Iwan Ries Three Star Blue

This is one of the blends that I regularly smoked way back when. I have recently tried it again and I was not disappointed. This blend has not changed in my opinion. It still remains a favorite of mine, if not in my pipe regularly, in my heart always. I have no favorite type of blend. There are aromatics, non-aromatics, English, Scottish, Virginias and Americanized English blends that I like and don?t like. Recently, however, I have been smoking more aromatics than in the past. To wit, variety is the spice of life.

Three Star Blue is a classic American, mild to medium aromatic that is smooth, mellow, well-balanced, cool smoking and with a different but pleasant taste that I cannot compare to other blends. Some say it is fruity, other say it has a birch/wintergreen/mint taste or even has a perfume / soapy essence. The taste will be what YOU perceive. Regardless, the refreshing taste is subdued and will underlie but not overwhelm its more honest tobacco flavor.

The pouch aroma is unique. I could do a blind sniff test on 1000 pouches of different tobaccos and pick out the distinctive, pleasant aroma of Three Star Blue. This 100% natural tobacco tends to be on the dry side as it contains no humectants or preservatives. This, no doubt, is why it has superb burning qualities as well. This is also one of the few aromatics that does not get goopy or leave a wet heel. This is a rare plus for an aromatic. I experienced no bite perhaps because I tend to sip and savor rather than ?puff and chuff.? You may be indifferent to Blue the first few times you smoke it. If this is the case, lay it aside for 2-3 months and come back to it. I think your opinion may change favorably.

If you live in Illinois, the only thing negative about buying tobacco products from Iwan Ries is the Chicago sin tax. It now registers 13% on the Richter Scale. This is in addition to the 9% sales tax, one of the highest in the country for a major city. I think the folks at Iwan Ries should say goodbye to tradition (in Chicago since 1857) and move to the suburbs.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 9.6 out of 10.

This is a great representation of a an era gone by.This tobacco represents grandpa,egg creams,and fadoras!It is actually a fine aromatic that simply has lost its place in today's world.If you want to know the burning qualities and flavor think Royal Scott by Wilke.It is like Barking Dog with a Sundae topping. Not an everyday smoke ,but it has its place. Try some and be transported back to a better time for pipe smokers and generally the rest of us. 3 of 4 aromatic stars.

I'm new to this blend but really like it. The burley and cavendish are the primary tobaccos I taste, and give a nutty taste. There's a hint of Latakia to give a little smokiness. I do not detect the vanilla topping. The perique is barely noticeable part way through the bowl. If you like American English blends you will probably like this, even though it's categorized as an aromatic. It's a very course cut blend, and seemed rather dry in the pouch. It smoked easily with few relights. The closest tobacco I've had to this might be Lane's HGL, though there's more Virginia noticeable in HGL than in Three Star Blue. I plan on stocking up on Three Star Blue. I would recommend this for the proverbial all day smoke.

Iwan Ries’ - Three Star Blue

I have been smoking this since my first visit to the Iwan Ries shop in Chicago whilst a graduate student...these days the proprietor Charles is an extremely helpful & accommodating guide... Three Star Blue was a comforting companion in briars during the Nam days... & remains so for an elderly veteran. It just wears well as an all day tobacco! I would class it as a mild English Aromatic. There is a mild fruity & citrus sweet foundation with very pleasurable Burleys - maybe like brown sugar toasted. The Virginia’s are quality & evident. It presents like a stoved cavendish with a tad of Latikea & Perique... never over-powering, however exuding a light peppery flavour. There are some floral tones present which I enjoy - like the British Gawith Hogarth but milder—if that makes sense. The N-hit is mild & it smokes cool with few re-lights & leaves very little moisture. Three Star burns to a nice ash..an easy all-day smoke... with enough complexity/variety to keep interest up. An easy blend to recommend ! 3+ Stars.

The only natural flavor I get is a very mild toasty note from the Black Cav and a hint of smoke from the Lat. The majority of flavor is from the topping. I get a caramel/molasses flavor along with floral notes. That caramel/molasses could be coming from rum if that's what was used here. It can burn a little warm if you don't mind your pace. A pleasant smoke, but not my kind of smoke. Recommended for the aro smoker who doesn't mind a lack of natural tobacco flavor.

Mild in body. Mild to medium in taste and flavoring.

Excellent product of the art of blending tobacco! Whoever put this one together back in the day, hit a grand slam! Amazingly different tobacco flavors colliding together and producing a wonderful tasting smoke. Lights very easy, and not fussy. The flavoring tastes like it might be brandy. To the pipers who said this burned to hot and bit their tongues; Mabe you should ask your doctor about tranquilizers if you are huffing on a pipe so fast to make this blend bite. This is an outstanding blend!!! : )

Like many reviewers, I got this free with a pipe. Happy to see tobacco in an old fashioned box and foil pouch instead of plastic. It arrived a bit dry and the cut is indeed varied bits and chunks. The pouch aroma says one thing: REVELATION. So if you're missing that old staple, try this. Don't expect sweetness here, this blend is straight-up stout, but with a great aroma and taste.

This blend has a little more taste and flavor than the red . The roomnote is excellent . The flavor is .. I'm not sure what it is and the blend burns a bit warm , though it burn perfectly well . I'm a big IRC fan and this is their biggest seller , they say . It's probably my least favorite of their offerings . This is not a black Cavendish styles blend . If I liked the flavor I'd have better things to say about it . As I said ... the roomnote is fantastic and the flavor is just ok . try the Three Star Bronze ... it's killer .. and the Old Colonial , with it's mild topnote , is like CH but better

The first Peterson I ordered came with it, I absolutely love it, smells great, tates sweet, definetly will be ordering some more.:)