Samuel Gawith -- Squadron Leader

Brand: Samuel Gawith
Blend: Squadron Leader
Style: Oriental
Pipe Used: Peterson Aran #150 Bulldog
Price: $7.50/1.76oz.

Appearance: 8
Taste: 8
Room Note: 6
Value: 9
Overall: 8

Samuel Gawith's Squadron Leader was one of the first two tobaccos I purchased a few years back after deciding to embark on this adventure we call pipe smoking (the other was Penzance -- not a shabby way to start off, eh?). I'll admit that the snazzy tin art lured me in as I'm a huge aviation history buff but it was the almost universally positive word of mouth that really convinced me that this tobacco would provide the perfect introduction to the sublime wonders of the pipe.

Well, like many beginning pipers, I had a world of trouble at the start and promptly quit the hobby. I tossed my opened tins of tobacco and my two cobs into a box in the garage and marched right back to the safety and security of my humidor and the more forgiving cigars nestled within.

Fast forward about nine months and as I was cleaning out the garage I stumbled upon that same box of discarded pipe stuff. I figured what the heck, I might as well give it another go before tossing it all in the trash so I loaded some dried out Squadron Leader into a cob, gave it a light, and boom! -- angelic singing, rapture, bliss, and all that jazz ensued. I finally "got it" -- the perfect smoke, pipe nirvana. It would take me many months of tinkering before I could consistently "get it" on a regular basis but now that I knew what was possible I was off and running.

So if Squadron Leader was my very first pipe smoke and the tobacco that brought me back into the fold then why did it take me until now to get around to writing a review? Well, as soon as my slide down the slippery pipe slope began I started accumulating new blends like cat hair on a black coat. The same Squadron Leader that started it all was lovingly sealed up in a Mason jar and promptly forgotten at the back of the cellar.

Sure I've always known that it's there but the constant search for the "new" placed the blend very much on the back burner. It was only while watching the recent tobacco shortages unfold that I was reminded of old Squadron Leader. If every online shop was sold out then it must have something going for it so maybe it was time to revisit this old friend.

Upon opening that same Mason jar, now with about two and a half years of age on it, I was greeted by the slightly spicy and pungent aroma of the Oriental tobacco. Being a very fine ribbon cut, Squadron Leader loaded easily into my Peterson Bulldog and after a quick light I was off and smoking.

In the interim since my first taste of this blend I've come to enjoy many heavy Englishes and one of the first things I noticed about Squadron Leader was that the Latakia that is usually a front and center component of traditional English blends was very muted. By tempering the impact of this smoky flavor, the spice of the Orientals was allowed to shine. And while the blend never quite hit the same level of zest as some Balkans that I enjoy, by moderating the spice the blend allowed the Virginias to offer up their own sweet and tangy flavors.

As I was enjoying my smoke I kept catching whiffs and the taste of cigars and while there's no cigar leaf in this blend there's something about the combination of tobaccos that reminds me of a light Connecticut wrapped cigar. Not something I was expecting at all but it was certainly enjoyed.

As for the room aroma, that same essence of cigars came and went while for the most part the aroma was similar to expensive cigarettes which isn't surprising given the presence of the Oriental tobaccos.

Squadron Leader provided an easy smoke as it burned steadily from start to finish and only required two relights. All I was left with after an hour was that much sought after fine white ash.

To my mind and palate, Squadron Leader is a perfectly balanced blend that refuses to allow any one tobacco component to outshine the others. Some may label this a light English but to my thinking the tamed Latakia and prominent Orientals define this as an Oriental blend first and foremost. And while there are other blends out there that provide more of this or more of that, there's always a place in the rotation for a tobacco that provides a consistent, mild smoke with a range of flavors.

Samuel Gawith's Squadron Leader is a classic blend that can be had for a song when, and if, it's available. My advice would be to buy it when you can, cellar it if you must, but please don't forget about it like I did. There will always be the allure of the latest blend but there will also always be a place for the tried and true Squadron Leader.

Charles Fairmorn -- Lancer's Slices

Brand: Charles Fairmorn
Blend: Lancer's SLices
Style: Virginia/Latakia
Pipe Used: Savinelli Churchwarden #401
Price: $22.00/8oz.

Appearance: 8
Taste: 9
Room Note: 7
Value: 7
Overall: 8

In various online forum threads about hidden and overlooked tobacco gems the name Lancer's Slices comes up time and again. Perhaps the small size of its manufacturer or the fact that it's only available in bulk has something to do with this relative anonymity. In any case, this is yet another blend that practically called to me so I just had to give it a try.

Charles Fairmorn's Lancer's Slices is an almost jet-black sliced flake composed of Virginia and Latakia and that's it. It may sound deceptively simple but the first whiff of the tobacco's rich, earthy aroma should be the first clue that in you're in for a real treat.

I decided to use my new Savinelli Churchwarden for this test run as it's my pipe dedicated to Latakia heavy blends. I broke up the slices a bit further then stuffed them into the pipe and gave it a light.

I can sum up this review in one word -- bliss! From the first puff right on through to the end this tobacco offered up a rich, satisfying flavor that for me is the very essence of pipe smoking.

The Latakia was a dominant presence yet it was such a high quality leaf that I never tired of the smokey campfire taste or aroma. Backing up this potentially overwhelming onslaught was a rich, sweet Virginia that played off the Latakia to perfection.

Have you ever toasted a marshmallow over a campfire a bit too long until it turned black and charred? Well imagine if there was some way to magically capture the sweetness of the toasted marshmallow along with the rich smoke of the campfire and yet do away with the ashes and soot. That's pretty much the picture that Lancer's Slices painted on my palate and my but it sure was tasty.

I loved the room aroma for much the same reason that I loved the taste but not everyone is going to enjoy that smoldering campfire smell, especially in the house.

Lancer's Slices provided a cool, dry smoke and required only a few relights along the way. I seem to have good luck with sliced flakes and this one was no exception as it chugged right along at a nice slow smolder. There was a bit of wet dottle left at the end due, I'm sure, to me slobbering on the pipe.

If I were to look up the word sublime in Webster's I would see a picture of Charles Fairmorn's Lancer's Slices. I had planned to enjoy a smoke while reading and listening to music but I found the tobacco to be such a delight that the book was quickly forgotten as I shut my eyes, listened to some Telemann, and blissfully puffed on my pipe.

It may well be hidden but this blend is most assuredly a gem.

Cornell & Diehl -- Epiphany

Brand: Cornell & Diehl
Blend: Epiphany
Style: Aromatic/Light English
Pipe Used: Peterson Aran #150 Bulldog
Price: $17.50/8oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 6
Room Note: 8
Value: 7
Overall: 7

After hearing much positive word of mouth about this tribute to the old Revelation blend I decided to give Cornell & Diehl's Epiphany a try. While I never had the opportunity to try the original Revelation the description of this blend sounded delightful.

