McLintock Pipe Smoker's Scottish Premium

Great! one of my all time favourites. sweet, but not too much, very charming note.

i had find the old tin box after around 10 years, humidified it again and tasted great. kne of the mixtures that can burn to the end once lit.

My friend Takis gave it to me at one of the greek pipe-club.gr meetings. Horrible smoke. Virginia Cavendish with a black and a undefined awful smell, the manufacturer says it's whiskey. It burns the tongue leaves an awful taste and the worst aftertaste and aroma reminds you of "foot smell”. Not much more to say….

Sample: Blended in the ECC exported to Japan. Tin is as the picture but with Japanese health warning.

Upon opening the tin:

Warm inviting smell, oak I think but not too woody, slightly sweet, perhaps part of the whiskey topping? There is a subtle underlying tobacco smell which blends well with the topping but requires a little time and airing to surface.

Leaf is fairly monochromatic with various subtle shades of black Cavendish with the addition of some mixed long/short ribbon cut Virginia that are lighter in color but still dark. Not so interesting in appearance but no stems or clumps. Moisture content is decent right out of tin.

Smoking:

I have smoked this right out of the tin and also have let it breath for 20 min. to an hour and find a little time in the open air makes for a slightly better smoke as the high notes, and a light, very light, spice taste comes out sooner. Lights easily in either case, when aired you can finish a bowl without relights.

No bite in a Brebbia 1997 Calabash (sans filter.) Not too heavy on the palate, but does leave a slight film. I guess this is the 'velvet-soft' smoothness claimed by the blender and likely from the double fermented Black Cavendish which makes the foundation of this blend. I like to drink when I smoke this to keep my mouth clean and enjoy the emerging flavors.

Throughout the bowl there is that hint of 'warm oak' you notice when you open the tin that remains present in the smoke and mixes nicely. Flavor remains fairly constant but mid-bowl some of the Virginia starts to surface which stops this smoke from becoming boring. Burns clean and doesn't foul the bowl although it might ghost other lighter tobaccos.

For me this is a nice easy smoke, comforting and slightly to mildly sweet with a very pleasant oak note, not too much so for me when I am in an aromatic mood. It's certainly above drug store aromatics and I enjoy it very much when I want an aromatic and don't feel like a Danish blend. I feel it might be too sweet for some and too monotonous in taste for others. I've never smoked a bowl of Scottish Premium I didn't completely enjoy but I have also never found myself wanting a second bowl for a day or two.

Room note is pleasant and always gets positive comments, but the smoke can be a little heavy in a small room.