Amphora Full Aroma

[John_B]

So, as you do, I took advantage of duty free allowance on my recent holiday and found a real bargain on the shelves of a tobacco and liquor store in Lanzarote. Amphora Red for a mere £4.50 per 50gm pouch. I last tried this blend when I was about 20 years old a scant 42 years ago. It was made in Holland back then and is now produced by MacBaren in Denmark. I am very happy to report that it is as I remember it. Upon opening the pouch, I was met by what I would describe as a very pleasant aroma that takes me back to my childhood, when sweets and tobacco were sold side by side in every b&m and the subtle mix of chocolate and fruit made for a truely hypnotic experience. The tobacco was slightly dry, but I rehumidified it a little and it is now at perfect moisture. The cut is an exemplary Dutch Cavendish and after a very slight rub, was easy to fill, using the palm swirl method and topping off with some kindling of finer bits. This is a combination of fine leaf including Virginia, Burley, Oriental and Dark Fired. Each plays a part in the pleasure that is found on lighting up. Unusually for an aromatic, flavour and room note are as expected from the pouch note. Sweet and savory and full of character. I am not normally seduced by the dubious delights of Aromatics but this is no OTC drugstore blend. No gloopy mess in this mix, and no tongue bite, but instead a wonderful flavour that follows all the way down the bowl to fine ash and no dottle. I paired it with a cup of Earl Grey with Vanilla and the combination really works well. Fair play to MacBaren for re-creating the Recipe faithfully, which isn't always the case. A solid 4 star performance and a very happy customer.

Addendum :- I needn't have bothered re-hydrating the tobacco, as I have subsequently found it to smoke better on the dry side. (Less tendency to bite).

Pipe Used: Falcon

Age When Smoked: Packed in 2017 (5 years)

Purchased From: Lanzarote

 

[yanoJL]

Thank you for posting this. I have tried 5 different blends from this line, with my favorite being the Amphora Virginia. But I've not yet tried this blend. Your review has inspired me to add a pouch to a future order. I may even follow suit and use a Falcon, as I have a bowl dedicated to occasional aromatic indulgences.
Great writeup, friend!

 

[mso489]

I like Borkum Riff Bourbon so I might like this one too. I do like Amphora Burley, and since I am a burley devotee, I may be a fair judge of it.

It's not like I need another blend. I am up to the gills in good leaf.

 

[John_B]

Thank you for posting this. I have tried 5 different blends from this line, with my favorite being the Amphora Virginia. But I've not yet tried this blend. Your review has inspired me to add a pouch to a future order. I may even follow suit and use a Falcon, as I have a bowl dedicated to occasional aromatic indulgences.
Great writeup, friend!

Deepest apologies. This isn't a Bourbon blend. It is however very good. Can a mod please ammend the title for me ?

 

[John_B]

Please would a mod change the title of this thread ? It is "Full Aroma" and not Bourbon. Put it down to a senior moment and a brain fart as I have been smoking Borkum Riff Bourbon. Many thanks .

 

[Merton]

I really like Amphora Full aroma (and Virginia as well). The full aroma is an aromatic which is not goopy in the slightest. it is flavored with orange and raspberry but very lightly. Great price and and very enjoyable blend.

 

[davidintexas]

Thanks for the review John. It's been quite a while since I last tasted it, and wasn't enthralled by it, but that's been a few years back, and my tastes have changed some, and i have come to appreciate flavors more than I did in the past, so you've encouraged me to dig this back out and give it another try. Wonderful articulate review

 

[John_B]

Thank you for posting this. I have tried 5 different blends from this line, with my favorite being the Amphora Virginia. But I've not yet tried this blend. Your review has inspired me to add a pouch to a future order. I may even follow suit and use a Falcon, as I have a bowl dedicated to occasional aromatic indulgences.
Great writeup, friend!

Thanks for the kind reply. There is a certain complexity to this one and the small addition of oriental and dark fired make for an interesting smoke. Not your average aromatic, that's for sure.

