This is barely an aromatic. Others have debated the flavor; I get a hint apple. To me it's very pleasant, subtle, and goes beautifully with the Virginias. In fact, sweet Virginia is mostly what you get.

I'd describe this as "unchallenging" in the best sense of the word. Maybe it's not robust enough to cap off a meal with a glass of port. Instead, take a stroll, read a book, take a break when the fish aren't biting. (Speaking of which, it doesn't bite easily but it will if you puff too fast.)

This may be too mild an not complex enough for seasoned smokers. For those like me who like light sweet Viginias, it's a winner. If your are a new smoker I especially recommend this.

It is definitely flavorful and on the sweet, rich side of the VA spectrum. I'm in the camp that believes it is lightly cased (but I sure can't put a name on the casing flavor). If it isn't cased then maybe there are non-latakia orientals in there.

When it was young, it was definitely on the moist side, but over time dried a bit. The tobacco in the tin appears dark and smells sweetly fragrant.

The aged specimen lights well without much drying, though I remember it needing a little drying when young. The flavor starts sweet and pretty much stays there. It is a tad tangy at times, but in a good way that supports the sweetness. The bowl never gets too strong or especially complex, though it is pleasant throughout especially if you manage to keep it cool. The burning properties are about average.

The room note is surprisingly pleasant, certainly by the standards of a straight VA. I often choose this blend when I knew I'd be smoking around others. Still, it is definitely as just as good or better from the smoker's perspective.

If you are looking for stronger VA flavors, more nicotine or anything approaching an English or VAPer, look elsewhere. But if you want a pleasant, mild, sweet and fragrant smoke this is a good place to start. In fact, if you are an aromatic smoking looking to make a jump to VAs, this is definitely one worth checking out.

"a lightly fragrant blend of rich, red and black stoved Virginias"

I've been told it's lightly cased with Vanilla. I couldn't tell, I thought it wasn't cased at all, it has that natural sweet virginia taste, which is excellent. It reall comes out mid way through the bowl.

I'd reccomend this for VA lovers, It's a really pleasant smoke. It could be an all day smoke for sure.

THIS IS A VERY NICE MILD BLEND, IN WHICH I WAS ALITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT TRYING AFTER I OPENED IT UP. AT FIRST HAS THAT MCCELLAND KETCHUP SMELL. BUT AFTER LETTING SIT OPEN FOR A WEEK AND THEMN SMOKING A PIPE FULL, YOU DONT EVEN NOTICE IT. JUST A NICE RELAXING SMOKE W/ NO BITE AT ALL.I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE NEW AND OLD SMOKER.

Not one I will buy often, but it has its place.

Update, I am lowering the rating, I got tired of too many bowls of this being hard to keep lit, you have to overpuff at times to keep it together, makes for too much work. When right, flavors are good, but its hard to keep together through an entire bowl.

Excited, I bought a 100g tin and opened it to find...a very heavy aromatic. 'Twas sticky and overpowering and not at all like the sample I had originally had. Cautious, I set down my Cavicchi and reached for a Peterson System, and I am glad I did. This burned well *almost* to the end, but eventually ended up with the inevitable & unlightable aromatic goop at the bottom. The flavoring was pleasant (but nevertheless over the top) if you are expecting an aromatic, but quite a surprise if you intended to taste a straight Virginia.

I have seen two camps of reviewers for this tobacco: those that call it an aromatic and those who proclaim it is a Virginia with no/little topping. I have seen both sides in just two tins.

I have not given up hope in this blend, and have set the tin topless in my bookcase until such time I think it can behave itself. If I can dry or age it long enough to recreate my original experience I will upgrade this review and detail what I had to do. Until then, this is a two star, fairly average, overly cased tobacco. If you are looking for a straight Virginia, get a McClelland flake (Blackwoods, for instance, is an ethereal smoke). If you are actually looking for an aromatic, this might be good right out of the tin, so long as you don't need to taste the Virginias beneath the surface.

Besides enjoying it on its own, I use it as a blending tobacco. I like English blends, but I prefer those with a bit of sweetness. If I try a new English blend and I like it, but it isn't at all sweet, I can usually make it more to my liking by adding a little Deep Hollow. I also use it whenever I break in a new pipe. The sugars really season the briar quickly.

The only negative for me about this blend is the same drawback I find with all straight Virginias: they don't have the richness or body of a good English blend. They're like eating sorbet instead of ice cream.

I have posted the identical review for Virginia Woods. To me, Virginia Woods and Deep Hollow taste almost exactly the same. Both are great, but virtually indistinguishable from each other.

Update May 2008 Just got hold of some 1991 Deep Hollow in one of the old style tins. Interestingly this was marketed as one of the Personal Reserve Oriental series! This is so changed from modern Deep Hollow as to be an utterly different tobacco. Maybe they changed the recipe some time? Modern DH contains what looks like 3 individual tobacco's; a mixture of light, medium and dark brown strands. The 1991 has just dark brown and black strands: the sweetness that you can smell in the modern tin has vanished and the aroma is earthy, pungent and strong. By contrast, it smokes smooth with all the high notes of modern DH missing. Its almost smoky, utterly delicious, no tongue bite and absolutely nothing like modern day Deep Hollow. In the spirit of true tobacco geekery I have just cracked open a 1995 tin, the earliest year that I have which has a label similar to, but not exactly the same as, the modern tins. The 1995 version has the same mix of tobacco as the modern tins though obviously with 13 years aging it smokes differently. If you can lay your hands on any well aged Deep Hollow I do strongly recommend you try it even if you think that you are not a fan of DH:-)

Upgrading to 3 stars, this ages well with oxygen exposure become a little stronger and more flavorful. Also, this is NOT and aromatic. It IS a light straight VA with an almost non-existant topping. This is a great all day smoke for the lighter VA crowd (me:).

If you have this blend and didn't care for it, give it some time I have smoked a LOT worse

ORIGINAL: 3-14-2008

Light carmel notes, maybe imagination or not, but it's very light.

The VAs used here are mild to almost tasteless, but I can't say I didn't like this blend, I liked it more than I disliked it.

It will perform as a dependable, very average smoke. Whips the pants off any drugstore blend that I can think of, just not enough zing for me.

I can imagine that anyone who keeps the McC blending stocks could create something neat and tastey with this mix. I'd say a dash of oriental and latakia might make some magic here.

This is not a heavily cased aromatic, just a lightly topped VA in the mild dept.

Not bad but not great, definitley has potential. I think I just talked myself into buying the full compliment of McC's blending varieties.

:)

Good Draw to You, Sincerely

Ethan "Glorfindel" Dickey

Original review: I first reviewed this tobacco a few years ago and, although I had smoked many tobaccos before then and have smoked quite a few since, THIS is the blend to which I keep returning. Other favourites have come and gone from my cellar, but this is the only one (aside from Balkan Sasieni and McClelland's 5100) that I keep in constant supply. A slightly sweet, woodsy aroma is left behind in the room, and it burns to a fine grey ash. I have searched unsuccessfully for a reasonable facsimile of this blend that can be purchased in bulk. I have resigned myself to purchasing multiple tins of this blend each month just to make sure that I will never have to go without.