Public Profile

Arturo Fuente - Emperador
Excellent
Fuente lover for decades, though I typically prefer Canones, Double Cheateus, and Royal Salutes, in addition to Hemminways, though I usually go with La Gloria Presidentes and Padrons. Nice medium cigar with natural wrapper, lots of good cedar, a ver... y slight sweetness, good value price, very comparable to other light wrapper Fuentes. More than decent burn with a little management. Good quality and enjoyable smoke. I would buy boxes on a good deal. I get no bitterness or bit that others have reported. These a fun and quite cedary smoke. I don't get any pepper. You could smoke these all day long any time.

BriarWorks - Country Lawyer 2oz
Nice smooth Burley with added balance, little spice, and smoothness.
[Tin/Bag - Little molasis, rum, brown sugar. Good moisture, just right, ready to smoke.] Grassy Virgina's, reminded of Orlik Golden/PS LNF on the light but lighter with a little spice, a little tang, and little burlyesqueness. Not catching any heavy cigar leaf or Kentucky, but slight hints and it is supposed to be in the blend.... but it is blended well and not dominating. More dominated by the Burley really. It is a nice well rounded dominately middle dry Burely with nuances of the Kentucky and smoothed out by any Virginias, Cavendish, while zested up a bit with Oriental spice to make it a well burning and easy on the tongue. Mostly Burley here as the bowl goes, but it is an interesting and smooth Burley at that. Not leaving any extra moisture, burns well. Any time smoke. I could smoke it any day, any time, but typically would prefer more pronounced blends in various categories over it. So, I will keep some on hand, but not much more than 1.8 jars for an occasional change up. ◄6.9/10✠Skulls►

Five Brothers - Five Brothers 1.25oz
Great, Fine Shag Burley, Nutty, and more!
[Tin/bag - Faint old shoe leather, dates/plumbs/ dried dark fruit, tiny bit of a plasticy smell. Ultra fine (hairlike) cut, smallest ribbons I have seen to date - threadlike. Dry just right, ready to smoke out of the pouch.] A little nutty and instantly reminds of Chatham Manor (HH Carter Hall Match). Little woody here and there. Interestingly, some good citrus on second light. Little bit grassy towards a slight virginia yellow grass. Very tasty, watch out for nicotine kick. Great burn, easy to manage, no moisture collection. Makes me like Burley, its not cigarettey to me at all like some Burley's (i.e. Lane Ready Rubbed). Not sure if I like more than or less than Chatham Manor. They are different though have some similarities, Chatham (9 mo aged) is a little sweeter and a little milder after smoking back to back, with the nuttiness being similar. I find myself reaching for this more than Chatham lately. Ordered 20 pouches more!◄7.4/10✠Skulls►

Sutliff - 1M
An excellent and enjoyable Aromatic
[Tin/bag - Brown sugar liqueur to Vanilla fade to old shoe slight leather. Needs to dry, pretty wet and sticky.] Brown sugar to little vanilla/rum, to some peppery retro. Stays that way with sugary sweetness to some rum/vanilla and pepper on retro. More peppery than Lane 1-Q when well lit with heavy draws. Straight ash knockout. Burns well with no management issues. Think I like 1-Q more. Maybe a little more liqueury than 1-Q, but I do keep a pound of each on hand for infrequent Aromatic escapades. ◄7.4/10✠Skulls►

Newminster - No.23 Blackberry Brandy
I Don't Often Aromatic, But When I Do... This One Is A Favorite Treat
[Tin/Bag - Delicious! Sweet, rich, black and some blue berries. So deep at times, almost like a syrup. Way deep inside there are some hints of mild leathery tobacco. Very dark, traditional ribbon cut, black Cavendish. Comes with some moisture. Let it set out to a nice easily malleable dryness, and then no stickies on fingers or clumping.] Retrohaling Wonders! Tastey on light with some of the nice sweet and tangy berries in the retrohale. You will miss most of the experience without retrohale, thus employ it with nearly every puff. Gives some mouth watering at the slight tingly tart spots here and there, which build at latter part of the start of the bowl. Very faint aromaticness dances around in the berry barrel of dried fruit. The little tart spots continue give a little mouth watering sour amongst the sweetness of the berries. Just a tad bit of almost a maduro leaf flavor at the very end while there is still some berry in there too. Burns great, very-long and slow. Easily managed, with no relights needed after the charring light. Take care to manage puffing away at a high cadence while enjoying the different nuances of the berries rolling around through the flavors, or it can get hot, but keeping a nice slower cadence doesn't produce any abnormal hotness. No gurgles, no bunches of goop left at the bottom of the bowl, and flavorful to the end of the bowl. Not often does the moment to Aromatic overtake me, but when it does this is a topper for me! Others I do enjoy a bowl of in those infrequent moments every 3-4 weeks are Lane 1-Q, BCA, Sutliff 1M & Vanilla Custard, HH Scottie's Trout Stream and Taxman Cometh, but the go to is going to either be No.23, 1-Q, or BCA. Most of the other ~40 Aromatics I have tried will never be ordered again. I will keep a pound or two of No. 23 Blackberry Brandy on hand in case it ever goes out of print, but the pound+ I have should last several years and hopefully does not lose any of the delicious, sweet, or tangy flavors. ◄8.2/10✠Skulls►

