DEPRAVITY: BEST IN LIGHT RAIN

Like a great many San Franciscans I occasionally venture into the sleazy side of life. Twixt decadent and peculiarily messed-up. Ooh, that frisson! Delicious! Is there leather involved?

Per long-standing custom, whenever I work with Hector, I smoke an aromatic mixture in my pipe, because I just love the way his little face scrunches up and he wails "why are you doing this to me" in a heartwrenching fashion. He comes from somewhere in the Latin World and consequently is an innocent purist. He despairs over the sheer repulsiveness, in his mind, of tobacco buggered-up with fruity substances. To him that just reeks of Levantine cruelty and the Persian Position. Faugh! And oof!

Yesterday I popped a tin of 'Exotic Passion'. Alledgedly by Charles Rattray, who like many Scotsmen must have secretely indulged in horrid vices when the lights were out and the reformatory girls had fallen asleep.

There, lurking just beyond the edge of consciousness in the drafty dormitories, he'd deliberately set fire to something nightmare-inducing.

Actually it proved disappointing. Hector did not have the longed-for reaction when I smoked this yesterday. Didn't even notice. He was smoking a Nicaraguan cheroot at the time, which in all likelihood did not seriously impact his acute sense of smell, and he didn't demonstrate a sense of despair in the slightest.

Some aromatics convey the exact flavour of the additives in their taste but smell soapy to the non-smoker, some provide delightful odours to other people but taste off and dreckish to the man with the pipe. This is neither, and yet both. In the nose and mouth there are faint hints of chemicals and perfumes. I have no idea what the room-note is, but I did not hear the expected gurgles and moans. Sad.

It's more Irish than Scottish. Floral essences, plus mango, orange, and allegedly a hint of maple for sweetness. On a base of decent Virginias, some mixed cavendish, and Burley.

Depraved and decadent, but not delightful.


If this were a Roman orgy, there would be too little rose petal to smother the unwanted guests. It's perfectly smokeable, and the tin art is striking. Probably great with herbal tea.

Possibly it will take me several months to finish this.

If I had a lingerie drawer I'd stick it in there.

I'll try another bowl before lunch.



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