Boswell Pipes & Tobacco Dan's Blend

This is a wonderful Virginia on the mild side. If you are a fan of stuff like Ashton Gold Rush and MacB's Virginia No. 1, you will love this. These tobaccos always feel like ticking time bombs. The flavor zen is only maintainable if you meter your puffs super carefully, and there is always that possibility of stoking it over the edge to a tongue burning mess. Dan's blend from Boswell's allows you to enjoy great light Virginia flavor without this risk.

The cut is a fine ribbon that packs and lights with ease. Initial third of bowl offers a sweetness that reminds this smoker of toasted white bread crust sprinkled with sugar. It then settles into familiar light haylike notes with subdued sweetness. Bottom third has a little tang. Very clean burning and tasting.

Mild tobaccos can be monotonous. This is not. The flavor changes are subtle. If you are looking for more intense flavors, seek elsewhere. Otherwise, a most amazing smoke.

This blend, with a little drying time, is certainly good enough right off the bat. Put some aside on the shelf for a while, however, and you'll then truly reap it's rewards. After cracking a jar of Dan's Blend open this evening, untouched for two and half years, I've enjoyed one of the best bowls I've had in months. Just a wonderful smoke!

Dan's blend is one of my favorites i've ever ordered from Boswell, i've been told it smells like caramel & vanilla by people that do not smoke pipes. it is a definite crowd pleaser. i recently stopped buying it only so that i wouldn't get sick of it, I wanted to try a few of the other blends they offer which i am reviewing one at a time. I will most definitely be buying Dan's blend again!

i'm a firm believer that pipe tobaccos generally won't give you tongue bite once you learn how to smoke them although this is not always the case. therefore i generally won't discuss this matter in my reviews. most of Boswell's blends will not give you tongue bite and i refuse to type that time and time again.

Dan's Blend is a thin ribbon cut offering, with a pouch aroma of fresh baked chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. I always like to ask the wife her interpretation of the pouch aroma and she instantly said chocolate cake as well. The aroma is amazing!

Dan's has a bit of moisture, but it doesn't seem to affect the burning or packing properties. Although you can feel it on your fingers after packing, it is not sticky. Initial lighting takes a few attempts before it stays lit.

The majority of the bowl is toasty, bready and sweet. Reminds me a bit of PS Twist Flake as far as the sweetness and Danish/pastry notes. This blend does not produce huge clouds of smoke. Just thin whisps of delightful aroma that will please a crowd. Some say this will bite if pushed, others say the opposite. Personally, having a VA sensitive tongue, this can get hot if pushed. But slow, even sips will give you the most enjoyment. There are a lot of 4-star Boswell bends out there. This is one of them!

Friend of mine tossed me an ounce and now I wished he gave me a pound! This is a bright Virginia that burns cool right down to the ash. I know, hard to believe! Along with little fruitiness of the Virginia it mellows down and not as bright with a topping of vanilla maybe?

This is just plain good and highly recommended to try!

11-24 Edit: I picked up 6 oz. And had two additional notes.

First, I was eager to smoke and grabbed a pipe that was used for strong english blend. Don't do that. This mild blend and the ghosted latakia will ruin the experience.

Second, put some in your smoking pouch to dry out a little. Fresh out the bag I had several re-lites. After being in the pouch over night I did not have a single re-lite. Great experience

2018-12-1 This is a good breath sipping blend. When it hits the right temperature you get a giant hit of vanilla that will make you say, "oh wow" out loud.

As always, Boswells delivers. It is ever so lightly cased, just enough to compliment the natural sweetness of the Virginias. I was visually put off by this blend, as it looks identical to common cigarette rolling tobacco to my untrained eyes. One touch and sniff reveals something far more refined. I do find that it will burn fast and hot if smoked to quickly. Overall, another excellent blend by Boswells.

For those that don't know, Dan is one of J.M. Boswells sons. Like Father, Like Son. Dan has put togather what I consider to be one of the finest Virginia blends around. The tobacco starts off like most VA's, a tad bitey and then almost immediately setles down and becomes a very enjoyable smoke. The typical VA distant sweetness is there but make no mistake, this is not an aromatic. Rather, it is a wonderful blend of red and gold virginias. IMHO a sure winner

This is a noob review. Still looking for my goto tobacco. I've been hitting up Lane 1Q frequently for a mild smoke. This tobacco is just as mild and leaves me with a better mouthfeel.