Frog in Your Throat?

I picked up 100 g of my old favorite Frog Morton on my trip to the big city last week. This baccy is an always beloved, never disappointing favorite for me. There is some latakia, and a nice dark set of earthy flavors. I have been told that there is a vanilla topping in there somewhere, but I taste only sweet earthy, light, english goodness. This tobacco is good in much the same way that Dunhill's My Mixture 965 and Rattray's Black Mallory are good. After smoking them it makes it hard to imagine a world in which they did not exist. Well worthy of their massively publicized reputation.

It has been said of a good story line that the end should not just "make sense" but that it should be inevitably. It should bring us to the point of saying, "Of course it had to end like that, there was simply no other way." Frog Morton is a tobacco like that. It is enjoyable story, with high points and deep intrigue ending with a simply inevitable ending bringing both pleasure and challenge. Truly fantastic.

The merits of the tobacco aside, the merits of the tin art are not something to be scoffed at. For some reason the frog is a perfect mascot for the pipe. Though I know not why. Let's examine some examples and see if anything comes to be more clear.
Frogs do have a particular way of looking dapper, and distinguished. Yes, they are a bit fat, but they are supposed to be. The pipe seems to fit very well with their distinguished image.
This seems to confirm the "gentleman frog" ideal mentioned above. Even when talking about being broke, the frog still looks his best, even with nothing besides his full suit and what would seem to be a bayou churchwarden beyond any I have seen.
This frog reminds me of one of my life goals: to enjoy a bowl totally in the buff. The circumstances will have to be planned out correctly, as I am not able to smoke indoors. That aside, this frog brings about the congenial friendliness of the pipe that sits back on a toadstool and enjoys the day that is laid out before him.
This gent seems in no way arrogant. I must admit, suspenders do something grand for most any outfit (including a barrel), and this is no exception. I love the clay pipe, and the way the artist seemed to catch the upward gaze of the frog in a way that is optimistic, but not obnoxious.
This curmudgeon brings a less flattering view, perhaps. But then we note the cane that seems to insinuate the dignity of age, and most importantly the animals rushing either to or from their doom behind him. We find this pipe smoking frog to be the only one in the picture with any bit of sense, and a look on his face that tells us that he is well aware of the fact. Perhaps this is the best picture of a pipe smoking amphibian, as it shows the world racing around in circles while the pipe smoker smirks and enjoys his moment!

And this was all my limited time were able to provide. I will always be blessed with the images of Richard Scary, many of whose animal heroes enjoyed the pipe. And think that other pipe suited animals would be bears, river rats (thank you Wind and the Willows), owls, and certain breeds of dog. While other animals like snakes, foxes, small dogs and chickens are particularly unsuited to pipe smoking.

Correct!

Warm Smoke and A New Circle!

It took longer than I had expected, but the time has at last come. I have been out almost every single night in the past two weeks enjoying a pipe. The crickets haven't started singing yet, but the stars do shine. Ah, blissful smoke rings rising gently into the glorious inky blackness of the nighttime sky! In addition to this great joy I have some other news:

Pipe Smoking Bloggers

So I have joined the Pipe Smoking Bloggers ring for bloggers who blog about pipe smoking. (Was that a haiku? No? Okay.) Three ways I would invite you to be involved:

1) Keep reading my blog. It really means a great deal to me that you do.

2) Click over to http://pipesmokingbloggers.blogspot.com/ and follow said blog, checking the other followers to find other great and interesting pipe bloggers.

3) If you are a pipe blogger of follow this link to join the crusade (perhaps a bit of an overly dramatic way to put it, but hey, there you have it!) http://pipesmokingbloggers.blogspot.com/p/join-us.html There you will also be given a choice of two "Blog Buttons" which you can add to your blog (Mine is proudly displayed in the side bar at the top.)

Nutty Irishman

Besides the reality that I feel that this Pipe Tobacco by Cornell and Deihl describes me personally in a deeply personal way it was a pleasure to smoke. Here is the "tin description" from C&D's Website:

Imagine a bottle of Frangelico and a bottle of Irish Mist having a head on collision and you'll have an idea of the flavor and aroma of Nutty Irishman, though the end product has a uniqueness that goes beyond the characterization.

The first thing to note about this tobacco is the last thing that I usually notice: room note! I smoked this in my car on the way to Bible Study one night and the next day had someone get in my car and comment on how nice it was, and what air freshner I had used to get that great "nutty smell". I kid you not, it smells that good.

It is a typical C&D's aromatic aside from that. I mean that as a compliment. Natural flavor, high quality bulk tobacco and great light food grade topping that leaves no goop in the bowl or bite on the tongue. This is on my list for my next big order from C&D's. If you like an aromatic this one will get the job done.

Check back soon, warmer weather means more smoking, means more Pipe Reflected reminiscing.

