Tobaccos Peter Heinrichs - Curly Special (Special Selection)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3019)	2013-10-20		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The Virginias have a little tart and tangy citrus and some tangy dried dark fruit, but I got more of a hay, grassy, and woodsy flavor from them. Also, a mild earthiness and light acidity are present. The earthy perique lightly gives the typical raisin, plum and fig notes, and a very small amount of spice. It probably deserves two and half stars, but I give it three because of the quality of the tobaccos, and the ease of how it smokes. However, it lacks a bass note to prop up the flavor, and I'm aging a tin of it to see what happens in a few years. The strength and taste levels fall just short of the center of mild to medium. The nic-hit is a hair less potent than the strength threshold. No chance of bite or harshness, and has few small rough edges. Burns at a reasonable pace with a cool, clean, fairly smooth and very consistent, mildly acidic sweet and spicy flavor that translates to pleasantly, short lived after taste. The room note is a tad stronger. Requires few relights, and leaves little moisture in the bowl. An all day smoke.

Edit: 5-14-14. I've been smoking some of this aged, and it has improved quite a bit. Fuller in taste and spice after a couple of years, as I suspected would happen. So, I give it 4 stars for the aged version, and greatly recommend aging it.

-JimInks

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-11-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Cute little curly-squiggles in the tin with an aroma of the usual figs, raisins and various spices that is typical of a good VaPer (and not so good ones). Loads easily - really needs no rubbing out. I just tossed the coins in the bowl and fired up.

This appears to be the same thing as the current version of Three Nuns. I did one back-to-back comparison and am not sure I could tell them apart blind. This is a mildly spicy and sweet mixture where the perique is used sparingly but convincingly. It could stand to be a bit more flavorful but that's asking a blend to be something it isn't. This is an enjoyably light smoke with some zest to it. Unfortunately, it loses a star due to a moderate amount of tongue sizzle that it gives me for about the first 1/3 bowl. Of course, that's usually due to a chemical balance thing, so perhaps I myself lose the star rather than the blend. As my experience appears outside the norm, I can heartily recommend this to the smoker of mild VaPers. It's a good one that I'll likely never smoke again due to that sizzle. It occurred in each and every bowl I smoked. I smoked about 2 oz and gave the other 1.5 away.

Worth a try.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2005-12-22		Extremely Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Peter Heinrichs' Special Curly was something of a disappointment. Indeed, there's something of the original Three Nuns in this blend: the lovely small discs spun with some lose red ribbon and black strands. But the aroma in the tin, the flavor, and the strength has nothing to do with the nuns. If anything, SC is closer to Stokkebye's Luxury Curly Cut or Mac Baren's Dark Twist, than to those legendary Va/P blends such as Three Nuns, Escudo or Navy Rolls. Although there is no mention of Perique in this blend, there is certain piquancy in the background that suggests its presence. There's also some Cavendish (I imagine it's the lose black strands) that contributes to the sweet, pastry notes.

For all the luxury of this blend, and its very attractive presentation, the fact remains that it's far too mild and bland to truly enjoy it (at least for me). The dominating flavor is, in fact, the slightly sweet, chocolaty undertone of the Cavendish, rather than the mature and nutty taste of the Virginias. This blend produces a ticklish feeling in the tongue, probably due to the Perique, but it also bites and burns hot. Monochromatic and dull, it fails to deliver at least some punch. To sum things up: a very visually attractive presentation with no flavor to match.

If looking for something similar, but with a bit more of punch and structure, try Wessex's Brigade Sovereign Curly Cut. It's equally well done, and you do get the feeling of smoking something.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2011-08-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Heinrich's blends are not well known as importation has been sporadic over the years. All of the offerings are quite good and worthy of consideration.

These little curlies are superior in flavor if you like medium to strong Virginia/Perique as opposed to the sledgehammer hits some blends of this type produce.

Easy to stuff into your pipe, light and burn, Heinrich's curlies will remind you of Escudo (although Escudo is much lighter in both nicotine and flavor).

