Sutliff Tobacco Company Basin Street Blues

I purchased this blend simply because I'm a Native New Orleanian and grew up only a couple of blocks from Basin Street. With that being said, I enjoy most of Altadis/Sutliff tobaccos and worse case I figured if I didn't like it, I have enough friends who would gladly take it off my hands. Upon opening the bag, the aroma is quite pleasing and settling. No drying time needed as the moisture level is perfect. Nice sized ribbon cuts and the proportions seem just right.

After packing and igniting the tobacco, that floral aroma becomes a fresh baked cake aroma, a really good fresh baked cake. The tobacco is very mild, yet flavorful. It stays ignited, and burns nice and slow and is a very cool smoke. Don't know what the toppings are, but they are very tasty. No bite, and imo, finishes very well on the palate. I enjoyed two bowls within a couple of hours and determined this is definitely an all day type smoke.

I'm really happy I purchased this and am anticipating what it will taste like after some "cellar" time. I think the time cellared will marry the tobaccos a bit more and make this an even more enjoyable smoke. I would also recommend this to someone who is new to pipe smoking, as it's not too "Aromatic" but enough for them to enjoy the true essence of a good pipe smoke.

Sutliff Tobacco Co. - Basin Street Blues.

It's quite a coarse ribbon, predominantly brown, with about 20% black Cavendish. The smell coming from the pouch is sweet, and it's only a touch too moist.

The flavour's nothing remarkable, but pleasant nevertheless. The leading character's a sweet, caramel, one. There's a touch of vanilla black cavendish, but nothing major. Of the two tobaccos the Virginia-Cavendish gives more flavour, being honey-like, and a little grassy. However, this is easily pushed aside by the toppings. The burn from Basin's cool, needing very little attention once lit, of a medium pace, and it doesn't bite me.

Nicotine: mild. Room-note: pleasant.

A good blend, worth three stars, but not quite four:

Recommended.

"Exceptionally mild" is right! The bag aroma is outstanding, the initial lite is easy but has a lot casing taste/aroma to it, however this does quickly burn off and the smoke becomes more pleasant. Over the past week or so I have tried several of the Sutliff aromatic offerings and I will say this is by far the best. I am not good at describing underlying nuisances to blends but would point out that the blenders description is pretty accurate. It is not big on "anything" but would be well suited for an all day smoke that is a crowd pleaser.

Yesterday I just happened to be in one the local party stores that offers a reasonable selection of cigars and a few select pipe tobacco. Sorting through the display cannisters of blends my eye caught a container labeled as Ugly Chuck’s Complaint. Lifting the jar lid my nose met with a nice sweet fragrant aromatic mixture. Principally strong vanilla-caramel notes supported by the citrusy tang of the base Virginia. Very dark in complexion, I gazed at the concoction of Virginia, Cavendish and Black Cavendish. Roughly textured of course bit, chunks and ribbon-cut strands of the recipe’s varietals.

When I pressed the shopkeeper for full disclosure it was revealed that this particular mix was in fact Sutiff’s Basin Street Blues. Never having had the occasion to try it opted to purchase a couple of ounces.

This is exceptionally light and mild blend, although the present Cavendish does add considerable body to the actual plume of smoke that is produced, while smoothing out the overall smoke’s character. As a standard aromatic the tobacco was extremely moist and required ample drying time as preparation for the smoking. With optimum set-up, it burns generally cool and evenly, no harshness or rough texture is experienced. The smoke is quite creamy and pillowy offering no bite or typical PG chemical astringency.

Basin Street Blue flavor is primarily dominated by the applied casings and top coating; very enjoyable and nothing overbearing or goopy by any means. Each drawl delivers a consistent sweet flair characterized to match the essential vanilla-caramel pouch note. Added sugary/honey-like nuisances are emitting from the assorted Cavendish in the recipe. Underneath in subtle presence, the Virginia base tobacco offers a tangy, earthly, woody/grassy bottom. Occasionally I did register a pronounced sour high note that is very characteristic of Burley although it is not list as part of the blend’s constitution; makes me wonder if some of the Cavendish is Burley-based.

Room note is very pleasant and shows itself as a sweet gentle essence that non-smokers can be easily tolerate. Reminiscent of baked confectionaries, Basin Street Blues fragrance is very welcoming and comforting presence. The aroma is generally well-contained to the immediate smoking area and tends to dissipate reasonably on the short.

I would generally categorize Basin Street Blues along with host of other vanilla flavored aromatics as a light bodied mild blend. There are many on the market and having smoked a few, I found this mixture to be a little more appealing. Not complex but a simple, leisurely all-day enjoyable smoke. Yet once again, Sutliff has proven that they have a leading edge on producing better quality aromatic blends. Not being a heavy aromatic smoker, even I appreciated this mixture.

Pouch note of vanilla, fruit and alcohol. The alcohol aroma is strong enough to drown out any tobacco notes. The cut is fairly even, although some long ribbons are mixed about. The leaf isn't overly moist, so the initial light is quick, and burn is even. Leaves a toasty room note.

Basin St. is very mild, flat, and airy. Does not bite in the least. I only smoked a few bowls of this to decide it isn't for me. However, new pipers may enjoy this.

Pouch aroma is ok, but that’s about it. About all I detect is virgins, maybe a little toasted cavendish, but that’s about it. Stays lit well. No tonged bite. Mild. Gets a little grassy near the bottom of the bowl. When I was a kid, we smoked Prince Albert in the barn. Very much reminded me of that. Very old memories.