Tinder Box Sherlock's Choice

This was my first foray into English blends, and I picked it out at the time because I lived near a Tinder Box and am a big Sherlock Holmes fan. This is a fine English for anyone just starting out in that style of tobaccos, but once you try something like Squadron Leader you'll realize why others here have said that Sherlock's Choice is just so bland. Nothing much really happens here, and I still have a pound cellaring right now. I guess I like to have this on hand because it's cheap, a workable English, and available in bulk (in my area). Squadron Leader is much better, so go there first.

I was inspired to try this blend because, at the time, I was reading the Complete Sherlock Holmes. I bought it for nostalgia sake. I must say, even though it smelled very strong in the pouch, it was extremely weak in the pipe. There were no levels of flavor, no nuances, just plain bland.

I could finish it though, so I rated it 2 stars.

I am mainly an aromatic smoker, but have ventured a wee bit into the English blend arena. This is the second English blend I've tried, and to me it is enlightening. Quite honestly, I was so turned off after my first English experience that I had all but written off English blends altogether. This one reopened my eyes.

Sherlock's was one of the first English blends I smoked. Not a bad blend, just not much happens when you smoke it. Lights ok, burns ok, and tastes ok. However, there are just too many good English blends out there to spend your hard earned money on this one. If you like Tinderbox, and I do, try the blend they have called Special.

I have worked at my local tinderbox for over a year now and have since moved on from this blend but I can sincerly say I wouldn't be the pipe smoker I am today withought it. As the first english blend I had this was, at the time, quite nice. I would recomend this for anyone trying to get your feet wet in the english market, and maybe as a starting point for the nicer blends like margate, westminster, or every ex RAF man's favorite squadron leader.

All anyone of my relative age need do to rate the traditionally-named Tinder Box blends is to pop into a Tinder Box today. As the old joke says, "Nostalgia ain't what it used to be."

Neither are Tinder Box blends. No way; no how, no, sir!

This is not to say, categorrically, that tobaccos of 2007 that bear the same names as those of 1977 are much-the less---but, so help me....THEY ARE!!!!!!!!

Tinder Box's "Sherlock's Choice" has always been made by Lane, Ltd. But for those who remember Lane in its salad days....'tis a lesser world, indeed. I discovered Tinder Box tobaccos in 1976...and there ain't no sunshine three-decades later.

Sherlock's Choice has a scrumptious aroma in the pouch, reminding one more of Smokers' Haven's "20th Anniversary" than Esoterica's "And So To Bed." Regretably, it delivers neither at the match. In fact, it delivers NOTHING at the match except a decent, smokable tobacco.

Why two stars? Because I could finish the bowl; no other reason.

I'd say that this is my favorite all-around Tinder Box blend. That isn't to say that it's going to go down in history as one of the great Balkan/English blends, but it's pretty reasonable at $2.00 per ounce. It's reasonably tasty, and one thing that I like about it is that it's a fairly full latakia blend that doesn't leave your mouth feeling like the Chinese army walked through it in sweat socks. It definitely has a smoky presence on the palate - like a wood stove. As with many bulk blends, and frankly every Lane one that I've tried, this is pretty heavy on the PG. It can smoke hot and give a good gurgle in your pipe if puffed too quickly. There's always some dottle left for me, but that's not a biggie. It's pretty good, and may make for a good blend to break in a new pipe that will be dedicated to latakia-based blends.

Simple, easy English; good value for the money, but fails to excite. This is, as others have said an all day blend. Not my cup of tea, but bland English tobacco's rarely are.

Tinder Box Sherlock`s Choice tobacco is well worth 2 dollars per ounce to anyone interested in english/balkan style blends. It has a great texture and packs very nicely into any size bowl. Burns very well...one of the few tobaccos that I rarely need to relight to get to the end of a bowl. Seems to burn a little fast at times, so not the best choice for a 2 hour smoke in that calabash! It is actually quite a tasty tobacco and the flavour becomes much richer and more complex as you progress through a session with it. Unlike for example, a virginia, it`s easy to keep the bowl from becoming overly hot and is what I call a `controllable` smoke. The taste can be quite acrid and `tangy` at times, and does lose a little flavour towards the end of the bowl..but then how many tobaccos don`t? Distinct taste of latakia, but mainly orientals and I think perique present. Leaves the pipe surprisingly dry with little or no gurgling. Probably not the greatest room note, for the non-smokers around you. Also seems to leave what I would describe as a "nicely dirty tasting mouth" afterwards! All in all, a solid reliable tobacco well worthy of anyones hard earned.