This tobacco was very easy to light. The first thing I taste is the latakia. At first it is a very strong smokey flavor. A few minutes into the bowl the smokey flavor subsides and I taste a creamy earthy flavor. This blend makes a good amount of smoke and smokes cool and dry. The smokey flavor begins to return. I can taste why this is called Shortcut to Mushrooms, it definitely has a very earthy mushroom like flavor, which can be appreciated whether you like mushrooms or not. The smoke smells like a mixture of Dirt and campfire, which is actually very nice. About 10 minutes into the bowl and the flavor hasn't changed much, it is largely dominated by a strong Latakia flavor. I would highly recommend this to anybody who enjoys latakia. If you do not like Latakia, this blend is definitely not for you. I do not taste the sweetness described in the description. Other than that the description is perfectly accurate. This blend could be described in one word. Latakia. Out of all the Middle-Earth blends, I have tried Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby and Shortcut to Mushrooms. Personally this is my 2nd favorite, I prefer Old Toby because of the Perique. This blend gets 4 stars because of the lovely Latakia flavor and because it is a nice dry, cool smoke. Probably not an all-day smoke, I could see getting tired of just tasting latakia. I do not taste any other tobacco in this. If you are new to English blends you might want to start with something a little less potent in flavor. Have not noticed any nicotine effect.
