Because I am a very mild tobacco smoker - English blends have always given me headaches and I've felt sick for hours after I've tried them every time (especially those with latakia) - my favorite everyday tobacco blend is Lane 1Q. It can get boring after a while because it has little flavor of its own, so I often smoke it with a good aromatic blended into it. A mixture that is 1/3 Autumn Evening and 2/3 Lane 1Q is just right for me and I love it. Everyone loves the aroma too, from what I hear.

I have found that Autumn Evening tobacco is pretty sensitive to its moisture level. The first can I bought was very dry [very unusual from this blender] and smoked very harshly and hot when I tried it by itself. I put about a tablespoon of distilled water in a large bottle cap on top of the tobacco in the can and let it evaporate and infuse into the tobacco for a few days. I then put the tobacco into a mixing bowl, tossed it around to spread the moisture, and it smoked much more to my liking after that.

Autumn Evening is one that I always plan to keep on hand to smoke myself and to share with friends.

I'd hate to pan it completely. It did burn all the way to the bottom, so that's something. (Certainly better than a disgusting, gloopy, horrid tasting dottle.) So, it burns, but then, so do cigarettes. I felt as if I'd ripped open a few stale cigarettes and smoked them with a drop of maple syrup; "acrid" springs to the lips, as it were. Maybe some people like that, but I don't.

Comparing this to Three Blind Moose is irresponsible. I entertain some hope I can mix it with some Virginia ribbon and perique or SOMETHING else and make it smokable. Maybe some burley would help.

I'll give it two stars, reluctantly.

First, is the flavor. Although the maple flavor and scent are both pleasant enough, I for one do not think of something that hints of bacon, breakfast sausage, and pancakes as something I would want to smoke in the evening. Secondly, it packs a decent enough nicotine punch that you would most certainly not want to smoke this blend right before going to bed.

Personally, I think a more appropriate title would be "Autumn Morning." This blend would go wonderfully with a nice cup of coffee.

"Not so much."

I want this to be a home run aromatic for C&D. The concept is there. Love the soul of the idea. The pouch note is perfect. The feel of the tobacco is right on. Lighting was easy. One match (after the char) did the whole bowl. Vitamin N buzz was minor, which I prefer for an evening contemplative session. And that's about where the love ended for me. We all know that any number of things can affect tobacco after it leaves the maker. So, this is not my ultimate judgement on Autumn Evening.

I am going to try a few more bowls, try a different pipe, then cellar it and come back to it later. I bought this from the local tobaccy man. Got it bulk, and, as some others have stated, that might be the problem. I am also going to buy a pouch/tin of it and see if I get a different experience.

There was hardly any continuance of the maple-love in the taste. The same goes for the presence of the maple-love in the room note - barely. The taste was flat with far-cry hints of maple.However, it did have spikes of Virgina's tang, and we all know how daddy likes that.

Can only say "give it a shot and tell me if I got a bad batch."

I will be updating this review for sure.

Update 06/28/10: I'm bumping the rating to a 2.5 stars. After a little drying time, and adjusting my smoking to a sipping approach, things have improved. But the tobacco still has no body. Tastier with no body.

Bingo. Autumn Evening is what DK refers to as a "genius" blend, with a sublte, sweet topping that is interesting, familiar and flavorful but not cloying and artificial. It's a "natural" aromatic, if there is such a thing, although the Virginia flavor recedes deeply into the background. It smokes cool and dry down to a fine, light ash. I can't imagine how an aro smoker would not like this. For me, it's a refreshing change of pace and a pleasant way to rest my tastebuds after smoking more strident blends.

It arrives fairly moist, so let it dry a bit before loading.

This came overly moist in my sampler bag but only required a 10 minute drying period. The bag aroma was wonderfully subdued. I did find the room aroma to be pleasant but it was a little more aromatic than I prefer. As for the flavor, it was delicate but pleasing. I tasted the aromatic agent, but I'm terrible at placing non-tobacco tastes in pipe tobacco. To me, it seemed more like butterscotch than maple, which was fine with me! I found myself wishing that the flavor was richer but that seems to be a tenet of good aromatics. The poor ones are usually the heaviest tasting while the best ones taste of tobacco along with the flavoring agent.

This burned cleanly with no heavy moisture, tasted like sweetened tobacco and did not offend those around me. It never turned sour or bitter down the bowl and it was a satisfying smoke. I'm not the world's most prolific aromatic smoker but I'd like to think I can recognize genius in a blend. For aromatics, this is it, folks. If you love aromatics, this one needs to be part of your next order. Take a huge bow, Craig Tarler! Few have accomplished what you have on this blend.

This tobacco comes closer than any other that I have tried though. I will give it credit for that. My quesion is, Why do all aromatics have to be made of whimpy tobacco with little character? Surely some master blender out there can manage to find tobaccos of character and strength to match to a complimentary additional flavor without overwhelming the weed contained within the tin. I just don't get it.

There is some va strength here and some tobacco flavor, but the maple used is over the top and klls most of the enjoyment. There are no nuances here at all.

I will stick to my vapers, english, and burley blends for now. But, I'm sure that sometime soon I will be hearing the siren song of another aromatic and I will give it another go.

As some of the other reviews have said I found this to taste like cigarette smoke with a maple casing. I have not experienced a tobacco like this ever before. Could it be possible that the tin is much better than buying it in bulk? I ordered 1 oz in bulk just to sample the blend, and don't think I will even finish that. The blend does light easily, smoke well with minimal tongue bite, and leaves no goop in the pipe.

Go ahead and try it for yourself as the maple casing may be something you like, but don't have too high of expectations or you may be let down.

One day I was enjoying a bowlful in my private library when a non-smoking colleague (who loves the smell of most aromatic pipe tobaccos) peeked inside and asked in an alarming tone, "Have you started smoking cigarettes again?" Autumn Evening has been the only aromatic tobacco to have ever triggered this reaction - and I have smoked dozens of different aromatics.

My experience leaves me with no choice but to agree with another reviewer that the room note is of pancakes and stale cigarette smoke. The concept reminds me of covering up pre-existing body odour with strong deodorant. It makes distinguished noses reel.

Interestingly, many smokers and ex-smokers find the room note pleasant. I suspect they are not sensitive to the smell of cigarette type smoke and observe mainly the strong maple aroma. I have had no such luck with non-smokers.

The cloying casing and vulgar room note push me in the direction of a one star rating but I'll add another star for the good quality tobacco leaf used.

This somewhat harsh review is not meant to put fellow pipers off this popular blend. I have merely attempted to succinctly describe my personal experience. By all means try Autumn Evening for yourself, if you haven't already. Your mileage may vary.