Peterson De Luxe Navy Rolls

Update 03/2020: Oh boy was I wrong about this one. Turns out that my appreciation for VaPers has only grown over the last year and while I still don't think that the DeLuxe Navy Rolls are the best thing since sliced bread I have to acknowledge that it is a marvellous tobacco. I would say that it definitely deserves 3.5/4 stars.

Original review: This seems to be "everybody's darling" in the VaPer category.

First of all, I do not enjoy VaPer blends as a category all that much and the famed Navy Rolls have not changed my opinion. Secondly, and more importantly, this product contains plum concentrate as an additive: https://service.bmel.de/tabakerzeugnisse/index2.php?detail_id=100565&site_key=153&stichw_suche=navy+rolls&zeilenzahl_zaehler=1 If this is crafted from the world's finest tobaccos (as the label states), why does it have to rely on this additional flavoring, then? Of course, I am being mean intentionally here - and this really isn't such a bad smoke after all. I have finished my tin and would not decline one if I were offered one for free. On the other hand, I would not want to spend money on this type of tobacco.

Without a doubt, the original DNR was my favourite tobacco. I enjoyed cigarettes for many years and when I decided to only smoke the pipe. DNR became the tobacco of choice. My opinion is DNR is a viable option for the ex-cigarette smoker. For many years I purchased eight tins of DNR in January and this would more or less last me for the year. When Dunhill discontinued DNR: I continued to smoke my preferred flake (Gawiths Dark Flake) and move over to Three Nuns.

Incidentally, I have smoked Escudo and there are inevitable comparisons. I do not feel the comparison type of review is useful. Escudo is one brand and DNR is another! It's as unhelpful as the people who compare different brands of a camera when writing reviews. Comparison is a folly of the wandering mind. I would smoke either, however, my taste is for DNR.

So when Petersons purchased the Dunhill formula, my hopes were raised. And I purchased a couple of tins from Gauntley's: I'm fortunate to live Nottingham. The Price in England is £17:00 (2020) so it's not cheap, therefore I decided to smoke the tobacco a most economical pipe. A Falcon with a bantam Dublin shaped bowl. I guessed the bantam Dublin would be perfect for a well rubbed out DNR disc. And my assumption is correct. I do not like tightly pressed fills. My father suggested that filling the bowl lightly and tamping down after the first or second light would soon teach one how to fill a bowl. And forty years later his rule holds fast.

So: Is the Peterson representative of the Dunhill?

The disks are moist and look from memory slightly larger and more finely cut. As already noted I rub out the coins. I never have enjoyed fold and stuff, with flake or coins. I rub out the tobacco: let it stand for half an hour: fill the pipe and light it up: I always use a pipe Zippo.

First light leaves the tobacco ready for tamping and adjusting the draw. Exactly the same as before: A relight suggests one will need to relight in five minutes or so. Let the DNR find its own moisture and when a gentle draw does not provide enough smoke, relight for the third time: and wow!

The flavour and sweetness are not too strong, however, it is 'there' and a memory of the Dunhill blend is definitely coming through. Virginia tobacco is now becoming evident: dry and straw-like. The Perique complements the blend. Yes, this is the epitome of the blend. One certainty is the flavour improves, about fifteen minutes in the smoke all is coming together, complex and wonderful pipe tobacco. An all-time classic.

When people ask me about the flavour of pipe tobacco: My answer is always: 'You have to smoke a pipe to know and you have to smoke a few blends to find one that 'clicks'. To my mind, if you like popcorn you'll love the after-taste of DNR. I would recommend a strong coffee or dry stout to complement the tobacco.

The nicotine level is fine: I smoke the strongest of flakes so DNR has no comparable strength. The Falcon will always provide a dry smoke and helps eliminate tongue-bite in the novice smoker. It would be near impossible to have a problem with DNR and a small bowl Falcon. If you want a one-hour smoke use two coins in a taller pipe. My thought is if a longer smoke is desired I'd have two bowls!

I'm hoping you'll get an idea of the tobacco and one way of smoking the sublime tobacco coins. If you like a sweet, dry and easy to smoke tobacco: DNR is a real option. The biggest issue with DNR is if you like it, it becomes difficult to find anything which provides such an enjoyable and unique tobacco.

Does the Peterson resurrection return the DNR ghost to life? My answer is it does: Thank-you Peterson.

Thanks for reading the review.

This is an excellent Virginia Perique blend that is first in its class. Rich, Robust, and smooth, especially with 2 plus years of age on it. Hints of dark maple syrup along with a pure tobacco flavor. Creamy smooth after 2yrs of aging. The Perique is lightly spicy and adds darker rich sweet notes. The Virginia’s offer a middle player role with some sweetness but also a base note of pure tobacco flavor, the good kind.

