Stanwell Rose & Crown

This is a broken flake smoke with dark brown color, but also some shiny leaves here and there.

I borrowed this box of tobacco from my friend Vassilis. A very nice fruity aroma comes out once you open the box. Berries and probably a little cherry give this tobacco an attractive diversity. The scent does not help you taste the quality of the smoke (this is a minus). It feels the bowl with ease, it burns dry, it bites the tongue a little, it gives off a very nice aroma, it contains a strong dose of nicotine and of course the box is extremely convenient.

Yes, I will buy it again, because it was particularly pleasing, without sweeping me of my feet.

I purchased a tin of this tobacco as an added treat from Dan Pipe when I placed a pipe order. I thought I would try a new tobacco, a serious mistake. In describing this tobacco the operative words are berries and heat. Upon opening the tin, the fruity aroma of chemically enhanced berries hits you in the face. Immediately, I reconsidered whether I truly wanted to put this mixture in a pipe. It had a very attractive mottled appearance. I thought perhaps I will discover the first fruity blend that I am able to enjoy. I packed it in an old bent Peterson that I was planning to clean within the week and fired up. The flavor of berries was just as strong as the tin aroma now combined with an acridity in the mouth and nose that was similar to the experience of standing over a pile of smoldering leaves. I hesitated, but then decided to forge ahead. I did, for about half the bowl, and finally gave up. This tobacco is vile in every sense except its appearance. I think the lesson learned is that no amount of flavoring can adequately disguise truly inferior tobacco. I threw the tin away, and gave my Peterson a good salt and alcohol cleaning the next day. But it took some time before the cloying stink of the tobacco finally left the pipe. For those who like fruity, aromatic concoctions, you might want to try this. But remember, you have been warned. Paddy.

This is one of the tobaccos people either seem to love or hate with nor middle ground. Overall i do believe it is better than its reputation.

Upon opening the tin you will be greeted by a *very* strong flavour of yellow plum, cinnamon and a hint of rum.

And that is how this flake tastes also. The taste is very, very full. But you will not be able to make out allot of the tobaccos used but that is just what you get for settling with a heavy aromatic.

Packing, lighting and burn are all easy and hassle free.

The flake did not give me any tongue bite whatsoever, even tho due to its high Virginia content you have to keep it cool. Out of the tin it may just be too wet to smoke and drying of a little will help a long way, since this flake really is a moisture bomb and i am guessing that all the tongue bite reports stem from that fact.

It burns down to very fine light grey ashes.

This is one of the very few heavy aromatic flakes out there and that alone should make it interesting for people on the lookout for just such a thing. Room note is marvelous and of course very rich.

I do recommend this flake *if* you are able to enjoy heavy aromatics and if you are looking for a flake that also packs quiet some nicotine. In these regards this blend is a rare animal and i don't think there are many blends out there with those criteria.

Pro tip: this flake will be gone by 2016, so if you want to give it a try or stock up on it then its now or never!

The aroma out of the tin is pleasant and strong. That is: pleasant if you like fruity fruity fruity and no tobacco whatsoever. It comes very moist so I let it dry out for some time. As it is so often the way with aromatics (and Stanwell imo) this one doesn't keep it's promise and tastes very little like the tin aroma. In fact I hardly tasted anything else but harshness so there is no point in listing the fruits I smelled out of the tin. Plus: it burns the tongue like a cutting torch, too. Highly not recommended!