Favorite Borderline Aromatics?

[BriaronBoerum]

Being naturally contrarian I seem to be going the wrong way around on the pipe journey! I've heard most people start off with aros, then progress through Va's and VaPers, and then graduate to English and Orientals. I started with an English blend, then the Va's, but am now overcoming my aversion to aromatics. A little bit. (And I'm not even going to mention the DFK fans, y'all are braver individuals than me!).

I still don't have a real taste for the few classic aros I've tried so far -- really, I should just shut up and keep smoking for a while until I've tasted more widely and frequently, but that contrarian thing, right?

I'm curious to hear about blends that keep the tobacco front and center, whether they're virginia, burley, English, etc., but still have a discernable aromatic note that complements, rather than overwhelms the tobacco. I'm particularly curious about B & M blends, most of which I haven't tried yet.

 

[Oddball]

All the sailor navy blends that are very rumish(I literally label a jar Rumish because I forgot what was in it) are what I like in Aro-adjaceient realm. The ones that have enough that you can tell there is rum. Black Frigate is an example.

I haven't tried a ton of aro or semi aro myself so my experience is limited to those Rumish Navys.

also Golden Days of Yore is a light holiday aro that is super yummy.

 

[fireground_piper]

My suggestion is to always looks for things that interest you regardless of where you are in experience. I started with aromatics and Virginia blends because that's what interested me. I'm not going to learn how to smoke an aromatic if I'm focusing on a burley.

My favorites are English Chocolate and Blockade Runner. I'm not sure I'd consider Blockade Runner an aro, but it is flavored with rum and I personally love the aroma of the smoke.

Saint Espresso is a pretty good balance too and one I enjoy.

All regular production from C&D.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Stokkebye's LTF is not an aromatic, because the flavor is added in the cavendish process, no topping. But, for me, it as close to an aromatic as I want to get. The flavor/aroma is caramelized coconut, but it doesn't translate into the smoke much. Mostly what you'll taste is just a very rounded Virginia.

 

[SBC]

Boswell has a few in this category, including Northwoods, Private Stock, and Military Force.
Others already mentioned include Black Frigate and LTF.
Two recently discontinued would be Vanilla Rollcake and Newminster 400.

 

[dottlejockey]

Like you, i started mainly with lat blends, then moving into other non-aros, but i do love DFK. I tend to grow weary of anything overly topped quite quickly, even if at first finding it desirable.

That said, there are several topped blends that i think are worthy of note.

KBV Burlier Morning Pipe, Samsun & Delilah and Mycroft
C&D Corncob Pipe and a Button Nose
Country Squire Cowboy Coffee and King's Highway

These ones stand out off the top of the noggin.

 

[Infantry23]

Boswell has a few in this category, including Northwoods, Private Stock, and Military Force.
Others already mentioned include Black Frigate and LTF.
Two recently discontinued would be Vanilla Rollcake and Newminster 400.

I'm really glad that you mentioned Military Force. That one was the first one I thought of. Vanilla Roll Cake is an out-and-out aromatic to me, but one of my favorites.

 

[starrynight]

Just popped a tin of Peterson University Flake… no idea what others classify this as, but it’s got a plum topping that actually comes through in the smoke, and works well with the virginias.

I’ll be searching for more blends in this general realm as I liked it a lot.

As a side note, I’m flummoxed as to what an aromatic is. This blend has a topping but seems mild and unobtrusive, but it’s not labeled an aromatic on smokingpipes.

I’ve just been thinking of aromatics as any blend containing a black cavendish or burley carrying a topping….

 

[Brad H]

G&H brown Irish twist aromatic.
Beautifully brown with a slight aromatic.

 

[SBC]

I'm really glad that you mentioned Military Force. That one was the first one I thought of. Vanilla Roll Cake is an out-and-out aromatic to me, but one of my favorites.

I'm sure that this is my own idiosyncrasy, but in my head an aromatic is cavendish (or cavendish/burley) based.