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ColinK (15)	2015-09-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was my first taste of this one from a sample I received from a friend. I gotta say, it skyrocketed to one of my favorites very quickly. Took some lighting effort, which I found strange given that it was somewhat aged, but it took off once I got it right. Found this to be a complex mix of flavors that I tremendously enjoyed. Constantly changing in taste with sweetness, smokiness, pepperiness, and a HINT of sugar at random times just when it needed it. Always lingering through the bowl was an almost licorice backtaste that I generally don't like- but it worked well in this blend. I find it interesting the negatives on other reviews because it doesn't match up with or exceed another blend (in this case Three Nuns) and that reviews don't just take this blend for this blend. I guess I have the luxury of a tin of Three Nuns still uncracked in my cellar. This one experience will send me to the E-world to get a can.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Deluxe

Age When Smoked: Unknown- but some age

Purchased From: Gifted

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2014-11-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

P. Heinrich's Curly is what I would categorize as a good middle of the road, mild to medium VaPer. Price aside, there isn't all that much here to differentiate Heinrich Curly from other blends in its class. The coin presentation is very well done and the VA flavors are quite reminiscent of Mac Baren's twist mixtures. In fact, if someone were to ask me to name the blender of this tobacco in a blind tasting I would almost surely say "That's a Mac Baren blend," as it has that characteristic Danish style light-sweet grassiness over mild even keel semi-earthy tobacco flavor.

Curly makes for well balanced pipe smoke and the perique presence is subtle at best, lending a sliver of spice that's on par with blends like Orlik Golden Sliced. Frankly this would make a good level entry VaPer or one that might be appreciated by pipers that don't care for much more than a trace of Perique, but I can't see too many perique aficionados falling in love with this.

Heinrich claims Curly is costly to make and the price definitely reflects that. The biggest problem here is that there are a plethora of excellent VaPers on the market, some for almost half the cost. This is high quality tobacco that smokes smooth with no bite or harshness and a subtle lingering sweetness.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-08-15		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an excellent blend and the cut makes for easy loading. I stuffed around 6 little coins into a small bore bent Neerup. Their diameter allowed them to be stacked without any stuffing. Their soft, curly edges made for an easy light. In fact, the edges seemed to light up first, which is contrary to most other blends, and then burnt towards the middle. It made for a very even burn top to bottom.

The smell in the tin is fairly sweet, but not like an aromatic; more Virginia sweet. The flavor came on at first light and remained until its completely burned to ash. I'm not a big fan of the super peppery VaPers, but Curly is not that. It has a medium strength flavor that is smooth and fairly sweet in a natural way. There is a hint of spice that adds a nice dimension to the flavor.

My wife is fairly picky about room notes and said this one reminded her of breakfast cooking. She like it.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lochinvar (78)	2006-02-21		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I have been working through this massive tin and it has been great. at $35 a tin this is a major commitment, but well worth it. People compare it to Three Nuns, and I catch passing echoes of Nuns here and there in the smoking, but this is no clone of that venerable tobacco, do not buy it expecting such (even though I did). It is nether as deep nor as dark as Three Nuns, more sunny and with a nuttier flavor and a somewhat honeyed/fresh mown hay sweetness. While there reads no perique in the description, there is a stewed figiness at times that make you question whether it's there or not. The overall character is of a bright, fresh tobacco-y smoke. Very pleasant and relaxing.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrAcula (62)	2020-11-25		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Presentation: Unabashedly simple tin, but still nice.

Cut: Comes in small coins that rub out into a long, fine ribbon cut. Moisture level is perfect.

Tin note: Smells like sweet cedar.

Tasting notes: Sweet, smoky hay. Sometimes tart on the finish. There is a decent amount of spice that comes and goes. Pretty mild in the flavor department.

Mechanics: Although the coins are small and will fit well in the pipe, I still recommend rubbing it out before packing. Maybe I was not doing it right, but I did not have as good of an experience when stacking the coins into my pipe and smoking.

Extra Remarks: This blend is similar to Orlik Golden Sliced except I find no spice in Golden Sliced. Not quite full enough or complex enough to be my cup of tea, but a good blend nonetheless. 3 stars.

Pipe Used: Lee Van Cleef Bent Billiard Meer, Bent Apple Meer

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Similar Blends: Orlik Tobacco Company A/S - Golden Sliced (Red Tin).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	toddsmith7378 (41)	2019-01-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I like the cut of the blend as it makes for easy packing. I've broken it up to try against just packing the discs and I favor just loading the discs. I theorize it may slow down the burn rate a little which is important to me for this blend.