Sutliff - Revelation Match
Quite good variety of flavor! Creamy rich sweetness, a little nut, darkened fruit, zest. and cool smoothing light Latakia.
[Tin/bag - Old shoe leather, some slight sweetness. Slight vinegar almost, and slight plum. Moisture ready to go, but you may want to break up some of the chunkiness of Burley and V.Flake in the mix. I packed most the small chunks and did not need to rub out any.] Warm and creamy, with rich sweetness with faint Virginia yellow grass. A slight millisecond of bitter from maybe some Burley on false light out. I quite like this blend. A little bit of the Burley for some nuttiness along with Latakia smoothing it out with a little smoke and coolness while there is a mild influx of sweetness. I can sense the Perique in there, but I am not getting any of the characteristic tingle or sting in the nose or on the tongue for any spice (it may come later down the bowl - some just barely at times). Some almost vanilla in there with the sweetness, creaminess is there for sure, slightly on the verge of 50/50 popsicle at times. I have never tried the original Revelation, but this is a great tobacco. Enjoying the variations of flavor, the mild casing along with some Latakia and sweetness. Finally even a little Perique nip pops in there too. Nice and fulfilling smoke. This is good for any time, and I am glad I took a shot at it. Mild burning, can be heated up, but a smooth normal cadence should not be a problem. I am freight training this a bit while exploring the flavors and not feeling any bite other than a tingle here and there, with a good after taste that has lots of sweetness verging toward orange. Minimal if any relights necessary. Not a moisture maker, and burns down to a small ash with one tiny chunk of dottle (user error). I'll have to reorder a pound to have on hand. It's good stuff, and I might like Presbyterian more (and its Match), but this is good to have on hand for changing things up a bit. Pairs excellent with Lagunitas Imperial Stout (for intermittent sips). ◄7.3/10✠Skulls►

Lane Limited - BL/WB
Nice surprise - mellow, smooth, bekoning slight toasty sugar sweetness, with light Burley nuttiness. Kills Ready Rubbed IMO.
[Tin/bag - Nice dark sugary aroma, then it gets a little allspice or some toasty spice in there. A certain something in there that I do not like for it being a little sickening sweetness - gag reflex way down in belly just a tad. Very fluffy, small ribbon cut in with pretty much cube cut, gravity feeds into a bowl with ease. Moisture ready to smoke.] Pleasant surprise, looked like it would be an Edgeworth Ready Rubbed simple cigarette/slight nut repeat - it was not. Mellow, smooth, beckoning slight toasty sugar sweetness, with light Burley nuttiness. Beats Ready Rubbed hands down for me - by a long shot. Not going to get anything complex here, it is pretty straight forward, mellow, and simple from start to finis, with a little mild aromaticness in there that appears in many of Lane Limited's aromatics. It's like there is a veeery slight touch of 1-Q, or like you had left a bag of 1-Q sitting inside another bag of plain Burley for a day or two and some of 1-Q flavor came through the baggy, so, very light. A quite nice, mild, satisfyingly simple, mellow, smoke with consistent flavor to the end. Could be useful to tone down or add some plumage into a blend too. Smooth, and lives up to it's name with no bite, bowl maintenance, or relights needed down to fine ash. Cool burning without much heat or moisture in the bowl. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Cornell & Diehl - Star of the East Gold
Quite a bit of sweetness, some dried brown grass earthiness, with growing oriental zing, all melded over with mild Latakia, and hints of florals in the afterglow.
[Tin/bag - Little bit of new tire smell in the Latakia department. Some faintly sweet old shoe leather. Fine small ribbon cut and a good portion of dust in my bag as well. On the dry side but still ready to go.] Tiny peppery spice tingle in the nose and middle of tongue along with a little sweet leaning towards orange side of sweetness spectrum on false light, which continues on relight. Some dried brown grass/earth from ? red Virginias, all being melded over with very light Latakia playing along. Some small faint floral in the retrohale, and mostly in the nice after taste exhales before a puff. A little more zesty-jaggedy smooth than silky smooth that grows along the way, at times quite spicy over orangey sweet. Good amounts of smoke and fullness of mouth feel. About medium taste level. Burns cool and behaves nicely with a few boost lights along the way. Little to no moisture at the end of bowl. A morning smoke for me today and could be enjoyable any time of day, as well as all day long. ◄6.5/10✠Skulls►

