Tabac Manil Réserve du Patron
(3.52)
Semois leaf is a rich, pure leaf burley tobacco that is grown and processed in Belgium in the Ardennes Valley (Val Ardennais) - think Battle of the Bulge. Highly reminiscent of smoking a cigar, but in a pipe, it is a fascinating tobacco that has been highly regarded in Europe for well over 100 years. From start to finish, the flavor becomes more and more pronounced, giving a reliable and enjoyable smoke. There are no casings or flavorings added to this tobacco. This is the medium-cut version (coupe moyenne).
Notes: Semois is a Burley varietal that has been developed over hundreds of years in Belgium's Semois River region, in ground that is soggy and fog-shrouded.
Details
| Brand | Tabac Manil |
| Series | Pure Semois |
| Blended By | Vincent Manil |
| Manufactured By | Vincent Manil |
| Blend Type | Burley Based |
| Contents | Burley |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 100 or 250 gr pack |
| Country | Belgium |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium to Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.52 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 25 of 25 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 18, 2022 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Package note of mildly sweet, earthy, and mild licorice. Tobacco is brown medium ribbon cut, a little on the dry side but soft, no prep needed. Burns fast with few relights. The strength is Medium to Strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is Medium to Full and very consistent, with complex notes of a spicy cigar, very earthy, mildly sweet nuts, very dry wood, very mild bitter cocoa, bready, herbal floral, musty hay, mildly tangy-sweet background note, and a peppery retro. Burley is leading with the "secrete leaf" (maybe a Virginia?) supporting. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Bard Rusticated 221 Fishtail
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2022 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
Smoking now:
The pouch note is a vegetative tobacco smell. Earthy, woody, hay… much like La Brumeuse it’s light on the aroma and pleasant of you like tobacco. Thin ribbon cut that is very dry. Packed tight into a clay pipe.
The taste of this is far more mild than La Brumeuse which I thought was over whelming. Grassy, herbal, tea, wood, wet leaves. There’s that mineral and mushroom flavor but it’s subdued this time. Toasted bread… It’s much more balanced for me than La Brumeuse. It’s void of sweetness and very stout but the flavors are pleasant and very interesting.
Mushrooms on toast! That’s what this reminds of. Which is a wonderful British dish. I enjoyed this. Not something I would smoke often but something I will and have smoked again. I’m thankful for the experience. The nicotine level is last medium to high. Burns easy, would recommend keeping this slow. A fascinating blend. Semois is not a burley, it’s not a Virginia, it is its own thing flavor wise at this point. Unami mineral mushroom wet leaves and wood. Very interesting. You’ll love it or hate it.
See my take on La Brumeuse which has a stronger Semois flavor.
The pouch note is a vegetative tobacco smell. Earthy, woody, hay… much like La Brumeuse it’s light on the aroma and pleasant of you like tobacco. Thin ribbon cut that is very dry. Packed tight into a clay pipe.
The taste of this is far more mild than La Brumeuse which I thought was over whelming. Grassy, herbal, tea, wood, wet leaves. There’s that mineral and mushroom flavor but it’s subdued this time. Toasted bread… It’s much more balanced for me than La Brumeuse. It’s void of sweetness and very stout but the flavors are pleasant and very interesting.
Mushrooms on toast! That’s what this reminds of. Which is a wonderful British dish. I enjoyed this. Not something I would smoke often but something I will and have smoked again. I’m thankful for the experience. The nicotine level is last medium to high. Burns easy, would recommend keeping this slow. A fascinating blend. Semois is not a burley, it’s not a Virginia, it is its own thing flavor wise at this point. Unami mineral mushroom wet leaves and wood. Very interesting. You’ll love it or hate it.
See my take on La Brumeuse which has a stronger Semois flavor.
Pipe Used:
Clay
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 08, 2022 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Once I opened the brick and put it in a jar I was able to smell it. Some sweetness and citrus notes super dry need to be packed tight in a smaller bowl. burns a bit hot for a burley. Defiantly a burley lots of smoke some light coco with some very lite citrus on the retro hale. More coco flavor as you progress through the bowl a bit of sweetness some hay notes and some muskiness on the retro hale. The flavors are more prominent if you puff super light. The cigar tobacco make it a bit strong in strength. Nic hit is medium to strong. Not an all day smoke but a nice change occasionally. 3.5 stars
Pipe Used:
Morta
PurchasedFrom:
friend
Age When Smoked:
fresh brick
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 02, 2022 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Strong |
Earthy, woody, muddy, creamy, very unique flavour. Completely dry out of the package, it should be packed quite tightly, otherwise it will burn too fast. Easy to smoke but with a surprising richness in flavour, it doesn't have complex evolution, but it guarantees a satisfying, surprising and extremely pleasant smoking experience. Smells like horse crap, a foggy day in the countryside, tastes like mud, grass in a winter night, toasty and round. It blows away a lot of sophisticated blends with its raw and genuine character. Not available in most countries, but it is worth having a 250g brick bought by friends, colleagues and relatives visiting Bruxelles. One of my favourites ever.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 30, 2023 | Extremely Strong | None Detected | Extra Full | Tolerable |
I agree with azto—— and will happily send my oddly packaged, dry and brittle square of this blend should I get an address.
This is a strong smoke without nuance or complexity. It is like smoking a cigar. If this is all I had, I would adapt. Thankfully most of us have access to a variety of blends that don’t force us to adapt.
I agree that it will be fine in blending. I can’t imagine a stronger smoke. Or I don’t want to.
Update: I also agree with taki. This is really not very good.
This is a strong smoke without nuance or complexity. It is like smoking a cigar. If this is all I had, I would adapt. Thankfully most of us have access to a variety of blends that don’t force us to adapt.
I agree that it will be fine in blending. I can’t imagine a stronger smoke. Or I don’t want to.
Update: I also agree with taki. This is really not very good.
Pipe Used:
Castello
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