I've been smoking a lot of highly regarded leaf lately. This one really does hold its own. It's got some Red Virginia tang which could also be the perique, but it reminds me more now of the tang I get from Carolina Red Flake a tad subdued, but very familiar. It feels more tangy red virginia in essence so the perique is really an enhancement to a red virginia forward taste. So, it's an ideal blend as not to interfere with the tang type red virginia taste much, if any. at all. It's as perfect of an almost perfect taste of Virginia as many flake's. It's consistent is what I mean, and there's no moments I have an experience of, "there's that perique". It's blended subtle into the virginia profile as an enhancement to the overall flavor which I find absolutely ideal as a pure virginia lover.

I really have to manage my technique here, so a few re-lights are the conservative way to enjoy this blend. It's really tasty and easy to forget though and if I pull and puff to much, my tongue will know it.

With McClelland out of the picture, this is one that I find comparable in high quality Virginia without a doubt. I'll probably give it 3 stars though because I really have to slow down my cadence to properly not suffer any sand tongue.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2017-07-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

If I wouldn't know better, I'd think this is OLD LOUISIANA MIXTURE by Motzek. Got a generous sample of this, and the first thought when taking a sniff on the backy is "this is Old Louisiana?!?!" OLM has some Burley and Cavendish in it too, but really, the smell is EXACT the same. The taste differs a bit, but we'll get to that later.

Not to be confused with "Curly Block", this is a different blend. The smell from the bag is buttery, spicy with hints of pepper and a gentle sourness. The Curlys are beautiful and well crafted, and copious present. Only a few ribbons of loose tobacco to be found.

Pleasure to pack, easy to light, needs some relights but rather good burning characteristics imo.

Curly Special's taste is 90% like Motzeks Old Louisiana Mixture! The Virginias and Perique melt into a surprisingly different flavour, than you'd expect from your average Va/Per. This isn't fruity, like a lot of Perique blends are. It's deep spicy. Good pepper from the Perique melts with the buttery, decently earthy and only slightly sweet Virginias. Also hints of raisins can be found, which I think are from the Perique. Like OLM this is VERY buttery in taste, very rich and refined. A tad of nuttiness is also present throughout the smoke, but not as intense as in OLM.

Taste-wise, OLM ad Curly Special are REALLY(!) close to eachother, and if I wouldn't know better, I'd think this is the exact same mixture. Heinrichs gets their blends are mainl produced by K&K (Curly Block f.e. is produced by Mac Baren), but Motzek produces them themselves, so it can't be that they're the same.

For my personal taste I find Old Louisiana Mix a tad better than Curly Special, as it's a whiff more butter and also has a more nutty quality to it. Curly Special is like a slightly toned down version of OLM, which doesn't have to fear the comparison to OLM at all!

3 stars for my personal taste, as I find OLM to be better - yet full 4/4 stars to be objective and honour this blend as what it is: A top-notch, sophisticated and genuine blend, that's far from your average Va/Per expierience and most natural in taste. It (just like OLM) taste like pure tobacco, not even honey, nor sugar to be found in the taste.

A must try, for any Va/Per lover! A great introduction into the world of Perique for any novice.

Pipe Used: Clay Pipes / Royal Star 338 (briar)

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2015-10-09		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The references to Three Nuns of long ago are not justified in my opinion. This is a mild blend, whereas Three Nuns strength was medium to full. The taste is mild to medium, where Three Nuns was medium to full. The nicotine is light, whereas Three Nuns could make your head spin. But the differences are what make Curly Special so appealing to me. Curly special is tasty, with the perique used so sparingly that you hardly taste it. But you know it's there. This blend burns cool and dry to the bottom of the bowl. I rub out the disks and pull the ribbons apart till I have a shag cut, which eliminates blasts of perique and produces a smoother smoke. A good choice for those who like their pleasure on the mild side and I'm one of them. Update: My only caveat is to make sure your pipe is very clean. A wonderful blend. One of my favorites.

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-07-09		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I love this tobacco, and feel compelled, despite its higher than average price, to praise it just to encourage others into buying a tin or two before it disappears completely from the stock rooms of e-tailers, leaving its fans no choice but to order it direct from Germany.

