Milan Tobacconists House Blend Reviews [Archive]

Lostmason

05-23-2016, 06:17 PM

Tobbaco: Lucky 7 (Milan Tobabbaconist)
Pipe: MM CG (cob) & DG Duke (briar)
Prep:none
Pouch note:Pleasant,someting of a coco scent
Light:Lighting was pretty simple and straight forward,
charring light true light and enjoy
Room Note:smoked both outdoors and in the aroma was
pleasant and light,had a slight woodsy smell.
Taste:At the front a deffinate taste of wood smke with
hint's of vanilla.A slight spicy tingling brings
out a distinct fullness to the flavor.Just as
enjoyable as the heavier vanilla blends but without
the after taste.A good smoke for working with.promotes
a zen type attitude.

Thanks Tobias for this opportunity and an introduction to some fine blends.

Haebar

05-23-2016, 07:18 PM

Milan Tobacconists Cherry Bon Bon:

In my early piping years, I was constantly in search of the best cherry pipe tobacco. Caution was the key word when trying a new blend because they might be either goopy, chemical-tasting, or bitey. This blend has a wholesome, organic taste to it; no hint of chemicals or cough syrup, like some cherry blends. It tastes kind of like devils food cake with cherry topping and whipped cream. Another thing about the cherry/chocolate flavoring is that it is very subtle and not too rich. The base is of three different black cavendishes, which are smooth and creamy and will not bite unless pushed. The first time I smoked this, I let it air for 30 minutes and that wasn't quite enough. This time I waited 2 hours and it is smoking well, but I'd suggest even more time than that. Both times I smoked it in Missouri Meerschaums and was impressed with the creamy volume of smoke this tobacco can produce. It has body but is light in terms of nicotine. Both pipe bowls were noticeably dry after smoking and clearing the ashes.

droy1958

05-23-2016, 07:22 PM

Milan Tobacconist Peaches and Cream.
Pipe was a no name nose warmer I use for aro blends.
Pouch smell was a wonderful smell of peaches and vanilla.
The tobacco packed easy enough, and I gave it a charring light and let it set a minute. Gave it a light tamp and fired the bowl up. It was a very pleasant taste of peaches and cream/vanilla, but not in an overpowering way which is good for me as some aros go overboard on flavoring. No bite whatsoever. I did have to give it one relight because I let it set too long, but it burned very well. My wife said the room note was amazing. All in all, it has became one of my new favorite aros. Thanks again, Tobias
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx114/droy1958/DSC05999.jpg (http://s747.photobucket.com/user/droy1958/media/DSC05999.jpg.html)

Bruck

05-23-2016, 08:39 PM

Okay, just got the shipment in the mail today, blends are all in open jars to dry out/degoopify. But the first one I'm trying, ROTT, is Sunset Rum.

Tobacco: Milan Tobacconist Sunset Rum
Pipe: Briar brandyglass nosewarmer
Prep: none
Tin note: very nice, like grandpa's tobacco.
Appearance: ribbon cut, mostly black, some dark grayish brown pieces.
First light: sweetness, vanilla, whiskey notes, and rum of course. Not real strong - took a while to come to life.
Mid-bowl: tobacco came through more - heavy cavendish, some VA, hint of burley
Room note: pleasant, according to Mrs. Bruck
End of bowl: having trouble keeping it lit as it's gooping up a bit - no doubt a result of insufficient drying time.
Vitamin N: mild.
Overall a very pleasant diversion from my usual penchant for Englishes and burleys.

Bruck

05-23-2016, 08:51 PM

BTW, a suggestion: as long as we're writing reviews here, we should add them to TobaccoReviews.com: The largest collection of pipe tobacco reviews on the internet. (http://tobaccoreviews.com)

BryGuySC

05-23-2016, 10:15 PM

Presidential
I immediately get the nutty dryness of burley. There is a pleasant, but not overwhelming sweetness.
There are hints of fruitiness, faintly reminiscent of Juicy Fruit gum, overlaid with mild vanilla.
The burley isn't biting me as badly as usual; just a tad of numbness on the tip of my tongue.
Two-thirds of the way through the bowl find the smoke with less flavor. It is still in the background, but less “juicy.”
At this point, smoke gets thinner. A relight destroys the subtle flavors, and brings out an acrid taste. Dumped the bottom of the bowl.
I'll definitely revisit.

Star City Delight
Very vanilla. Very hard to find the peach, at first. It mostly dances around the tip of the tongue, suggesting the flavor without ever hitting you with it.
This is a smooth smoke, with an easy retrohale. The presence of Virginia in this blend is a great choice. I don't think a nutty burley would work as well with this one.
As the smoke progresses, the vanilla and peach switch places, resulting in a lovely subtle, creamy peach flavor.
I like this one. A nice change of pace on a not-quite-summer day.
A relight doesn't do it any favors, taste-wise, but it recovers and smooths back out after a minute.
I would recommend this one.

cpmcdill

05-23-2016, 10:28 PM

Blend: Reflections by Milan Tobacconists
Pipe: Vintage Dr. Grabow Golden Duke rusticated straight pot with Adjustomatic Stem (no filter)
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: Ribbon cut, more than 50% very dark/black, another 40% medium reddish brown, and the balance some light yellowish. I infer that it is mostly cavendish and burley, with a condimental amount of Virginia.
Pouch note: On first sniffing, my general impression was something of a butterscotch topping. The description at Milan say it is "vanilla, caramel, sweet cream, nutmeg, and gentle spice" and seeing that I can understand how that might add up to butterscotch. Anyway, the fragrance is very pleasant.

