Sutliff Tobacco Company Match VIP

The birch taste is not nearly as pronounced or as chemical-like as it was in the original, where it overtakes the tobacco rather strongly. The vanilla is slightly more obvious in the Match. The burley is lightly nutty and earthy, and provides a little molasses hit, all of which were basically missing from the original. Overall, it’s a little milder and much smoother ribbon cut, and doesn’t bite (another failing of its predecessor). Both have very little nicotine. Burns at a reasonable pace with a consistency of flavor that doesn’t vanish at the finish. Leaves just a little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. A pleasant all day smoke with an okay after taste. I gave the original one star mostly because it had too many short comings.

-JimInks

Never smoked the original VIP, so no comparison here. Nice, fluffy ribbon cut that packs good and takes fire well. Bag aroma is of molasses, vanilla, and a hint of birch. Flavor profile is nutty, sweet and a taste of the birch stick candy I eat when I can find it! Also reminded me of a bottle of birch beer, sweet and tasty for my part. Burns well with few if any relights, very little moisture build up even in this Central KY humidity. Had no bite, even when I pushed it hard. Mild nicotine hit and could be an all day smoke with no problems. A solid 3 here on the ole Dix Creek Farm.

This tobacco in my opinion tastes nothing, smells nothing, and looks nothing like the original! The original had way more pizzazz than this. As far as im concerned these folks just made a tobacco and called it a "match" just to try to lure the faithful followers of the original back for their hard earned dollar........I miss the original!

I was fortunate enough to find a sealed white can of the original VIP. I am not sure what decade it is from but it is nowhere near recent vintage. I find its light, almost perfumey room note to be quite charming, and the faint sassafras (?) flavor very pleasing. It is a very mild smoke, appealing to me because it is not complex or challenging.

The Match, however, is entirely unlike it. In fact, I would never guess it was supposed to be VIP. Still, it is quite good. Tasty, burns well, smells decent, and satisfies...it just is not like my can of the original.

Then again, maybe it really does match the original as it really was and the problem is that decades of storage altered my old can into something very different?

Bottom line: going by my can,the Match does not match the original but it is good smoke. I do not regret buying it.