McCranie's St. Alban's Best

This is without a doubt my favorite all-around blend. I am nearly addicted to the pouch smell, and can hardly walk by without picking it up. It has an enticing dark and smokey aroma in the pouch that strongly appeals to me.

Since the strength of taste is medium and nicotine is mild, this is a good all-day smoke, though at night I find it to be missing a certain I-don't-know-what, perhaps a little more latakia would make me happier.

There is little aftertaste (I think a plus) and it falls in the realm of "modern English" which is definitely not a bad thing. There is a slight but persistant creaminess or smoothness to this blend that lasts through the bowl, and any sweetness is more in aroma than taste and is ever-so-fleeting. This is no aromatic, nor is it a traditional English...this is a FANTASTIC blend that I think many people would enjoy if they gave it a chance; expecially a smoker who wants to branch out from aromatics only. I suppose I would label this a mild English...again, my favorite!

I only smoke outside, though my wife has commented on the aroma of this; once favorably, once not so...it is smokey and would probably be recognized as different from a sickly-sweet aromatic by even an unfamiliar nose, but I find the "room note" (back porch note?") to be just as inticing (if not intoxicating!) as the pouch smell. I've erred on the side of caution by indicating "tolerable to strong" in that category.

If a relatively mild, English variant, barely aromatic, smokey, rich satisfying smoke sounds appealing to you, by all means, give this a try.