Review of the Day - Key Largo

24th July, 2009: Posted by glpease in Review of the Day

The last ROTD might lead the reader to the impression that only bad reviews will capture my attention. Not so. Giving equal time to the other side of the coin, here is a delightful entry from CPT/VSG describing his experiences with Key Largo.

One reason I don’t post a review until I have smoked at least 2 oz. of a tobacco is that first impressions can be misleading. My first impression of KL was that it was wonderful. And so was the next impression and so on through every bowl of the initial tin. Loving every bowl is a rarity for me. The tin appearance is of dark tobaccos in a broken flake. The tin aroma is of a mild English without the Cyprian Latakia standing out. KL benefits from a little drying out of the tin as do most tinned blends.

It is easy to rub out into a bowl that will burn with amazing consistency and coolness. As it progresses down the bowl, you get a dry, white ash.

The initial impression upon lighting is of an English that is not too dependent upon Latakia, that leans toward the Orientals but…with a difference. The cigar leaf, which I do think is noticable, adds a spicy element that ties the whole together harmoniously. The spice increases down the bowl to a satisfying conclusion for the English lover.

My only criticism is that the room note may not be for all. My wife, who likes the smell of Latakia, turns a mild thumbs down on KL. That being said, I like KL so much, I smoke it in the house anyway.

I don’t generally do cartwheels for every Please blend, but this one “got me” from the beginning. I’m loading up on it as it can only get better with aging as the cigar leaf continues to develop.

A strong coffee is a terrific companion for KL–it seems to bring out the spice. (I even got suckered into buying two Key Largo coffee mugs to enhance the experience! That’s how much I like it.) In all, highly recommended and congratulations to Greg on hitting a home run with Key Largo.

What can I say? I’m always thrilled with a wonderful review like this. The blend, along with Union Square and Piccadilly, is one of my personal faves for summer smoking. It’s rich without being too heavy or fatiguing to the palate. It goes wonderfully with grilled meats, and, I have to agree that a cup of great coffee is a perfect accompaniment for Key Largo. My current choice is a Fair Trade Bolivian from Trader Joe’s.

-glp