John Middleton, Inc Black & Mild

I quite enjoy this stuff. If Carter Hall were made in an aromatic version, I imagine it would be like this.

It is not an attractive blend to behold, to be sure. It looks like 1/3 Carter Hall blended with 2/3 black cavendish, cut into pieces of all sizes and shapes to greet, or perhaps insult, the eye. Even after drying and careful storage, it's oddly sticky to the touch. I store mine in a jar, and upon opening, I am greeted with a cloying blast of vanilla with a suggestion of amaretto and fermented something-or-other.

All is forgiven once this is set aflame. I find myself rewarded with an intensely rich and satisfying Burley foundation topped with notes of cake spice and vanilla, with a room note to match. It is an aromatic that, thank goodness, tastes like tobacco first and foremost. The cake spice and vanilla notes begin to fade by mid-bowl, and what is left is a rather robust Burley experience. The blend is well-behaved in my briars, more so than most "drugstore" aromatics, and can be smoked without thinking too much about one's technique. A considerable amount of dottle will often be encountered, but I've no trouble with my well-dried stash of this blend gooping up or ghosting my pipes.

Not for everyone, to be sure, but for those who might wish for a bridge between an old-timey drugstore Burley blend and a full-bodied black cavendish, this could be worth a try. Dry it out first in order to give this a fair trial--you might find yourself surprised by the rich flavors to be found here.