No matter how heavily a tobacco is topped, if it's legitimate VA (as in LTF or NM400), or VA based (as in Rollcake), as distinct from run-of-the-mill ribbon cavendish, I don't see it as an "Aromatic" but as a heavily topped VA.

But I shouldn't assume my taxonomy with others. The OP probably referred to the amount or degree of topping rather than my way of categorizing things.

 

[starrynight]

I'm sure that this is my own idiosyncrasy, but in my head an aromatic is cavendish (or cavendish/burley) based.

No matter how heavily a tobacco is topped, if it's legitimate VA (as in LTF or NM400), or VA based (as in Rollcake), as distinct from run-of-the-mill ribbon cavendish, I don't see it as an "Aromatic" but as a heavily topped VA.

But I shouldn't assume my taxonomy with others. The OP probably referred to the amount or degree of topping rather than my way of categorizing things.

Looks like we’re on the same page.

The other consideration I had was a bit more semantic: an aromatic is any blend intentionally blended for room note.

 

[OzPiper]

Sillem’s Black
The topping does fade with time.
I have a tin that has been open for 3 years and the topping is barely discernible.

 

[PaulRVA]

Bosun Cut Plug, Brown Flake Aromatic & Grousemoor get a lot of time with me.
I don’t know if they’d qualify but I think they’re worth a try.

 

[BingBong]

+1 for Peterson's University Flake, also for Juicy Fruit gum experience, Erinmore Flake or Ready Rubbed. They're more "flavoured" than "aro", I'd say - MacBarens Latakia Flake is more of a "true" aro; English blends were considered aromatics back in the day. Tricky ground, this!

 

[KruegerFlap]

I love Blockade Runner and the second pipe tobacco I ever tried was Lane HGL and I still smoke that from time to time. There is no shame in liking aromatic tobaccos, they actually sell the best despite what you may perceive from forums like this one. My cellar is 98% non-aros but I don't hesitate to buy a blend if it interests me. I just bought some Boswell's Christmas Cookie because it sounds pretty good. Aro's are a great break from the normal rotation of non-aro blends.

 

[OzPiper]

There is no shame in liking aromatic tobaccos, they actually sell the best despite what you may perceive from forums like this one. Aro's are a great break from the normal rotation of non-aro blends.

I generally prefer a cheese board to finish a meal, but from time to time a dessert just hits the spot.
I liken having an aromatic to having dessert.

 

[BigR]

The Country Squire's got Hunting Creek and Northwest Trek. They are both labeled as English aromatics. Both of them are good. Hunting Creek is a little more on the sweet side.

 

[dd57chevy]

Just popped a tin of Peterson University Flake… no idea what others classify this as, but it’s got a plum topping that actually comes through in the smoke, and works well with the virginias.

I’ll be searching for more blends in this general realm as I liked it a lot.

As a side note, I’m flummoxed as to what an aromatic is. This blend has a topping but seems mild and unobtrusive, but it’s not labeled an aromatic on smokingpipes.

I’ve just been thinking of aromatics as any blend containing a black cavendish or burley carrying a topping….

The term "aromatic" , IMO , is not really definable . All tobaccos produce some kind of aroma .

It's kind of a non-specific descriptor .

This has been discussed before :
.

Aromatic ? :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion

I need someone to wise me up :confused: . How does a pipe tobacco fall into the "aromatic" category ? I mean , they all simply by ignition produce smoke which has a aroma . Prince Albert , Carter Hall produce an "aroma " . If you smoked dried oak leaves there would be an aroma ...........

pipesmagazine.com

 

[OzPiper]

The term "aromatic" , IMO , is not really definable . All tobaccos produce some kind of aroma .

It's kind of a non-specific descriptor .

This has been discussed before :
.

Aromatic ? :: Pipe Tobacco Discussion

I need someone to wise me up :confused: . How does a pipe tobacco fall into the "aromatic" category ? I mean , they all simply by ignition produce smoke which has a aroma . Prince Albert , Carter Hall produce an "aroma " . If you smoked dried oak leaves there would be an aroma ...........

pipesmagazine.com

Pedant

 

[dd57chevy]

Pedant

Luddite