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A mild lightly burning ready-rubbed pipe tobacco manufactured from selected burley and Virginia tobaccos.
Notes: Discontinued 2014.
Favorite Of 2 Users
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Pipestud (1829) |  |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I recently won 5 Mac Baren blends from an Ebay auction. This brand always amuses my palate with the variety of flavors from truly similar leaf combinations - many of which use Burley as the base. Norwood does contain Virginia leaf as well, and the bright is tasted in a "light" manner.
My tin had to be at least 7-8 years old because the old style Mac Baren's logo was displayed. Therefore, I didn't get the usual Mac Baren's heat while puffing. I did have to be careful because Norwood is a light tasting blend and my desire for nicotine sometimes causes me to puff too fast on the lighter fare.
This is most certainly an all-day type smoke, and those of you who regularly enjoy Burley based blends may find this to be quite nice.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| CTS (138) | |
Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Burley-forward, delivering an almost chewy nuttiness to this overall mild-to-medium blend. Enough Virginia is present to offset the slight bitterness from the burley. A fruity tin aroma, that is not present in flavor. A slight bittersweet chocolate/cocoa note is picked up and maintained through the smoke. Perfect moisture out of the tin, with a light rub-out to facilitate a moderately loose pack in the bowl. One light, burns clean.
Pipe Used: Karl Erik
Age When Smoked: Tin date OCT 2011
Purchased From: Tinder Box, Mishawaka, IN
Similar Blends: Symphony, Virginia No. 1.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Jacinto Cupboard (209) |  |
Medium | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
A broken flake of mid brown tobacco. It shares a tin note with Symphony, and both reminded me of Royal Yacht in that regard. Sweet, vanilla, perhaps honey, and a maltiness suggestive of biscuits.
Takes a light easily and smokes to the proverbial white ash without any drama. Tends towards the hot side, uncomplicated and a bit harsh. Straight out of the tin it will give off moisture, so drying is recommended.
Pipe Used: Lepeltier
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Xeneize (275) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Out of all Mac Baren's Burley mixtures, this is the one I enjoy de most, probably because of an extra Virginia content which gives it a sweetness that Burley London Blend, Mixture and Golden Extra (to name a few) lack.
After Stonehaven and Aged Burley Flade, this is probably my favorite Burley based blend.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| JimInks (3046) | |
Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
The very nutty, earthy, fairly woody burleys also offer a bit of cocoa and some chocolate, and light sharpness and spice as the main player. The citrusy, grassy Virginia mostly lurks in the background. I sense an extremely mild topping, though I am not sure exactly what it is, unless it’s a little cocoa. The strength is a couple steps past the mild level, while the taste is in the center of mild to medium. Has a slightly more than mild nic-hit. I experienced no bite, but if puffed fast, may result in a little tongue tingle, and possible bite for freight train smokers, so I recommend a slow cadence to your smoking. Burns clean at slight less than a moderate pace due to the cut of the tobacco. The flavor is consistent from start to finish. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires a little more than an average number of relights, unless you rub it out some more. Has a pleasant, slightly lingering burley after taste, and can easily be an all day smoke.
-JimInks
6 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Pipe4ever (204) | |
Mild | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
“Norwood” comes in large broken flakes of burley and Virginia tobacco, the tin aroma is slightly sweet and fruity in the most elegant way, the smoke is mild, half sweet with a pronounced golden flavor, smoking this mixture is very pleasant and soft on the palate, Extremely loose packing is recommended.
I find it very enjoyable as for an occasional smoke, actually, my all day smoke is “Mixture” and “Latakia Blend” from the same blender, I may add this one for a change of pace.
I would recommend this blend to any Burley smoker.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| fmjiii (18) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Norwood is another of Mac Baren fine burley tobacco blended with aged ready rubbed burley and Virginia tobaccos.
The tin aroma certainly is very Burley-ish with a strong note of cocoa. The leaf is Mac Baren's typical medium wide, roughly-rubbed flake. Note: The cut is something between ready rubbed and broken flakes. Easy to stuff and light, and perfectly ready to smoke out of the fresh tin.
