Sillem's Black

Addition By Subtraction.....

This is mild English Blend with flavored black cav.

Nothing new there. The market it literally saturated with blends made with Vanilla Black Cavendish. And this blend can be reasonably duplicated by throwing a splash of BCA in your favorite English Blend

But, what separates Sillems Black from the stereotypical "aromatic" black cav blend is not what it has. It's what it doesn't have.

It's not soaked in propylene glycol.

Black Cavendish and especially its flavored derivatives gets a bad rap. IMO it's not the black cav. It's not the topping typically applied. It's the PG that makes most of them nearly unsmokable. That waxy tongue artificial taste thing. No surprise really you're basically smoking tobacco soaked with antifreeze.

All of that is why Sillems Black is an absolute home run. A very nice dose of latakia. Not heavy handed. Just right. And a very very interesting top flavor that clearly goes beyond plain old vanilla. I get a hint of berry or something. Don't know for sure. I'm a smoker not an aficionado. But whatever it is it's damned tasty.

And this is high quality leaf. It stores, dries, loads, lights and burns like your favorite non aromatic blend. If left exposed to the air it dries like tobacco is supposed to. It doesn't stay wet for months in the desert like the typical Hot Fudge Sundae Cream Surprise Aromatic from the like of Altadis or Lane.

It burns right. Will leave some scent but not heavy goop in your pipe. Altogether, this is a legit smoke with a nice flavoring that enhances instead of disguising the good weed underneath.

If your looking to bring a bit of frivolity to a staid rotation of English and VA blends, Sillems is your blend. Fits a nice niche and is worthy of a try for any discriminating piper. And if you like aromatics but have been smoking the goopy crap, you owe it to yourself to give this a try. Whole new world.

A NOTE: The tin is really cool,but not airtight. If you're going to keep this around you'll want to either jar it or keep the tin in an airtight bag or humidor.

Are you a fan of english blends but sometimes you enjoy something more aromatic??does your wife complain every time she smells latakia blends!?i have a solution for you.Sillems black!i cannot leave without a comment the tin appearance which looks like a case from a medieval jewel.once it breaks a smokey and nutty vanilla flavour comes out.the blend is a mix of rubbed flakes,and different cuts of tobacco which doesn't make a ploblem at the packing.it is a bit moist but no drying time is needed.lights ok and several relights are needed.while smoking everything is perfect.latakias are the main player being coaly,sweet and smokey.burleys add some interesting molasses,nuts and spice notes.the virginias are in the backround not always obvious mostly grassy and citrusy.the deep flavoured cavendish make the difference here with a very natural vanilla flavour combining very well with the other flavours without subtlimating them.generally the flavours are natural with some complexity.burns slow and medium hot with a very few moisture at the filter not to perfect ash due to the different tobacco cuts.the room note is pleasant specially compared to other english blends and the aftertaste is pleasant.nicotine level is almost medium without a chance of tongue bite.not an all day smoke but a repeatable one.generally this is a very enjoyable blend that reffers to english and aromatic lovers.

This is a delicious English aromatic blend, a crossover of sorts that delivers on the promise of the Frog Morton series that McClelland couldn't accomplish. Smoky, sweet and fragrant, this will delight both the aromatic smoker and the English lover who desires something sweet.

It's not goopy, syrupy or overwrought. I get a touch of a floral note, perhaps honeysuckle and rose, but none of the heavy Lakeland-style soapiness. The toppings are prominent, but pleasant, akin to toasted marshmallows and blackberries. The Latakia, burley and cavendish are the lead players. The Virginias are not discernible.

Well behaved in the bowl. Burns dry and smooth in all pipes I've used. Complex and fun to smoke.

...One of the best English/Aromatics I've ever smoked...

Truly vary different in taste and aroma yet serves both the Aromatic and typical English smoker. An any time of day smoke for me and I've enjoyed it in small to large bowls with little difference. Moisture level is important in burn quality and in burn speed...so I keep the level at 72% and find that to be a reasonable.

This is not a mixture that "can't decide" if its an English or an Aromatic...It is simply an English/Aromatic.

Price is quite steep, otherwise it is a must try tobacco...

Among the best aromatics in the whole world, not just because it has the latakia addition which makes is rare but because the balance of flavours is just perfect for such a complex mix.

The smokey and creamy substance of the latakia is present but doesnt dominate, just add his character with subtlety, surrounding the palate but letting the virginias carry the sweet touch, a combination that one may paragon between vanilla, some cherry and honey. The smoke is robust, mature like, balancing between creamy, nutty, just a tad sweet while the flavour, casing and taste always keeps a mild pace. Something you may like if you prefer the english personality from the mix, but on the other hand it may dissapoint a bit the sweet tooth as it never gets sweet, always keeping balance, always managing to grant an english with a grain of sugar.

Personally i love this blend, its unique. Very calming smoke, a must for the colder days.

WOW.

I had never heard of the brand or the blend, and when my pipe guy said I have to try some and described it as an aro with some latakia, I have to admit I was just humouring him when I fired it up.

It opens fairly innocently, big plume of aro smoke which tasted like a lot of other aros. Then all heck broke loose and the latakia came in beautifully. It's really something, the aro elevates into a really gentle but sublime taste, and the lat is just right coming in and adding just a hint of smokiness.

The concoction is just right, and it really changes the whole way down. Down near the end, its a very rich and deep bowl where the tobacco is noticeably present with the aro elements changing the whole way down too.

Cannot recommend it highly enough. Completely surprised, and now I need to find a procure a lot of this.

An extraordinary, unique aromatic, blended with Latakia - truely a remarkable masterpiece!

There's not much more I can add to the glowing reviews here except for one thing - I have figured out what this subtle, enjoyable topping tastes like to me:

It's Black Forest cake my friends! And it's fantastic!

Two points of caution: The last 3rd of the bowl isn't quite as nice as the first 3rd of the bowl. And it does dry out rather quickly in the tin once you've opened the bag, even if you keep it tightly wrapped in the cellophane bag and the tin tightly closed

Quite simply the best tobacco I've had in long time just great.. As others have stated though, put this in a jar because the tin is terrible to keep it in.

By all means, this is a very classy tobacco. Its packed in a square, shiny black box with an ornate silver cross on the lid. Very nice! This aromatic tobacco doesn't overdo it on any level. It's not too strong, not too flavoured, not too sweet. It's a very balanced blend where not one of the four different tobaccos overrules the other. Veeeeery smooth! It's a real pleasure to smoke this. The humidity is perfect. You just have to put it in your pipe, light it and the blend almost smokes itself. The aroma? Well, I can't put my finger on it, to me it's just a very sophisticated smell, nothing artificial. Nothing but positive notes on this one, except that the tobacco is just a bit too mild for my taste. Only in the last quarter of the bowl it gets a bit more punch. All in all certainly a tobacco I can recommend.