I haven't been smoking aromatics all that much lately but when this came out I had to give it a try; I'm glad I did. If you like vanilla aromatics, then, in my opinion, this is probably the best one out there. The tobacco comes in finely cut coins that are easy to rub out or stuff them in your pipe as-is. Mac Baren states that they use "a subtle casing of premium, Madagascar vanilla". I will attest that the tin note is a sublimely rich deep vanilla. It smelled natural and not artificial. The tobaccos used are whole leaf Virginias, with additional Virginias and partially cavendished, whole leaf dark-fired Kentucky. I like dark-fired Kentuckys, and cavendished dark-fired Kentucky is something I really wanted to try. The tobacco came at the perfect moisture content (i.e., on the edge of being slightly dry) and I didn't need any drying time. I chose to rub out a several coins and lightly stuff my pipe. It was easy to light, burned well, I only needed a couple of relights. The smoke has a sweet rich vanilla flavor from beginning to end. It never faded away or burned off. There really was a nice sweetness to the smoke, which was likely from Mac Baren's traditional application of maple sugar. It really didn't have a maple taste, just a warm sweet taste that complemented the vanilla. The Virginias provided their usual sweet grass/citrus/tobacco flavors. The cavendished dark-fired Kentucky added depth to the smoke, as a condiment, and provided somewhat of a brown sugar flavor to go with the vanilla. Not knowing if this is going to be a regular offering from Mac Barens, I decided not to chance it and bought several tins to keep it in my rotation when I want a warm sweet rich vanilla smoke. Read Less

I love the imagery of tall ships and a sailor's life. That's what I think of when I hear “Capstan” (with a Stan Rogers song playing in my head). But most people think of Middle Earth. Nearly everyone has heard that J.R.R. Tolkien smoked Capstan and possibly created the high fantasy genre in the process. It would be a stretch to think the tobacco alone made that possible and a discredit to his intellect. Having said that, it's not hard to see what he found so appealing about Capstan. What you may not know is that tobaccos age and mature and then peak. We all like to get a tin and eagerly crack it open and dive right in, but this leads to a lot of differing opinions of taste and experience. Not every batch is the same readiness and it takes careful consideration with a flake like Capstan to know if it's time to smoke or time to wait. I've had some that were wonderfully sweet and bready right away, but I've also had some that were bitter and sort of pungent from a freshly opened tin that benefited greatly from the passage of time. I believe that Capstan is good quality and that it's blenders keep in mind an end result that given various crops of tobacco require adjustments to be made if that end goal is to be consistent. If you find you have a negative experience with this flake, please don't throw it out in haste, be patient and return to it after a week, a month, 6 months...eventually you'll discover why this tobacco is revered. It is a survivor for a reason, don't be misled by rash decisions. Good things come to those that wait. Read Less

I don't write reviews often, but this one seemed to be a given. As is my usual practice, I opened a tin of Peterson EMP, the day after I got it, and the day before I smoked it. The introduction of air to a vacuum sealed tin always tends to excite the poor tobacco that has been deprived, and it gets it pretty excited. Well I must say I was incredibly happy to have EMP back. From the moment I opened the tin I could remember the wonderful scent of Dunhill EMP. From the moment of the 1st burn, everything was right in the world again. Thank you Peterson for picking this back up, and keeping it exactly the same!! Read Less

Escudo is well represented in my cellar and for good reason. This blend ages with the best of them. Although, I really enjoy this blend with just a year of age on it. At this time when you crack a tin it has an incredible tin note of muscadines. The smell takes me back to my childhood and stopping at fruit stands on the side of the road with my mom. The blend not only smells great but it also taste pretty darn good too. The blend supports a wonderful mix of fruit, spice and a touch of hay (particularly when it is young). Give this one a try if you have not done so already. Read Less

Ive smoke about a quarter pound of regular and special reserve plum pudding now and they share a common thread... they are absolutely delicious. I do prefer the special reserve for it's added smoothness and depth of flavor. Normally i just prefer to slice off a slab and loosely crumble it into medium to large sized chunks for a solid 1.5 hour smoke. A word of caution: only prepare what u intend to smoke for the next pipe or day at most. I made the mistake of preparing half the brownie since i was smoking so much of it and then i ended up putting it aside for a couple months. The plum flavor will dissipate during that time. Smoked fresh the plum flavor is absolutely fantastic and is a companion from first light to last puff. Rich, smokey, mesquite, spicy, smooth, and truly a melange of fine smoky and plum flavors that is intoxicating in the best way. I dont deliberate on the flavors im tasting here, i just lounge in my chair and drink it all in and relax. A little mesquite here, a lot of campfire and leather there, and some spicy perique and cavendish throughout. Make no mistake though, this is more enjoyable with the plum flavor present and accounted for. If you like a rich english smoke its hard to go wrong here. Medium in body and mild in nicotine from my experience. Even after several relights it maintains its flavor and body without getting harsh. Special reserve ages magnificently, and gets even smoother and more rich/complex in flavor. In my opinion this is the best that SPC has to offer hands down, being a true stand out blend. If I may be so bold... both this blend and the original are easily in the top 10 best blends currently in production and for my preference top 3( even over penzance). As a lover of pretty much all tobaccos, and a guy whose rotation and preferences are forever shifting and exploring new blends, PPSR always finds ito way back to the top of my rotation. If you like English tobaccos I highly recommend trying this one. It may be a little pricey but it's worth every penny. ADDENDUM: In the time since I first smoked these blends, I've learned that I largely dislike the processing done on most* Sutliff and McClelland blends. That being said, I still thoroughly enjoy PP Special Reserve and other blends from these companies. Generally speaking I do not, however, so I figured it might be a good idea to add this info in case there are people with similar likes and dislikes. My opinion of PP Special Reserve remains unchanged for now (I'm about.to pop a fresh tin and begin the journey side by side with aged regular PP), and that is to say that it is pretty awesome stuff and extremely smooth. It might be impossible to make this one bite, once dried correctly. Seriously. Read Less