Cornell & Diehl - Billy Budd
Good, any time Burley, with a pleasant smaller sweetness, and some Latakia.
[Tin/bag - Pretty heavy smoke like a leftover charred log in the fireplace - not a beach campfire, a drop of sweet, and old shoe leather. Some more dank sweetness. Perfect moisture and ready to light up.] Nice Latakia right away in the front, but it is a bit subdued and not a bomber of it. It just stays there and plays along for the duration. Some faint almost orangy sweetness - very mild and kind of flows over the Latakia. A slight tang on the side of tongue for just a moment. Seems like the sweetness might be coming from the maduro leaf, but not positive that is where the attribute is located. There is some of the lingering maduro leaf smoke taste that melds with the Latakia very nicely (diff than Latakia - kind of like a maduro Padron or La Gloria Serie R) at the end of the exhale, which waters the mouth a little with a little tanginess. Good full mouthfeel; really like this one. Burns cool and excellent down to ash, with little relights or any moisture left in the bowl. Reach for this one at various times throughout the day. ◄7.5/10✠Skulls►

Sutliff - Pumpkin Spice
Darkened sugar, squash, little mild spice, pop of cinnamon, and traditional aromatic overtone - really pretty good.
[Tin/bag - Faint sweetness of darker sugar and some allspice, netmeg? aftershave of old men? rootbeer? not catching any pumpkin, but I am not a pumpkin connoisseur. Faint and brief whiff of old shoe leather. Little sticky on the fingers. Very moist, let it set out for quite a while or surely going to be a bunch of yuk in the bowl at end - might lose some flavor there, but that is preferred to a goop bowl.] More rootbeer, then there it is.. a little pumpkin, especially in a no smoke retrohale, and then more with a draw after false light out. Seems more like darkened sugar and squash burning in there, but what is pumpkin anyhow but maybe that? There is some of the usual aromaticness I find in many aros containing hints of fabricated chemical (humectant?). Maybe it is the humectant because after 4 hours drying this was still sticky with it. Why the heck companies ruin a tobacco with it is beyond me. A little cinnamonesque in with other spice, fairly warm brown sugary feel, cinnamon fades and reappears and the humectant fades. It's like a good group of spicy brown sweetness with a Cavendish smoothness. Easy management without bite or need to relight. It is not beating Newminster Blackberry Brandy, Lane 1-Q & BCA, or Sutliff 1M & Vanilla Custard, but it is ahead of most aromatics for me. Not overpowering or creating any sickening flavors, moisture, or goop, which is great. Good flavor down to the end with the darkened sugars and spiced pumpkin along with the Cavendish. Really pretty decent and I am pleasantly happy there was not a bunch of moisture when carrying through to the end. I could get used to smoking more of this for the infrequent aromatic moments. ◄6.5/10✠Skulls►

Cornell & Diehl - London Squire
Real good English flavor throughout with some sweetness, fullness, and light Latakia.
[Tin/bag - Old shoe leather with a little earthiness, not catching much else after a some more whiffs. Just slightly moist, but I loaded a bowl since it is really close to ready to light up on moisture side.] Good full mouthfeel. A slight tang and sweetness towards the orange side and a very faint hint of yellowed grass. Not much Latakia, but it plays along in support for a cool, smooth, nice English blend. Reminds a bit of a sharper Arango Balkan Supreme (preferred - richer, thicker bigger flavor), but there are some Burley overtones here and there. Not catching any nuttiness from the Burley, did get some very slight general Burley flavor, also did catch a hint of cigarette at one faint point in the retrohale. Plenty of great flavor here overall, though I would prefer Balkan Supreme, Presbyterian, Super Balkan, or Billy Budd more when looking for this style of flavor. Burns cool and excellent down to ash, with little relights. With heavier puffing I did get some moisture that could gurgle very slightly, more of a few pops - some dry time probably would prevent the moisture accumulation since it was a bit moist. This quite after a few minutes and no moisture left in the bowl at end - no bites either. Would be a great English smoke any time of day or night. ◄7.2/10✠Skulls►

Lane Limited - Ready Rubbed 1.5oz
Think Cigarettes
[Tin/pouch - Vinegar nose tin first whiff. Sour note. Beautiful nutty brown sugary bowl sniff (very light).] Woody on smoke. Molasses on exhale giving to nuttiness hint. Mostly bland tobacco. (Lasting first impression: think cigarettes). If sampling through Burleys, it is a good part of that experience, but PS Toasted Burley blows this one away IMO. ◄3/10✠Skulls►

