Keep in mind that these are the reviews of an amateur with an unrefined palate, and that I may update these reviews as time goes on.
Captain Black Regular
Nice aromatic. Dependable. Taste of vanilla, berries/fruit(?), and marshmallows. Great smell, or so I hear. Has been too long since I last smoked it: can’t remember taste and smell well. Good smoke—easy to light and keep lit. Verdict: buy a 7 oz tub.
Cornell & Diehl House Reserve
American blend; made specially for brick-and-mortar tobacconists and not sold online. Don’t care for it. Decent taste, fruity with berries. Tolerable aroma according to my grandmother. Annoying cut makes it hard to pack, and the tobacco is hard to light/keep lit. Verdict: don’t buy again.
Cornell & Diehl Autumn Evening
Aromatic. Disliked at first, but now like it. Tastes of vanilla, fruit/berries(?), syrup, bread, pancakes. Can give cigarette notes if you smoke too quickly or too hot. Leaves a strong smell of nuts/bread/pancakes in the pipe. Probably smells like pancakes to other people. Mellow easygoing smoke; easy to light and keep lit. Verdict: consider keeping in regular stock.
Arango Balkan Supreme
Balkan blend. Interesting but not outstanding. Leathery, campfire-like pouch note. Unique but underwhelming taste–of natural tobacco, I guess. Fruity, sometimes nutty. Strong smell which I tolerate, sometimes like, but which others dislike or even hate. Bites the tongue when you puff to start the light. Lighting this blend gave me slight tongue bite in a gourd calabash pipe!–that’s how much this can burn your tongue. Does not take a light very easily like my aromatics do, but is not hard to light, either. Verdict: consider buying after I have smoked more non-aromatics.
Sutliff Z92 Vanilla Custard Cream
Wonderful aromatic. Tastes like its namesake, and somewhat fruity. Leaves probably the greatest smell I’ve ever observed from a blend in my pipe. Smells great to other people, too. People have approached me and said it smells good. Easy to light and keep lit. Verdict: consider keeping in regular stock.
The Country Squire Figgy Pudding (2021)
Aromatic. Given to me by a Texan to share at a Christmas party. A nice tobacco. Smells kind of like chocolate in the pouch but tastes like figs. Smells like figgy pudding; I’m sure it’s a pleasant aroma to others. Verdict: consider buying for Christmas.
The Country Squire Polar X-Press (2021)
Aromatic. Like Figgy Pudding, given to me by a Texan to share at a Christmas party. Very mellow, but not unenjoyable. I get some flavor out of it. No idea how it smells, but it can’t be bad. Verdict: don’t buy any more for myself–it’s just too mellow!