Esoterica Tobacciana Tilbury

UPDATE: Been in a jar for 3 years now and this blend aged surprisingly well, probably due to the higher percentage of VA's in the blend. The few years in the jar really evens the smoke out nicely. The Virginia's are a bit sweeter and the topping is a bit faded but the essence of apricot is still in the jar note and the flavors are a combination of nutty, woody and sweet, somewhat earthy flavors. I have started this back into my rotation as a first smoke of the day but can be smoked any time and can be an "all day" smoke.

ORIGINAL: Yet another great blend from Esoterica Tobacciana. This is a great Virginia/Burley blend, although the burley is very subtle. The tin note on all of the Esoterica Virginias I have found to be incredibly good. This is a sweet tangy VA, with bread and hay notes along with a lemony/lemon zest smell. If you stick your nose in real quick I get immediately makes me recall the smell of Parliment cigarette's (which I never smoked, just smelled the packs of friends). But if you really put your nose in you get a great VA smell that seems to really be pronounced with this brand. I only use the air pocket packing method when smoking Virginia tobacco's. I find the air pocket in the pipe helps minimize the likelihood of bite and I also find with Virginias in particular you can really get all of the subtle flavors. From the charring light to the last puff you the hay like grassy and sweet flavors of these outstanding Virginia's. There is toast from the burley which really makes the sweet bready Virginia flavor shine. The lemony scent in the tin is also in the flavor but is almost grapefruit like in the mouth and especially on the retrohale. I also get a "cut grass" like flavor, which may not sound good, but I like it. Medium nic hit for me and burns very will if given 15 mintutes of drying time.

From the tin the aroma is quite pungent. It smells like fermented plants mixed with leather with just a slight hint of sweet grass. It actually didn't smell that appealing at first sniff, but now it gets me quite excited.

The tobacco is mostly light to medium brown ribbons with a few light ribbons mixed in and even less dark ribbons present. Extremely easy to load and light. I recommend a medium pack, not too tight or too much tobacco, but not to soft either. If packed right this will remain lit with light and easy tamping.

The smoke is very flavorful. I get natural sweetness that is balanced by woodsy flavors, toast, a slight tang and some nuttiness. There are hints of citrus and a little grass, but not that much. Maybe a hint of spice, more pronounced about mid-bowl when the wood flavor really comes out. From that point to the end of the bowl there are notes of dark chocolate, but just hints. This tobacco is hard for me to describe, but it seems quite unique to other blends I've smoked before. It has the bready, tangy, natural sweetness of a red va and the nuttiness, and perhaps the cocoa too, from the burley. The flavor combination is wonderful and enjoyable from top to bottom. It has a nice kick to it as well. Great with the morning cup of coffee.

This tobacco is great all on it's own, however, I was first introduced to this blend by a wonderful pipe maker. He sent me a sample of what he calls 'Surf-n-turf' blend. It's a mixture of LA Perique and Tilbury, being more Tilbury than Perique. He described it as tasting like meat and the ocean at first and ends up tasting like you are sucking on chocolate by the end. He was right. I have since remade this blend and thoroughly enjoy the blend and Tilbury on it's own from time to time.

The first Esoterica blend I ever tried. I didn't know what to expect upon opening the bag, but it was a feast for the eyes. Mostly chestnut shag speckled with dark brown to black pieces of thinly broken flake. The initial aroma was entirely unique. Sharp, mysterious and pleasing. Plenty of moisture so I let a large pinch air out for a while. I like packing it into smaller group 2 or 3 sized bowls. Smokes faster than flake or most ribbons so it's great for a short and satisfying smoke. The best singular adjective I can give is "piquant". The smoke is plentiful. It is savory moreso than sweet...about as complex as a Virginia blend can be. There's an almost "green olive" note to this, without being "vinegary". Overall a magical blend that I cannot recommend enough, even if you're a predominantly english smoker.

Tin labels are highly irritating.

I'm fortunate to have a tobacconist that has a good variety of tobaccos on hand. While driving there, I decided I was going to pick up a tin of a Va I hadn't tried before. I have both Dunbar and Penznace on the shelf, but hadn't branched out into Esoterica beyond that. Knowing that Esoterica made Straight Vas and that my tobacconist stocks 6-8 varieties of Esoterica in tins and bags, I figured I would look at the tin labels to see if they carried one of the straight Vas.

Hmmm ... Tilbury, "A broad cut extra mature Virginia."

Perfect, I thought. A Va. (surely a straight Va, right, else they would have informed me of the other tobaccos, right ?...?) The first thing I thought upon opening the tin was, "Broad cut, my ass." I consider Dunbar to be ribbon cut. This is cut like RYO shag. Though my mind should have been prepared for more misleading mislabeling, it wasn't. I was entirely focused on having a straight Va experience. So, after 3-4 puffs and the Burley made itself known, my mind refused to accept its presence (Funny how a mind can refuse to accept what it knows to be true and has evidence of staring it right in the face, err, palate. Another oddity of the Human Experience, I suppose ...), and my immediate thought was, "Hmm. I don't think I have ever smoked a straight Va that tastes so much like a cigarette as this one." My mind remained perplexed, and unwilling to accept that I had been lied to by Esoterica, and there was more to the blend than Vas.