Velvet - Velvet 1.5oz
Mostly Flavor Lacking And Boring, But There Are A Few Nuances To Be Appreciated - If this is the
[Tin/bag - Wow, overpowering whiskey/bourbon. After several whiffs, I can start to catch a little dark sugar and some sweetness. Soft to the touch, cube cut that does give a sense of Velvet with its fluffiness.] Mild Burley with slight fruit note here and there and a little sweetness in the aftertaste, almost a vanilla. Very slight tingle on the tongue and once or twice in nose (nothing like a Perique nip). Mostly flavor lacking and boring. A little bit of cigarette in there faintly at the end of retro. Also a little bitterness at the end of exhale, and maybe a little nuttiness from the Burley, but it also seems to have chemicalized twist to it, again very faint. It did get a little better towards end of bowl, but maybe that is me tuning in better to the very slight flavors. Reminiscent of picking up some dried leaves and smoking them, though I have never done that, and there is a little sweetness in there. I do not like Lane Limited Ready Rubbed much (think cigarette on that), and I rank this one behind it. This sure didn't start the day off with great pleasure. It will be my last pouch I am pretty sure, and it will sit in the mason jar until I die most likely, since I do not throw out tobacco at this point. I will try to appreciate it more in a year or so, I don't expect aging helps any, but I will try it one more time. Burns fairly cool, even with heavy puffing. Not a moisture builder either, but I didn't finish down to the bottom of the bowl. I pitched it at the last 8th of bowl. ◄2.2/10✠GenerousSkulls►

Cornell & Diehl - Super Balkan
A Fantastic Balkan - Good Balanced Smokey Latakia Presence With Some Zesty Prickles, Fullness, and Sweets Here And There
[Tin/bag - Nice campfire smokey with a little of the new tire smell. A little note of sweet browness. Some serious flake kinda ground into this. Pulled a little piece of intact flake (1/8"x1/4"). So, a little rub here and there for any chunkiness, but not so much needed really - just stuff it in with the mix. Moisture excellent and ready to be fired up.] Rich, smooth, full, reminds of Stokkebye/Arango Balkan Supreme right away, has a little less of the full mouthfeel roundedness to it, and maybe the Latakia is very subtley more sharp by contrast with the Latakia being more prominent; but not a bomb. Some enjoyable slight nose tingle pepperiness on the retro that Arango does not have. A little sweetness rolls out here and there with good fullness too. Additionally, seems a bit more Periquey than Arango (do not think Arango has any), which is a nice difference of choice. Easy burning with little relights down to a small amount of ash at the end. Fairly cool burning, but I did get a little hot in the bowl while fast paced puffing and searching out flavors. Instant relight if you let it burn out. No management issues at all. Not a biter, but keep a finger to the bowl if you start freight training, which for me was very tempting. Full of flavor to the end - Great stuff! I might have to let prices guide me between re-purchases Arango Balkan Supreme or CD Super Balkan, but I surely expect to keep a pound handy, also both are very well priced entirely. This one will go on the re-order a pound or two more list for the future. ◄8/10✠Skulls►

St. Bruno - Ready Rubbed 1.75oz
Rich fruits and sweetness, a little zing in the nose and lingering tingle on the mouthful, along with delicious Virginas in the retro, and then some faint lingering woodiness and hints of dark fired Kentucky (which give that little tingle too).
[Tin/bag - Initial wiff of sharp syrup/rum/spirits or something hit me in the throat, sweet - maybe raisiny, a little leather, and almost a faint vinegar. Longer crumpled cut strands like a ready rubbed flake would be, a little thicker than typical ribbon cut and straighter too. Some moisture in the pouch, had to dry some in front of a fan for quick access (10 mins).] Sugary molasses just a touch that quickly gives excellent Virginia yellow hay notes. Really tastey lightup. Some slight nip to it in the nose on the retro, and then a little woodiness in there. Every once in a while some bitterness in the aftertaste. I attribute the nip and bitterness to some dark fired Kentucky, but I do not sense smokiness. Little bit of tingle on the tongue after exhale with secondary tastings of the after taste. Nice, rich, more robust and full mouth flavor, along with some fruitiness. A sense of vanilla here and there in the mix lingering on the side and back of the tongue. I catch a few hints of the floral notes people have mentioned. I really like the Virginias on the retro the most, and then the richer sweets of fruit, and there ever so faintly, is some leftover smoke and woodiness in the nicely blended in dark fired Kentucky. Enjoyable, there is quite a bit going on here it seems. I tried this one out, over popping any of my tins, for the price point. Amongst a little mixed reviews, it seems to indicate that tin vs pouch are the same, or so similar, that I will probably not detect enough difference. It's very good, but probably not going to be a mainstay for me, as I just don't sense it will be something that crosses my mind first when I go to pick up the pipe. However, it should be nice here and there and I will keep some on hand, but about 5 tins should last me past the Apocalypse and into the grave with me favoring others in my cellar. Stays nice and fairly cool throughout the bowl, with little to no relights needed. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Arango - Balkan Supreme
Cool, Tastey English, Nice Range of Flavors
[Tin/Bag - Old shoe leather, then a little smokiness. Moisture ready to go.] Great-Full-Balkan. Smooth blue Latakia conjures in the mind upon light. Not super heavy in the smokiness. A little lemony tang and spice. No burning candles quite, which I often get a sense of with intense Latakias. Tiny hint of wood, then some pretty very mild spice and nose tingle after stoking and tamping well. More spice less of the smooth Latakia back and forth as it goes along, with small detection of Virgina periodically in the retrohale. I really like this one. A little more spice than Stokkebye Luxury English. Like it about the same, but a little more. Burns excellent, cool, no moisture left over, easily managed. A little more full or roundedness than HH 10 to Midnight. Better burning too. Arango/Stokkebye = much better price too. Smoked up to one saved bowl left, which was saved to compare to the 5 pounds that are in route for delivery. Great any time smoke! ◄8/10✠Skulls►

