Tabac Manil Le Petit Robin

The story from Tabac Manil is that it took Vincent Manil several years to develop his Le Petit Robin pipe tobacco. Though everyone knows LPR contains Manil’s signature Semois, M’s mum about the other tobaccos he uses here. After sniffing and smoking LPR, I suppose he uses selected flue and air cured VAs, including some lemon and some brown leaf. Le Petit Robin is an incredibly fine shag cut that is pressed into 3.5 oz. blocks and wrapped in “paper foil” that is over wrapped with a nice, retro, paper label. Pulling at the tobacco brick, the very fine strands of tobacco are amazingly long. The tobacco is dry but not dusty dry. Still, the super-fine strands ensure that tobacco dust is produced in quantity any time this tobacco is handled incautiously. The brick smells somewhat of Semois, which is to say like Burly and also mildly cigar-like, with musty, earthy, spices, maybe some cocoa and mushroom, but there is also a more pervasive, grassy, faintly floral aroma that wafts up. Overall, LPR smells more subdued than Manil’s La Brumuse (pure Semois), and I detect no topping (perhaps there is very light casing). Because of LPR’s propensity to turn to dust when it’s handled, I try to pull a small, continuous wad from the brick like I might pull a cotton ball off a larger wad of cotton batting. To smoke LPR, I pack it into a #3 – 4 bowl that has not been used for “dark” blends, including American KY. Then, I light it slowly and puff it as gently as possible while keeping it lit. For me, LPR is best sipped, which allows me to enjoy its ethereal secondary tastes and scents along with its primary VA and Semois. The smoke begins softly and gently, and I love to fill the air around my head with great, profuse clouds of this naturally, subtly aromatic smoke. The smells and tastes both move from lighter and mid-band VAs to Semois as a bowl is smoked down. The smoking aromas are myriad, including grasses, moss, herbs and floral spices, and the musty, cigar-ish spices are condimental if the burn rate is kept slow. Tastes parallel the aromas, along with some cashew and a little tannin, and it is just bitter enough to be bracing. IMO, it strikes a nice balance between interesting and relaxing. Strength is more medium than mild, and for all the delicacy of the side streams, tastes move from mild toward and finally a little over medium as one concludes a bowl. Room note is pleasant, and aftertaste is a nice trailing off of the smoke, providing one keeps the fine ash at bay.

Overall, Le Petit Robin is just what I’m hoping for when I try a new-to-me tobacco, namely well-bred, well-behaved, tasty, and unique, also quite satisfying. Four stars. Well done, Vincent Manil.

Now here is a blend that caught me unawares. Having smoked close to forty blends over the past decade, I was not expecting something to redefine what a pipe tobacco can be. Yet that is precisely my impression of Le Petit Robin.

As others have noted, the cut itself is almost a category of its own. It is extremely thin and fuzzy in a very pleasant, bohemian way. I tend to pack Le Petit Robin quite light, and consequently, the burn rate is pretty much doubled compared to my regular Virginia-Perique and Latakia blends. Strangely enough, I cannot say I detected any negatives from this, despite having a palate prone to bite. The bowl ends faster and that is all. It burns very dry and clean, and I admit sinning against one of my ground rules by refilling the same bowl immediately once or twice. That this brought no noticeable ill effects to taste or moisture only proves how well behaved the little Robin is.

The taste is even further apart from anything I have tried before or since. I find it hard to pin down the flavor but what it reminds me of the most is malty bread. The smoke is rich and creamy with hints of sweetness throughout. Overall, the flavour is not something I have ever found myself craving. But that is probably down to the fact that it is really quite unlike anything else and is thus an acquired taste in the true sense of the term.

I can easily see this as an everyday smoke for someone who likes its unique taste profile. Whether you do or not can only be ascertained by filling a bowl - which is something everyone should do at least twice or thrice. If only to take a path less traveled. It will be an adventure worth the detour.

I'm going to keep this one brief.

Vincent Manil's Le Petit Robin is absolute perfection. Grassy and sweet virginias (maybe?) with a subtle addition of earthy and floral semois. The fine shag cut guarantees an effortless smoke every time.

This is hands down one of the easiest blends to smoke. I take a smaller pipe (clay works best), wad up a ball of Robin, and stuff into the pipe. No three layers, no Franks, etc. Just wad up a ball and stuff it in. It burns quick so be sure to smoke slow and gentle. You'll be rewarded with a flavorful, strong smoke.

I wasn't a huge fan of the original release from Manil. Even as a lifelong cigar smoker, it just didn't do it for me. Just too much. This is a perfectly balanced blend now.

There's a lot of tobacco packaged in this brick-shaped, gold foil, wrapped container. It didn't feel like it weighed 3 1/2 ounces when I received it but I didn't put it on a scale. I concluded that it had dried out some so I hydrated it within a zip-lock bag with a pouch humidifier for a couple of weeks. Afterwards, I could feel that it had gained a little weight. It is not packaged to retain moisture & the folded ends are not sealed. It will inevitably contain a moisture content of its environment. I had read reviews prior to purchasing & pretty much knew what to expect & it is very tightly packed within the brick.

I unfolded the end & gave it a whiff and noticed the unmistakable aroma of tea & Belgian Burley. I don't believe it's a topping note... hard to tell. I've smelled this tea-like aroma in another blend before. I think it "may" have been the Peterson's Sherlock Holmes blend. Anyway, I immediately noticed the extreme fine cut of this mixture... even finer maybe than a steel wool pad but it works. The moisture content at this point seemed just about right for smoking but maybe still just a tad on the dry side. I pinched off enough to fill a size three bowl & stuffed it fairly tight as other reviewers had suggested which turned out to work very well for a proper burn rate. It quickly takes to the match & instantly glows cherry red all across the bowl with just a brief touch of the flame.

