I lost my mind a couple years ago, maybe 18 months, and bought 1/2 pound of Lane's Very Cherry based a rumor that the Lanes would be unavailable. Being a dedicated "English blend" smoker this was out of character for the most part but on occasion I do like an aromatic, or at least I think I do. With 55-65% of pipe smokers preferring aromatics I thought I might try some.
Back in the mid 1960s I tried ONE bowl of Paladin's -ONE was enough. Never again. I found Middleton's Cherry Blend to be passable, smoke-worthy, for the once in three months bowl. I did try some Danish Cheery black cavendish for Finck's Cigar, nope.
The Lane's was overwhelming in the negatives aspects usually noted, but after I let the tobacco sit for a year plus some in a Mason jar (and not that well sealed) it had dried considerably and the medicine taste abated somewhat. Mixing it later with plain Golden Cavendish (50/50) from Stokkebye yielded a decent smoke. Better yet was mixing it with McClellend Grand Oriental Classic Samsun, but that was a terrible waste of GOOd tobacco on the McC side.
Then I found Caminetto Barolo and thereby tasted a real, well-made blend lightly topped with a cherry extract. Thus far, it is my favorite - high tin price notwithstanding.
There are plenty more out there to try, but I doubt I'll go further.
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