Tsuge: Ryujin by Drew Estate

CoffeeWaterBeer · 09-22-2015, 07:49 AM

I'm still under halfway through this tin so I'll keep this review pretty short.
I got this tin from nutcracker (Thanks again Neil!) in the pipe lotto along with Raijin. I hadn't tried any of the Tsuge blends yet and picking between the 2 tin-described powerhouses was tough.

Ryujin is advertised as:
Ryujin (the dragon god) is a medium-to-full-bodied blend of especially sweet Virginias married with the deep smokiness of Latakia and the spiciness of Acadian Black (a rare fire-cured, fermented tobacco made in the same way as Perique). Robust in body and taste, Ryujin is in a league of its own.

Black Acadian you say? Sounds dangerous, pass that over here please. I'm not sure where the medium to full comes in as I want to rank this well seated in the full realm. The main performer here is the Acadian Black which towers over any VaPer I've had in the past. Spice by the truckload here and behind it, the most cigar tasting pipe blend I've had to date (even the wife noticed the cigar like aroma and said she liked it). By mid-bowl I had that nice lump feeling in my throat and chest only achieved from blends dripping with the lovely Lady N. Moisture from the jar was just right and I was able to make it through a bowl in my churchwarden without paying mind to the ember or relighting. Thick voluminous smoke and that spice. This is definitely not a early morning blend for me but fits well into the after-meal category when a stronger English doesn't fit what I'm looking for. I'm curious what a little resting time will do to the brightness and spice. While they are very "in your face" they work well and I'm not sure muting them would make this blend stand out among others with the same components.
All in all enjoyable. I recommend this to lovers of Perique as well as for those that like cigar leaf in their mixtures.

MarkinAZ · 09-27-2015, 10:41 PM

Nice review Seth. A couple of months back or so, when Tsuge was being promo'd by P&C, I was ready and willing to pull the trigger on a few tins of Raijin (the Thunder God). I logged-on to P&C only to find every single tin out of stock. Arrrrrggghhh!

Unfortunately, I just finished pulling the trigger on 2 different pipe tobacco', and Tsuge will just have to wait for another day.

Ryujin sounds like a winner though

CoffeeWaterBeer · 10-26-2015, 11:17 AM

NOw that I've had a bit more time with this blend I can say that it's similar to a spicy cigar. I didn't pick it up at first but now the room note is more cigar-like than blends containing chopped cigar leaf. This is not a bad thing, very interesting.

09-22-2015, 07:49 AM	#1
CoffeeWaterBeer Critiquing Perique Join Date: Sep 2012 First Name: Seth Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 779 Trading: (13)	Tsuge: Ryujin by Drew Estate I'm still under halfway through this tin so I'll keep this review pretty short. I got this tin from nutcracker (Thanks again Neil!) in the pipe lotto along with Raijin. I hadn't tried any of the Tsuge blends yet and picking between the 2 tin-described powerhouses was tough. Ryujin is advertised as: Ryujin (the dragon god) is a medium-to-full-bodied blend of especially sweet Virginias married with the deep smokiness of Latakia and the spiciness of Acadian Black (a rare fire-cured, fermented tobacco made in the same way as Perique). Robust in body and taste, Ryujin is in a league of its own. Black Acadian you say? Sounds dangerous, pass that over here please. I'm not sure where the medium to full comes in as I want to rank this well seated in the full realm. The main performer here is the Acadian Black which towers over any VaPer I've had in the past. Spice by the truckload here and behind it, the most cigar tasting pipe blend I've had to date (even the wife noticed the cigar like aroma and said she liked it). By mid-bowl I had that nice lump feeling in my throat and chest only achieved from blends dripping with the lovely Lady N. Moisture from the jar was just right and I was able to make it through a bowl in my churchwarden without paying mind to the ember or relighting. Thick voluminous smoke and that spice. This is definitely not a early morning blend for me but fits well into the after-meal category when a stronger English doesn't fit what I'm looking for. I'm curious what a little resting time will do to the brightness and spice. While they are very "in your face" they work well and I'm not sure muting them would make this blend stand out among others with the same components. All in all enjoyable. I recommend this to lovers of Perique as well as for those that like cigar leaf in their mixtures.

09-27-2015, 10:41 PM	#2
MarkinAZ Formerly MarkinOR Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mark Location: Sun City West, AZ Posts: 6,221 Trading: (40)	Re: Tsuge: Ryujin by Drew Estate Nice review Seth. A couple of months back or so, when Tsuge was being promo'd by P&C, I was ready and willing to pull the trigger on a few tins of Raijin (the Thunder God). I logged-on to P&C only to find every single tin out of stock. Arrrrrggghhh! Unfortunately, I just finished pulling the trigger on 2 different pipe tobacco', and Tsuge will just have to wait for another day. Ryujin sounds like a winner though __________________ "Don't worry, God will work out His plan for your life..." Psalm 138 8

10-26-2015, 11:17 AM	#3
CoffeeWaterBeer Critiquing Perique Join Date: Sep 2012 First Name: Seth Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 779 Trading: (13)	Re: Tsuge: Ryujin by Drew Estate NOw that I've had a bit more time with this blend I can say that it's similar to a spicy cigar. I didn't pick it up at first but now the room note is more cigar-like than blends containing chopped cigar leaf. This is not a bad thing, very interesting.