Peterson De Luxe Navy Rolls

This is fine tobacco. I write this review as a twenty-one year old who has enjoyed the pipe for about four years, so perhaps my comments included will be more helpful to the newly initiated. Leaf such as Navy Rolls and McClelland's Dark Star (although very different) were some of the first to show me that Virginia of itself is capable of great nuance and complexity of flavor.

Tin notes upon opening resemble freshly cut hay and raked leaves in the fall-time, an appropriate smoke for the harvest season. The coins rub out easily, and the texture of the leaf is pleasing to the fingers. The leaf packs into the pipe quite nicely and should burn evenly with two or three lights. Grassy notes seem to take center stage, while brighter citrus notes can be detected on the top, and subtler raisin and spice notes round things off nicely. Over half-way through, the flavors seem to unify and become more mellow. Perique seems to play a more subtle role, and decorates the Virginia. The bowl generally finishes cleanly with a few relights throughout, and leaves little or no dottle left in the bottom. The nicotine content is satisfying and not overwhelming, but I would recommend placing the smoke after a meal, rather than before.

In my experience, this tobacco ought to be rubbed out and let to settle for a day or two before being smoked. Freshly out of the tin, it tends to clog up and restrict the airflow of the pipe, possibly yielding a wet and spicy smoke. But then again, I generally prefer all my tobacco on the dryer side. As is known about Virginia leaf, if you begin to let the smoke get too hot, it can be difficult to get rid of the bite.

This is certainly a tin to be sought after, especially if you haven't tried it before, a worthy purchase and very rewarding smoke.