Thread: Pipe of the Day

Originally Posted by chris3hoog

Tinkering into the garden house whilst smoking some Florina Semois out of a cheap bulldog.
Attachment 207854
This is a Kentucky burley tobacco with a grassy earthy smell, very high on vitamin N, burns quick due to the shag cut. Notwithstanding tonka beans are forbidden by law it smells a bit to it into the pouch. A real codgers tobacco. The leaf is cultivated in the valley of the river the Semois into the Ardennes (Wallonia, the French speaking part of Belgium). For those Americans among the forum members who are interested in WW II, the Ardennes refer to the Battle of the Bulge.
Battle of the Bulge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It lingers your pipe with a immense ghost. You better dedicate a pipe for it.
Don't smoke this on an empty stomach. You may call me 'sissy' but If I smoke this one I always have a can of lemonade by hand otherwise it give me hiccups. I admit only smoking this one a couple of bowls a year.
In 2013 there was an article written about the artisanal version of this tobacco, 'la Brumeuse' (which is French for <The Misty one>), into the New York Times.
http://http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/magazine/tobacco-thats-so-brooklyn-but-made-in-belgium.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2#

If you love reading about tobacco a must do. Beautiful slide show. Gregory Pease (GL Pease Tobacco) described <la Brumeuse> as 'rustic, powerfull and intense'.
Ever since it's hard to find into Belgium. A lot of this tobacco is meant for the export to the USA I presume?
I hope both links are working. If not sorry.

As a burley lover I've been meaning to order some since a few months back one of the writers for the smokingpipes.com newsletter mentioned it. Unfortunately it's hard to find someone stateside that carries it, when I have they're usually out of stock, but that's alright just means it'll be all the more worth it when I do find some. Is there any other blends that you can compare it to?

Last nights smoke was a basket bulldog full of Irish flake, OJK, and just enough Squadron leader to add a touch of smoke.

Originally Posted by GrimClippers

As a burley lover I've been meaning to order some since a few months back one of the writers for the smokingpipes.com newsletter mentioned it. Unfortunately it's hard to find someone stateside that carries it, when I have they're usually out of stock, but that's alright just means it'll be all the more worth it when I do find some. Is there any other blends that you can compare it to?

Last nights smoke was a basket bulldog full of Irish flake, OJK, and just enough Squadron leader to add a touch of smoke.

I know the real artisanal <la Brumeuse>, <Reserve du patron> and <Coupe fine> all Vincent Manil are hard to find, even in Belgium.
A couple of years ago I drove to La Louviere to jppcigares in the hope to find it there because I saw it on his site and the answer was: 'out of stock'.
I asked to guys at work who are from Wallonia to look for it over there and the answer was: 'Sorry Chris, we did not found it'.
A guy who was taking a holiday recently into the valley of the Semois, same answer: 'not available'.
My tobacconist ( like pipe smokers they become a curiosity over here! I drive to France for my pipe tobacco !), a lady about mid seventy would not even ask her wholesaler.
There was a tobacconist in de Panne (Belgium West Coast) who had it. Closed up. It's a mystery to me.
You asks me: 'what can you compare it to' and the first thing that flips into my mind was Prince Albert (I don't know that blend, not available here, but I know it's a codgers tobacco) but after a quick browse on tabaccoreviews.com that's a burley based blend (Burley/Cavendish). You can't even search for pure burley over there, it's all burley based. This Semois isn't even a blend. It's the pure dried, fermented fire cured leaf. It must be something special. Over here we had the Flemish counterpart of Semois tobacco, not quite the same 'terroir' but close, namely Wervik but the producer Gryson has closed up. This Florina Semois is in fact just a clone of the real stuff. As said it has that little scent of tonka bean, forbidden by the law but it is there. Is it tonka or another infuse ? Same with 'Presbyterian'. Is there latakia in it or not? The producers don't open there kitchens, anyway not with the doors wide open.
Also for me it's the famous search for the needle into the haystack, maybe someday we find 'The Holy Grail' . For the moment I gave up.
If I see the political evolution about tobacco, the hate around it, then I'm a little bit afraid that in the nearby future we smokers, be it cigarette, cigar or pipe smokers going to end up with nothing at all.
With friendly greetings
Chris

Originally Posted by EMC45

On the porch with the basket Baby briar. Got it loaded with McBarren Ready Rubbed Virginia. Still not a fan..........so if there is anyone out here on SRP that would like the remainder of almost a full Tin let me know. It is still moist and fresh. PM me that you want it and you own it. Thanks, Evan.

Good evening, sir.
Anyway I suppose it's evening in Georgia US.
As told, I restarted my pipe smoking career a couple of years ago and I did that unfortunately with Mac Baren blends such as Mixture Scottish Blend, Virginia N° 1 Ready Rubbed, Latakia Blend Roll cake ... and how hard I tried, whatever I did, I ended up with a scorched tongue. Same story with WO Larsen. The only Mac Baren that worked a bit was Plumcake, if smoked gentle. The only WO Larsen that worked for me was 1864. Also if smoked in a gentle way.
After searching on the WWW I heard that other people, experienced pipe smokers as well had the same problem with these blends/brands. Some said it had to do with body chemistry, others said the Virginia leaf used was to young, others that the Virginia was of minor quality, others it where OTC blends/mass production ... I also have some of these blends into mason jars into the cellar. Silent witnesses of my restart. I want to polite and blame it on me but it doesn't work for me. Sorry for the Danish.
Later on I switched to Peterson, Dunhill, Ashton and Samuel Gawith. No problem whatsoever. The only problem with SG is the moist if fresh out of the tin. Let it dry for a while and no problem. Today I smoked 3 bowls of that Florina Semois burley, no problem.
With friendly greetings
Chris

Originally Posted by GrimClippers

As a burley lover I've been meaning to order some since a few months back one of the writers for the smokingpipes.com newsletter mentioned it.

Hey Grim, have you tried Five Brothers?

Originally Posted by NoseWarmer

Hey Grim, have you tried Five Brothers?

A helping hand. Like that
Greetz
Chris

starting the day with some autumn evening from C&D in a comoy and some black iced coffee .

Originally Posted by spacemonkeyjon

starting the day with some autumn evening from C&D in a comoy and some black iced coffee .

Feller after my own heart heh.......

So I'll join you..........Birthday morning pipe. Comoy straight pot with McClelland No. 2000 fragrant matured cake ,jazz on the radio and a dram of Apfel Schnapps......giggity !

Well happy birthday brother

Give Stella a big tummy scratch and smooshy face for me okay ?