Too Busy Not to Smoke a Pipe

Being in pastoral ministry it is inevitable that everything ramps up to Easter Sunday. It is a blessed time and a celebration I revel in. Any opportunity to gaze most steadily at my Savior with my brothers and sisters in the Lord is a blessing. Yet in the Church that "ramp up" includes extra devotions, services, and special plans for each service. All of this can create the sad illusion of "busyness." And so often my pipe smoking time gets squeezed out (it has also been cold, which makes it tougher to get out). However, I notice that lack of time at the pipe causes a muddled and frazzled disposition that cannot be accounted for other than by facing the reality that I require a great amount of solitude to function in my role as a follower of Jesus, a husband, a father, a pastor and a friend. I have been thankful to take the time, and enjoy a bit more of the generous gift of PipePastor. Some highlights:

Smooth Black and Gold Cav - This one is from Aramark. Very nice, more blacks than golds. It has a tough of that "aromatic chemical" flavor to it, but not much. The beauty of this tobacco is that it does a marvelous job of sweetening as you progress through the bowl. If you like medium cased Cavendish tobaccos this one will serve you well.

Hiland's Snowflake - If Hiland's were my local shop this tobacco would almost certainly make my regular rotation. Hiland's blenders have really mastered that "natural-aromatic" balance. This is what I appreciate about a number of the Edward's blends as well (Blackwatch, Good Companion, Branywine, etc.). G.L. Pease wrote that all tobaccos are cased to one degree or another, and a well cased aromatic shouldn't act so different from a "natural". This one passes the test. The tobacco is good, flavorful, and develops nicely throughout the bowl. The flavor is difficult to put a finger on and the tobacco is mild, but not too mild. Great smoke.

Cornell & Deil Apricot - Okay, this had everything going against it in my pipe. First, I am not a fan of fruit flavors or toppings. Second, it was my third bowl for the night. Third, even if I did like fruity flavors, I am not terribly fond of Apricot. If the previous things aren't true for your this may be worth a try. For me this one simply wasn't what I am looking for. It was also hard to keep lit, but that could be any tobacco, bowl to bowl.

Cross Eyed Cricket - Cornell and Deihl also makes this one. This was a tobacco that seemed to generate a lot of heat on tobaccoreviews.com as many liked and many really disliked it. I am not adamant about the "purity" aspect, so I found it fun, light and playful. I have to tell you that the person I was smoking with really noticed the "room note" as being particularly pleasant. I enjoyed this one, but I will have to do it again to decide if I am going to buy another tin.

Jack-knife Plug - (G.L. Pease). This tobacco is "Holy Crap Stop the presses!" good. Striking. and delicious. My second "plug" tobacco and it is simply everything that I look for in a tobacco. Really high quality. I don't want to say much more about it as I will probably do another post just delving into the beauty of this excellent tobacco.

I would encourage you to take some time out and read Joffre's article Juxtaposing Good Friday and Earthday as it is noteworthy: http://joffrethegiant.blogspot.com/2011/04/good-friday-and-earth-day.html

Finally, I would encourage you to think on these lines by Robert Frost:

The Pasture

I'm going out to clean the pasture spring;

I'll only stop to rake the leaves away

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):

I sha'n't be gone long. -You come too.

I'm going out to fetch the little calf

That's standing by the mother. It's so young,

It totters when she licks it with her tongue.

I sha'n't be gone long. -You come too.

Double Plus Good

Not so long ago I reviewed "Black Gold" from Hiland's Cigars( http://www.hilandscigars.com/). It is still a beloved aromatic which offers continual satisfaction. I have to admit, because of my diet, I had to cut down and only smoke it a few times a week. (I know that really wasn't funny, but it really does taste that rich). PipePastor, however, saw fit to blow my mind again, and I am thankful. I had a hard time imagining that adding a few flakes of Virginia to an aromatic could significantly change the experience (which is the distinguishing factor between "Black Gold" and "Black Gold Plus". At least enough so that I could be bothered to buy some until I ran out of the first supply. As I smoke a bit less in the winter (because the cold weather hurts my body) that wasn't going to happen for a bit. Yet, out of his own personal supply PipePastor, (http://www.youtube.com/user/PipePastor) donated an amazingly generous supply of this treasure (along with enough new baccy's to keep me in fresh reviews for well over a year). But back to the issue at hand, with many thanks for the generosity of this brother of the Briar who is first and foremost a brother in the Lord.