Drexel - Drexel VIII 1.5oz
Quite Decent True Flake in a Pouch
[Tin/Pouch - Little plum, old shoe leather. Mild notes of plastic/rubber (not bad or in any toxic sense).] Brown flavor *image conjured*. Good hay-grass, dried deep yellow. Lingering sweetness. Keep imagining a ripe orange here and there, though there is no orange flavor. Maybe a little brown sugary finish lingering. Not getting any nippy spice. It is decent and true flake in a pouch that and behaves well and keeps flavor to the end. Not a biter. I do prefer Stokkebye LNF, LTF, and other virginia's more, but it is nice to have a little around for a once in a while change up every couple of months maybe. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Sutliff - 507C Virginia Slices
Nice grassy Virginas - comes in under PS LTF or LNF or SG FVF
[Tin/Bag - Little old leather with a little smokiness. Sliiiight turpentine or faint lacquer at just a point for a hint. Again some smokiness. Some middle brown sugar with deeper sweetness. Long stranded flakes. Easy to fold and stuff or rub out as desired. Good moisture, little to no dry time needed.] It's a good one. Hay, yellow grass. Similar to PS LTF or maybe PS LNF. Good grass/hay. Tiny hint of aromaticness, especially on a retro (I prefer PS LNF). Go with price between LNF/LTF or this? Apparently others see an aromatic top too. PG humectant present too some... go for LNF instead. Good middle yellow grass. Get some sweetness. Like it more than Newminster 400 Superior Navy Flake for slightly more grassiness, but like Newminster SNF much more for the interesting and lighter characteristics. Behaves decently throughout the bowl with flavor to the end. Did leave some moisture and dottle that I didn't want to steam through as some bite could have been there. Could be a good Virginia smoke any time of day for sure. (3 month age) Not as rich or as much sweetness or well developed as LNF, a little more cardboardy or dried brown grassiness. ◄7-7.4/10✠Skulls►

Newminster - No.403 Superior Round Slices
Great flavors that move around a little
[Tin/bag - Not much of any smell. Maybe faint bown sugar along with some faint old shoe. Neat, smaller coins with easy preparation for stacking them in, rolling them and stuff, or rub out too. Perfect moisture, ready to smoke.] Carries high heat it seems - nurse slowly. Little bit of yellow grass Virginias on light... nice room note of virginia. Got real hot at the top of bowl with a strong second light. Mostly getting Virginias and especially so in the after taste. Tad of aromatic, and then some burn retro (Kentucky?). Virginia forward... yeup. A few lights later, aromatic. More aromaticness 5/8 bowl, then a little Kentucky Dark. No real Virginias towards the end, then all of a sudden there were some. A slight mouthwatering sour from the Dark Fired on a couple of draws too. Then a little later also got some nice sweetness. Good stuff, carries flavor to the end of bowl along with quite a bit of heat, down to a fine white and grey ash, left a small dottle. I did get a couple moisture pops at 3/4 bowl with steady small sipping, it did clear up when I backed off even more. A few bowls, and I feel I could get bitten up a little, though I seemed to manage with just an edginess of bite. Just be careful as the heat builds easily. I am ordering more to keep on hand. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Newminster - No.400 Superior Navy Flake
Lightly crumbling longer strands of delicious flake.
[Tin/Bag - Very sweet Virginias. Little brown sugar and light molassis, light oven baking some very faint cinnamon rolls. A little almost smokey vanilla, and almost a cinnamon. Not much moisture, needs to 0-15 mins. A fluffy texture when rubbout some, crumbles easily. Very light texture. Little shoe leather after dry and rubbout. Easy for fold and stuff as well leaving a little easy kindling for the top off.] Some slightly greener (but not green) grass, catfish in the grass on a pond image, burnt matches room note after light (I used a lighter). No golden hay. Sharper when you get it light well and hit hard, almost a fruit kind of taste/feel. Enjoyed most when sipped real tenderly with lazy, slow, retro. Got a slight hint of pine roasting on retro. Little saw dust on the floor image. Milder than Stokkebye LNF. I prefer LNF more often, but love the slightly greener qualities and mildness along with the nuances of sweetness. I think about it more than am able to smoke it, but would smoke it more if I had more for sure. Basically save it for a treat until better stocked. I look forward to it in the rotation and will need to buy pounds of it. Flavors come out better at just a smolder, veerry slow sip, just barely enough to keep it going on the edge of burnout. Hitting hard produces no more flavor but maybe less. Burns excellent to a fine ash, no moisture or dottle in bowl at end. ◄7.8/10✠Skulls►

