Welcome to another episode of Tasting Notes. For those of you who've been following this series recently, you're aware that I've been slowly sampling my way through the entire Sillem's pipe tobacco portfolio. For my first reviews, I started with Sillem's aromatic mixtures, specifically Sillem's Black — which, again, is still among the most singular and interesting Aromatic experiences I've ever had. Following the Black, I reviewed Sillem's Red: an intriguing, very high quality Aromatic with a unique twist. And today, I'll be reviewing another distinctive Aromatic and what I believe is among the most innovative blends in the Sillem's lineup: Sillem's Green.

Complex, Distinctive Room Note

Let's start off with the tin note. Right away, the aroma immediately promises an interesting experience. It's an unmistakable and familiar smell, but not one that you come across often in the pipe tobacco world. The aroma reminds me of zesty lime, coconut, and chocolate. There is definitely a strong piña colada character as well, which is, no doubt, the intention. There's a hint of exotic fruit, along with a creaminess and nuttiness, and just underneath that, I get a handful of scents that remind me of walking into an old school candy shop. There's also these really distinct, amaretto-like notes — like a nut liquor.

Initially, it took me a minute to wrap my head around just how much is going on here, but despite all that complexity, it's very harmonious and very balanced — and that's true of the flavor as well. For this particular blend, the tin note is very similar to the smoke itself, which is great. I think most of us as smokers have had at least one or two experiences where, although the smoke is good, maybe it doesn't quite live up to the flavors or aromas promised by the original tin note.

Fine, Easy-Burning Ribbons

The blend itself is a mixture of Virginias enhanced by Black and Brown Cavendish. The cut is a uniform ribbon of long-to-medium length, and it's easy to pack in a variety of chamber sizes. The moisture level is also perfect, right of the tin, as well. For this review, I allowed the tobacco to aerate for maybe two-to-four minutes, and it's burning exceptionally well. The burn is quite forgiving; if you neglect your pace or take a break from puffing, you needn't worry about your fire dying too quickly.

A Slice of Summer (In Your Pipe)

Immediately on the charring light, I'm getting those bright, zesty flavors I picked up earlier — the lime, the exotic fruit, the pineapple. There is a real density to the smoke, as well: It's very heavy and creamy, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition to the sort of brighter register overall. Sillem's Green definitely has a lot of high notes: There's a lot of grassy, bright sweetness from the Virginias, and there is definitely a tart, zesty lime-like character. That paired with the dense creaminess of the smoke calls to mind something like key lime pie or lemon meringue pie — the perfect mix of bright, tart, and zesty flavors with a creamy finish. It strikes such a good balance that I would say that Sillem's Green is perhaps my new top pick for a warmer weather, summertime Aromatic.

This is something that I can see myself enjoying outside even in higher temperatures or humidity. There are so many flavors, and the tobacco itself performs really well in a variety of conditions. If you're in mixed company, you're gonna get a lot of thumbs up with this one. The room note is outstanding and it is almost identical to the tin note, which again is just another sign of how masterfully this blend was crafted. Usually there's a disconnect between what you smell before it's burning, what you taste while it's burning, and what you smell while it's burning, but Sillem's Green remains fairly consistent across all of those categories. You can taste that bright bouquet you experience in the tin — that piña colada flavor, the nuttiness, the coconut, the pineapple, the slight amaretto etc. And it comes across in the room note as well.

An Aromatic For Everyone

Overall, Sillem's Green is an incredibly singular mixture; there's really nothing like it and it's a great example of how the brand is pushing the boundaries of traditional Aromatic pipe tobacco flavors. They're incorporating a lot of different notes here, and the sum of its parts is just as good, if not greater than all of those notes independently. It's really harmonious and well balanced. This is a tobacco that would take years to fully understand. It will continue to surprise and reveal new layers as you smoke it, but it's still quite accessible. In fact, I would recommend Sillem's Green to any pipe smoker, regardless of experience level or preferences. It's got enough body, strength, and natural tobacco flavor to satiate non-Aromatic smokers, and its tropical notes, richness, and complexity deliver a unique experience that's perfect as we enter the dog days of summer.

Check out my full video review of Sillem's Green on our YouTube channel.