Very balanced tobacco.

I must say I am a big fan of the rolls as they give me a great way of dosing my nicotine rush 🙂

Cheers

My understanding is that this is escudo with more of the plum extract applied to it, which gives it more depth. However as with escudo, it is very cigarette like, with a foul room note. Good for an outside walk, but I personally don't care much for most perique. It just tastes like dirt to me in most blends, this being one of them. Oddly, my all time favorite tobacco, dunhill 965, and some of my most hated blends, nightcap and royal yacht, are all made by dunhill. Hit or miss. And this blend for me, is a miss.

I placed an order and received both Dunhill Deluxe Navy Rolls and STG Escudo at the same time. The tin note is a sweet & tangy aroma commensurate with the fine quality tobaccos used in these blends ... I have a tough time distinguishing the difference between these two based solely upon my sniffer. Both VaPer blends are pressed & rolled cut coins. The DDNR does appear to be just ever so slightly darker in color. Both baccys were slightly moist from the tin .... IMO just the right amount of moisture for using my preferred fold & stuff method of loading the pipe. I had no trouble getting either blend to accept a decent char light. The DDNR is a delicious smoking experience (as is Escudo) nonetheless I detect a little more sweetness in flavor & aroma from the DDNR that surprisingly stayed with me to the bottom of the bowl. The room note is quite appealing. Me thinks only the most hardcore olfactory recipients suffering from "tobacco-envy" would object to this heavenly aroma.

Id not smoked this blend for a while, since before the change in production. The old Murray's blend was sublime. But darn if this isn't close. In the great pantheon of Virginia/Perique blends.. Va/pers....this is near the top. Rattray's Hal O the Wynd is in that group (with some kentucky), Reiners Long Golden Flake (with burley) is also there, and the perhaps ultimate gold standard, Gawith's St James Flake. In a sense this is like the Gawith in that it is purely virginia and perique. And I see it as a smoother less earthy version of St James Flake. Its not as bright or spicy as the Reiner or as pungent or strong as the gawith, but its got a great natural sweetness and it does best if puffed slowly. Macbaren's HH Acadian Perique is another very fine blend, in ribbon form, but that is one with a bit of oriental in it and hence darker in flavor. This is just a wonderful sweet smooth blend. The nic hit is medium, if that, and it never bites. Its simply a top notch vaper if thats what you like. Easy to pack and light, too. The disks break up nicely and it affords a long-ish cool wonderful smoke. Three and a half. Its just not QUITE as good as the originial.

Manna from Heaven. I had not previously tried DNR as it is not available at my local tobacconist. A mourner for the old Escudo, which I last enjoyed in the 80's I had considered the step of buying on-line. However, I visited Stratford-on-Avon to see a new production of King Lear so took the opportunity to call at the excellent Lands. They didn't fail me. Due to fly to Rome the following day I picked up tins of DNR and Nightcap to see me through a week away. Sitting waiting for my connection to the city in the heat of an Italian evening I opened up the tin expectantly. I smoothed a couple beautiful, chocolatey discs in my palm, packed the pipe and lit up. Perhaps it was merely memory playing tricks but the full bodied, creamy smoke was every bit as good as the Escudo I recalled. The rich Virginia is perfectly complemented by the dark, subtle mystery of the Perique. In my enthusiasm I was occasionally in danger of drawing it a little hot but it is a poor workman who blames his tools. I tend to be a Latakia man but I found myself reaching for the DNR more often than the Nightcap for the following days. I still recall sitting on a bank in the sun near the Garibaldi monument, watching green parakeets chase in the skies with all Rome laid before me, savoring DNR in a state I can only describe as bliss. Highly recommended.

On the white can bears proud logo of the Crown and Lions , topped with unreadable inscription "Made Dunhill's standards for excellence world-famous since 1907 ". So, it seems we've got a legend here . Dunhill says that it is a "hand- made ​​from the best tobacco in the world ." Indeed , decent blend of Virginia and spicy (too spicy as for me) Perique rolled into compacted outlet gratifying aesthetic impression for each pipe smoker. Unofortunatelly, not for me. Taste reminds me a Davidoff Royalty without the addition of Latakia, tickling in the throat and sourness. Watch out with drying, too dry pinches your nose. Navy Rolls has some cigarette smoke and quite dose of nicotine. I'm afraid that this is the most expensive tin of all Dunhill blends only cause of it's circle tobacco cutting.