Tobaccos Alsbo - Vanilla (Sungold)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2014-07-06		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Alsbo - Vanilla.

The unlit aroma of this is superb, it reminds me of a traditional old fashioned sweet shop! The mix is mainly medium brown in colour with a few jet black pieces thrown in for some character.

It lights up with superb ease and once lit you will realise that this is quite special! The taste I can only describe as "soft", The actual smoke is not overly thick nor is it too faint in construction, it is just satisfying in build and the flavour is brilliant, all the way you get a perfect full Cavendish taste with an excellent vanilla/cream topping which does not become too sickly nor gloopy. Tongue bite does not occur unless I strain the hell out of it and even then it's quite minor when it does happen (which is rare). If I choose to inhale this sensual smoke it goes down with great ease and a good Vitamin N amount (for me), nicotine is about that of Mac Baren Vanilla flake, which I found to be great. At the end of the bowl I find a pleasant lingering aftertaste of vanilla which is a nice bonus!

From my point of view, if you enjoy a vanilla aromatic then you wont go wrong with this!

Pipe Used: Comoys

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke King

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2014-03-29		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

The vanilla flavor has a little richness with no chemical taste. I did notice an alcohol topping of some kind, but it didn't detract much at all. I also got a hint or two of the tobacco itself, something not always evident in blends of this genre. It needs to be puffed slowly or you'll risk a little tongue bite. Has almost no nicotine. The strength and taste levels are medium. The overall flavor is consistent from top to bottom. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, and needs few relights. Has a pleasant after taste and room note. Not really an all day experience unless you're heavy into vanilla flavoring, but it's pleasant enough for a dessert smoke. Two and a half stars.

-JimInks

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ford Prefect (9)	2020-12-18		Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Quite similar to Mac Baren Classic but with more palatable topping, vanilla is definitely more pronounced here. I've seen this brand before a lot but never brought myself to trying one on account of it looking like something OTC, I regret that. No bite, smokes very cool, very pleasant taste and aroma. One of the tops for me!

Pipe Used: Bespoke briar with 9mm meerschaum filter

Age When Smoked: Fresh from the pouch

Purchased From: https://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - Vanilla Cream Loose Cut.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jack D.L. (1)	2021-03-07		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

After smoking this blend for some time and finishing the 50g pack I bought, I can say the following:

When you open it, the smell is pretty stong sweet, like very artificial, didn't like it very much. Before smoking it, I transferred the tobacco to a jar and left it there for a couple of days. It has a high humidity because of all the flavoring I recomend to dry it before smoking because I noticed there was a big difference between smoking it kind of wet and dry. When I smoked it "wet" the flavors were not as intense as when I smoked the tobacco dried, and I also got tongue bite quite often. The more I smoked, less tobacco was in the jar, the drier it got. Although when dried it gets a bit hot, I never got a tongue bite again. In the end I enjoyed smoking this blend in comparison with when I started. Just let it dry (not crunchy dry) for a while and then enjoy it.

Pipe Used: MM Corn Cob, country gentleman

Age When Smoked: Opened it after purchase.

Purchased From: Local tobacco store.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Blynx (1)	2017-03-03		Very Mild	Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

Upon opening the pouch a very strong vanilla aroma is present, this transfers through the smoke. Reminds me of a bakery or cake shop very sweet and sticky smelling. A very big vanilla hit from the get go which I loved, almost a butterscotch taste with a slight alcohol twinge in the back somewhere. The vanilla flavour is present for about 3/4 of the bowl and the last quarter is a much more subtle bonfire toffee kinda of taste.

The room note is akin to a vanilla scented candle, I had smoked a sly bowl in my living room and a few hours later my SO returned from work and legitimately asked if I had lit one of her scented candles and didn't believe me when I had said that It was this tobacco (gave me a reason to have another bowl just to prove a point).

All in all a great smoke, it burns cool and not too fast, although I have noticed that if you chase the flavour and puff away it can get a little hot.

I much prefer this to Mac Barens Vanilla cream as this seems to be much sweeter but I'm bias as I have a very sweet tooth.

Pipe Used: "London made special" bulldog

Age When Smoked: pouch fresh

Purchased From: Smoke-king.co.uk

Similar Blends: Mac Baren Vanilla Cream.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeyM (11)	2015-05-09		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Great smell in the pouch, smokes light and easy, not moist at all.

