Sutliff Tobacco Company African Queen #500

(1.82)
An aromatic blend without Latakia consisting of Smyrna, Mozambique, and Virginia tobaccos that will appeal to pipe smokers of English and domestic styles alike.

Details

Brand Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blended By Carl McCallister
Manufactured By Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blend Type Aromatic
Contents Burley, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring Other / Misc
Cut Coarse Cut
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

1.82 / 4
0

6

6

10

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 22 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 06, 2017 Mild Very Strong Medium Strong
Sutliff Tobacco Company - African Queen #500.

The mixture has no problem with moisture and it's been well rubbed, so there's no messing about needed where crumbling any chunky bits or drying are concerned.

Initial thoughts: it's not that bad, there's a slight added flavour that's not too powerful, and the tobaccos taste pleasant enough.

One minute later: what the hell is this casing? I can't pigeonhole it as a specific ingredient but whatever it is, the smoke quickly develops a heaviness that's most unpleasant. This also lingers on the palate when the smoke's over and done with.

The topping becomes a bit chemical-like shortly after this point, and that's when I abandon a bowl.

The nicotine's mild, I don't like the room-note, and it bites me like crazy.

Not recommended....horrible.
Pipe Used: Peterson Kinsale XL11 P'Lip
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 13, 2014 Very Mild Medium to Strong Medium Pleasant
To start, this tobacco is misleading. It is not bad, however; first impressions are everything. The description is not indicative of what this tobacco is. This is not an English style blend by any means, it is not designed to act as an intermediary for aromatic smokers to English and vice versa. It is an aromatic, with hints of cocoa, almonds and other silky top notes. It is wet, it hisses and pops and crackles in the bowl. The aroma is quite nice. Unfortunately it burns rather hot. I think of Bogey and Hepburn every time I smoke this pipe. So all in all I recommend. However, the description is misleading, either someone mixed something up and gave a wrong description, or he/she is highly imaginative. The description is trying too hard in my opinion. In any event, cool name, worth a try.

Edit: It has aged a bit. It has mellowed in flavor and become a bit more harsh. Bite is always there, I am forced to run a pipe cleaner through it every time, its starting to become a bother. What's up with the bite all the sudden? It was not there before.
Pipe Used: MM legend, Meerschaum
PurchasedFrom: Smoking pipes.com
Age When Smoked: 2 months
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 28, 2010 Mild Medium Medium Pleasant
I smoke mostly English tobacco. I really don't care much for aromatics. However, this is one that I could get used to smoking. Though aromatic this may be, it is not too overly powering than most aromatics I've tried. It has a nice mild aroma with very pleasing taste. There's one drawback though, since I prefer a "full bodied" smoke, it would've have been better if Altadis made the strength a little bit stronger. But then again, that's just my own preference.

*** UPDATE: 12/12/10 - To date, I've finally finished a full pound of this tobacco. Having compared it to a few blends, I can more or less make an "educated" update to my previous review.

Well, the verdict is in. I do find that having tried different blends, AQ lacks the depth and complexity that other blends have. Although, the aroma smells great in the bag, it does do not translate to flavor when you smoke it.

This blend is quite one dimensional. It lacks "something". Could it be that I'm just too much of a Latakia lover that I'm missing it on this blend? Honestly, I really don't know. Whatever it is, it's not there.

Looking at it as objectively as possible though, for an English blend not to contain any Latakia and still be “smokeable”, that is something worth considering. I still do maintain (as originally stated) that it is not too overly powering and has a nice mild aroma. Compared to some aromatics, it does have a somewhat of a pleasing taste.

With that being said, I am downgrading my recommendation to two (2) stars.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 05, 2009 Mild Medium to Strong Medium Pleasant
One man's trash is another man's treasure. I liked this one. It has a great aroma and while aromatic, not overwhelmingly so. I found it mild, non tongue biting and very pleasant taste. It burned well and stayed lit. It did not gunk up my pipe and it had a very sweet flavor, I think anise flavoring which I find I like. I think this is one of Altadis's better blends and will smoke it some more. An English does not have to have Latakia in it. It would ruin this one.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 22, 2018 Mild Medium to Strong Mild to Medium Pleasant
An interesting concept and an interesting blend. First and foremost however this is an AROMATIC, English smokers need not try. While the natural tobacco flavours do come through, it's overshadowed by the sweet casing.

The orientals aren't bad, kind of an interesting touch to an aro. When I started smoking it it wasn't bad, but after a while it got more and more boring until it was downright unlikable. The casing also disappears after half a bowl, becoming just some oriental and Virginia's. That wasn't particularly enjoyable.

Try this blend once, enjoy how unique it is and then never buy it again.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 08, 2014 Mild to Medium Mild Mild Tolerable
A different tobacco with various leafs. I like it for the difference. Enjoy it straight and 50/50 with Night Cap to stiffen it up a little. Have also added Chocolate Mousse which chages it considerably. After a few months I'm' finding myself ordering more. It's not English, not really an Aro. I may stop to smoke it and find myself smoking three or four bowls. Will be keeping some on hand.
Pipe Used: various briars
PurchasedFrom: Pipes and Cigars
Age When Smoked: fresh
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 09, 2014 Mild to Medium Mild Mild Pleasant
I tried this on a Lark. It is kind of an English (that's how Sutliff markets it), although it doesn't have Latakia and does have a bit of something aromatic. I loved it at first and couldn't wait to find it again. Devoted one pipe to it. Now, I find it OK. Maybe I'll buy some again because after a while I'll want that particular flavor. I didn't find it overly hot like other reviewers. Maybe it's the Smyrna that gives it the different flavor palate. I got it from Ford & Haig, where it was renamed. I've also found it at Faders under its own name, although the person who waited on me didn't want to admit they hadn't meticulously blended it themselves.
Pipe Used: Lornezo Dublin
PurchasedFrom: Ford & Haig in AZ; Faders in MD
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 29, 2007 Medium to Strong Medium Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
I use to buy thid at Mom's Cigars in NYC in the 1980's A good English blend a little on the full side. Packs well and burns easy. Has a very full Oriental scent in the bag. A good english blend at a very good price. drys out quick so smoke the whole bag fast.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 03, 2006 Very Mild Extra Strong Full Pleasant
The description was just baffling enough to make me curious enough to buy some of this. Then I was dumb enough to try to smoke it.

An aromatic blend without Latakia? Imagine that. After all, isn't Latakia a staple in aromatics? Yeah, right. Well, hats off to Altadis, that was actually what made my buy it. The flavor when I tried to smoke it is what will keep me from ever buying it again.

This is some pretty foul, over cased tobacco with a very unpleasant flavor that will leave your pipe goopy and put your tongue in the burn ward.

The room note is actually pretty decent. If you're in to suffering for the enjoyment of those around you, stock up on African Queen.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 13, 2017 Mild Strong Overwhelming Very Pleasant
Should have listened to other reviewers negative comments, this is pretty bad! Don't let the description lure you into thinking that maybe there is something there to be enjoyed, it's only positive merit is that it produces a pleasant aroma. So heavily cased it made my throat hurt.
Pipe Used: Il Ceppo Canadian
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: Fresh
2 people found this review helpful.
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