pipesandcigars.com Yule Log

I bought Yule Log last winter for a lighter all day English blend with latakia. That is exactly what this is. I love heavy Balkans and stronger tobaccos like Irish Flake when I am sitting around contemplating the world. This blend gives me some of the same flavors, but on a lighter side. I took it out the other day after not having touched it for months at it had not lost any flavor, but the flavors blended and mellowed. A great all day or morning smoke for latakia lovers. Great for a walk in the woods when I am easily distracted by other things.

If you enjoy mild to medium traditional English blend then this will appeal to you. This blend is pretty much as described above. It is rich and satisfying and doesn't bite. Yule Log can be an all day smoke. I love it in the morning with my coffee. Give this one a try and you won't be disappointed.

Opening the bag Yule Log came in revealed dominate brown and tan ribbons mixed with black flecks. It feels too dry like paper out of the bag, but I did not bother rehydrating it and as long as I kept my cadence slow it smoked fine. It had a campfire smoke smell, like when your hands have that smoke smell after messing with the fire when camping. An unlit sip revealed a dark and resinous taste, despite the dryness with sweet and smoky undertones.

The charring light brought forth a spicy and sweet taste with a sour finish. A little latakia sourness came through when I first started puffing that progressed into exotic incense like sweetness. At times it had a creamy smoke with a rich, dark, and sweet taste that reminded me of a quality salted caramel. When puffed hard this blend was a demon to the mouth, but gentle puffing made for a rich and luxurious smoke. The finish was long and I could still taste this blend in the back of my through up to an half hour from being finished. It had a taste like I just ate a burned pipe crust from a pie with a dark fruity filling. The room note was spicy and sweet with a hint of smoke, again like incense.

I like this blend well enough, and I actually enjoy the after taste quite a bit. The moments when that creamy dark richness comes into play make this blend worthwhile. This blend forced me to pay attention to my puffing, and that is a good thing. The downside was it was not enjoyable to smoke when my attention was elsewhere, like driving to work. I'd recommend this to folks looking for a festive seasonal that do not like the aromatic offerings for the holidays. I'm not certain I would like this blend any other time, but I would certainly buy it around this time every year to break up the rum and figs.

I have only had one bowl. I may add to this review but this is my impression after a single bowl in a cobby pipe. Not much in the way of opening note. Supposed to have Latakia but I smell none at all. Lights super easy and burns fairly cool. I kept waiting for the Latakia to come in but just never did really get that smoky flavor. Kind of a pretty bland smoke without much in the way of flavor at all. Perhaps I didn't pull up enough Latakia in my bowl. I looked at my small bag and frankly I saw very little in the way of dark Latakia. This is mostly a Virginia blend. The room note is mostly non exsistent. Don't get me wrong it is a fairly decent smoke but it cries out for more Latakia.

This arrived very dry, I was worried about a quick hot burn but it ended up burning fine. A very nice blend with rich woody smoke and what really is a campfire aroma and flavor. Latakia is at a pleasant strength and all in all was a very decent Christmastime tobacco. I would definitely put this in a winter category, I do not think I would like this one in warmer months, it is too rich and overpowering for warmer weather but good strength for watching the snow fall

Very Mild "english blend". The tobacco I received was at a perfect moisture level when it arrived and needed no dry time before smoking. It does burn a bit hot, but with some conscious puffing could easily be an all day smoke.

Russ' Monthly Blend - Yule Log.

Mine isn't as dark as the one pictured here, it would appear to include more Virginias. The aroma's congruent with this, it doesn't smell like a Lat Bomb. It's a bit closer to a mixture than straight ribbon; it contains some chunky pieces.

The Virginias outweigh the Latakia. The leading flavour's from the tangy, rich, red Virginia, with the bright Virginia lending a spot of freshness. The Latakia seasons the smoke, giving a slight smokiness, but nothing too vigorous. It burns well, manufacturing a mid-temperature smoke. However, it can bite me.

Nicotine: above mild. Room-note: not great.

Yule Log? Not 'bad', but only worth two stars for me:

Somewhat recommended.

Thanks to our helpful government,this is a brand you cannot get any more. Maybe this is less of a review and more of an attempt to write down a little history. Anyway, when I got this in the mail the aroma actually came through the plastic bag and made the whole box smell like an English blend. It arrived ready to smoke and the cut made for easy packing. It certainly works better in a large bowl, however. The first light reminds me of another blend you can no longer get because of government interference, that one is called Pine Grove. This blend has more Latakia, but it is applied in a balanced way. The Virginias come through and provide the earthy tones that represent the wood aspect of the tobacco. There is a subtle sweetness that I cannot place, but it is there and comes out a little more towards the end of the bowl. The smoke is not too abundant but it is full enough for this type of mid-range blend. The aroma really does smell like burning wood, but the wife still insists that the blend be enjoyed in a more natural setting. Well, really, she said to take that stuff outside! But if you like the aroma of tobacco and smoke, you will like this. The nicotine level is fine for the middle of the day, but you may want something a little stronger by the evening. With a name like Yule Log one is tempted to think that this is a Christmas blend complete with hints of cinnamon and cloves. There is none of that here. I would have called this stuff simply late Night Fire or something like that. The ash burns down to a fine powder. This is as it should be. It can leave some moisture in the bowl, so have a pipe cleaner ready. If I could still buy it, I would get a few ounces from time to time; especially as Autumn is coming on, but it is not essential Christmas material. I hope that you have enjoyed this small piece of history that they have forgotten to alter!

Very tasty blend. Smokes good, tastes good. Just like any tobacco it can bite if pushed too hard. Could easily be a four star blend. Maybe I'll upgrade my rating after I finish my last 4 oz.

Smells smoky, and a little sour.

This is a lighter-ish blend, for one with Latakia, anyway. The main flavor is smoke, reminiscent of a campfire.

You can view my video review of this blend here:

https://youtu.be/2nP5Isp5RVU