Brett E.
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Cornell & Diehl - Watchman's Reach 2oz
Not for me
Tin note is a faint lemon tea aroma. Taste? Rather boring. Maybe I’m just used to smoking Virginias that have some portion of red in them. The smoke from this smelled exactly like a lit cigarette. This was very hard to keep lit which tends to be the case with plug tobaccos for some reason.

Lane Limited - RLP-6
Soft chocolate
I was looking for something similar to 7 seas original. This isn’t as good but it’s close. It has a soft chocolate taste. Very damp and needs a lot of drying time. On the plus side the taste stays pleasant throughout unlike most aromatics it doesn’t have an off-putting chemical taste. Can’t really pick up on any natural tobacco flavors. Just the chocolate and vanilla.

Peterson - University Flake 50g
Where’s the topping?
All the reviewers rave about this amazing plum/berry/blueberry topping in this blend. It sounded interesting so I bought a tin. The tin note did have a very faint aroma of what I’d describe as blueberry muffin I guess. Smoking it I tasted nothing but Virginia leaf. I admit I don’t have the most sensitive skilled palate to pick up on slight notes and flavors unless I’m smoking an aromatic. I found this tasting like an average Virginia which turned quite ashy and cigaretty even puffing slow maybe due to the burley. I kept trying to tell myself “ there’s a berry topping here if you just try hard and think about it.” Nope. By mid bowl I just taste ashtray.

Missouri Meerschaum - Country Gentleman Bent (6mm)
Unreal…
I bought this pipe not here but on the Missouri meerschaum site. I’ll admit I was skeptical from all the great reviews how great cobs were having only smoked mostly briars and a maple pipe. I’m so blown away by this pipe. I added a nice Vermont freehand stem and mudded the bottom of the bowl. This smokes better and cooler than my $160 Nording briar! Unreal….🌽

G. L. Pease - Sixpence 2oz
Dark fired ruined it for me
The aroma in the tin is divine. You get the tangy dark fired and maybe a grape/red wine topping? The Virginias in this were good but I thought the dark fired ruined it. Added a harsh roughness to the blend that otherwise could’ve been great. I’ve enjoyed everything from gl pease except Virginia Cream and now this.

Brigham - Heritage (19) (Rock Maple Inserts)
Beautiful Canadian
It’s hard to find a nice long 7” Canadian pipe. Most Canadians by other brands are much shorter. This version the Heritage comes in a very shiny polished finish. I like the maple filter inserts. They’re great for smoking Virginia blends that tend to burn my mouth quickly.👍🏻

Samuel Gawith - Kendal Cream Flake 50g
Not bad
Flakes when broken out are very damp. Needs some drying. The topping here is very subtle and that’s a good thing because I hate the taste of aromatics. Very smooth creamy smoke. Good stuff.

Peter Stokkebye - PS31 Optimum
Not for me….
Some background, I started smoking a pipe about 3 years ago. Like most new pipers, I started with aromatics like captain black, 7 seas and many others. After tasting several different ones I headed into Virginia blends and later englishes. Since then every time I think “I’ll try an aromatic again. That one sounds good” it’s always a huge let down. They all taste the same to me. An artificial neutral chemical taste that’s hard to describe. And that’s what I get with Optimum. Sure, the first minute of smoking I picked up on a subtle raspberry taste but it vanished quite quickly. I’m sticking to my Virginias and englishes. If you’re a huge aromatic smoker you’ll probably like it. I just don’t get the point of smoking aromatics anymore. They smell great but they don’t taste that way….

Peterson - Irish Cask 50g
Plain, boring blend
I second the other reviewer on here calling this a fairly boring blend. The tin aroma smells like a VaPer to me. Can’t tell that this was aged in sherry casks by the tin note or the taste. It just tasted like a cheap Virginia blend to me. Had to constantly relight because it wouldn’t stay lit.

Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation - 2012 Anniversary Blend 1.75oz
Smooth and simple.
Here’s a straight Virginia flake which supposedly has a pear topping. I couldn’t detect the pear at all in the tin or while smoking. However, this is a great Virginia smoke. Smooth, straightforward and nothing complicated about it.

Rattray's - Old Gowrie 50g
Rich. Robust. Dark fired?
I like Virginia blends that are smooth and mild but the flavor was too strong for me. Didn’t detect any dark fired whatsoever in the tin note or the taste. Just Virginia and some perique. It’s a rich, robust smoke (like molasses) but seemed to turn strong and ashy for me. For those who love strong Virginias, you’ll love this. I guess I’m one of the few people that don’t…

Captain Earle's - Stimulus Package 2oz
The Islay whisky of tobacco.
When it comes to English blends I look for something strong where the Latakia punches me in the face and makes its presence known but without the strong nicotine effect. This fits the bill perfectly. When smoking this I pick up on a slight note of anise. Not sure if it’s from the orientals or what. Anyway, it’s really good. Smoked in a Peterson Sherlock Holmes bulldog.

Tampers & Tools - Neerup Tamper - Signature Swirl with Pick
Great tamper!
Beautiful tamper. Perfect size and I love the hidden pick.

Peterson - My Mixture 965 50g
It’s ok…
Similar to another review someone left about trying 965, I found this to be stale and ashy tasting. Keep in mind, my tin arrived with the lid not airtight…

G. L. Pease - Quiet Nights 2oz
Good balanced English
If you want a nice, balanced and refined English this is it. But if you’re looking for a bold, smoky lat forward English, pass on this one. It requires lots of drying time after rubbing out the flakes. I am more attracted to heavy, smoky lat bombs so I wish I would’ve bought Abingdon instead but this is nice too. I won’t be buying this again. I’m sure this will appeal to others though. Too smooth for me. I taste equal parts Latakia and Virginia at the forefront. No noticeable Perique at all. As I get further down the bowl the virginias become more prominent. Again, definitely not a lat bomb. In my opinion despite what so many other reviewers say about QN, I think Westminster has a bolder lat forward taste than this.

Samuel Gawith - Commonwealth Mixture 50g
Fire retardant blend
I was excited when I got this and opened the tin. Smells great. Super smoky! It was compressed tight in the tin but once I loosened it out it was dry and ready to smoke. It was downhill from there. The stuff tastes great. It’s heavy Latakia but you can taste the Virginia too. Unfortunately, this stuff will not stay lit! Just like another reviewer mentioned, it should come with a side of gasoline. My tobacco is dry. My pipe is not packed too tight. Something is wrong with this stuff…lol. I tried this twice now and same result. Puffing like a freight train to keep it lit and burning my tongue from the Virginia in it. If this burned normal I’d give it 5 stars. I’m done! I give up!

A&C Petersen - Escudo Navy Deluxe 50g
Overhyped. Overpriced.
Tin note, unfortunately the air tight seal on this was broken when it got it in the mail…🙄. Aroma is a subtle sour Virginia. Nicely rolled coins. I rubbed out a couple and let them rest 10 minutes before packing in my Brigham Canadian. Upon lighting I get a grassy bready Virginia smoke. It’s good. It’s straightforward. Definitely more of a summer smoke than trying it in late November. As I kept smoking down the bowl more figgy notes from the perique begin to show. I’m guessing the amount of perique in this is minimal. Overall, this is a good Virginia blend but I’m not putting this on my list of favorites. I’ve had better. I will keep this in my jar untouched and try it again next summer. In my opinion, an overhyped Virginia blend but good…

Brebbia - Balkan 50g
Good
Tin note is the familiar smoky Latakia with a hint of tangy dark fired. Taste really good. Lots of flavor. This starts to bite my tongue as I get further down the bowl. This is my first Balkan blend ever and I also have a jar of Westminster that I’m smoking too. I prefer Westminster over this.

