Benjamin Hartwell Signature Blend

Benjamin Hartwell - Signature Blend.

A four star Virginia:

The flakes are half broken, they can still be folded and stuffed if you prefer. The aroma's slightly synonymous to McClelland, they're a fairly dark brown, and the moisture's perfect; I've only had this tin a few weeks and it's faultless in that department.

Signature blend lights easily, then gives a cool smoke that doesn't bite. When I open a straight Virginia I'm always unsure what to expect from the flavour; some Va's are sharp and citrusy, woody and cedar-like, or deep and sweet; the taste can often vary! With this for the first part of a bowl the smoke's lead by a doughy-sweetness but after about a third the smoke develops a slight tanginess, and delicate sharpness. The burn from Signature Blend couldn't be any better: slow, steady, and consistent; it needs hardly any maintenance.

The nicotine's fairly mild and the room-note's quite nice.

Highly recommended.

I have tried a lot of VA flakes, but the great majority of them torture my tongue too badly to smoke more often than once a week.

Hartwell's Signature Blend is far and away the coolest smoking VA flake I've ever encountered. It gives up a fraction of flavor intensity but it's a very welcome trade for me. For the first time I was able to smoke a pipe all day while working outdoors.

The tobacco isn't overly moist and quickly dries to a smokeable consistency. It rubs out very satisfactorily without the difficulty sometimes encountered with the gummier stoved VAs. Once properly dried, it smokes all the way down with minimal relights.

I generally like perique in my flakes but do not miss it here. The flavor is a bright Virginia without a lot of dark complexity. The room note is typical VA as well.

It's my favorite flake by far, simply because I can smoke as much of it as I want without forced timeouts. I'd love to find it in bulk someday.

Signature Blend is one of the most beatiful flakes I've encountered, and I tend to gravitate towards flakes so have seen quite a few. In the tin it is an earthy ochre colored thick broken flake. Not dense, but pliant, and easy to pack as is or rubbed out further. It burns effortlessly and cooly, delivering a slightly sweet, unobtrusive flavor. I don't detect the spiciness it claims nor the citrus tang I would expect from this type of VA except as a very subtle undercurrent. Signature Blend is an attractive friend that I enjoy spending time with but know we'll never become lovers and don't even bother flirting with her. She's a pleasant companion for strolls around the park or watching a movie, and while I'd call her up every once in a while, it isn't a steady sort of relationship. I recommended it as a 'favorite' because it's an excellent tobacco at a great price point that ages well, but honestly I'll smoke Signature Blend only on occasion and as a palate cleanser more than anything.

Ben's blend seems to me to be carved from a similar mould to McClell's 22,But it is lighter in colour, flavour & zest ( & bite respectively) In fact you'd have to puff away like a man-posessed to get this to bite. Very tasteful, general mild fruitiness to it, both in the tin & in the bowl which is pleasant to me ,nice rich VA finish , Minimal relights needed. Personally I don't sense any Perique - I could be wrong, but I think that's just it's mild yellow-VA zestiness that folks find 'peppery'. It may also have very subtle topping as well -though far from aromatic levels. IF this is McClelland work,this is easily their most accessable VA, either way whatever. I'd recommend this to old & newcomers to virginia, though not if you crave complexity.

I bought this tin on a recommendation that it was a very good Virginia / Perique blend. I can't really detect any Perique. The tin aroma is indeed reminiscent of "a certain company" as Evil Catfish notes. I found this a bit off-putting, but hey, the tin is open and the pipe is waiting.

The colorful broken flake rubs out a bit and packs easily. A charring light and then in to the bowl. This stuff has a great somewhat sweet flavor, one of the tastiest of the few Virginia flakes I have fired up. Signature Blend smokes very cool, no bite here - just smooth and very tasty.

I'm glad I got past the tin aroma, the smoke is very rewarding. I guess I found a Virginia that like me. The feeling is mutual. Good stuff indeed! If you get a chance to try this blend, do so even if you aren't a big Virginia lover.

I am always surprised how people on this site review certain blends. This is an excellent straight virginia./ In fact, perhaps one the best now out there since McClelland has gone away. These are stoved darker virginias...probably several varities. It comes in broken flake of perfect moisture. Its smooth, cool, and relatively sweet. I detect no topping. Nic hit is mild...perhaps a tad over mild. There is some. Just not a lot. Room note is very pleasant. Whats not to like? A HUGELY neglected blend.

Several previous reviewers have mentioned a citrusy / spicy flavor. I noticed neither but the taste is what YOU perceive. The perique, if in this blend, went unnoticed by me. On my palate, Signature Blend, by Altadis, delivered a mild and mellow roasted and toasted VA flavor with a slight sweetness and no bite. Yes, it is largely one-dimensional but I never fault a blend for this quality, i.e., if it is good in the beginning, you know it will be just as good at the end. This is an excellent blend to curl up with on a cold winter?s night in front of an open fire???..with your chestnuts.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 9.5 out of 10.

I have a hard time with Va tobaccos , but this blend is very smoker friendly. I was at a pipe show and had no tobacco . In a hurry I grabbed the first thing I laid my hands on at my partners table. I was a little disappointed to find that I had selected a va ( I had assumed that anything with a black lable would be a latakia blend!), but upon lighting it I was very pleased. Spicy in the tin and cool and flavorful in the bowl. This packs a lot more flavor than a lot of the va's I have had. I'd reccommend this for anyone interested in va blends.

I received a tin of this for free at the 2001 St. Louis show and swap and am quite glad I did. Upon opening the tin there is that wonderful tangy virginia smell inherent to a "certain" company's virginia blends. The flavor of this tobacco starts somewhat light and sweet but builds to a rich, slightly peppery finish which can be appreciated by all. Try some, you will not be dissapointed.