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Just For Him: Ruins of Isengard

Review Date: 1/10/09

Brand:Just For Him
Tin Description:This is the newest of the Middle Earth Pipeweed blends released by Just For Him.
Country of Origin:USA
Curing Group:Air Cured
Contents:
Cavendish
Black Cavendish
Virginia
Cut:Ribbon
Packaging:bulk

Ruins of Isengard is yet another blend in the Middle Earth Pipe Weed Series by Just For Him, justforhim.com I would place ROI second to Shortcut to Mushroom if you are going to explore the Middle Earth series, especially if you normally smoke pure English blends and rarely dabble with weed that is cased.

Packing: Frank Method and Three Stage packing all work here even though this stuff is rather moist and can be a little sticky. I never had to dry out, however, and needed no relights after two scorches and initial light.

Smoke: What we have here is a consistent smoke that is mildly sweet, which comes off as either a mild vanilla or a cream. The sweetness does not force itself nor taste artificial probably because of the Cavendish and Black Cavendish tag team. The sweetness comes through on initial puff and trails off into a mild smokiness. It is kind of like having desert before the meal, sweet and salty.

Final: However, the description may sound inviting but ROI is just ok when you consider how many other blends are on the market. Nothing special to see here. Just a change of pace without overdoing casing or artificial sweeteners.

Notes about Cavendish: Cavendish is more a method to treat tobacco than a type. English Cavendish uses a dark flue or fire cured Virginia which is steamed and then stored under pressure to permit it to cure and ferment for several days to several weeks. When done well, this tobacco is really fine stuff. Cavendish can be produced out of any tobacco type (mainly Virginia's and Burley's are used). The original English Cavendish is produced out of Virginia tobacco, which is slightly flavoured and heated by high pressure. This will give you a very dark, black tobacco. The modern version of Cavendish is generally much more flavoured. The natural taste of tobacco is almost gone. The flavouring is also called "Casing". This is the term used when you add a considerable amount of additives to the tobacco. This is usually done by producing a fluid mixture of sugar, liquorice or any kind of aromas in which the tobacco is soaked. The goal is to produce a sweet and smooth aroma. Modern Cavendish tobacco comes in numerous flavours, cherry, vanilla, rum, chocolate, strawberry, coconut .......and many other flavors.

Pipe Packing: Frank Method




There are two main ways to pack your pipe properly and one of those ways is often called the Frank Method. Rather than writing a "how-to" on this, which are abundant on the internet already, I found these decent videos on Youtube which will also assist you in lighting, pipe choice etc.

Enjoy!

Step #1



Step #2




Step #3



The Pipe Room: Sherlock Reserve


The following is a review I did of Sherlock's Reserve Blend available at thepiperoom.com This review was done on 3/7/06

Quite frankly I was pleasantly surprised when I tried my first bowl of this blend. I was a bit apprehensive, Sherlock is quite a name to live up to, but Sherlock's Reserve does this quite well. This is quite good for a mild English tobacco and I didn't have to dry out my bag at all. Fairly nice smell, but not a "wife pleaser" I'd say. Latakia and Virginia very apparent in the flavor, the casing is slight, perhaps an alcohol which is fine by me and nothing to detract from the essential "tobacconess" of the taste.

For English smokers this might be a good all day smoke, for aromatic smokers this could be a Lat to get your "feet wet" on without being blown away. I think I'll be buying it again when I use mine up, and that won't be too long in coming. 

Brand:ThePipeRoom.com
Blender:UNKNOWN
Tin Description:Sherlock Holmes kept his tobacco in the toe of a Persian slipper. Could it be that he had a particularly special reserve hidden away among his dusty old books where only he would know? This full English blend is both strong and rich with Latakia- Yet smooth and full just the way Holmes liked it.
Country of Origin:US
Curing Group:Air Cured
Contents:
Virginia
Latakia
Cut:Ribbon
Packaging:50g Pouch


Sherlock's Reserve - A nice and darkly rich flavored blend. The burning Latakia is well balanced here and is a rather enjoyable smoke. Not the best VALA but pretty darn tasty! Worth a pouch worth.

Another review by de la FuentesWould Mr. Holmes like this if he tried it? I think so. It's obvious from Conan Doyle's writings that the detective would have smoked Orientals or Virginias, definitely not the aromatic of the Peterson variety bearing Mr. Holmes' name.