It left me thinking, "Well, I guess I'll smoke the rest of it, but I don't think I'll be buying another tin, let alone bag."

Trying to find answers and meaning to what it was about this Va that was not setting right with me, I came here, as others do. Then I started laughing, reflecting upon my 'cigarette' thoughts when I saw it had Burley in it.

I almost gave this 2 stars, or less, because I most definitely was expecting a straight Va experience, but the tin label misled me into a VaBur experience - and I am not a big Burley guy. It irritated me that the tin label was so misleading. I was initially irritated. I had to give it 4 stars, though, for once I realized it is a VaBur, I was no longer expecting a straight Va experience, and could appreciate and enjoy it for what it is.

I'm not a big VaBur guy, but this is very good stuff, and has been added to my rotation. I finished the tin last night and brought home half a pound from the tobacconist this morning.

Pure tobacco taste. Hints of a cigarette, but in a good way with quality tobacco, with the Va playing in nicely and develops throughout the bowl.

Though I enjoy latakia/oriental/va blends mostly, I do love an occasional VA or VA/Bur mixture. Let me present Tilbury. This is a nice medium in strength, but full in flavor VABUR from Esoterica which definitely delivers for me every time. There is a nice volume of smoke delivered when dried just a little and for my money this is one of the best blends Esoterica makes next to Penzance. I find the full body and fermented, sweet-yeasty flavor to be just wonderful. This is not a cased or topped tobacco, IMO, the unique flavor is from the fermentation process and there is very little nuttiness or hay-like essence, so often found in its constituent elements. This blend is a little singular in flavor but for an occasional bowl that's just fine with me. I know its not always easy to score any of the Esoterica blends sometimes, but this is one fine blend to stock up on if you can and age seems to only smooth it out and make it that much more delicious. Try some! LJSOW

This is an interesting tobacco. I would consider this, in most cases, a "consolation" tobacco. This is what you may buy when Penzance and/or Stonehaven are out of stock. That said, its surprising. A shag cut tobacco, Tilbury is reminiscent of very fine, high-quality cigarettes. The Virginias are a bit subdued, but the burleys are earthy. Fresh out of the tin, I was not impressed by this blend. However, after a month or two in a jar, it began to take shape. Not always a dependable smoke, however. Sometimes, it just tastes...off. Regardless, its a decent tobacco for anyone who likes natural VaBur blends and/or shag cuts...

I should start by admitting that I am not a huge fan of VA's to begin with, but I do like to change it up from my regular diet of English blends. Having said that, I was not super-impressed with Tilbury. The VA blends I've tasted have been either straight VA flakes or VaPer's and I've preferred all of them to this.

In the tin, it smells lovely. Many reviews have already described the wonderful aromas and the promises of a great smoke to come. It's a bit wet and along with the shaggy cut, makes it a little difficult to load. It dries out relatively quickly though and once you understand it's moisture, you can get it to load and light pretty easily.

I divide my smoking experience with Tilbury into two phases. The first is a relatively mild virginia smoke - a little sweetness and a bread-like savory taste with ample smoke. Smoked slowly and thoughtfully, it's pleasant enough, if understated. After the rich tin aroma, I'd hoped for something more though.

The second phase is that in which the burley becomes more pronounced. The flavor becomes characteristically nuttier and flatter. My experience with Burleys has always been thus. While not unpleasant, I just find it boring, What the matured Virginias have to offer seems almost entirely covered up by the Burley.

All in all, it's a decent smoke. The quality of the leaf seems good. There are no unpleasant flavors or aromas and the consistency of the smoking experience tell me that much. The "potency" of the smoke is another issue. I don't have the highest tolerance for nicotine, but I can smoke this without fear of dizziness, which makes me wonder.

There are numerous other VA's out there to try, most of which I think I'll enjoy more than this VA/Burley blend. I probably won't ever get through the tin I have because of boredom, let alone purchase another. Still, I'm certain that others like it just fine, as the reviews indicate. I think it's just not my cup of tea.

My tin was purchased in 2010. My impressions were different from some of the older reviews.

Tin note: very mild, little aroma. It is on the dry side when the seal is broken.

Like any predominantly Virginia blend, it bites like hell if you smoke it too fast.

Nicotine is strong, and is probably the main attraction of this blend.

Very subtle, very mild sweetness to the smoke. Flavor is consistent through the entire pipe.

Again, my tin was not aged, and a little dryer than optimal.

Comparisons: stronger nicotine and less sweet than Tordenskjold Virginia Slices, not as strong as Union Square. And in overall quality, not even in the same league with the Virginia blends from McClelland. I can imagine that this blend might become a favorite for some. But it shouldn't. There are many better Virginias in the world.

The basic tobacco flavor of this blend is somehow similar to stoneheaven but without the chocolate casing and with more natural taste and less body, this is simply a pure, high quality Virginia, fermented and processed in the Esoterica sort of way, with very natural flavor and with strong nicotine.

This one worth a try for those who loves natural Virginia without any casing, and it may be a winner; depending on how do you prefer your Virginia.

There is so many excellent Virginias to try, Tilbury is one of them.