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Douglas F.
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Reviews
Holger Danske - Mango and Vanilla 50g
As Advertised
I will give this tobacco two plaudits up front. First, it is exactly as advertised. Second, it is some of the best-burning tobacco I've encountered, with the caveat that, with a hefty proportion of Virginia, you can easily over-draw it into burning hot. But once it was lit, it kept going with no trouble. It almost smokes itself. I bought this to mix a little more flavor into Orlik Golden Sliced, and the experiment was a success. Instead of diluting the Danske, a 50/50 blend brought out the flavor in a way that was more than the sum of its parts. Just be aware that this concoction wants to run away from you, so you need to maintain a careful cadence. If you think you'd like this tobacco, you most probably will. It's a blend that manages to be exactly what it sets out to be.
Mac Baren - Danish Mixture Modern 3.5oz
Easy Going
As noted, Danish Mixture is lighter, brighter, and a bit sweeter than Scottish Blend. Danish features notably less of the stony burley body, which shifts the blend to the Virginia end of the spectrum. I think the relative sweetness comes from this shift instead of from any casing differences. The notes don't mention perique, but something gives a hint of spice in the retrohale. It burns nicely, which helps maintain a deliberate cadence. I see Danish Mixture less as an alternative to Scottish Blend and more as a subtly aromatic alternative to VaPers. Good stuff.
Orlik - Golden Sliced 100g
Bingo
OGS is a pristine rendition of Virginia. It's exceedingly clean and approachable, just a fantastic smoke.
Mac Baren - Mixture: Scottish Blend 3.5oz
A Stately Aromatic
(Updated) Mac Baren Scottish is a stately aromatic tobacco that uses quality leaf and a light hand on the casing. The solid body is of bread, oats, and a stony groundedness from the burley. The sweetness is present but controlled, with hints of orange fruits like apricot or perhaps mango. It can smoke hot, and in my experience is very responsive to tamping. Before relighting, give it a puff or two and it might well spring back to life. As you learn it, though, it becomes a steady source of enjoyment. I've bumped the rating to 5 stars, and this is now my favorite blend.
Cornell & Diehl - Visions of Celephaïs 2oz
Bold and Idiosyncratic
Yes, grape. But also woody earthiness (the Kasturi, I guess) and a wonderful body of cracked wheat and pumpernickel. I think the incense note is the interaction of the grape topping and Kasturi. No bite, burns very well. Certainly weird, but unabashedly flavorful. (Smoked in a cob.)
Cornell & Diehl - Granby Station
Decent But Generic
I could not pick out vanilla and applejack, only a light and variable sweetness. Maybe it was just this run, but Granby Station didn't seem to have a clear sense of identity.
Peterson - Connoisseur's Choice 50g
Refined and Fruity
A wonderful blend that expertly balances fruity flavors, custard notes and natural tobacco toastiness. It has a bright tang up front that moves gracefully into the rest of the palate. Room note includes toasted marshmallow. Smokes well, smooth, well behaved.
Lane Limited - RLP-6
A Benchmark
To echo the consensus, this is just an excellent tobacco. It tastes great, smells great, burns exceptionally well, and is completely satisfying without leaning too much in any direction. I'll always have this one on hand.
G. L. Pease - Windjammer 2oz
A Flavor Trip
As a new smoker just starting to expand beyond the heavily cased aromatics, I found something to like and much to admire about this blend. I get stewed prunes and funky Roquefort cheese up front, with that tangy note later settling into rye bread, sour cherry, and even creamed spinach. Along with being a fascinating tobacco, Windjammer also is an education in smoking technique, with flavors being quite responsive to temperature. (Smoking too hot produced acrid notes of Super Glue and soap.) An ingenious flavor trip, and certainly one to revisit regularly as I develop my palate. Wow!
A Dedication to Tradition: Peterson Deluxe Classics- ► @Dan: Thanks, and I agree with your preference for acrylic stems. Slightly less than half of my collection are cob pipes, and each of those features an acrylic Forever Stem. About half of my briars are acrylic, too. I think I prefer a fishtail to the P-lip, but it's not a deal breaker for me. Both the 150 and B10 are available in Peterson's Irish Harp line with acrylic, but I don't think a vulcanite P-lip would stop me from purchasing the 408 smooth out of this Deluxe Classic line (which would likely be the most I've paid for a pipe).