The Pipe Locator
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This article was originally published February 20, 2015. It has been updated to incorporate current data and edited to reflect product availability.
Aromatics are among the most popular pipe tobaccos in the world, smoked and cellared by newcomer and veteran pipesmokers alike. But if you're just starting out your pipesmoking journey, or simply looking to explore the wide world of aromatics for the first time, the sheer breadth of options can be overwhelming. That's why we've done our part as your friendly neighborhood online tobacconist and compiled a list of our best-selling aromatic blends for your consideration. So no more ado; let's get to the tobacco!
11. Half & Half
Originally concocted back in the 19th century by American Tobacco, Half and Half remains one of the most widely popular blends in the US, with considerable export to more than a dozen other nations. It's a simple and readily enjoyable Burley mixture, topped with classic anisette and chocolate flavorings. While often recommended for beginners, this old-school OTC blend is a celebrated staple in the cellars of more experienced smokers as well.
This is real tobacco, it's for a man's taste, not a nance. - John B, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Burley, Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
10. Mac Baren: 7 Seas Regular
Given its accessible price point (especially in bulk), mellow strength, and recognizable flavor, Mac Baren's 7 Seas Regular surprised no one when it popped up at number 10 on our list of best-selling aromatic blends. A blend of black Cavendish, golden Virginias, and brown Burleys, topped with hints of dark chocolate and vanilla, 7 Seas Regular is great for beginners, yet still complex enough to satisfy veteran pipesmokers. It's just a great mixture to keep in your cellar. Period.
After smoking this blend, I find it hard to enjoy anything else. They say that a person always comes across that one blend that is for them, and this one is mine. I smoke about 4-5 bowls a day of it and it never gets old. For me it has a wonderful chocolate kind of flavor. I love the way it smells and tastes. I order about a 1lb a month of this and still have almost none cellared. I enjoy it that much... - Scott S., 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Black Cavendish, Burley, & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
9. Sutliff: Creme Brulee
Got a sweet tooth? Sutliff's Creme Brulee is a rich blend created specifically for those with a particular taste for the famous custard. It's a balanced mixture of black Cavendish, Burley, and Virginia, layered with notes of creamy vanilla, honey, and caramel — resulting a lovely room note that'll transport you back to the finest Parisian pâtisserie, even if you've never been.
Absolutely the best aromatic that I've had. It even beats out Molto Dolce. Just bought a pound. May buy five more pounds. No tongue bite. Flavor whole way through the bowl. - David H, 4.5 star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Black Cavendish, Burley, & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
8. Sutliff Vanilla Custard
For those who enjoy Creme Brulee but wish the blend had just a touch more vanilla, Sutliff's Vanilla Custard is certainly one to explore. Coming in at number 8 on our list, it features the same base components as number 9 — black Cavendish, Burley, and Virginias — but is a touch lighter in shade than Creme Brulee and offers a more distinctive Vanilla aroma. It yields a soft, billowy smoke that's sure to satiate your vanilla fix.
This is a wonderful sweet tobacco with creamy vanilla taste. The whole family loved the aroma and I enjoyed the silky smooth smoke. - Kam D, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Black Cavendish, Burley, & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
7. Mac Baren: Vanilla Cream
As you can tell, vanilla flavoring is one of the most popular toppings on aromatic pipe tobaccos. No surprise there, vanilla's soft, creamy notes are a natural pairing to a variety of tobacco components, adding a nice rounded finish to many blends. Mac Baren's Vanilla Cream is an excellent example of just what a little vanilla can do to bright Virginias when mixed with a little black Cavendish, offering notes of freshly baked goods and sweet cream with a full, silky mouth feel.
