I purchased the C&D Haunted Bookshop, H&H Anniversary Kake, Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, and Seattle Pipe Club Seattle Evening. Here are my first impressions:
The Seattle Evening is fantastic! It is a Latakia/Oriental, and I generally like those blends, with strong similarities to Butera's Royal English Latakia #2. What is it about almost all Latakia/Oriental blends that I do not like the smell of the tobacco, but once it is lit the divinity of the blend is overwhelming? This was no exception. I liked it better than Butera's, but have no hope of being able to tell you why. Maybe just because I didn't smoke any Butera's last night so the Seattle Evening is fresh in my mind.
The Dunhill Early Morning Pipe was phenomenal - my favorite of the bunch. I don't even know what to say about it, I was just so intrigued by the pleasure the pipe imbued me with that I forgot to note any of the flavors or changes throughout the bowl. Go smoke some yourself if you want to figure out what it is like.
The Anniversary Kake has so much written about it and I am glad to have 4 oz kicking around in one of my 3 humidors. I would compare it to sludge metal: there is an overarching heaviness, a sort of consistent, rich, full flavor, but listening closer will reveal some of the subtleties happening around the edges. Despite this overpowering heaviness, richness, deliciousness, around the edges of my flavor palette there was an interplay of flavors that was difficult to pin down but extremely alluring, insanely seductive. I love this stuff and am already thinking like an addict:
I only have less than 4 ounces left, I need more. I NEED MORE.
Haunted bookshop does the exact opposite in terms of flavor, but still manages to be incredibly enticing. Instead of the heavy, richness being the center and the light flavors playing around the edges, Haunted Bookshop features the light, spicy flavors as the central scent, with the rich, heavy flavors sort of marginalized. It's a blend that I absolutely loved, but out of the four people who tried it last night, I was the only one who was smitten. However, out of these four tobacco blends, this was probably my least favorite, but I also had the smallest bowl of this.
My Wyf's Opinions:
She liked the smell of the Haunted Bookshop best, but couldn't even finish a bowl she hated it so much. The other three she loved fully. Dunhill and H&H probably tied for second in her opinion though she seemed to enjoy the Dunhill a bit more. The Seattle Evening was far and away her favorite though. She does love her Latakia/Orientals. She thought the Seattle evening had more of a cedary flavor than the Butera's, while another in the room thought it was pine.
Thank you all so much for the suggestions.
My next purchase will include some Esoterica blends, Dunhill Nightcap and 965, and Carter Hall.