The initial flavor was stronger than I expect from a Virginia, though in a good way. There was a real sweetness to it, and I could almost detect a hint of fruit. After a few minutes, with the bowl burning nicely, the flavor became really robust, which again is unusual for a Virginia. With strength comes flavor, though, and this tobacco has flavor. I like my coffee strong, too, after all. This strong flavor stayed, consistently, through the smoke. Though there is a development, or progression, of the strength through a bowl, it is about as consistent in flavor as a Virginia tobacco can be, start to finish. Though the first few puffs seem to be plotting a case of tongue bite, I’ve yet to experience a bite from this blend.

Additionally, Hal O’ The Wind DGTs extremely well, which I like because I often smoke a pipe on the 20-minute drive I make to work each morning, leaving me something to look forward to on the drive home. In fact, the strength of the tobacco seems to wake me up just a bit for the afternoon drive, while keeping a smile on my face despite the traffic.

This isn’t a blend for the beginning Virginia smoker. That said, it’s one of the absolute finest tinned Virginias I’ve smoked, equaling, in my opinion, even the delights of such favorites as Red Flake. I know I’ll keep this tobacco available on my shelf from now on, and will turn to it often. Hal O’ The Wind is a pleasurable and enjoyable smoke.

Packing & Burning: Due to the moderate suppleness, the tobacco will almost stay stuck together in a ball when rolled between the fingers. This tells you to be careful and not overstuff the pipe or it will not draw. Pack it firm but so that it is springy.

Taste & Aroma: HOTW is not nearly as sharp and pungent as the tin aroma. Top of bowl had a malted pancake aroma mixed with metallic wet straw taste. Towards the bottom, there was a mixture of earthy malt or old lumber aromas.

Nicotine: Definite queesiness that lingered for 3 hours

Room Note: Good bowl: combination of bread dough and hay. Bad bowl: smoky and slightly acrid

Overall: The original disagreeable taste, of the first bowl, ceased with the next few, which were like Tom Servo described. After that, it transitioned into a consistently mild charcoal burnt grass taste.

I'm sticking by my initial assessment of the first bowl, even though it may have been due to the pipes. It seems that the tobacco changes, after the tin has been unsealed for a while.

Still supple, after the tin was unsealed four weeks, speaks on the use of humectant(likewise for MF and OG), and a possible source of that initial odd taste.

Update: I've smoked a 100g tin, and almost each time I've got a sore tongue, and I mean sore. I can taste although that the tobacco is of good quality, even so I assume that it will never befriend me.

Ok, so I smoke on through and find that it is rather moist and being a VA sometimes they need to dry a bit for that VA Sweet to come through.

It did come through but still I haven't seen much strength like is written on the tin and in other reviews. Strength to me is a good nicotine hit. I didn't find it much here although there is some. For a novice piper it may be fine.

It is a nice cut but like I said before i find it better handling and smoking with some drying time, like 15-20 min under a desk lamp or just sit a pouchful out for a few good hours. Makes fo better lighting and smokeing as you won't have to relight it much. HOTW will try to bite if not careful so smoke 'er slowly. 'Breath Smoking' helps find a little sweetness in it too.

After about 3/4 of the way through the 100gm tin I started to feel like, Ah, it's really not all that, nothing to write home about. I'd suggest purchasing a 50gm tin once in a while at best. HOTW, bein's it's a stoved Red VA is in fact a little sharper that a regular bright VA. I'm not complaining just reviewing a tobacco. I do recommend it to one who smoke straight VA regularly for a pleasant change of pace just don't be looking for a much strength, its' a stoved Red VA that's all.

I'm giving it three Good stars because objectively speaking it's pretty a pretty good VA tobacco. I guess I was expecting something more like Haddo's Delight.

But Rattray's HOTW is no 44 on steroids.

This was strong, yes, but so harsh it became unpleasant. And the smoke proved harassing to my nostrils.

Maybe a bit of aging will address the problem.

Definately the strongest of the three and (to my mind) the best.

