Straus Tobacco Sleepy Hollow

First off, this does not taste like pumpkin. We should all be glad it does not, because a pipe tobacco that tastes like pumpkin (or worse, actually contained pumpkin) would undoubtedly be awful. Maybe this is pedantic, but it might be helpful to some who get frustrated chasing "pumpkin" and instead focus on the sweetness and spices that make this tobacco "pumpkin pie like." None of this detracts from Sleepy Hollow, which is a very successful, tasty blend.

Unlit, this tobacco smells sweet and baking spicy, with aromas of caramel, nutmeg, and vanilla. It's solidly aromatic, but not over the top. It's a little moist for me, but has no trouble drying down.

The smoke smells great, mostly like the bag/jar aromas, but with a stronger caramel, sugar and nutmeg presence and a decrease in spice. Like most aromatics, the actual flavor of the smoke isn't too bold and the nicotine isn't too strong. Unlike many aromatics, it is no trouble to light or keep lit.

This is a very good smoking tobacco! They gave out samples of this at the party on the first night of the 2015 Nashville Pipe Show (I highly recommend this show by the way). Anyway, I smoked a bowl of this before I read what it was supposed to taste like. First impression was a well tempered aromatic; I tasted vanilla a little bit but also detected some other flavors, all in good proportions. It may be the power of suggestion, but I do concur that it tastes like pumpkin and spice. It was a very pleasant smoking experience from the perspective of one who usually get burned by aromatics, a very cool smoking blend.

I love this blend, which is odd. I usually don't care for than pumpkin spice type of thing in food. However, its great in a tobacco. Really puts you in a fall mood. Please keep in mind that I mixed this with some strong burley, as I usually do with aromatics.

Consider this a VERY POSITIVE 3 star review. I reserve my 4 stars reviews for those tobaccos which are head-n-shoulders above the pack. This isn't quite there, but it certainly is an excellent tobacco that I highly recommend.

This is an unusual, though excellent, aromatic tobacco. The scent and flavoring is themed for the Fall, being cased with vanilla, nutmeg, and unless its my imagination is off, a bit of cinnamon and perhaps some caramel or maple. It certainly has a sweet, pleasing aroma and taste. Other reviewers suggest the cinnamon is "upfront" and stands out, but my nose did not detect anything nearly that strong. The nutmeg seems to be the dominant scent, which is very pleasing. If a Pumpkin Spice Latte was a tobacco, this would be it (minus the coffee taste). Certainly it is the tobacco incarnation of a warm pumpkin pie. As with all aromatics, the smell is stronger than the taste. Also, the taste tends to lessen as you burn through the bowl (this is also typical of aromatics), but the good news is the flavor only lessens, it never becomes foul or unpleasant.

The tobacco arrives very moist, which is common for aromatics. If you pinch some in your fingers then open to allow all the tobacco to drop onto the counter, some tobacco stays stuck to your fingers (indicates high moisture level). Nevertheless, when smoked in my MM Country Gentleman, I have not experienced any "goop" or gurgling (that may be in part to using a corn cob, which tends to eliminate gurgling anyway). Despite it high moisture level, I had no trouble keeping the tobacco lit and it burned down to a nice white ash.

This is the only other aromatic that I have in my rotation. I probably wouldn't smoke it year-round, but as a seasonal aromatic it is a fun change of pace. I anticipate a Fall order each year from Strauss Tobacconist as a way of welcoming in the leaves color changes.

Shipping from Strauss in KY was $9 for 8 ounces (note: 8 ounces of tobacco will completely fill a quart mason jar). I believe they have a flat shipping rate of $9 for all order under $100.

The nuttiness from the burley does indeed emerge, and there is a bit of cinnamon in the taste, but overall this is good but not great. I left the bulk pouch out for 36 hours or so to reduce some of the abundant moisture, and that did help, but this is still a very moist aromatic.

I gave this a try because we are, after all, in the Fall, though 80F at 8PM in northern California isn’t really the weather I would prefer, but then I do live here and by and large it is a great place to live. I get the theme of Sleepy Hollow. And it may be that I am less sensitive to cinnamon or the spices they introduced than, say, maple toppinigs. So best not be doctrinaire.

Still, a lot of hoopla over Sleepy Hollow. I have a lot of respect for Straus and for the efforts of many excellent local shops that do their own blends — I’d add Peretti and Milan to name but a few of many great ones out there.

Perhaps I can re-review it when the leaves have more time to settle. For now, I’d give it 2.5 stars but feel (of the two choices) three is more fair than two.