Billed alternately as an American English or light English blend, Epiphany is a real grab bag of tobaccos with Burley, Virgina, Latakia, and Perique all present with a light, fruity topping thrown in as well. This is the type of blend that's supposed to be carefree and easy and is designed to provide that elusive all day smoke.

Epiphany arrives in a fairly thick and long ribbon cut and is predominantly light brown in color with some black pieces of tobacco mixed in for good measure. The aroma of the unlit tobacco is fruity in nature with hints of citrus and berries and the advertised Latakia is just barely detectable as a faint smokey whiff.

To sample the blend I gravity filled my Pete Bulldog and gave it a charring light but for some reason this well-dried tobacco just did not want to burn and it took quite a while to get it going. Sadly, this struggle to keep the pipe lit was to be an ongoing and thoroughly annoying problem from start to finish.

The first few puffs provided a very spicy dose of Perique and this peppery tobacco remained very much front and center throughout the smoke. The fruity sweetness evident in the pre-light aroma came through nicely and played off the spice very well without ever tasting artificial or cloying.

Unfortunately the primary tobacco components in this blend seemed overwhelmed from the get go and were never able to reassert themselves. The nuttiness of the Burley was downplayed, the sweet Virginias were trumped by the topping, and the Latakia was all but absent.

To my palate Epiphany was more of an aromatic Perique blend than a light English and the lack of any depth and complexity in taste was disappointing. It's not an off-putting blend by any means but it just wasn't what I was looking for here.

The room aroma was pleasant and fruity and the lack of any forceful Latakia component certainly helped in that department.

As mentioned earlier, Epiphany was a real bear to keep lit and I'm sure that aggravation did nothing to improve the taste. It did smoke cool and dry which is a given I suppose for a blend that remained unlit for most of its time in the pipe.

Cornell & Diehl's Epiphany is a decent tobacco blend but it just didn't agree with me in either taste or temperament. To qualify as an all day smoke a blend must be in the fire and forget it mold and this one was anything but. And if a tobacco is going to be persnickety then it needs to pay off with a real depth of flavor and here again Epiphany fell short. I just don't see where a spicy aromatic requiring far too much TLC can fit into my regular rotation.

*UPDATE*
In case it seems like I didn't give this stuff a fair shake I want to qualify that I tried Epiphany on four separate occasions in four different pipes (bulldog, billiard, cob, and clay) and had the same problems each time. Since I'm sitting on half a pound of the stuff I'm going to put it way back in the cellar and hope that it comes together a bit better when I "rediscover" it down the road.

McClelland -- Frog Morton

Brand: McClelland
Blend: Frog Morton
Style: Aromatic/English
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $7.70/1.76oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 6
Room Note: 6
Value: 7
Overall: 6

Much of the interest in pipe smoking among the younger generation is due in large part to the influence of J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece "The Lord of the Rings" and the recent award-winning movie adaptations. Wise wizards, cheerfully brave Hobbits, and churchwardens stuffed with copious amounts of pipeweed provide a strong visual cue that pipe smoking just might be worth a try. So it shouldn't be surprising that there are many pipe tobacco blends that tip their caps to Tolkien either directly or indirectly.

McClelland's Frog Morton is one such blend that takes its name from a small Hobbit village in the Shire. I have to admit that it was a combination of the interesting name and the overwhelmingly positive word of mouth that convinced me to try this blend so I suppose I'm just as gullible to slick marketing as the next chap.

The tin I acquired was from 2007 so it already had a few years of age on it when I popped it open. The tobacco was a very dark black and brown ribbon-cut blend that gave off a nice aroma of dried fruit and smokey Latakia.

To try it out I loaded up my Missouri Meerschaum Missouri Pride cob and gave it a quick charring light. The tobacco started burning right away so I soon enough set to puffing.

There is some disagreement over whether the good Frog should be classified as an English or aromatic blend and I must say that the tobacco gave off flavors to support both sides of the argument.

The Latakia was discernible but not nearly as strong as in most English blends while the Virginias were noticeable but also a tad weak on the palate. There was also an obvious topping of some sort that wasn't overpowering but did give the blend a light, fruity taste.

And that's the flavor profile that stayed with the blend from start to finish. For my purposes I'm happy to call Frog Morton an aromatic English and that happens to be a sub-category of which I'm quite fond.

That being said the blend, while tasty, quickly became rather boring as none of its component parts ever truly shone. Frog Morton is first and foremost a mild blend and just didn't provide enough of interest after a while.

The room aroma was better than most English blends but the Latakia, while muted, still provided a bit of funk that's unlikely to be favorably sniffed by others.

Frog Morton was very easy to smoke as it came out of the tin at the perfect level of dryness and burned cleanly down to the ash with no fuss. That's one characteristic that's always appreciated in a tobacco blend.

McClelland's Frog Morton is a nice cross-over blend that might appeal to aromatic smokers looking to dip their toes into English waters but most experienced pipers will find it too bland to satisfy their yen for a true English blend. That's not to say that it doesn't make a nice change of pace smoke as it's a very well-behaved blend that isn't too tasking on an otherwise occupied smoker.

As a die-hard Tolkien fan it's a given that I'll eventually sample just about any tobacco with a Middle Earth pedigree. And while I didn't find Frog Morton to be all that interesting I'm already looking forward to trying his cousins On the Town, Across the Pond, and On the Bayou as a little added kick is just what this blend really needs.

Altadis -- Voodoo Queen

Brand: Altadis
Blend: Voodoo Queen
Style: English/Aromatic
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $7.72/4oz.

Appearance: 8
Taste: 6
Room Note: 6
Value: 8
Overall: 7

Sometimes you decide to try a new blend based on purely superficial reasons such as tin art, name, price, or blending house. Having lived in New Orleans for a few years I was intrigued enough by the marketing verbiage for Altadis's Voodoo Queen that I bought four ounces a few months back. Since I was very pleasantly surprised by their Count Pulaski blend I figured I didn't have much to lose given the low price.

Voodoo Queen is a very dark broken flake that is advertised as being an English-style blend of mocha slices, Latakia, and Perique. I'm not sure what a mocha slice is but I'm guessing it's a Virginia/Burley leaf blend. The aroma out of the jar was similar to most light English or Balkan blends with smoky Latakia and hints of spice layered on top of an underlying Virginia sweetness.

To sample the blend I grabbed a wad of the broken flakes and gently stuffed them into my trusty cob. I should have let it dry a bit as it took a while to get the pipe lit but once I got a nice smolder going it stayed burning for quite a while.