This is a really beautiful tobacco...Upon opening the tin, you're welcomed with a sunshine of light Virginias, and a seeded earth black of Cavendish. The tin aroma is reminiscent of freshly baked goods at a local patisserie. It has excellent moisture content out of the tin, and I recommend you smoke it as is, without drying, as it will take away a bit of the flavour and aroma. - Ahmad Othman, 4.5 star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Virginia & Black Cavendish
- Cut: Ribbon
6. Cornell & Diehl: Autumn Evening
My personal favorite among our top 11 aromatic blends, Autumn Evening is built around C&D's proprietary Red Virginia Cavendish, which offers the same sweetness and roux-like characteristics of black Cavendish while maintaining Virginia's brighter signature notes and offering a bit more strength. Though cased with a rich maple flavor, the natural tobacco still shines through, especially later on in the bowl, making it my go-to recommendation for aromatic smokers looking to ease their way into more natural Virginia blends. The room note also smells like pancakes. And who doesn't like pancakes?
There's not a lot going on at once; it's not a complicated blend. However, I would go as far as to say it's one of the best aromatics I have tried. I enjoyed it so much, I bought a new pipe and dedicated it solely to this tobacco. - Jonathan, 4-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Red Virginia Cavendish
- Cut: Ribbon
5. Captain Black: Original
For nearly 50 years, Captain Black has remained one of the best selling pipe tobacco brands in the world. While it's not quite as distinctive as the "Grape" version, the brand's Original is by far the most iconic, especially among new pipesmokers. As an aside, the first pipe tobacco I ever smoked was Captain Black Gold. All in all, it's available just about everywhere, is relatively inexpensive, and offers that classic "pipe tobacco" room note we all crave from time to time.
This is my everyday, all-day smoke. Love the flavor and the room note is second to none! - Old Sea Dog, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Black Cavendish & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
4. Mac Baren: Mixture Scottish Blend
First introduced in 1958, Mac Baren's Mixture: Scottish Blend is a true Danish style aromatic, medium-mild in strength with a good bit of sweetness and a light, pleasant room note. It's blended from over 35 different tobaccos from around the world — including various ready rubbed, matured, and ripe Virginias, golden brown Burley, and Cavendishes — making it one of the most complex mixtures on this list. While many say that it can be "bitey", if sipped slowly, Scottish Mixture will not disappoint. An excellent introduction into traditional Danish blends.
I tried this tobacco on recommendation of Country Squire Radio and it has become a staple in my jars. Fantastic tobacco for most any occasion. I particularly enjoy it on fall afternoons. Great aroma, great smoke! - JSlip1, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Cavendish, Burley, & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
3. Lane Limited: RLP-6
A timeless mixture from Lane Limited, RLP-6 should surprise no one as it rounds out our number three spot. Golden Virginias, nutty Burleys, and rich toasted Cavendish create a solid foundation for its deep undertones of vanilla and chocolate, resulting in a sweet, decadent flavor and a delightful room note.
Really great stuff! My 7th Lane purchase; every one is a winner in my book. This is a truly outstanding blend....This is one of the very few blends I've tried where I can enjoy the aroma as well as the taste as I'm smoking it. Strength just right for my palate, very smooth, no big nic hit, no bite, burns well. Truly superb, will be a "go to" blend for me. - Joe L, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Black Cavendish, Burley, & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
2. Lane Limited: BCA
Another staple from Lane Limited, BCA is a mild, slow-burning blend of fire-cured black Cavendish, discretely flavored for the most enjoyable smoking experience possible. The black Cavendish absorbs the topping quite nicely, keeping those creamy notes of chocolate, vanilla, and anisette alive all the way to the bottom of the bowl. BCA is a great recommendation for new pipesmokers, but really, it's just one of those tobaccos every pipe smoker should try at least once.
This is the smoothest tobacco I have ever smoked in my life. In my opinion if you're a new pipesmoker and you're not able to smoke this blend, you might as well lay the pipe down.
