Kyle Weiss
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
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You know what they say, "...a picture is worth 1,000 words, and with Kyle Weiss, you get 2,000." :lol:
Pictured below is what greeted me after I discovered a dusty old tin of McC's Navy Cav from 2001 on the shelf at another B&M cigar store here in Reno...one that (obviously) doesn't sell a lot of pipe tobacco. Why did I open it? I figured more than a decade was enough. I was stunned by the size and sparkle of the sugar crystals on top (the little white dots in the picture). I had to get an image of it just to show you all.
So, I have to admit: I've tried Navy Cavendish before at the Tinder Box a few times, and I was pretty impressed. I figured it being "Cavendish" and having rum topping it off, it was going to end up being a sticky sugar-fest. It's far from it. From what I can see, it's a mixture of cavendished VAs mixed with lighter VAs and aged.
Fresh (the tin at Tinder Box was dated 2011) this stuff is grassy, heady, smelling more rum-like than actually a flavor, and has a bright pungency that, yes, was pleasant, but just tasted like any young "aged" VA from McClelland--which is fine, because I like the ketchupy McC Virginias. One problem with them is, there often isn't a whole lot of variation (but I do have to try more of them to be sure--it's the only way...someone's gotta do it. :twisted: )
Aged, though, I really lucked out. You could pass these off as two totally different tobaccos. Eleven-plus years occasionally does something to an unopened tin of pipe tobacco (I have heard that rumor, anyway...). The rum, if it was ever there, is gone. Perhaps eaten by microbes as they crapped out delicious sugar crystals? There's a little sour ketchup smell on the tobacco, but not much at all.
After a little rubbing out of the flakes and drying, the firsts puffs were smooth as silk, the proto-exhaling left a wonderfully pleasant smell, and the flavor was earthy, honest, sweet, and mellow. The grassy notes of the young batch had turned into almost a sweetroll kind of flavor, the bright edge had dulled to a rounded molasses, and there was none of that pithy coating that can happen with certain young VAs. One thing to mention, and I'm not sure if it's the sugars that surfaced during the aging or perhaps whatever is left over from the rum, but this stuff can smoke a little hot if not packed and puffed on carefully. It isn't unpleasant or biting, but if you're used to a very cool smoke, you might tense up a bit anticipating problems. I had none, but it was odd. Setting the pipe down for a few minutes is perfectly okay--the DGT is also amazing (and keeps the pipe cool).
Superb! A wonderful aged Virginia, not sweet (except where it counts), and pleases the senses. I'm very glad I got nosy and started rummaging around the tins and checking the dates. To my surprise, there was also a 2007 tin of McC Virginia Woods hanging around--so I got that, too.
I'm gonna sit on that one for a little while though, at least until I clear out some of these other open tins.
8)
Pictured below is what greeted me after I discovered a dusty old tin of McC's Navy Cav from 2001 on the shelf at another B&M cigar store here in Reno...one that (obviously) doesn't sell a lot of pipe tobacco. Why did I open it? I figured more than a decade was enough. I was stunned by the size and sparkle of the sugar crystals on top (the little white dots in the picture). I had to get an image of it just to show you all.
So, I have to admit: I've tried Navy Cavendish before at the Tinder Box a few times, and I was pretty impressed. I figured it being "Cavendish" and having rum topping it off, it was going to end up being a sticky sugar-fest. It's far from it. From what I can see, it's a mixture of cavendished VAs mixed with lighter VAs and aged.
Fresh (the tin at Tinder Box was dated 2011) this stuff is grassy, heady, smelling more rum-like than actually a flavor, and has a bright pungency that, yes, was pleasant, but just tasted like any young "aged" VA from McClelland--which is fine, because I like the ketchupy McC Virginias. One problem with them is, there often isn't a whole lot of variation (but I do have to try more of them to be sure--it's the only way...someone's gotta do it. :twisted: )
Aged, though, I really lucked out. You could pass these off as two totally different tobaccos. Eleven-plus years occasionally does something to an unopened tin of pipe tobacco (I have heard that rumor, anyway...). The rum, if it was ever there, is gone. Perhaps eaten by microbes as they crapped out delicious sugar crystals? There's a little sour ketchup smell on the tobacco, but not much at all.
After a little rubbing out of the flakes and drying, the firsts puffs were smooth as silk, the proto-exhaling left a wonderfully pleasant smell, and the flavor was earthy, honest, sweet, and mellow. The grassy notes of the young batch had turned into almost a sweetroll kind of flavor, the bright edge had dulled to a rounded molasses, and there was none of that pithy coating that can happen with certain young VAs. One thing to mention, and I'm not sure if it's the sugars that surfaced during the aging or perhaps whatever is left over from the rum, but this stuff can smoke a little hot if not packed and puffed on carefully. It isn't unpleasant or biting, but if you're used to a very cool smoke, you might tense up a bit anticipating problems. I had none, but it was odd. Setting the pipe down for a few minutes is perfectly okay--the DGT is also amazing (and keeps the pipe cool).
Superb! A wonderful aged Virginia, not sweet (except where it counts), and pleases the senses. I'm very glad I got nosy and started rummaging around the tins and checking the dates. To my surprise, there was also a 2007 tin of McC Virginia Woods hanging around--so I got that, too.
I'm gonna sit on that one for a little while though, at least until I clear out some of these other open tins.8)
![[3-Size Set] Copper Pipe Cleaner for Drill, Clean 1/2, 3/4, 1-in Copper Pipes & Tubes for Soldering, 3 Tube Cleaning Brushes, Model InerLok050, 075, 100, w/ Stainless-Steel Wire Bristles & 1/4” Shank](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41QVxunlqML._SL500_.jpg)
