Peterson Holiday Season 2014

I got my first tin of the 2014 back in mid-November, so I've been thoroughly enjoying this Peterson offering for just about a month now. I've tried other aromatics (RLP-6, 1-Q, Monster Mix, to name a few) but this one has easily climbed to the #1 spot on my list of faves. The tin note is simply amazing, reminds me of oatmeal raisin cookies baking. The room note is indeed very vanilla-ish. I don't pick up the chocolate notes that some do, but regardless the pre-light and lit aromas are completely outstanding. It packs easily, lights easily, and I've noticed no bite at all (with filtered and unfiltered pipes). I've been smoking 4-5 bowls a week of this tobaccy and it gets better each time. I'm just past halfway done with the first 100g tin and have purchased 3 more to keep on hand.

It's definitely an aromatic, but I feel it's different somehow. Take the RLP-6, for example. It seem to have a slightly offish after taste - not unpleasant, but certainly different from an English blend or a straight VA. I don't notice that at all with this Peterson blend. It has the tin and room notes of an aromatic, but the after taste of something more like a VA blend. Maybe it's just my palate, but either way it's easily one of my favorite blends now.

Peterson - Holiday Season 2014.

I love the limited edition Christmas blends!

The moment I open this up and take a smell of it I feel almost addicted! This has a smell to it that makes me feel instantly "Christmas like": a great scent of rich chocolate, creamy vanilla, all backed up by a pleasing tobacco note, mmmmm! The hydration amount is irrefutable, any extra airing is not necessary at all.

It takes to igniting impressively, only requiring a shortish time with the flame and once lit I can only find positives! The burn itself is incredibly steady, leaves a white ash and it only needs a re-light if you allow it to sit too long unattended. The temperature of the smoke is slap bang in the middle, total smoking comfort complimented by zero tongue-bite. On to the flavour now: wow! This, again, is Christmas totally wrapped up in a big bow! I wouldn't describe it as a powerful aromatic, it's more gentle. The chocolate addition works superbly along side the vanilla; often as not with aromatics it's a touch difficult to identify the separate additions but with this one they are equally discernible, maybe it's a good example of why "simpler" aromatics work better! The tobacco balance is perfect , the sweet Cav' tastes great alongside the chocolate and vanilla, whilst the blend is made more creamy/buttery by the Burley. The nicotine is at a lovely relaxing amount, it's not strong nor too far the other way. Room note is yet another positive, it's a great and full tobacco note with an amazing sweet touch to it, again it's very Christmas like. I feel that Holiday Season 2014 will be great for newcomers with its softness and also the connoisseurs will find the depth of flavour appealing!

Four stars.

Update 16/02/2015. This is so captivating I have ordered some more tins of this wonderful blend while the vendors still have it for sale so it can be kept in my stock!

On entering a tobacco emporium in the city of Lincoln, an ancient cathedral city situated in the eastern regions of these glorious isles, in search of a collar stiffener, my eye was immediately drawn to a tin of Peterson's Holiday Season 2014.

The tin resembled a large humbug, bearing an image of our seasonal gift bearer, Santa Christmas, no doubt cheerfully on his way to deliver tobacco-related products to well behaved children around the world. I was so struck by such a delightful object of undoubted ornamental quality I forsook my search for collar stiffeners and purchased the tin on the spot.

Returning to my lodgings later in the day after a weary rail journey, I hastily opened said tin to be overpowered by the scent of a Panettone (a light italian desert containing candied fruits, vanilla and amaretto). To smoke it or to serve it with cream and/or brandy butter, that was my dilemma of the moment. I opted for the former and packed my pipe full of this ribbony panettone-like goodness.

It lit well and behaved itself throughout the bowl. The room note was wonderful, drawing positive comments from friends and passers-by several streets away. A very smooth, if mild smoke. This is a tobacco to show off with, not to smoke alone. But it is not one I envisage smoking on a regular basis. In fact, since the passing of the twelfth night of Christmas, I shall be confining the remainder of the batch to my cellar, to revisit when a reminder of Christmas is required.

