Not a good smoke, in fact it lasted about 15 puffs then I could not keep smoking it. I would not buy this unless you smoke pipes for nicotine only or the zombies have taken over the world!

While I prefer strong Virginia plug/flake tobaccos, I have been re-acquainting myself with the old OTC's...In the last several weeks I have smoked close to a tub of this and frankly, I like it better today than I did 48 years ago.

I don't get a "vanilla" or "anise" flavoring, though perhaps a soapy flavor to begin with...not too different from some of the lakeland tobaccos which I smoke regularly. There are some mild floral notes weaving in and out of the smoke, and a fairly strong burley taste, like hickory nuts, but other than that, I find it a pleasure to smoke.

While this will not make my top 10 tobaccos, it, along with several other OTC's will make it into my rotation of regular tobaccos. I'm glad I re-acquainted myself with this mixture, and recommend it to anyone seeking a change or simply wishing to experiment a bit.

If you subscribe to the rather negative reviews on this mixture, you really owe it to yourself to try it as unbiased as possible...just my take on things...

Enjoyed in a group 4 or larger pipe...

...a pipe is to be savored...

Subjective: I simply don't like cased aromatics and this one certainly fits that description. This almost made me gag. Threw the lot away after two bowls of this gyack!

It is good, but it haves not a sweet, but still a bitter residual taste. However, this bitter taste is a caractheristic of The Burley.

The flavour, in the Pouch, Box, the information is that the flavour agent is Vanilla, but is not only pure Vanilla, This blend have Anise also.

I recommend it, but only as component for making personal housemade mixtures, or for the fans of Anise or pure Burley Tobacco!

for other people, it is sometimes unpalatable and sometimes have soap taste!

...........................November, 2012.......................

Updating my Review: I bought a new 50 g Box (with a internal pouch) of this tobacco very recently. Seems that the composition of the Blend was changed. Now,the Anise and the Vanilla are v weaker

I pulled out a Karl Erik for that first bowl, but stopped to read some reviews first. After seeing how many complained of 79 'ghosting' their pipes, I lovingly put Karl away and grabbed my cob. That's smart.

The false light gave me an instant soapy flavor that so many here have testified to. I felt let down - where were the figs, the licorice, the tea-like aromas of the pouch? I soldiered on, relighting. The blend still hasn't gone out. It burns nice and cool and holds up to gentle puffing.

The soapy flavor disappeared about a quarter of the way into the bowl and those pouch aromas slowly began to emerge. A hint of fruity black tea, a bit of that anise aroma worked their way around the soapy flavor and begin to perk up the sides of my tongue. Something tangy, reminiscent of star fruit, hits me right in the middle of my tongue. And the aroma wafting from the bowl is pure enjoyment - an indefinable pipe tobacco aroma that is simply classic 'grandpa smoking his pipe.'

I was so taken with this strange, yet oddly satisfying blend that I felt moved to put aside my morning's work for a moment and fairly evaluate it. I'm sure I won't finish this pouch too quickly, and I don't know when I'll be buying it again, but I'm beginning to see the value in some of these classic blends. Much like Canadian Club is the flavor of a bygone era in whiskey drinking, so is Mixture No. 79 the flavor of a bygone era of pipe smoking. Please don't misunderstand me - I'm fully aware of the superiority of Knob Creek to Canadian Club, or of MacBaren Mixture (my benchmark aromatic) to this stuff, but sometimes you just have to have a taste of the olden days.

A sniff test of the baggie it came in reminded me faintly of old-fashioned root beer barrel candy. The moisture is no worse than many Premium blends, and less moist than many I have smoked. The tobacco itself is a mix of light, medium, and dark Burley which is similar to Carter Hall is its cut. Mixture 79 can be packed and lit with little or no drying, and anything that might be mistaken for perfumey will burn off quickly, leaving an oddly satisfying slightly sweet flavored smoke with a hint of bitterness which is enjoyable a way I never would have imagined. Sutliff claims Mixture 79 is topped with vanilla, which some may sense as perfume, or like the root beer I noticed.

I’m smoking a bowl as I write this, and with each puff I’m liking this old-fashioned blend more. So much so that I’ll definitely order a tub of Mixture 79 next month. And time will tell if somehow this could become a Top Ten blend for me. Maybe it helps that I already enjoy American Classic Blends, and that I don’t have a negative opinion of Sutliff and Altadis, but judging it on its own merits, I do like it. So if you’ve been curious, or been tempted, I’d say its time to give Mixture 79 a fair chance.

My sample came in a pouch/box that contained tobacco ranging in color from yellow to black. Sutliff calls their #79 a mild and aromatic tobacco, and I agree with that description. As for being an ARO it’s not the typical overpowering guppy type, this one smokes cool, mild and dry. As for it’s flavor, kind of like a faint root beer or sassafras/tobacco taste, a unique smoke for certain. Not for everybody, but I sure will no trouble finishing my pouch. If you just can’t stomach ARO’s forget this one, but if you favor them, this one is not a bad choice.

i smoked this blend over 50 years ago--it made an impression--a bad one--i admit to preferring burley, and to having a penchant for OTC blends over boutique products, but this one won't do--my personal motto has been for the past 50 years has been, "i'll smoke anything except Mixture 79"--