Ole Shenandoah Barrel No. 76

It's been a while since I've put a mild aromatic into my pipe, and I have to admit my palate is a bit out of practice. My first impression is a sweet flavor with hints of cinnamon or nutmeg, as though I caught the gingerbread man and shoved him into my pipe.

I should have read the other reviews before opening the tin, since this is clearly not a summer smoke. While the smoke itself is very mild, every element hints at winter, fireplaces, warm blankets, and carolers. All things inappropriate for 80 degree weather in June. I closed the tin and labeled it, "Do not open until Christmas." When the yuletide comes around, I may be able to give this tobacco the review it deserves.

This blend was fairly new to me. It had a nice aroma when opening the tin. Very little moisture and was just about right. Easy to pack and stayed lite after the first charring light. I packed a good sized bowl and it burned evenly through the entire bowl with no dottle in the bottom. Produced a nice rich thick smoke. A nice blend of Burley and Cavendish with no bite. Reminds me somewhat of Sutliff Molto Dolce but in a milder form when smoked. Would be a great starter blend for someone new to pipe smoking. Plan to smoke it regularly. Also thought it was reasonably priced.

I purchased a few tins of this because it sounded like it was worth a try and the price was right. Overall it's not bad, has a pretty good choc/vanilla flavor that lasts through to the end. It burns good right out of the tin without drying. Its mild on the nicotine so enjoy a big bowl if you wish. Not really any doddle at the bottom at all, doesn't gunk up your pipe and most importantly no bite! This is a great aro for someone starting out for sure, and an all day smoke for the more experienced.

From the tin it’s fairly wet and a little goopy, and is ribbon cut. The aroma is as the description says. It is buttery, nutty, with vanilla and honey. Hints of chocolate and a fruity sherry or brandy topping is also present.

It smokes like the aroma. Buttery, nutty, vanilla, honey, with a hint of chocolate. I also notice some caramel and the brandy topping. The Burley is a little nutty with some molasses. Cavendish adds a light touch of brown sugar.

The descriptions says no bite and that is true. Absolutely no bite and smoked very cool. Required virtually no relights. It smoked dry but did leave some moisture in the bowl. Very little nicotine, and in combination of the zero bite, could be smoked all day without pause. 3 out of 4 stars.

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Note: I have read that this is identical to Scotty’s Butternut Burley. They also share the same description. I find them to be identical with a few small differences. Scotty’s Butternut Burley has a touch more honey and the sherry/brandy note a little stronger, as well as the toppings being an shade more pronounced and distinguishable. That being said it would be difficult to tell the two apart if blindfolded. They both have the same review notes, so I am using this note to distinguish the two. Barrel No. 76 gets 3 stars, Butternut Burley receives 3.25.

A solid vanilla aromatic

The best thing about this blend is the smoothness of the smoke. It was the first pipe tobacco that I tried (along with Dunhill EMP) and there was no bite to be found.

The second best part is the topping, which is dominated by vanilla, maybe brown sugar, and hints of chocolate.

Finally, the tobacco itself is flavorful and is composed mostly of burley, black cavendish, and some Virginia leaf, which remain discernible even with the topping.

It is good but not quite perfection.

A decent smoke in a sea of a chocolate and vanilla aromatic blends.

The chocolate and vanilla topping is strong but pleasant. The chocolate plays well with the nuttiness of the burley, which I feel is at the forefront of the blend. The cavendish adds some richness to the blend. The smoke is smooth and flavorful, but I find this flavor profile in numerous similar blends, such as Captain Black Regular, Mac Baren 7 Seas Regular, etc. What sets Barrel No. 76 apart is the predominance and quality of the burley in the blend. It is quite tasty.

I finished a tin with some age to it, though I forgot to check the specific date.

Ole Shenandoah is great for an aromatic. It isn't a wet, hot mess like most are. Smokes cool, leaves only ash and actually holds its flavor throughout. There is something besides vanilla in the taste that I can't quite make out. Ginger? Nutmeg? Whatever it is, it peaks out from behind the vanilla on occasion and gives you another flavor to taste. Very nice.

I was happy to see that the tin scent of Cocoa, Raisins, and Vanilla all carried over in the smoke as well. Reminds me a lot of Christmas Cookie from Boswell, as the combination of all the scents and flavors is absolutely scrumptious. Overall a very pleasant smoke that put up no fuss and burned cool.

I rate this blend 7 out of 10. One thing I have learned from reading reviews on this site is that tobacco tastes are very subjective and just because a lot of other people like a blend does not necessarily mean it will be one that I personally enjoy...so for that reason I encourage you to please take my reviews and ratings with a grain of salt. That being said, Barrel No 76 is definitely worth a try!

It is a mild and pleasant aromatic. I enjoyed the flavor and didn't experience any sort of tongue bite or any of the unpleasant chemical taste (or aftertaste) that I absolutely DETEST in pipe tobaccos. It was a little wet when I first got it but dried a bit and mellowed after sitting in the tin for a few months.

I am not a reviewer with such a sophisticated palate that I can pick out for you all the different nuances and flavors that I got out of this tobacco, I am just an average guy who enjoyed smoking this blend. It's pretty mild (which I like) and does a good job of blending the sweetness of flavor and aroma with the natural flavor of the tobacco. I can attest that there aren't any overpowering flavors or fruit notes or anything like that.

My overall favorite aromatic tobacco right now is Lane BCA which is similar to this blend but, in my opinion, much better. Another one that I favor over Barrel No 76 is Peter Stokkebye Dansk Black which is also an excellent blend and was my previous favorite before I found BCA.