Tabac de la Semois: Reserve du Patron 3.5oz Pipe Tobacco

Product Number: 003-666-0002

Long the secret of the Ardennes' misty valleys, Semois remained unheard of to most outside Belgium until a writer for the New York Times received some as a gift, leading in turn to an article on this distinctive regional leaf. Earthy, floral, and cool, many who've now had the chance to try it often find themselves grasping in vain for a well-known tobacco to compare it to: "cigar-like tin note, but not like a cigar," "alternate-universe Oriental," etc. The simple truth is, Semois is Semois: a straight, all-natural Burley grown under unique conditions.

In the traditional style, Vincent Manil packs and ships this leaf quite dry; while there might be a temptation to bring the tobacco to a higher humidity if you aren't familiar with it, Semois smokes well (and many would argue, best) as received, and tightly packed. (As others have noted, the dryness also means you're getting more leaf, and less water, for the packaged weight.)

Reserve du Patron is Tabac Manil's medium cut of the now famous Burley.

Strength:
Room Note:
Taste:
Customer Reviews
Overall Rating:
4.8
28 reviews
One of my favorites
March 25, 2025
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
As someone who doesn't like burleys usually, I REALLY like this. Smoked the same way you would sip a fine wine. Comes bone dry in the package and that's how you're supposed to smoke it I suppose. Burns very fast. Has a grassy sort of musty smell to it like damp green hay in an old barn. Tastes slightly sour and earthy which morphs as you progress further down until becoming almost sweet and fragrant. Unlike anything else I've tried....Read More
Best burley!
March 03, 2025
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
Ive tried very few burley, five brothers, some from sutliff & c&d, and from highland of gayo, acheh, Indonesia.
Well this is the best i ever had.
Another Fine Burley...from Semois.
February 27, 2025
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
I'm a first year piper, going into my second year, and Burley is my preference. I've recently tried "Tabac De La Semois: La Brumeuse" for the first time and I love it. It is one of my rare 5★ picks. But this one gets the same high mark of 5★. Even though I would rate it just a tiny bit below "La Brumeuse"...just not going to rate it at 4.5★. I popped open three 3.5oz bales of this, to put into a large jar, and already smoked a few bowls. Not noticing much of, if any, difference from "La Brumeuse." But it is slightly different. I did notice, from seeing it myself, there's more aniseed in this one. But this could be due only to how I transferred each from their bale into jars. I opened each bale of this and put into a large bowl, upon loosening the brick, and the aniseed was everywhere. Made me feel like I was back in the 70's sorting out seeds, in a shoe-box lid, from another smoke'able leaf. Only, I didn't sort out the aniseed from this Reserve du Patron. Anyhow, and again as was with the La Brumeuse, this is a 'gourmet' Burley. Possibly the finest, but surely, the most flavorful Burley I have yet tried. Always happy to gather more and more of this stuff; when available. It's not one I smoke throughout any whole day. But for those moments...absolutely reaching for and lighting up a bowl of any Burley from Tabac De La Semois....Read More
Something special
December 19, 2024
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
Honestly I am blown away. Very contemplative smoke with a flavor profile unlike anything else. Sweet, musty cigar-esk notes with a light taste of bitter cocoa and hay. Then an intense roasted, nutty, buttery flavor on the exhale. Smoking it is a real pleasure
A Better Burley.
August 12, 2024
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
Semois is a variant of burley and in my opinion it is better than it when smoked straight. There is certainly a cigar-like quality to it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've seen reviews where people have stated this is for the experienced smoker but pay no mind to that. I'm a novice and have just gotten into the hobby this year and I've been able to enjoy this quite a bit. My advice and like many others have stated: pack it tight and smoke it slowly. This tobacco comes bone dry and it is meant to be that dry! It's a lovely tobacco and if you enjoy cigars or tobaccos with nutty flavors with slight sweetness, then I absolutely recommend this. I've found that this smokes best in my Peterson 999 Deluxe in Terracotta. A lovely combination....Read More
Amazing
November 08, 2023
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
This reminds me of the characteristics of Nicaraguan tobacco. I can think of a particular blender who uses leaf with similar nuances. Despite the common nuances, it most certainly isn’t cigar, make no mistake. Rather, this is a stand alone product with the strength and power of a medium-full/full bodied cigar. With flavor notes similar to that of a cigar, but on a completely different melody and octave, that you’d never find in a cigar. It’s amazingly refreshing. Even if you misbehave and get carried away into the sunset with this, it will let you know your doing something wrong, but it’ll still let you have some fun anyway....Read More
Great Straight
June 25, 2023
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
I was a bit afraid to try because straight Burley tends to remind me of when I was a cigarette smoker. I sat on this for about a year before I decided to try it. When opened I was amazed at how dry it was but I read that's how its intended. So lighting it up I have to say I'm very impressed smooth, nutty, buttery and very pleasant not something I smoke daily but when nothing is tasting good with my normal Balkan or Va-Pers I go here and it almost always goes well on the palate. Definitely worth trying if you enjoy a straight Burley now and then....Read More
awesome!
December 18, 2022
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
Package note of mildly sweet, earthy, and mild licorice. Tobacco is brown medium ribbon cut, a little on the dry side but soft, no prep needed. Burns fast with few relights. The strength is Medium to Strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is Medium to Full and very consistent, with complex notes of a spicy cigar, very earthy, mildly sweet nuts, very dry wood, very mild bitter cocoa, bready, herbal floral, musty hay, mildly tangy-sweet background note, and a peppery retro. Burley is leading with the "secrete leaf" (maybe a Virginia?) supporting. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is great....Read More
Great
May 27, 2022
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
There will come a time, you’ll see, when Smokingpipes customers will lament the scarcity of this tobacco.
No dottle
June 16, 2022
Product: Tabac de la Semois Reserve du Patron 3.5oz
I smoked this in a cob. Bad idea. I've never before smoked a bowl to complete ash. And a mouthful of ash came right down thru the stem. This tobacco has a nic hit like a good cuban cigar. I didn't notice the nic sneak up on me. Not like a gawaith rope but subtle smooth. This is good for an adventurous spirit. It's different in bag smell. Smoking scent. everything is different from any other pipe tobacco....Read More