Though this is one of the cleanest Virginias on the market, I believe it to be topped?subtly, but topped, nonetheless?with vanilla and what I can only describe as unfermented kirshwasser. None of these flavors finds their way to the smoke, however, which starts off with a delightful tanginess. I think some have attributed this tanginess to a measure of perique. I take it to be the byproduct of the natural fermentation in the blend's Virginia tobaccos?more like McClelland Virginias, or, well, immature perique. But the tanginess here stays at the tip of the tongue, it never fully coats or saturates it. And herein lies one of the great qualities of this blend: a consistent tang that keeps it tasting fresh, and refreshing, from first light to last dottle.

The tanginess also disguises some of the natural sweetness that the Virginias lend it. Progressing through the bowl, the smoker is aware of both tastes without either one overwhelming the palate or, more importantly, tiring it. This is a dawn to dusk, morn to midnight kind of a blend. In the latter half of the bowl, two qualities assert themselves rather forcefully: the reediness of a good Va smoke, and a kind of toasty quality to the tobacco that provides for a very pleasant 'smoke'.

In the final analysis this is why I find Special Curly an absolutely superior tobacco. It provides for a fine smoke, which is, after all, the activity most closely associated with the briar. With this blend, the reediness, sweetness, and tanginess are not played exclusively on the tongue but in the whole mouth as big blue clouds of smoke swirl around it, leaving hints of pleasure here and there.

This tobacco requires some familiarization. It has a tendency to bite if puffed aggressively. But I urge every Virginia lover to try it. The time and money invested in a 200 gm tin can bring tremendous, and surprising, returns.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2004-09-13		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

In the tin it has a faint chocolatey aroma which does not come through in the smoke. A light sweetener has been added. This starts out a little nippy, but quickly settles down. The problem for me is that this tobacco does not have the depth of Virginia flavor I am looking for. There are some sweet tobacco notes here and there, but all in all, it is bland. I find no similarities whatsoever to Three Nuns, past or present. It is not that it is a bad smoke; it is just not a very good smoke. Paddy.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2003-04-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

April 2003

I worked my way through a 200g tin of this, and have finally laid hand to a tin of Bell's 3 Nuns as well, but a side by side comparison is for another forum.

Pipe: Sasieni 4-Dot straight billiard, group 3 Tin Aroma: Sweet, smooth (not tart), and delicate. Cut: Coins, sliced rope or twist. Lighter leaf around darker inner leaf. Pack: Rubbed out a small ball of about two coins and dropped into the bottom, overlay with stacked coins to the top 1/4 of the bowl, finished with two rubbed out coins as tinder. Springy on top, firm underneath. Char: Takes a flame easily, and expands quickly. Tamp and rest, as is my wont. Initial flavors are a caramelly, pecan-like taste riding over a robust VA smoky sweetness. A little tart/tangy, but not sharp.

Main event: Takes second light easily, also, and the inital flavors are reinforced, though mellower. This tobacco is not a flavor hammer for the tongue. It rewards considered smoking not because of any tendency to bite, but because it seems to reveal deeper, smoother flavor when smoked cooler. Once the ember reaches the stacked coins, this stuff really tastes great. As a bonus, it holds up well outdoors. Burn is cool, easily controlled, and nips only when vigorously overdrawn. The flavor, especially the sweetness, deepens further through the bowl, rewarding the tongue with a very full flavor. There is a distant sweet, sharp tanginess to it like there might be some perique.

Smokes clean to the heel, leaves a medium gray ash. Take your time and enjoy this one, as it rewards concentration.

Great stuff, IMO

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2003-02-18		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

As others have noted, Heinrichs' Curly Cut has a passing similarity to Three Nuns. I find Three Nuns superior for the quality and consistency of cut, and the deeper, richer flavor. Heinrichs is sharp and thinly sweet, smoothing out in the latter half of the bowl, when it develops an almost caramel-like undertaste. Overall, I find it bland and too sharp, and at the price, seriously outdone by a number of other tobaccos.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2002-11-25		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

I received a 20g sample in bulk form. Many of the perfectly formed, dime sized discs had unraveled into ribbons prior to my receipt. If purchased in a tin, this may not be any concern. However, since I prefer not to rub out my blends, this resulted in uneven or difficult packing and spotty burn in the bowls. The taste was of quality VAs and was quite uniform within a smoke and from pipe to pipe. This could be a + or - depending on your preference. I found it rather flat overall. Other straight VAs are more enjoyable for my tastes and much more interesting. Certainly, with this blend @ ~ $68/# in 11/02, others are surely more affordable. In this price range, I'd choose Reiner's Long Golden Flake every time.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2002-11-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is very similar to Bell?s Three Nuns, but I, quite frankly, find it superior.