Underwhelmed. Tin note is great. Room note is great. It does remind me of Christmas, but the flavor is too mild for me. I smoked on it through the holidays this year, but will cellar the rest until next season. Hopefully I will be able to edit this review next year.

Usually I don't like those Christmas tobaccos with their cinnamon or roast apple flavoring. What still inspired me to buy this year's Peterson Holiday Season 2014 was the beautiful Santa Claus tin.

To foreclose the matter: it was a good decision.

The tin note is sweet and delicious with tobacco scents mingling perfectly with the casing and toppings. There are notes of chocolate cake and toffee, but also something that reminds me of freshly made popcorn. The ribbon cut is easy to fill into your bowl. Upon lighting it burn down evenly and slowly.

Right from the start, there's a luscious, sweet, and creamy tobacco flavor with distinct notes of dark chocolate and maybe some vanilla. Towards the end of the bowl this is complemented by some tangy cusps from the Virginias in the blend, which makes it a satisfying smoke.

The room note is so pleasant, I keep trying to sniff it, when the smoke leaves my mouth.

This aromatic blend, IMHO, is a true marvel, perfectly suited for long talks around the Christmas tree: it burns slowly and evenly, does not bite the tongue and produces a wonderful cloud of delightful smoke, which contains some hints of the "Christmas markets" we have in some parts of France, where hot red wine mixed with spices is sold at every street corner. I have even been asked by non-smokers to smoke it to "perfume" the room! This is the kind of tobacco I enjoy most while taking a rest, with a cup of tea or a glass of single malt (Glenfarclas suits it perfectly). Eating a mandarine while smoking it also enhances its "Christmas" vocation. While visiting Peterson shop in Dublin, I have been dumb enough to buy only two tins. After finishing the first one, I deeply regret not to have bought a dozen of them!

The most helpful thing I can say is that this is a very easy smoke. Peterson's Holiday Season 2014 is very soft, mild, and easy on the tongue. The taste is quite subdued, but easy to pick up day after day. The smell definitely delivers what it promises by invoking scenes of quiet Christmas evenings by a fire. Overall I am happy with this blend, but it seemed to leave me wanting more. Sometimes the flavors can be so simple that they can be easily overlooked. If a friend has bought the tin, then I definitely suggest that you try to fill your bowl if you can. However, if I could do it over I would save the money and forego this particular experience.

In short, a simple and easy smoke that sometimes bordered on "bland".

I bought this one on a whim in a tobacco shop around Christmas time.

It smells great in the tin, and looks pretty too. It packs and lights well, and has a nice sweetness on the charring light. It burns slowly and smells nice to non smokers which can be a good thing if you need something like that. I don't normally like aros, and this one is no exception. I don't dislike it, which is high praise considering. It nips at my tongue a bit even though I go nice and slow with it.

A lot of people will probably like this one at Christmas parties. Nice vanilla fruity kind of smell. It's bearable for me, and I smoke some when I have company.

[I picked this tin up in a clearance rack in 2016, so my experience with it may differ from those who had it fresh.] It gave off an odd almost dusty sweet smell of vanilla and cherry. Something akin to powdered sugar with some artificial flavor sprinkled in. It was pleasant and I could link the aroma to the Holidays.

For an aromatic it was quite tame and easily smoked without being very overbearing. A drier smoke without much boquet. Leaves some sweetness behind on the tongue after each puff, so I was glad it didn't completely abandon the tin smell. It was innocent enough and by no means bad, just not a smoke I would seek out for any real occasion or craving.

If you do find a tin, get the tobacco out of the flimsy plastic bag it's packed in and into a nice sealed jar, or it will be crispy fast.

This tobacco is nice, but not exceptional. I found the flavour to be too mild and although the taste does come through, you only get the flavour every so often when smoking. For the last two years I have found the Holiday Season Tobacco to not be of the same standard as 2011, 2012.