It took a flame very easily, and I had a few puffs before allowing it to go out again. The initial smoke carried the distinct black cavendish flavor, as well as many of the flavors from the topping. A sweet, nice tasting blend, is the first impression.
After setting the pipe aside a few minutes, I re-lit and this time the toppings were less prominent in the flavor, but still distinct in the room note. Mostly, as I'm giving it a slow puffing cadence, I'm finding it to be a cool-smoking, sweet cavendish flavor. It's quality stuff. Sometimes cav-based aros taste like nothing, which makes me feel like I'm smoking for the benefit of others than myself. But this stuff has flavor.
The tobacco stays burning very well. Relatively few relights for an aromatic. The tobacco in the pouch feels moist, and that moisture is a presence in the pipe, though this pipe I'm using is highly resistant to gurgle. There are however a lot of sizzle sounds coming from the bowl. Next time I'll try leaving some out to dry a while, to see how that affects things.
Anyway, it burned right down to ash with minimal dottle. It wasn't until afterward when I sipped a beverage that I discovered I might have gotten a smidgen of tongue burn. Might have been puffing a little faster as I approached the finish.

For the most part, I'm not an aro smoker. But sometimes I find aro blends that hit the spot. This was a satisfying smoke, and I'll enjoy these two ounces while they last.

JimInks

05-23-2016, 10:45 PM

I didn't know this was going on, or I'd have signed up, though I have smoked at least a couple of the blends. Good to see more reviews though.

cpmcdill

05-23-2016, 11:39 PM

Blend: Old Dominion by Milan Tobacconists
Pipe: Vintage Dr. Grabow Golden Duke rusticate straight pot with Adjustomatic Stem (no filter)
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: Described as "rough cut" at tobaccoreviews.com, that's pretty much what it looks like in the pouch. Lots of small bits of various shapes and sizes, not like a standard ribbon. Color is various shades of brown. It is apparently an all-burley blend, and that's pretty much what it looks like.
Pouch note: Tobaccoreviews says it is a maple aro but my nose finds more of a sweet figgy note, somewhere in the ballpark of Carter Hall. My nose detects a cavendish note, so maybe the burley was steamed and pressed awhile?

I am using the same pipe as before (and may continue to use for these reviews) because it is a well-seasoned pipe that plays very well with aromatics and to some degree highlights their virtues.

Old Dominion is not on the Milan website for some reason (or if it is, I could not find it) so I wonder if it's something they only sell in the shop, or if they recently discontinued it.

Initial charring light, first puffs, and relight indicate to me that this is pretty much in the family of certain popular OTC burley pouch tobaccos, like Carter Hall, Granger or Velvet. I don't like Velvet, but I am partial to Granger and Carter Hall. The casing or topping didn't come through in the flavor, though it's in the room note. Nothing about it evokes maple, so I do suspect it's more like the Carter Hall topping, but more natural and a little sweeter. It demands a slower cadence than CH, but rewards with a better quality of flavor. The burley has that mild-neutral flavor that often goes with this genre, a sort that does little for the taste buds, but is pleasing on the retrohale.
I put the pipe down and left the room to do some things, then returned and found the lingering room note quite nice. The smell is natural and warm and pleasing. No odd chemical elements to it, like some OTCs seem to convey.
Getting toward the end, the sweetness tapers off, and the burley flavors pick up a little. I only re-lit twice, and that was due to putting the pipe down for a while each time.
No moisture or gurgle in this, and when I was finished there was mostly ash with a small amount of dottle.
Overall I'd recommend this to pipers who like their OTC burleys but want to upgrade to something of better quality. I liked this, and I have no reservations about finishing off the 2 ounce sample I was given. My first pipe tobaccos were OTCs and some Lane bulks, and though I've moved on, this touches a nostalgic note, of the enjoyment of those early times, but in a more refined way as the flavors of this blend are superior.

BryGuySC

05-24-2016, 07:42 AM

Sangria
I can taste a bit more burley in this one.
There is a fruit flavoring that is hard to pin down, and a general sweetness; like a sweet and sour thing going on(but not actually sour. I just can't pin it down) Definite hint of pineapple flavor, maybe cherry in the retrohale.
Hard puffing does not produce a bite, but does turn it harsh.
This is a pleasant, unoffending, light fruit-punch blend.

Haebar

05-24-2016, 09:19 AM

I didn't know this was going on, or I'd have signed up, though I have smoked at least a couple of the blends. Good to see more reviews though.

Jim, PM me your address and I'll send you half of mine.

Haebar

05-24-2016, 01:26 PM

Milan Tobacconists Cherry Velvet:

This blend has a solid foundation of burley, bright Virginias and Cavendish and you can really taste the tobacco, not just the topping. It is light-medium in the nicotine department. The good tobacco flavor and cherry taste stayed consistently enjoyable even smoking down at the heel of the bowl. The quality of the components is apparent upon close examination and results in a smoke that is mellow and smooth with no rough edges.