The tobacco started off with a mellow flavor as none of the various constituent parts of the blend were all that forceful. The Latakia was noticeable but fairly mild while the Perique was evident in a slight spiciness but it too seemed to be doled out with a conservative hand. The VA/Bur component was fairly sweet but lacked the depth of flavor found in a heavier English blend.

As for the so-called mocha, I did notice a faint hint of bittersweet chocolate similar to the taste of a maduro cigar but this particular flavor profile can be found in many aged and pressed leaves so I have to chalk this blend's advertised uniqueness up to sheer marketing.

That being said, what flavor there was remained consistent and provided for a long enjoyable smoke with no aftertaste. I just prefer more kick from my English blends.

And aside from the initial lighting issues the tobacco was well behaved in the pipe and provided a nice cool smoke. As is my custom with flakes I avoided tamping and just let the tobacco unravel as it burned and that seemed to work just fine.

The room aroma was typical for a Latakia blend meaning you'll either love it or hate it with most innocent bystanders falling firmly in the latter camp.

Voodoo Queen is an interesting blend that didn't quite live up to its billing. It's a nice enough smoke and one certainly can't quibble on the price but I think there are many better blends to be found in this category. Still, I appreciate the fact that Altadis is willing to experiment with numerous new blends for the piper even in the face of the seemingly unstoppable forces arrayed against our hobby.

Brown & Williamson -- Sir Walter Raleigh

Brand: Brown & Williamson
Blend: Sir Walter Raleigh
Style: Burley
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $4.99/1.73oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 8
Room Note: 8
Value: 9
Overall: 8

After trying a fair number of older blends I finally got around to picking up a pouch of Sir Walter Raleigh. In online discussion groups I tend to hear a lot about Carter Hall and Prince Albert but rarely does anyone mention this long-time classic.

When I first opened the pouch I was greeted with the typically sweet rum raisin aroma shared by many of these drugstore blends. What I wasn't expecting was a very dry tobacco since these pouch blends tend to be laced with plenty of propylene glycol (PG) in order to keep them moist and fresh for however long they're left sitting on display. The tobacco itself was a medium brown blend of ribbon and cube cut Burley.

I tend to prefer my tobacco on the dry side which with the damp climate here usually means a relative humidity of about 45%. Since I didn't need to air this stuff out at all I just filled by trusty cob and lit it up. I find that a simple gravity fill tends to work best for cube-cut blends.

Sir Walter Raleigh is certainly one of the best behaved tobaccos I've tried as all it took was that first light to get it going and then it burned clean down to the ashes without requiring any relights or even tamping. I really appreciate tobaccos I don't have to fight to smoke so this was a big plus for me.

The flavor of the blend was smooth and mild with a prominent nutty Burley taste accompanied by a very faint hint of sweetness reminiscent of maple syrup and dark molasses. While this may be a simple blend the flavor was very good and stayed consistent throughout the smoke.

When smoked hard the flavor took on a bitter edge but since I'm a fan of hoppy beers I actually found myself puffing furiously in order to get that extra tang. Fortunately the tobacco remained bite-free even with such abuse.

My real taste test for these codger classics is in the aftertaste as even those that are good in the pipe often leave behind a chemical taste that lingers long after the smoke is finished. Happily, Sir Walter Raleigh proved to be the exception to the rule and the only lingering taste was that of Burley tobacco.

The room aroma was nice as well and never took on that stale cigarette smell that plagues many Burley blends.

Sir Walter Raleigh is a really good, old-time blend and has jumped to the top of my list of favorite OTC (over-the-counter) tobaccos. I was very pleasantly surprised by the flavor and behavior of this blend and can't wait to buy a tub to see how that compares to the pouch version.

Ruminations

Today I decided to stop and take a look back at my experiences over the past few years with pipe smoking. I ordered my first two cobs and two tobaccos (Squadron Leader and Penzance) back in June 2007 and, as is often the case, I just couldn't get the hang of it so they were quickly tossed on a shelf in the garage and forgotten.

Fast forward seven months and I stumbled on the stash while cleaning and decided to give the pipe another go. My technique was still shaky but I finally understood what all the fuss was about as the dried and slightly aged Squadron Leader just shined in that cob.

From that point on I was hooked and started buying new tobaccos to try; estate pipes of all shapes, sizes, and materials; various pipe smoking accessories; and started down the road to cellaring. In less than two solid years of pipe smoking I've amassed 60 different tobacco blends and a relatively paltry but enjoyable 14 pipes.

I realize that I'm still a novice but I think I've learned a thing or two about the fine art of smoking a pipe so I've decided to throw together a list of five helpful hints for those who might be starting down the path.

Top 5 Pipe Tips

1. If your tobacco looks and feels dry enough it probably isn't. Given the seasonal humidity in the Northwest it's a real battle to keep damp tobacco lit most of the year.

2. Slow down. Nope, slower. Even slower. There you go. Slow and steady keeps the pipe and smoke cool and leads to a nice even burn. I'll be the first to admit that I still have a hard time with this.

3. Relight as much as necessary and don't feel bad about it. Some blends I spend more time relighting than smoking but so what?

4. Resist the urge to tamp unless the pipe won't stay lit and even then a gentle stir and smoothing of the top ash is better than a tamp.

5. Buy some cobs. So what if you look like Popeye. Easily the most versatile and affordable smoking implements available. My most smoked pipe is one of those original two cobs (a Missouri Meerschaum Pride) and it goes everywhere with me.

Hoyo de Monterrey Maduro

Brand: Hoyo de Monterrey
Cigar: Maduro
Shape: Rothschild
Size: 4 1/2" x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras
Binder: Connecticut
Price: $2.25

Appearance: 6
Construction: 6
Taste: 6
Value: 8
Overall: 6

I've had a fiver of these sitting in my fridgador for about a year so I decided to take a few along on a camping trip to try them out. The Hoyo de Monterrey Maduro is a nice enough looking stick with a medium-dark maduro wrapper. As I cut the cigar with my Palio part of the wrapper came undone and although the cigar remained smokeable the unsightly scar on the side was a real shame.

The little Rothschild lit right up and that was the last time I needed to use my lighter as it burned evenly right down to the nub. Since I was sitting around a campfire in the dark it was great that I didn't have to fuss with the cigar. And even though this was a fairly short stick it burned at a slow pace and lasted for over an hour.

The Hoyo de Monterrey Maduro featured a typical taste profile for a maduro cigar with hints of unsweetened chocolate and espresso. There was no pepper or spice in this cigar and the flavors remained the same from beginning to end. It was a fine accompaniment to campfire conversation but I much prefer the more complex taste of the Dark Sumatras.

