Many of us start with aromatics, like the Middleton's Cherry Blend of my youth, Lane's 1-Q, then their BCA. That led to Lane's HLP-6, Sutliff's 504 Aromatic English and today? The instant "R-blend".
Burley, Virginia, Latakia and Perique, and in just about that order. Here's the review I posted over at tobaccoreviews:
In closing, do note the order of progression I noted above. Each subsequent tobacco is less aromatic, and with additional components, yet remaining in balance. This last, the "R-Blend" (reputed to be Einstein's thinking tobacco) has really hit the spot."I know I've said this before, but at my Rum Project website, we've tasted hundreds of good spirits, not least rum and a number of good Scotch whiskies. It goes without saying that these are well accompanied by a good pipe or cigar. As a spirits reviewer I'm always concerned with balance, harmony but without losing interest, ie complexity. It's a fine line. When any one element shouts out to the detriment of the others, it can be jolting. This "R" are pretty nice tobacco, and at least for me strikes a lovely balance. The elements - burley, virginia, latakia and perique are all there, all discernible, but no one of them crowds the others.
They get along like the sociable patrons at my favorite Irish pub. Lots of conversation, but you can hear all of them. No loudmouths, at least not in the pipe. One of the other reviewers called this a VaBur with touches of latakia and perique, and I'll surely agree with that. I can imagine Albert (Einstein) sitting back after a day of hard thinking, to just drift away in this blend's pleasantness.
As has been well said the tin note is a simply beautiful deep, dark fruit and tobacco. Nice coarse cut, and just enough moisture to just pack and smoke. Simple gravity fill, with another pinch to finger tamp it down, light a couple times, toss your feet up and reeeeeelax. It's roasted nutty tobacco, with just the right sweetness, one could imagine the deep, dark fruity aromas, but little more than imagination. It's kind of an old codgery, but at the club kind of feeling. The burley peeks forward now and again - very nice - but recedes back into the virginia, with the latakia and perique always there to add a pleasant spice and smokiness.
This blend is so very easy to smoke, and so very pleasant. Now I know this shows up as an English, and perhaps for some it is. But for me I'd rather call it an American English, an expat who plays nicely by the rules. I dig it, and will buy it again...as blends go these components know how to play together.
Similar Blends: HGL without the aromatics (or at least a LOT less). Ibid for Sutliff's 504 Aroma"
Balance, harmony, with all components discernible but none really dominant. This - for me - is a near perfect blend. Nice.
