pipesandcigars.com Match Hickory

The nutty, earthy, lightly woody burley also has hints of spice, molasses and cocoa. It is a little more noticeable than the grassy, citrusy Virginia. The burley in the original was a little stronger and rougher. The latter aspect is avoided here as I detect no rough or harsh spots. The topping has light smoky hickory feel, but much less so than the original. It’s also fruitier here, though I would say not overly so. It does tone down the tobaccos some. The strength is mild, while the taste is a tad stronger than that. The former matches the original, and the latter is a hair stronger. The nic-hit is very mild whereas it is mild in the original. Unlike the original, there’s no chance of bite here. The original burned very warm, while this is a fairly cool smoke. Burns clean at a moderate pace with a mostly consistent taste from start to finish. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, short lived after taste. This is an all day, mild smoke that would make a decent entry level old-style blend for those who are looking for that. While not a close match, it is a superior product. I gave two stars to the original. This gets two and a half stars, rounded down to two only because the flavor lacks depth.

-JimInks

On it's own this blend is a sweetened OTC style burley with little tobacco flavor. This is one of the first match blends of Sutliff/P&C that I don't quite think makes the match in flavor. I currently am lucky enough to have a sample of both some 1980's Middleton Hickory and Sutliff's P&C Match Hickory. The Middleton's Hickory is much smoother and natural tasting, rather than chemical OTC pouch tobacco sweetness you can't quite describe.

This Match Hickory to me tastes a bit more like a mild Danish style aromatic cavendish in a few ways, in terms of flavor.

Worth giving this one a try if you get a chance, but try a small amount to see if you'll like the sweet flavoring.