Funny thing is that this pouch was empty before I knew it... Smoked it in my BigBen crosly, which is not a large pipe, so quite some bowls.

Room note is marvellous, taste is good, but a little bland compared to some more complex english blends.

Good aromatic, the fact I emptied this pouch so fast is self-explanatory. Aro lovers, this is a good one

Pipe Used: BigBen Crosly

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: MacBaren Vanilla Cream.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LoutreMJ (14)	2020-05-30		Very Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

[French] L'Alsbo Vanilla se bourre et s'allume facilement. Les brins nécessitent au début d'être un peu séchés, mais après quelques jours en blagues, ils sont à hydrométrie parfaite pour le fumage. L'odeur en blague est sucrée, de pruneaux liquoreux, et très très peu de vanille finalement. En bouche, on retrouve le sucré et la rondeur de l'odeur en blague. Pour un aromatique à la vanille, j'ai du mal à sentir cette dernière. En "retro-hale", je sens la saveur liquoreuse les premières fois, mais le "retro-hale" sur ce tabac a tendance à m'irriter le nez (sauce ?). Les derniers brins ont tendance à devenir âcres, on perd beaucoup du sucre de début de bol. A aucun moment je ne me suis senti pris par la nicotine, ou tabassé par ce tabac. La room note est plaisante, mais laisse néanmoins une odeur assez déplaisante en bouche et sur les vêtements. Je trouve ce tabac idéal pour un débutant commençant par les aromatiques, même si j'ai moi-même fini par me lasser. (NB : j'en ai acheté deux blagues pour tenir le confinement, et à force de manipulation, les brins étaient devenus comme des paillettes ou des tout petits brins, ce qui contribue à rendre le bourrage moins plaisant selon moi)

Pipe Used: Bruyère, Maïs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: La Régence, Reims

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Oombergen (13)	2019-06-03		Mild	Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Nice, mild and very sweet aromatic. Beautiful black-and yellow color. Unfortunately, the strong vanilla tin note vanishes few days after the pouch has been opened, or when the mixture is aired or transferred to a jar. What remains is a mild "butter-like" scent, still pleasant. The vanilla taste is wonderful and perceivable throughout the bowl when this tobacco is freshly opened. Days or weeks after, the taste becomes more "tobacco-ish", though the sweetness of virginia & black cavendish remain clearly perceivable throughout the bowl. Tongue bite may occur if not smoked gently. The design of the pouch is rather dull: there's room for improvement. Overall a nice, strongly topped tobacco, only for lovers of aromatic mixtures.

Pipe Used: Pascucci and Grenci freehands

Purchased From: Tobacconist in Zottegem, Belgium

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Luckyluke (11)	2017-09-04		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Very nice aro, tastes and smells like vanilla pudding, for a dessert smoke this does the trick, but.....I get a weird sour tounge after this blend, now i don't know if i might be alergic to something in this blend or what but for this sole reason i don't smoke it which is a bummer because it does taste very good. It does bite and burn very hot. No moistness at all so its good to go straight from the pouch and is a very smooth and light on the taste buds. If you like aro's do try this one but be warned of a weird sour tounge that might last a whole day after this thing.

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - Vanilla Cream Loose Cut.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SamH (31)	2015-10-30		Mild	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I tried this to see what it was like. It was nice. Not earth shakingly brilliant and not quite my type of thing, but not bad. Worth a shot I'd say.

Pipe Used: Various.

Age When Smoked: Fresh from shop.

Purchased From: Mysmokingshop

Similar Blends: Some aromatics, vanillas anyway..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomo1978 (1)	2014-10-01		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Im a beginner and was searching for aromatic tobacco suitable for my needs for some time now. After Mac Barren Vanilla and Borkum Riff Whiskey Bourbon this one is by now the best for me. Recommended for aromatic lovers. No tongue bite , really pleasent for smoking.

Pipe Used: Lorenzo

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Plihopliheri (13)	2014-08-29		Mild	Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Back when I still smoked flavored blends, this was my favorite Vanilla flavored tobacco. I liked the aroma, but it burned a bit hot at times. Then, it came in tins, and once opened, the tobacco dried out rather quickly.

