Sutliff Tobacco Company Charlemagne

Well-blended tobacco base. Vanilla/Rum topping not too overpowering, as it is with some of the blends. Nuttiness in burley comes through well, particularly in the second half. Single light takes it all the way through the bowl, burns clean, cool, and smooth. 3 stars.

Being my third tobacco, as I am a new smoker, this was a real step up and I am glad I tried it. The girl at the tobacco store asked if I wanted to sample some and give feedback to see if they wanted to carry it. They should.

It has a very pleasant sweet smell with some vanilla in it. Not too dry not too moist, it lit very well and stayed lit very well. I went through 6 matches vs the 15-20 with the first 2 low quality tobaccos I tried. (Yes, I will be getting a proper lighter soon enough) 🙂

It is a mild tasting tobacco, slightly sweet in a good way, and a nice relaxing smoke on a Sunday afternoon. It strongly favors a slow smooth draw as it will bite otherwise, but it forces you to sit back, relax, and enjoy it. I am not yet seasoned enough to pick out the different tobaccos in it and their unique flavors but I am getting there.

I was told not to try cheap tobacco and it is good advice, it can ruin the experience, a good tobacco makes a world of difference, and as for mild tobaccos this is a good one.

I am still searching for a strong full bodied pipe tobacco, deep and smooth, but this one could be a regular for those lazy Sunday afternoons.

Up next is Mac Baren Dark Twist...

I finally broke open a tin from the P&C goodie bag this year, which included three tins of Sutliff lesser known blends. So first up was the Charlemagne and the tin note was light and the fresh hay aroma was quickly confirmed by the appearance. The Burley was prevalent and some strands of colorful Virginia were easily spotted, what was sparse was the lack of Cavendish. I took this as a good sign that this wouldn't be another blend over powered by an aromatic topping. The ribbon cut was moister than most, and actually took over an hour to dry enough for a proper bowl packing. Checking the aroma on the drying plate before filling the bowl was actually much richer, sweeter and more pleasant then when opened.

Char light was fairly uneventful given the Cavendish, I expected a powerful puff. A bit musty from the hay tones of the burley. True light brought on the full flavor and this is a burly straight off the bat. The Virginia is barely noticeable other than it's cooling, and hard to decide if the flavor past the hay and slight nuttiness is just the Cavendish. Passing the half-way point the flavor has remained constant and the sweetness of the Virginia and Cavendish holding on well, especially as it rolls through the nose.

Burning well and not too hot for a ribbon cut there was no bite. There were no relights and just a few tamps. Drying this down a while is defiantly a good ideal, and paid off with this blend. By the end of the bowl the Burley was all that remained. For a ribbon this was an unexpected long smoke which I would credit to the leaf quality, that quality the saving grace. The remainder stayed mild and a little nutty to the end. finishing up with a white and gray ash.

The tin should have read, Burley with a small amount of Virginia and a hint of Cavendish. This is really just an OTC sweet Burley with better quality tobacco.