Solani - 763: White and Black pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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puro66	01/16/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
UPDATE: 1-16-08 It would be nice to have an explanation on what is going on with this blend. I gave this tin 5 months to transmorph back to what it was supposed to be. NOPE it didn't. The trash is the only proper place for this. What ashame and what an unforgivable mistake! Original review 7/20/07 Unfortunately this blend is inconsistent which is entriely unaccaptable given the premium price. A year ago I smoked two 50gram tins that were absolute heaven. A few weeks ago I bought a 100gram tin. The disappointment of that first bowl is overwhelming. It doesn't taste like the same stuff. Given the comments of others in this forum and my now own matching personal experience I must conclude that there are more than a few "bad" tins floating around. I will not be risking any more money on this blend. What ashame!
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Argo	01/14/2008	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Unfortunately my tin was primarily cavendish. I sure wish I tasted some Syrian.. any at all. Nada, none. It's okay, but after reading the other reviews I understand the mistake. A true pity.
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smokeemifyougotem	09/13/2007	Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Well, you may have noticed several mentions about inconsistency, as did I when I first read the reviews. But the positive reviews convinced me to purchase a tin anyway. And that tin was, let me tell you, heaven. Absolute heaven. It's a very delicate balance for me with English blends that contain cavendish. Some are excellent. Some are awful. There was something about this one that mitigated the bitter flavor that I normally get from cav. or somehow incorporated it differently. But, no matter, the bottom line is that this stuff was sublime. So I decided to go ahead and buy another tin. I thought that all the complaints about inconsistency here were just a few unlucky aberrations. Well, after opening up the second tin, I, too, am convinced there's a major problem with quality control somewhere at Solani. I say with absolute certainty, that the second tin was not the same tobacco as the first. First off, they looked vastly different. Tin one was mostly all black, tin two had not even a single strand of black tobacco. Secondly, they smelled nothing alike. Tin one smelled like Latakia and Cavendish. Tin two smelled like a nondescript VA based aromatic. "Well," I thought, "Maybe they changed the formula, or I'm remembering it wrong." So, I decided to load up a bowl from the new tin and smoke it. BIG MISTAKE! Where was the Latakia? For that matter, where was the Cavendish? I couldn't taste either of them. What I could taste, I can't really say, but I had to fight just to make it halfway through the bowl. It was, without a doubt, the nastiest tobacco I have ever tried. And to add to it's list of vile qualities, the aftertaste was unbelievably persistent. I tried smoking a bowl of Old Ironsides to get rid of it. Didn't help. Tried brushing my teeth and tongue. Didn't help. Drank a cup of coffee. Didn't help. Drank two glasses of cheap rye whiskey. That helped some, but the rest, I just had to wait out. So, again, I am absolutely certain that these are not the same tobaccos. Additionally, they were so different that I'm convinced that Solani didn't just alter the formula. Here's what I think happened: after reading the reviews for other tobaccos in the Solani line, I'm 90% certain that I got a tin of Sweet Mystery X with a label for White and Black mistakenly put on the front. So I suppose you should consider my comments above a review for Sweet Mystery X. Forgive the cheap shot, but the Mystery is why anyone would voluntarily smoke it. I would love to buy another tin of the first stuff. But only if I could be absolutely assured that I would be getting the same thing. From my experiences, and others here, however, I just don't think that's possible. It's a real shame, too. They've really ruined what would otherwise have been a four star blend. I doubt I'll ever buy it again unless the store will let me open up the tin before I pay to make sure I'm getting the tobacco I'm paying for. Yeah, that'll happen.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
podpipe	09/02/2007	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Simply fell in love with this blend...what a variety of flavors right till the end. I left it behind for a month or so...I was giving the dunhill 965 a try...then the other night decided to open my solani Black and white again...wow...just a beautiful smoke...toasty, sweet, rich, just enough Latakia...love this blend best after dinner. Puff it slow and let those flavors and that aroma fill the air and your palate...enjoy
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
NEWMAN	07/23/2007	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
The German blender R. L. Will has yet to disappoint me and provides some of my true favorite Va/Perique flakes in Reiner's Long Golden Flake and Solani 633. Now I've found a favorite with Latakia. My interest in this relatively new item, 763, was its blender and its flake form since I've always favored that for slow burning rates. The partially rubbed out flakes were predominantly dark brown to black but some golden and red VAs were also present. The moisture content from my tin was fine, no condensation developed and lighting and burn rate were excellent. Usually, I get complaints or smart remarks when I open Latakia blends in non pipe smoking company but this blend actually brought compliments. The room aroma was also less objectionable to others. I sensed no bite but found a cool, rich, dense and enjoyable smoke. The taste is too full for me as an all day smoke but after dinner, this is a joy. The Latakia that is present is not so dominant or smoky to cover the sweet VAs. As the flavor develops from the initial lighting, it gets stronger but not bitter or sharp. Although I've generally shied away from Latakia blends, this would be my #1 pick.
