Savinelli Doblone d'Oro

Blend: Doblone D'oro Blend Type: VaPer Cut: Loose Coin Topping: None Detected Taste: Medium Strength: Mild-Medium

It took me a long time to get to it but I've been aging Savinelli's Doblone D'Oro for about 1-2 months now and I decided to break it out and open for Easter.

So here is my take: Upon opening the jar you are met with a pleasant grassy note from the Virginia's with the mixed subtle spiciness from the the Perique. I have heard this blend compared to Three Nuns Green and I will say the Three Nuns has more of a grassy note than Doblone in the tin/jar. It comes in coins which I find to be just a hair tighter packed than The average Three Nuns but there is a similarity. They are very easy to rub out and I find the tobacco to be dry enough to smoke right out of the tin, with possibly erring on the side of needing slight rehydration. Easy to pack I found that getting a light wasn't a problem and with keeping a slow cadence it did need a relight every now and again. Room note: I don't think your non smoking friends will like this one, it is not strong but I will say it definitely smells of the Virginia. I find this quite pleasant but you never know. The nicotine is mild to medium and I would categorize this as satisfying for myself personally.

Now to the important stuff: taste. It is a solid medium. I can definitely taste the Virginia's light and grassy and definitely citrusy at the beginning of the bowl and mellowing out as you puff along. The Perique adds a peculiar spicy raisinyness to which I am particularly fond. It doesn't overpower but in my opinion gives a boldness and fuller flavor than say your regular Three Nuns orange. I don't mean to keep comparing it to the TN Green but it's the closest analog I can think of, and here again where the Perique in TN Green is more mellow, this blend seems just a hair more Perique forward. As you reach the end you will find that it burns down to a fine white ash. For a Vaper lover this could easily be an all day smoke. It definitely ages well and is immensely satisfying, I will definitely buy more.

As a postscript I have heard this blend compared to the original Three Nuns and since I have never tried that blend I wouldn't know where to start but I will reccomend you try this for it's own merits.

Doblone d'Oro: Gold Coins of Perfection

The red Virginias seem to be the basis of this blend and add quite a bit of natural sweetness and some tang. The Dark-fired leaf balances well with the the tanginess of the Virginia leaf—adding an oak-fire quality to the smoke. The perique adds a pleasant spiciness (like a medium-bodied Va/per) and turns this blend into a complex and intriguing experience. I do not get much from the burley present, but it does feel like it adds some depth to the overall blend.

I picked up a tin of this after smoking the current iteration of Three Nuns. I much prefer Doblone d'Oro. Savinelli's offering is much more balanced and nuanced, with more oomph than the overly sweet and two note Three Nuns.

Spicy! By which I mean densely seasoned. The Kentucky almost steals the show in this blend. I tasted the sweetness of fruit, on top of a spice box of earthy and smokey honey, but toasty, as if resting on hickory wood. It conveys an all-encompassing tang that is extremely satisfying to me but not overwhelming (almost though). A smoky and rich delivery. People who compare this to old Three Nuns are right. So if you liked the original iteration of that baccy, which used to include perique back then, you'll like this one too. I love these little frangible coins that just fall apart with no effort. An exceptional smoke, but by no means an all-day smoke, which it obviously is not intended to be anyway. This baccy sets out to get your attention and, in my case, it does. Smoke it slowly and savor to capture all its beauties, that always being a good idea.

I concur with everything JimInks (the Sherlock Holmes of Tobacco Reviews) wrote in his review on Doblone d'Oro. He should be granted a "License to Savor" & have his taste buds & olfactory glands insured. I couldn't have said it better myself. I believe the elusive flavor he was trying to ID might have been Bourbon since Perique is cured/fermented under pressure in used Bourbon casks/barrels but that's just conjecture on my part & his review, among other experienced pipers, is the reason I chose to sample this blend.

