Sutliffs Black Swan

[Capn Jimbo]

"Exceptionally mild and aromatic, sweet and dark"...


...as per the Sutliff's Private Stock tin. Way back when I decided it would be wise to learn the basic components of pipe tobacco, I ordered this one from P&C as an example of cavendish. Good sealable tin, lovely sweet tin aroma, comes in what appears to be a cased rough cut, black as night. Per Sutliff:

Blend Type: Cavendish Based
Contents: Black Cavendish
Flavoring: None
Cut: Coarse Cut

I'm sure most of us have at one time or another tried a black cavendish and what do we most expect? That's right, VANILLA! Big vanilla. In many cases, overpowering vanilla, and often accompanied by prunes or dark fruits. This one is quite the opposite: it's main feature is mild sweetness with just a touch of vanilla, if any. The black cavendish is "fire-cured and steam sweated". According to Classical Pipes (good reviewer) that's actually rather special and the mark of a well processed tobacco. He also points out that unlike many aromatics the effect actually improves during the smoke, rather than the opposite. He recommends a big bowl pipe, apparently to maximize the flavors.

My impressions rather confirm this. My position on aromaticity is that an aromatic should supplant and support the tobacco, but not dominate. It should also not burn, of course. This Black Swan is absolutely lovely in that regard. A pleasant, mild and toasty tobacco featuring sweetness over a background of light vanilla. If you want to know what cavendish is doing in your blend, this one will demonstrate its function - smoothness and mildness, nice creamy smoke. Extremely relaxing and easy.

The leading descriptor: sweetness.

Even though dried overnight, I needed to relight if I set the pipe down for even a minute or two, perhaps due to the casing. No biggie. You can also smoke it without much drying. Sutliff's Private Stock Black Swan is a keeper for me. I love its light aromaticity that still allows the well prepared black cavendish to show well. Nice in the tin, nice in the pipe. This would also work well as a good blender I think.

I'd buy it again.




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