Sutliff Tobacco Company Eastfarthing

As a newer pipe smoker, I am mainly exploring the different blends (I favor aromatic blends, although I am dipping my toes into the non-aromatic blends now) to find what I like.

Like many others, I am a huge fan for Tolkien! So naturally I wanted to try some of the available themed blends out there. This review is for the "Eastfarthing" blend from Sutliff. While not really marketed as a "Lord of the Rings" tobacco, this is named for a region of the Shire. From Sutliff's corporate webpage it gives the following information - "Frogmorton was a village in the Eastfarthing of the Shire – so this blend pays homage to J. R. Tolkien."

Opening the tin, what I smelled was the vanilla, not so much the Latakia, but there was an artificial sweetness to it.

The flavor I tasted was the burley, followed by sugar/sweet and the Latakia popped up every now and then (it was not very strong).

It was very moist, but I did not dry this out before smoking (although I could understand if one did) and it lit up easily and did not require excessive relights. I did not have any tounge-bite with this blend.

I am starting to enjoy English/Aromatics and thought this would be great, but was slightly disappointed with this as it was a mash of things that just didn't do it for me. Although everyone's taste is different so don't let this stop you from trying it out. The best thing about this blend for me was the tin note.

This was one of the first pipe mixtures I tried getting back into pipe smoking after a 15 year hiatus for health reasons.

The tin aroma is latakia to my nose. I don't smell any topping. But latakia is good, so no complaints on that score.

What took me back was how mild the flavor was. The mixture isn't tasteless, but these old taste buds were straining.

I got hints of latakia and hints of sweetness. The smoke was pretty smooth.

The pipes I used for test driving were a Missouri Meerschaum corncob and a Falcon.

All in all, I like Eastfarthing. I can't say it will ever be a favorite. But for those times when Match Barking Dog is too strong, Eastfarthing will do the trick.

If you are looking for a light latakia smoke with a bit of sweetness this could very well be your next pipe of tobacco.

I can give this 3 stars.

Let's keep this simple: Imagine a higher grade Captain Black Original with slightly bigger cut tobaccos, a Vanilla/Sugar topping that tastes less artificial, and a pinch of Latakia added.

Definitely a quality aromatic superior to the majority of available tobaccos. The Latakia really adds to the experience. It's subtle but noticable in a very enjoyable way.

The topping could be a tad less but is in no way overpowering. Tastes minimally bitter if smoked too quickly. Definitely recommend, and much better than expected.

3.5 stars as an aromatic. 3 stars overall.

Right ... this review will be hard because of the love/hate relationship I have with this tobacco. Popping the tin, you are visually greeted by a dark ribbon cut. The main component of the blend's color should be latakia. The tin aroma isn't overly strong. The vanilla topping is obvious ... but let's be honest .. if you got this, you are already aware this is an aromatic. I am, however, also getting notes of caramel .. like a bourbon. The main blend components do give you the campfire notes, as well as some walnuts and sweet grass from the virginias. In all honesty ... I'm not mad at the tin note.

Now we're going into the preparation territory. The tobacco isn't overly gloopy, however, it is moist to the point I had to leave it out for an hour prior to smoking. The smoke itself is actually really decent. The latakia leads melding with the topping. The burleys and virginias are detectable in the background. The nicotine level isn't high. The burn is cool due to the decent amount of latakia. It didn't bite or turn on me while smoking, but it did require a higher number of relights. I think I should have let it dry for two hours more. Overall it is enjoyable, and the people around you won't be mad at you for smoking. The issue is that I can't smoke it often. Not sure why but although enjoyable, I wouldn't call this a daily burner. I have a bowl every two or three weeks, usually outside in a beer garden. I don't even know what would pair well with this.. bourbon might be ok, but beer isn't for me due to the vanilla casing. Wine could be a good choice .. maybe some Spanish tempranillo or dessert riesling.

I know some people will really like it ... I don't hate it, but I don't include it in my rotation.

Some tobaccos hit you from the beginning and tell you to pay attention. This was that kind for me. Earthy, sweet, and terrific room note. I get a vanilla and honey taste. This smokes great and gives you thick creamy smoke down to the last dottle in the bowl. I was impressed enough to order more to stow away in my cellar in case they ever stop making it! Great work, Sutliff!

I was excited to try this when I was exploring lighter aromatics after taking a latakia break. Perhaps it was due to having recently smoked too much Pirate Kake, but while the taste was good, there just wasn't enough. I tended to draw heavier and hot to try and coax it out. If you are used to lighter blends, this one is worth a try, if not I'd skip it. Note: I also don't like how Sutliff fluffs 1.5 ounces in a jalapeno cheese can that's bigger than C&D's who puts 2oz in theirs. It's inconvenient.