Cornell & Diehl - Bayou Morning
Periqueness In The Eve, Morn, Or Any Time
[Tin/Bag - Sense of mid Brown. Mild vinegar. Mild old leather. Just about right moisture, ready to smoke (5-10 min dry time).] Yellow hay.false light. Little spice and bigger yellowed hay/grass. Subtle pepper. Go slow or get a nic hit. Good grassiness, hint of oak here or there. Tad of the lingering fresh zesty Perique in the retro, like when smelling some pure and fresh. Mild sweet along with almost a tartness at times. Touch of smoke. Can really get the Perique building through on this one, and it weighs in over the Virginias as they move to the background and stay there. Having smoked pure Perique a few times, I highly recommend doing that as this one really shows it off along with the nice subdued Virginias that blend together well. Not sure if the Old Rasputin, I have been sipping along here and there, or the smoke is giving a little haze in the head. Burns excellent down to a fine grey ash with little to no moisture in bowl. Easily managed with a tamp here and there, although proper drying for about 6 mins really helped. No bite incurred. Seems a little stronger Nic-er than most tobaccos I have enjoyed, even though it is rated a 3 strength at SmokingPipes. Good any time of day, have had in morn, but it was greatly enjoyable this late eve-to-morn crossover. It's on the buy a pound list for sure. ◄8/10✠Skulls►

Peter Stokkebye - PS306 English Oriental Supreme
Mild in all departments with lots of flavors represented from each ingredient.
[Tin/bag - English with a little vinegar, slightly meaty smell. 2nd Bowl Tin/bag - Weak campfire, leather old shoe, very slight juniper old tree smell. A lot richer almost aromatic-1-Q type smell by comparison with English Luxury and Proper English. A slight moisture that is smokable right away or 5-10 minute dry.] Mild candles with a little spice nip. Yeah, candles and some spice blended to milder notes. 2nd Bowl - Little campfire and small candle with spice hit in nose. Mild candles with some silkiness or kinda like milk just sitting on the tongue without swallowing. Some mild Virginia hay flavors on 1st light and out. Mild wood and smoke, with a slightness of sour. Very rounded with a good full mouth feel, but mild overall in every department. There is lots here coming from each of the tobaccos in the blend, but it is fairly subtle across the board. Comes alive a bit more mid bowl down. I would take English Luxury over it nearly every time, but I will keep a couple ounces on hand for comparisons. Burns cool at a decent pace. A couple helping lights, leaves little moisture. ◄6.2/10✠Skulls►

Presbyterian - Presbyterian 50g
Very tastey, virginas roaming about a mild campfire with a little spice here or there, some sweetness and good body.
[Tin/bag - Somewhat mild campfire, bit of a brown spice, little old shoe leather. Mostly milder old shoe leather persistent. A little moister than I would smoke (sticks in clumps when squeezed), so dry about 15 mins in front of a fan. Little more hit of campfire with a little dry time. Very faint hit of vinegar at one point, very faint.] Little hay/grass after taste on light. Some Latakianess, along with nice milder spiciness from orientals. Some interesting hints here and there that I cannot quite describe - fullness? richness? Very interesting to see the flavor change from slight Virginia to a little more Latakia at start. Hint of the tin leather once in a while. A few after tastes of very mild bitterness a couple times during the bowl. I like Gaslight and Plumb Pudding better for sure, but this is a nice well rounded smoke. Tastes of Virgina with Latakia to the end of bowl. More Latakia and orientals on retrohale. Good easy burn down to fine grey and white ash with no relights needed. Pleasant and no bite with regular puffing cadence. Beats, Englishes (Luxury, Full, Proper, Oriental Supreme, Presbyterian Match, 10 to Midnight, John Bull, Murray's Belfast), almost ties with (Larry's Blend, Crown Achievement), and does tie/ahead by a nose with (Arango Balkan Supreme). Excellent and tasty any time. ◄8.2/10✠Skulls►

