You hit the nail square on the head there Jeff, expectations! One should remove preconceived expectations on what a blend should be and experience a blend for what it actually is. As a rule of thumb, much consideration has gone into crafting a blend, it is no mere accident that blends fall upon us, it's by design. Once expectations are removed blends also tend to improve, even if only in ones imagination. We should enjoy life's simple pleasures for what they are, rather than what they are not. Good to hear your impressions and thoughts. Merry Christmas to you and yours this festive season✌️
Hey Mistrel, funny alot of these tobbacos on my list are in the catagory of "different expectations". Probably because I did not purchase alot of new stuff forcing me to "enjoy what I have". This list is not my favorite but just ones that got my attention this year and a few of them I have moved on from for now. I still plan on doing that video about whether or not I prefer my cigar to store bought and spoiler alert the short answer is I have realized overall cigars are just cigars and there is nothing new under the sun. I enjoy mine and others but if I had the choice I'd choose mine over store bought if I had to just for the fact I can blend how ever I want. Happy New year!
Thanks Jeff. I’m still working on a Picayune replacement. So far I’ve gotten the best results from Kendal Dark/PS 84 Turkish Export/C&D Long Cut Perique. I’ve been alternating between Kendal Dark, Dark Bird’s Eye and Kendal Kentucky. All 3 of those blends are morphing into Kendal Dark according to GH&Co. It’s pretty good but the Kendal Dark isn’t spot on but it’s the closest I’ve come with what I have. Thanks for the video, nice choices. I hope you’re having a great holiday.
Hey Matt, I haven't forgot about Picayune but the Canada Post strike screwed me over for ordering tobacco from November till now. I still have to order Basma and Dark air cured as I want to make this as authentic as possible but it might take till spring to get there.
@@PaladinPiper Yeah, I got to snag me some more Warehorse. I enjoy your vids as well. Looks like we are both close to hitting 3000 subs! I was wanting to do a Medico video as well but haven't gotten there yet..
Man we have such similar tastes its eery. Up to and including your two disappointments. I bought both and was let down by both. The cut plug was tasting like a bowl of air. I had a bowl of Granger right after cut plug the other day and the Granger was far more flavorful.
Great minds think (taste?) alike. To bad about the cut plug as I really wanted to like it. Can't go wrong with Granger, its a classic and as you said a flavorful burley.
I've been smoking G&H Dark Flake unscented, Black Irish X, Brown Irish X, PS Luxury Navy Flake and Haunted Bookshop the most this year. Happy new year 🎉.
All those are great baccies . I haven't had Haunted Bookshop in awhile, I'll have to smoke a bowl today. Thanks for sharing , its fun to hear everyone's favorite smokes of the year.
SmokingPipes has been pretty good about keeping it stock the last few years. If you like dark fired type stuff you can't really go wrong with with Dark Bird.
Interesting list, the only two of these I've ever smoked are the Dark Birds Eye which is excellent, yet somehow I avoid because of the cut😅, which is probably silly of me... sometimes I think, if Gawith start selling the Dark Flake in a shag cut, I'll stop smoking it😂 As for the 5 brothers - hands down, the harshest & driest tobacco I've ever tased., couldn't finish the pouch... though if it was a flake that might not have been the case! Enjoy your smokes!
Most of my list did not contain tobaccos I would necessarily recommend, just ones that seemed to connect with me this year. A few of them have lost their novelty for now. Ha I can see many people not enjoying 5 brothers but for some reason I don't find it overly harsh, just very "unprocessed" maybe. For me Dark air cured tobaccos are the type that can get strong/harsh and hit me with nicotine such as Picayune. G&H use dark air cured but they know how to do it just right.
@@AllofJudea There are lots of ways to get whole leaf for blending, these guys will just have to think outside the box of getting processed leaf from Sutliff etc. Sutliff has to get its leaf from somewhere:)
Maple shadows ll big surprise and top of 2024 for me and I think this years anthology release by CnD was good, their first release was excellent, eightstate Burley by CnD was rereleased this year and was just as good as previous years.
I passed on Maple Shadows as I figured it was just Vermont Meat Candy which I have but have been told it is different. I see quite a few people also singing the praises of Eight State.
@aromatix5741 I don't think maple shadows will be available again, since sutliff is closing. But the tin was large and I'll have plenty to have for the fall season as it comes and goes. I haven't heard of the Vermont meat candy sounds interesting, I know the maple shadows has darkfired in it
GH Dark Birds Eye is really tasty blend Jeff. Thanks for sharing. I hope you had a pleasant Christmas, Janez
I agree on the Dark Birds Eye too.
I don't think there are too many GH tobaccos that I don't enjoy. This one is just great all around with no real faults.
Great vid AomatiX. Thanks a lot. I like War Horse Bar and Green. Yesterday, I had a bowl of Worse Horse Bar.
@@challengerdart3731 Great minds think alike!
A great review as you do 😊 well done 👍👍 😊👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏💐🍾🥂 Jeff a lovely Christmas season 🎄🎁☃️and have a great start of the New Year too! 🎆🎊🎇
Hey Lester! Hope your holidays are great too!
