Dunhill My Mixture 221B Baker Street

I got this tobacco in my first order from the Dunhill store in London, and I tried it immediately in an Ashton XXX Pebble Shell half-bent... forgetting that "mild" in Dunhill's vocabulary is quite a deceiving word! As a matter of fact, while this tobacco is rather mild/medium in taste, it packs a terrifying nicotine punch, that forced me to put down the pipe for a while. Opening the tin, you are welcomed by a strong sweet and penetrating aroma: visually and olfactorily, this seems like a close cousin of Royal Yacht with some hints of what at first seems like an alcoholic/fruity/honeyish topping, similar to (but much less intrusive than) Three Years Matured Virginia. It burns well and slow if treated correctly (careful not to smoke it too hot or you'll lose flavor), and has a nice delicately sweet flavor with piquant overtones (just like the Yacht, though at times reminds me of University Flake... in a better way!). At the end it can become a bit bitey and/or bitter, and leaves a sweetish and quite nauseating room note. Dunhill doesn't reveal the composition of this tobacco, but I can almost safely put the finger on red and lemon Virginias with some burley. It is not a bad tobacco, but like Royal Yacht it is an acquired taste: personally I like it, but I can't smoke it anymore because it makes my legs shake and stomach turn even in a small pipe and with a relaxed puffing pace... and usually I smoke strong tobaccos! Probably a matter of body chemistry... If you like potent stuff or you are a fan of Royal Yacht (but I seem to detect some similarities with Hamborger Veermaster too), give it a try by all means, though!