Warped - Kings Stride 2oz
Dark. Rich. Robust.
This is the wettest Virginia blend I’ve ever seen! After rubbing out the entire cake I’ve let it sit out to dry in the autumn air and it’s still wet! You’d think it’s an aromatic how damp it is. Anyway, it smells great. Has a dark aroma of raisin and chocolate. Upon lighting I’m immediately hit with the familiar bready Virginia taste but as I continue smoking the magic starts to reveal itself. It’s a dark rich flavor. Just like the notes I picked up smelling the tin, that’s what I taste too. Raisin and chocolate. This was hard to keep lit because for some reason it doesn’t want to dry. Amazingly I never got any gurgling or moisture build up in the bowl. Tastes great but needs more drying.

Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening
Good maple
Tin note is fantastic. Smell is mostly maple with maybe a little vanilla and booze. It’s very damp and needs to dry a bit before smoking. I found the taste ok. I can taste maple when the pipe is resting in my mouth. I get the taste of the Virginia leaf when I retrohale. Flavor got kinda ashy as I got down the bowl but it burned great and didn’t scorch my tongue. With all the hype of all the ratings of this tobacco I find it a good maple aromatic but I wouldn’t call it “amazing”

St. Bruno - Ready Rubbed 1.75oz
Overrated
I bought this and dried it out probably too much. Bone dry. Is it possible I lost a lot of the promised flavors because of that? Probably. I smell the dark fired in the pouch when I opened it so it must be there. But I don’t taste it at all. Definitely no floral notes that are described. All I can taste is a mediocre Virginia flavor. That’s it. Is my palate shot or do they not put much dark fired in this?

Cornell & Diehl - Bluegrass 2oz
Harsh
Tin note…smells like a Virginia blend with maybe a hint of dark fired in it but not much. The texture of this ribbon cut feels hard to me. Not soft at all. I needed to rub this out more so I could pack it properly. I’ve had two bowls of this and my experience was the same. The flavor was immediately rough and harsh right off the bat. Also had a hard time keeping it lit for some reason. I’ve been on the fence with C&D blends for a while now because everything I’ve tried from them has been a big let down and I think this purchase just might be the very last one I buy from them. I’m going to stick with GL Pease from now…

G. L. Pease - Westminster 2oz
Good English
Flavorful. Smokey campfire tin note. Tastes incense and exotic woods. The Virginia is VERY subtle and only noticed on the retrohale. I’m usually a Virginia blend fan but Englishes are really starting to grow on me.

Missouri Meerschaum - Charred Hardwood Poker (6mm)
Nice Maple
This isn’t a high end European briar. It is what it is. It smokes good. Keep in mind the stem that comes with it is cheap plastic. Also, the nickel fitting will likely be loose and you may need to gorilla glue it. You’ll want to get yourself a nice Vermont Freehand stem to replace it. Also, be prepared for an unpleasant sawdust taste the first 4 or 5 bowls.

Ashton - Gold Rush 50g
Mild Virginia
Tin note is fermenting grass clippings. Reminds me of Peterson Flake but not as strong. Taste is basically a mild Virginia with grassy bready notes. I don’t taste any honey or lemon in this it all. For me the taste goes downhill as I get further down the bowl. Because of this and the fact I was hoping for more of a lemon honey taste I have to dock a star off.

Cornell & Diehl - Nutty Irishman
Excellent!
Great aromatic. Smells great and reminds me of 7 seas tin note. Taste is creamy and coffee notes. Burned really good. No mouth burn.