Lostmason

05-24-2016, 10:37 PM

Tobacco: My Finest Kind (Milan Tobacconists)
Pipe: Brigham slightly bent apple billard and
1950's Monterey straight billard
Prep:none to about 30 minutes dry time
Pouch note:To me this has a heavy cocao and rum
aroma
Room note: pleasant vanilla scent
Light: Without drying in the apple billard lighting
was a bit difficult,the moisture was a bit
high.In the Moterey with some drying it lit
easily and didn't require a re-light until
the finish
Taste: My Finest Kind started with a slight sweet flavor with a hint of vanilla
at the back of the palette,around the mid point there was a coppery=
chemicle tast that lasted for about ten minutes and then setteled into
an airy maple like very faint but enjoyable.The key is to push past the
mid point.I didn't suffer any bite nor notice a gurgle.I did have to
swab out the shank once,but that was to be expected.

cpmcdill

05-24-2016, 11:16 PM

Here's #3 of 5

Blend: Anniversary by Milan Tobacconists
Pipe: Vintage Dr. Grabow Golden Duke rusticated straight pot with Adjustomatic Stem (no filter)
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: A ribbon cut mix of yellow, brown and black, in seemingly equal ratios.
Pouch Note: To my nose, it's most redolent of vanilla and a honeyed cavendish, though it's described as containing a chocolate topping as well. Maybe that will be more evident in the room note.

On first lighting and taking a few puffs, surprisingly the chocolate comes through in the flavor more than the vanilla. Then I set the pipe down a few minutes to pour myself a beer (Flying Dog Brewery's Double Dog IPA, a hoppy monster with 11% ABV, delightfully rough and bitter).

Then on relight, I proceeded to smoke it, with no further relights needed. At a slow to medium tempo, the tobacco continues to taste a little sweet, but the toppings fade from the flavor and continue on mostly in the room note. This tobacco blend seems pretty balanced, and seems like a good mix for aro smokers who like some flavor, however mild. From the first quarter to the end, the taste of it stayed pretty consistent, and it burned down to ash with little dottle remaining, and no goop or moisture remaining in the pipe. No wetness or gurgle in the stem, and no tongue burn. A lingering sweetness in the mouth. I conclude that this is a well made light aromatic.

droy1958

05-25-2016, 04:33 PM

Website: Wall Street (Aromatic) Pipe Tobacco
A mild Burley blend with a mixture of Virginias and aged Maduro Cavendish. Subtle notes of chocolate covered hazelnuts and a hint of cream make for a sweet finish.
----------
Pipe was my aromatic nose warmer
This is a kind of gooey type so I set some out to dry, but I got impatient and loaded up the bowl after 15 minutes. Bowl packs easy enough along with the charring light. The first thought is semi sweet dark chocolate. After a few puffs I picked up chocolate covered cherries, with the cherries way in the background. It didn't change much from there, which was fine as I liked the flavor. When I got down to the last third of the bowl, the smoke started getting a little steamy on the tongue so I set it down. That's when I wished I would've let it dry a proper amount of time. Never picked up hazelnuts like the website said, but hey, we're all different. I figured when I cleaned the pipe I would have a gooey mess, but I was surprised how clean the pipe was for this type of tobacco. If you like chocolate, you may like this one....

Bruck

05-25-2016, 08:26 PM

Bruck's take on Irresistible Chocolate

Appearance: ribbon cut, mostly dark
Tin note: chocolaty
First light: very smooth, not much flavor yet; could hardly tell it was lit
Mid-bowl: flavor comes out, but not as chocolaty as it smells. Still very smooth, VA and burley are evident. Burns well.
No tongue bite to speak of. Mild nicotine.
Pipe: Cob

After my first bowl of Milan tobacco, I let the jars all sit open overnight to dry out a bit. Seemed to help - haven't had to relight this one, and it's not gurgling.

cpmcdill

05-25-2016, 10:20 PM

Blend: Hazelnut by Milan Tobacconists (review #4 of 5)
Pipe: Vintage Dr. Grabow Golden Duke rusticated straight pot with Adjustomatic Stem (no filter)
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: Ribbon cut yellow and dark brown, with the darker color somewhat dominating.
Pouch Note: Hazelnut and cavendish, with a subtle hint of Play-Doh.

Preamble: A reviewer I highly respect over at tobaccoreviews.com voiced a suspicion verging on certainty that this, rather than being a Milan house blend, is just Lane Limited's Hazelnut bulk blend. I have not had LL's Hazelnut, so I'll try to judge this on its own merits, whatever its source. A few years back I got myself in a bit of hot water with the proprietor of 4noggins when I speculated that their Three Blind Moose blend was Lane LL-7. Further scrutiny of those latter two confirmed to my senses that the 4noggins blend is superior, though similar.

It often happens on the charring light of aromatic tobaccos that I do get a strong hit of the flavors in the topping. In this case a big dose of hazelnut and possible some vanilla flavor, but little tobacco. Oddly this didn't go out after the initial light, and so I just kept puffing along. Some of the flavor is still coming through at the first quarter mark. Not sure if it's something in the tobacco, but I find myself salivating heavier than usual. Can't really clench this, or I'll drool all over myself.

I suspect what I'm puffing out is more steam than smoke. Yet halfway in, still no relight, tongue burn or gurgle, but the pipe is feeling really hot. The tobacco flavor seem mostly cavendish. Can't really distinguish any Va flavor. I like Nutella spread, but I never really cared for Hazelnut coffee. When it comes to eating actual nuts I like peanuts, almonds, cashews and sometimes Macadamia. So I have mixed feelings about the use of Hazelnut to flavor things.

At about the third quarter, the flavors goes off in a more sourish direction, and the flavor's getting more like some expired OTC pouch you buy from a gas station when you are travelling and can't find good tobacco. So at this point I'll just call it quits and clear the remainder out of my pipe. I'd say this is a perfect tobacco for those who enjoy goopy bulk one-note aromatics, and knowing that this category far outsells English, VaPers and Va Flakes combined, there will always be those who'll make Hazelnut their all-day staple.

