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Illusione - OneOff Black and Tan Toro
Complex, smooth and creamy
The first third reminds me of My Father Flor de las Antillas. Hints of sweet graham cracker, very mild, some slight hints of spice at first. The middle third is where the real character of this blend develops. Rich, creamy and sweet. Mild coffee undertones, very much like drinking a latte with some hints of caramel and maybe a sprinkle of cinnamon. The creaminess remains through to the end. The last third intensifies with more pronounced spice and pleasant musty earthiness, hints of leather. Leaves a lingering creamy, sweet and spicy aftertaste.

Fonseca - MX Edition Cedros
Not bad, but not great
The wrapper came a bit dry, with about a quarter inch crack in the middle of one of the two that I ordered. Burn was wavy and needed several touch ups or it threatened to canoe on me. First third was woody and leathery with a bitter anise/licorice finish. The middle third opened up with subtle, sweet flavors of cream, coffee and almonds, with a hint of a bitter woodiness, kind of like the woody skin of an almond. Retrohale during this phase was smooth, almondy and leathery. The final third was creamy, leathery and a bit more sweet, but the bitter licorice finish is what kept grabbing my attention and not in a way that I particularly enjoyed. Compared to the other fantastic offerings from My Father and for this price point, I was not impressed.

Toscano - Extra Vecchio (5 Pack)
Smoky, tangy, one of my favorites
I've tried Toscano's Antico and Classico varieties. Extra Vecchio is aged a bit longer, which smooths out some of the rough edges and helps to bring forward the natural sweetness, tang and smokiness from the Dark Fired Kentucky. Flavor wise this is similar to Savinelli's Doblone d'Oro. I tore through the 5 pack and have ordered more.

Per Jensen - Legacy Collection: Brothers in Arms 2oz
Frankly not as good as similar VaPerKy blends
The tobacco comes fairly moist from the tin, smelling strongly of a particularly smoky variety of Dark Fired Kentucky that verges on Latakia levels of campfire/incense. The evenly ribbon cut tobacco needs some drying time, but packs and lights easily as-is. I've smoked several bowls so far, and unfortunately every smoke has a prevalent harshness that I just don't have the patience for. I will revisit this blend after jarring it for a few months to see if this improves, but as-is this falls well behind similar blends like Hal o' The Wind, Old Gowrie, Doblone d'Oro and Three Nuns that deliver good Virginia/Kentucky flavor without torturing your palate.

Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation - Limited Edition 2025 100g
An excellent aromatic with good tobacco flavor
After smoking this blend for a couple of weeks, I feel I can give it a review. The tobacco comes in an unsealed cellophane bag, like a lot of German blends. Right out of the bag the tobacco has the perfect moisture level, no need to dry. I jarred it immediately after opening. Tin note is mild, with vanilla, honey and a bit of citrus along with the earthy smell of good Virginia and Burley. The texture is chunky, with bits of broken flake, some ribbons, some cube cut all mixed together. The tart, fruity red Virginia comes through in every bowl, with a lot of bready flavor and some classic nuttiness from the Burley. The added flavoring is very consistent throughout the smoke. You'll taste vanilla, honey, a little bittersweet orange flavor, but they take a back seat to the flavors of the tobaccos. Room note is extremely pleasant, smelling of vanilla and freshly baked croissants. I generally don't like aromatics, but this one is exceptional. I bought a second tin, I think it should age well in a jar despite being aromatic. Easily 5 stars.

HU - Night Owl 100g
The taste of Autumn in a tin
I've been smoking Night Owl for a bit over a week now and I really enjoy it. This blend reminds me of Autumn more than any other I've tried, and it does so without any added flavoring. Opening the tin, I was met with a complex aroma of cocoa, musty leaves, wood, a faint whiff of campfire and a sprinkle of vinegar. Good moisture level out of the tin, nice thick broken pieces of flake that pack easily. Burns cool and consistently with few relights. The flavor is burly-forward, with a lot of nutty, chocolaty and malty taste in the forefront. The rest of the tobaccos form a smooth, pillowy soft foundation for the burly to sit on and add a subtle complexity that rewards slow and patient puffing. The perique adds a slight rough edge that seems almost out of place in an otherwise smooth smoke, but it isn't unpleasant. 4.5 stars.

War Horse - Bar 1.75oz
Truly Unusual Blend
With a name like War Horse I was expecting something bitter, leathery and strong enough to knock you out of the saddle. That's the complete opposite of what you get here. Tin note is strongly floral and sweet. The plug resembles a firm crumble kake, though I'd recommend slicing off a flake and rubbing it out. The flavor is outstanding and complex, sweet and surprisingly mild with chocolatey cocoa, vanilla and just a hint of something herbal and floral to it. Nicotine strength is a hair above medium, you can definitely feel it but not a cowboy killer.

