Christmas Cheer 2008
 

Tried it twice in a new bowl (smoked less than 10 times) and wondered where the flavor was. New pipe - who knows what that means?

I'll retreat to a well broken in VA-committed briar later this week and try to say something more intelligent sounding. :pi

Re: Christmas Cheer 2008
 

You sadden me Moo........ :(

I really like this stuff. Definately needs time to dry. I also find rubbing it out kinda mutes some of the flavor. Pack some of the flakes in the bowl and leave it for a week. Should be golden then.

Re: Christmas Cheer 2008
 

Well, K'rat - I confessed my first couple of passes were with a new (Sasieni) briar that has only a few smokes on the odometer. It really did smoke the '08 flat and lifeless. Trooth be told, it has smoked the previous stuff flat and lifeless, too. But! Your recent favorable reports spurred me on!

Last night and again, this morning, I tried a couple of bowls in the Old Reliable (WDC) Little Ole Virginia Pipe. I smoked the '08 both rubbed out and packed/screwed in. In each case I put some well rubbed out kindling atop; each version burned well - no relights, a tamp or two, ash at the bottom. There was nothing to say it needed much drying out from the feel of the tobak, the easy light or the burn in the pipe.

It burned great in the WDC, no real gurgle but still a pipe cleaner or two. The flavor still didn't strike me as anything remotely interesting. I'll put it up for a few weeks and try again later. This sad report comes from someone who is heartsick he will one day run out of CC '05 and CC '06.

I say the jury is out but it isn't looking good.

Re: Christmas Cheer 2008
 

I won't be opening my tin for a long while. I also find McCs VAs also tend to smoke a little better after sitting open in the tin a bit.

Re: Christmas Cheer 2008
 

The tin was opened three weeks ago and I smoked two bowls yesterday. It was a different experience for me compared to a smoke out of the freshly opened tin. Much improved to my taste - the flavor was there in a way it was not a few weeks ago.

Re: Christmas Cheer 2008
 

This is encouraging. I'm smoking some in a cob right now, and there isn't much in the way of flavor. Or maybe I'm missing it?

Re: Christmas Cheer 2008
 

So I smoked a favored tobak and, the first time out, it came up very flat. After a few weeks (smoked some more this morning) it comes up more tangy as I would have expected.

When this happens as it sometimes does, I never know if is because the tobak changes in an open can, a pipe change matters or my tastebuds were out of kilter the first try. Shrug-shrug. K'rat and DAFU both say the waiting time matters and I concur.