Torched off the last of the dry wood in the 1919 parlor stove, sat under the eve just outside the rain line, watched and listened to it pound down. Occasional thunder. One spasm of small hail.
Lit off some McClelland Old Dog in the green stemmed meerschaum, and added some aromatic smoke to that coming from the wood fire.
I'm home cause I'm feeling like I caught a cold and I don't want to spread it around the office, but what a way to spend the afternoon. This might be the last rain of the winter/spring season this year, and I didn't miss enjoying it properly.
Watching some of the last of the snow melt here in Ottawa where it is nice and sunny. You made me think that I should drag out one of my MacQueen Pipes (made in Ontario) and have a smoke in the dying rays. Steve_in_Ottawa
ReplyDeleteDo it! I'll join you from the other side of the continent!
DeleteThat McCelland sounds like it's right down my alley! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGonna be a long fire season and probably water rationing.
ReplyDeleteThe reservoirs are all above historical averages but the snowpacks north to south are in lousy shape.
DeleteYou're right though. It's going to be a nerve-racking fire season.
It looks nice and gentle rain. We get a hard wild and storm across the lake between the little Texas mountains every six weeks. Small tornados every 3-4 years. Missed twice by 100 feet, direct hit by a water spout in 2015. A 100 foot miss is good enough. The storms are small. 60 mph winds every 2-3 months the tornados are only 90-100 mph. I am used to it and would not live anywhere else. We built a safe room and rebuilt with hurricane straps after seven 90 foot trees came down in 20 seconds. We have no big city problems. I live 22 miles from the nearest traffic light.
ReplyDeleteMcClelland
ReplyDeleteOld Dog
One of the most loved in this series, this is a full English mixture dark with cool, smoky Cyprian latakia, spiced with fragrant Xanthis from Macedonia. These tobaccos marry under pressure with aged, sweet flue cured Virginias and smooth jet black Cavendish to create a very rich, satisfying blend with a tin aroma this is incredibly appealing. Sit back comfortably to ponder the meaning of life with Old Dog as your companion.
Opening a tin of McClelland's Old Dog is always a treat. The aroma never fails to make this smoker smile. Smokey, leathery latakia bolstered by a subtle and promising sweetness, it is strangely familiar and very inviting. It never fails to relax. It does, however, arrive a bit moist in the tin. Reducing the water content to about 13 or 14% by removing the lid of the tin for a day or two and shaking the tobacco occasionally seems to do the trick. At this reduced moisture level it takes beautifully to the match, burns comfortably and will not bite. The first sips are delicious, velvety and rich with soft, deep latakia and pleasing fruitiness. As the pipe progresses (about the middle third) savory orientals emerge spicily as the virginias develop a toastiness balancing and enhancing the initial flavors. Exhale through the nose to experience the smoothly exotic elements of the orientals. From here to the bottom of the bowl flavors weave in and out deliciously. Smoke slowly for the full benefit.
Was wrong to be concerned about the black cavendish in this mixture. It is employed beautifully and never overshadows (nor oversweetens) the other constituents in this well balanced blend, which is an excellent take on a very special variety of English mixtures.
Nicotine? Yes, a bit, but never a threat.
Easily approachable, richly satisfying and very relaxing, Old Dog is a wonderful and trusty companion. Highly recommended (to the novice as well as the afficionado).
CW - I started taking Zinc at the start of the Covid thingy and haven't had a cold since I started. Or the flu. Or the Covid thingy.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a doctor, but I play one on the interweb.