Planta Königlich - Preußisches Tabakskollegium 1720 Blau

The tin note reeks of a set of overpowering artificial flavours that are chemical in nature. The aroma is utterly unpleasant as a result. When lit up, the chemical taste persists for the duration of the smoke. Intolerable!

Seems to me that to smoke it free of the chemical flavouring, one has to blend it with some other tobacco. This I did by mixing it with Robert McConnell's The Original Pure 100% Cuba pipe tobacco to produce a tolerable smoke.

Sadly this blend is another one of Planta's lousy blends. But i guess we should be thankful for those, because it is blends like those that make the money to be able to produce the few true gems Planta offers to the market. I was pretty disappointed with this offering because i remember that the story goes that some German pip club had the Royal Prussian series blended for them. And what self respecting pipe club would want a lousy blend as their house blend, right?

Upon opening the tin you will be greeted by some undefined fruits and lots of it. I did not like the tin note because it is an obtrusive smell and has some artificiality to it as well.

The tobacco is perfectly conditioned right out of the tin. Packing and lighting are easy and only some fine white ashes will remain.

The taste is pretty much the same as the tin note only alot lighter and not that obtrusive. But in the best case it is nothing special but plain and dull. In the worst case it is some artificial taste like burnt fruit. In any case tongue bite *will* occur but in exchange i am unable to make out any of the promised caramel tones. I probably even would have liked the taste of this blend *if* i would have been able to make it out properly through my throbbing tongue. But i was denied that chance for only god knows what reasons. The flavouring is gone latest by the last third of the bowl and almost only hot air will remain. There is the faint hint of some so-so tobacco at the end of the bowl but that's about it in the taste of tobacco department.

This blend needs some space around it and i recommend large bowls for it.

Aftertaste is the taste of pain and some of the flavouring sticking to your hair and clothes. The room note is very nice and you are likely to be commented positive on it.

Do i recommend this blend? No, why would i? I never recommend anything that forces you to an involuntary break from smoking due to a tongue in shambles, *especially* if the taste offered is nothing special to begin with. Also i wanted to sample the entire series but after this experience i am not inclined anymore to do so ...