Alsbo Cherry (Ruby)

When I first opened my pouch of Alsbo - Cherry it reminded me of cherry flavored shisha for a hookah. Very rich smell. It lit nicely and the first few minutes of smoking were quite nice. While body of the tobacco is extremely mild, the casing is quite rich and gives a nice flavor. After 5 to 10 minutes the flavor was pretty much gone and you have the choice of continuing smoking an extremely hot bowl and getting tongue bite or letting it cool and go out. Yeah... let it go out; it is just not an enjoyable smoke.

I bought this on a whim when I felt a need to burn some cash in the pipe store. I don't know what possessed me to point to the Cherry and order an ounce of it. It has an extremely artificial cherry flavoring that is unbearable on its own, and so strong that it cannot be hidden in any other tobacco. It might be interesting to mix 50/50 with pure Latakia and get one of those concoctions that sometimes work surprisingly well (I remember a Kirsch/Whisky-schnapps in East B erlin back in 1982 that I still can long for at times), but I don't wanna ruin the Latakia. Bleh.

Artificial flavor, bites and burns very hot with high humidity. Very bland, has in its favor as it has very good room note.

I thought it's just me but when I got here it is clear - this tobacco is just bad. It smelled nice when I opened pack so I rushed to try it. Smoking it changed my mind. It's sour like aftertaste of vomiting and it burns very hot. Those things might have been enlarged by my not perfect pipe using technique but surely are not only couse. Just be aware is should not be bought.

First few puffs and you get the cherry taste but after that it's become flat. Oh my God wash my mouth out. I'm sorry but I can't really rate this tobacco but I did finish the pouch.

This is my first cherry tobacco. I have not been smoking a pipe very long, so some of my observations my be down to inexperience. I found the cherry flavour quite indistinct and short lived, to be followed by a somewhat bitter taste. Some tongue bite but not too bad. more pronounced in my briar pipe than my corncob pipe but that is more likely my poor technique. I doubt I would buy this again, though I may try a different cherry brand.

Tin note of cherry, sugar and peaty vegetation. Tobacco is a Ribbon cut of tan, brown and black. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is mild and nic is mild. Flavoring is mild to medium, with notes of cherry. Flavoring is fairly prominent for the first 1/3, then drops to the background. Taste is mild to medium and moderately consistent, with notes of cherry, brown sugar, vanilla-ish, spices, woody, molasses, peaty vegetation, slight floral, acidic, a sweet chemistry like background note, and a peppery retro. Burley is leading with Cavendish and Virginias supporting. Room note is pleasant, and aftertaste is ok.

The first tobacco I smoked was Borkum Riff Cherry Cavendish and I decided to try this on a whim to compare. Very Cherry pouch aroma, seemed quite moist. Although it doesn't have as much of a tongue bite as the Borkum Riff, the cherry flavor seemed stronger and more artificial or chemical to me. I only smoke the Borkum Riff now very very very occasionally out of nostalgia more than anything else and I don't anticipate buying another packet of the Alsbo Cherry.

Since I was not very taken with this tobacco, rather than just letting it sit and dry out (like any Borkum Riff Cherry Cavendish I buy seems to end up doing) I will probably end up giving this and a corncob pipe as a gift to my brother in law who only smokes very occaisionally.

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Bottom Line: Very Cherry, Very Sweet, slightly chemical hint to the taste, nice room note, less tongue bite than other cherries I have tried but still there, more economical in price. Meh.

Yikes!!! I almost quit pipe smoking due to this. The room note is strong - and sweet to top it all off. It almost makes you dizzy. In almost all other respects this is a flat concoction that is not enjoyable. Not for me. The only redeeming qualities are that it does not burn hot (probably just a matter of reflexively not drawing too agressively) and that it does not have a marked tongue bite. Reminiscent of Captain Black but with a strong and sickeningly sweet room note.