Paul Olsen St. Croix

The Virginia is fairly sublimated by the toppings, but a little grassy sweetness is present. The black cavendish offers mild vanilla. The toppings are fruity, and I detect lime, orange, with a hint of pineapple, among other tropical flavors. Has very little nicotine. Won't bite or get harsh. Burns cool, smooth, and a little creamy at a moderate pace. The taste is consistent to the finish with virtually no moisture left in the bowl. An all day smoke if you choose with a very pleasant after taste and room note. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

Paul Olsen - St Croix (My Own Blend).

First things first, it's not a flake (as it currently states), it's a ribbon/ready rubbed blend. I'm not sure whether the recipe's been adjusted, only my experience differs a little to the mighty JimInks' below. Here's my thoughts:

The aroma from the tin is a little more basic than I thought it would be: malty vanilla, I don't get any fruit from it. The blend contains a far higher proportion of Virginia compared to Black Cavendish; it looks to be about 80-20%. A bowl lights easily, due to the moisture; I always find My Own Blend good in that area.

Now, they MUST have adjusted the recipe! I get zero lime, and nothing exotic; like the tin-note, the topping I get is a malty vanilla one. That's not a problem though, it's quite an enjoyable flavour. It even gives me a biscuit-like aftertaste! I only get a very light fruitiness on the retro-hale, but nothing like I expected to get. The tobaccos' taste quite basic: vanilla from the Black Cavendish, albeit a little entangled with the vanilla topping, and some very basic Virginia nuances. I get a little more nicotine than I thought I would, it's not strong but I do find it medium.

This is a decent enough blend, but I couldn't see myself regularly piping it:

Two and a half stars.