The cut is similar, in round disks approximately the size of a dime, with more of the blend rubbed out. Packing can either be accomplished by rubbing out fully, partially, or stacking disks, at you option. With flakes, I have generally moved toward rubbing out, but this responds well toward packing the disks directly, I find.

The overall burning character is good, with little moisture production and minimal relights. My most recent bowl was smoked down to a small dottle with a single re-light. The strength is lower, in my experience, than Three Nuns. I consider this to be a positive.

The flavor is smooth and natural, with no spiciness, nor with any excessive sugar characteristics. There is a somewhat fruity sense to it, no smokiness, and no nuttiness. I have started to appreciate these types of blends, with no oriental or latakia components as a somewhat relaxing smoke that requires little attention. Flavor is very consistent, almost too consistent, in a somewhat bland nature.

Overall, I find this a quality tobacco with good smoking characteristics, and very representative of its type. Consistency throughout the bowl is nice from the position that there is no bitterness or like flavors, but somewhat monotonous. A reasonable, non-adventurous smoke that is very comfortable.

November 2002.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Glfjunke (3)	2019-03-10		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Really enjoy PH blends,but my tin looked s if the coins were already rubbed out. Very difficult to find any coins in tact. That being said,the blend was excellent. Lights,packs and burns well.

Pipe Used: Ben Wade freehand

Purchased From: Tobaccopipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	½ bowl (103)	2015-02-05		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A natural Virginia sweetness, more vegetable-like than sugar, rides below a grassy, woody flavor. The tin doesn't list any Burley or Kentucky leaf, but I get hints of smokiness and the nutty element that I often find with those components. I get some Perique pinch, but not much. There is a low-level flavoring that I can't identify, but it seems dark and sweet in a way that works with the woodiness of the blend. I give it only 2 stars because it stings the soft tissues of the mouth and throat in a chemical/pH way -- and it's not the same sensation one finds with piquant, racy, straight Va's.

Pipe Used: GBD squat bulldog; no-name meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 2 years after purchase

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	derlict311 (71)	2013-07-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Little to rave about with Curly. Classy packaging. Then there's the cute little coins that could be loaded as is. I thought I was ready for something great. Whoa. Hot pipe city. I found it's dime-sized pieces need rubbed out or there's one unforgettable tongue bite. If rubbed out completely, it is a nice, mild blend with grassy notes and a small measure of perique for some added contrast. Mild as a Va/Per gets. Plenty of floral, bready tickles to the palette. I think one could easily smoke it all day and I'm sure there are Va/Per fans out there who would enjoy this. I wouldn't call it anything close to remarkable, but it is a worth loading in your second tiered briars when properly prepared. Those who can't/won't enjoy mild blends are going to be left wanting more. I like it best in a Canadian or a billiard.

Pipe Used: Billards mostly

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Unknown.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-10-20		Medium	Mild	Medium	Overwhelming

I recieved a sample package of this tobacco. Upon filling my pipe and sparking it up the first thing noticed was the horrific room note. I am told that this tobacco is derived from 3 Nuns; and it must be so because it smelled like I was burning a pile of old nun's underwear. I could not dump it from my pipe fast enough to prevent my wife from fleeing behind the porch and barfing like a freshman, my dogs fled howling into the night and will now not stay in the same room with the packet. DO NOT WANT.

I don't care if this tobacco raises the dead and enhances women's breasts, the smell is so horrific I was forced to seal it in an airtight container and launch it into the sun.

Not recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-07-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

First the history of this tin: I bought the 200g tin in 2002, opened it in 2008 and put it in a Mason jar that I put in my closet with all the other opened and unopened blends of tobacco I have. I have sampled it on and off since. It was a very expensive tin, particularly for the time; I think it was close to $38 or $40.

