J. F. Germain & Son Uncle Tom's Mixture

For me this tobacco had a very stale and gross taste. Reminiscent of milk that has gone sour. The aftertaste was also quite nasty.

I would somewhat recommend this tobacco based simply on the fact that others may be able to detect within it that which my tongue is somehow overlooking. It is a sweet smelling tobacco in the tin, it looks good, and lighting is pleasant enough.

Unfortunately, the entire smoking experience never gets past the 'pleasant enough'. Halfway through the bowl, I was still expecting the mild flavors to begin developing a fuller, richer body; never happened. It simply remained fairly bland, almost palpably so. Toward the very bottom of the bowl, it turned skunky on me. This happened in three different pipes of varying sizes and shapes. Bland, blander, then skunky at the end.

I have noticed that most of Germain's mixtures are rather weak in character, nearly like they were watered down (same problem with the old Three Castles ryo tobacco). They are tasty, but lacking in body and flavor. This is the Niles Craine of pipe tobacco (or possibly his wife Maris).

An unusual blend of mildly grassy virginia, sweet cavendish and a strong tone of burley. The tobacco itself looks interesting with very thick cuts of leaf - almost a shag cut, but not quite. Thick black cuts of cavendish lace the rich yellow virginias. Upon lighting, the first few puffs were very mild and sweet. Then I was hit by a flavour tasting a lot like cigarettes (of which I was not a fan). It is not a bad smoke by any means, but I could not shake the cigarette taste. It only required one light, and the tobacco burned evenly and cleanly - leaving a nice ash. I would class this as a bit of an outlier in the pipe tobacco scene, it doesn't fit firmly into a category. A very inventive blend, even if it is not a favourite of mine.

Back when you only had trouble finding Stonehaven and Penzance, other blends like this were plentiful. I would always throw a Germain blend in my cart that I hadn't tried. Such was the case with this tin. Now, of course, anything Germain puts out is difficult to find.

I opened this at the Chicago Show a little over a month ago and shared with many smokers. All agreed it was pretty good. This is basically a VaBur with some Cavendish thrown in. It does not claim it in the description, but there is definitely a top note on this blend. I would say the Virginia and perhaps the Cavendish are the leading flavors in this blend with the burley adding a little body to the smoke. I, personally would have liked a bit more burley in this one, but I found it good nonetheless.

The topping is tough to pinpoint as they all are when the blender doesn't actually tell you what it is. I get a kind of molasses, teriyaki type taste out of this. Maybe Treacle is a component. Whatever it is, I really liked it and the presence that it left on my mustache after each smoke.

My tin is of the regular rectangular type that is infamous in its sealing properties once opened. In a months time, the contents did dry somewhat, but the tobacco never got crispy. Normally, this would be ideal humidity for me to smoke, but I found this to be much better fresh even though it came quite moist. I think the problem is that the topping flashed away as time went on and it just didn't help the smoke IMO.

I recommend this blend, but not quite to the 4 star level as I wouldn't have thought twice to trade this away for some Rich Dark Flake. If this had as much of a burley presence as that one, I would likely be adding a fourth star.

boring is the only word that comes to mind. hard to "hate" it but for the fact that it takes away another smoke that you would rather be having. nothing objectionable. nothing memorable. if you like to smoke but don't want to "really smoke" go for it.

Greetings, Well Opening of the tin, note of some kind of faint fruit and fishy smell. Nothing like a good Virginia, almost sour. I used a new Cob, figured if I didn't like it I could break in the pipe. As far as the taste of this, That is all I would use it for, So far half the bowl in, I taste hot air, Maybe, just maybe a little sweetness, but I can chalk that up to being from the fresh Cob, not the tobacco. The tobacco is a shag in Wax paper, with Little pieces of Cavendish, but they do nothing for the taste, after half the bowl I am getting a odd urine like note, and I am ready to dump it. So I will conclude this review. There is so much better out there, I might try to blend this, but I would hate to mess up some good tobacco, with this. Sorry but its not worth the price, and the makers should pay you to smoke this tobacco.

I still don't know why it reads in the description this tobacco comprises broken flake as it is borderline being a shag cut. Because of this, I kind of want to give it 3 stars, but it is actually quite good. It seems to be slow burning though, and does not smoke hot in your bowl. The flavour profile is earthy and dark with citrusy notes coming through evolving against this backdrop of coconut, which is probably coming from the tobacco leaf itself as I cannot detect any casing. A rougher or coarser cut would be it, but I think I quite like it. There is nothing special about the tin-note, just plain unflavoured tobacco. and there is nothing remarkable about the room-note either. Despite everything I am saying I shall give it 4 stars.

In the description of this tobacco the cut is broken flake.

If this is the right sample I've been sent then it isn't.

Not that it matters. I won't be ordering the 50g tin in a hurry.

It's not that it's horrible or anything.

Oh no, no.

The tobacco itself feels rather loose and soft, rather like a Robert Lewis tobacco. Careful loading.

Lots of smoke, when it finally decides to catch.

No taste.

No character.

No smell.

A very sterile tobacco.

No tongue bite as it wasn't worth puffing out.

Don't bother.

Updated May 2019.

Things change. In retrospect I feel I have been far too harsh on this blend. Sure, some of things I said still hold up ; there's no smell, taste is very mild indeed and it leaves no room note and the soft, rather moist, tobacco still sticks to your fingertips when loading.

Yet there is something almost undiscernible here. Maybe it's the slighty musty (in a nice way) tang and the smooth satisfying smoke or perhaps the general appearance of the blend that makes you want to fill bowl after bowl. Whatever it is, it's worth exploring a little more.