Solani 369: Blue Label

I smoked the "three colours" of Solani right after another and found them so similar with each other that I ended up copying pretty much the same review for them all. They are all flavoured, fruity, sweet aromatics on the mild, easy to smoke side, reminding me of Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice, but with different set of flavours and toppings. And for that very reason they don't do much to me; the tin note is exquisite, the room note enjoyable, they pack, light and burn well - the consistency of large, dry flakes varying from light yellow to black is delightful actually - but the smoking experience... While nothing wrong with it per se, leaves one with a certain feeling of artificiality, of everything not being 100% true to nature. Therefore, while an enjoyable smoke in itself, not really something I would be dying to have again anytime soon.

Of the three, Blue is my clear favourite. Still a 2-star but leaning on three stars, unlike the others that are more firmer twos; the burley base gives it a leg to stand on, plum as a flavouring always works for me, and I also started my Solani run from Blue because it lists perique as a main ingredient, a style of tobacco I'm intrigued about but had no previous experience with. I'll need to find a purer perique blend though, or at least something that is more clearly based on it, as it's not that easy to tell apart from this pot pourri of flavours. Funnily enough, from everything that went into this, the main sensation that I get is fresh pine-bark burning, which is actually a not at all disagreeable essence. Or could this be from the perique? Of the three, Blue also has the least tongue-bite, non-existent really if sipped carefully.

For my part, being "too aromatic" and a somewhat pricey brand to boot, Solanis can stay on the shop shelf in the future. I can heartily recommend them to fans of fruity aromatics though, you'll like it more probably than not.

This is an interesting tobacco. Tin note is one of the most unique I have come across. Fruity is an understatement. It is very strong and the topping is all you can smell. It is very pleasant and is smells of plum, raisins, figs and berry. The tin description is cherry and plum but the melange of tobacco and topping changes the cherry smell to me. Very nice. This for me a morning with a cup of coffee smoke on occasion. It is very sweet and is one of the few pipe tobacco's where the topping and casings are very evident in the taste. This is the pop tart of pipe tobacco. It has a berry flavor that I have come to identify as blueberry, the brain tells me blueberry no matter what the tin says. The burley and cavendish are the lead leaves and provide flavors of nuts, wood, molasses and toast. Most of these flavors are strongest and most recognizable on the retrohale. The flavor is consistent throughout the smoke, very little depth or complexity. The room note is very pleasant, like blueberry pie or toasted blueberry pop tart.

So let me predicate this by admitting that I'm a newcomer to the world of pipes and pipe tobacco. I've sampled several popular blends and found most to be very good. This blend's tin note was nice but I got a very flat and off putting artificial floral taste. Was also my second aromatic. Not my cup of tea.

I filled my pipe with this and tasted first without lighting. Reminded me of hazelnuts. Quite pleasant. Upon lighting a somewhat fruity taste. Yah, it was good. My son sitting next to me enjoyed the room note (even though on our smoking porch) and said he wanted to give that a try. He and I will enjoy next time home.

Cheers.

In the Tin: Well behaved, impeccable breeding

Not a favorite.

Because I like you guys I'm going to let you in on Solani back room secrets. This is what you get when you cross tobacco with air freshener. This frankenstein mixture can only be described as what appears to be tobacco that is flavored with flowers and candy.

I'm sure my wife loves the room note as it saves on our air freshener bill but I don't care, I gave the rest of the tin to my novice pipe smoker son. His review is simple, it's almost as good as Capt. Black but nowhere as cheap to buy!

In all honesty this is probably a really high quality aromatic but I outgrew those years ago, or at least ones as strongly flavored as this one.

I bought it based on the label description but I taste no tobacco at all. Had I discovered TobaccoReviews.com sooner I wouldn't have wasted my $$ on this tobacco.

I give it a "somewhat recommended" rating because many people are very fond of this type of smoke, I'm not...

Suffice it to say that my wife, who has sat quietly as I smoked bowl after bowl of English, Balkan and Va/Per blends, asked me to put this out after the charring light. Whereas many pipesters say they have to smoke outside because of the Latakia or Perique or whatever in their favorite blends, I dare say that I'm the only one who'll have to smoke outside because of an aromatic.

I'd really like it if Solani would fess up to what they put in this stuff!! If you miss the aroma of the local candy shop from your childhood, you MAY like this tobacco.

10/27/06

Decided to actually light the bowl and try a few more puffs on the way home from work to see if I'd been too harsh. I hadn't. I finally figured out that yes, it is a cherry flavor but with a top note of coconut! As well, there is no tobacco flavor that I could discern at all. And the car continued to smell of this blend even with the window down!

I don't know why anyone hasn't gotten it yet or why they don't say it in the description on the tin but this is a "Cherry" flavored tobacco! very cherry! But because of the different mix of tobaccos this is a good one for a cherry tobacco. I only smoke it in the winter outside. It's nice in ah Meerschaum. Because of the strength of the flavoring if you smoke it in a briar you'll have to dedicate a pipe to it because it will flavor the pipe. Good one for a beginning pipe smoker wanting a cherry tobacco.

Still laughing about Pipestud's review - especially about the potpourri - I think this is a tobacco to smoke when you are in the mood for something completely different. I think it is a good tobacco, does not bite and goes to grey ashes. Now and then I smoke this tobacco, my wife loves the smell of it in the room. It is very sweet and it tastes like it smells. For aromatic lovers a must-try I think.