Peter Stokkebye - PS17 English Luxury
Good, Solid, Smooth, Smokey, Latakia Present But Not Heavy
[Tin/bag - Mild beach fire smokiness with bit of vinegary meldewy leather boots. Excellent moisture ready to smoke.] A little rubber bandy smelling after 8 hours in pipe drying (not a bad thing, just has that sense to the Latakia). Faintness of burning candles. Still tiny hints of rubber band. Slight perfume in the retro. Some "middle" flavor, kinda "silky", almost a vanilla. Someone said, "silk stocking English," which kinda nails it. Milder English. Very good. So much better than Murray's Belfast by a lot because it gives a good amount of flavors, very slightly behind Larry's Blend (which gives more Lat), and Crown Achievement, Arango, and very comparable with HH Presbytarian Match, which is a bit cheaper. A notch above PS Proper English. Great stuff, nice English, a little sweetness, a decent Latakia without being a bomb. Little tiny sour hint here or there. Burns to a grey ash with little to no relights and leaving little to no moisture in the bowl. Non-biting through quick paced puffs. Set a 1/2 burned bowl over night, about 1/4 left. A little new tire smell in the bowl. Very faint Latakia. Not much flavor left. Might have been mostly just coal/dottle left, but got a tiny bit of lemon sour in it. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Peter Stokkebye - PS52 Proper English
Good, smooth, lower latakia, middle bodied, cool smoking, mild without losing flavor
[Tin/bag - bit of campfire notes and some sweet old musty leather. Excellent moisture ready to smoke.] Almost a burning hair Latakia faint. Not as good/intense as PS English Luxury or GL Pease Gaslight. Some light burning crayons. Cool mid-blue flavor, very slight crayon. Slight Virginia grass. A little richer than English Luxury, not as silky. A little less Latakia flavor, and a little more mild roundedness (Prefer English Luxury a bit more for more pronounced flavor). Good, but not a favorite for intensity. Seemed to detect a of bitterness once or twice. It's a pretty good smooth, Latakia mild, cool smoking, mild yet solid flavored English. Easy on the tongue, behaves nicely, with few to no relights, leaving no moisture or dottle. Definitely prefer PS English Luxury or Presbytarian Match slightly more, but it is good. ◄6/10✠Skulls►

Murray's - 1810 Belfast 1.75oz
Mild All Around, and a Flavor Disappointer
[Tin/bag - Sweet datey leather, faint smokiness. Standard ribbon cut. Moisture just right, ready to smoke.] Cool, a little tangy, pretty mild on the Latakia. Quite mild all around really, not packing a lot of flavor, but small flavor is there in subtle amounts. A little smokiness. I prefer a richer smoke than this, and I do not see myself wanting to reach for the tin again in the future, but it is not bad, just not quite enough on flavor to not favor others over it. Did get a touch of sour nuances here and there about half way into the bowl where it seemed to have a tiny tad more flavor. Yeup, it was a sure disappointment for me, and will not be buying again. However it does carry the mild flavors to the bottom of the bowl. Burns well to a fine grey ash, not a biter, no moisture left over. Tempted to make it my first 1-star, but I did get a decent deal with $5 card coming back to me on it, so 2-star for now and will try one more time. ◄4/10✠Skulls►

Murray's - 1921 Cunningham 1.75oz
Good & Tastey - Great Flake
[Tin/bag - Rich orange and dried fruit, maybe a little apricot, mixed with mild old leather upon first impression. Nice thin flake squares stuck together in a perfect brick with only the top flake offset from the rest 35 degrees. Great moisture, ready to smoke after about 0-2 min dry.] Yellow hay, some fullness on the mouth, with orangey sweetness. A good navy flake, very similar to PS LNF (Luxury Navy Flake), but a little "thinner" overall with slightly more orange/tangerine to the sweetness. Feels a bit more nippy on the tongue than LNF - the Perique maybe? Also has slightly thinner flakes than LNF. LNF has a bit more flavor to me that is fuller with more yellow-hay notes. Slowed cadence to more sipping than puffing, it feels a little like I could get bit, if puffing regularly, but managed with no real bite. Developed a tiny amount of moisture, got very few pops from gurgle about halfway, when drawing a little stiffer (It went away with slower sipping). Some instant easy relights while keeping slow pace and setting pipe down to browse. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Cornell & Diehl - Dark Fired Kentucky
Excellent stuff
[Tin/Bag - Very dry - ready to smoke, maybe even hydrate some needed. Slight bit of that vinegar smell with old slight musty leather, slight woodiness.] A little sting on the nose and tongue. Good Smokiness. Nic detection? Tanginess, stings quite a bit here and there on the retro. Little nutty, little woody, tiny virginia hay. Burns pretty cool and slow cadence providing a consistent flavor throughout. Relights here and there while watching it on the nic hit. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

