Manufacturer Description:
When the first clouds of fog rise in the morning of late summer, early autumn, the time has come for dark, strong tobaccos. The Dark Moor combines the best Brown Virginia in its base, which has been refined with Kentucky and Perique. Peaty-smoky Kentucky-leaves, nuanced by a touch of Perique, blends in with those Brown Virginias for a sweet, rich blend that has a distinctive smoky-spicy character. This character is reflected not only in a deep, harmonious blend, but also in our created labels that express its soul. A soul who rises in the morning in the fog and likes to join a whiskey in the evening.
Characterisation:
When you open the tin, the pleasant scent falls immediately. The Dark Moor exudes the aromas of a typical Virginia-Perique-blend reminiscent of juicy bread, dried fruit and sweet hay. The cut is very fine, but partly the medium brown and darker fibers are cut very long. Although the manufacturer does not specify this, there are also individual - just as fine - Ready Rubbed pieces under the Loose Cut. The consistency is good, but the tobacco should be allowed to dry slightly before plugging to aid in the lighting.
Plugging:
The long cut and the somewhat cumbersome lighting make it advisable to carefully plug the Dark Moor so that you do not overfill the pipe. If, according to the usual method, the tobacco is poured loosely at the bottom and firmer at the top, one should make sure that the pipe is not too full, as the tobacco rises under the flame.
Light up:
Probably due to the long cut and the moisture bound in the Ready Rubbed portions, the Dark Moor tends to rise under the heat of the flames, so you have to gently push it back with the tamper and give fire again until a steady ember is created. But then the Dark Moor shows off its best side and burns down easily.
Smoking properties:
The Dark Moor is, as described by the manufacturer, a strong tobacco for the colder half of the year. Especially at the beginning, however, it surprises with a rich mildness, which blends harmoniously with the typical toasted bread notes of Virginia. As the smoke progresses, the more tart aromas of Kentucky and Perique emerge more vigorously and enrich the impression of smokiness and spiciness without completely displacing the milder notes, creating an exciting aroma of natural tobaccos. If the plugging is well done, the Dark Moor makes little problems and burns down calmly and evenly, until at the end only a little fine light ash is to be removed.
Redolency:
The smoke of the Dark Moor is clearly smelling like tobacco due to the content of Perique and Kentucky and so rather not recommended for non-smoking societies. But you can also enjoy the tobacco wonderfully in the fresh air, as its strong flavors hardly lose there.
Conclusion:
The fine, but somewhat unruly cut of the predominantly dark brown Dark Moor requires some attention in the preparation, but compensates for the tobacco with the typical aromas of a Virginia-Perique-mixture. Mild toasted bread paired with smokiness and tart spiciness, which interact very pleasantly with each other, creating a varied and powerful smoke pattern. The Dark Moor delivers hearty tobacco aromas and will appeal to “nature lovers” in particular. Because the tobacco, when well prepared, burns down very frugally, it is great for being smoked during an autumn walk, but also for completing a luscious meal or ending the day - nicely accompanied by the whisky what the manufacturer “recommends", with its hearty-tart aromas actually harmonize.
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with friendly support of Dennis Hübel