This is a great tobacco, but it is very sensitive to how you pack the pipe. It needs a bit of trial to get it right, but it is really flavorful and easy smoking with no bite once you get the packing and cadence down right. The 100g tin has a really long spiral flake and one needs to tear off enough to either rub out just a bit or stuff directly into the bowl with only a short drying time ... Read Less

I love Balkan style tobacco, read some reviews and decide to get some. Just opening the tin made comfortable with my decision to purchase. Creamy would be a good description for the whole bowl, sort'a like a comfort food I couldn't leave it alone. The Lakeland is very noticeable, as is the Lakatia if your not a big fan or you don't crave Latakia don't buy. I find this to be vey enjoyable, it is within my top five tobaccos. Read Less

This blend welcomes your palate with an intoxicating fragrance that smells like a library full of classics (in the original languages). Sensory experiences are further tantalized by the sight of this cake that resembles beef jerky. Mouth is watering. First light is like an exotic punch to the mouth. This is a magnus opus of english blends. Not for the faint of heart, but for those discerning lovers of fine English Blends, Quiet Nights will become a dear friend. I enjoy this with some Islay Scotch, the peaty flavors work with this blend well, preferably with a book in hand and an hour or two to spare. Read Less

This might be he highest quality blend I have ever tried. Mechanically it does wonderfully, smokes very cool. Flavors are all very earthy, musty. Low notes. Dark chocolate, coffee. Very good blend highly recommend. Read Less

Yeah, I said it - this is quite similar to penzance but better - smoother & great rich flavor. Thoroughly enjoying this one as the cold is starting to hit the midwest Read Less

I love this blend. Cool, uncompromising, and straightforward. It really brings out the best springtime, fresh, blooming flavours that bright Virginias tend to have, and the spice from the Orientals are a lovely condiment. I think I will need to top this blend up regularly. I also really appreciate the neatness and charm of the cut, and it can be smoked folded or rubbed just fine. Read Less

This is one of the few English blends that I could smoke all day! Still, a generous amount of nicotine and a citrusy note to keep one interested throughout the whole smoke. Read Less

This has been my go to blend since ever I opened up my first tin. The sweet smell of the “dressing” or topping initially entranced me to light up bowl after bowl. The complexity of Virginias and that sweet taste. It doesn’t disappoint! For me it does best in a smaller pipe. If you pick up a tin, get ready to set sail on the Royal Yacht. Read Less

This is my favorite tobacco, it's absolutely perfect. It's perfectly balanced, lightly smoky, slightly sweet, nutty creamy, and a little incense like from the orientals. It smokes cool with no bite whatsoever and has a wonderful aftertaste, I'm stocking up on this. Read Less

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. Read Less

This tobacco is absolutely perfect. Orlik is like an old, dear friend or slipping into some comfy clothes. I prefer the smaller tin, which is probably mental - but it just tastes better to me this way. This tobacco has saved angry pipes who didn't like anything, and broken in some new pipes excellently. A standard; a classic. So terrific when your pipe aquires a taste for it after a few bowls. I cannot state enough how beloved Orlik Golden Sliced is. It is as perfect of a flake as one can hope for. A+ Read Less

Much upset for the guys who cellared 100+ tins of Dunhill tobacco to flip, only to find Peterson bought the rights to Dunhill's excellent blends. Same factory, same blend, same process as Dunhill's Flake. The only thing that's changed is the sticker on the front. Great solid Brown Virginias, sweet grassy smoke which gets much better with age. Read Less

Smokey, rich, and everything you want a on a brisk fall night. I was given a sample of this from a friend, and once finished I immediately ordered some and brought it into my rotation. Heavier on the Latikia side than I would have thought, but still those orientals find their way into the mix. I've heard this could be an all day smoke, but I usually like to end my day with it. The strength of the nic isn't going to push you over however, if you're looking for that I'd go with nightcap. This is my "sit by the fire and contemplate writing the great american (or english, I guess?) novel" blend. Full flavored, and feels like you're sinking your teeth into a rich, and savory treat. Read Less