Dunhill Ye Olde Signe (Re-release)

My friend Maria donated me a tin when she saw i had it on my wishlist!i wanted to try this blend really bad.when you crack the tin you smell lots of virginia compoments like grass,tea ,citruses,dark fruits.comes out at a proper moisture and the ribbon cut packs and lights easy.while burning the flavours are grassy,bready,sweet tea notes, dark fruits in a very balanced way..the taste is deep and i also detected a plum casing.burns slow and cool no chance of biting.the nicotine level is medium.burns to total ash and leaves no dumbness.a really nice all day blend,totally recommended!

I like toppings of this nature. The kind that, for the most part, match and enhance the natural tobacco flavors. I get the distinct impression, in this case, that the topping contributes a fair amount of the overall flavor. Regardless, the flavor is very nice and somewhat rich. Sweet and fruity. A little tart and tangy with a very mild spice. Some very natural bready notes and some earth in the second half. Has a fair amount of body, but moderate in nicotine. Burns a little quick, but without too much heat. An enjoyable smoke.

Medium to strong in body. Medium to full in taste. Flavoring is mild to medium.

Always wanted to try this blend. Unfortunately it went out of production before I was able to get my hands on it. Now I’m savouring the re-released Scandinavian version. This is a nice ribbon cut from dark brown Virginian leaf. It comes rather moist in the tin, but surprisingly it lit very easily. It has no bite at all. Alas, flavour wise, it’s very mild and slightly monochromatic, that is, unlike other straight Virginias it lacks that sweet and sour playfulness that make them so appealing. Many years ago, someone told me that the next best thing to this blend was G. Smith & Sons Old London 100% Virginia. That I did try and was absolutely hooked. A wonderful tobacco that, I believe, no longer exists. Indeed this new Dunhill has only a very slight resemblance to that classic and, I imagine, to the original Ye Olde Signe. None the less, this is a nice, easy going smoke. If anything, the tin artwork is very nice.

Dunhill - Ye Olde Sign.

When I opened the tin something jumped out at me that could be looked at in both a positive and negative way: there was no rush of air when I cracked the seal, or supposed seal. This had resulted in perfect moisture for imminent smoking (the positive part) but I wouldn't fancy cellaring any for a long while (negative). The ribbons are slight in their build and mostly medium brown, with a few lighter and darker ribbons mixed in. The smell from the tin isn't particularly suggestive of any sort of flavouring, it's just one of Virginia hay and grass.

The lighting of Ye Olde Sign is extremely simple: just a quick touch does the job. Then the flavour that I get is a little different to most Va's: the smoke's very rich and has some bready qualities, but what's a little different is the taste of tea. It took me a while to identify it and when I did it wasn't my palate that was first to detect it, it was my nostrils: the room-note is very tea-like. The moment I identified that the flavour became clear to me! The burn's very good but what's not so good is the temperature; even though my technique often causes hot smoke I don't think I'm entirely to blame! And finally the nicotine's quite mild from Ye Olde Sign.

This isn't a 'bad' blend, but to be frank I'm a little disappointed. I was expecting an EXTRAORDINARY smoke, to me though this is a steadfast three star blend.

Recommended.

YOS is kind of like Royal Yacht and kind of like Elizabethan Mixture. And it's kind of its own beast at the same time. There is a topping that reminds me of RY and the Virginia does taste very similar to the one contained in EM. It's its own beast as I do feel there is some burley in there, maybe even a condimental quantity of dark fired Kentucky. The overall result is an uncomplicated, sweet and spicy, complex enough Virginia mixture that keeps me interested throughout the voyage. Being a shag cut, it burns very well. Nicotine is just right, medium to strong. The tobacco is not dark as the description affirms but with some years of aging, it will become darker.

Another decent Virginia in my opinion (seems like a veritable plethora of choices right now lol).. I get a subtle almost bread and honey thing going on. It can smoke hot compared to flakes so I try and pace myself... rich and tasty. Might cellar some... but so many other options at the moment.

The initial few smokes from a fresh tin of Ye Olde Signe were extraordinary. The tin note certainly shouts "strongly fermented rich Virginia tobaccos" with freshly baked bread. There is a semi-complex flavor profile though I taste more bright than red or stoved Virginias. Lots of citrus with some grass and bready notes upfront. Spice, tea, and some sweetness are in the background. The strength is at the low end of medium. This blend has become slightly mundane over a few weeks and is a little too much like a mix of Dunhill Flake, Elizabethan, and Royal Yacht. I think age may create a four star tobacco as the components marry but it is still recommended now.

I was lucky to find four Dunhill tobaccos in a Madrid tobacconist in September 2020: Dark Flake, Ye Olde Signe, Royal Yacht and Ready Rubbed, with the added fortune that they are some years old. In this way and being as I am a new pipe smoker, I will not stay without trying some tobacco from the mythical brand. Kind of like being able to drive a Rolls Royce for a car fanatic. On the right day and time I prepared one of my favorite Virginias pipes to smoke and opened a tin of Ye Olde Signe with the childish excitement you can imagine. I accompany it with a coffee without sugar.

The tin is a 2oz screw-tight closure, with a nice drawing of a vintage gentleman smoking a clay pipe. When I open it, I find myself with tight, uniform and thin strands but without becoming a shag cut. The tobacco comes pressed and a bit dry, perhaps I should say, more exactly, a bit lacking in moisture. Brown colors with a predominance of medium and light colors and a typical aroma of other Virginias, of bread and hay a little sweet. Once the pipe is started, as expected, it ignites well and burns even without it taking any effort to keep it lit and without itching the tongue. In the taste it has a certain acidity and is a bitter point, reminiscent of tea (as some user rightly says) but I am surprised that it costs me so much to find the sweet taste that hints of the cold aroma inside the tin. Next time I'll taste it in a corn pipe trying to find that sweetness. During the smoke it maintains its strength and flavor fairly constant. The smoke is quite thick and pleasant.

I feel that in this case one tin has not been enough for a more accurate review. I have another one in the cellar, that when it touches it will be opened and I will be able to complete this review.

Dunhill Ye Old Signe - I like this better than Royal Yacht . It has less casings and you can taste the tobaccos more . It tastes like a red Virginia to me . Some hay and grass but more malty and oatmeal and bread notes . A little citrus and does have the tea like flavor probably from the casings . A little cinnamon spice . A mellow smoke perfect for summer with a big nic hit . No bite or harshness . I hope they bring this back under the Peterson name . 3 1/2 stars for me .