I gave up aromatics with my short pants and generally found about town purfing happily on some Balkan blend for the most part. Like others have said, Crooner seemed off the beaten path and as I wouldn’t know deertongue from Panama Red, figured “Why not?”.
So I speak from my own, unrefined, Joe Sixpack, palate and experience, FWIW (if anyt
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The stuff has a scent that made me think of hay as much as anything else, a kind of clean barn niff. Not a critique, just an observation and the aroma suggested a lighter smoke. In the 1 oz. bag, it seemed a little dryish —like MM965 that’s been open a couple days. Yet when packing my clay tobacco tester, it did quite well, and gave no trouble. It also lit up easily with two wooden matches and generally stayed lit, though it wants to die out if you are lax with the tamper.
Crooner tastes like something from the past, something you could imagine Der Bingle, Gable, Hemingway or other pipe suckers from the ‘30s to ‘60s banging on. It’s not a complex taste like MM965 or other Balkans and not a hint of an aromatic to be found. It makes me think of Half & Half, maybe; not the stuff for a snooty connoisseur, but something is Regular Guys could enjoy. It makes voluminous plumes of smoke but doesn’t like to be burned too fast as it gets a little harsh. Careful tamping is also suggested as it will plug up the pipe if you get aggressive.
The Burley dominates the taste and the deertongue maybe has the slightest Perique note which in this mixture is interesting. Normally, I wouldn’t get within a mile of any Perique blend whatsoever. So whatever the dt is doing ain’t bad.
So IMHO, Crooner is worth a try, particularly for the Never-Vanilla/Cream/Berry/Maple/Bacon/Scotch/Bourbon/Rum/God Knows What Else-straight tobacco aficion, seeking a change up for the rotation. Nice Stuff! Read LessRead less about I gave up aromatics with my short