Circus Spun

Circus Spun is one of the house blends the England-based Cigar Connoisseur tobacco shop sells in bulk. As its name suggests, it is prepared using the spun method: small oval medallions with Virginia as the outer wrapper and perique leaf at the core. The medallions come out of the tin somewhat moist, so airing time directly determines the smoke; moist, perique comes through more dominant and the burn runs hot, while as it dries, Virginia's sweetness moves to the front. When packing, stacking the medallions vertically keeps the Virginia wrapper on top.

On the smoke, pure Virginia sweetness and perique's black-pepper sharpness alternate in the lead; sugar and spice balance each other. It is sensitive to burn speed, and smoked quickly it can turn into a harsh burn on the tongue and palate. It therefore suits smokers accustomed to slow, controlled smoking who know the perique-Virginia character; it isn't a structure that would be a newcomer's first choice.