All in all it was a well-behaved but average tasting cigar and even at the low price I didn't find much to recommend it over other offerings from Hoyo de Monterrey.

Peter Stokkebye -- Balkan Supreme

Brand: Peter Stokkebye
Blend: Balkan Supreme
Style: Balkan
Pipe Used: Peterson Aran #150 Bulldog
Price: $13.50/8oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 9
Room Note: 7
Value: 9
Overall: 8

In a last minute dash to try some new blends before Washington state's draconian tobacco law goes into effect on the 26th I've been ordering pipe tobacco left and right. Yesterday I received an order from the fine folks at Mars Cigars & Pipes and made the mistake of opening the package while I was still trying to get some work done. The spicy, leathery, and sweet smell of Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme soon had me rummaging for a pipe.

After a long time away from Latakia blends I've been slowly coming back around to that wonderful leaf but find that I prefer it with a bit of spice which is why I've been reaching more for the Orientals. Although Balkan Supreme is, not surprisingly, a Balkan blend I rarely use that categorization term myself and tend to refer to tobacco of this type as Oriental but that's just me.

The tobacco is a fairly non-descript dark brown shag-cut blend that smells great straight out of the package. The appearance and aroma reminded me a lot of Dunhill's My Mixture 965 which is high praise indeed.

I know that I should have dried this out a bit before smoking but I just couldn't help myself so I loaded up my Peterson Bulldog and got right to work. The tobacco easily lit up and provided a nice, steady burn from beginning to end. Where the lack of drying got me was in the tongue bite since the extra moisture made for a few jolts of uncomfortable steam in my mouth. Ouch!

The flavor of the Balkan Supreme was superb with just the right mix of leathery Latakia, spicy Orientals, and a hint of sweet Virginias and Cavendish. I really enjoyed the spiciness of this blend and it provided the same sort of tingle I get from a good Nicaraguan cigar.

I found it to be the perfect blend for a long, contemplative smoke in which each different type of tobacco leaf could be coaxed to shine by varying the speed of puffing and length of draw. Long, leisurely smoking highlighted the Latakia; short, rapid puffs brought out the spicy Orientals; and rapid but long draws allowed the sweet Virgina and Cavendish component to peek through.

Balkan Supreme combined some of my favorite aspects of the aforementioned My Mixture 965 as well as Samuel Gawith's classic Squadron Leader. This blend is a great English/Oriental go-between and provides just enough of each style while still retaining its own unique place in the tobacco pantheon.

The room note followed the trend of the taste in that the rate of smoking had a direct impact on the aroma of the smoke. From the classic Latakia funk to the almost tart hints of exotic spice the smells provided all sorts of variety -- some very nice and some not so nice to the nose.

Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme is often mentioned as a replacement for the long-gone Balkan Sobranie but since I've never tasted that classic blend I have to judge this one on it's own merits and what I find is a great Balkan blend that has a very complex taste, behaves well in the pipe, and can be purchased in bulk at a ridiculously low price. This is truly a wonderful tobacco.

A Year Already

The one year anniversary of this blog came and went unnoticed last week. What started out as "Cigar Meanderings" quickly evolved into "Meandering Smoke" as my interests veered more in the direction of pipes than cigars. I still try to review the occasional stogie but for the time being pipes are much more my thing. At any rate I started this blog mostly for my own future reference but hopefully it's provided some information to others who've happened this way by hook or by crook. I would offer up a champagne toast but beer is more my speed so here's an Alaskan Summer Ale for you!

John Middleton -- Carter Hall

Brand: John Middleton
Blend: Carter Hall
Style: Burley
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $4.10/1.5oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 6
Room Note: 7
Value: 8
Overall: 7

While picking up some stuff at the local Rite-Aid I noticed a pouch of Carter Hall for sale on the shelf. If you're familiar with the sorry state of tobacco retail outlets here in the greater Seattle area then you'll understand my surprise at finding a tobacco I actually wanted to try at a fairly reasonable price. Needless to say I grabbed that pouch and as soon as I got home I filled my trusty corncob pipe and headed out to try yet another classic, codger, drugstore, heritage, or what-have-you blend.

Carter Hall is a basic ribbon cut Burley and upon opening the pouch I was met with a uniformly cut tan tobacco that smelled nicely of raisins and figs. I don't know what it is about these classic blends but they all sure do smell good.

With the first charring light there was a short burst of harshness but that passed just as soon as the tobacco started burning evenly. From that point on the blend smoked like a dream requiring no fuss and only one relight to get down to the last ashes. I wish all pipe tobacco behaved so well.

The tobacco had a nice, mellow Burley flavor that was very unobtrusive and occasionally subtle hints of citrus could be detected as well. In some ways you could even call it boring but sometimes the tried and true is just what you're looking for in a good smoke.

Similar to other Burley blends I found that smoking Carter Hall too fast brought out an unpleasant cigarette-like taste so be sure to smoke it slowly.

As with most mass-produced tobaccos I also found there to be a chemical aftertaste and that's the one sticking point that keeps me from abandoning all my fancy-pants tobaccos and just going with the drugstore blends on a full-time basis. I understand that they have to be able to hold together for however long they're left languishing on store shelves but I do wish that there was some way to achieve this that didn't so adversely affect the tobaccos' flavors.

The room aroma was that of a classic grandfather's pipe which isn't surprising since most grandfathers smoked this type of blend.

In the pantheon of codger classics that I've tried so far I found Carter Hall to be the best behaved but least flavorful blend. I now understand why so many folks use it to break in new pipes since it burns so well while leaving behind no strong aftertaste. And it's clearly a favorite for mixing as it lends so many positive burn characteristics and offers up a nice, plain palate for adding new flavors.

My appreciation for these old blends continues to grow and while Carter Hall wasn't my favorite I'm still planning to buy a tub since this utilitarian tobacco has so many uses.

Altadis -- Count Pulaski

Brand: Altadis
Blend: Count Pulaski
Style: English/Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural Oscar #313
Price: $6.96/4oz.

Appearance: 6
Taste: 7 *UPDATED TO 9*
Room Note: 4
Value: 10
Overall: 7 *UPDATED TO 8*

In my search for an anise-flavored tobacco one name kept popping up on various forums -- Count Pulaski. Since I grew up in Detroit I'm well acquainted with Casimir Pulaski the Polish cavalry officer who fought and died for the American side in the Revolutionary War. Heck, the fellow even has a nice statue downtown. But what about the tobacco?

Count Pulaski is a blend from the huge tobacco company Altadis and while many pipe and cigar smokers hold their wealth of offerings in disdain, I'm not one to make snap judgments without first sampling the goods.

