Boswell Pipes & Tobacco Christmas Cookie

Christmas Cookie was a wonderful treat for me, probably because I had heard so many stories about that I thought the mystique would end my curiosity. It did taste like grandma's fresh backed Vanilla sticks, but grandma never put liquor in hers and there is a definite hint here of Jack Daniel's (or, something like that). The Black Cavendish did provide some body and at times I really did, I swear, think that maybe I was smoking tobacco. A fun smoke for any time of year, but once was enough for me.

Though there may be certain things about this tobacco that the smoker might not fully appreciate (or even absolutely not like), the flavor and aroma are above reproach, in my opinion. Nice sweet vanilla cookie taste and an aroma that people WANT to be around. This is a very mild blend and is not going to overwhelm the smoker's taste buds with flavor, and accordingly it does not bite in the least except for an overeager puffer looking to expand this blends focus.

I agree with the tin description that one does not need to like aromatics to enjoy this blend but it would not, IMHO, be an all day smoke. This, for me, is a treat... almost like a special dessert. I probably won't have more than 2 oz of this in my tobacco bar at any one time, and will likely go without it for stretches of time. It's less so than other aromatics, but it does leave the telltale goopy trace in the pipe. Best to give it a pipe of its own. It does lose some of its flavor down the bowl as the casing burns away. It's not perfect.

But I fully believe that when the smoker is in the mood for this, nothing else will do. I think this is a very good and original blend; I've never found anything quite like it. Boswell The Younger (like his dad on other projects) should be congratulated on this exclusive gem.

Smells like shortbread in the pouch, and it actually transfers to the bowl. A one-of-a-kind blend from Boswell's.

Clouds of creamy, sweet smoke, that leave a very pleasant room note. Definitely one for indoor smoking. Ships a bit moist in the pouch, but can level out in a few days. I will always have some of this on hand, not just for Christmas, but all year long.

Though this blend is very mild, it is a really nice first smoke of the day. Subtle hints of sugar cookie taste make it very pleasant and a full bodied flavor pleases the palate. A top notch aromatic!!

This is very sweet! I didn't realize just how sweet this was until I smoked a bowl of Mac baren Vanilla Roll Cake afterwards....The Mac Baren was lackluster in the sweetness department to the point I thought I had accidentally filled my pipe with some regular unsweetened Virginia.

Guest will compliment this smoke because it smells as sweet as it tastes when smoking. This didn't bite me and it smoked cool.

I do not recommend cellaring if you enjoy the sweet taste. The 1oz sample I have been smoking for the last 3 months is significantly less sweet compared to my first few bowls. This may be good news for someone who thinks the sweetness is too much.

I write this review as a review for an aromatic. As aromatic's go there aren't many better than Boswell's (if any). I would put Boswell's in the medium cased/topped category, not lightly topped like Uhle's blends or some others that to may barely should be categorized as aromatics. In my opinion if the flavor truly enhances the flavor of the tobacco it isn't an aromatic, if it flavors the tobacco it is (I realize that is not the standard definition). For this review we will go with the latter definition. The tin aroma of Christmas Cookie is unbelievable, it is like sticking your nose into the Keebler Elf's porn stash. Sweet Vanilla, graham cracker, honey and molasses with a hint of a liqueur or rum. I let aromatics dry out overnight, (I usually only smoke them with coffee and maybe at night...with coffee). When properly dried this burns great, no bite and tastes fantastic. I have tried them out of the tin and I do get an aftertaste and a bit of a wet heel if not dried properly, when dry I find these to be first rate with no problems. The flavor is similar to the smell, the topping/casing comes through as vanilla and caramel with what I have come to believe is Rum. The Cavendish is the main tobacco flavor I get with a molasses flavor and some toasty notes. There is some lemony/grassy notes from the Virginias but very subtle. I also get a slight toasty flavor and spice particularly when passed through the nose. The spice seems to be from an actual spice vs. the tobacco like cloves or nutmeg. The room note is also a crowd pleaser. My wife and kids tend to poke their head n my office more when I have a Boswell tobacco going and this one I was asked to smoke around the tree at night. Great with a cup of coffee and I have one briar pipe exclusively for aromatics, this is best in a briar although a cob is quite nice as well but seems to add to the sweetness. Another solid aromatic that belongs in every pipe smokers stocking.

Relatively new piper here, so take this for what it's worth. The bag note was pleasant, but underwhelming. I allowed some to dry on a paper plate for about 10-15 minutes before packing the bowl. Took a little effort to get it lit but it went the whole bowl without a relight.

With the relatively mild bag note, my expectations were set relatively low, but WOW, at first light it was a very tasty smoke. After two bowls I find this to favor a sip over a deep draw and was vastly improved with a bit of rest between puffs. My palate didn't really find Christmas cookie so much, but more of a slightly sweet DD cake doughnut. That being said, this is very close to the top of my list among aros. I will definitely be getting more to keep it handy. I could enjoy this one every day.

First impression when opening the tin is that the vacuum seal doesn't exist. For those who never had any boswell tin in hands i have to say, they are not built for aging.

The aroma is incredible, little faint in comparison with his brother "Chocolate cream".
It requires a few lights before get ready, but once it burning will go great til the end.

The room note is awesome, no one will complain.

Concerning the toppings, one that impressed me most was the "peppery" sensation, there is something like ginger, black pepper, that gives a kind of sweet fresh spicy feeling. The vanilla is clear there but not the liquor/wisky. Not for me. I can feel more cocoa, brown sugar, the sweetness notes lingers for while after finished the bowl. The aroma matches perfectly with the flavor, this is a great aromatic.

The nicotine level is low, perhaps it's what makes it an all day smoke. No chance of nic-kick. Doesn't bite the tongue but as all aromatics, i recommend you sip instead of puffing, keeping the pace slow will offers you plenty more flavors.

3 stars.

Christmas Cookie gave me a vanilla extract sort of flavor, quite pleasant and easy to smoke. I was told the room note was pleasant and did indeed smell of warm sugar cookies. Nothing too exiting, but it delivers as advertised.