Full disclosure: I co-created this blend. The gold Virginias provide a fair amount of tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, floralness, mild sugar, light vegetation, a pinch of spice, and a hint of acidity as a lead component at the start. The earthy, woody perique offers a lot of spice, dry, tart plums, and light fig and raisin notes. The perique initially shares the lead, and quickly moves ahead as it comprises 40% of the blend. The strength and taste levels start out as medium, but gains a little more potency by the time you get to the first third of the bowl as the perique asserts itself to a higher degree. Both aspects settle in as a couple of steps past the medium mark. The nic-hit is almost notch behind them in terms of effect. No chance of bite or harshness, but it does have a few small rough edges as there is no topping. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable rate with a mostly consistent moderately sweet and more spicy, plumy, floral, zesty flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is a tad stronger. Barely leaves a trace of dampness in the bowl, and doesn’t require many relights. Not an all day smoke for the veteran, but it is repeatable for anybody who wants a blend with some punch.

-JimInks