Robert McConnell Black and Gold

This is an unusual blend. The tin back label just claims VA, Perique, and a 'woodspice' flavor, which I easily detect in the tin and room note, but get only a trace in the bowl. I would have guessed VA, Cavendish, and a hint of Perique, but unless the 'woodspice' is related to Orientals, I don't really notice any real Oriental tones. Nor do I get any dark fruit topping.

A bit off-beat but pleasing on a warm day.

I picked this up at Ed's Pipe Shop in Santa Monica. Over the years, their range of pipe tobaccos has thinned somewhat, but I always make it a habit to pick up two tins while there, which I visit about three times a year.

Black and Gold caught my eye, sitting on the shelf, covered with dust. It must have been there five years, at least, which is instant gratification for those impatient fellows like myself, seeking aged blends.

I honestly had no idea what I was purchasing, but figured the age would make up for it, and I was at least right in that respect. Black and Gold smokes like the familiar VaPer, with the added ingredient of Cavendish, apparently included to sweeten things up a bit. This is not a sweet, cloying blend, however, and I must disagree with the lot of reviews here who have panned Black and Gold as a mild, flavorless smoke.

There is a heavy Perique presence, and the blend is more than mild, I would even suggest it's rather strong, at least medium in body. I first fired this up to complaint, which is rare. A resident non pipe smoker walked in my smoking den and blew the air ahead with a disapproving hand, asking what I was smoking. I was told it smelled horrible, and I have never had anyone protest a VaPer before. In my mind, it was a compliment, suggesting the robustness of my smoke.

I like this blend, and I like it even more souped up with a third of Smyrna, adding a bit of spice to the Virginia and Perique. In the tin you can make out dark strands of flake Virginia, rubbed out, their formerly Golden hue now absorbed by the darker leaf of the Perique and Cavendish, well represented though indistinguishable from one another. The tobacco glitters in the light from a good deal of time spent on the shelf, the discarded tin, its paper insert stained by bleeding of time.

Puffing in cadence brings about a rich, subdued sweetness in flavor with clear, tangy notes, complimented by the ever present plum of the Perique, which hits quite evident. I can't make out the Cavendish...which has that sort of chameleon quality that lurks about in the background, and even without the added Smyrna I detect a bit of spice, from what element of the components, I can't say. You should know, however, that the Cavendish plays no part in watering down the character of Black and Gold. I've put the blend on a fast track to early completion, having no VaPers currently on hand.

This was a solid purchase, if a bit pricey, though I've grown accustomed to paying the inflated B&M charges and associated tax. I complain, sure, but appreciate the luxury of seeing my wares on the shelf, of exchanging pleasantries and experiences with a real tobacconist and not the sort that hangs around on forum news groups, although I love their company as well. Support your local shop!

I just recently purchased a 20+ year old tin of this blend on Ebay for $10...so I thought it would be no big loss if I did not like the blend. Well, I know many of the previous reviews of this blend were not favorable, so I am wondering if the aging process helped the tobacco. When I broke the seal and opened the tin, I was greeting with a wonderful plumlike aroma, and inspecting the tobacco, I noticed it was COVERED in sugar crystals, which for me, usually means I am in for a treat, and this was NO exception. I packed a Country Gentlemen corncob and lit up. This is a wonderful blend, a mild flavor,cool burning, and required NO relights, burning from top to bottom with one light. My partner, who is NO fan of Perique, complimented me on the roomnote, telling me what ever the tobacco was cased with, it covered up the Perique quite nicely. All I can say is, I will be searching Ebay and the internet looking for more of this blend. Highly Recommended!