Quite a number of months ago, I was scanning some of the entries over at a.s.p., and stumbled across one offering samples of a vintage Syrian latakia. I figured what the hell, and contacted the gentleman who was inquiring, and said I'd be happy to try it. A week or so later, a small envelope arrived in the mail. I brought it inside, grabbed a beer and sat on the couch to investigate.
From the envelope I pulled some literature about the product, and a small sandwich bag with a Mac-Baren sticker on it, partially filled with tobacco. I opened the bag and tested the waters with my nose. Something about that was damn good. I burrowed my nose deeper into the bag and was hooked. I set the bag down and headed into the kitchen for a pipe. I loaded up the pipe, but before I lit away, I read the literature. I did note that this blend was considerably drier than anything I had encountered before.
From what I interpreted - correct or incorrect as it may be, this product, HH Vintage Syrian, was a new product that was being produced by Mac-Baren. It had been introduced at the Chicago Pipe Show, which had occured just a few weeks prior, and would be presented to the masses in or around August of this year.
There was a brief description of the tobacco which, really made the tobacco seem as though it would be way too complex, and muddled with all the different blends occupying the same bag:
"A little under half of the volume is a smooth, and yet powerful, Latakia from Syria. This tobacco gives the blend the overall "smoky" taste. To add a spicy note to the blend, Turkish Oriental has been added. Different Virginia tobaccos from 3 continents add a sweet natural taste. To complete the taste with depth and body, they added some Dark Fired Kentucky from the USA."
Somewhere online I read that there was something like 37 different tobaccos making up the other 50% of the blend. As Doodle might say, "too complicated, make it simple". That's really neither here nor there. I lit away.
Oh my.
Oh my.
I tasted again.
I pulled the bag back up to my nose and inhaled deeply. I tasted again.
Que Magnifique! This was truly the most amazing thing I had ever tasted (as though I've been at this
that long). Oh my. I was absolutely speechless; the Syrian Latakia was so much different that the Cyprian variety I was used to. Crisper, yet more smooth. An understated boldness about it, more regal in it's aroma. This, this was something I could definitely enjoy every single day.
In fact I probably would have, however there was just one problem. My sample was only so big. Somewhere in the area between 1 and 2 ounces and that was it. And no definitive date on mass release of this delicacy. I was going to have to do something I had never done before in my entire life.
I was going to have to demonstrate a mature level of moderation.
Sure you laugh, but I pulled it off. In fact, when it was announced on a.s.p. that Mars Cigars was finally unveiling HH Vintage Syrian to the public, I still had 1 or 2 bowls left of the sample. Hooray! I ordered two tins just as fast as my porky fingers could type.
The day they arrived, I was filled with utter glee. I held the two tins (which were much larger than I had envisioned), close to my chest with pride. A few days later I opened one to enjoy with my estate Oom Paul.
My prior tin experience was limited to that of Haddo's; this was hard for the pudgy fingers to get into, I had to enlist the assistance of Jeri for this. Inside, the tobacco was very firmly packed and cradled into a piece of crepe paper. I unfolded the crepe, and scraped away enough for a bowl. Oh this shit is mighty tasty.
And then the music stopped.
Ok, maybe not as crushing as Carcass calling it quits, but pretty devastating as it were.
The entry on a.s.p. was pretty clear: "HH Vintage Syrian is gone". It couldn't be true. I headed first to Mars, and then to several sites. Not in stock. Gone. Sold out. WHAT THE FUCK WAS THIS!
They say it's was a limited production run, and should be available again. But when? Now, I have to moderate myself, again.
