Absolutely love this stuff!!!

I can't quite describe the flavor explicitly, usually because I am too busy enjoying the party in my mouth. It's creamy, it's sweet, it reminds me of coca-cola cake. However, there is enough tobacco flavor to remind you that you are smoking, not sucking on a jolly rancher.

My biggest gripe with aromatics is that after the initial light, you lose the flavor and the smoke starts to taste like that flavored smoke. With this blend you have the tobacco flavors all the way through the bowl, just a tasty, creamy, rich flavor.

If you've not tried the Old Shoe, call or stop by Uhle's and try it out, I bet you'll like it. If you don't, send it to me.

Despite my usual preferences, I find that I enjoy Old Shoe.

Update 11/11/06: I am upping this to 4 stars because I find myself going to this and enjoying it more and more. Of the three Uhle aromatics I have tried (Black Stoker & Marquette are the others), this has become my favorite. It consistently burns cool and dry, stays lit very well and burns down to the very bottom without a hint of goop. Shows you what a proper aromatic can be that is cased without some cheap sugary mess.

Update 09/02/2007: I still find that I come back to this often. It is one of the few aromatics that I enjoy smoking for the flavor. I find that nuking the tobacco in the microwave to the point of almost burning it not only dries out any residual goopiness, but I like the slightly roasted flavor it produces. Try putting at least 4 oz in a covered microwave dish and use a low setting.

I decided to try some of their other tobaccos. This blend is a 1950s/1960s aromatic burley. Slightly sticky -but not overly so for this genre. Light and medium brown coarse ribbon. No black cavendish. Wonderful pouch aroma of burley with a lightly sweet top dressing. Packs easily and burns effortlessly.

The flavor is gently sweetened Burley but with substantially more body than a typical Cavendish. I do not like typical aromatics but found this to be quite nice and a great change of pace. Great room aroma. I cannot say I taste root beer but did find the flavor to be unique and nothing like your standard vanilla cased tobacco (which I detest). I really enjoyed mixing this with #300 (another fabulous cube cut).

Try this for a change of pace, or if you are an aromatic smoker looking for a nice tobacco that has some added body. Another fine blend from Uhle's.

Certainly there is root beer flavor, but when it melds with the rum, it takes on a rich buttered rum quality. The sidestream aroma is wonderful.

This is a trifle wet when fresh, but not goopy. It can get a little hot if you push it. You won't need to, because the flavor is right there. A real treat for aromatic lovers, and a pleasant diversion from more natural blends.

Uhle's is yet another national treasure for the American pipe smoker. They have something for everyone, and everything I have tried has been a real pleasure. I encourage anyone who enjoys old fashioned American blends to pick up a sampler soon. I think you will be delighted.

This stuff is fantastic.

Burley base, creamy Cavendish texture, just enough sweetness from the rum, and the, um, "rootiness" from the root beer makes a perfect compliment to the nutty, earthy Burley taste. In common with all the Uhle's blends, my palate, or body chemistry, or whatever, enjoys Old Shoe as an all day smoke. For a few days, and then on to the next blend.

The only reason that I didn't rate this as four star is that Old Shoe and Marquette Blend are fighting it out as my go-to aromatic...after three years still no winner!