- Components: Black Cavendish
- Cut: Ribbon
1. Lane Limited: 1-Q
When you talk to any nonsmoker about pipe tobacco, they probably have a certain aroma wafting through their mind's nose, and more than likely that aroma came from Lane Limited's 1-Q. A classic mixture of golden and fire-cured Cavendishes, it's our number one, best-selling aromatic here at Smokingpipes, and has been for years. Like many of Lane's other products, it's quite forgiving, making it the perfect choice for new pipesmokers looking to develop their technique. Of course, that doesn't mean that experienced smokers don't have a couple jars of this in the cellar (because we totally do).
The room note is so pleasant that anyone who complains about it is just being a freakish, high-minded wood tick. Good for beginners, because 1-Q doesn't take a lot of fuss to enjoy...It's a smooth, lightly sweet-flavored tobacco without being overpowering on the tongue...An excellent choice with which to begin your pipe smoking odyssey, and you'll likely return to it again and again as well, as one does with an old and trusted friend. - Northman, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
- Components: Black Cavendish & Virginia
- Cut: Ribbon
So there you have it: our top 11 best-selling aromatic pipe tobaccos here at Smokingpipes. Keep in mind, these blends were ranked based on popularity, not by our own tastes or judgements. So if you don't see your favorite on the list, leave us a comment and share your thoughts. We likely shed a tear at its omission as well.
A note on the tobacco information.
Strength: a measure of the tobacco's body and nicotine. One is the lowest. Five s is the highest.
Room Note: a measure of the pleasantness or intensity of the smoke's odor to everyone else in the room. One is the least intense room note, while five s would be the most noticeable to others.
Taste: A measure of the the power and fullness of the smoke's flavor, with one being the most mellow and five s being the fullest.
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Comments
Me encantaría poder comprar varios de estos tabacos. En mi país (Uruguay) no se consiguen y lamentablemente tampoco creo que los dejen pasar por la aduana.
Rodolfo, gracias por comentar aquí. Estos tabacos, de verdad, son muy buenos. Nosotros, sí, podemos enviar todos los productos a Uruguay. Así que no creo que hayan problemas pasando por la aduana. Si tiene alguna pregunta, puede mandarme un correo a (andrew.wike@smokingpipes.com) o consultar esta página: (http://www.smokingpipes.com/information/faq/intshipping.cfm). ¡Feliz Día Mundial de la Pipa!
Rodolfo: "I would love to buy a few of these tobaccos. We don't have them in my country (Uruguay) unfortunately, and I don't think they'll let them pass through customs either." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rodolfo, thanks for commenting! All these tobaccos are really great. We can ship pipes, tobaccos, and accessories to Uruguay, so there shouldn't be any problems passing through customs. If you have any more questions, you can shoot me an email or visit our FAQ page. Happy International Pipe Smoking Day!
Once again, great information that a rookie can pack into his pipe. I have now added 7 new tobaccos to my wish list and look forward to ordering some new ones this coming month. Sometimes old hands at pipe smoking forget that us newbies approach new tobaccos with some nervousness. After all we are still developing what we like and with the staggering selection of tobaccos available getting stuck with what I call: "last resort smokes," is not that fun. I have attempted to give some tobaccos away, it is with a lot of entertainment value that friends of mine who are dyed in the wool cigarettte smokers try my favorite blends. The faces they make told me how strong pipe tobacco is compared to other tobacco. Thank you again for good information Andrew.
Thanks for commenting Rich, and for the kind words! I've been a pipe smoker for some time now, and my tastes are still constantly changing. It's all about finding what you like, as you said. Thanks again for sharing!
Been a dedicated pipe smoker/collector since the 1970's, and MacBaren Mixture: Scottish Blend has always been one of my favorites! Highly recommended to old hands and newbies alike!