Cornell & Diehl - Pegasus 2oz
Excellent burley flavor
Pegasus on its own is good. Classic, simple burley flavor with a bit of virginia and cavendish to sweeten and round out the smoke. Decent nic kick, can get a little bitter if you smoke it too fast. But my favorite use for Pegasus is as a blending component, using it to mix with other blends to give them some bottom end. It's a perfect substitute for any recipe that calls for cube cut burley.

Cornell & Diehl - King Cake 2oz
Laissez bon temps rouler
I cracked a tin of King Cake at the start of Carnival Season this year. The tin note really does smell like king cake, so much so that it took me back to Mardi Gras past, eating some breakfast king cake from Sucre in my Treme rental house on Fat Tuesday morning. The cut is ribbon with some darker chunks here and there pressed into an easy to break up crumble cake. Smokes cool and sweet, with a hazelnut topping that tastes very much like the sweet pastry this blend is named after. Nice tang from the red virginias and a little spice from the perique rounds out the blend.

Peterson - Irish Flake 50g
Strong, smoky perfection
I rotate through a lot of different tobaccos, rarely smoking the same thing for more than 2 or 3 days in a row. I've been smoking at least 1 bowl of this tobacco every day for over a month now and I don't see that stopping any time soon. Strong in nicotine, you'll want to give this tobacco its proper respect; eat beforehand or else be prepared for a shamanic experience. The flavor is very strong and if you smoke slowly you will coax some serious smoky depth and complexity along with a little molasses sweetness from the dark fired burlies. There's a slightly spicy and mildly bitter anise casing that permeates the smoke but does not dominate it, which balances the smoky top notes of the dark fired burly perfectly.

Cornell & Diehl - Hearthside 2oz
Bland, Stale Latakia Flavor
I tried to like this blend. After a couple of smokes, all I really got was a stale latakia flavor with some bitter chocolate aroma. I'll never have a reason to smoke more of this, with so many other good latakia blends in my cellar. I tossed the tin :(

Sutliff - Cringle Flake 2019 1.5oz
Like smoking a fruitcake
Sutliff knocked it out of the park with this one. A crumbly flake, very moist in the tin. Strong tin note of vinegar. Deep, rich, tart fruit, fresh bread, mulled wine and citrus flavors. Highly recommended, get some while you can.

Toscano - Antico (5 Pack)
Strong and smoky
An Italian tradition, a rather unique cigar invented in Italy and enjoyed by common man and cowboys alike. Made of fermented Kentucky filler and wrapped in a stout Kentucky leaf. The Anticos are a full bodied, musty, woody and spicy smoke that has a pungent flavor and aroma.

Cornell & Diehl - Corn Cob Pipe and A Button Nose 2oz
Smells Good, Tastes OK
Like most aromatics, this delivers a powerful smell but little in the way of flavor. Reminds me of Mac Baren 7 Seas. Festive aroma that is good for smoking around others, but the flavor and body leaves me wanting.

Stands & Pouches - Peterson Classic Combo 2 Pipe Tobacco Pouch
Just as good as the 1 pipe version
The same buttery leather and thoughtful design as the 1 pipe combo pouch from Peterson. Slightly larger in size, holds more tobacco. The pipe compartment is nice, unzips fully to expose 4 leather loops for keeping your pipes secure. To be honest I don't put more than one pipe in there at a time. You can fit two briars, but the fit is tight and I worry a good bump would possibly damage the stems. However, this larger compartment is good for carrying larger pipes that won't fit in the 1 pipe version of this pouch. I guess you could comfortably fit two small briars in there without them touching, but in any case this is a fine pouch.

Stands & Pouches - Peterson Classic 1 Pipe Tobacco Pouch
Best in class
High quality build and materials. Buttery soft leather and practical, thoughtful design make this the best tobacco pouch you can have. The tobacco pouch itself folds over so there is "latex on latex", keeping the tobacco fresher longer than other designs. The pipe compartment is big enough to fit most of my briars, up to my Savinelli 904, but is a little tight. The accessory compartment is big enough for a backup Bic, a pipe nail and some balsa filters. The tobacco pouch is big enough to hold about an ounce and a half of ribbon cut tobacco. Get one.