Described as being a combination of Burley, Virginia, Carolina and Latakia leaf with a topping of rum and anise, Count Pulaski is a difficult blend to categorize. The strong Latakia component places it firmly in the English camp while the added flavorings indicate that it belongs to the aromatic family. For my purposes I'll just call it an English-style aromatic.

Count Pulaski is a very coarse cut tobacco consisting of fairly large pieces of mostly black and some light tan tobacco leaf. Unless you're smoking a large pipe some further break-up is required before packing and smoking.

The pouch, or in my case bail-top jar, aroma is overwhelmingly Latakia and my nose could detect none of the advertised toppings be they rum or anise.

I set some tobacco aside to dry for a few hours then loaded up my pipe. The charring light revealed that I should have torn the tobacco a bit more as large pieces started to burn and rear up out of the bowl. It took a lot of tamping and charring to get this mess tamed but once it was under control in burned just fine.

The first flavor to hit was of course the Latakia and it left no doubt that this was predominantly an English blend. The large Burley component added a nice nutty undertone that one doesn't typically find in this style of tobacco while the Virginia leaf brought some spicy sweetness to the mix. Heavy puffing also brought out a very strong cigar type taste which was very much to my liking.

Since I bought this tobacco mainly for its anise flavor I waited and waited for that aspect to emerge but it never really did. No anise, no rum -- just a slightly herbal undertone to tickle the tongue. Some of the smoke had a faint licorice aroma but I've found that in other English blends and tend to attribute it to the Latakia.

Save for that slightly sweet scent, the room aroma of Count Pulaski is not likely to win many friends as the Latakia assaults the nose like moldy sweat socks thrown on a campfire. I for one enjoy that smell but most innocent bystanders will likely be knocked on their keisters.

The coarse cut did give me some problems with burn issues but the blend still behaved well and offered up a cool, bite-free smoke. The tobacco also burned down to a nice dry ash and left no goop behind in the pipe which is surprising for an inexpensive bulk aromatic such as this.

Count Pulaski is an interesting blend from Altadis and is likely to appeal to fans of light English or aromatic English tobacco styles. I was a bit disappointed that the anise flavor never came through for me and without that added twist there's just not much to recommend this over many other similar blends. Where I can recommend it is in both behavior and price since the tobacco burns well (if torn up a bit beforehand) and is offered at a ridiculously low bulk price.

*UPDATE 6/27/09*
Last night I stumbled on a cob that I had loaded with Count Pulaski a few days earlier to take fishing and had forgotten about. I decided to light it up and was met with one of the finest, most sublime smokes I've yet experienced.

The missing hints of anise were finally there and the pleasant cigar-like taste had evolved into a richly mellow leathery taste that was superb.

All in all this neglected bowl of Count Pulaski provided a nearly perfect smoke and my ratings have been bumped up to recognize that fact.

HPCS Adirondack Series -- Trout Stream

Brand: HPCS Adirondack Series
Blend: Trout Stream
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Peterson Aran 150
Price: $9.99/4oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 7
Room Note: 8
Value: 8
Overall: 7

Trout Stream is an exclusive offering from the Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe -- better known as pipesandcigars.com. I'm a huge fan of their Butternut Burley and had heard many good things about this blend as well so I ordered a few ounces to give it a try.

The tobacco is a mixture of Golden and Black Cavendish and comes in a black and tan ribbon cut form. The aroma was great and smelled of butterscotch. The moisture content was about on par for an aromatic so I set some tobacco aside for a few hours to dry out.

I loaded up my Peterson Aran 150 Bulldog, gave the tobacco a charring light, and away I went. The flavor started out mellow and pretty much stayed that way to the end. Being composed solely of Cavendish tobacco, this blend is fairly straightforward and offers no surprises. The butterscotch came across as a slightly sweet aftertaste but wasn't nearly as front and center as I expected given the initial smell of the tobacco.

Trout Stream is a very well behaved blend and burned nice and dry with no goopy residue left behind in the pipe. It also burned evenly and only required a few relights along the way. The blend was also bite free and provided a nice, cool smoke.

As is the case with many aromatics, the room aroma was much richer than the taste of the actual tobacco. That's not a knock against the blend, just a statement of fact.

Trout Stream is a nice enough aromatic and I really have nothing bad to say about it but I much prefer the added flavor depth found with Butternut Burley and since it runs $10 cheaper per pound I can't really see myself ordering more of this blend in the future.

Samuel Gawith -- Celtic Talisman

Brand: Samuel Gawith
Blend: Celtic Talisman
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural
Price: $6.84/50g

Appearance: 7
Taste: 8
Room Note: 8
Value: 9
Overall: 8

Samuel Gawith's Celtic Talisman is a relatively new blend from the storied tobacco company. Billed on the tin simply as being an aromatic it is in fact a blend of Bright Virginia, Burley, and Black Cavendish topped with sweet cherry.

Upon opening the tin I was met with a firmly packed and fairly moist ribbon cut tobacco that appeared to be primarily made up of the light Virginia leaf with a bit of dark Cavendish mixed in. The aroma was very sweet and smelled of cherry and vanilla. In fact, the tobacco both looked and smelled almost identical to Mac Baren's Vanilla Cream.

Being the impetuous fool that I am I gave the moist tobacco no time to dry out and immediately loaded up my Savinelli Natural Oscar #313 and gave it a light. The tobacco lit right up and I have to say that the initial flavor was also identical to the aforementioned Mac Baren blend.

The blend was sweet but not overly so and much of that was a result of the Bright Virginia and not due to the topping. While advertised as a cherry blend I thought that the Black Cavendish carried more of a vanilla flavor although the cherry was evident in both the room note and the aftertaste.

The Celtic Talisman also delivered a surprisingly spicy kick that served to complement the sweetness of the blend. This added bite made for a most unusual and pleasant aromatic smoke.

Given my haste to fire up this tobacco I was surprised to find that it burned cool and dry and never required the use of a pipe cleaner to soak up any goop. The Celtic Talisman smoked clear down to the bottom of the bowl and needed only a few relights along the way. This was not at all what I expected and it sure came as a pleasant surprise.

The room aroma was very nice and it was here that the cherry became most evident. Once again it was very similar to the room note of Vanilla Cream.

Celtic Talisman is the first true aromatic from Samuel Gawith that I've tried and if my experiences with this blend are any indication then I need to try some of the others as well. This is a sweet tasting tobacco that burns well and leaves behind nothing but fine ash and a wonderful room aroma. And while I've been saying that it and Mac Baren's Vanilla Cream are almost identical in taste and aroma I have to give a slight edge to Celtic Talisman as the subtle spiciness brings some nice complexity to the blend.

