A solid aromatic with palate pleasing sweetness that is sure to tickle the aromatic crowd and offers a nice change of pace for the uncased tobacco fanciers among us.

I am glad I finally tried this blend as I've repeatedly been told it is the best aromatic ever unloaded on the pipe hobbyists. I really can't disagree... I put it up there with Iwan Ries 3-Star Banner Lite (although totally different in added taste presentation), which I greatly appreciate as an aromatic smoke.

This is a HEAVY aromatic, finely crafted in the Danish aromatic style, a tobacco that impresses people around you, delights you senses and bites your tongue if not smoked slowly. If you like this kind of blend, this is best you can find.

This is my favorite Heavy Aromatic so far

Tin has been open a couple months I guess... stuffed a Bjarne freehand with this weed. It's almost like 5 or six different tobaccos in one, and the flavor changes from maple to rum to a light fruit (strawberry I guess) to vanilla... it's like whatever flavor you think of... poof, there it is.

The tobacco flavor becomes more prevalent, and this finishes almost like a lakeland. There comes an almost rose-like taste at the bottom of the bowl, and it is exquisite.

Not an every day smoke for me, but I will surely keep some on hand. And the room note is simply special. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Well, this is an aromatic, plain and simple. If you like tobacco with a dash of flavor, look to Mac Baren Navy Flake or something. This is a fairly heavily cased blend, similar in many respects to Connoiseur's Choice from Peterson. CC smokes a bit hotter and just a touch bitter sometimes, but also has a bit more tobacco flavor.

Tin smell is alluring - anise, fruits, rum? Yum.

Smoking, this does have a fairly monotonous strawberry note, which I thought I would hate, but hey, it's not bad at all.

A very light, easily smoked blend. Aftertaste is pleasant, and that's when you get the idea that there may be tobacco involved in this process.

Top quality aromatic. Not for everyone. Maybe not even for me... time will tell.

I bought a tin (a bit expensive for the yield...) of W.O.Larsen's Signature Vintage mixture on a Friday evening whim: "Why not try something else?" Haven't regretted it.

Beautiful presentation, of course, W.O. Larsen obliging: a 100 g. navy blue tin. A powerfull whiff of honey-vanilla-something flavour upon opening the tin, that might get you wondering isn't this just toooooooo much of a tooooooo good thing, the kind that you do not necessarily want to have. Perhaps a bit too moist too, I tend to agree that leaving it to dry out some will probably help. Lighting is easy, and burning no effort all the way. Best at mid-bowl with a nice bouquet developing in both nose and palate. A very subtle and delicate back note then starts being detectable - what is it? Much as I have tried, i couldn't name it. It is the main attraction to me, though.

Well balanced, and definitely not too much of an "aromatics" nuisance. Room note is more than likely to be appreciated and encouraged by those around you. I would say it is just the right mix for someone wishing a change - homely, and good company. I have found out that it is greatly influenced by the type of pipe you use. A nice, if not sensational, surprise to me. Have decided to keep a tin of it around, just in case.

Upon opening the gold foil packaging, the initial aroma was forbiddingly sweet and fruity. Fearful of permanently staining a pipe with the aroma, I chose an inexpensive pipe I keep for trying out dubious tobaccos. Inspite of the moisture it took light easily and burned smoothly without needing many relightings. The aroma was present in the smoke, but not the sweetness. The tobaccos are indeed mild but not completely over-whelmed by the flavouring. There is very litle dottle left at the end of the smoke.

For subsequent bowls I let the mixture air liberally, and some of the aggressive aroma did indeed abate. The drier tobacco smoked with the same impeccable manners, without tongue bite, and without the bitterness that aromatics of suspect quality develop towards the latter part of the bowl. The taste also improved somewhat.

I will finish the tin in due course, but steer clear of this mixture in the future. Smokers of heavy aromatics may find this to their liking.

For aromatic lovers this is a four star blend.

Who should buy this stuff: Anyone who enjoys good quality aromatics that actually still taste like tobacco will love this blend and ought to run down to their local shop to get some. It is a nice alternative to the many super sweet bulk aromatics.

Final notes: As others have noted, drying this out a little does help its burning qualities and taste. To prevent an unpleasant sourness I would avoid smoking this blend super fast and give it a rest now and then.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - BUT YOU HAVE TO LET IT STAND AND DRY FOR ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS MINIMUM...

I leave my initial comments (see below) - if any one is interested. I will just add two things:

Late at night, I often find myself reaching for this blend - but it does not give me as relaxing an experince as other smokes do. The toungue bite is almost negligible - which I like.

The sourness I mentioned is there but I tend to accept it and I gradually start liking it. It has not gone away with time - not significantly anyway. Overall, I will go through the tin and probably not bother with this again - just because it is not my kind of flavor. It is a good blend however.

(March 15, 2007): Last night I tried it again. I smoked very slowly trying to synchronize some gentle puffs with my relaxed breathing. I did not go too well. Anyway, after about 5-10minutes I had to interrupt.

I picked up the pipe again this morning. I am sure you realize that this in effect brought about DG (Delayed Gratification) conditions. WHAT A SMOKE! WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT SMOKE IT WAS! The sourness of the flavoring was gone and I could appreciate every minute nuance of the blend's taste!

INITIAL COMMENTS

Not truly decided yet. Reminds me of Captain Black but this is at least 10 times as good. I am not sure whether I will buy another tin though.

One thing is for certain: The first bowls (when the packaging is just recently opened) are just tolerable in terms of taste. The "strawbery" aroma makes it somewhat sour. I hope that it weakens as time goes by. Perhaps I will change my mind then...

Edit. After leaving the tin open for a day the stuff appears to be a good smoke. The perfume for the most is gone en then it is not bad at all!

So to say, this is one of my favorites.

The tobacco is a variegated mixture of black, gold and different brown hues, packed in golden metallic paper, inside an elegant blue tin. The aroma is highly perfumed and sugary.

As with all Larsen's, the tobacco packs well and its easy to light. However, the strength was so mild and sweet that I noticed immediately the first effects of tongue burning. Slowing down my puffing pace, the sensation ameliorated but the sweetness and perfumed aroma were so overwhelming I completely renounced to it.

I keep the tin, with the tobacco inside, merely as a decorative object.