Stands & Pouches - Peterson Avoca 1 Pipe Combo
Fine Pouch
Buttery soft leather and practical features make Peterson pipe pouches best in class. I have several different ones. The "latex on latex" design of the tobacco pouch keeps your leaf moist. This Avoca design is good -- it's mostly just aesthetic, not drastically different from the regular pouch design -- but I honestly am not in love with the magnetic fasteners on this vs the standard snaps on the regular Peterson pouches. Once the magnets are engaged the flap on the pouch stays securely fastened, but getting the snaps to line up is finicky, especially in low-light situations. The decorative zipper pull is also a bit much and can get snagged on other stuff if you put this pouch in a backpack etc. Despite these minor gripes -- for which I deduct half a star -- I love this pouch and use it regularly.

Peterson - Elizabethan Mixture 50g
It's A'ight.
This, in my opinion, is a firmly "middle of the road" VaPer. Tin note of raisin bran, smokes sweet and vaguely fruity. No particular flavors stand out from the constituent tobaccos. The perique is barely noticeable and the virginias are very mild. I suspect the flavors will improve with age. EDIT: I smoked another bowl this afternoon from a cob after letting the tobacco sit in a jar for a few weeks. You know, this blend isn't too bad. I still think it's middle of the road, but it packs enough mellow flavor that I added another star. I could see myself going to this tobacco for afternoon smokes when I'm not craving anything in particular.

Tampers & Tools - 8deco Lucky 8 Tamper Hot Cocoa
Great Tamper
The shape of the tamping foot is perfect. It's concave and the edges are sharp, which helps to keep the tobacco burning evenly after tamping. All 8Deco tamps have this feature so I'd highly recommend any of them. After getting this tamp I find I need to relight far less often. The handle design is nice looking, kind of has a 3D effect with the little bubbles floating in black. The built in dottle pick is an added bonus. I wish I'd gotten one of these when I first started smoking pipes, it's a game changer.

CAO - Eileen's Dream Cigarillos (10 Pack)
Nice mild smoke
The cream, chocolate and coconut flavors are noticeable in the leaf wrapper, room note and retrohale. The filler is a good dominican leaf that delivers a smooth and mild smoke. I was expecting an overly sweet flavor but what you get is a very pleasant, high quality cigar. A little half hour of heaven.

Home Fragrance - Maison Berger Mystery Patchouli Oil 1000ml
Earthy, spicy and dare I say Manly
This effusion oil is probably my favorite from Lampe Berger. The patchouli is present but not overbearing, supported by a layer of woody and earthy undertones. Slight floral smell, but not cloyingly sweet. Where some of the other Lampe Berger scents are a bit "old lady" for me, this one is rather musky and manly. Good stuff.

Home Fragrance - Maison Berger Charleston Oil 500ml
Good smell, just not for everyone
I'm particularly sensitive to floral fragrances. I don't know what it is, but I just don't like flowery perfume smells. This effusion oil, as it's burning, smells strongly floral to me with a dominating cinnamon top note, lots of floral mid tones and some earthy, woody bottom notes. It's not unpleasant, and it leaves a very nice long lasting smell after the lamp is extinguished. It's a good smell, but be aware of the strong floral scent if you're sensitive to that sort of thing.

Home Fragrance - Lampe Berger Cube Frosted Lamp
Far more than an air freshener
These lamps are completely different from a normal essential oil diffuser or air freshener. Over the years I've used just about everything to make the house smell good, but most solutions just add a scent to the air. These Lampe Berger lamps are said to ionize the air, create ozone and oxygenate the environment. Before I tried it myself I was doubtful of these claims, but I've since found a scientific study that proved these claims and more. These lamps kill dust mites and bacteria, and really do oxygenate, ionize and create ozone. When you run the lamp in your home it changes the environment far beyond just adding a smell to the room. It's clean air that you can feel. I love this thing and would recommend it to anyone.

Toscano - Toscanello Aroma Cioccolato (5 Pack)
Tasty and Stanky
These half cheroots have the characteristic sweet, musty Toscano "fermented tobacco" taste and aroma with a good dose of chocolate over the top. As one person said of Toscanos, "they taste great, but look and smell like dog sh*t". These smell more like chocolate dog sh*t, but taste pretty damn good. Thick, tough wrapper stands up to chewing and burns a little uneven. Gives you a quick half hour smoke. I like them.

Mac Baren - HH Old Dark Fired 3.5oz
Delicious Strips of Smoky Magic
Smoky and sweet, kind of like smoking a strip of bacon in your pipe. I'm a big fan of this one. Medium nicotine kick, medium full flavor, smoky room note. It's also fun to mix this with other blends.