To me this stuff smells like wet hay and malt extract in the tin and has a similar rich but subtle sweetness under the match. I could believe that it contains Kentucky leaf because of the strength and richness of the flavour, because of the slight spicy edge I could also buy that it's got some perique but the tin says not so I wont argue.

Smooth and tasty all the way down to the bottom of the bowl, gathering a little momentum towards the end. I always want to repack and relight as soon as I've finished a pipeful of Hal o' the Wynd just to make the pleasure continue but then I'm greedy, especially with really nice things!

Great tobacco. Will revisit regularly.

This seems to smooth it out for me as it can be a little steamy straight from the can with a mild tendency to try to bite.

However, having prepared accordingly, a smooth and tasty evening smoke for the summertime follows.

Despite the description on this site, I don’t think there is any Kentucky or Perique in there. I suspect the description on the tin is correct - full Red Virginia flake. This stuff has more than a little age on it already, but I imagine more age in the tin would make this stuff incredible.

I smoked a pipe-full with my favorite single-malt scotch “Highland Park” - 12 Year Old. The malt syrup, canned fruit, leather and cigar box flavors of the whisky complemented this tobacco brilliantly.

I employed the outer edges of MacBaren’s Club Blend curlies (tossing the Cavendish cores into the trash)...enough to comprise approximately 10% of the final blend. The end result, for me, was extremely pleasant, and allowed me to enjoy both blends...otherwise, I would not find either singular blend overly satisfying.

A companion infusion: a Belgian Witbier (wheat beer with orange) like Rickard’s White or Blue Moon.

UPDATE: 04/25/10 Leaving the tobacco out to dry much longer and employing "breath" smoking at a very slow cadence has brought out the sweetness and removed all instances of it being sharp and bitter.

Increasing my recommendation rating accordingly.

Its a virginia, smoke it slow and by the way:

Taking more of this medication than recommended may cause serious breathing problems.

Do not take alcoholic beverages while taking this medication.

May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify this effect. Use care when operating a car or dangerous machinery.

It looks and smells nearly identical to OG and the texture of the Red Virginia ready- rubbed flakes is the same (a thing of beauty). If there's perique in here as reported, it doesn't tip the scales, nor do I see any printed reference of it on the auxiliary label at the bottom of the tin as stated in one of the reviews.

I find HOTW is less sweet tasting than the other two mentioned, and has a very slight peppery feel to it. Albiet a very mild one..

All in all a quality tobacco that comes in a lovely tin!

A friend sent me a generous sample and I dove right in, not having had any Rattray tobaccos yet.

There really isn't much tin aroma to speak of. It's pretty neutral before lighting. Smoking reveals a flavorful Va with probably a little dark fired burley, and it wouldn't surprise me if there was a hint of perique as well. The red va is assertive and one needs to calibrate their cadence to make it work. Think of it as slow dancing with a beautiful woman -- whose gown is covered in razor blades. Get a little over-eager and you may regret it. The first time I smoked it, I didn't realize it had bitten until an hour or so after finishing. It hasn't bitten since then, and I'm not sure what I'm doing differently other than not over-puffing on light- up.

I love the flavor. There is an agent used, I think, to give it some additional taste. I don't know what it is and I am dreadful at making food analogies, but it absolutely works. I especially like the room note and that dense aroma that presents itself at the top of the burning bowl. The cut is a very thin, ready rubbed flake that is easy to load and burns well. I could highly recommend this blend, but can't guarantee which camp you'll fall in. Love it, or Leave it be. How well will it age? I will tell you in five years.

Moisture content was high with my fresh 100 gram tin, so it may be best to let it dry for a bit before packing, or you may get a fair amount of moisture in your pipe or possiby need to relight. Otherwise, it smokes very well down to the bottom of the pipe.

The taste is pure, very mild VA. A mellow and relaxing tobacco, without very complex flavors. Nice amount of nicotine. A little bland for my tastes, but still recommended for when you want a more simple, pleasant smoke. Personally, I prefer Samuel Gawith's Full Virginia Flake for a sweeter, more complex taste, But Hal O' The Wynd is nice for a quick smoke, without the need to rub out flakes.