Iwan Ries Three Star Blue

I have only smoked pipes for a couple years, and only smoke around once a week, so I am by no means an expert. I found this tobacco very enjoyable. I didn't notice the tongue bite others have reported, but I think I smoke slowly anyway. It's a mild aeromatic, and has a great flavor. To me it seems like a more natural flavor than some of the chemically tasting ones that are so common locally.

One thing to mention with this, I hate the aftertaste on most tobaccos, but this has a very pleasant aftertaste. It leaves a very light, sweet taste. Quite good!

This tastes like the other 3 star blends. All of them are similar to Mixture #79. Aromatics are ok if the casing doesn't overpower the taste of the tobacco. This stuff is like smoking a bar of soap. Not recommended.

A classic that like the Dutch smokes best in a meershaum, more flavor and cooler on the palate vs a briar. One tobacco everyone should try at least once. Brings back some great memories for me, taking a trip to Osco drugs to buy some 3 star blends! Going to the Tinder Box and smoking my 1st Castello. Ahh for one more time in the 70's....:)!

This tobacco isn't bad or anything it just isn't for me. The leaf used isn't exactly top notch but it's pretty good considering the price. The blend is heavily cased but not overwheelming. Flavorwise I have to say it is very flat, I couldn't really taste anything. The smell of the smoke as I was exhaling and the room note were very pleasant.

Altadis isn't a company that I hold in high regard, their stuff is usually "blah"... I would recommend this to someone who is really into captain black white as it is along the same lines but much better crafted.

I wouldn't really buy this but I might not refuse a bowl if offered.

Altadis blows anyway, why would you want to have them mix your own blends when others can do a much better job?

I first smoked Three Star back in the 60's and have pretty much kept some on hand ever since. It's a good first-morning smoke. Smoke it very slowly or it will get hot and bite your tonque! I personally have learned about "saucing" from one of the greats, Craig Tarler at Cornel & Diehl. I also do a lot of my own saucing. If you can't nail down the exact aromatic of a blend, that is a good thing because most sauces are complicated and mixed to achieve an overall taste and aroma that may be non-specific in an identifiable single ingredient.

EDIT: 05/05/2017 There must be a reason that this has never been absent in my tobacco rotation since the sixties! It is because I like it! It was the catalyst in my creation of Cornell and Diehl's "Captain Bob's Blend"! But, I took this light English aromatic in a slightly different aromatic direction. My Blend has a top note in a different direction. But I want everyone to know that I love the new tins of 3SB and it has and will remain in my personal favorite rotation. I am smoking it now as I do most days. While my own Blend remains my favorite, I also want to re-state that 3SB was "THE CATALYST" for my inspiration to create CBB. Thank you Iwan Ries! I do love your blend and I give it 4 stars! See you in Chicago on Sunday 5/7/17.

I tried this tobacco about 25 years ago, when I first started to smoke a pipe. At that time I smoked only heavily-cased aromatics. I found Three Star Blue to bite, so I did not finish the pouch.

After reading the reviews of this blend, particularly that of the learned A.Morley (whose reviews are not only enlightening but entertaining as well), I decided to revisit this classic.

My opinion has changed somewhat. Its taste reminds me of cream soda as it does other reviewers. The slow approach to puffing which I learned through A.M and others on this website has reduced the bite.

I also agree with A. that this classic can be a little fickle. And the casing seems too much for me; when I reach for an aromatic, I prefer blends that are not so heavily cased.

Nevertheless, aromatic smokers should consider this interesting blend. It is unique and worth a try.

As an overly-aggressive lawyer once wrote in a vapid send-off to me (and which I found so loopy that I now incorporate it into this and future reviews), "Govern yourself accordingly!" SmokeKing David.

ps. I know that I am receiving a couple other Iwan Ries tobaccos this Christmas. I look forward to lighting them up and submitting reviews in the near future! Happy Holidays!

Things would have been better in the world if all Aromatics were still blended in the spirit of Three Star Blue. Its base is of high-quality, light-colored Burley and a good amount of bright Virginia. The cut is one of tiny, uniform squares with a scattering of hair-thin corkscrews. It is the farthest thing from sticky. It smells like old fashioned confectionary and baking spices. I have no idea why the Captain Black School was allowed to take over.

I am a sucker for classic American blends, and it is hard to find a more prominent classic than Three Star Blue?well, there is Prince Albert, but I think that I have talked enough about him already. The cut of this blend makes it very easy to pack and even easier to light. The flavor reminds me of cream soda and maybe even baby powder. This would be vapid or undesirable if it were not for the underlying Burley which is warming and flavorful while being generally unobtrusive.

I cannot, however, give Three Star Blue the highest marks because it can be temperamental. Simply let the pipe hang, taking a puff only on occasion and the flavor is missed; puff too hard and often and the stuff becomes bitter and raspy. I understand that Iwan Ries makes heavier aromatics in their Three Star line, perhaps this inconsistency of taste is thus compensated for. Overall, I give it three stars (Ha!).

after trying mixture 79 i wasn't sure what to expect from this. this was much better,i didn't find this to be as aromatic as i thought it would be,but it did leave a nice aroma for quite some time.it had a more pure tobcco taste to it for a aromatic.it started out mild but got stronger the rest of the way,it stayed cool for the most part.i would say this is another good aromatic for beginners.

As has been noted, Three Star Blue is the biggest selling private-label mixture in the world. The reason for this is clear: it's a superb pipe tobacco.

A blend of burley, Virginia, and a tiny amount of what I take to be Oriental leaf, this has a singular and powerful pouch aroma. It's a mixture of mint, fruit essence, and perfume. A pungent and alluring foretaste of what's to come. The cut is mostly in small flakes, with color ranging from light blond to black.

The writing on the pouch claims that this is 100% natural tobacco. When lit, much of the aroma from the pouch disappears, leaving one with a mildly sweet, refreshing, unique smoke, with a room note that is appealing and unmistakable. The fruity/perfumey essence stays there, but it's much more in the background than one might expect before lighting. There is a slight bite, but a modicum of attention paid to one's smoking technique alleviates this.

Three Star Blue is famous for a reason; chances are you'll either love it or hate it. I lean towards the former and highly recommend this fine blend.

(On a side note, let me compliment the customer service at Iwan Ries, who kindly sent me free samples of both Three Star Blue and China Black Vanilla Burley. They have earned their reputation as a truly great tobacco company in more ways than one.)