Great post Andrew! I just placed a tobacco order last night, took advantage of your IPSD 10% off promo, and I received notice earlier today that it's shipped already. You guys deliver great service for a great price. Even with the exchange rate not in my favor (I'm in Canada), it's still saving me about half what it would cost here, and that's if I can even find a local supplier. Not many tobacconists locally so limited to a couple of cigar shops that have very limited selection of pipe tobacco and what they do carry is very overpriced. The variety of tobaccos you carry is incredible. I've only been smoking a pipe since December, so very new. My very first order was for 4 oz of Lane 1-Q. When it arrived and had just opened the box, not even the bag, I could smell it's lovely aroma. My next order will definitely be for some RLP-6 and BC-A. The order I placed yesterday was for some Escudo, Luxury Bullseye Flake, JackKnife Plug, and to round the order out, a tin of Craftsbury: Frog Morton's Cellar. I'm looking forward to receiving them, and really looking forward to some warmer weather so I can get outside and start enjoying all this fantastic tobacco.
Thank you so much for posting your favorite Aromatic blends. This is my 3rd reunion with tobacco in my 35 years of life, and now that the internet is increasing my knowledge of tobacco, I can go into my local tobacconist and have a decent conversation with the old men about smoking. As much as they upsell their house blends, I still like to know more about companies that have been blending tobacco for many years, even centuries. I'd like to give a shout-out to my local tobacconist that have helped me out over the years. Edward's Pipe and Tobacco in Los Altos, CA, burlingame tobacconist, Mission Pipe and Tobacco in San Jose, CA. And thank you smokingpipes.com
Not a regular aromatic smoker, but there are some on that list that I do from time to time smoke. Autumn Evening and Scottish Blend (My personal all time favorite aromatic - looks good enough to eat) are worth keeping on hand, even for a non-aromatic smoker in my opinion. A great change of pace and still retain "tobacco" flavor. There's a reason why RLP and 1Q have been around so long, and have been big sellers for so long. There's many a local tobacconist's whose "house aromatic blend" is based off of RLP or 1Q.
And if you've never tried Blue Note, well, you should. It's an experience. The room note is enchanting.
You know Andrew, I'd be really curious what your "all" time number one seller is, regardless of genre.
Maybe you can put together your number one's for us someday.
Enjoy the site and the articles, always fun reads in a world without nearly enough fun reads in it.
I see one comment from Canada, so no problem with shipping it seems. Could you send me 1 tin of Lane Limited 1-Q? Can I pay with mastercard?
@Don Fleming, we can definitely ship you some Lane 1Q. We do accept mastercard. Just give us a call at (888) 366-0345, and we'll set you up.
Thanks everyone for sharing your favorite blends. It's always nice to hear your opinion and compare tastes.
I'm a pure Virginia fan but occasionally smoke an aromatic for a change of pace. I was happy to see the Mac Baren contingent. Royal blend from their 7 Seas line is one to try.
My friend. No idea why that you have chosen to omit AMPHORA FULL AROMA (only Made in Holland one), the age old classic aromatic and Borkum Riff Cherry Cavendish. Try
I am switching from cigars to the pipe. I like Dominican full-bodied cigars but they are expensive when u smoke 3 day and I tend to inhale, which I need to stop. I have no idea what type of pipe tobacco to purchase. maybe I should try a few varieties. can you make a recommendation? Also which pipe do you recommend? Thanks
@Stan: A lot of beginner pipe smokers tend to gravitate towards either Englishes or Aromatics when starting out. Any of the tobaccos on this list or on the English top ten (linked below) should be a good place to start. As far as pipes go, it depends on your budget, but Savinelli, Peterson or Rossi are great factory pipes that have sub $100 entries.
@Stan And here is the promised English list https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/top-best-selling-english-blends
I am really surprised that McClelland's Balkan Beauty was not mentioned. I recently discovered it and it is by far my favorite aromatic and will be from now on.......
I'll try Lane Limited - 1-Q for my next purchase.
@Bob Hey Bob. Balkan Beauty's a fine blend indeed, so please don't take its absence as a snub. This isn't a list of our favourite blends, but a generated list of the aromatics we sell the most of.
Glad to hear you like it so much though, it's always nice to find a go-to blend :D
@Cheng-Hsiung Shih It's probably one of the most prolific pipe tobaccos around, which makes definitely makes it something worth trying.