All in all Samuel Gawith's Celtic Talisman is a wonderful, light aromatic and can be had for a song. If you like the idea of a cherry blend that avoids the artificial cough syrup taste that one often finds in heavier aromatics then this is certainly one to try.

McClelland -- Blackwoods Flake

Brand: McClelland
Blend: Blackwoods Flake
Style: Virginia
Pipe Used: Savinelli Rusticated Oscar #313
Price: $7.80/2oz.

Appearance: 9
Taste: 9
Room Note: 7
Value: 9
Overall: 9

I bought a tin of McClelland's Blackwoods Flake a few months ago and was pleased to discover that it was packaged in 2005. Given the four year head start I had planned on aging it for a few more years. But last night I really wanted a nice dark Virginia and I was out of all of my usual suspects so that tin was just begging to be opened.

I cracked the tin and was immediately met by that standard McClelland aroma that's been variously described as ketchup or vinegar like. It's never bothered me and I've always felt that the smell is that of natural fermentation and is even a bit hoppy in character -- not at all unpleasant.

The flake tobacco was fairly moist and consisted of a mixture of Red and Black Stoved Virginia leaf. All of the flakes were fairly uniform in size and appearance and looked good enough to eat. I broke a few apart and then set them aside to dry for the afternoon.

By the time I was ready to load up my Savinelli Rusticated Oscar #313 the tobacco blend was in perfect smoking condition. It took a few additional charring lights to get all of the tobacco tendrils evenly flat on the top but once it got going the pipe stayed lit right to the bitter end and required no tamping or fussing of any kind. Since I was sitting outside watching the rain fall I could see the ember glowing in the bowl and it just refused to go out.

Straight Virginias are among my favorite tobaccos and while I don't typically find them to be very complex blends the best of them can offer a truly rewarding smoke. From my first taste of the Blackwoods Flake I knew that I had found smoking nirvana. Whereas light Virginias tend to be almost cloyingly sweet at times, this dark blend was much more savory yet still plenty sweet -- almost like a traditional Christmas pudding.

The combination of Red and Black Stoved tobaccos is a real winner here with the Red offering a delicate sweetness while the Black lends a taste that's faintly reminiscent of grilled steak. These two taste profiles make for a delightful smoke as first one then the other moves to the front. These flavors also remain consistent from start to finish.

The room aroma reminded me of a nice smoky BBQ and while I certainly enjoy that smell it could be a bit much in small indoor spaces. The smoky character also lingered in the air for quite a while.

Like I mentioned, the Blackwoods Flake was a well-behaved tobacco that stayed lit and burned evenly right down to the ash. As with many Virginias there was a bit of tongue bite whenever the pipe was smoked too fast but that was easily remedied by slowing down.

McClelland's Blackwoods Flake is a wonderful straight Virginia blend that offers up a very high quality smoke at a reasonable price and rewards the patient pipester with a rich, full flavor and a well-mannered smoke. This tobacco is sheer delight in the pipe and is very highly recommended.

"The Hobbit"

I was watching the 1977 Rankin & Bass animated version of "The Hobbit" on DVD last night with my kids and was floored by the sheer number of pipe references. Those hobbits sure knew how to enjoy their pipeweed!

Pinkerton -- Half & Half

Brand: Pinkerton
Blend: Half & Half
Style: Burley/Virginia
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $2.85/1.5oz.

Appearance: 8
Taste: 7
Room Note: 8
Value: 9
Overall: 8

Half & Half is one of those classic drugstore blends that has been enjoyed for well over a hundred years. Easily dismissed due to their easy availability and low price, these codger classics are quite often worth a try and this one is no exception.

Upon opening the pouch I was hit with one of the finest pipe tobacco aromas I've ever experienced. Some have referred to it as a rum raisin type of smell but to me it seemed more like IHOP butter pecan syrup topped with a bit of lemon. It almost made me want to grab a spoon and eat the stuff!

The tobacco consisted of a medium-brown, ribbon cut blend of Burley and light Virginia and was a bit moist right out of the pouch. After leaving some to dry for a bit I loaded up one of trusty cobs and gave it a light.

The tobacco lit easily, burned evenly, and only required one relight as I neared the bottom of the bowl. The blend also refused to bite even when I found myself smoking it fairly fast. The ease of smoking is one aspect of these old classics that I've really come to admire.

The flavor profile was about what one would expect from a quality Burley/Virginia mix -- a rich nutty taste complimented by the sweetness of the light Virginias. And while the pouch aroma was evidence of the addition of some toppings, whatever was added didn't adversely impact the flavor or burn characteristics at all. There was even a faint touch of spice that I could feel as a tingle on my lips and tip of my tongue. Half & Half displayed a consistent flavor profile from beginning to end which is just fine for this type of inexpensive, everyday smoke.

The real test for me with these drugstore blends is in the aftertaste. Too much humectant or artificial flavoring can lead to an off-putting taste in the mouth long after the pipe is finished. In the case of Half & Half the aftertaste was primarily that of good tobacco but I did also detect a slightly chemical undertone that forced me to knock down the flavor score by a point.

The room aroma was that classic pipe smell that is enjoyed by most folks whether they be smokers or not and didn't have the harsh, cigarette-like edge to it that I often find with Burley blends.

Half & Half is a good pipe tobacco and if it was repackaged as a new product in a fancy tin it could easily sell for much more money. As it is, we pipe smokers should be glad that it's available for just a couple of bucks a pouch at most corner drugstores. I enjoyed it very much and it may well replace some of the other Burley/Virginia blends that I currently smoke. Score one for the codgers.

G.L. Pease -- Barbary Coast

Brand: G.L. Pease
Blend: Barbary Coast
Style: Burley/Aromatic
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $8.75/2oz.

Appearance: 9
Taste: 10
Room Note: 7
Value: 9
Overall: 9

I've owned this tin of G.L. Pease Barbary Coast for almost six months but had been reluctant to open it since this blend gets a lot of mixed reviews and even those who love it tend to comment on how difficult it is to smoke. Today I decided to put my fears aside and pulled the tab on that tin. What greeted me was a slightly moist dark, cube-cut Burley mixed with some ribbon-cut Red Virginias. The rich aroma of brandy and dates was delightful as well.

Since I was expecting trouble I decided to try this blend out in one of my trusty old cobs. Taking the advice of the many brave souls who came before me, I gravity fed the pipe with no tamping, skipped the charring light, and set about getting this thing a burnin'.

The soft flame of my Xikar Pipeline just wasn't up to the task so I switched to my Zippo with a single flame butane insert and tried to get some combustion. Even with that heat of the sun lighter it was still difficult to get the tobacco going. Boy am I glad I went with a cob on this as I don't want to think about what all that flame-throwing would have done to a briar pipe.

