Bryan A.

Reviews


Samuel Gawith - Squadron Leader 50g
Totally a 5-Star
Great all day smoke! Burns cool with no bite and the nic hit is mellow. If you like mild to medium english blends this one is fantastic. Reminds me of GLPease Kensington with a tiny less spice. TRY IT!!!

A&C Petersen - Escudo Navy Deluxe 50g
Desert Island Tobacco
If this was the only tobacco I could ever get my hands on, that would be fine. What really sets Escudo apart is consistency. First puff? Great. Mid-bowl? Better. Last third? Still smooth, still flavorful, still behaving like it knows it’s a classic. No bitterness, no burnout, no “why did I pack this?” regrets. Final verdict: Escudo isn’t trendy—it’s timeless. This is the tobacco you reach for when you want guaranteed satisfaction and zero nonsense. If you don’t like Escudo, that’s fine… but also, we might need to talk.

G. L. Pease - 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee 2oz
25-Year Jubilee (aka: “Sit Down, Shut Up, and Celebrate”)
This blend feels like G.L. Pease showed up to the party in a tailored suit, popped a tin, and casually said, “Yeah… I’ve still got it.” Right out of the tin, you’re hit with that deep, classy Red Virginia aroma—think fresh-baked bread with a soft malt sweetness that makes you double-check you’re not standing in a European bakery. Once lit, the Virginias absolutely run the show: rich, smooth, and confidently sweet without being clingy. Then—plot twist—the Italian Dark-Fired Kentucky quietly steps in like a background vocalist who steals the chorus. It doesn’t overpower, but it adds this refined smoky, slightly floral spice that keeps things interesting all the way down the bowl. No harsh edges, no drama, no tongue bite trying to ruin your day. This is the kind of tobacco you smoke slowly, preferably while ignoring responsibilities and feeling very good about your life choices. It’s celebratory without being loud, complex without being pretentious, and proof that when great leaf is treated right, you don’t need gimmicks. Final verdict: Anniversary blend energy. Sophisticated, comforting, and dangerously easy to love. Light it up when you want to feel like you’ve won something—even if it’s just a quiet moment to yourself.

Orlik - Golden Sliced 100g
Stunned!
I have smoked this tobacco many many years ago and just came back to it. It's an all day smoke for sure. Very approachable VAper. Highly recommend!!!

Cornell & Diehl - Autumn Evening 2oz
Buy, Smoke & Repeat -Doesn’t Age Well
i’ve been smoking this blend for a few years now. It took the place of some of the old codger aromatics I have enjoyed the last 40 years. I usually buy a few tins smoke through them in a few months and then repeat the process.. then I found a 2018, and a 2022 on Tin Bids for so I picked up both of them thinking my favorite aromatic was gonna somehow taste better with age on it. when I opened up the tins to give them a try, I found them to be very flat in terms of taste and smell.. I had assumed that the Virginia in this blend wood lend itself to a positive effect from cellaring. I suppose the Black Cavendish and the maple topping pump the brakes on aging? Anyway, don’t buy a year supply. Buy a few tins smoke through them and buy some more fresh ones. this blend has been around for a very long time and it’s not going anywhere :-) by the way, if I haven’t already mentioned, I highly recommended this one!

Kopp - Limited Edition: Ahoy (2025) 100g
Ahoy? More like Abandon Ship!!!
Before I start my review I need the readers to filter my response with the fact that I have only been smoking a pipe for 40 years. So here it is: Kopp Limited Edition: Ahoy. I was lured in by the nautical theme and the promise of a unique experience. What I got was a one-way ticket to the perfume counter at a 2003 mall kiosk run by someone who’s way too into fruit-scented body spray. The tin note hits you like a tropical fruit salad which was left too close to grandma’s dusty perfume bottle. The first light was less "smooth sailing" and more "capsize the boat and jump overboard." I kept waiting for the flavor to settle down, like maybe it was just a rough start... nope. It stayed weird. It was like smoking a Yankee Candle labeled “Regret.”(overly harsh but actually true) I gave it a second bowl, thinking maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. But no — this tobacco didn’t just miss the mark, it loaded the cannon backwards and shot itself in the face. To be fair, the packaging is cool, and if you enjoy artificially sweetened mystery fruit vibes mixed with eau de dollar-store cologne, this might be your jam. But for me? Ahoy is now AVOID. One star for effort. Bonus star for making me appreciate my other blends even more.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Brown Bogie
Could be a great conversation starter at parties?
Well, well, well. Rope-style tobacco. Sounds fancy, right? Wrong. Sure, the taste is decent—but maybe I'm just bitter because I foolishly thought this rope nonsense would be easy—slice it, light it, smoke it, right? Ha! Joke's on me. I sliced off cute little pieces, treated it like a precious tobacco plug, and guess what? Still wouldn't stay lit. I'm convinced even Elon Musk's flamethrower wouldn't do the trick. Oh, and pro tip: rub this stuff out in your hands if you enjoy having your palms stained for days. Great conversation starter at parties. Anyway, props to you brave five-star reviewers—you must have patience, determination, and possibly magical fire-starting abilities that I clearly lack. Will I toss it? Nah, can't bring myself to chuck it after shelling out half my paycheck. Instead, I'll lovingly place it out in the yard where my dog does her business—maybe it'll learn something about humility and become smokeable someday. Until then, hard pass for me :)