Lostmason

05-25-2016, 10:45 PM

Tobacco: Butter berry (Milan Tobacconists)
Pipe:DG Lark,MM CG Cob,and Chateuax 3/4 bent briar with wind cap
Pouch note: Sweet Buttery cream
Room note: subtle butter rum
Taste:This is where I pick up the berry,just a slight citrusy sweet
flavor on the edges.I let this dry for 30 minutes,and about 45
for the DG Lark and then the cob.The flavors were much smoother
and pleasant in the cob,not sure why just were.Required a couple
of relights,but oherwise smoked to a fine grey ash with no dottle
or muck in the heel.I let the Chateuax sit loaded for a couple
hours before lighting,and it improves the burn nicely.No tongue
bite or gurgling and is a very relaxing smoke.I'm not big on fruity
flavors but I could see keeping this one around for those times
I want a smooth sweet smoke.

cpmcdill

05-25-2016, 11:36 PM

Blend:Buttered Rum from Milan Tobacconists (review #5 of 5)
Pipe: Vintage Dr. Grabow Golden Duke rusticated straight pot with Adjustomatic Stem (no filter)
Packing method: Codger stuff
Appearance: Ribbon cut, a pretty even melange of medium brown and yellowish tobacco.
Pouch Note: A lovely smell. I guess this is sort of like a pipe version of a hot toddy. I once had a hot toddy during a week-long blizzard when all of the power had gone out and all that remained functional was the propane stove and the fireplace (well the water was still running and the pipes didn't freeze, so all good eh?), but only after finishing off the Bailey's so my recollection was kind of fuzzy.

Preamble. This is another blend my respected source says is probably a commercial bulk rather than a house blend. In this case Sutliff Buttered Rum (also one I have not personally tried), and I have to admit some of my early better experiences with Aromatics came from Sutliff blends, so I reckon I could be biased pro-Sutliff. We shall see.

Before smoking this, I needed to cleanse my palate from the previously reviewed Hazelnut blend. C&D Star of the East did the trick. Also had to rest and clean my poor abused Grabow pot. One of my oldest and trustiest smokers, I sometimes push it too hard. Some day I will give it a full Viking funeral.

Okay. Thank you Star of the East. My palate is now reconsecrated with your light and bliss. On to the last aromatic in my obligatory series of reviews. As a soundtrack to my smoking experience, I had some difficulty deciding between medieval lute music and dubstep. So I'll just alternate tracks in my media player. I don't have any rum, so this smoke will be accompanied by several fingers and a thumb of Old Crow.

Initial light gave me all the warning signs I need to keep a slow cadence. This is a potential tongue-biter. First impressions are of a vanilla-honey note with cavendish flavor. The pouch and probably the room note are not in the smoke. Feels pretty wet/steamy. I find it paradoxical that wet tobaccos like this often keep a light better than many drier, less cased blends.

Right around the bass drop of Matta's "Release the Freq" (1/3 into the bowl) I'm feeling a distinct tongue bite. Slowing down the cadence even further, surprised this stuff is still burning. Not a single relight yet. Getting some crackle and sizzle sounds in the bowl, so there's definitely some moisture accumulating.

The lute tune by Rolf Lislevand, "La Mascarade/Rondee" had such a mellow tempo that my cadence lowered enough to bring forth more flavors. Until the fire went out. At the 4th quarter I have to relight for the first time. I've managed to protect my tongue pretty will despite the dangers of this blend. Got it right down to a bit of ash and minimal dottle. I deserve a gold star. :D

At the end of my quest, I have still not found a new holy grail. I am not prejudiced against aromatics, and I am always open to trying new ones. For me, the best I have found always included some Latakia, like Frog Morton's Cellar, Moonshine Pipe Co XXX Blend, Two Friends English Chocolate, or GH Bob's Chocolate Flake. But it's just a matter of personal palates. I'm in the minority, and most pipers smoke aros so their wives will let them smoke indoors, or some such similar reason. These Milans were not bad, but I wish they'd also shared some of their non-aro and English blend to be reviewed.

Haebar

05-26-2016, 05:59 AM

Milan Tobacconist Lucky Leaf

When I first lit this up, I thought "this tastes familiar". It was the consistently loved golden Cavendish, nothing else. This is an enjoyable smoke that is slightly sweet and has a pleasant taste with a slight vanilla fringe detected. Not much of a nicotine contribution, about light-medium. I've smoked it in a Captain Black billiard and a Sunrise Dublin and it is very good for an aromatic. Similar blends that came to mind were Captain Black Gold, 1Q.

droy1958

05-26-2016, 04:57 PM

Website: Pure Pleasure (Aromatic) Pipe Tobacco
A unique combination of Virginia and Cavendish tobaccos gives this blend a sweet orange flavor with hints of vanilla.
---------------
Pipe was my aro nose warmer.
The website description is pretty much it. It had a light orange/tangerine taste and a faint sweet finish. It gave my tongue a citrusy tingle, but no bite. I let this one dry out for a few hours before packing it, and it burned down to 3/4 when I put it down. This one was ok, but not really my thing. Like the others, it burned very clean for an aromatic.....

Tobias Lutz

05-27-2016, 06:48 AM

These Milans were not bad, but I wish they'd also shared some of their non-aro and English blend to be reviewed.