Today I smoked two bowls, one in a Cavicchi smooth pot and the other in a Cavicchi bent brandy. Special Selection Curly Cut has matured into a magnificent Va/perique. The consistency is a mixture between small spun discs (similar to the original Three Nuns) and loose or broken versions of the same created by the shaking and normal treatment through the years. The pack was easy; I gave it a more firm pack than normal grabbing a large pinch and stuffing everything in at once, tearing everything that wouldn't fit off.

The burn was excellent, needing only the occasional tamp and even less frequent re-light. Flavors are rich, deep and spicy as only a terrific Virginia base tobacco aged for years can give. The perique may not be in large amounts but it pays a significant role in the smoothing of the Virginia tobaccos and providing a piquant essence that is outstanding. I am quite pleased with how this tobacco has aged. The smokes were extremely satisfying in terms of nicotine, dense smoke and flavor. I would describe the flavors as intense. It is now an incredible Virginia/perique that I will cherish until it is gone, knowing I will never have another tin, at least one that I have aged so long and lovingly maintained.

I have no idea whether this blend is still available. I've seen a similar product called Curly Cut (with no Special Selection in the name) that is a different product in a different tin (a 100g paint can style tin rather than a 200g tin that was sealed, as this tin was). I don't know whether that is supposed to be a replacement for the Special Selection or just a different product. Be careful not to confuse the two as I believe some reviewers have done here.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	quantumboy (130)	2009-11-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Any fan of pure Virginias must try this blend. Although it contains some Perique, its presence is not very noticeable. Remember Perique is a spice tobacco, and a good spice like salt is intended primarily to bring out the flavors of the main dish. And this dish is delicious, obviously comprising some very high quality Virginia leaf.

The little curls in the tin are quite beautiful actually, smelling of fresh hay and grass. There is no smokiness, no topping that I can detect, and the Perique is not evident in the aroma. Just fresh sweet tobacco goodness.

No problems lighting or keeping it lit. As the bowl warms up the flavors develop into some of the richest pure Virginia flavors I have experienced. The taste is rich and pure, and - for lack of a better word - clean. There's no cloying sweetness, there's no ashy aftertaste, just flavor, and lots of it. The flavor stays quite consistent through the whole bowl, and even gets a little toastier near the bottom.

This one must be nursed very gently. If you use your best Virginia technique, sipping gently and keeping the briar cool, then you will be rewarded with what may be one of your best VA smoking experiences. It was for me anyway. Is it worth the higher cost? Of course! It's like ordering steak instead of pasta. Both are good, but once in a while you want to splurge. Problem is, this is good enough to be a desert island smoke, as in, an all day all week smoke. I need to stock up!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sasquatch (90)	2008-11-16		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm not sure where to score this tobacco. Quality is high, presentation, a mix of intact coins and ribbons, is nice. No humectants. Top quality stuff. I don't really detect any topping.

This reminds me of McConnell's Scottish Cake, actually. Has a sweet/musty Virginia smell when you are smoking. There are some darker, richer, almost toasty notes in the taste, but for the most part it's a "dry" va/per, similar to Escudo.

I prefer Mac Baren Club and Dark Twist, which indicates to me that my tastes in this realm run to the slightly sweeter.

For a straight Va/Per lover, this tobacco is no doubt going to be a 4 star affair. I happen to like the bastardized versions which Mac Baren offers quite a bit better!

As for a similarity to Three Nuns? Who cares!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-04-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Update 4/5/06: I just don't smoke this. It is very unmemorable. Now that I have tried more blends and know what I like, I have downgraded this to 1 star.

Smoked this in a GBD in which I stacked the coins with a little loose on the top. Smoked this way it was rather mild with little to offer in the way of flavor.

Smoked it again in a smaller bowl on a Kirsten. Folded some coins up and rubbed some out, which was an interesting mix. While the description (and tin appearance) tell me that there is no Perique, my tastebuds beg to differ. Upon getting it lit, it had a very peppery flavor. Did not burn the tongue, but had this spicy kick to it. The first half of the bowl burned relatively well, but the second half would not stay lit.

The flavor never developed much complexity, and there was never much nicotene (which is what I like).

Really prefer a virginia like Marlin Flake or Dark Star to this.