Captain Black - Original 7oz
I'm Clearly Not Ashamed
Look, Captain Black is one of those tobaccos you might have to stash under the couch cushions when your pipe-snob friends stop by—you know, the ones who only smoke blends hand-picked by monks on a Himalayan mountaintop. Yeah, sure, you can grab this stuff at your local liquor store or even Walmart (gasp!)—but let's face it: it's ridiculously delicious. Burns perfectly, stays cool and dry, and smells so good even smoke-haters seem suspiciously drawn into its magical smoke cloud at the park. Seriously, Karen, if you hate smoke so much, why are you standing directly downwind, hmm? I've loved this blend shamelessly for decades, and I'm not even sorry. Captain Black forever!

Lane Limited - HG-2000
Failed my brain's burley alert system.
Well, here I am again, folks—diving face-first into a burley blend, despite knowing better. Lighting up this pipe tobacco was like riding a magical unicorn through Candyland: BAM! Instant caramel rivers, vanilla rainbows, and chocolate fountains exploding in my mouth! I thought I'd finally discovered the mythical burley blend that wouldn't betray me. But oh no, halfway in, Burleyzilla stomped into the bowl, kicking caramel aside and karate-chopping the vanilla and chocolate right out of the pipe. Suddenly, my head felt like a tiny leprechaun was tap-dancing with steel-toed boots directly behind my right eyeball. Why always the right eye?! Who knows—maybe that's my brain's burley alert system. Honestly, it's totally my fault. Why do I keep expecting burley to magically transform into something else—maybe a fluffy marshmallow cupcake? Nope. Still burley, still headache-inducing, and still mocking me in my moment of weakness. But hey, let's be "5 star" fair: this blend absolutely nails being exactly what it says it is—a proud, burley-forward powerhouse. Maximum points for honesty! It's not the blender's fault that burley and I don't pair well. Give this one a try, just smoke at your own burley-induced peril... if you have one.

Lane Limited - HS-3
May cause trouble with your spouse
I found myself irresistibly drawn to this blend, seduced once again by the genteel promise of "a mellow marriage of light and dark Cavendish," purportedly crafted for the discerning smoker who appreciates a smooth smoke and a room note charming enough to win friends and influence spouses. Imagine my astonishment, then, when my dear wife breezed into the room, sniffed delicately, and proclaimed she detected the distinct and pedestrian aroma of Marlboro cigarettes lingering about. This revelation was troubling on two fronts: firstly, because as a refined pipe enthusiast, I categorically refuse to engage with those flimsy, plebeian paper tubes known as cigarettes; and secondly, how in the Dickens does my genteel, pipe-smoking-abstaining spouse possess such an intimate familiarity with the specific bouquet of Marlboros? In short, dear pipers, if you disregard the questionable room note and simply savor the flavor, you shall fare tolerably well. As for me, this tobacco remains a curious paradox—smooth on the palate, yet apparently scandalous in matrimony. Smoke accordingly!

Lane Limited - TK-6
I tried so hard this time...
All my pipe-smoking pals around the globe swear by cherry aromatics, so naturally, I keep falling for it—over and over. Seriously, why do I keep doing this to myself? After 40 years puffing away contentedly, you'd think I'd know better by now. Nope! I still chase that sweet cherry dream only to be sucker-punched by that sneaky medicinal aftertaste every single time. Sure, the aroma smells heavenly—like grandma baking cherry pie—but the taste? It's like licking a cherry-flavored cough drop right after brushing your teeth. Sorry, fellow pipers, I admit this tobacco burns beautifully, clean and easy with nothing but fine ash left behind. But flavor-wise, for me and my pipes, this one's in the cherry-flavored no-go zone!

