Sutliff Tobacco Company Metropolitain

I think I liked this more than other reviewers.

The tin note is slightly sour with a slight chemical note. It does not promise much. Smoked is a different story.

There is a slight alcohol topping that burns off in the first few puffs. After that it is a mild slightly sweet tobacco taste with a subtle vanilla. The sweet is hard to identify, but is a slight fruit more than anything else. This is pleasant, easy to smoke and it has a pleasant room note. The tobacco flavor grows in strength a little as the bowl progresses.

This is worth a try if you are interested in a mildly aromatic blend with black cavendish. The burley and Virginia do not do much more than provide a balanced tobacco foundation. I would guess there is more burley than Virginia and maybe the Virginia contributes to the sweet a little. I think it works pretty well.

This has an alcohol casing that's pleasant, almost like a medium-sweet wine. The grassy, citrusy golden Virginia adds a honey taste that reminds me a little of Blue Danube. The burley isn't all that noticeable, but I get a slight molasses from it, and almost none of the nutty characteristics I usually expect from burley. The black cavendish has the familiar vanilla. The toppings are light licorice/anise, plum, and light date notes. I find it a little milder and slightly smoother than Sutliff's Great Outdoors blend with more emphasis on the black cavendish. Has little nicotine, and won't bite. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a consistent flavor. Leaves just a little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. Has a nice after taste. It's a very comfortable smoke that gets three stars from me because I can't give it two and half, and it deserves more than two stars.This blend is almost like what would happen if you mixed Blue Danube with Great Outdoors without being stronger than BD is.

-JimInks

Tin note: Vanilla & Cavendish

Moisture level: Pretty moist in the tin

Dry time: I left the tin open for a day

Nicotine level: low

Tongue bite: none

Room note: Pleasant

Burnability: after smoking 1/2 bowl, I had to start relighting it a few times

Retrohale: pleasant

Notes: I really did not like this aromatic, I could really taste a chemical casing that was not enjoyable. After 1/2 bowl the flavor went flat and bland.

Vanilla flavor serves as a decent companion to the base tobaccos, and is predominant. Pleasant room aroma. Smokes dry in the mouth and in the bowl. Peppery notes on the retrohale. Once vanilla flavoring dissipates, a nutty Burley emerges and stands out, with the vanilla in the background, and a hint of Virginia sweetness. 2 stars.

Picked up a tin at the local B&M a while back. Just popped it a week or two ago. I only have about three bowls left now.

As with most Sutliff blends it comes rather moist. Definitely pop the tin and let it air out for fifteen or twenty minutes before filling the bowl.

Once it's dried a bit it loads pretty well and takes a char and true light alright. It burns pretty evenly and down to a white ash. If you don't pack it right it will end up gurgling.

For the taste, it has a liquor casing that some say is like a cognac. I also noted a bit of anise and vanilla in there as well. It's a bit powerful on the light ups but it mellows out a bit as the smoke goes on. It still stays pretty forward though and the leaf flavors don't come out too much.

The room note was tolerable. The Mrs. didn't note it being very good but also didn't tell me to stop smoking it.

Overall it's an alright aromatic, but one I probably wont pick up again.

Sutliff Private Stock – Metropolitain

Star Rating = 1

Rating Scores - 10 is the Best and 0 is the Worst

Pouch Note = 0

Room Note = 3

Flavor = 0

Bite = 0

Burn = 4

After Taste = 5

Raw Score = 12

Rated Percentage = 20%

Comment = This tobacco has an Awful Smelling Pouch Note. The Flavor is terrible because a topping of cheap cognac has been used. This smoke produced a huge Bit and a bitter Taste. This is a dreadful blend that I can't recommend to anyone. As a general note, I find that Altadis doesn't seem to use premium leaf tobacco as compared to the other major Brands. I hope that Mac Baren the new owner of Altadis as of May 2013, can improve the quality of the Altadis blends.

The smell of the tin is reminiscent of a mulled wine or cider - not necessarily in a good way. The tin note doesn't scream out yummy goodness. But who really cares about that, it's the smoke that counts. Thankfully, the tin note couldn't be further from the smoke experience. My tin was perfect on moisture content - no drying necessary, and smoked clean to the end. The tobacco has a sweet underlying presence that remained true throughout. The flavoring was mild and has enjoyable nuance characteristics - far from an over-the-top the aro. A sweet honey/sugary undertone keeps the blend balanced. A soft and I mean soft vanilla note is present. This combination makes for a very enjoyable smoke. The alcohol presence had little to no impact from a harshness standpoint but it does add an additional flavor nuance which enhanced the overall quality of this aro. I wasn't expecting a lot from this blend, but have to say I was pleasantly surprised enough to pick up two more tins to store away for the future. I would characterize this as a soft, smooth, consistent aro with enough interest to relax and enjoy as an alternative to heavier blends. As with most aros, cadence is key to enjoy. This is not an over-the-top goopy, wet, chemically aro. There is a slight nuttiness that weaves in and out from the burley as well. This blend has varying interest and I tend to like variation in the notes and nuances that pull through. If you are looking for a mainline, same flavor note type aro, this may not be for you and add enough punch. If you like to sip and try to identify varying influences, you will enjoy this one.

Rich heavy tin note. Somewhat moist from the tin. Requires drying time or it will be goopy. A blah blend. Not bad but not good. Chemical taste noted.