Stanwell Melange

I want so much to like this tobacco. I'm an aromatic smoker and love the likes of Benjamin Hartwell's Evening Stroll and W.Ø. Larsen's Signature. The pouch and room note are wonderful and taste is pleasant. So what's keeping me (and you, if you're wise!) away from this blend. In a word - BITE!!!! 100 fire ants on my tongue, even when you smoke it carefully. Too bad.

ilike this tobacco for one reason .you can mix it,with burley 1q bca etc.4 ozof melange 6oz 1q 2oz bca,let itsit for a week then dry to taste ,your in paradise.haunting to say the least .try it.

I like aromatics - I can even appreciate the really cased ones as occasional dessert smokes (i.e., Blue Note). But this stuff? Tastes like a cheap apricot-scented candle and burns your tongue like one too. Truly disgusting. If this was the last pipe tobacco on Earth, I would stop smoking.

Thank goodness this was only a free sample pouch - at least I did not pay money for this. STAY AWAY!

I just got a sample of this from the guys at Iwan Ries. I found it to be very "FRUITY". I think that Apricots does best describe the flavor. Let me also say the flavor is PUNGENT. This is however, A European Aromatic not an American Aromatic. Translation- It tastes a lot more like Cellini Classic than C&D's Apricots and Cream. So, with that being said, We can proceed. A really visually appealing blend. Full of Color from light to dark. The aroma is heavenly. Takes the first light very well. Smokes very smoothly till the end. The Apricot flavor remains constant throughout the smoke. A very dry blend indeed. I find that If you add approximately 1/8 Iwan ries 3 Star Ebony to the mixture it greatly enhances the flavor profile and it gives it some depth. Actually, I rather enjoyed this offering from Stanwell. 3 of 4 European Aromatic Stars.

14 years ago, this was the very first aromatic tobacco that charmed me to start my pipe smoking journey. For the sake of trying new tobaccos every time, I did not return to this on. Until now. I cant tell how disappointed I was. I had so high expectations, but the results were just, meh... Artificial smell from the pouch, artificial smelling smoke. Hot and unpleasant. Reminds me of Vauen tobaccos, that I avoid of all costs. I regret trying it again. Should have left the memories of a good smoke in my dreams...

After smoking english blends for years, I decided to try this blend and am enjoying it so much I am going to stick with it for a while and buy some more.

Stanwell - Melange has an apricot and peaches aroma with some citrus and grass tin note. The smoke is burley forward for me, it is nutty and earthy, The VA's are a little tart and tangy with notes of grass, the black cav has that brown sugar note that comes and goes but when present often competes for the lead. The Orientals trail all of this and are way in the background but detectable and are slightly floral, with their expected sour note, I pick up a few herbal elements which likely come from them and a very minor spice note, that pops in occasionally. The apricot and I am guessing the peach notes are forward and mute the tobaccos a little, as should be expected. The vanilla is much further in the background. It is not quite as complex as my notes make out but a very good blend that I am sure most will enjoy; however, as it turns out I guess I don't enjoy the apricot and peach toppings all that much and the room note is far from great, it reminds me of the cheap gas station peach flavored cigars. The wife did not enjoy it either. If you like them, this is likely a home run for you. I can only somewhat recommend this and have no plans to purchase it again.

Very subtle flavoring. The tobacco comes through prominently. With a slight apricot, citrus flavor in the background. Definitely an aromatic for those that like it lightly topped. Quality tobacco as well

Strong and mouthwatering apricot scent coming even from the unopened tin. Definitely stood out among the tins from my last order.

Tobacco is slightly damp but can be used right away. Brief airing out for 5 minutes recommended but not necessary.

Easy to light. Smokes relatively cool and evenly. Almost no relights needed. Some gurgling, but not a nuisance.

Mild smoke throughout the bowl. Room note very pleasant, that's where the aromatics shine. Caught myself "sniffing" the smoke right after exhaling because it smelled so good. Wished the taste had been just as flavorful. Taste peaked at around first 1/3 of bowl but remained good and noticeable till the end.

Left the tin paper on my desk, it served as quite a nice air "freshener".

If I had to criticize anything about this blend, it's that the aroma smells a tad too artificial and you can definitely tell here and there that it's not fully natural.