Lane Limited - MV-1000
Strength-1 Room Note-1 Taste-1
The book rates this blend at Strength-1, Room Note-2, Taste-2—but honestly, I think they're being a bit generous. I'd peg it closer to Strength-1, Room Note-1, Taste-1—basically the tobacco equivalent of elevator music. Yet, I'm still giving it five stars because it's the perfectly approachable blend. Sometimes you just want a relaxing smoke session without a marching band parading through your taste buds. This is that comfy pair of sweatpants you wear when nobody's watching. It burns effortlessly to a pure white ash and stays lit, practically smoking itself. Just a heads-up, though: NOT RECOMMENDED FOR NEW PIPE SMOKERS! Newbies might mistakenly puff harder, desperately trying to squeeze more excitement out of it, ending up torching their bowl and frying their tongue like bacon on Sunday morning—ouch! Treat this tobacco like baby back ribs on a smoker: low, slow, and with the kind of patience you'd show during your in-laws' weekend visit.

Lane Limited - LL-7
Should cost a lot more
Holy smokes—literally! I've spent enough cash on fancy tobaccos over my 40 years of piping to buy a small yacht (or at least a small ski boat), but this blend comes along and laughs in their sophisticated faces. ABSOLUTELY NO BITE—it's gentler than a kitten wearing mittens. It burns cooler than a polar bear's pajamas and smoother than a jazz saxophone solo. Flavor-wise, it's earthy yet sweet—like Mother Nature baked you a marshmallow pie. Chocolate? Nope, missed that memo. But marshmallows? Absolutely. It's like puffing on a toasted marshmallow without the sticky fingers or judgmental stares around the campfire. Smokes down cleaner than your grandma's dining room after she spots dust—pure, fine powder goodness.

Sutliff - Blend No. 5 1.5oz
As Far As Entry-To-English = 5 Stars
This blend is like English Tobacco Kindergarten—perfect for beginners just dipping their toes into smoky waters. It's mellow enough to be your pipe's best friend, cool as a cucumber wearing sunglasses, and mild enough to smoke all day without your taste buds filing a restraining order. But warning! If you're the kind of person who likes Latakia strong enough to punch you in the tastebuds and steal your lunch money, you should probably run screaming in the opposite direction. You've been warned! :)

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - American Delite 50g
MAGA For Sure! (Make America Gawith Again)
Wow—this tobacco tastes like freedom served in a bowl, topped with vanilla, and sprinkled with bald eagle feathers (not literally, please don't call animal control). It absolutely TRUMPS every other aromatic out there. I usually puff my way through plenty of Sutliff bulk aromatics, and 1'st time with this brand. This one is like Sutliff's fancy, tuxedo-wearing cousin—smoother, cooler, and burns easier than a politician's campaign promises. Not overly sweet, but slow your roll and voilà!—vanilla deliciousness sneaks up on your taste buds like Uncle Sam at a bake sale. And hey, you don't have to be conservative to enjoy this blend... but c'mon, it wouldn't hurt. Highly recommend! A+

Reiner - Professional 100g
5 Stars But Not For Me
Oh honey, talk about high-maintenance! Sure, it's super premium, burns to that fancy fine white ash, and leaves the room smelling like a dream—but honestly? I'm not looking for a pipe tobacco that demands I tiptoe around it. I'll finish off the tin (because mama didn't raise a quitter), but we're definitely not going on a second date. My smoking cadence and this blend simply don't vibe: it bites harder than my dog and burns hotter than gossip. Delicious? Absolutely—but only if you puff it S L O W enough to make a snail impatient!

Sutliff - Balkan S Original Mix Match
Balkan Sasieni You Mean?
Okay, confession time—I smoke so much Balkan Sasieni from the tin that my taste buds probably have a permanent Balkan accent. I grabbed this 'Balkan S Original Mix Match' hoping it'd nudge me a little closer to the legendary Balkan Sobranie experience. But wait—plot twist! It tasted exactly like my trusty Sasieni. I honestly thought my senses had finally surrendered to tobacco overload, so of course, I lit up two pipes side-by-side like a Sherlock Holmes of tobacco comparisons. Here I sit, double-fisting Balkan Sasieni in one pipe and the Balkan S Original Mix Match in the other, puffing away vigorously and looking like an eccentric wizard conducting a smoky experiment. And guess what? I CANNOT taste or smell a lick of difference! So, fellow pipe enthusiasts, if you want to save some cash without compromising your Balkan cravings, grab yourself some of this Balkan S Original Mix Match. It's so spot-on, even your wallet won't know the difference. A dead ringer, indeed!

G. L. Pease - Kensington 2oz
FEELS LIKE HOME
Look, I've dated plenty of tobacco blends—some fancy, some exotic, some that promised the world and delivered disappointment. But somehow, I always come crawling back to Kensington. It's like my comfy bluejeans of pipe tobaccos—reliable, cozy, and never judging me for wearing dress shoes. Honestly, Kensington is the standard by which I now side-eye every other English blend. I don't even know what special magic it's working, but smoking it feels annoyingly like coming home. Ugh, fine Kensington—you win. Happy now?"

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Blog's Commented on

Small Batch: Sun Bear Navy Cask
  • ► i have to try this.