Edit: I found my old tin, and now I wonder: Have I reviewed another brand here? The tin says: "Aalsbo Mixture / Mild Tobak / Vanilla", and it is "manufactured and packed by Peter Stokkebye, Denmark". I could not find any trace of this online. Was it an earlier, now out of production Vanilla blend by PS?

Pipe Used: Georg Jensen

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	zenpipe (3)	2013-07-21		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Bought this in a smallish town in Latvia. I don't know how old the pouch was, but the tobacco felt a bit dry. I'm getting more of a cherry aroma than vanilla, along with the tobacco flavor. Maybe because it was "aged" in the store where I bought it? Quite nice room note, I'm getting more vanilla here than in the flavor. Tin note is sweet and has a very nice vanilla note. Flavorwise, I'm getting wood and smoke, along with hints of milk chocolate. I haven't experienced any tongue bite or such.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-08-04		Very Mild	Strong	Mild	Pleasant

I don't often smoke aromatics, although I tend to have an aromatic open when I'm trying to be sensitive to the sensibilities of those near me.

Alsbo vanilla looks like a cheap and nasty pouch aromatic and I expected it to bite and taste of chemicals (sure, Vanillin is a chemical, but I hope you know what I mean).

My prejudice was unfounded and I was quite impressed with this pouch tobacco. There's nothing complicated about this smoke, It's just a lovely soft vanilla from start to finish. It didn't bite and it wasn't gloopy, although I suppose if one puffed too hard or too fast this could change.

I keep some handy to throw into other aromatics that I'm not so keen on.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-02-09		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good "morning" tobacco... for starting good the day!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-09-02		Mild to Medium	Strong	Very Full	Overwhelming

This is the tobacco I wanna smoke when there is good looking chikcs around, who understands after a good man!! For me arome is pleasant, and roomnote is mind melting.

Ofcourse there is a lot of syrup, but good blend, with small bite.

and tin aroma is candy-a-like!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-07-16		Mild	Very Strong	Full	Pleasant

Artificial flavor, bites and burns very hot with high humidity.

Very bland, has in its favor as it has very good room note.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	paulwfromtheden (14)	2009-06-23		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Not bad. There is a pleasant taste and arome, but on the downside it a) Smokes very hot b) Smokes very wet c) Has a reasonably strong tonge bite. Not the worst aromatic in the world, but not the best either. It will be some time before I try it again.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2008-07-26		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant

Fairly good aromatic; there is certain a number of better vanilla tobacco's available, therefore I was in doubt if I would rate it 2 or 3 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (156)	2004-10-11		Very Mild	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

Just like the other Alsbo aromatics I've tried, the tobacco is smooth and extremely mild, and its dosed with a really generous helping of syrup- in this case vanilla. Seriously, people at the other end of the street will be turning around and sniffing...

For some reason the vanilla flavour gives this blend a little more body than the other Alsbo tobaccos, slightl more full, I find it a bit more satisfying. Again, it will take a few bowlfuls before the flavour has built up enough to taste of vanilla all the way to the end, and it is a very leasant smoke, as mild aromatics go. Does what it says on the tin.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2004-06-13		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I'm a new one in the Pipe-smoking scene and somebody said I had to taste a Vanilla tobacco because he really loved the smell of it. Then it always comes down to choosing the right tobacco. This particular tobacco had a nice room-aroma, the retailer told me. Unfortunately my friends didn't really notice any good aroma. Also the taste was pretty strong, with really almost no scent of vanilla in it. Further probably due to the black Cavendish in it, it was a pretty strong tobacco, but no specific vanilla one unfortunately. Really am going to try some oter vanilla ones, but let this one pass-by. So on the room-note: it wasn't a strong room-aroma, but it wasn't a pleasant one.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Harry Karis (1)	2021-01-23		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

After 25 years of smoking cigars I wanted to change and switched to smoke pipes. Well, I live in France while being Dutch and find out it’s not that easy to find good tobacco here. I tried to order some in The Netherlands but...yep...because of really stupid laws am not allowed to...I feel treat like a child because methinks it one’s own responsibility....at least when it’s still allowed according to law. I am a medical doctor...and can assure you that many of my college’s make the mistake to let stop patients especially with stress related complaints and instead of pump them with all kind of ten times worse medicines. Sorry I just had this to get of my chest...