The fermented aroma from the tin in itself was a real treat. The flavor improved after a little had burned off... a delicious semi-sweet flavor with some punch to it. I'm unable to fully explain all the subtle nuances of this blend or why it tantalized my taste buds. It seemed to smoke just as cool toward the end but about halfway through the bowl is when this mixture really starts to shine. I had no idea that I'd be in for such a treat when I purchased this tin. This is a fairly strong blend that won't bite & provides abundant, creamy smoke & I think this will become sweeter with a little more aging. I don't inhale any form of tobacco but still received a decent Vitamin N blast from this blend. Got my head right & it will be an all day smoke for me as long as I'm above ground.

Right now, the way I feel about this stuff is that it's a blending masterpiece. This is by far the best pipe tobacco of this genre that I've ever smoked in my entire life! These coins are about the size of a quarter and the tin also contains some loose strands... you might say partially mixed. There are no stems & the tobacco is well behaved with a perfect burn rate which doesn't require relights. NOTE: This might be of interest to some pipers. You'll notice the center of the coins are a dark tobacco... the loose strands are a mixture of light & dark. I was experimenting & sampled a bowl with just the dark center & it didn't smoke with as good a flavor as when mixed with the lighter strands. I felt this worth mentioning.

It's not too moist which makes it a relatively good value & can be smoked right from the opening but is best if dried out to the proper smoking moisture. It doesn't produce excessive moisture if dried properly but will still produce some condensation, regardless. I noticed that the tin aroma from this and the MacBaren Three Nuns is different... similar but not the same animal. Doblone d'Oro smells well cured & more enticing. I feel confident that this blend will go from excellent into the nirvana stage as time flies & bought more for cellaring. If this were the only pipe tobacco in the world, I would still be a happy camper. This might possibly reach the epitome of a classic blend. I will rate Doblone d'Oro off the chart... four stars plus!

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The irregular cut coins, mixed with loose strands in the style of Cabbie’s Mixture, appear highly compressed in their tin and quite dry. The cold aroma already points to the presence of smoked Kentucky.

After lighting the tobacco, the first thing that comes out is a Kentucky variety that reminds me a lot of Mac Baren's HH Old Dark Fired, which is not so strange, since Doblone d'Oro is also manufactured by the Mac Baren house. If there is a reason why I have not been to that ODF more often, it is precisely because of its homogeneity in flavor and because of the excessive robustness of Kentucky. However, in Doblone d'Oro that same flavor is nuanced and softened by the other components, allowing me to enjoy that same Kentucky flavor combined with the other ingredients without feeling overwhelming. Is also some extra sweetness that seems to come from some kind of topping, but I can't be sure. As a curiosity, I will say that I find in this mixture a slight flavor similar to that of banana, which I have not found in any other mixture.

Towards the last third of the bowl, the burley appears by surprise holding the reins and taking a turn to the smoke that makes me think that this is several mixtures in one. A very rich tobacco that enters my daily rotation without any doubt.

Savinelli Doblone d'Oro is a spicy Virginia Perique blend with enough Dark Fired Kentucky to make this a very interesting blend. It is spun cut, much like Three Nuns, however in the sample I was given it was fairly broken up. The tin note is sweet hay like Virginia, while the perique is spicey, peppery, and plum like. The Kentucky shines through very well with its woody and smokey notes. I also pick up on a honey like topping.

Upon lighting I am greeted with a lot of flavors. The Virginias are full flavored with notes of hay and a bit of grass. I would associate the VAs as being on the darker side. They are tied with the Kentucky which is smokey, tangy, and woodsy with BBQ notes of smoked brisket. The perique is very full as well, and is almost tied with the previously mentioned components. It is very peppery, with a lot of dark fruit notes. The perique leaves a light tingle on the tongue much in the way spicy food will. It was nice, and I have only experienced this previously with C&D Bayou Morning. There is a brown sugar note that I believe is brought forth by the Burleys, and a light touch of nuttiness as well. There is a light top note that plays well with the flavors of the tobacco and would be easy to miss. I noticed it as honey, Jiminks states that it is rum and anise, and I believe this to be true. It is sweet an does support the blend.

