Favorite Borderline Aromatics?

[smudgersmissingleg]

Any of the flavoured Gawith brown twists. Rum, aniseed, apple, black Cherry, maple, they're all lightly flavoured and they're all great.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Buy some borkum riff cherry pouches and don’t smoke them for a decade. (I’m only half joking - one of my most memorable aromatic smokes was exactly this)

 

[pinem]

My progression so far has been english/Balkan, then VAs, VaBurs and VaPers because that is what we are told to like, and then realizing life is too short for auster blends, and then doing a deep dive into Gawith and Dan aros. At this point I'm happy as a clam with a steam pressed aro that has fair amount of DFK in it, and plenty of tonquin bean.

 

[Chasing Embers]

McClelland Deep Hollow

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Erinmore & Amphora Red Full''

 

[Astrag]

St Bruno has a very light floreal topping which does not hide the virginia.
As mentioned before, many navy tobaccos are not heavily aromatic: I only smoked S. Gawith navy flake and Dan Salty Dogs, which I both suggest.

 

[RL Bucktails]

Bob’s chocolate flake is maybe borderline and very good.

 

[pappymac]

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

I am with you. If something has an aroma, then it is an aromatic which is why garlic is considered an aromatic herb.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

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.

There are few Aros out there. And as mentioned, tobaccos with toppings that aren't classified as such. Beyond my pay grade!

Totally agree whatever it is in Peterson University Flake is good and doesn't dominate anything.

What flavors/toppings appeal to you? I could come up with some that are rum, cherry and so forth but those are pretty specific. I think of Sun Bear Tupelo that has a honey/tequila aspect that's really good but to me it's not at all overpowering (not at your B&M though). Some think the rum in the regular Wilke No. 515 is a little much (and it's available with twice that) but I don't find it overpowering or "dominating" at all. Some vanilla is more forward than other, some cherry more forward than other to me, but maybe a little more about what you are looking for in flavor - some here have an aversion to hazelnut - looking at you super mod @cosmicfolklore! Many don't like "floral", haha.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Hazel... gnuh gnuh nut...

 

[Ahi Ka]

For something different, and if you have roses in your garden - to ensure they are spray free - grab and dry a few petals and mix into your next bowl of Virginia.

 

[sablebrush52]

Pedant

Luddite

There's a vision of hell, a pedantic Luddite.

 

[sablebrush52]

A semi aromatic, one whose flavors don't sublimate the tobaccos? Capstan is one, F&T Cut Virginia Plug is another.

 

[krizzose]

I also love rum topping, so:

McClelland Navy Cavendish (my favorite blend)
F&T Special Brown Flake
GLP Windjammer
Mac Baren Navy Flake
WCC Stubb’s Pipe
Sutliff Crumble Cake Barrel Aged #6
C&D Blockade Runner
C&D Redburn (rum & molasses)
Rattray’s Marlin Flake

Virginia forward blends with other flavors:

Erik Stokkebye 2012 Flake (pear)
Erik Stokkebye Resolution (hazelnut)
Erinmore Flake (juicy fruit gum )
KBV Van Gogh (fig)
Peretti 150th Anniversary (red wine)
Sutliff Crumble Cake Barrel Aged #1 (apple brandy)

Burley:

GLP Barbary Coast (brandy)
Peretti 333 (? something sweet)
Sutliff Match Ready Rubbed (cocoa, molasses)
C&D Crooner (deertongue)

 

[BriaronBoerum]

Thanks all for their suggestions and comments, both positive and critical! Regarding the issue of defining "aromatic", I'm reminded of a quote from the endlessly quotable Douglas Adams, "That's right, what we demand are rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!"

 

[Tongue-Fried]

Two recently discontinued would be Vanilla Rollcake and Newminster 400.

Has Newminster 400 officially been discontinued? I was at my local B&M for a random stop and he said that Sutliff and MacB had been shut down (or would soon be). Didn’t get a clear answer though on the Newminster 400

 

[Tongue-Fried]

For something different, and if you have roses in your garden - to ensure they are spray free - grab and dry a few petals and mix into your next bowl of Virginia.

View attachment 374585

Didn’t Country Squire have that “White Rose Blend”? White tea and rose added into a burley/cav blend. Actually though I was going to like it, but it was pretty weak.

 

[Hutch Piper]

Sutliff Maple Shadows.

 

[Tongue-Fried]

I’m in the same boat as you BriaronBoerum. My situation is a little different though… I exclusively smoke two pipes of Newminster 400 SNF each day: One on my hour drive to work, and again on my way home.

I’m wanting to smoke inside more… in the morning before I leave for work, winding down in the evening, etc; but my wife complains that the NM-400 smells like cigarettes I don’t believe that, but I digress.

So naturally I’m trying to find something I like as a semi-purist, while appeasing the “pants-wearer” of the house I pay for. I don’t think she’s minded Eastfarthing (Sutliff), and of course she liked the ever-goopy Autumn Evening

I think awhile ago I was looking at something from Hearth & Home (Grandma’s Kitchen?). Maybe some of these Gawith blends are good, without being saturated in topping… the Sweet Maple sounds really nice!

Gotta find something wife-approved that is also purist-approved. I’m kind of wanting that “I love the smell of when my husband smokes inside” reaction. Might be a hard ask. I need to get started on building a den for myself somewhere in the house….

 

[BriaronBoerum]

I’m in the same boat as you BriaronBoerum. My situation is a little different though… I exclusively smoke two pipes of Newminster 400 SNF each day: One on my hour drive to work, and again on my way home.

I’m wanting to smoke inside more… in the morning before I leave for work, winding down in the evening, etc; but my wife complains that the NM-400 smells like cigarettes I don’t believe that, but I digress.

Gotta find something wife-approved that is also purist-approved. I’m kind of wanting that “I love the smell of when my husband smokes inside” reaction. Might be a hard ask. I need to get started on building a den for myself somewhere in the house….

A tough, but not unknown situation to be in, TF! I'm an outdoor smoker only; my ex would smoke me if I got the smell of smoke in the apartment she may eventually move back into (she's allergic)! Maybe I can pitch a tent on the roof? And perhaps this warrants a separate thread on spouse-approved blends?