Upon the charring light I got a burst of flavor that improved considerably after about 1/3 had burned off & provided more flavor & a better taste without any harshness. I loved this Belgian Burley flavor combined with the VA from the very first puff but the third ingredient or ingredients seem destined to remain a mystery but whatever, the varietals play well together. I've never seen or tasted anything like it before. Very unique indeed & fairly strong. It must be packed tight & drawn lightly to get the best flavor & won't bite if puffing cadence is properly controlled. It has a tingly sensation on the palate & leaves a pleasant aftertaste. I liked this well enough to reopen the package & load up again. I'll be keeping this in my rotation as long as it's available & ordered another brick & will be filling up my Mason jars & try to retain a proper moisture content. From my experience with cigars, cigarette & pipe tobacco, they all seem to smoke best with the proper moisture content & I suspect that Le Petite Robin is no different.

This tobacco possesses a unique flavor & aroma that I really enjoy & tempts me with the desire to smoke subsequent bowls. I can't possibly explain the flavoring of Le Petite Robin but JimInks's review probably pinned it down. I never noticed the slightest cigar taste & I'm thinking there may be some Turkish mixed in. It doesn't produce any condensation while smoking & quickly burns down to a fine gray dottle & oddly enough, only leaves a mild tobacco smell/odor or room note behind that is fairly pleasant & seems to quickly dissipate. I've previously mentioned that my olfactory glands may require some maintenance or fine tuning but regardless, this is my take on Tabak Manil's Le Petite Robin. Great stuff!

---

When it first came out in 2016, (or at least that's when I bought some) I smoked about half of the brick and put the other half away. In 2016, the blend was sweet, nutty, and a bit harsh. Very enjoyable but just had to take it slow. Back then (fresh) I would have given it a 3 star rating. After jarring the other half and aging for 2 years, this blend has mellowed out and balanced its self. This now tastes like a va/bur/or blend with maybe some cigar leaf. The description doesn't mention orientals or cigar leaf but after some aging I swear i can taste them. There maybe none in the blend but this blend after 2 years tastes more like pebble cut by mcclelland mixed with maduro. Still nutty, not as sweet as it was when fresh, and a bit tangy from either the Virginia's or aged burley? If there are no orientals in this then I must be crazy. Give this time to age and settle, you'll be pleased. It Really does now taste like a high quality mcclelland blend or something. Bravo Vincent at tabac manil.

I had tried the Reserve Du Patron, so when I ordered more of that I also picked up a brick of Le Petit Robin to try.

When I opened my brick, I was a little taken back at the appearance of the tobacco. Its a very very very short shag. Dry like I expected and it clumps together when handled. The note from the jar I moved it to was hay for sure.

I smoke this is smaller bowls and the thing I had to learn was to really pack it in tighter that I'm normal too. It lights easily and doesn't require relights. The taste is bready/nutty to me with a sweetness on the top.

With my nic tolerance this isn't something that I smoke multiple bowls in a setting of as it packs an unexpected punch. I've learned that it makes a nice morning smoke along with my coffee to start the day.

I think I prefer the longer shag of the Reserve but this is a great tobacco which is not like anything else on the market that I've found. I found a book which has photos of the process by which this is made which I found fascinating even if I had to translate the descriptions on GOOGLE.

the room note is close to cigar/cigarette according to my wife who forbid me from smoking it in the car with her.

WOW! This ultra fine shag is truly phenomenal! Never smoked any Semois leaf, but im glad I saw a review many months ago with great reviews. It comes ultra dry, but it is meant to be that way coming in the brick that it does! It’s taste is very unique and i love it! Bought 3 more bricks and stuffed in a large mason jar! Very exceptional and a must try at minimum!

I have a very broad palette with regards to what I like, and I've found "Le Petit Robin" to be pure pipe smoking bliss. Whenever I get a new blend, I always like to see when I'm done with the first pipe, will I want another; with "Le Petit Robin", I smoked three. Since I got it two days ago, I haven't smoked anything else.

This is a very smooth, flavorful, and unique tobacco that is unlike anything I've ever had before. From what I've been told and read, I would guess that "Le Petit Robin" is the mildest of the three offerings from Tabac Manil. The shag cut makes for a wonderfully behaved and even-smoking blend. The flavor, tin note, and room note all have these wonderfully complex notes.

I can only get caught up in using bizarre adjectives, and echo others' words. It has the smoothness of a well-aged Burley, with wisps of the characteristic sweet, grassy flavors of a Virginia, along with that distinctly flavorful aroma and flavor of an Oriental such as Katerini. As many have admitted, it is so incredibly difficult to put a finger on precisely what Semois tastes like. The fact that "Le Petit Robin" is blended with other tobacco from the region makes it all the more complex both in its flavors and aromas, and in trying to describe this unusual profile. I suppose that's all part of the beauty. What I can be absolutely certain about, is that it's delicious beyond description. At any rate, this is most definitely a unique gem that is not to be ignored by adventurous pipe tobacco aficionados.

This is exactly what I'm looking for in a Virginia/Burley blend, but unlike most such blends on the market, the Semois component in this just delivers so much more flavor. Not that I dislike other blends, but the Burley we're all familiar with is more one-dimensionally "nutty" and not as rich as Semois. The Semois offers a good nutty flavor as you would expect, but there is also more musk, more spice, and of course its signature earthiness. Combined with the Virginias, this blend comes together like the smells of a walk in autumn woods. It's truly a special, luxurious, yet simple and effortless experience. Hats off to Mr. Manil for developing this blend. It's my favorite of the bunch. I plan to get a very large mason jar and just stock up on Le Petit Robin to keep it long term.