I totally understand not being of the aromatic persuasion, but your comment made me realize something needed to be clarified. Milan had nothing to do with this exercise, or I'm sure they would have offered up a different variety. I have always smoked their aromatics, and I purchased these bags from them without any mention of what they would be used for. I'm sorry if there had been an implication that they were somehow in on this as a promotional thing.

cpmcdill

05-27-2016, 11:15 AM

I totally understand not being of the aromatic persuasion, but your comment made me realize something needed to be clarified. Milan had nothing to do with this exercise, or I'm sure they would have offered up a different variety. I have always smoked their aromatics, and I purchased these bags from them without any mention of what they would be used for. I'm sorry if there had been an implication that they were somehow in on this as a promotional thing.

Tobias, it appears I'm the one who owes an apology. I probably inferred that with very little basis in what you actually wrote. And with my own words I make myself seem ungrateful for this opportunity, which is really not the case. A big oops on my part, and sorry for the mix-up.

Tobias Lutz

05-27-2016, 02:30 PM

Tobias, it appears I'm the one who owes an apology. I probably inferred that with very little basis in what you actually wrote. And with my own words I make myself seem ungrateful for this opportunity, which is really not the case. A big oops on my part, and sorry for the mix-up.

I certainly didn't take your comment as such. I just don't want you to think that the shop was somehow bias towards giving away samples of their aros and not other blends. I have only smoked a handful of their other house offerings, so I stuck with what I new. I really enjoyed your reviews, for the record :)

Lostmason

05-27-2016, 08:10 PM

Tobacco: Neapolitan (Milan Tobacconists)

Pipe: DG Savoy and MM CG Cob

prep: none and prepacked cob for about 3 hrs

Pouch note: Damn Good! Aroma of cherry cupcakes
Fresh baked out of the oven.

Room Note:Sweet and fruity at first,turned to a chemicle
smell on the bottom third.

Light:Without any prep this blend can be difficult needed several
relights to get it going.Letting it rest I had no relights
after the charring light and smoked it to ashes.

Taste:Tender taste of cherry with an almost creamy carrier.
Light not over powering,very cool moist smoke but
no steam or bite.Good blend for the expieenced smoker
who doesn't want a heavey nic hitter.

Branzig

05-28-2016, 11:58 AM

Cool bunch of reviews boys! Fun reads throughout!

Cool Breeze

05-28-2016, 02:37 PM

Name: Milan Celebration

Age: New

Blend: Virginia, Burley, Milan proprietary tobacco

Smoked in: Kings Cross briar and MM cobs

Blended by Milan Tobacconists in Roanoke VA.
Is an aromatic blend flavored with vanilla, run and fruit.
The cut is a coarse cut but it packs easily and burns very well.

The flavor is very sweet at first as you would expect with an aromatic, but after a few minutes it dies down and you can actually taste the tobacco. The VA and burley tobaccos come through clearly and the aromatic flavor is in the background. You can clearly taste the vanilla and fruit.

I forgot to mention this in my video but it reminds me of Old Shenandoah Bootlegged. It tastes very similar.

The room note is awesome. My daughter compared it to cupcakes baking.

No vitamin N hit to speak of, didn't feel it at all.

Overall it is one of the better aromatic blends I have tried. It really shines after about five minutes or so when you really start tasting the tobacco.
I would definitely recommend it.

If you are into Youtube videos, here is my video review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIwneC5KwzU

Tobias Lutz

05-28-2016, 09:16 PM

If you are into Youtube videos, here is my video review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIwneC5KwzU

I dig everything but the shirt...you have the wrong bird on that thing :)

http://photo.hanyu.iciba.com/upload/encyclopedia_2/43/e3/bk_43e36e7c958992f2223c9ff4c7184c8b_j76kdf.jpg

Lostmason

05-28-2016, 09:43 PM

Tobacco:Buddy's Blend
Pipe:No=name briar and DG Duke
prep:none
Pouch note:Caramel (very pleasant)
Room note:pleasant maple aroma
Light: took a light very easily even without drying
Taste:Very subtle flavors,coco and coffee with a sweet bready undertone.
Kind of feel like I'm cheating on my Captain Black White.This could
become a staple in my rotation.Great first thing in the morning and
excellant in the evening.One does need to take care,this blend is like
a milkshake,you can start puffing to fast just for the flavor.It's
so good it will give you "Brain Freeze".

Lostmason

05-28-2016, 09:47 PM

Tobias Lutz Thank You Thank You Thank You,,,,,,Man these are some fine blends,I especially like the
Lucky 7 and buddy's Blend !!

Tobias Lutz

05-29-2016, 03:38 AM

Tobias Lutz Thank You Thank You Thank You,,,,,,Man these are some fine blends,I especially like the
Lucky 7 and buddy's Blend !!

I plan on doing something like this again in June or July, but using SPS blends from across the spectrum (aro, english, etc.) Thanks for participating!

Bruck

05-29-2016, 09:44 PM

Milan Tobbaconist Doctor's Orders

Appearance: nice variegated mix of light and dark ribbons
Tin Note: your basic tobacco aroma, very nice.
First light: not a whole lot yet, flavoring is light.
Mid bowl: The blend wakes up after a few minutes, and you can pick out the VA, burley, and cavendish. Not a whole lot of flavoring, in fact I really couldn't detect any. Burned okay (I let all the samples dry overnight when they first arrived). Mild vitamin N.
Pipe used: Cob
Overall, this one didn't exactly turn my crank, so the balance now sits in the "components" drawer of my tobacco file, awaiting inclusion in a pressed flake. Actually about half of it resides in the tobacco cabinet of my main tobacco/cigar-trading friend at work, along with half of all the other samples. Spreadin' it around - Virginia is for tobacco lovers :)

droy1958

05-30-2016, 09:27 AM

Little did I know that I was saving the best two for last. I've been smoking these two for the last 3 days having 8 bowls in 5 different pipes to see how they were in different hardware. Both descriptions pretty much hit the nail on the head so there's not much I can add to it. I will say that all 5 of these tobaccos from Milan are the cleanest burning aros I've smoked, and with a little drying time burn exceptionally well.....

