Grousemoor is quite a nice smoke. It has dried a bit since last time so no problem keeping the bowl going and a nice wood like taste. I'm sorry I'm still new to all this so I can't describe the taste very well but I can see this in my regular rotation. No complaints from the wife while smoking in the house so that's always a plus.
The taste you're describing is probably Latakia Tobacco. It is an integral part of the classic English style tobacco flavor profile. I am glad you enjoyed it!
I am watching NBA, pondering what to smoke late night... Will it be Orlik Golden Sliced, Peterson Irish Flake, or Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake? That's what I have open right now anyway on the tin side. In bulk it's either American Blended Burley, or straight air cured Light Virginia (KY grown). Lately I have been on a hardcore Navy/VaPer kick... I still think Orlik Golden Sliced, at $7/50g online, is one of the best bang-for-buck VA tobaccos out there. Second place is Stokkebye bulk Navy Flake.
Pipe O' the Day Peterson Irish Flake Vintage Parker Jockey Club Matches! Mrs. Samurai is out tonight with Son of Samurai, ergo I may get 2 pipes tonight!
Actually Grousemoor doesn't have any latakia in it, and is classified as an aromatic, although it is nothing like some of the cotton candy bulk aromatics. It's a unique flavor that I would be hard pressed to describe, just like txskimo.
I stand corrected. I just read about it...aromatic Virginia is somewhat unique, double steamed, and air cured. Interesting....
Frog Morton is one of the latakia blends I enjoy. It's smooth and not in your face with the latakia. I've also had a few smokes in cobs!
@BamaT You can check Irish Flake off your list...the fired burley component brings with it lump-in-your-throat Vitamin N.
I have an 2 year aged tin of SG Navy Flake. It is unusual in that it has some Latakia. Most navy doesn't. I may have to crack it and see if I can dig it. I have read that it's quite mild, but the Latakia component has kept it in the cellar.
One of my favorite pipes, a vintage Charatan, albeit a second. In the second picture you can see the putty fill, but that in no way affects how it smokes. I paid $17 for this in 1978, having no idea it was a Charatan second, I just liked the looks of it. I've recently been offered $150 to $200 for it, but i wouldn't part with it. It was my first real pipe. Monday had a Stokkebye Navy Flake rubbed out and mixed with a little McClelland 5100 Red Cake. The Red Cake will slightly lighten and smooth any blend, and add a small amount of natural Virginia sweetness.
Here's the second pic of the Charatan, I couldn't get it to upload earlier. Here you can see the dark putty fill toward the bottom.
Those putty fills are frequently visible on a new pipe, but darken more than the pipe as it's smoked. This pipe was much lighter in color when new, but the natural oils from the hand as well as being smoked have darkened it quite a bit. At the Briary's annual pipe show in 2014, I saw a guy's pipe that was a Nording natural finish, no stain or finish of any kind when new. He had been smoking it for several years, and it was a gorgeous smooth, slick darker color. I'm going to try that one day.
Tuesday evening by the pool on a business trip, reading some documents and having a Stokkebye Bullseye coin mixed with a little 5100 Red Cake, in an Eric Nording pipe.
