Sillem's Black

I don't smoke a lot of aromatics. I was a bit blown away when I tried Sillem's Copenhagen. I really like that one. Thought I'd try this one due to the high ratings and I'm very glad I did.

There is an underlying light English "flavor" that works as a base here. English blends are my favorite so that works well for me. The aromatic flavors are cherry, vanilla, honey, and some other things that I can't quite pick up on. The honey, as any good honey will, has a nice floral note. The sum total is delicious. Very pleasing and enjoyable.

Doesn't have to be dried, but it does burn just a bit better if you do. Mild in body. Mild to medium in taste. The added flavorings are also mild to medium.

As with Copenhagen, it can burn a little warm if you get carried away. I've been known to do that with blends that taste really good. This is a nice addition to my very small stash of aromatics. I'll always keep some of this around. 3+

EDIT: 3/5/15 I'm raising this to 4 stars. This has become my favorite aro.

There mere fact that this is a latakia based aromatic should tell you that you are in for something profoundly different. The latakia, as the blend notes above denote, is the predominate flavor, and it is wonderful. It looks like latakia and cavendish in the tin, and that is what it smells like, for the most part. The aromatic essence has more of a lakeland quality than anything to my nose, and smokes more "floral" than "berry." It is certainly not overbearing, and does not knock you over like some of the famous English Lakeland aromatics.

I have to disagree with the few reviewers who described this as having an artificial or chemical component. I, like them, can only speculate, but this does not behave like a tobacco which has been treated in that fashion. For one, it is not goopy, and dries very quickly when out of the tin. Second, it does not bite like many cheap aromatics do which have been loaded with sugar and flavors to make them taste like something other than lawn clippings.

It is a cool smoke, and takes a little effort to get it going. Once lit, it burns evenly, with few relights as long as you pay attention. The smoke is rich and voluminous. There is latakia up front, but also the cavendish and VA providing backbone, and that lovely casing which is there in the taste as well as the aroma. It really does not "taste" fruity to me, but that might just be due to the transformative aspects of fire on the blend.

Overall this is very unique, has fine burn qualities, and a wonderful rich flavor.

Granted, latakia and berry casing aren't the most intuitive combination, but Sillem's has managed to work up a very satisfying blend. One that is evocative an old sort of store that carries really fine leather horse tack for English-style riding wherein is mingled the scents of sweet alfalfa hay and various aromatic liniments. Somehow Sillem's has translated this redolence into taste in a delicious, well-behaved and sophisticated aromatic.

Delicious tin note - cherry, chocolate latakia. Like a rich chocolate cake. Slightly bitter smoke, can taste a hint of sweetness through the latakia. The latakia is mild tasting. Very enjoyable especially as a dessert smoke.

I've got it NOW!! For months I have been struggling to determine the predominant note in this tobacco and couldn't put my finger on it until today...its Frankenberry Cereal!! This is my all time favorite smoke, a PURE DELIGHT. It is UNLIKE ANY OTHER AROMATIC you will find. It also has hints of blueberry pop tarts and marshmallow! and A DESSERT TREAT that goes perfectly with a great cup of coffee. WOW! If you have not yet tried SB order a tin ASAP and get ready for something wonderfully DIFFERENT.

Sillem's - Black.

The nose from the tin is unmistakably aromatic: fruity and sweet. It's not particularly damp, like a lot of heavy-smelling aromatics can be. In fact, the moisture's great! It's presented as a coarse cut mixture, of which the bright yellow Virginia pieces are the largest. It light's easily.

The toppings pair well in the smoke. The fruit/citrus are prevented from becoming too sharp by an aromatic sweetness from the honey. Not a gloopy, sticky, sweetness that can emanate from sugar, but more charismatic. Where the tobaccos are concerned, the stronger of the flavours are vanilla from the black cavendish, and a rich Latakia note. Although the Lat's presence is unquestionable, it isn't an outright smoky flavour, it has more depth. The Burley and Virginia are miles behind, these give very little in comparison. The burn from it can't be argued with, being even and cool, and I get no tongue bite.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: well, it's Sunday afternoon and my wife's allowing me to smoke it in the living room with her, so it must be very pleasant!

This is a well accomplished blend, not my favourite aromatic, but still worth four stars:

Highly recommended.

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.