W.O. Larsen Old Belt Ready Rubbed

Im new to tinned blends and was suggested to try this blend out. It felt like a huge step for me, moving up from the tobacco jars at Tinder Box, which by the way I find the one in Mishawaka, IN to be great. When i got the tin home, I went over it went over it several times at home looking at this new beauty. As soon as the foil seal was broken I was met by a wonderfully tangy smell that was reminisent of Lipton instant lemon ice'd tea. On first touch of flame a sweet and very mild taste that i could only place as natural uncased tobacco assailed my mouth and it was wonderful. I love aromatics, but this was awesome. No tongue bite, which get fairly often if i dont let the jarred stuff air for a few days. I am now very interested in sampling other VA and not so aromatic blends. Great stuff. My eyes have been opened.

The reviews of the Colonel and Tantric are extremely much to the point here. I would like to say that being quite an agressive puffer, this is one of the very few tobaccos that don't have me passing a cleaner to correct the moisture midway. Add to this that I smoke this blend on an Achille's Favorite II, which is a big canadian (around size 6, I would say). Yes, it doesn't pack much of a nicotine kick, but on the other hand it is an excellent all day smoke, which in contemplating moments and with careful smoking can reveal excellent nuances in the leaf especially at the second half of the bowl (try "breath smoking"). This together with Bjarne's Flake are excellent tobaccos to introduce someone to the art of pipe smoking, without passing through the vanilla-sugar-tongue-hell experience, starters are normally exposed to. The room note is very nice, not objectionable at all. Try this blend, you will not regret the experience.

Cheers to all at W.O. Larsen. For a man who was born and raised in the southern United States, specifically in the business of tobacco, this one is a true delight. I must say that the heavily cased, scented, and preserved tobaccos have never been a part of what I fancy. This blend is one of my favorites, hands down. I love it when a manufacturer is able to extract all of the delicate nuances of a tobacco and pass it on to the smoking community for the purpose of pure delight alone. This tobacco comes 75% rubbed out and ready to go with a willingness to delight the senses of all who appreciate the textures present in the most refined tobacco. To tell you the truth, at the first opening of the tin this tobacco's aroma and taste was not what I prefer at all. I smoked 6 bowls in two days after opening the tin and found it to be a bit acrid and pungent. I thought to myself, could this be the result of a casing or scent added that I was not yet experienced with? All in all though, I thought my senses were just playing tricks on me. I set the tin aside for approximately 6 month after its' first test drive. I picked it back up again after this period of waiting and, low and behold this tobacco had taken on a totally different personality. It seemed that all that was needed was a bit of fresh air and time to reveal the beauty that was locked inside this Danish tin. Since this discovery, I keep tins of this stuff cellared under the same condition to achieve the same result that I yeilded the first time. As far as flavor goes, one can expect a smoke that is light on the lungs and pallet. The lower nicotine is a minus in my opinion but, you sacrifice nicotine content with age and maturation. The flavors emitted from this masterpiece are that of leather, spice and a charred-caramel that will warm your soul. Pick up a tin of this stuff, give it a breath of fresh air and then sit on it for a bit. I find it hard to believe that any confirmed pipe smoker would find it to be anything less than irresistable.

This is a very lightly top-noted all-virginia tobacco in a mostly rubbed-out flake. It comes rather drier than most tobaccos right out of the tin and smokes great as is.

The aroma is lightly sweet and has grassy undertones and a distinctly spicy note. It loads and packs well, and is an easy smoke. It starts mellow and sweet, and as the bowl burns down it gains in strength as the subtle flavoring evanesces and leaves behind a lovely woody aroma and flavor on par with the best matured Virginias.

Good stuff, Maynard!