Peterson Sweet Killarney

Hmmmm... I discovered Peterson "Sweet Kilarney" at my local tobacconist. So, I bought a tin to try out.

It is not a nice mellow Virginia cavandish smoke. It is not a nice vanilla cavandish smoke either. I don't know what it is...

I showed it to my wife and opened the tin to give her a whiff of it (AKA the wife test). My wife instantly went, "Ewwwwwww!!!!" I will admit, I too was taken by surprise by the strength of the packaged tobacco, but thought it was okay.

Smoking a bowl of it, was interesting. It packed well and lit well. A few puffs and I could swear I was smoking a Milky Way candy bar or some type of caramel candy bar. It was "interesting" to say the least for a first impression. Then, after a few more puffs, I don't know what happend, but this tobacco decided to bite, and bite BAD! Ouch... my tongue!!

I am not sure if I will smoke this tin again, or maybe try to use it as a blend. This tobacco is best described as a caramel candy bar with the bite of a rattlesnake! Be careful....

Well, to start our I have been back to smoking a pipe for about a year now. I have come to enjoy Virginia's, VaPer's and some Dunhill and GL Pease, English blends. So this is a new avenue for a change of pace. So far I find it to be a bit moist out of the tin a few moments of drying seem to work better. The aroma has a very carmel like scent to it, and to date it has not bit, although I can see how it can get away from you and deliver a big hurt to your tongue. It is a pleasant smoke for a change up might try mixing it with something but not sure what yet. Looking forward to finishing the tin and possibly giving an update later on. As they say, "Smoke in Peace!"

This is something different, never had anything like it. Everybody says they taste the caramel, I didn't it tasted more fruity to me. I must say I like it, not every day tho. I didn't get any bite out of it which is good. My recommendation is try it you either like it or not.

This blend is off the beaten path for me. I've spent the last little while going through a tin. While it can burn hot, Sweet Killarney is a mild smoke. It has a pleasing flavor, especially towards the half bowl and beyond.

As an aromatic, there is a medium sweet component to the blend. It is not at all overbearing. I cannot say it is like a caramel as described, and it is not saturated with an additive to make your nose hairs stand on end. Rather, this blend is simple and forthright. A smoke that is very easy to make friends with.

A medium level of Virginia with a burley base to let the smoke ride ... the cavendish is understated and together, they carry the dark, sweet taste. For a mild aromatic this could be a very welcome choice. Virgninia or Virginia/Perique lovers would only be interested for a few bowls perhaps. But for the aromatic smoker, Sweet Killarney may just hit the spot.

Tin aroma is wonderful, no doubt. I got awfully excited when I smelled it; I'm not all that much of an aromatic smoker, but it smelled almost edible.

Smoking was another story. I really had to fight to keep this stuff from getting too hot, and my tongue is still sore from the bite. I never could get it cool enough to actually get the complex flavors out of it; it generally either was harsh, or out. Different packing methods didn't seem to change it much; it just was a harsher smoke than I cared for.

The room note wasn't at all what I expected. I at least hoped for some of the casing to come out in the room, but no dice. It ended up having a strong, complex odor that actually became kind of cigar-like after a little while.

I was able to finish off the tin without tossing it, but I doubt I'll be buying it again. Others might have better luck; my tongue wasn't impressed.

This is a very nice aromatic tobacco with a nice, mild caramel aroma. The smoke is sweet, smooth, and "creamy." For those who enjoy mild aromatics as I do this is a nice choice.

Underneath that mild and pleasant flavoring is a very sophisticated blend, I would think enough to please even the very experienced.

Packs nicely and lights readily, just an all around pleasant and smooth smoke.

Sweet Killarney - Raisins a blaze! I love the various cuts in this mixture, made it rather interesting but the tastes are a little too much for me, smelt like melting raisins. No doubt a quality weed just not for me. I will smoke up what I have and am thankful, as it was a gift just nothing I see myself purchasing anytime soon.

Sweet Killarney (now Old Killarney) was my first Petersons blend and my first real introduction to a fun aromatic blend.

The first thing one will note is that the tobacco is roughly cut and mixed with finer cuts, this can make packing a smaller bowl a bit of a challenge. I found that tearing some of the larger pieces made more sense rather than trying to pack them.

The tobacco make take several lightings to get going, I have always found that this tobacco goes out quickly, yet needs to be smoked slowly. This can be a challenge to a newer smoker like myself.

Smoking this tobacco slowly is key. My first pipe was a Dr.Grabow and it destroyed my tongue, I upgraded to a Kirten and have not had any problems since. This tobacco can burn very hot if you draw too quickly and take away the subtle hints of flavor that this tobacco was designed to give.

Always a crowd pleaser for sure. Any wife will want you to make it a regular smoke around her.

Occasionally I get into a nostalgic mood for an aromatic tobacco blend. I go to the local tobacco shop to pick up something along those lines.

Then I smoke it and rediscover why I have to remember what aromatics are like. If I really liked aromatics, I'd be smoking them regularly and wouldn't need reminding (Barbary Coast being an exceptional, uncased and "topped" blend I regularly enjoy).

This has good quality leaf and preparation. It smells good in the tin. Very heavily cased, but not as nauseating as most blends with modern Cavendish components.

The Lakeland Flake chunks made this interesting, though I usually reject Lakeland treatments (See my Gawith & Hogarth reviews). Here, it is just a hint.

Tin moisture is just right for me, meaning on the drier side and not gooey, wet or finger-fouling. It burned fairly dry, too.

If you do not mind minimal flavor, this can be puffed without much toll on the tongue. I had to harm myself for substantial flavor. There is some natural tobacco taste mixed up in the mild flavor.

The advertised "cream caramel" flavoring requires that I be told what it is, since, as with cherry, vanilla, chocolate, coffee cake, peach pudding and passion fruit Mai Tai, flavorings never seem to register on my taste buds once fire is applied.

For me, maple, licorice and butterscotch survive the inferno as do whatever the heck "Snowflake" and "Skilling" from the Tinderbox are flavored with. Rum goes AWOL, while whiskey/Scotch/Bourbon survive as but ghosts.

Yes, others around me really enjoyed the aroma from this high-end aromatic.