WOW! Fruit salad in your pipe. I really like this stuff. I'm not usually into fruity tobacco but this is done just right. Not heavy handed in the casing department but not to light either. The flavors other reviewers have noted are all there. Peach, apricot, coconut and I think I even detected a slight banana flavor. The vanilla reminds me of marshmallow flavor hence the fruit salad reference. The flavor remains constant throughout the bowl with no harshness or bite. I can't believe it took me 35 yrs. To try this blend. I wish I had done sooner. Well done Stanwell.

I am a V and VP smoker. I very rarely enjoy an aro. This is the only one I currently use as a change of pace. I usually cut it with Five Friends. However even on its own it is not overly sweet or overly wet.

This is my first blend from stanwell and i have made a good impression about it!when you break the seal a really tense and nice aroma comes out between the toppings,some nuts and florar essenses.the moisture is proper,packs and lights ok.very few relights are needed.while smoking there is much complexity.the toppings are there from the beginning till the end very balanced and in a nice combination with nuts,grass,citruses.more rare some earth and floral notes come out.every puff differs without chance of biting.the nicotine level is almost medium.burns average and almost warm with some moisture being created.leaves some dumbness in the whole bowl.theroom note is very nice and special.definitelly a really nice,tence and balanced aromatic blend.the only negative i found was pipe ghosting wich is very bad specially for a new pipe that isn't burned.

This one really is a great aromatic as far as room note and flavor. Tobacco is very light and you get a spiced fruit flavor from the whole smoking experience. Leaves you and your pipe smelling sweet. It's not my favorite to smoke out of all the tobaccos but it's certainly one to smoke if you don't want to offend. I will buy it again but won't smoke it regularly.

I had no expectations with this one. I basically threw a dart to complete an order and it fell on Melange. I have to say I was happy the dart found it. Opening the tin was a mixed feeling, I enjoyed the sweetness, but was apprehensive to whatever fruit flavor I was detecting (maybe cherry) as that is not normally a selling point for me.

Sparked up great and the nice sugary taste remained and about midway through I forgot about the fruit topping. It reminded me of a less complex version of one of my favorite aromatics; Drew Estate's Grand Central, and for this reason I was a believer in the Melange.

Upon opening the tin aroma was so strong I was a bit unsure if I'd taste any tobacco. I was to be nicely surprised. Strong but pleasant smell of vanilla, cinnamon, figs and apricot immediately made their presence felt in the room. Surprisingly, this was easy to light; and produced very pleasant and even smoking experience. Burley and Cavendish give a solid base, and there is definitely some Oriental leaf in there too. The topping stays true and does not deteriorate through the bowl. There was no bite and there was no goop left in the bowl at the end. So far this proved itself to be an exceptionally good and well-behaved aromatic, and I will order more. It is somewhat similar to "Connoisseur's Choice" with less fig/raisin and more apricot. Or, conversely, this is like a more fruity and more classy cousin of Amphora "Full Aroma" without the cocoa / chocolate whiff.

This is just awful. Smell out of the tin is offputting. It is the same smell I notice with a lot of the STG modern aromatics.

In Germany, we have a souce called Maggi Würze (Maggi seasoning like maggi herb / Lovage). I just hate that in my tobacco.

Unfortunately, this smell is quite dominant in the taste, and it is there till the end of the bowl. Even after airing it out it stays.

In the very background there is some vanilla and maybe an hint of latte taste? But not very distinctive.

The tobacco base seems ok, but not great (black cavendish is dominant).

Awful, awful, awful.

For me this is high quality aromatic tobacco. Nice smell of vanilla with apricot tones from the pouch. Lit"s well, no tongue bite, burning well till end of the bowl. Wonderfull room note. Perfect Sunday smoke.

I am not as impressed as some are with Melange. I found the tin and room note pleasant and the tobacco had a proper amount of moisture. However, the taste was a letdown, tasted too grassy.

Positive: Excellent room note, taste like capuccino, not expensive and available.

Negative: Not the highest quality leafs, a bit less topping would be enough.

Highly recommended to the sweet-toothed aro fans.

( Also recommended to similar aliens like me out there, who like to mix aro with latakia...)

3 stars here