Manufacturer Description:
Jürgen Westphal, a sworn swing fan and former DTM tobacco champion, had the idea of adding this "magical smoking herb" to his favorite disc of lively swing music from the 40s. This tobacco had to be raven black and mysterious. He was eventually dissuaded from using ingredients such as belladonna and witchroot; instead, aromas of sweet, fruity wild berries, with magical spells, were added to the tobacco at midnight under the new moon. The result: gentle, tasty and extra delicious... simply devilishly good!
Characterisation:
As usual, the Devil's Holiday is embedded in a paper rosette with a cover sheet in the round tin. The fibers are dark brown with a few lighter parts. The cut is wide and short, but there are also longer fibers mixed in. The scent that clearly rises to the nose is dark and sweetly aromatic, so that you are immediately reminded of the wild berry casing used. Since the tobacco is a bit moist, you should let it dry for a while before giving the Devil's Holiday into the pipe.
Plugging:
Due to the wide cut and the residual moisture, the tobacco can be a bit bulky to plug. This is also why you should treat the Devil's Holiday to a large-volume pipe. With a little attention you can then get the tobacco into the pipe loosely at the bottom and at the top with only very gentle pressure. If you are unsure, a quick puff on the cold pipe can indicate whether the resistance might still be too big.
Light up:
Despite the wide cut and the residual moisture, the Devil's Holiday is surprisingly easy to ignite - provided it has been pre-dried. One flame seems almost to be sufficient. To be on the safe side, smooth the surface with the tamper. The following flame should then be the last for the entire smoke process.
Smoking properties:
The Devil's Holiday smoke is noticeably rich for a flavored tobacco. Also with clear Virginia spice. Woody notes can be tasted as well as toasted bread. Surprising is an aftertaste that is reminiscent of warm herbs in the sun. Particularly outstanding and wonderful in combination with the natural aromas is the casing used, too. The berry taste never seems overpowering or even artificial. It weaves through everything without taking away the flavor of the basic tobaccos. Sweet, juicy, berry-like, the impression of forest fruits develops on the tongue. Everyone can decide for themselves whether they are blackcurrants, blackberries or blueberries. A mix of all is most likely. Even when you exhale the smoke through your nose, you feel a freshness that is reminiscent of warm, spicy forest air. The burning is a joy throughout. The aroma lasts, you don't have to re-fire it and the Devil's Holiday doesn't tend to gargle or gets hot. Very unusual for a flavored tobacco that also contains a lot of residual moisture! The little bit of almost white ash that remains makes cleaning just as enjoyable.
Redolency:
The Devil's Holiday lightly scents the room with its berry-sweet aroma. For some this may be pleasantly similar to "typical pipe smoke", but for others who may not be used to this, consideration should of course still be given.
Conclusion:
The Devil's Holiday does require some preparation. You should definitely pre-dry it and be careful when plugging it afterwards. Experience makes a lot of things easier here. But afterwards the tobacco proves to be worth these little efforts. Its dark tobaccos season the smoke with roasted Virginia notes and a hint of herbs. What is special, however, is the aroma, which could possibly also convince skeptical "natural smokers" who are in the mood for something new and can't do anything with run-of-the-mill chemical mixtures. The wild berry aroma of Devil's Holiday is so pleasant, persistent and naturally dark fruity and mildly sweet that you would like to enjoy this tobacco as a dessert or as a special treat in between.
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with friendly support of Dennis Hübel