Hearth & Home: Larry's Blend

The following is a review I did on Hearth & Home's Larry's Blend on 2/21/06

Brand:pipesandcigars.com
Blender:Russ Ouellette
Tin Description:Larry Loerzel, one of our regular store customers, and connoisseur of English/Balkan blends had tried Ten to Midnight, and although he liked it, he was looking for something a little fuller and different. Based on his preference, we blended a full, traditional Balkan using Orientals that were more “buttery” and amped-up the Latakia. This blend is now a big hit among our full-bodied English fans; a cool-smoking, very rich mixture.
Country of Origin:US
Curing Group:Air Cured
Contents:
Virginia
Latakia
Oriental
Cut:Ribbon
Packaging:Bulk

Rating: **** out of *****
Larry's Blend is truly a scrumptiously delcious Balkan smoke. A very nice silky full billow smoke. When I think of packing a bowl of supreme smoke this is one I hope is on my shelf. If you like Balkans this is a for sure must try. I will be ordering more of this...right now!

The Pipe Room: King Arthur Blend


The following review I did for King Arthur blend available at thepiperoom.com. This review was taken on 

Brand:ThePipeRoom.com
Blender:UNKNOWN
Tin Description:This unusual aromatic and earthy blend of the finest tobaccos available offers both smokeyness and rich flavor with a pleasant smoothness. Now improved with greater smoothness, better flavor and a hint of Black Raspberry! Blended with smoke ring makers in mind, this blend is both smokey and gentle as a room aroma. The flavor is entirely unique and pleasant to all. Packed well and smoked in a thick walled pipe will give opportunity to get the fires going hot enough to make great clouds of smoke and rings to your hearts content.
Country of Origin:US
Curing Group:Air Cured
Contents:
Black Cavendish
Cut:Ribbon
Packaging:50g Pouch
Blend Notes:Previously sold as "Middle Earth Blend"

Rating: *** out of *****
Middle Earth Blend - Wowsers! After reading the reviews I decided to give this blend a try...sure glad I did! This type of blend is usually not my bag of tricks but boy did I sure enjoy this. I smoked 10 bowls of this stuff the first day and I kept finding myself trying to eat the billows of delicious smoke that poured from my mouth. A delicious break and treat from my norm.

Due to copyright law this blend is now being called King Arthur but same delicious weed!

Just For Him: Shortcut To Mushroom


The following is a review of Just For Him's Shortcut To Mushroom in the Middle Earth Pipeweed Series. I did this review on 2/19/06.

Brand:Just For Him
Blender:Bob Schafer
Tin Description:This is the fourth blend in the Middle Earth Pipeweed Series! Rich, dark Latakia is blended with mushrooms straight from Farmer Maggot's field to produce a truly unique smooth, creamy, earthy smoke with a hint of sweetness.
Country of Origin:US
Curing Group:Air Cured
Contents:
Black Cavendish
Cut:Coarse Cut
Packaging:Bulk

Rating: **** out of *****
I keep gobbling this stuff up! I have placed an additional two orders since review...and ordered some for a "box pass" I'm involved in. Yummy yummy stuff!

Shortcut To Mushroom another blend from Just For Him and my favorite from the Middle Earth Pipeweed line. I enjoy Latakia most so this one fits my bill just fine. Special thanks to the blenders in dar Shire.

Others have compared it to Frog Morton On The Town, one of my favorites, and thats a good comparison. As far as it tasting like mushrooms...I can't tell and I hate mushrooms. This blend just has a smoky/earthy feel and taste to it and burns cool. Sometimes this blend can give me a nice nicotine fog, eyelids a little droopy - nice and not overdone.

So if you like thee ole Lata and want to smoke something with a gimiki name then fire some of this up!

McCleland: No. 24 Virginia


The following is a review I did on McClelland's No. 24 Virginia on 2/21/06.

Brand:McClelland
Blender:UNKNOWN
Tin Description:An unusual form of Flake tobacco, its deep chesnut color results from the extended aging of full flavored Old and Middle Belt leaf very lightly seasoned with Drama.
Country of Origin:US
Cut:Flake
Packaging:50g or 100g Tin

Rating: *** out of *****
Virginia No.24 huh so this is why people enjoy Virginia's. No.24 was really a pleasant surprise for me for I wasn't expecting to enjoy it very much...but did...a lot. I'm thinking what made this a good experience was that No.24 was richer and fuller than I expect this type of VA to be. This will easly replace my tin of Mac Barens Virginia Flake...hands down! McCelland sure creates some yummy stuff. I will be keeping this in supply.

Goes well after a bowl of Frog Morton or On The Town.