Doblone d'Oro smoked very cool and burned very slow, however it did require more relights than what I am used to. This did not bother me though and should not put anyone off who is considering trying this blend. In summary, the best way I can describe this blend is sweet, spicy, and zesty. A very full flavored VaPerBur. 3.5 stars.

To me, this is the best VaPer I've had so far, by some margin.

The tin note consists of zesty Virginia and a sweet, earthy smell that brings Kenya to mind.

The Perique spices things up, in proportion to how hard you draw. There is enough of it to playfully tickle your nose on the retrohale.

The flavor is full-bodied, slightly sweet, and blends together a gamut of earthy, grassy notes. The flavor is very consistent throughout.

The Burley and and Kenyan tobacco add body to both the flavor profile and the texture of the smoke, having a velvet thick smoke.

This is a bit too strong for me to be an all-day smoke, but will definitely be my go-to when I want a VaPer at the end of the day or during a relaxing weekend.

Highly recommended.

This is an interesting mixture where I find the Kentucky to standout the most. It being a very strong tasting tobacco, I find it overshadows the perique and sweetness of the Virginia. Basically, this is the love child of the more rustic tobaccos like « Comune » with your classic VaPer. Enjoyable, but trying to be two things at the same time doesn’t quite do it for me.

12/12/2020 update: After several bowls this mixture is really growing on me. I quite like the punch the Kentucky gives it, almost cigar like and the flavour is full and consistant through out the bowl. 4 stars!

I concur with everything JimInks (the Sherlock Holmes of Tobacco Reviews) wrote in his review on Doblone d'Oro. Like Bond... James Bond, with a "License to Savor," shaken or stirred. He should have his taste buds & olfactory glands insured. I couldn't have said it better myself. After more sampling... three tins down, I believe the elusive flavor he was trying to ID might have been a light touch of Ouzo, a type of Greek Rum but that is only conjecture on my part.

Further research might also indicate a flavoring of brown sugar or molasses & maybe some Curry. The Kenyan leaf is akin to a dark fired Kentucky Burley. Whatever the flavor additives were, it produced a similarity to the old Bell's Three Nuns. JimInks's review, among other experienced pipers, is the reason I chose to sample this blend. The fermented aroma from the tin in itself was a salivating treat. This will most likely be the closest any blend will ever come to the original Bell's Three Nuns. Moreover, we know not what happens & who converses in the procurement & blending craft. They all retain their secrets in code.

The flavor improved after a little had burned off... a delicious semi-sweet flavor with some punch to it. The Perique also produces some fruity sweetness that is complimented by the VA sweetness & enhanced by the nutty, earthy flavor of the Kenyan Burley. It seemed to smoke just as cool toward the end but about halfway through the bowl is when this mixture really starts to shine. This is a fairly strong blend that won't bite & provides abundant, creamy smoke with a perfect burn rate. I think this will become sweeter with a little more aging. After sampling just one tin, I purchased three extra rolls to cellar. Needless to say, I really crave this relatively recent offering from Savinelli.

I don't inhale any form of tobacco but still received a decent Vitamin N blast from this blend. Got my head right & it will be an all day smoke for me as long as I'm above ground. Right now, the way I feel about this mixture is that it's a blending masterpiece. These coins are about the size of a quarter and the tin also contains some loose strands... you might say partially mixed. There are no stems & the tobacco is well behaved & requires little maintenance. It's not too moist which makes it a relatively good value & can be smoked right from the opening & produces very little, if any condensation.

I noticed that the tin aroma from this and the MacBaren Three Nuns is different... similar but not the same animal. Doblone d'Oro smells well cured & more enticing. I feel confident that this blend will go from excellent into the nirvana stage as time flies & will become as legendary as the original Bell's Three Nuns. If this were the only pipe tobacco in the world, I would still be a happy camper. This might possibly reach the epitome of a classic blend. Anyway, this was just as enjoyable to me as the original Bell's Three Nuns blend & I will rate Doblone d'Oro off the chart... four stars plus!