It defies all reason. The thing that kept Black Gold from being my every day, every moment smoke was the fact that it is uniform (necessarily so). It is velvety, smooth and delicious. Tasting of a fabulously decadent vanilla frosted brownie and then some all the way to the bottom. However, the added virginia changes the whole character of the smoke. I won't say for the better, because both really are a bit beyond regular quality measurements. However, this brings things dangerously close to having an "everyday smoke" which (if you have been following this blog, I am philosophically and experientially opposed to). In any event, this gets a whole hearted recommendation. To quote PipePastor, "Get you some!" Call Hiland's Cigars up and order some. Tell them PipePastor sent you, because he did. http://www.hilandscigars.com/

The weather is warming and the pipe is calling. More to come. Tuskeegee (sp?) Airman, Jackknife plug, something tasting of Apricots, and details on a good friend's upcoming venture in the creation of a smoking lounge right here in town. Ah...so good!

Did I just imagine that?

Okay, I've gotten to the point where I can't remember what it is like to feel warm and smoke a pipe at the same time. I think back to the days when I would sit on my back porch and smoke a bowl to the bottom and sing softly to myself, and I wonder if I made the up. I think of the times smoking outside with my dear brothers of the briar and I wonder if they weren't part of some wonderful novel that I read myself into being fully unwilling to accept the reality that I will never again be able to enjoy a bowl in my life. Ah, me. I want to time capsule this moment so that I will remember when comfortable smoking has returned, not to take it for granted!

That being said, I have tried one new tobacco recently. That being G.L. Pease's Haddo's Delight. And, for my tastes, it is DELIGHTFUL. I love this blend because it can actually stand up to a stiff cup of coffee. I also like this blend because it doesn't have a Je n'sait quoi. I know exactly what makes it great. You don't have to read the back to feel it all the way down: virginia, perique. Delicious. I obtained this in a trade with Givensdroid on Youtube (great pipe channel...check him out!). In which I shipped off a tin of Early Morning Pipe, which I was not wild about. Haddo's Delight is a perfect contrast to EMP. Full bodied and delicious, all the way down to the bottom of the bowl.

I have to admit, the weather has made be a bit smoking lethargic. I have been going back to basics (Black Watch, Black Gold, Nightcap, Black Mallory). I haven't been compelled to try much new. I think because my smoking time is so precious that I don't want to risk disappointment. I love how the change in seasons reveals my relationship to the pipe weed I love. I will still go out for it, but not nearly so frequently. I do enjoy it, but I don't miss it in the sense of addiction. A week or two, even three, without a pipe doesn't bring any physiological effects. This was never the case when I was smoking cigarettes, but then a cigarette was never enjoyed so thoroughly.

As I write I am longing for another bowl full of MacClelland's Christmas Cheer 2009. I have it downstairs, but, alas it is late and it is cold, so I shall go to sleep instead. Happy puffing to all, and to all a good night!

Great things I don't love...

I don't love ballet. I just don't I have tried, watched ballet and have never been able to get into it. This is strange because I do love opera, and all other manner of classical music (of course Bach is the favorite, but others are well loved). I have never been able to appreciate Cigars. I like them just fine, but I simply can't afford (in time or money) to get a better working knowledge of cigars, they are great they just aren't for me. I really appreciate a good brandy, a good bourbon or a good scotch, but have no taste at all for expensive tequila, rum or white wine. It is not because any of the things that I don't like are inferior to those I do, and I make no apology for this reality.

This is the case with Early Morning Pipe. My first impressions I brushed off because I wasn't in an ideal situation to try a new tobacco (a few drinks and a bowl of Irish Flake had come before it). However, each time I load up this tobacco I am left wanting. Not wanting for quality, but wanting for that power packed flavor that I get from London Mixture or Nightcap. And it's not there.

At this point you are probably thinking (Correctly, I may add), "You moron, that is exactly what it says on the tin!" The words mellow and delicately flavoured (complete with superfluous British U in the word "flavour") should by no means have made me expect any more than what I got. The funny thing about this tobacco is that it reaks of quality. The tin aroma is glorious, the colour nuance of the tobacco make it look nearly edible (though perhaps only a pipe smoker would think so). However, this tobacco is to the point of having no real "punch" for me. It is like drinking a Bud Light from the supermarket after Guinness extra stout. It just lacks any real distinction for me. For the more delicate palate this may be the way to go, for my crude brusque skull cave this one just doesn't reach the spot.

This one is a fan favorite, so if you think you may like it I would say go for it, just know that it is MILD. It is easily the mildest high quality tobacco I have ever tasted. Don't say you weren't warned. I think a good portion of this is that I rarely have the opportunity to enjoy my pipe in the morning and I suppose if I were the type to roll out of bed and light up a pipe this maybe just the thing, but I'm not. I did do an experiment and try to put it as the first thing on my tongue for the day, starting early one morning and I still was not quite picking up enough to make this a tin that I would buy again. I'm glad Dunhill is back, ( Nitecap, London Mixture). And there are still 2 more Dunhill's on my wishlist (965 and My Mixture), but this one won't be back in my rotation. I will have to give it another shot in a decade or so to see if I haven't grown up a bit! Happy puffing to you, good smoker! And may the smoke continually satisfy!