I have been smoking #7 for the past 2 weekends and love it. I have 2 tins for cellaring of #4 and definitely going to purchase some #8 to take with me to France for the Xmas/NYE holidays. Since being a Aros only smoker, I truly appreciate writing and producing a list like this for us Aro-only lovers.
@Keith C We're glad to help Keith. Let us know how that Black Virginia Cavendish goes!
Terrific information. I haven't yet stepped into the Aromatic realm as I am hopelessly in love with the English blends at the moment. I see a few in the list that I think I will order shortly. Thanks!
@PREACHER There's plenty of blends considered "English Aromatics" or "crossover blends", and you can find them through the tobacco locator.
https://www.smokingpipes.com/search/the-tobacco-locator.cfm?sortOpt=default&family=5&displayNum=24&page=2
Great review.
I have many of these great blends in my stash since this list came out in 2015. I'm glad the comments live on... My favorite blend is 3 parts of McClelland's Pal O Mine, Mellow Mac, and Easy Street! I found this blend in a comment somewhere on Smokingpipes! Definitely my GoTo.
Very good summary. So Erinmore must be number twelve, right?
@KevinM It's up there ;)
@POK AVEE Thanks for reading, my friend.
@Mary H Huh, we'll have to give that one a try.
Please can I get the samples of those aromatic flavor
Best regards
@Njimoluh Seidou Sorry, Njimoluh but due to FDA regulations we cannot give out any free samples. Apologies, my friend.
I have just started smoking a pipe. I am looking for a taste of Vanilla and a vanilla Swell.
I would like to buy tobacco but I'm from Brazil and I received this message:
Unfortunately, Brazil does not allow us to ship tobacco products to you. However, you can purchase non-tobacco items from us such as pipes and accessories. If you would like to place your order, please remove tobacco items from your cart.
@Darwin H That's the advice we have received from Brazilian customs, Darwin. We can absolutely ship pipes and accessories, but not tobacco, no.
I would like to order tobacco
Hello Adam,
I'm new to pipe and am loving it..
Actually love the culture altogether. I'm from india and here this peculiar smoking path is less trodden i must admit.
Perhaps the reason I had to start off pipe using rolling tobacco.. aromatics are not available here. And I can only imagine the pleasure of it while u guys talk of it.
I would like to buy some. Mentionably the most creamy one. I'm an all-for-sweet person!...:) Could you suggest how we can set this on... And would you be able to ship pack to india?
@Kenaz,
Thank you for reaching out to us!
To get product suggestions or answers to any question you may have, please contact our customer service team at info@smokingpipes.com.
Reading Lane Limited, # 1, brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
Do many women smoke pipes?
Thanks for the information
Hello everyone at Smokingpipes.com. How about updating your list? I have everything or have already tried what is on this list and noticed that one company has closed. Also, I suspect new companies have entered the market. THANKS!
I agree with @William H; can we get an update to this list?
That's a 3rd vote for an update. Regards.
yep, need to update. Don’t leave out Sutliff’s Vanilla Custard.
yep, need to update. Don’t leave out Sutliff’s Vanilla Custard.
yep, need to update. Don’t leave out Sutliff’s Vanilla Custard.
yep, need to update. Don’t leave out Sutliff’s Vanilla Custard.
yep, need to update. Don’t leave out Sutliff’s Vanilla Custard.
Thank you Andrew for this elaborate list. I agree with many but rank autumn evening and vanilla creme higher especially the flake form. Sutliff seems to be soaked and lane flavoring fades away quickly so they may rank lower, but then again thats my worn out palate. Thank you again it is highly appreciated.
I have been smoking "Touch Of Midnight" for several years, also known as "Lady Killer"! It is a real head turner!
Very good observations. And genuinely helpful to pipe smokers who want to explore aromatics.
But WHAT is going on with the "Room Note" ratings ? They often read the exact opposite of what they actually are. For example, you rate Mac Baren Vanilla Cream as a 1 despite its rather rich and penetrating room aroma. Whereas you rate Mixture Scottish Blend as a 3, even though its actual room note is subtle and quite mild.