Lane Limited - 125th Anniversary
Pleasant Surprise
[Tin/bag - Little orangey citrus, slight creaminess as in "creame soda." Great moisture - ready to smoke.] Little citrus, some slightly burned crispy marshmellow, little woody. Little of that faint oranginess, same as detected in the tin. Brown dried grass, maybe some oats slightly. Not any of the hay/grassiness. Earthiness, little bit of cork on the retro. Fairly mild and "dry" or "plain dirt" tasting. 2nd bowl - Little of the yellow hay Burns excellent down to grey ash with few to no relights on an easy cadence. No moisture, No bites. Flavor consistent throughout. 3rd bowl - more woody and slightly bitter spot upon light. Lots of bland mild dirt/brown dry grass, but with some special nuances of creaminess and orangey citrus here and there, keeps it interesting, though this last bowl confirms I won't be buying again. Having had some Stokkebye LNF last night, this is really left wanting by comparison, and I really am dissatisfied with it this morning. Will try again with age in a couple years, but moving the rating down today. It still could be useful for "blanding" something out too. ◄5/10✠Skulls►

Lane Limited - Crown Achievement
Excellent Prominent Latakia With Some Citrus, Spice, and Sweetness
I have never had the original CA from of way back. [Tin/bag - Pungent Smokey, tire rubber, coming through the bag and the box it was shipped in. Fades to like a muddy dank horses stall without the poop - maybe some slight old leather. Great moisture ready to smoke.] Reminds me faintly of Gaslight at the start - No burning candles flavor, just barely there with maybe a hint of candle, but some good, enjoyable Latakia. Cool, and a little tangy citrus. More Latakia, not much Perique for me in the nose, but it is a player. Similar to Hearth and Home Larry's Blend, but a little less full (think I prefer Larry's just a hair more). Little grassy Virginia here and there. Some small sweetness at times, and a tiny hint of sour once in a while. Hints of Perique spice occasionally. More good spiciness with the sweetness and once in a while some very faint sour too, consistently down the bowl. Very enjoyable smoke, no bites and easy to manage with few relights needed. Burns down to grey ash with little to no moisture in the bowl. ◄7.4/10✠Skulls►

Planta - Full English
Full rich, interestingly sweet - low latakia prominence
[Tin/bag - Some smokiness, little plastic rubber tire nuances, and almost some vinegar hinted shoe leather. Lane Crown Achievement is way more prominent on the smokiness and tire smell factor. Great moisture, ready to smoke.] (Smoked after Crown Achievement heavy Latakia) Orangey sweetness and some mild Virginia hay comes through prominently at start. Mild on Latakia - some say it is Syrian @TobaccoReviews.com, but SP says it is Cyperian, either way its good. Love the way the mild Latakia nuances with the Virginias. Nice body, full rounded/"butteriness" where a little spice comes through. Flavor remains to the end, though the oranginess fades into the background. Nice, smooth, enjoyable, and different. Easy to manage and burns excellent with moisture ready right out of the tin/bag. Leaves little to no moisture with no bite from slow consistent puffs. ◄7.5/10✠Skulls►

Seattle Pipe Club - Mississippi River 2oz
Tasty light-up, hyssop, rocket popsicles, cedar
Leathery shoes out of the tin, bit of mint. Tasty light up out the nose... hyssop. (did not rub out entirely - rub out smooth and easy). Bit of feminine perfume, made me sneeze...twice...then, thrice. Glenmorangie 10yr taste then relight. Rocket popsicles and cedar twist. Hints of flowered wet meadows with slight cedar to the finish. ◄7/10✠Skulls►

G. L. Pease - Gaslight 2oz
Lilacs and Candles
Thick dense flakes from the crumble cake. Reminiscent of Lagavulin and Ardbeg Islay malts out of the tin. Very interesting....hints of candles burning. Thick dark tones, ...more candles and some burn on the nose out. Lingers on the tongue and enhanced dark tones with some Glenmorangie after clear and exhale through the nose. Hints of purple then violets-velvet on a maidens breast? Images of mummies and lilacs all at the same time. Bit-o-campfire. (Image on the tin is quite telling - Name and image on the tin are very fitting, even to the color overtones). Not an all day smoke, but great late evening treat. Have some scotch with it in between with Islay malts to combine flavors. ◄9/10✠Skulls►