Very similar to Burley London Blend and Golden Extra from the same manufacturer in which I find Burley London Blend to be the best of the three. I wish it wasn’t discontinued. Norwood does completely satisfy my Burley cravings, but we are not in the masterpiece territory.
Pipe Used: Various briars
Similar Blends: Burley London Blend and Golden Extra.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Steden (100) | |
Mild | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Norwood is well placed in the mellower side: a mild Burley blend, warmly woodsy-grassy with earthy undertones and a pleasant sweetness enhanced by some Virginia and a light flavouring (both perfectly balanced) with hints of biscuits and flambé meringue. Firmly recommended
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I think Norwood is one of the better tobaccos produced by MacBaren. The cut is something between ready rubbed and broken flakes. Packs well.
It burns even and has a mild, pleasent flavor. It may not satisfy the nicotine needs for a Burley lover althought it can be smoked all day.
It is not a top shelf tobacco but still a quite nice smoke.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| SmokeKing David (134) | |
Medium | Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
November 28, 2008 UPDATE: I got my mitts on a few tins of aged Norwood...tins look quite different from current version, and importer is different.
Anyway, the age really boosted this blend to a four-star winner. Bite has totally disappeared. Tobacco has mellowed and is nothing short of both satisfying and delicious. I will open other aged MacBaren tins that I just picked up at a later date, after I savor my vintage Norwood.
I also bought another tin of "recent" Norwood for the cellar...maybe you want to, too! Bottom line: aging a tin of Norwood really pays off with a fine, fine pipe smoking experience.
Govern Yourself Accordingly!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: This tobacco blend offers nothing that other MacBaren blends do not also offer, but do so far better. Rather than this, I would recommend MacBaren's Symphony, Golden Extra, or Burley London. Those tobaccos burn less hot than Norwood.
I wouldn't say that Norwood was bad. It's just not notable, and better alternatives abound.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Darth 69 (117) | |
Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
This blend's character is situated between Golden Xtra and Scottish Mixture. It's predominately Burley with a lessor amount of Virginia and a characteristic top flavor of MB's main line of Virginia/Burley blends. I consider it cool enough to be classed as mild. More bold puffing may produce the sensation of a little heat that MB is famous for but, nothing like Scot's Mixture or VA #1. The extra Virginia while remaining a Burley base blend makes this blend a success for me. My complaint about most of their other Burley tobaccos has been their utter blandness. That extra Virginia gives it a more rounded character, sweetness and body while the predominance of Burley keeps it cool. It's overall character, flavor and aroma is sort of a much milder version of Scot's mixture base tobacco without the black cav. as previously mentioned. This isn't just a blended mixture of different Burley and Virginia tobaccos but a singular ready rubbed cake consisting of these ingredients which makes it a most harmonious smoking tobacco. A more satisfying and superior blend over MB's straight Burley tobaccos IMO. Definitely recommended.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
If you like VA/Burley blends this one will please as a working smoke. With a very mild flavoring this blend still offers real tobaccy taste of sweet VA and nutty Burley. Burns slow but as with any VA and or Burley, overpuffing results in a sore tounge.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Strong enough, without a bite to it. A very pleasant aroma from the tin. Tobacco w/o any "finesse". I enjoy it as a solid smoke in the woods after a hunt around stout friends. _______________________________________________________________ Update No. 2004 After having discovered MB Burley London Blend I have to downgrade my rating on Norwood. It only occasionally finds its way into one of my pipes now, since anything it can do-Burley LB can do better. Just the "roomnote" is a little more fresh, invigorating and interesting for bystanders. But as indicated above I mainly smoke outside-so who cares about a "roomnote"? Midsibirian
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Kilmarnock Piper (251) | |
Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
IMPORTANT NOTE: I am NOT reviewing the present-day incarnation of this blend, but rather a sealed tin that I have done the research on, and it is definitely from the early '70s, and before 1974. I could explain how I know that, but this is a review, not an encyclopedia article. I bought it on Ebay from a guy who had inherited many old sealed Mac Baren tins, and I bought many for about $10 a tin; roll cakes, mixtures in 2012-13 or so. Smoked a lot, gave some away or traded...at any rate, I only have six sealed tins left of the classic aged Mac Baren.
