Sutliff Tobacco Company Count Pulaski

When I first asked for this at my tobacconist, he looked twice to make sure I was asking for the right thing. I read some reviews here proclaiming it as the best pipe tobacco they had ever tried, and I had to try it. I was a bit wary, considering every blend I've had from Altadis is loaded down with tons of Propylene Glycol masking the taste, but I bought some anyway.

In the pouch, it looks like brown and black coloured confetti. It lights fairly easily, and smokes cool and evenly. One problem: it tastes like unsweetened licorice. And don't get me wrong, I love licorice. But this tastes like crap to me. I couldn't even last a minute. It's like someone played a joke and threw Good & Plentys into your Commonwealth.

How on earth can this stuff rate four stars?

Count Pulaski is among the top ten of the worst tobacco's I have smoked in fifty years. Other than a pleasing pouch aroma, it has absolutely nothing to offer.

I have to wonder if any of the reviewers who gave this blend four stars have tried Dark Strong Kentucky or Ramsgate, both of which have an anise flavor and are top quality blends to boot. I suspect their initial ratings of Count Pulaski will be reduced accordingly.

Would have to agree most Altadis tobacco is overloaded with Propylene Glyco, this blend has reduced amounts of the stuff, so a plus. The stuff smells good in the bag. I rolled it out between the fingers and lit it with one match letting it sit for a good five minutes in the bowl. I tamped it down and was expecting to use two more lights to get it going. It started burning correctly after the second, this was a surprise, and it burned to a fine white ash, this was about the only good points. I was expecting it to go medieval with tongue bite at any moment, which it didn't, it was rough on the tongue, seemed like a smoke that wanted to go hotter. The aftertaste is the thing I really disliked, reminded me of an old relit cheap cigar. This doesn't taste or remind me of an English blend. Count Pulaski does deserve to be better known to the public, not sure of this blend of tobacco. English blends can be a somewhat stout smoke that I on occasion enjoy but this isn't it, when I want a milder tasting one I will stick with the sudo English blend, Mild English, from Boswell. Mild English just has a more balance taste to it without the heat trying to come through.

I normally enjoy American English mixtures, but this one was quite disappointing to me. For one thing, I found it far too mild, both in regards to flavor and nicotine. I also thought it burned too hot, was very rough on my tongue, and was absolutely soaked with PG.

On the plus side, the anise flavoring is very nice and I can see how the taste and aroma is appealing to many. Unfortunately, I just couldn't find enough of that flavor to satisfy me without scorching my taste buds. Your mileage may vary, of course.

This is a low quality tobacco which offers nothing more than tongue bite and a fouled pipe afterwards. Like most all of the blends produced by Altadis, it sucks.

I was wondering when I'd get "caught" by enthusiastic reviewing!

Altadis shows up at our pipe club meetings on occasion, and usually brings bags of tobacco. We are polite and appreciative, but none of us smokes any of the gifts more than once. I don't know where they get their tobacco, but they definitely show up after all the other buyers are done.

But four stars for this -- I had to try it. Thankfully, I only ordered 4 oz from my favorite shop. I don't think it is possible for me to disagree more. Do all you guys work for Altadis or something???

This is similar to the Fox and Hounds or, as I like to call it, moldy kibble that they offer. They perfume it somewhat. It completely ruined a Jobey pipe, and now even 965 tastes like it in the same bowl.

It isn't that it is nauseating, per se -- but it is definitely in the lower ranks of mediocre. Life is too short to smoke cheap tobacco.

I keep trying to explain to my aromatic friends that many blenders buy inferior tobaccos to "save" with a spritz of some vanilla or cherry or kiwi fruit and belly button lint. In my opinion, it never works, save in the case of some small batch blenders that start off with good tobac. These are rare. So, while they're smoking their "Conflagration in the Bakery" blends, they're encouraging this travesty. Feh! If you can't face real tobacco, go back to cigarettes!

I use unacceptable nigh-english blends, like the Frog Morton series, to add a bit of lightness to Holiday, which is grating to my tastes on its own. I think this stuff might work with that strategy, making something close to appealing (Holiday) moreso. But it is not going into anything but a corncob on its own -- I can't afford to lose any more pipes to its lewdly understated banality.

Harsh!

Latakia and seemingly low grade VAs not married at all.

No-go for me.

1 star.

If you are into smoking licorice, then this blend is for you. I just don't see what all the praise is all about. The most pleasing thing I can say about this blend is the room note is not too unpleasant. This blend is just not for me.