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

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.