Of Norwood in particular, I must have bought 5 tins from him, but now I have only remaining one sealed tin, and one in a jar that I jarred I suppose ten years ago. Obviously, I smoked a few bowls back then, but now I am revisiting it.
It is quite simply amazing, even though I am 53 years old, and was a toddler of 3 or 4 when it was tinned. It has lost nothing, and gained everything, and there must have been much more attention paid to quality in those days. Of course, I don't know how it tasted in those days, because I wad onry twee an a half years ord, doncha know? I'm smoking it in the form it is in now; preserved for nearly as many years as I have been, and I think it might have aged better than I have.
No "Mac Baren Bite." Quality tobacco, well-aged. Perfect melding and balance of flavors. I really don't know what to compare it to, but it is mellow and smooth, and one can taste the age, but it is not spoiled by any means, and is a quite heavenly experience.
These new tins of Norwood or other Mac Barens you kids today are buying...how will they taste if left sealed until 2072?
Pipe Used: Unknown Handcarved
Age When Smoked: c. 50 years
Purchased From: Internet
Similar Blends: Hardly anything..
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| SiChange (45) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
In the 1980s I sometimes picked up a fresh tin of this for a change of pace from Virginia No. 1, which was then my regular smoke. Today’s quality burley flakes and ready rubbeds were not on the market; for quality burley one looked to Mac Baren or the Dutch Amphora line. Mac Baren burley is cased with maple sugar for this blend as with Golden Extra and Norwood could be provoked to bite, just like Virginia No. 1. With 12 years age on it, this is a rounder smoke but still is best sipped. Good woodsy burley, enhanced by a cocoa top note. I don’t think it nearly rivals the best of today, however.
Age When Smoked: 12
Similar Blends: Golden Extra.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| From Etten (22) | |
Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
Out of the tin fruity, maybe plumb medium cut ribbon and mostly Burley to give a nut roast and VA that blends in just enough natural sweet. Packs well and smokes to the bottom with no relights. Bowl aroma exceptional. In the end there remains only a small amount of gray ash - where did all that tobac go except into a pleasurable smoke. Norwood is a foundational basic pipe smoke that sets the standard for me. Easy 4 Star, and even a favorite. Am fortunate to have cellered 6 more tins 3 years ago.
Pipe Used: Tsuge, Hilson, Cob
Age When Smoked: 2011 tin
Purchased From: JR Cigars
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild | None Detected | Mild | Tolerable |
There is not a lot of VA in this offering. The nutty and chocolate taste are very subtle. For the most part, it reminded me a bit of a cigarette taste and aroma, but in a lot more refined fashion. Not bad overall but I can't say I would buy again (even if it would not have been discontinued). I will use the rest of the tin to add to another personal blend. London Burley Blend and Golden Extra from the same manufacturer are better Burley blends than this one. I'm glad I just bought 2 tins of this one.
Pipe Used: Stanwell, Tinsky
Age When Smoked: 2 years
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| JustOneforMe (28) | |
Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant |
I have now smoked several Mac Baren offerings and will not review them any further since they are extremely not to my liking. If interested in my thoughts about their line of tobaccos then just see my review on Burley London, it pretty much sums up this vapid weed give or take a slight aromatic difference (vanilla, cherry etc...).
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| doc'spipe (242) | |
Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I've been wanting to try this for a while now. Upon opening the tin, the moisture level was typical of MacBarens and smokeable right out of the tin. It was very similar in appearance to Burley London Blend (BLB) and Golden Extra (GE), but lighter in color and not as roughly broken as they usually are - meaning there were very short, narrow strands. My tin says "Ready Rubbed," whereas the tin on Mac's website says "Cut Plug." I would have preferred the rougher cut. The tin aroma was not very sweet with an astringency I find with Golden Extra.
Lighting was very easy and the several bowls I smoked remained so with only an occasional re-light. It tasted not identical to BLB or GE, but very similar. Norwood is a Burley forward blend for sure. Burley taste-wise it is more like GE than BLB to me - similarly astringent. Slow smoking brings out some cocoa notes, but minimally so. Also very reminiscent of Sail Natural (minus the Latakia). It did not bite but did seem to irritate my hard palate at times - even with sipping at it.