Last but not least, I want to thank Tobias Lutz for taking his time and money to do this neat project. I would love to be involved in the next one if there's room. You've gone above and beyond.
Kindest Regards,
David
-------------------
Website:
Colonial Pastime (Aromatic) Pipe Tobacco
Burleys, Virginias, Black Cavendish and a touch of Latakia come together in perfect harmony to create this very unique mild- to medium-bodied blend. Subtleties of wild berries, rum, and hickory with a sweet spice on the finish remind us of days gone by when our forefathers cultivated and cured fine pipe tobaccos. The smoking qualities of Colonial Pastime are similar to that of an English pipe tobacco, but with the room note of an aromatic.

This one is the crown jewel of the bunch! My wife said the room note was great, and that she could smell what was pretty much in the description. Just a perfect blend of a hybrid aromatic/English blend. The touch of Latakia was nice. I smoked 6 bowls of this in 5 different pipes and all burned great. They have a winner with this one!....

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Poochie's Blend (Aromatic) Pipe Tobacco
A mixture of Virginia and Green River tobaccos blended with an extremely high quality Black Cavendish. This blend is smooth and mild with exceptional flavors of toasted marshmallow, maple syrup, and vanilla. Blended by and named after Poochie Preston who has been manning the tobacco bar at Milan Tobacconists for over 35 years, Poochie's Blend has been a very popular aromatic among our customers since its introduction in 2009.

This one is also very nice with the pouch and room note hitting the description well. It's a little sweet, but without going overboard. I smoked 2 bowls in 2 pipes and both burned down well....

In closing, I would like to say that if you're an aromatic smoker, you should try out these blends as I think you will be pleased with the choices!.......

JimInks

05-30-2016, 11:09 AM

Haebar sent me four samples of the Milan blends he got. Thought I'd post the reviews even though I didn't participate in the initial offering.

Milan Black Gold:
The burley is mildly nutty sweet, The gold cavendish is grass, citrus, and touch of honey. The black cavendish has a little vanilla. The topping is vanilla with a smattering of caramel. The tobaccos are mostly sublimated by the toppings, though the burley lightly seems more obvious than the others. Has almost nic-hit. A little moist due to some PG, but doesn’t need any dry time. Burns cool, smooth and slightly creamy at a slow to moderate pace, though I do get a chemical note at times. It does require a few relights due to the moisture level of the tobacco. Won't bite. Leaves the bowl with some dampness. Has a nice after taste and room note.

Bruck

05-30-2016, 06:27 PM

Milan Tobacconist Single Malt

Tin note: good (pretty much all aros smell good in the unburned state), a bit like caramel or milk duds.
Appearance: ribbon cut, variegated/mostly dark.
First light: cavendish in evidence, hint of whisky flavor
Mid bowl: some VA flavor along with some slightly fruity sweetness.
Burned well, no gurgles, no bite, no relights once it got going, mild flavor and vitamin N.
I'm not a big fan of aros, but this is one I would definitely consider getting more of.
Pipe used: Dr. G. Grand Duke

Cool Breeze

05-30-2016, 10:37 PM

Name: Milan Honey Smoke

Age: New

Blend: Virginia, golden cavendish and fire cured leaf

Topping: Vanilla, honey and coconut

Smoked in: Mostly cobs

Cut: It says ribbon but I call it a coarse cut, as there are many large pieces of tobacco in there. This is merely an observation, not a problem. The tobacco packs well, lights well and smokes as well as any.

The flavor of this tobacco is very nice. It is not as sweet at the beginning as most aromatics are. From the start the added flavoring is subdued and subtle, which is just what the doctor ordered for me. By the time you're halfway through the bowl, the sweetness has died way down. You can taste the Virginias.
The vanilla flavoring is the flavor at the forefront. The coconut was interesting. I read the description and found myself searching for the coconut. I tried everything from smoking slower to utilizing the breathing method to try and taste it and could not. I finally did get the coconut flavor when I wasn't looking for it. I would forget about it and just be enjoying the smoke and it would appear. It isn't there but a couple times per bowl and does make this blend interesting.

Room note is great. I sat next to my mother outside at a cookout while smoking it and she commented on how nice it smelled. She is usually very sensative to smoke, which is why I wanted to smoke it near her to see her reaction. I was prepared to either move my seat or simply not smoke my pipe but she said more than once how pleasant it was. She didn't know she was part of my experiment. ;)

Overall this one gets an A+. I mentioned that Celebration was one of the better aromatics I have tried. Well, Honey Smoke is better IMO.

If pipe smoking videos on Youtube are your thing, here is my video review.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A1GgvKMY5Q

Bruck

06-01-2016, 07:14 PM

^---- Dig the fancy video :)

Milan Tobacconist Evening Stroll reviewed by your friend Bruck

Tin note: sweet, tobacco, nothing really stands out
Appearance: Black and dark brown ribbons
Initial light: smooth, slightly sweet
Room note: pleasant according to the exquisite Mrs. Bruck.
Mid bowl: tangy, some sweetness, burley and VA are in evidence. Not much bite, mild vitamin N, reasonably good burn. Doesn't exactly paint my wagon though.
Pipe used: lightweight briar.

