Manufacturer Description:
"Black Velvet" - a drink of velvety-spicy Guinness with a shot of champagne. Velvety soft and spicy with a fresh kick really is this tobacco. Full ripe Virginia-flake, tingly fresh flavoured, and a rich, gentle Latakia were stored again under slight pressure in order to achieve a harmonious combination. Slowly and evenly burning with cool smoke, consistently tasty and aromatic. Even its scent is pleasantly understated.
Characterisation:
The Black Velvet is in the company's typical round container and looks at first glance a little wet, but is actually well conditioned and can be stuffed immediately. Quickly the bitter-sweet, fresh citrus-like scent stands out, which is reminiscent of the sparkling champagne promised by the manufacturers. The color of the mixture is very uniform light, medium and dark brown, the fibers were cut long and mixed with ready rubbed bits.
Plugging:
The Black Velvet can be plugged easy and is due to the rather coarse texture good to be smoked in large-volume pipes. For smaller pipe bowls you can grind the mixture a little. Definitely it should not be plugged too tight, because the tobacco expands under the flame. Some loose tobacco crumbs on top of the filling serve for easy lighting.
Light up:
Stuffed too tight the Black Velvet needs multiple flames until it burns evenly, packed with care one to two flames and a gentle smoothing with the tamper are sufficient to achieve a uniform glow.
Smoking properties:
The aroma that caresses the tongue in smoke is fresh, delicately sour, with sweetish nuances that actually remember champagne and acts quite natural. Fine fragrance notes due less to flavorings, are typical of some of Virginia, which probably constitute the basic tobacco here. Flowing through the nose reveals more clearly the Latakia, the otherwise stays in the background and gives the mixture through its darker flavor some spice. Vigorous puffing the tobacco punishes with a tingle on the tongue, a tendency to gargling and it lets the flavors emerge discordant. If one considers this, the strength remains in the lower midfield. Only in the end Latakia wins the upper hand and the tobacco is reminiscent of a mild English mixture. What remains is medium gray ash and some condensate.
Redolency:
The room touch of Black Velvet is more reminiscent of the scent of flavored tobacco, but can still through its content of Latakia cause discomfort to sensitive minds.
Conclusion:
The Black Velvet is a mixture in all shades of brown, which is regularly mixed with ready rubbed shares. In smoke dominate sweet and sour notes that really give the tobacco a champagne-like lifeliness. Not overtighten stuffed and smoked slowly the Black Velvet is straightforward, including with regard to its strength. This and its niche position make it interesting. Latakia in combination with a distinct flavor is not too often. Anyone looking for a typical English tobacco will be as disappointed as pure sweet tooth. But one looking for something special be more successful in the Black Velvet.
Copyright © 2013 by TECON GmbH
with friendly support of Dennis Hübel
