smoking the whole tin minus 2 or 3 coins left that I threw away and a fresh tin I purchased in Jan. 2013 having the same exact date code as yours also. Two entirely different animals.
Just goes to show ya some peoples taste buds are a little sensitive is all.

Puzzling how one I bought in January and one I purchased in July and yours all have the same date code. I'm thinking that that number is not a date code but the one on the right side of the bar code is. Here are the codes on the right.
Mine 7/2013 =2384  1/2013 =5858

"EDIT" I did find a site that states that the number left of the bar code is the date code. YR/DAY/MONTH but, that would make our tins made all the same month and year.
June 10 2012. Okay. then as far as I can figure if the date is true, they changed the blend in the middle of the month that year. Seems a bit strange they still be selling last years blend but, I'm no tobacco blender.

 

[cigrmaster]

From everything I have read, the number to the left of the bar code is the date code, the number to the right of the date code on my tins is 2384. Are you smoking yours in dedicated vaper pipes or do you mix other blends? I honestly would detect any weird chemical taste because I do smoke this blend as part of my regular rotation and have done so for a while now. I go through a tin a month of this blend.

 

[RDPipes]

From everything I have read, the number to the left of the bar code is the date code, the number to the right of the date code on my tins is 2384.  Are you smoking yours in dedicated vaper pipes or do you mix other blends? I honestly would detect any weird chemical  taste because I do smoke this blend as part of my regular rotation and have done so for a while now.  I go through a tin a month of this blend.

I only smoke Escudo in dedicated pipes, in fact that's about all I smoke accept for the occasional VA in a dedicated pipe. I never mix.
I also go through a tin a month, sometimes a bit more.

I've looked at 11 tins of Escudo just now, one purchased every month for the past 11 months and everyone has the same date code. 1210064519 Hmm.

decoding Escudo date codes

 

[cigrmaster]

They must be working off a huge supply with all the same date codes. Where are you buying yours? I have purchased most of mine from SP. Have you recently changed any medications, 5 months ago I had back surgery and the pain meds altered my taste buds a little and blends were tasting a little off for a bit.