Once I got the Barbary Coast burning I was greeted with the rich, nutty taste of a fine Burley mingled with the sweetness of the Virginia leaf. The advertised Perique was noticeable in a tip of the tongue tingle which added a bit of zest to the blend. This is first and foremost a Burley blend with the other components adding some nice ancillary taste.

While the brandy is very noticeable in the tin aroma and room note I only caught glancing hints of it on the occasional exhale. It does, however, act to take the edge off the otherwise harsh Burley room note.

As expected, this was a very high maintenance tobacco. If I set the pipe down for even a moment it went out and required some serious puffing and torching to get going again. This of course led to a hot smoke and a hot cob but, oddly enough, no tongue bite. It also provided for a very dry smoke.

So then why should one bother with Barbary Coast if it's so difficult to smoke? In a word, bliss. Every now and then you're lucky enough to come across a tobacco blend that really puts you in the pipe smoking zone. For me, G.L. Pease's Barbary Coast does the trick. I found it to be a sublime, transcendent smoke that takes the best characteristics of Burley, straight Virginia, and even aromatic blends and marries them into a deceptively simple smoke that kept me fully interested and with a grin on my face from beginning to end.

I flat out love the taste of this tobacco and even if I never find a way to make it smoke easily I'm more than willing to put up with its idiosyncrasies in order to enjoy all that it has to offer. But until such a time as I can tame this beast, Barbary Coast will remain a cob-only blend.

A Perfect Afternoon

I'm usually a one-a-day pipe guy but with the start of the NCAA Tournament today I found myself watching the TV and the live feed on the computer simultaneously and enjoying pipe after pipe after pipe. Butternut Burley flowed into Full Virginia Flake followed by Squadron Leader and topped off with a relaxing bowl of Westminster. What bliss! Plus, my Michigan Wolverines won their first round game which is realistically all I was hoping for.

Peterson -- Sherlock Holmes

Brand: Peterson
Blend: Sherlock Holmes
Style: Virginia/Oriental
Pipe Used: Trypis Rusticated Dublin
Price: Gift

Appearance: 7
Taste: 7
Room Note: 7
Value: 7
Overall: 7

Since it's St. Patrick's Day I decided to get my Irish on with some appropriate pipe tobacco. I settled on Peterson's Sherlock Holmes which is billed as being made from an Irish recipe dating back to 1880 and is produced by the venerable Dublin company.

The marketing blurb for this blend says that it's a straight Virginia but the tin itself states that it includes some Burley as well. The tobacco is drawn from a variety of orange and red Virginias and includes some Mysore and Brazilian leaf.

Upon opening the tin I was greeted with a blond colored ribbon-cut tobacco of uniform size and the aroma was that of fresh-cut hay and a dash of citrus and lavender. The tobacco was also bone dry.

I loaded up my Trypis Rusticated Dublin (as close to an Irish pipe as I own) and proceeded with my charring light. The tobacco lit right up and started giving off a lot of smoke which is indicative of a very dry blend.

The initial flavor was typical of a light Virginia with that classic hay-like sweetness. Slowly sipping on the pipe kept thing firmly planted in that Virginia realm and I soon found myself becoming rather bored with the blend.

But after I started smoking a bit harder some more complex flavors became apparent. The citrus and lavender that I smelled out of tin started to emerge and the blend took on a taste very reminiscent of Earl Grey tea with its bergamot undertones. Unfortunately the harder smoking also led to some unpleasant tongue bite.

The room aroma was fairly mild for the most part but any furious puffing soon resulted in a harsh edge to the smoke that was off-putting.

The pipe stayed lit from beginning to end but the bowl did get a bit hot and the tobacco burned out rather quickly. This pipe typically makes for a 45 minute smoke but in this case I was down to the ashes in 20 minutes.

I still don't know how to classify this blend. For the most part it's a straight Virginia and I never noticed any of the advertised Burley but the bergamot and lavender aroma and taste put me in mind of a classic Oriental leaf. There don't seem to be any added toppings that would otherwise be responsible for that flavor profile.

Peterson's Sherlock Holmes is seemingly two tobaccos in one. Slow sippers will be greeted with a mild-mannered Virgina while fast puffers will be rewarded with a fine Oriental-style blend. Unfortunately the smoking technique needed to access the full flavor also leads to a hot pipe, some serious biting, and a fast and furious smoke. Whereas most tobaccos require a bit of drying before smoking this one seems to require a bit of hydrating if you happen upon a tin as dry as mine.

John Middleton -- Prince Albert

Brand: John Middleton
Blend: Prince Albert
Style: Burley
Pipe Used: Dominique Signature (Jeantet) Dublin
Price: $2.50/1.5oz.

Appearance: 7
Taste: 7
Room Note: 8
Value: 10
Overall: 8

"Do you have Prince Albert in a can?"
"Yes."
"Then you better let him out!"
(Hilarious squeals of laughter)

I knew of this classic crank telephone call well before I ever tried the tobacco. Heck, I probably even made a few such calls myself during my misspent youth.

Prince Albert is truly one of the classic American pipe tobaccos -- what are now referred to as drugstore or codger blends. It's been around since 1907 and is still going strong some hundred-plus years later.

This is the one and only tobacco that my grandfather smoked and just the faintest whiff of its sweet aroma is enough to send me right down memory lane. For this very reason I long put off trying Prince Albert because I didn't want to alter those memories in any way.

But a few weeks ago I was placing an order and on a whim I threw in a pouch (sadly not a can) of the Prince. It was time to finally break down and give this classic a try.

Advertised as a crimp cut, Prince Albert is a light to medium brown ribbon cut Burley tobacco blend. Right out of the pouch it's dry enough to smoke immediately and gives off a pleasant nutty aroma.

I loaded up an estate Dominique Signature 1/8 bent Dublin (manufactured by Jeantet of France) with the tobacco. I'm trying to break in this pipe after a thorough cleaning and supposedly these classic Burley blends are just the ticket for that task.

The tobacco lit up easily and stayed lit for a good long time requiring a relight only when I left the pipe unattended for five minutes or so. This is definitely a fire and forget it tobacco.

The flavor was about what one would expect from a classic Burley blend -- nutty, mild, and unobtrusive. For an all day smoke this type of consistent, unchallenging flavor is perfect. If it was good enough for granddad then I guess it's good enough for me.

While Prince Albert is billed as a straight Burley blend and there are no heavy casings in evidence there does seem to be a little something in there with added sweetness. It could just be a particular tobacco that they use but I certainly taste and smell something above and beyond any Burley I know.