Now about this Alsbo Vanille tabacco... now called sungold... I tried before plenty of none flavored ones...some of them okay but...also wanted to try ‘sauced’ ones. First time I tried this I thought it’s too sweet too much vanille and cream lacking a tobacco punch. I smoked Amsterdammer and kind of like but to be honest find it too much strait forward lacking a nice flavor. Today I made a blend of 50% Amsterdammer and this Sungold. It’s like a perfect marriage....so complementary.....a totally different dimension. For me for sure four stars.....and I will keep on mixing and keep you updated... BTW there is not just black Cavendish tobacco in this one but also some light colored one...maybe Virginia?

Pipe Used: Saint Claude

Age When Smoked: 1

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Marksuu (2)	2020-06-20		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

When i opned a bag the tobacco flavoring was a extramly strong sweet vanilla (not a good way) then ventilated an hour and after that a flavoring like a really pleasant vanilla ice cream The taste is pleasant vanilla, not too strong but dominant and not bite a tounge.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Archibald Haddock (4)	2019-02-23		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I loved opening the pouch for the first time, it was a pleasant smell. After packing my pipe, I couldn't wait to smoke this tobacco. When I smoked I could really taste vanilla, but it tasted a little bit artificial. Overall the artificial didn't really bother me and I would recommend this tobacco. But if you really what to enjoy Alsbo tobacco, I would recommend mixing this blend with the cherry flavored blend. I think that is sensational.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rafalgdansk87 (12)	2018-04-23		Mild	Very Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco has really strong vanilla aroma, with addition of something like pistachio or almond. At the beginning, tobacco taste is overwhelmed by this strong topping. After burning about 1/3 of a pipe, taste gets more balanced and from this moment, smoking starts to being quite pleasant, with strong aromatic and mild sweetness of burning tobacco. Biggest disadvantage of this tobacco - it is very wet and hard to burn, with tendency to extinguish. All kind of filters and denicool crystals, or/and drying before smoking are in my opinion necessarily here. In spite of all, I like this tobacco, really nice aroma, good price and easy to get in almost every newsstand in my city.

Pipe Used: Mr.Brog - Bent Apple

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Some local newsstand, Gdansk, Poland

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	brythebus (4)	2015-01-13		Very Mild	Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A nice "little brother" of Alsbo Black. Suitable for an afternoon relax. Its ice cream in smoke form. Sip it slowly for no tongue bite.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-10-04		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

My very first pipe tobacco. I immediately liked the smell as I opened the pouch.

It has a very nice natural tobacco and vanilla taste and some whiskey undertones. The room note is pleasant and is as a pipe tobacco should be. I recommend this blend as a cost effective tobacco. I had not issues with the burning of this blend, tongue bite or gunk in the bowl. Unlike the Also Black which I found did seem to burn a little hot and did get wet towards the end.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-03-06		Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco was my first try. After this I tried some others. This is very mild and it gives you couple of tongue bites. Maybe because I was a bit inexperienced smoker. When I went to other brands I did not have the same effect. I went to try Alsho again and I had the same tongue bites.

In my opinion this is very mild that as a result you try to smoke it a bit faster and therefore that is why you get the tongue bites.

Taste is mild. Even if you smoke it slowly and try to let the smoke out of your nose, the taste will be mild.

Room note is pleasant to tolerable.

Good point with this tobacco is that I usually smoke it in the eve before going to bed. Since it is not strong it does not leave too much smoke smell on your face skin, clothes on mouth. Good if you have a nagging wife or girlfriend !!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-01-05		Mild to Medium	Very Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

If you got a leather tongue, this is your tobacco. It´s a good begginers choice to notice what is a tongue bit, but also a full pleasure taste. If you can smoke this, you can smoke everything. It´s one of the few tobaccos that really tastes vanilla, maybe because the satured flavoring. Just say: A cheap and easy burning blend but a little wet smoking.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2007-09-04		Mild	Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

Yes I have to agree with my other 4 star buddy here, a cracking baccy. A mild and pleasant aromatic that will leave the pipe well flavoured and ready for another bowl of the same. All you mild baccy lovers need to take your hats off at this one.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2003-09-02		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Good taste, nice scent, burns properly. Simply a good tobacco.

Nobody has rated this review yet.