 

[John_B]

I really like Amphora Full aroma (and Virginia as well). The full aroma is an aromatic which is not goopy in the slightest. it is flavored with orange and raspberry but very lightly. Great price and and very enjoyable blend.

I am alternating this blend with Borkum Riff. It burns slowly enough for a deep contemplative smoke. Great as a last smoke of the day.

 

[John_B]

Thanks for the review John. It's been quite a while since I last tasted it, and wasn't enthralled by it, but that's been a few years back, and my tastes have changed some, and i have come to appreciate flavors more than I did in the past, so you've encouraged me to dig this back out and give it another try. Wonderful articulate review

My tastes have certainly changed. This is a nice smoke to have as a change of pace from Straight Virginias or VaPer blends.

 

[sittingbear]

I like Amphora FA so much I bought a pound of it in bulk.

AMP Full Aromatic - Sutliff Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com

A concise ribbon cut offers consistent burning properties in Sutliff's AMP Full Aromatic blend of Burley and Virginia tobaccos with chocolate notes dominating the mellow flavor of this all-day full Aromatic.

www.smokingpipes.com

 

[sittingbear]

I like Amphora FA so much I bought a pound of it in bulk.

AMP Full Aromatic - Sutliff Pipe Tobacco | Smokingpipes.com

A concise ribbon cut offers consistent burning properties in Sutliff's AMP Full Aromatic blend of Burley and Virginia tobaccos with chocolate notes dominating the mellow flavor of this all-day full Aromatic.

www.smokingpipes.com

BTW, I think it's a match, as it's made by Sutliff, not Mac Baren....

 

[OzPiper]

Thank you for your review

When I started with a pipe in the 1970’s, Amphora one of the blends easily available
I don’t recall which blend it was. I suspect there may have been only the one blend back then.

I got a couple of Amphora Full Aroma pouches some time back out of nostalgia.
And I am glad I did. An easy smoking aromatic
Still not allowed to smoke inside the house, but NO negative comments from “her indoors”

 

[burleybreath]

I never liked it in days of yore, but I love the current production. Tasty stuff indeed. I smoke it mostly when driving. Decent residual scent. (Lots of negative reviews, I've noticed, but does anyone really care?)

 

[LeafErikson]

I really like the amphora blends that I’ve tried. Thanks for the review.

 

[f(x)]

Thanks for the review! I smoked a couple of short tons of Regular back in the 70's and your review made my mouth water for some of this. Going to buy me some!

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Thanks for the review! I smoked a couple of short tons of Regular back in the 70's and your review made my mouth water for some of this. Going to buy me some!

over the past few months Prices for pipe tobaccoes in Finland (EU)have been skyrocketing, for a pouch of this I'm supposed to give out roughly $ 40

 

[huntertrw]

My old pouch of Douwe-Egberts-produced Amphora Full Aroma has this printed on the bacK;

"What occurs to you when you see shredded, bright coloured tobacco, which still seems to live between your fingers...?

"Recognize the mixture? Burley, Kentucky, Oriental, and Virginia, all first-grade tobaccos, Smell the whiff of pure fruit blossom we've added?

"This enhanced smoking pleasure is is due to our unique Cavendish process, which reveals the richest properties of this special blend: fresh, sweet, and slow-burning.

"Amphora Full Aroma. The quality of over two centuries of craftsmanship and experience. Established 1753."

Does the Mac-Baren-produced iteration still have this verbiage on its package?

 

[Brendan]

over the past few months Prices for pipe tobaccoes in Finland (EU)have been skyrocketing, for a pouch of this I'm supposed to give out roughly $ 40

I remember roughly 10 years ago thinking the same thing, here in Australia. Fast forward to today and it's now $130 or more. Don't mean to be a downer but the $40 just brought up that memory.

 

[OzPiper]

over the past few months Prices for pipe tobaccoes in Finland (EU)have been skyrocketing, for a pouch of this I'm supposed to give out roughly $ 40

That really sucks

At that rate the prices in Finland will catch up with prices in Australia by 2040 - IF the Aussie govt puts a freeze on tobacco excise

Which is NOT going to happen ever