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QuietMoments	07/22/2007	Extremely Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable
OK, so I'm an aromatic smoker, but I thought I would try this out because of all the rave reviews. Ooops! It just blew me away. It was a very strange experience smoking this. At first, the flavours were very pleasent - interesting nuances I was not familiar with (Latakia?) But after just a few minutes i found the strength building up to become overwhelming. I ended up light-headed and nauseous. Is that the nicotine? What-ever it was, it made this a once-only experience for me. So, beginners beware! (and I should know, because I've been a beginner for 20 years now)
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Ben Rich	05/29/2007	Very Mild	None detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant
I suspect, like Redneck and Mr. Dottle, that I also bought a tin that made it past quality control. I've had perhaps one and half dozen pipefuls of this tobacco and have been disappointed with each smoke. I've tried it in Ardor pipes, a Cavicchi, a Dunhill size 5, a Ser Jacopo with a huge chamber and a Tsuge bent; in each pipe it has been underwhelming. I have tried smoking it right from the pouch, unrubbed and moist, and have tried it rubbed to a fare-the-well and I've tried it after cutting the mixture with scissors and dried almost to the crackling point. In all instances it has been underwhelming. I've puffed it fast, puffed it slow, and tried various loading techniques, including the Frank method with a hefty wad of the tobac acting as a "plug" at the top of the tobacco chamber. Still underwhelming, at times almost tasteless and definitely insipid. Visually and tactiley it is a high-quality tobacco; the pouch aroma is fantastic... it just has not lived up to the expectations intimated by the relatively high price. On the positive side, it burns very well, bite (after a good drying) is nonexistant and I have learned that a lengthy DGT (like maybe twelve hours or more) will improve the taste somewhat. I might stove what is remaining in the tin in the hopes that I can salvage something out of this purchase.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
drainpipe	04/16/2007	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable to Strong

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Mr. Dottle	04/06/2007	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable
I may have received a tin of B&W from the same production run (or ?bottom of the barrel?) as Redneck below and I echo some of his comments. I found B&W flat, lacking in flavor, body, taste and strength. It was very much a ?hot air? smoke in that it pirouetted across my palate on ballerina tiptoes, i.e., I hardly knew it was there. In short, BLACK and WHITE apparently has a GRAY area and that gray area may be in quality control. I?ll have to try some of Redneck?s friends B&W or purchase another tin at a later date. There are just too many glowing reviews here and it leads me to believe that I, like Redneck, received a ?gray? tin with our first purchase. A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored. I rate this blend 7.1 out of 10.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
stems	02/20/2007	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
just started smoking this a week ago. i usually smoke straight virginias such as best brown or marlin flake but have been exploring latakia lately. the tin aroma is very delicious and natural smelling. maybe there is a berry topping as other reviewers have noted, but it is very subtle. i smell mostly ripe red virginias and delicious latakia. it must be syrian latakia, because it smells and tastes nothing like the cyprian variety. the smoke starts off very smooth and rich, gets a little spicy at mid bowl and finishes smooth and tasty. this is an incredible blend. i'm starting to like it more than my straight virginias. all the components are very balanced. definitely a classic. it's amazing how smooth and rich this tobacco is from the start. hard to imagine that it could get any better with aging. needs to dry for an hour before smoking though......
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
DrJohnNash	02/14/2007	Strong	Strong	Very Full	Tolerable
When I opened the tin all I could think of was a winter?s afternoon in the Northeastern United States-- a windless, cloudless day, cold and crisp with the smell of wood- burning fireplaces, and the dank smell of the nearby woods. In fact, I bought this tin with the intention of smoking it all winter long, but I am, all the same, an atypical pipe aficionado. I live in the Southwest, and the weather today was well into the 60s. Not only am I 1500 miles away from my nearby woods, but I am atypical in that I enjoy tobaccos that many would call aromatics, and as a fellow reviewer said, ?You aromatic smokers keep away.? Nonsense! Light up and enjoy. The lakatia is not a problem because of the overall quality of this tobacco and because it is really something of an experience. A daily smoke? Probably not for the likes of me, but I don?t smoke daily. Ah, but on a cold desert night, such good company as Solani. It cannot be missed.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Arun	02/06/2007	Strong	Strong	Full	Tolerable to Strong
If you are aromatic lovers please just stay away from Solani Black and White; Latakia may disturb you. As other reviewer say it is a good tobacco, but this is true only if you are a ?profi? with Latakia. I recommend this tobacco only if you smoke once or just twice in a day.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Redneck	01/12/2007	Medium	Very Mild	Full	Tolerable
I find this blend to be rather boring. It does not have the spice or depth in taste I expected. At the price they are charging, I will pass this one up in the future. Ok Ok. I made a mistake!! I had NEVER had a bad tin of tobacco before. The part tin I smoked was missing something, (bland and no flavor)! My buddy said I was crazy and that I should try a bowlful of his. Its hard to believe that was the same blend. I agree with the other people here that this is a very tasty blend, (but still costs toooo much & one star for Quality Control).
