However, I'm going to write this review on behalf of a good friend of mine who has declared this to be his absolute favorite tobacco of all.

Treebeard is indeed a grown-up version of the longbottom leaf blend, but it's got an extra hint of complexity in there that I just can't put my finger on. It has a definite deep woodsy, earthy sort of taste and aroma, which comes as no surprise because Just For Him has succeeded in capturing the essence of Tolkien's work on more than several blends so far.

Just like the fictional forest, full of dark and angry trees, centuries old, rich earth, and decades and decades of isolation, this tobacco invokes the essence of a fantastic, otherworldly sort of place. Best enjoyed in a churchwarden, Treebeard is a complex but quiet blend. It's more atmospheric than active when smoked, preferring to suggest rather than define the flavors that it's made of. A masterful little blend, my friend finds it to be the very reason he smokes a pipe, and I don't blame him.

This woody gem is definetly worth a try.

This is truly Long-Bottom Leaf with a little more kick.(See my review of LBL). However, not enough kick that I would like but its good for a sweet treat. The sweetness is not overdone and if your looking to try something to satisfy that tobacky sweet tooth you may want to fire some of this up.

In the Middle-Earth Pipeweed line I recommend Short-Cut To Mushroom and in the Just For Him blends I recommend Just For Him...if your looking for something with a hint of sweetness. Just For Him blend starts off creamy and rounds off into a delicious nutty euphoria. You can find these at justforhim.com. Call them they will sell by oz.

Treebeard is the first in the series that I have tried. When I read the description I immediately thought, "Uh-oh... Vanilla". I suspected that someone was trying to cash in on the current LOTR popularity with some cheap heavily cased tobacco, and that this wasn?t going to be a very pleasant experience.

I needn?t have worried. I opened the pouch and found a very natural-smelling blend. Yes, there was vanilla present, but it smelled natural as well. The cut is nice, a mixture of short and medium ribbon. A mixture of predominantly reddish-brown leaf with a nice mix of dark (almost black) and bright highlights make for a visually appealing blend.

Treebeard packs easily, as you would expect from the cut. Moisture content is OK, but a bit of drying wouldn?t hurt.

Lighting was easy. On the initial light you get a taste of the vanilla, which isn?t overdone at all, nor does it taste like candy. The red Virginia comes into play right away, and the vanilla stays in the background. As the bowl progresses, the Burley comes out now and again. The vanilla is always there, as is the Virginia. If not for the Burley, this would be a truly one-dimensional smoke. The sweetness of the Virginia keeps it pleasant.

This is a cased Virginia ? take normal precautions for your tongue. Smoke it slowly and enjoy it.

The room note is actually quite pleasant. It almost doesn?t smell like smoke. Where the vanilla is a secondary player in the bowl, in the room it dominates with the Virginia in support. The aroma is light and fresh.

On the Just For Him website this tobacco is listed by the pound only. If you contact them by email or phone, you can buy it by the ounce.