THANK YOU!!! I have smoked aromatics since I smoked my first (awkward, fumbling) pipe almost 45 years ago!! I have run into a number of fellow pipe men who take a dismissive, condescending attitude towards aromatic pipe tobacco. Thanks for cutting through the snark!
Of the ' Captain Black ' line, I Truly believe the " DARK " version is Markedly Superior to any of the others in the ' CB ' line , , , , , POO ( personal opinion only ).
VCT in Western MO
@Mark S. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the updated list! The room note ratings aren't based on the strength of the room note, but the pleasantness. I like to think of it in terms of how somebody who doesn't smoke a pipe would like the smell. The lower the dots, the more pleasant the aroma is to a non-smoker. In this example, Vanilla Cream has a very pleasant, sweet smell while smoking it and the Scottish Blend isn't quite as sweet and aromatic. Of course, these can be subjective and some opinions may vary, but we try to provide a baseline for our customers. I hope this helps!
Hey folks; don't forget an old friend over-the-counter tobacco I'm sure everyone is familiar with: CARTER HALL - I still have many and I mean many people commenting on how sweet it is and it's not even my go to blend any longer I save it for. " special occasions" like in the fall October November when I take my bird dogs out bird hunting. Can't beat those memories of the 1970's !!!
Thanks for the list. There are quite a few vanilla blends there. I could be wrong but I think they tend to be more popular in the US. It'd be interesting to see a similar list broken down by the top countries you ship to.
I tried several of them. My favorites were Captain Black. I like all the flavors. There are all about the same with subtle nuances.
I don't see what the fuss about the Lane aromatics. I saw nothing special about them.
I did not like the Sutliff Vanilla. I was spitting out something after I smoked it.
I like Half & Half. Similar to Captain Black but more crema and "tobaccoey" like.
Haven't tried the other fancy name types.
Thanks for the update! A friend just gifted me a sample of Sutliff's Creme Brulee; looks like it's time to give it a try!
I agree almost in all the elections, however I find it confusing the qualification of Room Note as Mark S said (I write in Spanish and use translator) Regards
Thank you for the article. I have smoked a pipe for many years and basically found aromatics my favorite. There is a few of the top 11 that I have not tried but will in the near future. What is amazing is your top two aromatics which are my favorites. I buy a pound of each and mix them bag for bag ending up with 2 pounds of the best smoke i ever had. Thank you for the article.
Great reviews. I myself started with Captain Black Gold and enjoyed it very much. Now I am smoking (?!) mostly Amphora Full Aroma. Enjoy that too greatly. But here in Kolkata,West Bengal, India coming across a variety of different tobaccos is almost impossible. Online purchase from smokingpipes will probably cause a fortune. So we have to console ourselves with the saying"SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING". :-)
I have smoked a pipe since the 1970's. I have had the opportunity to try many different blends. Not long ago I purchased "Autumn Evening" and it has become my favorite.
The aroma in the bag is great! When you light up the same aroma fills the air. Even my aunt who hates smoke loves when I am smoking Autumn Evening. She will come out to the garage (where I have to smoke) just to smell the great aroma.
Don't be fooled, the taste is as good as the aroma. take a long slow draw and allow it to stay in your mouth and savor the great taste!
If you want to have quiet time, you will have to find a place away from people. Once they get a whiff of the aroma they will be all around you.
ENJOY!
A good list, but I was really surprised that I did not see Captain Black's RED SKY, nor can I find it anymore on your excellent web pages. Wondering; can you tell us what has happened to RED SKY?
@JakKnight Unfortunately, the Red Sky has been discontinued. I'm sorry I didn't have better news!
@Cassie D Thank you for the info Cassie. It is indeed sad to hear. In over 55 years of smoking pipes, I found Red Sky to be darn near the best aromatic I ever smoked. Oh well, I've had more than 1 really good woman vanish also.