Bruck

06-02-2016, 09:13 PM

Bruck's Scorecard (disclaimer, I'm not really an aro fan, and thanks again to Tobias Lutz for sponsoring this):

Irresistible Chocolate: Okay
Sunset Rum: Good
Evening Stroll: Eeh
Doctor's Orders: Eeh
Single Malt: Great! If I ever get anywhere near low on tobacco, I'll buy some more.

I also shared samples of the above w/ a cigar/tobacco trading buddy at work. He loved them all - so, edifying but not discriminating.

JimInks

06-03-2016, 06:52 PM

Here are the rest of my Milan reviews from the generous samples Haebar sent me. Hope I can get in on the next round.

Milan Cherry Velvet
The burley is nutty with some molasses. The toasted cavendish offers a very mild honey. The bright Virginias are grassy with some citrus. You won’t notice them much because the deeply rich and creamy ripe cherry topping fairly much dominates them. The burley and Virginias basically serve to underline the cherry, although they do reveal themselves a little more as you get to the half way point. Even then, the cherry still holds center stage to the finish. Has no chemical or artificialness to the flavor. Has a very mild nic-hit. Burns at a moderate pace and requires few relights. Won’t bite or get harsh. Leaves just a little moisture in the bowl. Has a pleasant and lingering after taste and room note.

Milan Lucky Leaf One
The golden cavendish is lightly grassy with a drop of honey and citrus. The vanilla topping is mild, and while it does tone down the tobacco, it also acts as a team player to create a smoothly very mild all day smoke that burns well and cool with few relights. Has no harsh spots, and little nicotine. Not a chemical note to be found. Leaves very little moisture in the bowl. Has a pleasant after taste and room note. It kind of reminds me of a lighter Captain Black Gold. Made for those who want an very light all day smoke, so it probably wouldn’t have enough strength for the smoker who wants a higher charged aromatic.

Milan Virginia Pride
Why this is called “Virginia Pride” is odd since they don’t mention Virginia in the description. I believe a little is here because I get a very mild grass and citrus note on occasion, so I’ll say this has some Va. The burleys are a little nutty, though they are controlled by the sugary, vanilla black cavendish and rich vanilla topping to a great extent. They do peek out some, and just a little more in the last third of the proceedings. I get a light spice hit which I believe comes from how the fire cured black cavendish is processed. There’s also a very light fruitiness which leads me to suspect a little is added from toppings. No nicotine as you might expect from most highly sweet aromatics. Won’t bite even if pushed, and has no harsh or dull moments. Burns at moderate rate with a cool, clean, very smooth and creamy consistent flavor. Doesn’t need many relights and easily burns to ash. Leaves a little dampness in the bowl, but no dottle. Has a very pleasant after taste and the room note will make you friends with most everybody.

Cool Breeze

06-03-2016, 07:17 PM

Name: Milan Appalachian Gold

Blend: Cavendish

Topping: Vanilla, chocolate and nuts

Smoked in: various cobs and a King's Cross briar

The cut is like the others, a coarse ribbon cut. Like the others it behaves as well as you could expect any tobacco to behave. It packs and smokes very well.
The quality of this tobacco is very good.

I find the flavor of this one to be fairly one dimensional. You get mostly vanilla. There are times when a creamy coco flavor is present but it is not at the forefront. There is no tobacco taste to speak of. You pretty much only taste the toppings.

While I found this one to be rather on the boring side when smoked by itself, I did enjoy it when mixed with Prince Albert. I mixed about 2 to 1 PA to Appalachian Gold and found it to be very nice tasting. The nuttiness of the PA with the vanilla sweetness of the Milan blend was how I preferred it.

Great room note. Smells wonderful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAjDYGtCv-I

Haebar

06-03-2016, 08:54 PM

Milan Tobacconist Black Gold:

This blend has Cavendish, Burley, and black Cavendish. This is quality leaf; there are no stems or midribs to speak of. This tobacco also has some vanilla casing; it takes considerable time to dry it out for smoking. With only 30 minutes air time, my first bowl was good and interesting. Interesting in that the second half of the bowl was better than the first. First lighting is tough, as the blend is moist. First impressions are of the smell of a fruit basket, briefly. The black Cavendish provides the structure and backbone of the flavor; the burley fills out the body with a little nicotine muscle, but not much. Impressive is how dry this and the other Milan house aromatic tobaccos have smoked for me, in spite of feeling damp when loading the bowl. I only had to use one pipe cleaner per bowl smoked in briars and no pipe cleaners with the Missouri Meerschaums.

Cool Breeze

06-03-2016, 10:06 PM

Impressive is how dry this and the other Milan house aromatic tobaccos have smoked for me, in spite of feeling damp when loading the bowl. I only had to use one pipe cleaner per bowl smoked in briars and no pipe cleaners with the Missouri Meerschaums.

I have noticed this as well. They seem to smoke much drier than most aros.
I definitely think these are very high quality tobaccos.

