The Tobacco Barn Grandfather

I was attracted to this blend by all of the positive reviews. I like Burley and I like cube cut tobacco, but this one doesn't shine. For me, it's just "ok". I ordered two 4 ounce samples. They each came in a thick zip lock bag - very sturdy as zip locks go. I stuck my nose into one of the bags several times and the aroma reminded me of a German chocolate spice cake with a hint of vanilla. The sample was the perfect moisture level and not at all wet. A very dark appearance to the tiny cubes I might add. It took to the match easily and required perhaps a relight or two. It burned to a medium gray ash every time, but always a hot smoke and a bit oftongue bite. I didn't much care for the ever present hot air on the palate experience.

The Burley taste and strength wasn't what I expected compared to other Burleys I smoke - mild on both counts - which is not a bad thing in and of itself. I wasn't expecting not to be able to adequately taste the Burley. What I didn't like was the flavoring. I smoked several bowls of this in different pipes and there was no difference with each trial. I couldn't exactly taste any vanilla, rum, or maple as had been suggested in a previous review. I did from time to time get some very nice whiffs of sweetness and that was pleasant. At times it tasted like burning dung and that wasn't too pleasant. There was a bit of a gurgle with every smoke, but not so much that there was a wet mess in the pipe. Now back to the taste. There was an ever present taste of - oh, I don't know - kind of like a burning twig or a raw leaf. Too disagreeable for me. Now it goes without saying that tobacco is a plant, and in all its various incarnations, a pipe smoker knows what to expect from something that was grown from the soil and subsequently made for smoldering. I had no green flecks in my samples so I am not inclined to say it was the deer tongue (which I never had before). Whatever it was, I didn't much care for it. It was like a German chocolate cake that was left in the oven a bit too long and the bottom came out tasting burnt and metallic. It's odd that the overall smoke was mildly sweet, but ruined by the other taste I described, and this lingered as a disagreeable aftertaste to boot. This is something I would have to get used to to include this in my daily rotation. It is not a bad blend - just not to my liking to want to have it readily available. Others obviously have raved about it, but I honestly can not join in with them.

Will I smoke it again? Not any time soon. I can see this one sitting in my cabinet for years and therefore doubt that I would order any more. It's a "don't call me, I'll call you, and don't sit by the phone waiting for my call" type of smoke - and pricey to boot! For me, a push to give it 2 stars and no more.

I read somewhere that this blend is not artificially flavored, like your typical aromatic, but that it has an aromatic perennial wild herb common throughout North America called "deer tongue" blended in, which gives the blend its distinctive aroma in the pouch and wonderful old-fashioned room note when smoked. Whatever. Grandfather is what pipe smoking is all about. Comparing it to a "drug store" blend is a sacrilege. Four stars.

Note: The course cube cut means you will want to gravity feed this into your bowl and just very lightly tamp, or it will pack too tight and burn hot. Keep it loose and cool, and it will smoke sweet to the end.

UPDATE: 11/20/2009 - The review above was based upon my initial 2 oz. sample. I enjoyed it so much, I ordered a half-pound. For some reason, it did not seem to be as enjoyable as that initial sample, so I am reducing my rating from 4-stars to 2. Please understand that I still believe this true "codger burley" beats anything off the drugstore shelf. Still has a wonderful room note. But the last batch just burned hot and gurgly in the pipe (an Savinelli Estella EX) and had a bite. Admittedly, after letting the pipe go out and re-lighting about an hour later, it seemed to smoke smoother, but I must say I was disappointed overall.