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Ranger	12/15/2006	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I believe I have found a new favorite latakia. This stuff is so good I don't know where to begin. The tobacco itself comes packed in thickish stringy pieces that can be stuffed right into the bowl or broken slightly. Dark in color, sweet and earthy in aroma, the best part comes when smoked. I don't know if it is the Syrian, but man, this is smooth as silk. Definately not as smokey as other latakia blends, slightly more sweet. For me, this is the one. Too bad it costs more than most.
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ruggiero	11/19/2006	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
There are just SOOOOOO many medium-full English blends out there that taste similar to one another or with so little difference between each other. THIS ENGLISH IS NOT ONE OF THEM. I like the word 'pipestud' used in his review ..."unique". I recently have been on a binge in trying different pipe tobaccos over the past month. I've smoked around 50 different blends or so in about 1 months time. I was beginning to think that I was losing my taste for latakia blends but this latakia based English has restored by faith in this 'genre' of pipe tobacco. This blend is easily in the top 2 or 3 blends that I have recently tried. It is a medium strength English which is creamy, smokey, tasty and well rounded with a wonderful flavor/taste. The room note is outstanding. It burns to a fine, grey ash with no moisture at the bottom of the bowl. I love the broken flakes as IMO they seem to be the ideal cut for burning. I don't know if it's the Syrian latakia that is purportedly used or the flavoring added via the cavendish, etc. but it is no doubt a masterpiece of a blend. The highest accolodes from this reviewer.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Pipestud	04/21/2006	Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant
Yes sir, a classic! This Solani mixture was an extremely pleasant surprise. The Virginia base was delightfully sweet, and the cavendish was flavored with a wine/berry extract that tasted almost fermented. Couple all of the above with a background of Latakia and presto, a unique taste combination. This Solani blend smoked cool and dry all the way to the bottom of the bowl. I will add more tins to my cellar.
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Satc001	04/11/2006	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
Sometimes, certain tobaccos fit certain occasions. A nice sunny afternoon at 80 degrees in the park requires a nice McClelland or Rattray virginia. A cold winter's eve requires a big bowl of Penzance or Odyssey. A cool summer night on the lake requires a bowl of Solani 763 Black and White. This blend has absolutely lovely virginias forming the base of the smoke. I detected a bit of a wine casing, but wasn't dissapointed as I felt that is complemented the tobacco well. The cavendish serves to smooth the smoke and add some body. The Syrian latakia in this starts out almost unnoticeable, but as the bowl progresses in adds a nice peppery spice to this. A wonderful blend that I highly recommend.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
RCUSElder	07/11/2005	Medium to Strong	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
update: I recently opened a tin that was about a year old. What a difference! Much smoother! Since the Syrian used in this blend seems to be no more, stock up now. I am also upgrading to four stars. bravo to Mr. Will! This is definitely a blend in a category of its own and heartily recommend it to you all. My tin was consigned to ash all too quickly! Upon opening the round 50g tin, you are greeted by a very dark, mostly broken flake, yes, I said flake. Tin aroma is delicious with a wonderful symphony of aroma from the three leaves used in this blend. Packing: I found it to work better for me if I fully rubbed out the flakes. The flakes are very oily (a good sign!)and go out easily if not rubbed out. Lighting: Once rubbed-out, lighting is a four vesta affair, you may want to let this air out a bit. Initial Flavor: Simply put, delicious! the cavendish is not cloying and there seems to be a nice roundness to the flavor. Mid-Bowl: Aah, this is where this blend shines. The smokiness of the Syrian latakia plays well with the Va and Va Cavendish. It has a merlot-like flavor. Bottom-Bowl: Nice intensity of flavor builds up, smokes to the bottom without a fuss. Ash: Dark, grey, mottled, and a nice dusting on the bowl walls. Overall: This is a nice change of pace tobac for me. I did find that you could get tongue-bite if you puff a little too hard when fresh. This blend will occupy my cellar as it may benefit from some aging, and boy, do I look forward to trying again in a couple of years.
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DUPE.1512	04/26/2005	Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
In my opinion RCUSElders review is spot on. This is a real treat and a quality blend. I have 5 tins in the cellar and can't wait to try this with some age on it.
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Joe Patterson	08/15/2004	Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
Let me start by saying that I tried this and 633 on the same day and found two new members for my aging cabinet. I think this is a great blend. This is, by far, the best smoke I've had that contains Syrian Latakia. To add to this, it is very unusual also since it comes in flake form! I find it needs just an hour or so of air drying (per bowl) and, in my opinion, to be rubbed out completely. I like smoking this in big, big pipes. (Heck, I like smoking nearly everything in big pipes, so why should this be any different?) I have found that this is a little sharp upon first light, but once the bowl develops, the smoke is round, full and smooth. Also, the importer for this and other fine products is Steve Monjure, and if you ever get a chance to meet him and/or buy pipes from him, you too will realize what an asset he is to our humble hobby. Review for 633 to come once I finish a whole tin. JP
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