5/3/11 Here is my additional note. I still like this blend, though the reaction from others has been somewhat negative regarding the room note. I have smoked this while drinking a good beer and for some reason, unlike most other English blends, it was not a good combination. However, when I smoked it with a cup of good English tea, it proved an excellent combination. It is a good smoke and has smoked well in all of my pipes. This is one to be enjoyed in private, or in the company of other smokers who do not mind the stronger traditional blends.

Still recommended.

I have been smoking a pipe less then a year, but I feel I have been able to try lots of different tobaccos. This one was a nice surprise. I will keep it around for when I am looking for that something different.

It is very, very, nice.

Note: Significant other thinks the room note does not smell as nicely as many of my other tobaccos.

Since it's in crispy condition (entirely my own fault), I'll gravity feed a bowl to the top and blow through the stem till gets pliable, then tamp it down. Top it off with a little from the bag and off to the, um, chair.

I always think straight off, "why don't I smoke this more often?" The first half of the bowl is Great. Burns fine, no bite, quality leaf, fer sure, fer sure. Dan-o's chai tea comment is dead on as far as flavor goes, owing I guess to the deer tongue.

Trouble is, it burleys-out on me at the half way mark. I do like Burley, but it doesn't like me. It always goes stale on me somewhere, regardless of quality or maker. So, I can only give this two stars, even though I don't think there's anything wrong with it. There must be something wrong with me, instead. (But you knew that already.)

p.s. I think they should call this 'Bambie's Lisp'

6/20/2007 I revisited this one again after several months in the cellar. It smelled and packed the same, however it scorched my tongue! Downgrading it to 3-stars.

Cubes and rough burley, a little cavenish and latakia, and the star but a small one is the herb Deer Tongue (DT), as the description says.

In days past there were many DT blends -- Edwards Arabian and Jaimaca, Draper's Commander (I think), Country Doctor (don't know if its comeback version has it), and of course, Harkness F and G, to name some. Even cigars had something similar but not herbal, green wrapper claro leaf in days past but few do today --Optimo Admiral is maybe one accessible left). I heard it is too difficult to harvest and cut the herb or no one wants to do it any more but C&D.

The DT adds a slight herbal (not vanilla but more vegetal) quality to the taste and that's the only aromatic leaf, if you call it that, in here. But its all natural!

This blend is a cross between Harkness F and G by San Antonio's Humidor, in my opinion. (One had a lighter base and showcased the DT, the other was made more heavy with Latakia.)

The closest comparison today is C&D's Crooner -- which is all cubed burleys and some DT. A fine example but milder. Not all like the DT thoughis

The blend starts cool and light and showcases the DT. By mid-bowl the little Latakia shows itself more but the DT still shines some. A delightful return to the past.

Recommended for us old timers but it is something truely different nowadays. I smoked my two ounces in an older Dunhill and "new" Huybrecht from pipes2smoke.

All I know is that Old Tartan from Altadis is a cube Burley and Latakia combination that was okay, but not impressive. The blend burned well and produced tons of smoke. I can usually detect deertongue, even when lightly applied, but I tasted none of it in my Old Tartan.

The Altadis version is not remarkable in any way, and packed little punch in nicotine or flavor.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 6.5 out of 10.

My decision to try Old Tartan was based solely on the fact that I had been a resident of the Albany area some years ago. I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised. It has (to me) a very unique flavor, which I presume is imparted by the deer tongue. This makes it a truly enjoyable smoke to a beginner like myself, in search of new experiences. I make sure to reccommend it to the few other pipe smokers who make my acquantance.

My single complaint about this blend stems more from the fact that the room note of the deer tongue was somewhat distasteful to my significant other, (who is a bit opposed to any airborne fragrance that isn't a cleaning product). Our children on the other hand found it almost as pleasant as my then regular Captain Black.

Four of five stars