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.