Astley's No.55 Elizabethan

Enough has been said here about this tobacco, so let me just wrap up: a mild and satisfying all day smoke with uncomplicated (in the best sense of this word) Virginia flavour. This is a smoke you can enjoy working or reading, it is unobtrusive, simple and pleasant.

Adding to my review: I smoked it now in a corn cob and it was delightful. Mild and without tongue bite. If you look for nicotine Ilsted’s Own Golden Flake will give you more than this blend.

Tin notes of raisin and hay. That addictive smell you get when a bit of cognac evaporates overnight in a glass, imagine it deeper and fruitier.

The cut is not "slightly rubbed out flake", it might have been a while ago, but no longer. The packaging was left untouched as the distribution rights moved from one manufacturer to the next.

It takes a conscious effort to smoke No. 55 slowly. If you don't pay attention, your bowl will evaporate before your eyes and you will be left with thin ashes. When you do take your time, the smoke has a clean and honest flavor that develops sweeter and more complex. That deeper flavor is always fleeting, so be patient, it's like taming a wild horse. After a lesson in self-control, some retro-inhaling and perhaps a few burns, you might truly enjoy that tobacco.

The lingering smell in my mustache is enjoyable, it's grassy and clean. It seems like a great smoke for a sunny day, watching nature or people, a few weeks away from summer.

Like Nojoqui noted earlier, sour plums and raisins in the tin. But very mild. Astley's manages to pack 50g into a standard 100g tin. I ran into the same problem in my bowl -- it doesn't pack very well, resulting on re-lights and a short smoke.

The taste is so mild as to be almost non-existent. If there's a saving grace to it, the room note ends up scoring fairly well, important if you have to pass a "spouse test". The upshot is that it's a weak Virginia with nowhere near the flavor I've learned to expect from golden Virginias, and, for the most part, not worth the number of matches it consumes.

Having said all that, this might be an excellent choice for someone trying to convert from cigarettes as I did 30 years ago. Inadvertent (or, presumably, inexperienced) inhalation won't leave you gagging for oxygen. It might even give you enough of a nicotine hit to try inhalation a few more times. But in the mild-Virginia arena I think I'll stay with the Orlik Golden Slices, or experiment with some of the recommended GS alternates.

This is the second Astley's blend that I've tried (#109 being the first) and I find I've come across another very nice VA tobak. Upon opening the tin you're greeted w/a very pleasant and subtle sweetness that is of a light, musty fruit aroma which I'll credit to the fermentation. The tin is packed full of multi-colored ribbons that range from light blond to chocolate brown. For me the moisture level is near spot-on. Packs nicely and the usual lighting ritual is all that's required. At the get-go you taste a nice citrusy sweet flavor that reminds me of lemon/orange zest w/a VERY LIGHT hint of a brown sugar/cinnamon note hiding in the background. Just enough to say "I'm here". There is no casing mentioned, so I'll say it's the fermentation of these particular VAs. that gives this wonderful flavor. The citrusy flavor remains consistent throughout the bowl but varies slightly in degrees of strength, and the spiciness is subtle and tingles just a wee bit, with the taste of good VA tobacco the main player. Bit of a gurgle near mid-bowl, but this is just a one pipe-cleaner job, no worries. This gets somewhat richer as you smoke down, and there is an earthy/woodsy taste that steps in w/the hint of sweetness still present, but no harshness or ashiness. Mostly mid-range and high notes, there is some bottom to it but it's not overly pronounced. Burns well, very even (musta packed it right this time ;o]) and clean all the way down to a dry, fluffy gray ash. There is no Perique mentioned either, but the smoke tastes like there could be a very small amount in the blend. This could be an all-day smoke for most any VA. fancier, but some may want a little more "Oomph" in their pipe, at least nearing the evening times. I enjoy it and I believe I'll hafta keep some of this around. I think it would age very nicely. A very good VA tobacco, very lively and refreshing. I think I just may prefer it to #109. Works for me.

Tin note of slightly sour tart dry hay. Tobacco is a Ribbon cut of yellow and orange. Moisture content is ok, some may want to dry it out a bit. Burns moderately with few relights. The strength is mild and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is mild to medium and very consistent, with notes of woody, spices, lemon bready, very earthy, floral, grassy, dry hay, stewed sour fruit, orange peel/zest, a tangy sweet and savory citrus background note, and a peppery retro. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is good.

My tin had five years of age on it when I opened it, and since then I’ve sampled it out of the Mason jar for another year. I get flavors of sweet grass, oat wafer, and a little bit of lemon custard. I’d rate it above MV-1000 for sure (burns cooler), maybe slightly better than GH Kendal Gold, but honestly none of these are satisfying to me as solo smokes. These ribbon/shag Virginias may appeal more to the RYO crowd, but I can’t say as I’ve never smoked cigarettes. I’ve started using the remaining amount of 55 as a blending tobacco.

This is probably more of a 2.5 star tobacco, but I can’t go to three stars as it is too simple and one-dimensional. Not a must-have tobacco, so here’s one you can cross off your TAD list!

Grassy with a hint of ... yuck.

"Slightly Rubbed Flake" or cheap, acrid cigarettish shag? You decide. Actually don't. Avoid this affront to virginia smokers. It lights okay. That's the nicest I can be here.

"A pure blend of light and mild ribbon cut Virginias" is an apt description. After half a lifetime of smoking cigarettes, a blend like this one showed me what tobacco actually tastes like. As a sidelight on that note, if anyone reading this is in the process of switching from cigarettes to pipes you'd be well advised to start with something like Astley's No. 55.

I like the taste of a straight VA very much. This is the blend I smoke when I'm not in the mood to play with the flakes LOL.

Upon opening a can of Astley's No. 55 I am greeted by what seems to be to me a cross between sour plums, raisins, and oatmeal. No wonder I like this mixture in the morning. I just finished a three year old can, and found it much better than a new can I recently endulged in. I think in both cases the tobacco is perfect in the moisture content. It packs really well being a ribbon cut with a little broken up flake thrown in. To say it is a "Slightly rubbed out flake", as on the can is something I would agree with as I smoke Astley's No.109 regularly. Between the two I would have to give the nod to No.109 just because I can rub it out to achieve a variety of conditions in a variety of pipes I reserve for Virginias such as these. No. 55 lights packs well, lights well, and is downright enjoyable from top to bottom. It does seem like there is a smidgeon of Perique present in the top half. The tobacco smokes really pleasantly dry, much more so than a mixture like Dunhill's Elisabethan Blend. I can consistently get by with only one pipe cleaner about mid bowl. No. 55 picks up about mid bowl and there is a wonderful light Virginia taste for the rest of the bowl. It finishes up with a nice white ash. I think this is a wonderful tobacco for my morning pipe. I am usually an English or Balkan smoker in the evening. I want more body later in the day that most straight light Virginias or Virginia Perique mixtures don't give me. If I do want to smoke something like that in the evening for a change in pace, I will find myself loading a pipe up with Haddo's Delight. No. 55 is an excellent morning puttering or gardening tobacco. A perfect choice for those activities. Also, good for waiting in the car while the wife wanders through the stores on a Saturday. Given the right place and the right time of day, Astley's No. 55 finds little competition for me.