July 2004

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mainspring (27)	2002-11-06		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This stuff comes in 200g tins. Upon opening, there is a very lite, naturally sweet, well aged Virginia aroma. I am not sure if there is a topping here or just an outstanding natural Virginia! It has a very nice appearance with curls about the size of quarters among partially rubbed out (probably just unraveled)discs. Colors range fron yellows to light brown. There is no perique here and I don't detect any burley. Moisture content may be just a tad on the moist side if not just right. For the most part it rubs out quite easily. Some of the discs require a bit more effort than others. I like the feel of the tobacco. It has none of that sticky topping feel. It is a bit warm on lighting but quickly settles down to a very nice smoke! It is slightly complex smoke with several different flavors on down the bowl. This is a dry smoke and is very easy to keep lit. There is no negative aftertaste and, for all of these reasons, has become one of my very favorite smokes. I have put quite a few of these tins away for future enjoyment. In one word to me - seductive!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-11-07		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I thought this blend sounded quite interesting so I split a 200g tin with a forum cohort. He'd sampled it before, I had not. I've been on a very Virginia kick recently and this sounded absolutely lovely.

The pleasant, lightly fruity aroma was quite nice when I popped my baggie open. The coins are perfectly sized for easy packing. That said, I found I like to rub this out a little bit. My first bowl packed with folded up coins and it ran a little hot. The flavor was almost entirely lost. I had a few good puffs in the bowl, though, and could tell there was potential. The next time I rubbed out several and loosely filled the bowl with that, then squished up a couple coins at the top of the bowl. That smoked much more nicely for me. The flavor was consistent through much of the bowl -- nothing out of this world, but very enjoyable.

I was nervous after reading the review about a horrendous room note, but I actually received a compliment while I was smoking my bowl. I certainly thought it was fine from what I could tell.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-05-05		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The presentation in the tin is very nice. Small tight spun coins, cut quite thin, almost fluffy in the packing, reddish virginias in long strands when rubbed out. Quite elegant, with a pleasant light tin note of light raisin and what I associate with red virgians. Tin had perfect moisture and needed perhaps just a minimal time to air before smoking. The coins seem to hold their moisture level in a pouch or set out in a dish in any event.

As a smoker who favours sweeter and lighter virginias, I found the dominant virginia notes to be slightly too bitter and astringent to my tastes - overwhelming the sweet-spicy bite of perique one finds in a spun flake such as Escudo. After trying several bowls in differing pipes that had been satisfying flake and va/per smokers I just couldn't find the kind of enjoyment or balance I look for in a va/per. Too bitter by a touch. It is quality tobacco however, very consistent to rub out, burns evenly, does not bite.

I ended up finishing my tin by mixing in some FVF and a pinch of quality cased burley, and that seemed to round out into a more satisfying blend for me.

Given the price, and a comparison to say a bulk such as MacLellands 5100 Red Virginia with a pinch of St. James Perique blended in, I'd skip the novelty of the stylish little coins.

For those that like less-sweet Va/pers a high quality coin, without doubt, just not to my tastes as I have found the bright peppery spice of perique best offset by a little more sweetness.

Recommended to try - won't be in my regular rotation or cellar, but a classic that is worth a taste and can always be used to make up a very good blend.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-02-04		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

My tin from smoking pipes is called special curly.It has a label at the bottom stating that it contains Virginia and Perique.Broken disks covered in sugar crystals.Sharp,tangy taste,very high quality.Burns well after drying in the tin for a couple of months.Very nice and good for blending to add sharpness to a blend.Perique in the background but noticable.burns slowly recommended for VA/PER fans.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-06-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

The description of Bell's Three Nuns is: A blend of dark fired and sun cured tobaccos mixed with the finest Brazilian Lights to produce the unique flavour and mellow smoking characteristics for this Virginia/Perique. PH's Special Curley & Bell's Three Nuns are the same mixture. I can tell no difference in appearance, tin note or smoking experience. Well, there is one difference..., I can buy 600 Gm of Special Curley for less than I'd pay to get 250 Gm of Three Nuns. This fine Tobak is best smoked slowly to allow it to develop with a faint essence of Almond woven amongst the strength of the Virginia leaf and the moderation of the Perique. As this is not a Tobak that enjoys a large following, chances are that what you get in an order will have age on it, as suggested by the appearance of the plastic lid. I will not attempt to improve on what has already been stated in previous reviews. I will suggest that you get some before it can no longer be found on this side of the ocean.

Meerschaum Man Smoking a Smooth Cherrywood Style Meerschaum Poker from Altinok

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