G. L. Pease - Gaslight 2oz
Smokey!
Tin note….whoa! It’s like smelling charred logs from a campfire. The smokiest tobacco I’ve ever smelled. This comes as a plug. Prepping this sucks. Not fun at all which is why I docked half a star. I ended up cutting both plugs to get it over and done with and ended up with big pieces of leaves that I have to rip apart by hand. Fingers were black with soot after rubbing it out. Lol *update. Dropping a star off this rating because this is very difficult to keep lit because of the texture of the leaves. Even when dried and packed lightly still having issues. Smokes very nice. Tastes very incense like. Not like the sweet head shop incense. More like real Indian incense. Had a hard time keeping it lit but it may need more drying time or maybe because it’s huge chunks of leaves.

Peterson - Elizabethan Mixture 50g
Smooth
Tin note smells like fig newtons. Not overpowering like many virginias I’ve had before. Aroma is pleasant and subtle. The tobacco itself is damp and needs drying. It’s very soft and velvety to the touch. Smokes great. One of the smoothest Virginia blends I’ve ever had. Perique was not overpowering. I’d buy this again for sure.

Cobblestone - Outdoors Camping 1.75oz
Not good
*Disclaimer, I only smoked this once so keep that in mind. This is my first and only impression before dumping this in the trash… Tin note smells of prunes and something burnt. Not offensive smelling, just different. This was very dry. No need to dry it before going in the bowl. It had a hard crunchy texture which may explain my next observation…..I could not keep this stuff lit at all. And further more, I did not enjoy the taste. Had no desire to try this a second time.

Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation - Night Slice
Decent
Tin note, the Kentucky leaf is there but not a lot. Smoked good and has a nice balanced taste but I was hoping for more of a Kentucky smoke bomb like H&H Smoky Mountain or Cobblestone Kentucky Plug. I’ll finish this but I don’t see myself buying it again. If you’re looking for a dark fired forward blend, this isn’t it. Also, smoke it slow. It can get hot.

Mac Baren - 7 Seas Royal 3.5oz
The best
7 seas will always be my go to for aromatics. I’ve tried many brands of aromatics but I always come back to the 7 seas royal or original. Smells great. Tastes great. Burns cool. No complaints.

Cornell & Diehl - Blockade Runner 2oz
This ship is sinking🚣🏻
Ok. I smoked this twice just to see if I had the same experience twice and I did. This tobacco came slightly damp. Not too dry. Not too wet. You can definitely smell a hint of booze/rum in there. Not overpowering. When smoking this I can not detect any rum flavor whatsoever. The only thing I taste is the Virginia leaf. And it’s not a very high quality Virginia either. It seems to have a decent flavor at first but gets pretty rank and ashy by mid bowl. I got this originally because it sounded unique with the rum added but I honestly don’t think it translates to my taste buds. I’d rather smoke a high quality Virginia or an aromatic. Not sure what to do with this but dump it. I won’t be buying anything from C&D anymore. Everything I’ve bought from them has been a let down.

Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation - Morning Blend
Sweet butter
Tin note is really yummy. Not sure I’d describe it as a bourbon smell, but it’s got a very rich buttery aroma. The taste is good too. You can still pick up on the Virginia and burley leaves which don’t get drowned out by the flavoring. The bowl still tasted good even towards the bottom after a few relights.

McConnell - Red Virginia 50g
Good Virginia
Tin note smells of fermenting grass clippings baking in the summer sun. Taste is fantastic. Toasted bread. I didn’t pickup on any peppery notes from the Perique but that’s fine. I love a good Virginia. Only thing I don’t like is that it’s got a sharp tangy bite to it. Burns my tongue.

Low Country - Santee 2oz
Disappointment
This came dry. Very dry for an aromatic. It required no dry time at all. Straight to the bowl. The tin note smells very faint. It’s a pleasant smell, but I detect no apple at all. Upon lighting it I didn’t taste any apple flavor at all. In fact. There’s hardly any flavor for an aromatic. It tasted like burley to me. It only got worse from there. When I relit a second time after I’d been smoking for 5 minutes I got a terrible chemical flavor that resembled pesticides. That nasty flavor stayed with me until I got down to half a bowl. Nope! I’m done. Into the trash it goes.

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