As for the aroma, Prince Albert gives off that classic pipe smell that's likely to elicit favorable responses from those around you who grew up with pipe smoking grandfathers like I did. If puffed too fast and furiously the smoke can get a little too dense and begin to smell like a foul cigarette but you wouldn't want to abuse your pipes like that anyways.

I tried hard to make this stuff bite but it just refused to lash out and remained mellow from beginning to end. This is one well behaved tobacco.

Prince Albert has long been one of the top pipe tobaccos in this country and with good reason. It's an easy burning, fine tasting, good smelling, and inexpensive blend. I suppose that explains how it's lasted unchanged for over a hundred years.

I enjoy exploring the wide world of tobacco too much to ever chain myself to one exclusive blend but the Prince has found a place in my rotation. This almost unbelievably easy smoke is perfect for when you want to concentrate more on the task at hand than on your pipe. Its mellow flavor also makes it a perfect blend for mixing with other tobacco.

Anyone who enjoys a relaxing smoke should give Prince Albert a fair shake. Just because it's been around forever and can be purchased over the counter at your local drugstore doesn't mean that it hasn't rightfully earned its place in the pantheon of great pipe tobaccos.

Ashton -- Guilty Pleasure

Brand: Ashton
Blend: Guilty Pleasure
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural
Price: Gift

Appearance: 8
Taste: 5
Room Note: 9
Value: 8
Overall: 7

I received a tin of Ashton Guilty Pleasure when I bought a couple of pipes recently and figured that I should give the stuff a try. Upon opening the tin you see a typical ribbon-cut Cavendish which in my case was also bone dry. The tin aroma is very sweet and cloying which didn't bode well for the taste of the tobacco.

I loaded up my Savinelli Natural #313 and gave it a quick charring light. The first few puffs were very harsh probably due to the dry nature of the tobacco. Usually I'm good to go after that but this stuff just refused to stay lit and required relighting after every few puffs. Since the tobacco was so dry there was no goop or gurgle to deal with.

The taste was fairly mild when smoked slowly but any quick puffing resulted in tongue bite and a harsh cigarette sort of flavor. There were some nice hints of berries and the blend wasn't nearly as sweet as the tin aroma led me to fear. But the tobacco never really progressed from there and remained a mild, barely interesting smoke.

The room aroma was excellent however and I would easily rate it among my favorites in that category. While the berry flavors were quite mild the aroma was jam-packed with the smell of a fresh baked blackberry pie. I only wish it tasted half as good as it smelled.

Ashton Guilty Pleasure is a nice smelling but thoroughly bland tobacco and there are much better aromatics out there to put up with this very high maintenance blend.

Xikar Pipeline

I've long been intrigued by the classic Corona Old Boy pipe lighters but wasn't quite ready to plunk down that much cash when I stumbled on the knock-off Xikar Pipeline at Lil' Brown Smoke Shack for only $34. At that price I figured it was worth taking a shot to see if I even like this style of lighter.

I've used Xikar cigar lighters and cutters in the past and have been pleased with their quality so I was pretty certain that the Pipeline wouldn't disappoint. The lighter doesn't come with a case but when you register on the Xikar website they send you a free leather slipcase.

As you can see in the pictures the Pipeline is styled pretty much the same as the Old Boy and also includes a hide-away pipe tamper. The shiny surface is a real fingerprint magnet but it cleans up easily enough.

To try it out I filled the lighter with some triple-filtered butane. It took a few flicks of the flint to light it the first time out but since then it usually lights on the first strike. The flame level is fully adjustable and the directional flame makes it easy to reach the bottom of the pipe bowl without singeing the sides.

I like the classic look of the Pipeline as it has a real Art Deco vibe and the act of lighting it up is pretty classy. It doesn't do well in a breeze and even the slightest exhalation while lighting can snuff it out so this is definitely an indoor only lighter.

The Xikar Pipeline is a fine pipe lighter but I can't see it becoming my one and only lighting solution due to the few shortcomings inherent in a candle style flame. But it sure does look nice and at the price I paid I'm more than happy with my purchase.

Orlik -- Golden Sliced

Brand: Orlik
Blend: Golden Sliced
Style: Virginia/Burley
Pipe Used: Savinelli Rusticated Prince
Price: $5.27/50g

Appearance: 9
Taste: 8
Room Note: 7
Value: 9
Overall: 8

I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get around to reviewing Orlik Golden Sliced. I think it's one of those tobaccos that I just take for granted yet blissfully smoke bowl after bowl while ruminating about flashier blends.

This is billed as a light Virginia with a touch of Burley and comes in a pressed flake format. Upon opening the tin you're greeted with the aroma of fresh cut hay. For those not raised on a farm that is a very sweet, fresh scent and it makes me almost want to eat the tobacco rather than smoke it. The flakes also look like hay with their light tan color.

You can buy this tobacco in 50g and 100g tins and while some say that the larger tin provides for a tastier tobacco I prefer the pocketability of the smaller one.

I took about two-thirds of a flake, folded it up, and stuck it in the Savinelli Rusticated Prince (#313 Oscar) that's my dedicated Virginia pipe. One quick charring light later and the smoke was under way.

Orlik Golden sliced is one of those fire and forget tobaccos that require very little upkeep and are content to just keep burning along in your pipe. Once I got a good smolder going I could even set the pipe down for a bit without the ember going out. A relight was needed toward the halfway point as the folded flake started to unravel and needed some tending.

The taste of this tobacco is nice and bright with just the right hint of sweetness. I love the raw sugar flavor of a good Virginia and this one certainly has it. As the smoke progresses the Burley becomes more evident and provides a nice solid base to keep the sweetness in check.

This is a fairly light smoke and isn't very complex but sometimes that's exactly what you're looking for. I tend to sip this one slowly as a cool smoke really enhances the sugars in the tobacco. I don't typical have any issues with Virginias biting and this one is no exception even if I try to smoke it hot.

The room note is fairly benign but the Burley does make for an aroma that's a bit reminiscent of cigarette smoke which some might find objectionable. But it isn't a particularly smoky blend and it does tend to dissipate quickly.

In general I find Orlik Golden Sliced to be a very solid and trusty standby blend. It's a light, sweet smoke and I tend to enjoy it almost as a palate cleanser after smoking more complex blends. I always have a few tins on hand and that smirking judge is never too far from my pipe or pocket.

UPDATE
Recent sleuthing by the folks at Pipesmagzine.com has revealed that OGS contains a touch of Perique and not, as stated on the label, a touch of Burley.  Since Perique is in fact a heavily modified Burley tobacco I'll just leave my original review as is and slink away shame-faced that I didn't notice the presence of the devil weed in the first place.

International Pipe Smoking Day

Today is International Pipe Smoking Day so light up a bowl already will ya?