Sillem's Black

Bear in mind, this is my first review of a tobacco but as a new pipe smoker I have to say that this is wonderful. Full of flavor, easy to keep lit and enjoyable from first to last puff.

Right from the tin I got hints of citrus, floral nuances and a what I imagine is the latakia. The smoke is something else. Sure there are still floral tastes and maybe some fresh fruits but the taste is much rounder, mature and a top of spice and honey.

As I said I’m new to this so do t take my word for it. Maybe not one that I could smoke each bowl but a great aromatic.

And it doesn’t hurt that the tin looks bloody fantastic!

I had relatively high hopes for this based on the high average score here, and listening to others' descriptions of their enjoyment of this blend. I cannot jump on board with this one.

In the realm of Latakia blends (English, Balkan, etc), there are plenty that I greatly enjoy, and I think the tobacco blend here is decent. My issue is entirely with the cherry topping, which at no point during smoking ever completely disappeared. It was intensely strong in the tin note, as well as from first light. It reminds me of bitter, medicinal, cherry flavor cough syrup. The flavoring may have burned off of the leaf by halfway through the bowl, as it seemed to diminish, but I definitely tasted it (whether it was just aftertaste, I don't know) through the whole smoke.

Perhaps I am just more sensitive to this kind of flavor, because it doesn't seem like many others dislike it, certainly not with the same intensity that I do. What I could taste of just the tobacco blend was decent, but definitely not enough to make me want to suffer through the rest of the package.

I smoked 4 bowls in two different pipes, and tossed what remained.

The Description for this Tobacco is spot on! This was recommended by Alan from the Pipe Cottage as a good English style blend. I've been smoking it for about a month and have enjoyed it from day 1. It has a great presentation from the Brander. It has a good aroma in the tin, smokey, dark, Latakia, typical, from what I'm discovering, of a good English scent. It lights easily and the smoke has a sweet taste to it from the Virginia that stays throughout the bowl. This blend does not Bite your tongue, like others I've experienced, and is flavorful and enjoyable to the bottom of the bowl, without getting bitter. I really like this tobacco and find myself reaching for it daily as a 1st or 2nd smoke of the day.

This one got me from the first bowl! The tin note was great, but it was the tone of the first few puffs that sunk its teeth deep into my nostalgia bone and settled in for a good nibble. It has all the bark of a good English bulldog, but the soft caressing ‘bite’ of a Carnival kiss.

From the first puff to the last whiff it was smooth, dynamic, and alluring. My only complaint being that the sweet notes of the aromatic side of this Witchers’ coin faded out early…but, they leave you nestled in the sweet comfortable warmth of a quintessential English.

The Latakia notes were peppery and rich, complimented perfectly by the tangy virginias, and rounded off by a mellow burley vitamin-N brain-chill. The cavendish, while present, settled more into a supporting note than anything.

Not harsh, not bitey, not boring at all, just right.

Toss me a coin for this one, because I’m stocking up!

Update: …the beard-stank aftersmell on this one is rugged. Like, keep-you-up-at-night, rugged. I’d definitely wash the beard and brush the teeth after this one, lol. It will ghost a pipe like Casper…clean well!

Tin note is exactly the same as Reiner prelesional. But unlike Reiner the flavors are in the tobacco when smoked. Lots of sweet fruit and floral smells. Reddy rubbed many large chunks. Nice relatively light aromatic. somewhat sweet but not overly so. Even when dry needs quite a few relights. Gets much better as you progress through the bowl. To get the best of the flavors needs to be puffed lightly. Nic hit is light. Not sure its an all day smoke but a nice change for an occasional lite aromatic.

Review update Let this sit for a few months and as its a bit dryer the floral notes are much more noticeable the topping is more forward through the whole bowl. The floral notes are similar to a W.O Larsen blend with a bit of a musty flavor. At he halfway point most of the floral notes have burned off as well as the mustiness. You are left with what I find to be a much better smoke slightly sweet light Laticia cavendish with just a touch of the fruit essence.

Grabbed some of this stuff from a friend to make this reviewl, so here it goes!

This is not and cannot be an english blend, not just because it has topping/casing, but because it lacks oriental tobacco. It could be a scottish blend at most, but it’s... an aromatic, with a pinch of latakia. There are other blends that contain latakia and yet have topping or casing, like Samuel Gawith Perfection for instance, but there you can taste the latakia, in this one you cannot.

The tin note is quite pleasant, of dark fruit and plum mostly, and just a bit of citrus.

The cut is very nice but doesn’t seem ready rubbed to me, more like a granulated cut. Presents itself with lots of black leaves and some brown and gold leaves here and there. A bit moist, so I wouldn’t smoke it right out of the tin, because drying gives it a better taste as I’ve discovered.

Taste and aroma: Black cavendish and sweetness right from the first match. A honey taste with some dark fruits and/or berries/blueberries. Very sugary! The latakia is in the background, barely noticeble, with a sweet buttery taste and only a bit smoky. As you progress, it delivers flowery notes but the sugary taste continues to be strong. There is a little sweet virginia with some citrus and hay notes that are with you all the time, but temperate.

The tobaccos as I detect them are in the following order: Black cavendish, virginia, latakia and burley.

Burns perfect, no tonguebite, no overheating. Delivers a cool smoke.

Not a bad smoke!

strength mild or mild to medium flavoring is medium taste medium room note pleasant

Smoking now:

I’m a few bowls into this as it was a complicated blend to review.

Tin note is unlike anything I’ve smelled. Fruit, sugar, vanilla, incense, licorice, fermented yeasty bread.

Moisture is perfect out of the tin. A typical European style aromatic. Packs and lights fine.

I get a distinctive sweet fruit taste but I can’t place my finger on the fruit. I want to say it tastes tropical. Peña Colada? It tones down the tobacco by a lot. The herbal earthy smokey Latakia is in the foreground as the fruit topping and vanilla sugar flavor takes the lead with the Virginia and burley. The topping does die down after a while but hangs on well. The Virginia and burley will then become more pronounced. The Latakia is always in the foreground. The sugary sweetness stays. The retrohale will tingle the nose but you’ll get tropical fruit and a fermented yeast bead and creamy flavor that is nice. Didn’t bite, didn’t leave a goopy mess in the bowl. Average relights. Lingering aftertaste. Very flavorful.

A unique blend indeed. A must try if you’re a fan of crossover blends. One of the best I’ve smoked. Don’t let the Latakia scare you if you don’t smoke Latakia blends it’s light. One of the best aromatics I’ve ever smoked.

For me the tin note is is black cherry pálinka, anise, latakia. Anise is not my world, thankfully it does not translate to taste nor room note. The smell of the smoke is chocolate, berry orchard. Rather dark chocolate-tart fruit, not very sweet, but especially pleasant. The taste, I think, is specifically Sachertorte. Latakia builds up slowly, just fine, but whoever waits for Lat-bomb will be disappointed. More aromatic than english. In return, I don't think it would offend others around you! It burns more slowly than most aromatic tobacco, but it gives more smoke, does not heat up very much, and has little condensate. Overall, this is an outstanding blend! It reserved a place in my rotation right away. I highly recommend you to try it.

I just bought several week ago, in pouch. I dont know different with the tin but i feel its strong smell when i opened it, smell of roasted black latakia.

I dont fan of latakian. But this blend is good stuff. My first bowl, i feel the flavor of honey, with 2/3 bowl the citrus comes and blows me away.

Isnt good for fast smoke, make the flavors not detected, just smell roasted latakia.