Lighters - Kiribi Pipe Lighter - Kabuto Short Black Nickel
Decent Lighter
This was my first dedicated pipe lighter. Six years later it still works just like new. Build quality is good, ergonomics are good. My only complaint -- and this has been a constant since I first got it -- is it always seems to take 3-4 strikes before it lights. I meticulously clean my lighters, but this particular problem is just part of this lighter's character. Earlier this year I bought an I.M. Corona Old Boy and it's simply a better lighter in every respect, always lights on the first strike. After 6 years, I'm updating my review and knocking off 1.5 stars for this annoying problem. If you're willing to spend this much on a lighter, it's worth it in my opinion to shell out the extra for an Old Boy and skip the bargain option.

Hearth & Home - Viprati 1.75oz
Satisfying VaPer
Sweet, grassy, bready virginias and a healthy dose of spicy perique. This has more going on than most VaPers I've tried. Moisture level was perfect out of the tin. Aroma from the tin is sweet, earthy and fruity. I'm looking forward to smoking more of this one.

Nat Sherman - Tabac Sherman Blend #536 2oz
Just About Perfect
A delicious, perfectly balanced Balkan/English blend. Smooth, creamy and rich like butter. Subtle and complex, sweet and smoky. I've been spreading the gospel of #536 to anyone who'll listen. Do yourself a favor and buy a few tins.

Dan Tobacco - Blue Note 50g
Delicious Aromatic
One of the few aros I've tried that tastes almost exactly like it smells. Strong berry aroma in the tin, good amount of that same flavor in the smoke. Needs a bit of drying time and a slow cadence, but you'll be richly rewarded for the effort.

Mac Baren - Mixture Scottish Blend 3.5oz
A category of its own
This is technically an aromatic. Smells of honey and maple and definitely smokes sweet with a bready, sweet room note. However, unlike most aromatics this one is all about the flavor. Tastes great from start to finish and with so many tobaccos in the blend, the flavor changes throughout the bowl.

Mac Baren - Vanilla Cream 3.5oz
Sweet, all around good aromatic
I picked up some of this a couple of months ago. I cracked the tin open to have a look and smell. Very strong, sweet vanilla tin note like a vanilla cupcake with buttercream. Similar chunky cut to Mac Baren's Scottish Mixture, like nice little twigs. I jarred it up and left it alone until this afternoon when I was craving a sweet afternoon smoke. I'm thoroughly pleased with this tobacco. Packs and lights easily, requiring very little tamping and only one relight at the bottom 1/3 of the bowl. Medium body to the smoke. I don't usually expect tons of flavor from aromatics, but this one delivers (like other Mac Baren aromatics I've had). Mild vanilla notes and sweet, bready notes from the virginias. Room note is like a cake baking. Mild nic hit. This is definitely one I'll revisit when I have that sweet craving, or want to smoke around others who would appreciate the heavenly smell.

Peterson - Early Morning Pipe 50g
A decent English blend
Sweet virginias, mildly spicy orientals and a kiss of smoky latakia. It's a classic beginner English blend for a reason. It's good, but there are far too many complex and flavorful English/Balkan blends out there to linger on this one for long.

Peterson - My Mixture 965 50g
Very Good
A fine, smoky english blend with a good but not overwhelming latakia punch. The Virginia, Oriental and Latakia are fairly well balanced. More interesting than EMP, but not as complex as a lot of other English blends.

G. L. Pease - Quiet Nights 2oz
Flavor Explosion
Reminds me of BBQ, from the appearance of the flake to the rich, sweet smoky aroma in the tin, it takes all my willpower to not just put it on a bun and eat it.

Hearth & Home - Black House 1.75oz
Damn Fine
Smooth, full bodied, rich, sweet and creamy smoke. Very similar to Nat Sherman / Metropolitan #536. This is one of the best Balkan blends of all time. It's a shame both blends have now gone out of production, but thankfully I had the foresight to stock up on both.

Lane Limited - Burley and Black
Boring
Smells great in the bag. Soaked in propylene glycol to the point where I left the bag on my kitchen counter for a month and the tobacco is the same moisture level as when I bought it. Close to zero flavor, smoking this is more like vaping than smoking pipe tobacco (especially with the PG, it's probably not far off from vaping). Room note is pretty good, not as strong as just leaving the tobacco on your counter though. There are lots of other blends that do this kind of thing better, Mac Baren 7 Seas comes to mind. No nic hit, no body to the smoke. Thoroughly unsatisfying, but at least it's cheap.