It was not bad, but it was not a very sweet Burley, and the smidge of Virginia went unnoticed. Not quite as full-bodied as BLB or GE. All in all, too sour a Burley for an everyday smoke, and as such, not going to be a regular for me. I still can recommend it but with 2.5 stars personally. If I want a good Burley smoke, Aged Burley Flake or Burley Slice is what I normally will reach for.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Skando (203) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
In a hypothetical scale of burley bases blended with Virginias, where Burley Lond Blend stands at the 1st step and Golden Blend at the 2nd, Norwood is the 3rd degree. Just a bit more Virginia, and the same very mild flavouring of the kind o brown sugar.
That being said, I felt very comfortable and pleased with this one, but we are talking of very small differences: you may choose undifferently one of the three.
I completely agree with Pipe4ever, the best comes from very loose packing. The flavor is mild with musty/nutty tones gradually building toward a more fruity/sweet character. Hardly bits unless smoker very unproperly: it needs good technique just like all the Mac Barens, i.e. slow & short sipping.
Norwood does completely satisfy my Burley cravings, but we are not in the masterpiece territory.
Three stars
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| NEWMAN (305) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
In my view, one of the better MacBaren blends. Some flakes were intact in my tin so I wouldn't class this as a broken flake. Milder than MB Navy Flake and with less casing but still a good Burley smoke; cool with no bite. I enjoy other bulks better and their unit cost is less but this is still a good smoke.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Beer (345) | |
Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
This is a very decent Burley and Virginia blend. Reliable, made with good quality leaf, never unpleasant, well-behaved.
I am alternating between a tin of Golden Blend (or Golden Extra, depending on where you live) and this Norwood: the Golden Blend contains (almost) only Burleys, and as such it's stouter in body and taste. Norwood clearly uses very similar Burleys, has a similar flavoring/casing, and it's very similar to the other blend in all departments... but it's more refined and slightly sweeter. Alas, I have to say it also tastes a bit milder and flatter than Golden Blend. Golden Blend might be more "rustic" and "down to earth", but also more straightforwards.
As a whole it's OK, pleasant and perfectly smokeable (it doesn't actually have any real faults), but also rather unexciting.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
Norwood has a lot going for it. It has a very appealing aroma in the tin, and a coarse cut that once packed, smokes slow and cool. Smoke it in short, even puffs and it will give you a mild, tasty smoke that won't taste harsh or bite. Norwood is a blend that won't bowl you over, but it will always satisfy. Mild, slightly sweet, tasty and satisfying. If you're seeking a premium burley-based blend, definitely try this one.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Mr. Dottle (162) | |
Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
To expand upon the header description of this blend, quoting, in part, from the label on the bottom of the tin, ?A ready-rubbed blend dominated by selected Burley tobaccos and with a small part Virginia tobacco. Due to the special treatment, the burley tobaccos develop a gentle and natural chocolate flavour. When smoked, Norwood will give you the pleasure of the real Burley taste in combination with the special Mac Baren flavour.?
I found the tin description to be accurate with the exception of ?ready-rubbed.? Many of the MB tins state the blend is ready rubbed. If MB told me that a one-armed, blind man rubs out their tobaccos, I would believe and accept it. However, the tobacco is more of a broken flake in the tin, some small flakes, some larger and some tobacco that looks as if it actually has been ready-rubbed. As such, I always have to ?massage? MB blends further to my liking before I fill the bowl.
But the remainder of the tin description ringed true for me. Norwood is a mild to medium light aromatic that has a developing, subtle, modestly sweet, chocolate flavor that doesn?t overwhelm the honest burley taste. The blend is one-dimensional in this regard. I experienced no bite or a hot smoke as many others complain about with MB blends. This is puzzling to me. Although I liked Norwood, it is not something I would purchase on a regular basis nor can I berate it. The blend is as described. If you don?t like your burleys with a subtle chocolate flavor, you can skip this blend but for a nice change of pace smoke, NOR ?WOOD? do nicely!
A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.
I rate this blend 8.9 out of 10.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
600 Perdue Ave
Richmond, VA 23224