Just For Him Old Toby

This is nice... It has an alcoholic smell to it, a little bit like sherry. The perique comes through perfectly and I found it a pleasant smoke. The only downside is that it bit a little, I'll perhaps dry it out a bit and try again later.

Ahhh Old Toby..... It is a simple and relaxing blend. I think if you go into looking for something as complex as "shortcut to mushrooms" you will be disappointed. It is slightly sweet and has a subtle peppery kick to it that makes this a wonderful everyday smoke. I tried it in several different pipes, but found that my larger diameter bowls seem to help this blend come out of its shell. I usually smoke smaller bowl'd pipes like a bing's fav or one of my canadians, but for this blend I tend to go for larger bowls like this of my Comoy's pipes. It really allows the flavors to shine bright and the virginia's can really stove nicely towards the bottom of the bowl. After about half way you get a really pleasant sweet tang that leaves you satisfied. These guys at JFH will let you buy tiny little samplers.... GO GET ONE!!! You owe it to yourself to try out Old Toby and the other middle earth blends, they are all pretty good.

As a new pipe smoker (2012), this was my first taste of Perique, and I have to say it was very enjoyable. This blend burned cool with no bite, and got more flavorful as the bowl progressed. Earthy savouriness with a hint of sweet spiciness is how I'd describe it.

Update (2022): This one aged so nicely! A real pleasure to smoke after almost a decade in my cellar! Very tasty to the bottom of the bowl.

Going throughout the Middle Earth Sampler I left this for last because of all the low reviews. Except for STM I did not find anything in the series that really struck me. Surprise! I loved Old Toby. It was mellow with a good amount of smoke. It lit and burned easier than the rest of series and left the usual fine white ash. It was mild in taste but the perique did poke its nose in every so often. Altogether an enjoyable smoke.

This tobacco is pretty good. I ordered this and Longbottom Leaf, but to me, this is the inferior of the two. I recommend it to other smokers and have no problems at all with this tobacco. I imagine it would go good with some ale, or maybe Lembas bread.

Nothing wrong with it, just doesn't grab me. Grabs my tongue when I puff too hard trying to get more flavor. On the other hand, VA/burley blends aren't my thing. (3-30-11 Let me qualify that: I like VABURS like Erinmore Flake and OGS, but this one may be too burley-ribbon heavy for me. Look below, however-opinions can change!) I will probably have this around for a while, so if it strikes me better in a year or so, I'll revise my opinion.

1-16-10 A Tolkien quote: Gandalf: "Come, sit down! And if you have any pipe-weed, we'll bless you." When (Barliman Butterbur) came back he brought them enough to last them for a day or two, a wad of uncut leaf. 'Southlinch,' he said, 'and the best we have; but not the match of Southfarthing, as I've always said, though I'm all for Bree in most matters, begging your pardon.' (LOTR Book Six Chapter Seven.)

This weed is not the match of Southfarthing, whatever that may be; but if I had just returned from a long quest and could get no better, this blend would be just the thing: especially if it were gifted. Not bad, not bad at all.

3-30-10 Still smoking from this very old 2 ounce sample. This bowl is really pretty good, and pairs nicely with the Islay (Bowmore 12 yr.) Scotch I am drinking. I have never jarred this, the only tobacco in my extensive collection I have not put in a jar. Even after a year and a half in a ziploc in my desk drawer, it is still a pleasant occasional smoke. Perhaps the crispiness makes it better, who knows? I will not buy a pound, but it still pleases in different ways every time I smoke it. I'll give it another star for retaining my interest, though I reiterate, this is not a rotation blend for me.

YIPPY! Old Toby was the winner for me.

I am a Perique fan, so that's why this was such a hit.

It is a very mild smoke, great for a wake up pipe.

The Perique really makes this blend shine. If it weren't present, I'd hate this.

I enjoyed this smoke, for me it became a go to in college after a nice sauna! It is a mild va/burley/perique blend and I feel that all of those tobaccos work together in good harmony in this blend, just a dash of Va and perique nicely complement the soft smooth burly taste, could definitely see sitting in the shire with Bilbo Baggins puffing on a bit of this in a churchwarden! Good smoke!