Update

For a full fantastic after dinner smoke try this:

50% CAO Old Ironsides 50% SG Brown Rope N. 4.

Simply amazing! Full round smoke, with a good N load. If you like strong stuff this is a must try. Absolutely legendary: you'll crave for it more and more....

Update, Oct 2011 - I left a tin cellared and opened after some months...the Orientals seem to have gained something in the blend...by the way, it is still and more tasty, nutty and smokey..great one! Update Nov 2011 - This one has definitely something different...I can even sense a sort of hot spicyness to the end of the bowl that makes me think of perique, even if it doesn't show up in the blend recipe. Bumped it up to 4 stars

It's smooth, satisfying, and gives you puff after puff of delicious "pine smoke" flavour.

Flakes are dark brown with a few, and I mean a few, hints of gold. Topped with a slightly applied casing, I want to say molasses, sugar, and vanilla, which doesn't show up in the taste or room aroma but only in the tin.

The kentucky pokes in here and there, the virginia and oriental are barely in the background.

I think the room note is amazing, but it will cause an uproar indoors, so smoke it on the balcony.

Pair this with some Ardbeg scotch, preferably an older bottling like the 17 year old, and some rolled anchovies with capers, for a fantastic evening!

Opening the tin is a real surprise of aromas and tastes, and when you light it, the taste sounds extremely better.

It is a strong tobacco, not for frist-times-smokers, it requires a bit of experience in tobacco tasting.

The room note is tolerable (personally I love it but not alla the people might like it), so that when I smoke it I feel very well, and the smell that pervades the room gently wrap me in an overwhelming sensation.

I love the taste that Old Ironsides leaves in my mouth after smoking, even if, I repeat, it is not an "easy" tobacco to smoke: it requires you'va quite experience with the oriental tastes.

One of the best tobaccos I've ever smoked, and always present in my whishlist!

Ironsides provides the nice leathery smokiness that I expect from a blend like this, but without the flat or bitter taste that I have experienced in other English/Latakias. Smokes very cool.

If it was still readily available, I would add it to my rotation.

I tried it on a lark, and fell in love with its rich and creamy taste. Low nicotine content also appeals to me since I am not a cigarette smoker. It takes some work to get it lit, but after the initial lighting process it's smooth sailing. Very cool burn, with not bite what so ever. The flavor is sweet with a hint of mint as an aftertaste. The smoke is abundant and heavy which tends to linger. It can leave a residual taste in your pipe, but I dont mind it.

If you can find it, buy it. Hopefully there is some other tobacco company that will pick up this blend for future sale.

I will say that my buddy was smoking something that smelled like Swiss Miss, and that made me happy that I had the Old Ironsides, but it wasn't happy enough to buy it again. (By the way, I lived in Boston for 10 years, and CAO's "Old Ironsides" really DOES smell like the U.S.S. Constitution. Take it for what it's worth.)

That all said, this is a Latakia blend. It is very stout tasting, if not too strong in the nicotine department. This is a little bit like Pirate Kake, as far as latakia content is concerned, but it's better balanced. Guess I'll have to order the 8 oz. bag. That won't fit in my ass pocket! Yes, I said ass pocket. (that of my pants, of course).

Black semi-rubbed flakes. Can be smoked either fully rubbed or in flake form. I prefer a combination: Create a plug a little smaller in diameter and a little higher than the bowl, tamp it in and then fill the rest of the bowl with the rubbed tobacco.

Burns really dry and cool. The rich and creamy smoke will not let you overdo it with puffing. It is very nicely accompanied by a cup of strong black coffee.

I do not think, though, that more than two bowls per day can be pleasant. This is the exact reason for which I withhold the fourth star. You need some other tobacco for the rest of the day.

Room note: Old coffee and maybe maybe a touch of spilled beer.

I like this stuff better than Penzance in taste and in leaf style. Not a clone, but in that ballpark. If you expect to require your sense of taste for about 6 hours after, don't smoke this stuff. I can just see a wine-tasting now: Lovely ruby colour, bouquet... Latakia. Taste... Latakia. Finish... mm hmm, more latakia.

Fwiw I agree with the tin description. Upon opening the tin you will discover beautiful dark flakes with a few lighter strands contained within the flakes. The tin aroma, naturally, smells strongly of Latakia. Moisture content seems slightly high, as I prefer it that way its perfect for me.

Packing: I like to use the flake folding method with Old Ironsides and the tobacco complies well with this. A little sprinkle of fully rubbed out OI on the top helps with lighting.

Smoking: An easy charing light followed by a quick tamp/relight and I'm on my way. This one does, imo, seem 1 dimensional. Its Latakia followed by more Latakia. Mid-Bowl I taste more Latakia..and the finish is a nice smoky Latakia taste. :) Burns to a fine grey ash with no wet goop. It does indeed smoke full & cool and doesn't bite at all. Quite nice overall.

Room note: I would think it unlikely that anyone other then our pipe smoking brethren would enjoy/tolerate it..don't expect the wife to be jumping with joy when you break this one out. Outside only for this pipester.

I do like this smoke when in the mood for a nice, heavier evening smoke after a hearty meal. Or pair this one up with some Jack Daniels on the rocks..

And yeah..if your not a fan of the dark leaf..skip this 3 of 4

11/27/2006 Update: Latakia overload.