You hit the nail square on the head there Jeff, expectations! One should remove preconceived expectations on what a blend should be and experience a blend for what it actually is. As a rule of thumb, much consideration has gone into crafting a blend, it is no mere accident that blends fall upon us, it's by design. Once expectations are removed blends also tend to improve, even if only in ones imagination. We should enjoy life's simple pleasures for what they are, rather than what they are not. Good to hear your impressions and thoughts. Merry Christmas to you and yours this festive season✌️
Hey Mistrel, funny alot of these tobbacos on my list are in the catagory of "different expectations". Probably because I did not purchase alot of new stuff forcing me to "enjoy what I have". This list is not my favorite but just ones that got my attention this year and a few of them I have moved on from for now. I still plan on doing that video about whether or not I prefer my cigar to store bought and spoiler alert the short answer is I have realized overall cigars are just cigars and there is nothing new under the sun. I enjoy mine and others but if I had the choice I'd choose mine over store bought if I had to just for the fact I can blend how ever I want. Happy New year!
Thanks Jeff. I’m still working on a Picayune replacement. So far I’ve gotten the best results from Kendal Dark/PS 84 Turkish Export/C&D Long Cut Perique. I’ve been alternating between Kendal Dark, Dark Bird’s Eye and Kendal Kentucky. All 3 of those blends are morphing into Kendal Dark according to GH&Co. It’s pretty good but the Kendal Dark isn’t spot on but it’s the closest I’ve come with what I have. Thanks for the video, nice choices. I hope you’re having a great holiday.
Hey Matt, I haven't forgot about Picayune but the Canada Post strike screwed me over for ordering tobacco from November till now. I still have to order Basma and Dark air cured as I want to make this as authentic as possible but it might take till spring to get there.
Awesome! Definitely no hurry. I heard about the strike and it sounded like a nightmare for you guys.
@@Matt_RVA Only those who use it like me. Most people use Amazon nowadays etc.
Man you are so right about warhorse! I didn’t realize it may be on the chopping block also! Good list man. Always enjoy your vids!
@@PaladinPiper Yeah, I got to snag me some more Warehorse. I enjoy your vids as well. Looks like we are both close to hitting 3000 subs! I was wanting to do a Medico video as well but haven't gotten there yet..
@@aromatix5741 Cant Wait to see your Medicos!!!!
@@PaladinPiper Actually the one in the video is a Medico Esquire!
Man we have such similar tastes its eery. Up to and including your two disappointments. I bought both and was let down by both. The cut plug was tasting like a bowl of air. I had a bowl of Granger right after cut plug the other day and the Granger was far more flavorful.
Great minds think (taste?) alike. To bad about the cut plug as I really wanted to like it. Can't go wrong with Granger, its a classic and as you said a flavorful burley.
Appreciate the list! You’re killing me with the 145… I have 3 tins stuck in shipping hell (to Canada) and I’m super excited for it! Subbed.
Yeah, I have 4 packages stuck myself. Let me know what you think of the 145 when you smoke it!
@ Ah, just saw you’re up here, nice.
I've been smoking G&H Dark Flake unscented, Black Irish X, Brown Irish X, PS Luxury Navy Flake and Haunted Bookshop the most this year. Happy new year 🎉.
All those are great baccies . I haven't had Haunted Bookshop in awhile, I'll have to smoke a bowl today. Thanks for sharing , its fun to hear everyone's favorite smokes of the year.
Really like dark Birds Eye too. Hard to get a hold of though
SmokingPipes has been pretty good about keeping it stock the last few years. If you like dark fired type stuff you can't really go wrong with with Dark Bird.
Interesting list, the only two of these I've ever smoked are the Dark Birds Eye which is excellent, yet somehow I avoid because of the cut😅, which is probably silly of me... sometimes I think, if Gawith start selling the Dark Flake in a shag cut, I'll stop smoking it😂
As for the 5 brothers - hands down, the harshest & driest tobacco I've ever tased., couldn't finish the pouch... though if it was a flake that might not have been the case!
Enjoy your smokes!
Most of my list did not contain tobaccos I would necessarily recommend, just ones that seemed to connect with me this year. A few of them have lost their novelty for now. Ha I can see many people not enjoying 5 brothers but for some reason I don't find it overly harsh, just very "unprocessed" maybe. For me Dark air cured tobaccos are the type that can get strong/harsh and hit me with nicotine such as Picayune. G&H use dark air cured but they know how to do it just right.
I'm wondering what the small blenders like Ernie at Watch City are going to do, I know he uses Suttliff.
@@AllofJudea There are lots of ways to get whole leaf for blending, these guys will just have to think outside the box of getting processed leaf from Sutliff etc. Sutliff has to get its leaf from somewhere:)
Maple shadows ll big surprise and top of 2024 for me and I think this years anthology release by CnD was good, their first release was excellent, eightstate Burley by CnD was rereleased this year and was just as good as previous years.
I passed on Maple Shadows as I figured it was just Vermont Meat Candy which I have but have been told it is different. I see quite a few people also singing the praises of Eight State.
@aromatix5741 I don't think maple shadows will be available again, since sutliff is closing. But the tin was large and I'll have plenty to have for the fall season as it comes and goes. I haven't heard of the Vermont meat candy sounds interesting, I know the maple shadows has darkfired in it
Yeah Vermont meat candy is from Russ Oulette and is burley and darkfired with maple.
nice, 145 was a huge miss for me, i prefer the 140.
The 140 is nice, I like the wildflower taste . 140 is definelty more balanced and what I smoked more of the previous year. Thanks for sharing.
Unexpected choices
@@Gspitaletti Yes, not all my favorites, just ones I found myself smoking more than usual this year.