Haebar

06-05-2016, 01:14 PM

Milan Tobacconists: Virginia Pride

My bag of Virginia Pride is fresh from the store. I aired some of it out overnight and have smoked three bowls so far in two different pipes: a Sunrise Canadian and a Captain Black billiard. My first impression is that this is a Virginia/Cavendish blend rather than the Burley/Cavendish blend that is in the description on TobaccoReviews.com. Checked the Milan Tobacconists website to get more information and couldn't find it listed there; it has apparently been discontinued. Of the five Milan tobaccos that I have smoked in the last two weeks, this was my favorite. There is a vanilla flavoring that is a little sweet to the lips at times. One of the reasons this is my favorite of the five that I have tried is that it has more tobacco flavor. At times, after the initial aromatic effect wore off, I was imagining tasting GLP Sixpence with the added slight sweetness of Amphora Cavendish. Close examination of the tobacco revealed that there were no stems or midrib sections to cull out, it is a quality product. This smoked well; it was relatively easy to light and keep lit. Although I only had to use one pipe cleaner per bowl, there was a little moisture left in the bowl after finishing, as might be expected. Easy enough to dry with a paper towel if you wanted to reload. I enjoyed this tobacco! The part I particularly enjoyed was the middle 2/3rds; there was a good body of tobacco flavor that was not too bold or too wispy, just right. I thought I was tasting mostly red Virginia, Burley and Cavendish.

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah50/haebar/Cigarbum%20photos%20001_zpshhfqho9u.jpg

Cool Breeze

06-08-2016, 11:17 PM

Tobias, I haven't forgotten about the other 2 blends. I still have Centennial and Sportsman to review.

Been a rough few days and I haven't gotten around to it. I hope to post the review for the remaining 2 in the next week.

I have gotten some feedback from another Youtuber as well who is interested in the Milan blends. I am going to send him a sample (a few bowls worth) of them and he will mention them in his videos as well, so the word will get out a little more.

Thanks again.

Bruck

06-09-2016, 08:51 PM

http://i1377.photobucket.com/albums/ah50/haebar/Cigarbum%20photos%20001_zpshhfqho9u.jpg

I'd read your review, but I'm too busy admiring that pipe. What an awesome stem that thing has! Or shank. Whatever.

Cool Breeze

06-10-2016, 11:23 PM

Name: Milan Sportsman

Blend: Cavendish, burly and Virginia

Topping: vanilla, butternut, cherry and pineapple

Smoked in: cobs

This tobacco is a nice mellow aromatic that does not overpower you with syrupy sweetness. You get the fruity flavors of the topping without it feeling like there is a syrup coating on your tongue.
The vanilla comes out plainly. The cherry is subtle. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you do not. The butternut is noticeable in the tin/bag note but I cannot distinguish it in the flavor of the smoke. The pineapple is very interesting. It gives the blend a tangy/sour note that is very pleasant. At first I did not think I would like it when I read it in the description but it turns out I certainly did.

At first I thought this blend tasted a lot like Celebration that I had reviewed first, but after packing 2 cobs and smoking them side by side it was not the case. The pineapple really sets this blend part from other aromatics. It really does add a unique twist that I really enjoyed.

Room note is wonderful.

Another solid top quality blend from Milan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_rG9HoxpwA

Cool Breeze

06-19-2016, 07:38 PM

Milan Centennial

Blend: Virginia and cavendish

Topping: cherry

Smoked in: cobs and a King's Cross briar

This is a nice light mellow blend. While the cherry flavoring is very noticeable, it is not overly sweet. You can taste the Virginia, which is good.
It is not a complicated blend, as unlike the others, it only has the one flavoring.
This was my favorite of the blends I reviewed. It and Sportsman are two that I would purchase.

Tobias, thanks again for doing this amigo.
There is another guy on Youtube who found the blends interesting so I'm sending him a sample of each so that is someone else who will help get the word out about Milan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRnBecXK4dY

Branzig

06-19-2016, 07:58 PM

Cool Breeze

Just finished watching your review on the cherry topped aro. Curious if you have ever tried Devil's Holiday? It is more of a berry topped than straight cherry, but I find it really hits the spot. I too am a fan of Cherry flavored anything, but was never able to find an aro that fit the bill. Most of them are actually dreadful :lol:

Firedance Flake from SG is another berry goody that comes to mind.... again, more berry liquor than straight cherry, but still hit the spot better than most anything else cherry aro I have smoked.

Cheers. :piper:

Cool Breeze

06-19-2016, 08:40 PM

Branzig

06-19-2016, 10:16 PM

I have not tried Devil's Holiday or Firedance. I have considered ordering some Firedance in the past and probably should sometime. P&C has it in bulk so it would be easy enough to grab a one ounce sample.
I find firedance to be better suited to warm weather. It is best brown flake with topping, so at its heart is a nice VA that's perfect for warm weather sipping.

Devils Holiday is a lot heavier smoke. Chewy, if you like. Also with it being Dan Tobbaco, it can be hard to find and spendy when available. I've smoked all mine up, otherwise I would share a sample with you.

Happy reviews, keep them up.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Cool Breeze

06-19-2016, 11:24 PM

I find firedance to be better suited to warm weather. It is best brown flake with topping, so at its heart is a nice VA that's perfect for warm weather sipping.

Devils Holiday is a lot heavier smoke. Chewy, if you like. Also with it being Dan Tobbaco, it can be hard to find and spendy when available. I've smoked all mine up, otherwise I would share a sample with you.

Happy reviews, keep them up.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

I have heard that Dan Tobacco makes a fine quality product.
Thanks for watching the videos friend. I'm having fun with them and plan to keep on. I'll keep on mentioning the bum too and see if I can get some more folks over here. :pipe: