Tobaccos Peterson - Connoisseur's Choice

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Susanna Hoffs (74)	2009-11-13		Mild to Medium	Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Yea, I love the aromatics, so sue me. This is fruity, fruity, fruity. Did I mention that it's fruity?

For those of you that feel pressured to try the English blends "Coz you're not a real pipe smoker unless you do!" (Yawn!) I say this. Just smoke what you like mate..

If you like the aro's to hell with those that try to convince you that unless you smoke something that smells/tastes like leather or burning wood/rubber, then you're somehow inferior. Utter bollocks.

Good quality, dark fruit cakey, rummy, etc..etc..

A rich dessert smoke.

81 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CTS (138)	2013-12-27		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Smells great in the tin - and translates fairly well to the taste in the pipe. The vanilla and rum dance in and out during the smoke. A sweet, nutty, burley-like flavor comes out as I smoke through the bowl. The vanilla and rum hang on throughout - very pleasant. No problems lighting, packing, or smoking - no excessive heat. As with all Aros, and most everything, I pack the pipe by first doing a gravity feed, tapping the sides of the bowl until I fill it to the top. Then I take a moderately large pinch with three fingers and twist-pack it into the bowl, followed by uniformly crimping to the interior sides. Seems to work better than the old three step, particularly with Aros. A solid 4 star performer that consistently delivers within and across pipes.

Pipe Used: Karl Erik, Peterson

Age When Smoked: B&M shelf placement date of SEP 2010 noted on tin

Purchased From: Corona Smoke Shop, Jackson, MI

26 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2014-02-01		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Connoisseur’s Choice appears to have the quality underlying tobaccos that Peterson is known for and the tin note is enticing, mainly smelling of fruit. My memory may be off, but I recall some of the same flavors in the old Sunday Fantasy. I find CC to be kind of a typical fruit flavored aromatic albeit a higher quality one. The tin scent carries over fairly well to the smoke. For me to get the most out of this blend, I find that by drying it toughly, the tobacco flavor emerges, offering a better balance between tobacco and flavoring. It can burn a little hot if pushed. If I could review this based on just the first half of each bowl, I would recommend it, but as the bowl progresses, it loses points with me because there is a slight chemical taste that seems to waft in and out. It is just slight, but it is enough to keep me from reaching for it verses other aromatics when smoking the occasional aromatic blend. CC is decent stuff, but not a bell ringer for me.

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Umlilo (5)	2013-12-08		Mild	Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

I'd recommend this to new smokers looking for the more aromatic smoking experience. I say this because it is the closest I have come to finding an aromatic that smokes like it smells out of the tin - if that makes sense - taste and room note I suppose. I took to pipes from smelling others smoke and finding it pleasant and this blend takes me to that.

The vanilla comes through really well and I find even on the exhale it is pleasant to breath back in. I didn't get a soapy after taste like some of the aromatics I have tried.

I also preferred this to some of the other heavily alcohol laced aromatics I have tried. Whilst some have said this smokes hot I have tried some whisky blends that seem to fry me - I didn't get that with this, the alcohol wasn't over powering but if you don't have a taste for vanilla then pass on by.

I'd also say it has more strength to it than the Deluxe mixture - I now find that with Deluxe it is all smell, no taste or strength. This is a step up.

Pipe Used: Rattaray - Old Gowrie

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2075)	2014-01-22		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Peterson - Connoisseurs Choice.

A lovely, easy going, aromatic. Although the fruity side of the topping could be considered a little acidic/harsh, it's counterbalanced by the vanilla/coffee. These contribute to forming a smoother flavour. The bowls I've smoked have all burned well, giving a cool smoke. Even though the topping is fairly heavy, it still allows the tobaccos to have their say.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: pleasant.

Just misses out on four stars:

Recommended.

Pipe Used: Commoys Elegance

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Various

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipe1000 (14)	2012-12-20		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Wow, a lovely tobacco from Petersons!

As I do with most aromatics, I dried it for a few minutes before lighting which often leaves me with a fairly dry bowl and this was no exception...

On first light my wife commented on the fantastic sweet caramel & vanilla room note, I too got a strong taste of the caramel & vanilla on the charring light, but that soon smoothed out to a wonderful bowl. No tongue bite, a nice amount of nicotine and a very consistent smoke throughout.

It's understandable why they call it Connoisseurs Choice, It's a fairly subtle flavour with wonderful Virginia's, it's not a mouth-watering aromatic, but good none the less!

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Joeray (61)	2014-07-07		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Is quite long I'm not smoking aromatics after had some bad experiences with them. Is about last 3 - 4 months that I'm not smoking aromatic and just enjoying virginia, vaper, english and others non-aromatic tobacco. If I'm make order of tobaccos, definitely sure I will not order aromatic tobaccos, just put them away from my mind. Until my friend last month send me 3 tin of aromatic tobaccos and this Peterson Connoisseur Choice is one of them that had been sent to me from my friend. Not really passionated to open it so I just put them on my desk and I'm continuing my journey with non-aromatic blends until yesterday I decided to try to smoke aromatic blends again and this Peterson CC is my first try.

The tin note is just like other aromatics, wonderful, a really mouth watering scent that very tempting to smoke them in hurry. But I'm still thinking this wonderful scent/tin note just a seduction, some aromatics tobacco had different taste and flavor after it burnt on pipe and the best is just until 1/3 bowl it can tasted as same as the tin notes. I can smell wonderfull scents of vanilla, caramel, rum, a little bit banana and a little bit pineaple, so sweet and it remainds me to my favorite bubble gum that I usually chewed at my teenager age.

With ribbon cut, which is my favorite cut also with coarse cut, this stuff is easy to pack. It become in to my habbit if I'm smoking aromatics, before I pack them in to my pipe I put them into a paper and let them in open air for 10-15 minutes. This Peterson Connoisseur Choice is came to me with a nice moisture level, almost similar with the MacBarren's moisture level but I'm still worried if this stuff will soak my pipe very badly, so give an air time is still the best preventive action to enjoy well this stuff for me.

After 15 minutes air time, I made 3 layers packing in to my tamarind patrikson putu cowe pipe, which is a full bent billiard pipes, my favorite Indonesian local pipe. Make a nice charring light, tamp it with gentle and puff it with slowly, and the smoke is quite great. The taste and flavor is just like the tin note, the vanilla and caramel flavor is dancing so sweet in to my palate and my nose follows with pineapple and rum scents. It taste so sweet at my mouth and I'm surprised the smokes translate the tin notes so well. It smokes well until the half bowl, and after half bowl the taste is change in to nutty flavor that cames more dominant follows with a thin vanilla and rum, the fruity scents is starts to disappears. And the good news is, it doesn't soak my pipe very bad, still wet, but not soak my pipe very bad.

So this stuff is very good for me, at least I can smoke this stuff freely inside the house without my wife get annoyed. Thanks to my friend that is so generous to share this stuff with me and made me to found an aromatic blend that fit on my taste.

Pipe Used: Putu Cowe Tamarind Patrikson

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-07-03		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I can see why this is called Connoisseur's choice. Treat it gently and you will be rewarded. Go gung ho and you will be punished.

In the tin this tobacco smells incredible. Very complex mix of aromas; rum, vanilla, almost a pina colada smell, with sugary prunes. It's presented as a ribbon but I've found quite a few bits of flake in mine too. A good assortment of colours. All in all a very visually and sensually appealing tobacco.

Before you light I would STRONGLY recommend drying it out. If not on a plate for half an hour, in your pipe overnight. It's very moist in the tin and will be a pain to keep lit without drying. Indeed even with drying it needs quite a bit of nurture to keep up the pleasant taste.

It offers a thick white smoke and a lovely white ash once it gets going. Initially those tinned flavours- pineapple, vanilla, alcohol- do come through. Not NEARLY as strongly as in the tin, but so it goes with aromatics... Towards the end of the bowl you taste a bit more of the tobacco. Ever so slightly nutty, still quite sweet; verging on but not quite getting bland. The room note is fantastic, too. It did surprise me that there's no Burley in this one. For a Virginia Cavendish it's quite nutty and sometimes even floral on the retrohale.

Perhaps the best thing about this tobacco is it forms an excellent cake, if you have the patience to smoke it all the way down. Without exception I've always had to leave this one and come back because it does burn on the hot side.

I would HIGHLY recommend this one to beginners. Not only will it get your first pipe prepped nicely, this tobacco offers a lot in the way of learning about the right variables for a nice smoke (humidity, flavouring, building up nicotine resistance slowly, keeping your pipe lit properly, the value of packing properly).

What I would say is that I think this is a tin that could do with ageing a little. Perhaps a few months. Without age, it's bites a little more, gurgles a little more and is harsher than it could be. Also, as I said, it needs to be treated VERY gently. Tamp lightly, pack loosely and light carefully.

In short, if you're looking for a pleasant aro and don't mind putting the work in, you wouldn't do badly to pick up a tin of this. It's certainly my favourite Peterson's blend.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Coltrain (8)	2013-11-27		Extremely Mild	Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A typical Peterson aromatic. Wet with casing. If you are familiar with their tobaccos and can manage smoking them I would recommend you try this. Even if you aren't I recommend you try it. It just needs to be minded as it gets HOT. It smells amazing, I don't think any aromatic smells as good as it. About half way through the bowl it looses the flavour of the casing and you're left with a bland tobacco. Okay tobacco. Nice to smoke if you have noses around to please.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (250)	2009-10-04		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Too many flavors. Why mess up quality tobacco with so many flavors? I mean fruit, vanilla, rum, and...maple? Too many notes, my dear Mozart! Well, Mozart never used too many notes-this is more like Reger. I can smoke this kind of aromatic only when I am in a certain mood, and with the proper drink-some sweet cocktail or liqueur, and I don't drink those often.

1-16-10 To Sinister Topiary: (what a great name!) I am impressed by anyone who knows who Max Reger was. His music is...unique, kind of like Brahms on speed or angel dust, but the bespecticled, fat late romantic composer wouldn't have cared whether you liked his music or not. He just kept on churning those hour-long string quartets and such out, sequestered in his shed with no other care in the world. He has to his credit the best reply to a bad review ever: "I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. Your review is before me. Soon it will be behind me." He was a cigar smoker, by the way.

2-16-11 This is a nice aro. Thing is, with well-made aros, I want to puff too hard, and get bitten...really doesn't help smoking this in this clay pipe that I fear was made more as a souvenir than an actual smoking device...I am too harsh. Actually, this German-made Irish-themed thing smokes OK if you don't push it so hard, and the same is true of this tobacco. Long live the extravagant, Reger and over-the-top aromatics and such. You just have to enjoy them in smaller doses sometimes.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (217)	2017-06-03		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Connoisseur’s Choice is the 4th aromatic from Peterson that I’ve found to be much to my tastes, thanks to TR reviews, and I hope they keep ‘em coming. CC smelled mostly of mango, orange and peach schnapps when I popped the tin, with faint vanilla, and the bready, gold-to-brown-and-black ribbons and chunks of tobacco looked a little bit gloppy. Based on the other Peterson aros I enjoy, I took no pause from appearances, smoking my first bowlful pulled straight from the tin, as usual, and thereafter I dried it some before loading it loosely into one of my aro pipes. CC also smokes well in a VA pipe, but I have to say, it will leave a ghost. This tobacco is mostly mild, golden, flue cured VAs, along with some savory, slightly earthy, red VA, as well. The Cav is very mild and cashew nutty, Burly based, I suppose, mostly sweet, but also slightly sour, with a trace of tannin. There’s plenty of smooth, rich smoke when it’s puffed. It is mild, creamy, and delicious at the match, like buttered oatmeal over meadow grass, along with the fragrant toppings, which soon include faint, French roast coffee that can come off as chocolaty “mocha”. The rum is more like very mild rum punch, and altogether it smells and tastes nice. The tobacco burns OK with regular attention, and I like to take it very slow, like Hyde Park, but unlike Hyde Park, CC is no codger blend, being much smoother, and it’s more forgiving. Down the bowl, the coffee kicks in, and it can taste like coffee grounds, or even ashy if it gets it hot. I am prone to puff away, but this one gives me incentives to back off and take it easy. Note that the tobacco is not long in getting ahead of the toppings, but it never goes on without them. Strength is mild. Tastes ramp up gently to medium. Room note is pleasant. Aftertaste is the best of the end of the smoke, more incentive to go slowly.

Connoisseur’s Choice is another winning aro from Peterson. The tobacco is sweet, nutty, and tasty, and it plays well with the toppings, top to bottom. I am picky and fussy about “chemical” tastes. I take steps to avoid them, and I don’t get them here, albeit burned coffee is also worth avoiding, IMO. 4 stars for Connoisseur’s Choice.

Pipe Used: Aro and VA briars

Age When Smoked: Right from an undated tin.

Purchased From: Liberty Tobacco

Similar Blends: Compare/contrast to other Peterson aromatics featuring mango..

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2013-11-24		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I bought this one just on a whim, fancied an aromatic and this seemed as good as any.

The tin aroma is a strong one of vanilla with wafts of rum and a little whiff of something citrus. The packing and lighting are easy enough, those little bits of flake are a delight, folding easily into the pipe. The flavour of the smoke is, as tends to be the case with aromatics and a little disappointingly so, a much milder version of the tin aroma. It's still a nice smoke though. In the last third, the flavour gives way to something of a caramel taste, a rather nice surprise. There are occasional whiffs of tonguebite but it's not a big deal.

In summary a good little aro with a good quality tobacco underneath. Yes, the flavour of the smoke is a lot milder than that of the tin aroma but let's face it, most aros are like that. Given that, this is a good smoke and will gladly give it three stars.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2008-03-17		Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

Since this is St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be fun to start the morning with a Peterson's blend made by the late, lamented Murray's... Well, this was the only Pete blend I had in my cellar that had already been opened and stored in a Mason Jar.

It is sweet, but not too sweet.

It is fruity an a vanilla/blackberries sort of way.

It was a little wet and is so light in flavor that I had to concentrate on smoking slowly in order to avoid tongue bite.

It does not go well with coffee.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aleksander Szyszkowski (6)	2020-04-01		Extremely Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

One of the better aromatics I had the pleasure of smoking.

The tin aroma is a very tasty mix of dried fruit with a noticible citrus accent. It's quite a sweet, but also quite sour tobacco blend. It also has a nice level of moisture, which means that packing, lighting and smoking shouldn't be a problem. People I've smoked it in the presence of really enjoyed the room note, which is an additional big plus in my book.

I fully recommend it to anyone who finds themselves enjoying a good aromatic.

Pipe Used: B&B 212

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke; Wroclaw, Poland

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	KahveDelisi (73)	2018-09-29		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I am not an aromatic fan. To be honest, I rarely smoke aromatics (as rare as once in two or three years). I found this particular blend in my search for a decent aromatic which could please the people around. I mean, why not? What did I gain in my 25 years of pipe smoking by being a purist? Aro smokers get all the slow clapping, and they pay 1/4 or much less than what I am paying. I am telling you, it's not fair. Regardless, I started making a list of aromatics that I thought would not leave me gagging. Cut to chase, I narrowed the list and finally decided on Peterson Connoisseur's Choice. Boy, was I spot? Tin aroma, burning quality, taste, and room note all matched my expectations: no dottle, no gurgling, no bite. I can see how some could smoke this all day, though I won't. I will keep it for occasions where I am not allowed to stink people to death! Oh, and yes, this one deserves slow clapping. I recommend it to all purists and highly recommend it to aromatic smokers.

PS. I did not write anything about the taste now, did I? It is tiramisu in tobacco form. Virginia pops now and then, followed by tiramisu taste. It's all in there coffee, whiskey, fruity rum, vanilla, and caramel. They all stand out but also blend in harmony as they would be in a Tiramisu

Pipe Used: Meerschaum

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	canvas (337)	2018-02-23		Mild	Strong	Mild	Tolerable

Well now. I'm no connoisseur of fine tobacco's, but when I am reaching for the best, I always grab a pinch of.... just kidding, I really can't recommend this stuff.

The initial whiff of sour cherry informs you that you are indeed in aromatic country, but to be sure, it is a country with no thriving tourism. That sick cherry smell (think cough drops gone wild) hid any advertised rum or vanilla. As you, my loyal reader knows, I am not a fan of cherry tobacco (with Cult's Blood Red Moon being a possible exception). Once lit, any flavor turned into a cheap mish-mash of biter chemical burn that had a habit of biting my tongue.

My biggest grumble is the bucket of spittle I kept producing in the bowl, which I am fairly certain is due to the thickness of the cut's paper thin "fish flakes".

I'm really trying to broaden my brand spectrum, but so far this is the third Peterson blend to leave me disappointed, so this will likely be the last one to cross my future orders.

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	D R Green (2)	2018-02-14		Mild to Medium	Strong	Full	Pleasant

Fresh tin on opening had a very artificial note, a reminder of dried apricots. Smoked wet. I've had a pack of Philtpads on the shelf and realised the true worth of this peculiar product. A slight rub and dry and with the implemented chalk pad installed, hey presto! Requires a wee stir about halfway through and bang. The additives have been mostly spent in quite a delightful flavour profile, but unsatisfying smoke. This making way for the true fullness of the tobaccos which have got better and better the further down the bowl giving a well rounded surprisingly rich and complex experience. I think a long maturation and your in business with this one.

Pipe Used: Bari

Age When Smoked: Open a week

Purchased From: Havana House Oxford

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2016-09-19		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another well made aromatic from Peterson. The topping holds true throughout the smoke and sits on a good base of Virginia and Burley that is present, yet not very noticeable through the topping. If you like to taste tobacco in your aros, you may want to give this one a pass.

For how this blend was to me personally. I wasn't too crazy about this topping, which is, I guess, kind of a tropical fruity type taste mixed with some liquer of some sort that is a little artificial tasting to my tastebuds. As with these types of aros, if you don't like the topping you will not like the blend. For instance, I really enjoyed Sunset Breeze, Gold blend and Deluxe as those topping were more to my liking.

In any case, if you like this topping, you will no doubt like this blend and you should not have much trouble finding it as Peterson's are prevalent at many B&Ms across the world.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-06-16		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

This smells great in the tin. I got lots of the tropical fruit and vanilla scent. I almost wish it didn't smell so good. I found almost none of scent translated to the smoke. That would have been fine if I could have picked up even a hint of sweetness. Nope I even tried this in two different pipes to see if there would be any difference--nope.

I also got a bit of tongue bite with this and it burned really hot. It didn't come cut as fine as other Peterson tobaccos and that made it not as easy to pack.

Overall--Smells great, really mild, bad flavor, burns hot, tongue burn, nice room note.

I will not order this again, I'd rather have Luxury Blend if I'm going with Peterson

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	McKNooB (35)	2013-04-21		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

New to pipe smoking, I find myself reaching for this blend more than any other.

Very easy to work with (pack and light). I was amazed upon opening the tin and was not disappointed when I curiously filled my favourite Savinelli. Was not disappointed.

Very smooth. I didn't notice any bite (though admittedly, I smoked this one way, way too fast; have since slowed down). I love the taste!!! It is the War Departments' favourite aroma and the neighbours came out and asked what that smell was.

Highly recommended.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	erthbound0 (10)	2012-11-07		Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

This tobacco depends on what your objective is. If you are looking for a great smelling tobacco to excite yours and other people's noses this is four stars. But I do not get much taste out of it. The only flavoring I can detect is the rum and vanilla.

I do like the low nic hit as it doesn't keep me wired at night, but there is low nicotine in the blend.

I would definitely recommend it just for the smell of the tin and aroma alone. It really does smell like a fruit cake.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sasquatch (90)	2006-12-09		Mild	Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I will admit to keeping a tin of this on hand. I think it's a very good quality tobacco (all Peterson's stuff is), but it certainly won't be for everyone. I suspect Peterson's intent here is to make an uber-tobak, something for everyone. It has a decent tobacco flavour and nice spicey undercurrent to keep the "real" pipe smoker happy, but it's topped generously with what I have taken to be both cherry and vanilla (hey, if they're popular on their own, let's use both!) which does indeed leave an almost floral effect. This taste is noticeable in the smoke as well - this is absolutely an aromatic tobacco.

Leaf quality is good, with a nice dose of brown broken flake in there. Just a tad wet in the tin - 20 minutes of drying does the trick. This one can burn a bit hot, but it doesn't have to. Taken slowly for what it is, a rather enjoyable break from heavy blends, and one you can smoke in public without making people hate you.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cm1648 (101)	2019-05-08		Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Coming from such a reputable name, I was underwhelmed by this blend. By no means was it not enjoyable. The vanilla and chocolate notes came through with a hint of rum. The fruitiness was tasted but not as strong for me as it one for others here. As expected it gave off a pleasant room note. But after several smokes from several pipes during various times of day, I found nothing that would distinguish it form many other aromatic/Cavendish blends. Will you enjoy it? Certainly. But I don't think you will gain a unique smoking experience over a lower tier blend with similar casing.

Pipe Used: Lorenzo Spitfire, Meerschsaum, Joyodolf briar

Age When Smoked: 2-3 months

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2017-01-31		Mild to Medium	Very Strong	Full	Pleasant

Well if you are not a Connoisseur while smoking this blend you might be because the flavours are many to detect and needs lot's of thinking....when you open the tin you instantly smell alcohol citruces with vanilla coffee.the moisture is really high and needs at least 1 hour of drying out.don't do the mistake to smoke it as it comes, it knows hot to make your pipe burn like a volcano!after drying packs ok and lights pretty easy.while smoking the flavours are many and sometimes confusing.you always get the alcohol flavous combined with fruits and then you detect sometimes nuts ,sometimes vanilla.burns medium with a bit moist.also burns quicker than an average blend.at the end of the bowl it leaves only ash and a bit moist.the flavours are present till the end.the nicotine level is ok for an all day smoke.this full aroma blend is a desent one but not something unique to me personal.

Age When Smoked: After 1 month

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ThePipeMonk (11)	2016-11-14		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Extremely Fruity, Peterson has done a great job creating this blend. The tin aroma boasts of rum, vanilla, liqueur and did i said fruit? oh yeah christmas fruityness with a strong hint of molasses.

Heavens for the purveryors of aromatic blends and a nice break for eclectic pipe smokers like me.

T'was mid 2014 and I was but a mere urchin in the vast lands of pipe smoking and other gentlemanly smoking skills. I picked up the pipe for the first time, thanks to my fiancee at that time. It was the second aromatic I picked up from Peterson after a tragic experience with Sunset Breeze. Instead of blaming the blend I would rather blame my lack of smoking skills at that time.

The journey to love this tobacco was a difficult one, after smoking it in all the pipes I had in my possession at that time, it still burnt hot and tasted like ash. After smoking half a tin of the Peterson "tinder". I jarred it up and forgot about it for about 2 years.

Fast forward to today, Hallelujah !! I can taste figs !! Yes friggin' figs with a strong presence of liquor, molasses and fruit. Fruit as in a Christmas fruit cake, tutti frutti exploding like little delicious sweet bombs inside my mouth. It is indeed an aromatic leaf lover's dream come true.

The blend burns slow. Sipping it at a very slow cadence brings out the best of the blend. Do not be impatient with this beauty or it will smite your tongue for a few days. The experience remains the same throughout the bowl, right from the start to the finish. Minor dottle and lots of fine ash at the end.

A gentleman or a Lady would always prefer this blend in one a classy corn cob pipe. I chose the Danish Spool Corn Cob for this fantastic journey. You may however, choose any cob you desire.

An extremely light smoke, the room note is fantastic. Non-smokers will love you. If you are as wise as I am today you will choose to throw a few tins in a mason jar and forget about it for a couple of years. You will thank me later. On the other hand, if you fail to age this blend for an appropriate time, the experience may vary for you.

Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice is a high quality blend. Don't let the Latakia elitists tell your otherwise.

Pipe Used: MM Corn Cobs, Various Briars

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

Similar Blends: Peterson - Nutty Cut.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (182)	2016-11-02		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Mom's Christmas fruit cake is what came to mind when opening the tin and stiring the contents about on my tobacco plate. I do this with all my tobaccos. Like to let them breath. Chunky mixture, packed well and took to the match equally well. Fruity, nutty and spiced rum flavorswafted through the air and in my mouth. While the treatment is grand the tobacco quality is equally grand. If you are an smoker of aromatic blends you need to give this one a go.

Pipe Used: Falcon

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Strichetto (21)	2014-01-12		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Bought in Israel in 2013 at average price for good quality tobaccoes, it comes in the usual round tin. At opening is a ribbon cut with a strong, sweet, unusual and original flavour of exotic fruits and liqueurs. A little more moisted than necessary.

Flavour: exotic fruits and spirits, maple, and everything else I cannot recognize... really sweet, but good.

Taste: usually I do not appreciate aromatic tobaccoes a lot, but this is so different than usual aro to be quite intriguing...

Room note: sweet, quite persistent, but pleasant

Burning: not so fast as some aromatics are (in my experience too many are too fast, and others too wet), this is OK.

Best briars: DO NOT use your EM dedicated briars, by Jove! I made the mistake with one of them: this tobacco can give one of the strongest ghost scent I know... and it's not bad too, but kills EM taste!

Between Peterson's tobaccoes I tryed, this is a pretty original idea, as usual well manufactured and quite good. I enjoied it, but is too sweet to be really in my mood. If you desire an aromatic experience really different from usual, recommended...

Age When Smoked: not seasoned

Purchased From: Jerusalem, Israel

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-09-02		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Tropical Fruit and Rum are present from beginning to the end of the bowl. Unfortunately for me, the vanilla flavour is imperceptible. Very pleasant to the non- smokers around you.

Uniform burn, mellow smoke and recommended for a warm afternoon.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Conde (17)	2013-04-09		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Another good aromatic from Peterson. Taste is a nice mix of vanilla and rum over Virgina and black cavendish tobaccos. There is a hint of maple but not overpowering. One of my favorites.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipeDragon (42)	2021-09-30		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A nice, smooth, aromatic blend for all occasions. Easy to pack and light, doesn't require a lot of relights and can be smoked all the way to the bottom with no problems, even without emptying the ash when smoked in a large bowl.

What makes this one especially appealing to me is that, unlike many other aromatics that I've smoked, it is not overly sweet. The vanilla and fruits offer the expected sweetness, but then there's the rum that counterbalances it with a nice spiciness. There's also quite a bit of nuttiness to the taste, so that makes this sweet, spicy and nutty. Also, unlike other aromatics with multiple flavors added, in this one all the flavors can be detected, making it a very pleasant, enjoyable smoke. Finally, the flavor is consistent throughout the bowl. A top-class aromatic blend from Peterson.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Piper86 (2)	2021-01-07		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

One time of this only, so limited experience, but this was enough for me to think this could be easily be an all day smoke. Further smoking really is required, but undoubtedly a good smoke from start to finish. Like all aeros needs some drying, and a slow smoke, but a lovely mix none the less.

Pipe Used: Peterson Dublin filter 999

Age When Smoked: Fresh.

Purchased From: www.my smokingshop.co.uk

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SirHenry (6)	2020-03-11		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

An excellent deep flavoured blend reminiscent of Christmas Stollen or Fruitcake. Not cloyingly sweet like many aromatics. It is well balanced with coffee, rum and whiskey notes complimenting the dried fruit and vanilla. It offers a cool and comforting smoke.

Pipe Used: Vauen White Dot , Pipa Croci Bent Billiard

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Tobacconst in Berlin

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rohann (16)	2020-01-10		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Wow. My initial impressions could not have been more wrong upon smoking even my second bowl. This is a good aromatic!

The tin greets you with a distinct fragrance of Sedgwicks Old Brown Sherry with added fruity tones. It does remind me a bit of Sunset Breeze, yet the fruit components are the key focus as supposed to the amaretto. It packs easily, my tin was exceptionally dry though. The taste really reminds me of Sunset Breeze, yet it isn't half as sweet. The cavendish is quite noticeable, it does overpower any other tobacco within the blend.

This tobacco did however shock me in two fields like no other have before. The room note and it's ability to stay lit.

I nearly ruined my sinuses by smelling the room note like a bloodhound. It is absolutely stunning! It resembles in no way any components of the tin note nor taste. A magical fragrance I can't relate to any other!

As for the lighting capability, this tobacco burns like a hurricane lantern. I made no efforts to sustain the ember, yet a cool draw greeted me every time I took a sip. It does produce a curious amount of ash I noticed.

An aromatic I took joy in like few other. Definitely recommend!

Pipe Used: Falcon Std System

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Twaksak.co.za

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demilich (4)	2018-09-10		Mild	Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

This was my first tobacco ever to learn how to smoke pipe. It was recommended to me by the experienced pipeshop owner so I took it. I immediately liked it from opening the tin. Wow, that nice smell! So I began. I must say that this tobacco taught me a lot. I’ve smoked the whole tin and only after that I tried different tobaccos that were also non-aromatic. From that time I still remembered the nice smell and wanted to get back to it once again. In the meantime I’ve learned a lot about tobaccos and tried all kinds of stuff. I started to like english blends and straight virginias. I also smoked cheaper aromatics. One of them I liked, one of them not. The one I liked was Alsbo – Black, a cheap OTC aro blend. It was very similar to this one, but I always thought that this one is a level higher. Well, yes and no.

After like 2 years of smoking experience I can finally rate this tobacco in all honesty. Connoisseurs choice is great, but it is one hell of a struggle. The smoking experience varies every time for me. Everything matters. The way you stuff it, the constellation of stars, the date, the temperature, your mood, the place (I found out that this tobacco performs well on big open-air metal festivals, especially when I’m drunk :D), simply everything. One day it’s best thing you’ve ever smoked, cold, tasty, works like a charm, and the other you only get pissed off with it because it burns hot, tastes weird, burns poorly etc... That’s why I will give it only 3 stars, because it’s hard to manage. Also, it would probably help to age this a bit and/or open the tin to let it dry out. It’s not somehow damp (rather sticky) but it seems to help for some reason.

Next time I’ll buy the Alsbo – Black, because it’s 90% the same, it’s considerably cheaper, but with complete autopilot – no matter what you do or how you smoke it, it’s consistent and without any problems whatsoever.

But yeah, it’s good for beginners, because you learn a lot how to tame it! Question is whether that’s what you want...

Pipe Used: briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh to half year old

Purchased From: pipeshop

Similar Blends: Alsbö - Black.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Diyavol (8)	2017-12-09		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Very satisfying aromatic tobacco indeed, good smell, balanced taste, easy to smoke... Perfect choice for aromatic fans. Once you open the tin, the promising fruity smell really fills your nerves and after a few puffs the taste accomplishes the pleasure.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old Shrink (21)	2017-12-05		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Pleasant

I was introduced to CC in Dublin at the Peterson pipe/tobac shop some time ago by a kindly old gent ... it’s a gem.... I’ve been a pipe smoker for 40+ yrs & find the CC an everyday choice, along with the Mac Barens Symphony...the fruity aro is pure sensual in taste & aroma, I pack it moderate to light & attempt to “sip” & prolong the smoking pleasure, thus avoiding any B I T E, which occurs if one draws too hard or frequently...this is an aro to be savored.....

Pipe Used: Briars: Dunhill, Comoys, Ashton

Age When Smoked: New to aged, tins & bulk

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com, Peterson’s Dublin

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2017-07-14		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

It is fruity and tasty, I admit. A real hint of rum and tropicals, for aromatic pursuers, who I am not, it would be a great choice which stays in top of your list for some months.

In general I have no fear of mixing it with stronger tobaccos and I found the result much better. I suppose this would be better if Perique be added. BE BRAVE AND DO THIS. I recommend this to be mixed with English blends.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Glorfindel (86)	2017-02-06		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Very Pleasant

This blend seems to favor warmer weather to be fully enjoyed, I just don't seem to enjoy it during cold weather. With that being said, it is a high quality blend with solid cavendish and VA components and as such gets 3 stars... Every Peterson blend I've tried is high quality and worth a try. The fruit essence is genuine and seems to be apricot, one of the few aromatics that tastes the way it smells. A pleasant aftertaste and wonderful room-note. Perhaps smoke this one indoors where it's nice and warm during the winter, or enjoy all summer long with a nice light ale.

Cheers, Glorfindel

Pipe Used: Peterson, Nording

Age When Smoked: New Tin

Purchased From: SmokingPipes.com

Similar Blends: Fruit essence aromatics.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ash K (12)	2016-10-04		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

It was my first Peterson blend that I bought when I got into pipe smoking. Being relatively new, I was still trying out aromatics. Although I have now moved away from aromatics, I always keep a tin of this blend just in case I want a change of pace from my usual flakes.

Its quite light and fruity, but in a very pleasant way. Its the type of blend you'd smoke if you're doing work in the garden, or in the workshop, when you just finished a bowl of something stronger and just wanted to smoke something just to keep your mouth and palate busy.

A pleasant and enjoyable smoke.

Pipe Used: Peterson Billiard 106

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Soulfly (2)	2016-07-16		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Okay, it's Saturday night and I've one last evening of full-on unadulterated fun before I have to start putting my head down at 10pm in order for my alarm clock to start ripping me from my dreams at 5.30am each morning for the workday week ahead.

I have candles, coffee and am just about to fill up my Peterson Darwin B42 with some of this blend. Could there be a better way to round off Saturday?.....well, YES! I'm also watching Pink Floyd's "Pulse" 2 x DVD set, a wonderful gift I received from a dear friend last Christmas.....surely no better way!

So, dear reader, I've set the scene so now let's get to the actual tobacco.

The tin aroma reminds me of rum cake, a most joyous welcome to the world of CC for this nose. The feel of the tobacco is quite moist and I have already given some a twenty minute drying-out time....fingers crossed it'll pack well and burn with minimal steam and tongue bite (quite common, so I understand, with cased aromatics) and no gurgle!

I use the three-pinch method to pack (it has thus far served me well with other blends) so here goes..........

After a charring light it burns quite well. The initial aroma is sweet. The maple is definitely there, right up front, and there is also a hint of vanilla. The flavour reminds me of pecan pie. It burns quite hot, so sup and don't be tempted to chug....no matter how sweet the taste (I got steamed during this smoke!).

About half way down the bowl now and I'm getting a nutty flavour with the maple and vanilla jumping around on my tongue.....however, I'm not really getting the rum.

I rate this as a three out of four. For those of you who know the "Pulse" era Pink Floyd you'll be fully aware that a certain Roger Waters was absent from the band during these times, and CC is a bit like that; satisfying but there is always a sense that a main ingredient is missing.

Pipe Used: Peterson Darwin B42

Age When Smoked: straight out of the tin

Purchased From: John Hollingsworth, Birmingham UK

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Guillaume (15)	2014-12-21		Medium to Strong	Medium	Full	Very Pleasant

Wow, THIS is an aromatic. I have never felt this impression with any other one of the kind.

For me, this one reminds me of the oriental "shisha"-like tastes - although there was of course no rum in them. Opening the tin, a full oriental perfume comes to my nostrils, which reminds me of my many years in Egypt.

Altogether, I use this tobacco scarcely, because I reserve it for great moments: a great book, a great film, a long thinking, seated in a sofa. It is very slow-burning and, if you take care of it, does not overheat nor bite your tongue. I find it to be a very relaxing tobacco, which can take more than an hour (at least) to burn out, even in a small pipe.

I have then dedicated a pipe to this wonderful blend : a Churchwarden, which suits it perfectly.

Pipe Used: Peterson Churchwarden D9

Age When Smoked: Fresh, every time

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2013-12-14		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

A nice addition to Peterson's line of aromatics. all the elements seem to combine for a very fine smoking experience. If you are into aromatics, then definitely give this one a try. Recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-06-07		Mild	Strong	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

smells great, no real taste.

I bought this stuff a few of years ago and set it aside when I began experimenting with English and Balkan blends.

I still enjoy smoking aromatics for variety and because I love the way they smell.

I recently picked up a Savinelli estate buy on ebay that smokes like an absolute dream. As an experiment I smoked a vanilla-cased cavindesh blend prior to lighting up a bowl of connoisseurs choice.

Here's what I finally realized (after some experience) about this tobacco: it smokes really hot.

The difference in temperature of the two was noticeable and startling. This stuff literally felt like hot steam on my tongue.

It's no wonder I always got the worst tongue bite smoking this when I first started (ah well, at least now I know.)

Anyway, if you're going to smoke it, use caution and definitely don't smoke it too fast because your tongue will pay the price.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-04-27		Mild to Medium	Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Open the tin and the smell is awesome, really nice and fruity and makes you look forward to your first bowl full.

For me, thats where the enjoyment ends.

I have tried hard to like this tobacco but for me there is too much going on and is like smoking a bowl of pot pouri without any real definition of flavour.

I bought this based on the reviews here but it didnt work for me, win some lose some.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-05-26		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant

I have to go along with others who agree this mixture is seriously lacking in taste and flavor. There just isn't enough of either. This should not be happening when you consider all that went into making this mixture. What little flat flavor there is, is immediately when the smoke leaves your mouth. You are left with no aftertaste. Something went horribly wrong with this puppy. Perhaps Peterson needs to recall this stuff and discontinue it? Two thumbs up for the aroma alone. Ten thumbs down on everything else.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OleFattGuy (27)	2006-08-21		Mild to Medium	Very Strong	Mild	Tolerable to Strong

I went on a shopping spree to Copenhagen, and somehow this tin wound up in my basket. When I came home I was surprised to find it there, some leprechauns must have been pulling my leg. I opened it up and was overwhelmed by a smell that resembled those little flowerbaskets my mother-in-law has in her bathroom. Hesitantly I stuffed my Meerschaum (hoping it would suffer least harm)with it and lit up. The first sip was like the smell from the tin. I persevered. Through the gushes of nausea I started to feel I could notice Va in there, but the soapy lather of a smoke that covered it finally became unbearable.

Sorry Peterson. If this is 'floral' then I don't want floral. Come to think of it, no matter what you call this, I don't want it.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-08-03		Very Mild	Strong	Overwhelming	Pleasant

Everything about this "tobacco" has candy written all over it. It even looks like a tin of assorted gelatinous sweets and the aroma (so sweet that I feared the arrival of ants in my room) was simply overpowering. I thought for a moment that perhaps I had purchased a container of fresh pot-pourri by mistake.

As for the actual smoke, let's just say that it's improving with dryness. I left it out overnight and it no longer tastes like I'm smoking jelly beans. Even so, I prefer a stronger tobacco taste to my pipes and this one is simply no providing it. I give it one star: a necessary merit on the grounds that it provides me with a combustible substance to inhale.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-12-09		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

RCUSElder is spot on as his experience with Connoisseur's Choice was identical to mine. It does indeed look just like Sweet Killarney, that also burns hot and both of these blends bite with the fervor of a rabbid ferret.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2004-11-02		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

11-02-04 The quest continues!

Appearance and Tina aroma: This looks just like the leaf in sweet kilarney, I even opened them next to each other and could not notice a diference apart from the tin aroma. There is the same black and yellow with pieces of VA flake interspersed. The tin aroma is delicious! Candy in a tin.

Packing and lighting: i found it best to rubout the flake pieces otherwise they can clog airflow (yep, it happened to me). Lights up fairly easy for an aromatic.

Initial Flavor: sweet, the leaf is very muted. The casings seem to mix well together. Seems to burn a little hot right off he bat.

Mid-Bowl: This blend is losing me! It just keeps getting hotter and hotter. Tried to slow puff like a flake, but then it loses the leaf flavor too easily.

Bottom of Bowl: What started so-so, is now blegh-blegh. This blend just can seem to get in the zone. It either burns too hot or there is no flavor, but at the bottom of the bowl, things turn bitter. Suprisingly, there is very little dottle when you are done.

Overall: This blend does have a fab room note, but it fails IMO in the flavor on the tongue dept. I could not get this to burn cool and still have a decent flavor. I tried in a various pipes, even in a meer, but i can't get it to work. I suppose, maybe I am not a "connoisseur". Last warning: This is a hot, hot hot, blend. It will burn your tongue. I much prefer their Luxury Blend over this one.

Rating: 2 out of 5 points, make sure you have Ice Cubes for your tongue, LOL!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Robin Söderström (6)	2021-07-24		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A coarsely ground sweet one, the tin note hollers out candy store! When you open it, it smokes cold and fruity, gives some hints of vanilla and peaches

Pipe Used: My friend bent billiard

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Brobergs

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ocelot (31)	2020-11-05		Very Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Nice aromatic. One of the best I have ever smoked. I like the topping - is very sweet and relaxing. On the other hand, I am still looking for something else in the world of pipe tobacco.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pikey Mick (48)	2020-06-07		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note is extremely pleasant. Apricots, caramel and sweetness. Packs fine after a short drying time and takes a few lights to get it going. The aromatics come through nicely in the first third of the bowl but unfortunately for me this flattened out into a bitter, ashy mess and I'm not a heavy puffer. I'm also left with a bitter, almost metallic taste in my mouth afterwards. I will probably blend this with a decent brown flake and see if it improves the full bowl experience. I wish I'd spent my money on 50g of Brown flake aromatic as that is a better tobacco in terms of satisfaction..

Pipe Used: Duncan delta

Purchased From: GQ

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	North State (72)	2020-04-10		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

My first Petersons.

Bought this under advisement from the local tobacconist, on the basis that I liked Clan, it was also the first blend (after restarting pipe smoking) that I had absolutely no experience with from before. I have to say I was mildly disappointed though. It was claimed to be "maple surypy" and true, the combined end result is indeed something like that, although there's much more to it too; I even thought I detected some coffee in it and, reading the contents list here now, it seems I wasn't wrong! Someone compared this to Sunday's Fantasy and now that I think of it, yes, this could be called the "heavy" version of that (which is still rather light, Fantasy itself being an ultra-light smoke). All in all it's a mild, sweet aromatic with heavy (in my book) topping from various sources, such as vanilla and rum. Consistency is very nice with large flakes of light brown and black, easy to fill a bowl with and burns well and clean.

It's not a bad smoke by any means, it's just that it's not very fulfilling to me. It's hard to put my finger on what's wrong with it, but I would venture to say that at the end of the day, there is just something a tiny little bit fake and artificial about the smoking experience. And this seems to be a recurring issue with most Petersons I've tried, even good ones like Irish Dew, not just this blend. Add to this the few euros per tin extra price that Petersons tend to have compared to eg. many perfectly good MacBaren blends and you'll see why Peterson will not usually be my first choice.

2 stars for a decent smoke that will likely not be bought again.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Purchased From: Tobacco shop in Turku Finland

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theo van Rooyen (1)	2020-03-07		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Definitely an alcohol flavour to it, predominantly a whisky. Fruity notes and a very nice after taste. Easy to light, doesn't burn to slow, and smokes nice and cool. A real good smoke.

Pipe Used: Oom Paul by Lorenzo (T4)

Age When Smoked: Off the shelf

Purchased From: twaksak.co.za

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	True Life (4)	2019-06-28		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

In my MM Legend cob, I get an extrenely sweet smoke, with some sour fruit notes. I pick up some cherry in here, and definately some pineapple or other similar tasting fruit. I sort of get a lime-orange ish taste on my tongue. The pineapple note seems to be present for the entire bowl, along with the sweet smokiness. The cherry is mainly present for the first half of the bowl. The rest of the bowl is just...some unidentified but very fruity taste. It almost feels like I'm smoking a fruit salad :). Smokes cold and dry in my cob, but I can definately see this soaking a briar.

In the Old Friend, the firsr couple of puffs are all pineapple..followed by mild, plain smokey tobacco..amazing how tobacco can. change from pipe to pipe... in this pipe I now only get earthy tobacco (around 15 puffs from the initial pineapple-blast). I am probably 30 puffs in, the fruity aroma has yet to reappear. This is why I review it from pipe to pipe, every pipe gives the tobacco a new taste, a new character; a new personality altogether...I never would have guessed what this tobacco was if I was blindfolded. Around half the bowl in, it is turning very nutty, sharp in the retrohale. The pipe is now soggy; I cannot recommend this pipe for this tobacco...or is it the other way around? I did get some pleasant, fruity notes once in a while in this pipe, but a good tobacco taste slowly turning into a cigarette is NOT my idea of good. It smoked cool though, even in this pipe.

In the Carey pipe, I get weak hints of fruit with a lot of...rum(?) taste. Not exactly rum, but that rum drink with coconut hints..very sweet drink. I also get a lot of sweet nuts, and smooth, creamy tobacco. This tobacco is a very good tobacco, with a lot of complexity, depending on your pipe. One pipe had me smoking a fruit salad, another gave me rough smoke, with a cigarette flavor, while another served me a glass of rum with coconut juice. Did I mention the tobacco lights and smokes well, and give no bite? Go for this one if you want a sweet smoke with a delicious roomnote.

Edit: PLUM! Plum is one of those unidentified flavors sneakin up! And perhaps a bit of grape.

Pipe Used: Old friend, MM Legend Cob, ecarey magic inch pipe.

Age When Smoked: 07 09 2018

Purchased From: local store

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tamentis (9)	2018-11-05		Medium	Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I had no idea I was getting an aromatic when I bought this, I also had no idea you could pack that much flavor into tobacco, but I'm a newbie. This blend tastes and smells like a dark chocolate candy with cherry liquor inside. I smoked it a handful of time when I bought it and have been leaving it alone in a jar for a while. I don't anticipate going back to it until I have another cob.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh from a new tin

Purchased From: Tabac Zing in St Claude, France

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2018-02-07		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Tin note is quite intense, it smells like fruit jam (apple, strawberry, red berry) with a whiff of caramel and rum probably. It’s nice, it also reminds me of aromatized narghile tobacco. The aroma does not seem completely natural but not very chemical either. It consists of lighter and darker brown coarse cut ribbons and around 50% Black Cavendish. Moisture from the tin is ok, it can use a little bit of drying but it smokes well as it is.

Does not pose any problems in lighting it and it keeps lit and smokes to the end without leaving any dottle. Upon lighting you get the same taste you expected from the nose. The taste is nutty, sweet, caramelly with a rumy note and the fruity essence that you smell from the tin. This is a true aromatic, there’s no question about it, but the tobacco underneath is of good quality. No bite and no harshness.

I recently tried another Peterson aromatic, Sunset Breeze with an Amaretto flavor. Despite their different flavoring if I wanted to compare them, I could say that Connoiseur’s Choice is a fuller tobacco both in strength (medium) and flavoring. I also find CC mellower as SB did have some sharp notes. To my opinion CC is a better tobacco.

Beware though it will ghost the pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BatmanPipes (10)	2017-12-06		Mild	Very Strong	Extra Full	Very Pleasant

Why: Red Virginia black cavendish mix that goes all in with the best selection mixed fruit, rums and vanillas.

Looks: It looks like the finest ribbons from the finest cuts. The red virginia stands out and small chunks of black cavendish between.

Using?: You put your nose into the tin and keep it there. You will be smelling it more than smoking it. When you do use it, you use it carefully and really respect filling the pipe, looking at it before firing it up.

Result: Even during the first false expansion light you will be waiting to pack it down for the true light because the taste is truly fine and the smell a combination of everything you like.

Conclusion: For the pipe smoker who loves to spend time preparing and filling a tobacco that feels and tastes like a fruity aromatic wonder. Mild and refreshing.

Pipe Used: Peterson Dracula 68

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nevic (1)	2016-05-08		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I, as a beginner in pipe smoking, can recommend this tobacco, I'm not used to smoke (not cigarettes, nor cigars) and for me it was still kind of strong, but very aromatic and the overall impression was very pleasant. I was satisfied with my choice for the first tobacco I tried :)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NorthernPiper (1)	2015-03-29		Extremely Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A pleasant smoke. Somewhat mild in taste and the room note is very nice. The taste of maple and caramelized sugar comes through nicely with subtle hints of rum. The tin note is very fruity, like smelling a fresh fruit cake. The majority of the tobacco is ribbon cut, however you will also find a good amount of flake mixed in. A great aromatic tobacco.

Pipe Used: Brigham Voyageur

Purchased From: Cigar and Pipe Emporium, Hagersville, Ontario

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr.Peterson (8)	2015-03-05		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Very Full	Very Pleasant

One of my first tobaccos an have never looked back. I will always have this one available as its just an amazing taste with most people getting the vanilla first then the chocolate after but with the aftertaste of rum! 9/10 the 9 is because i think there should be a slightly stronger chocolate element

Pipe Used: Peterson ARAN 80s

Age When Smoked: two weeks

Purchased From: Smoke-king.com

Similar Blends: Mac Baren - Vanilla Chocolate.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	aseduikis (5)	2015-02-21		Medium	Very Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Really satisfying blend for aromatics lovers. Smell from the tin is heavenly sweet, not chemical and not overwhelming the tobacco taste when smoked. Packs a little bit tricky because of broken flakes mixed in this blend. Off course it's not a problem if you'll break it into desired size pieces. Burns and stays lit well. Obviously not for virginia or english smokers.

Pipe Used: Peterson Killarney

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: Skonis ir kvapas

Similar Blends: Peterson - Luxury Blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	raybrown55 (45)	2015-02-03		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Good, but nothing special.The taste is creamly and dark. The tin smell is wonderful, but, as most of the aromatics, you taste much less than what you smell…

Similar Blends: Sunday's Fantasy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	THROATHIT (38)	2015-02-02		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Smokes like it smells. Burns well but needs a re light from time to time. Not to wet and gloopy in the pipe. Little dottle mostly white ash. Smoke is full and creamy with sweet fruity taste. Nic levels on the mild end but not lacking. This is a high quality aromatic blend with the usual petersons quality base.

Sweet fruity with some but mild tobacco flavours. The flavour lasts full bowl. To a new smoker with a new pipe take care as a fresh tin can burn a little hot. If you ate more used to the pipe then it will give little trouble.

I smoke this blend a lot when I have a sweet tooth. Bagpipers dream is more purfume but just as good IMHO. Sunday fantasy very simlar but not so strong a flavour.

All in a very creamy thick easy smoke. Taste is as is start to finish with a mild rise in tobacco flavour in the last third. If you like Aromatic tobacco try this. No soapy or chemical taste here.

Four stars and well worth a purchace.

Pipe Used: various briar

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Banbury cross tobacconist

Similar Blends: Bagpipers dream rattary, Sunday fantasy, Vintage mixture W.O Larsen.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pop pops pipe (28)	2014-07-26		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This is good ! Fruit and vanilla are the main flavors. The rum just accents them both. If packed right it stays on the cool side. It can be a little bitey like all fruit flavor tobacco but it's minimal. It is similar to Stanwells Melange but is not as rich. Melange is deeper and has a thicker room note. If I couldn't get Melange I'd smoke this. Hell I have melange and I'm smoking it anyway ! Its a good blend, stays cool and has an awesome aroma ! Others around you will love it. Its lighter in vitamin N than Melange but also lighter in flavor. This would be a good all day smoke if you like sweet and fruity. It just lacks a bit in taste as far as richness and depth but is quite good taste wise. Try it ! Good and Fruity ! Lol . This has kind of a melon character on the palette. Kind of zesty actually. If you like Stanwells Melange you'll like this as well. It don't have the body or hickory note like Melange, but that may be a good thing for some. This tobacco would go excellent in a Peterson System with a P Lip ! Excellent palette flavor!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-04-12		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I am with The Conde on this; of the many aromatics I have smoked , this one struck an extraordinary note in the tine, in the bowl, and with the Mrs.

'Nuff said

PS - concur with gurgle remark below; however, it was brief (and only once)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sinister Topiary (84)	2009-10-27		Very Mild	Very Strong	Full	Very Pleasant

I figured it was time to branch out, to get to know aromatics. I know it's usually the other way around, to go from aromatics to english; but, as in seemingly most things in my life, I tend to work backwards from the refined to the popular. But I was curious to know what aromatics were about, precisely since some of the more arrogant cognoscenti in this hobby seem to depreciate the nectar of the neophyte.

Once I determined what was available locally I picked a tin at random that seemed promising. I was still relatively new to the hobby so I didn't know the reputations yet. Peterson's looked quality enough. Connoisseur's Choice, good name. Why not?

When I lit up that first time I was very pleasantly surprised. I instantly understood why so many smokers begin with aromatics and stay there -- they're very flavorful and easy on the tastebuds. For those who prefer sugar to salt, it's a natural choice.

I still can't easily discriminate the flavors that comprise the final melange of this blend. The primary sensation for me is that I've just walked into an old-fashioned candy store -- and that's not a bad thing. I sometimes like cotton candy. Connoisseur's Choice is very sweet without somehow being cloying, which makes for a nice smoke. It doesn't have any of the subtlety or nuance I like in english and balkans, yet it does have some complexity (in a two-dimensional kind of way), with all those sweet flavors swimming around each other. If I concentrate on the flavors I can tease out cherry and vanilla and maybe some tropical-type fruits, but the whole is actually greater than the parts, which makes this a really fun, pleasant smoke. RCUSElder said this was "candy in a tin" and I agree. Plus it smells great!

Now that I've smoked more aromatics I can better detect some flaws in this one -- it does have a slight chemical taste in the background, and it can smoke very hot if you're not careful. It also leaves a powerful ghost, so you really ought to smoke it in a dedicated aromatic pipe. But the negatives don't detract too much -- it's still a really pleasant smoke.

It's fortunate for me that this was my first aromatic. It encouraged me to continue sampling them. Had my first experience with an aromatic been an inferior one (like Peterson's DeLuxe Mixture, the next one I tried) I probably would have waited a couple of years before venturing away again from my latakias & orientals.

So I'm grateful that Connoisseur's Choice turned out to be so enjoyable -- it was my gateway 'baccy to a pleasant genre.

PS Kilmarnock Piper said this has "too many notes", and I don't disagree. But I'm one of the few who like Reger!

07/20/13: To Kilmarnock Piper: Just saw your update to me, and it gave me a big smile. Using an unpopular, unfairly maligned, (yet surprisingly important) composer like Reger to find a way to appreciate a tobacco is really something... Isn't it amazing how we can employ classical music metaphors to arrive at a mutual understanding to describe such a vastly different sensory experience? I personally believe our aesthetic experiences have some kind of synaesthetic hardwiring to allow us to make such connections across senses. "Brahms on speed or angel dust" -- I like that. Reger strikes me as a Teutonic Neo-Baroque Late-Romantic Milhaud or Martinu, churning out lovely meandering melodies underlined by contrapuntal, very complex harmonies. He's definitely not everyone's cup of tea (or bowl of 'baccy), but I love his music, especially his opus 114 Piano Concerto -- my favorite piano concerto, btw -- which I find transcendently beautiful. And his response to that critic has long been one of my favorite anecdotes.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dubinthedam (133)	2008-04-13		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Just bought a tin today, I am a aro n peterson fan, and was pleasantly surprised, rum vanilla and tropical fruit...if i had a coctail of the same ingredients I don't think I would like the taste. Simillar to Sweet Killarney, but better, I get a taste of pinapple and oranges with a hint of vanilla and rum, smokes well in my WO Larsen sandblast straight billard where others have not. Nice summer smoke, nice that it is light on the vanilla, and rum is always a winner with tobacco. Great sticky chunks and strips of baccy in the tin, yep it bites!. Recommended as a nice change from other candy tobaccos, as always good quality from peterson. I look forward to posting more on this one, and I can't wait to smoke this with a cool, fruity, strong and sweet belgium beer ( la chouffe) on a café terrace on a warm summers day. Oh the dreams of a pipe smoker!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Karel (5)	6 days ago		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Tin note: tropical fruit and vanilla

Very pleasant room note. Tin note aroma translates very well to the taste - it tastes like it smells. Underneath the aroma you can taste sweet breads and sweet nuts.

Comes little bit too wet from the tin. After some drying burns well and doesn't bite. I let mine dry a little bit too much and a lot of the tropical fruit taste is gone - but you can taste more of the tobacco in form if sweet breads and nuts. Definitely good quality tobacco.

Wife approves.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (433)	2023-03-06		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Tin note of maple sugar, spices and vanilla. Tobacco is a course cut of light brown, brown, dark brown and black. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. Flavoring is mild to medium, with notes of Fruit, Maple, Rum and Vanilla. The maple and rum disappear in the first 1/4. Vanilla and fruit move to the background, fruit holds out the longest. Taste is medium and moderately consistent, with notes of sweet maple, vanilla spiced rum, fruit bread/cake, brown sugar, acidic, wood, grassy hay, zesty bitterness, orange peel, dry, spicy, mildly savory, a background note that sometimes is a lemony citrus and sometimes coffee like, and a peppery retro. Virginias are leading with Cavendish and Flavoring supporting. Room note is pleasant, and aftertaste is good.

Pipe Used: 2015 XXX Ashton Brindle Author

Age When Smoked: 5 years

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rick5iron (20)	2022-11-28		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

an all day smoke. quality tobacco . not a overpowering aromatic . an average aromatic wont knock your socks off no complaints will buy again, just a notch below Macbaren 7 seas blends

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Arkansas Piper (47)	2022-10-19		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

As with most Peterson aromatics that I find, tobacco does not take a backseat to the topping. There is a slight fruity, citrus note, but the tobacco is most definitely present. They do a good job of balancing tobacco flavor and topping flavor very well. And, of course, the tobacco is high-quality. No Bite, and moisture was decent.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	stressmoker (11)	2022-05-23		Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

I am SUPER disappointed with this tobacco.

I put 2 not because this blend is bad - it's not bad. It's very okay. It's expensive for what it is, and I'd only "somewhat recommend it" because there are nicer tobaccos that are actually cheaper.

I love aromatics, but this is just... so flavorless...? I don't know - it smells great in the tin (really great), the room note is marvelous, but... in my mouth, I just really don't taste much. And I don't smoke English blends, I don't smoke super strong lakatia stuff... so what's wrong here? I don't have much experience with virgina-focused blends; is it virginia that I don't get? Why do I not taste much? And this is an expensive blend too - why don't I taste much?

I smoke it, I enjoy that it tastes natural, leaves a pleasant aftertaste, smells wonderful... but I get disappointed but what my mouth is telling me. Also, this tobacco is uber moist in the tin.

Purchased From: skonis ir kvapas

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krog (20)	2021-09-27		Mild to Medium	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

In my humble opinion its just perfect sweet, sugary tobacco, it has fabulous smell and lovely taste. . Typical sweet Danish aro - caramel/ toffee sugary taste, Nothing extraordinary nevertheless I like it. I definitely reccomend it if you want to smoke something one-dimensional and sweet

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Tobacco shop

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2021-03-12		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

This one is interesting. The fruit/liquor taste is in the tin-note but there is still tobacco underneath it.

I found it smokes better when dried out some. The fruit still stays on the top, but the tobaccos come through underneath. Has a good room note that will get compliments.

It requires smoking slowly.. or it can produce some tongue bite in my experience. It is really nice in the summer time with some fruity beverage or a margarita.

Pipe Used: Radiator Pipes, Cobs

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: gift

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Derek LaRose (7)	2019-06-14		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I picked up a tin of this stuff because I was Intrigued by the description. This aromatic, when smoked produces a mouthwatering aroma of maple and dark rum soaked fruit cake. The irregular cut makes it easy to pack and light. However take your time because it will get warm on you. The flavoures are very easy to pick out while smoking. This blend seems pretty standard until you get a spicy kick from that dark fired Kentucky.. this blend offers much depth to be explored, truly a gem at a reasonable cost!

Pipe Used: Various briars, cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theocharis (38)	2018-12-12		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Simply put: one of the best tin and room notes ever! Period. Reminded me of water pipe tobacco. The taste is nice too, with notes of tropical fruits and rum. Mild to medium strength. If you are a fan of aromatic blends, you will rejoice! Give it a try anyway.

Pipe Used: Briar

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Vaughan J (2)	2018-07-01		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Quite simply the best Peterson that is on regular sale. Have tried a number of special reserves Enjoy just as much but unfortunately not often available for long

Pipe Used: Peterson

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking king Leeds

Similar Blends: .

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rofereox (7)	2018-07-01		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

A very nice smelling blend, hints of liqueurs- almost like a mix of sour cherry, peach, and rum. Upon opening the tin, the contents were relatively dry and ready to smoke. In terms of the smoke itself, the taste of the sweet virginias was there, as was the sour tang- something I don't enjoy much that's abundant in most if not all aromatic's I've smoked. Every now and again whilst smoking Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice, the flavours from the tin note definitely come out, resulting in a sweet aftertaste of fruits and rum. The biggest issue I have with this blend is the cut, the black cavendish has to be broken up a little by hand before packing in the bowl.

Overall I'm enjoying the blend more and more as I smoke it, I like it better than many of the Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. aromatic blends out there.

Pipe Used: Briars

Purchased From: CGars UK

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Luckyluke (11)	2017-08-29		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Nice Aro, smells fruity, tastes fruity. Tropical taste actually, i get pineapple, mango, banana also a nice tobacco flavor riding besides the fruit although has a tendency to bite so do take it easy on this blend and sip slowly if you want to experience the whole spectrum of flavors. Great summer smoke for me.

Pipe Used: Briar

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kent (2)	2017-06-11		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I seem to be joining this review quite late, years, in fact, or so it seems, but better late than never. As a side note, I took up pipe smoking while stationed in Germany in the late 1960's, then quit for some 40 years until just recently. I love aromatics, and this blend from Peterson's is one of my favorites. Unlike other reviewers, I've not encountered bite nor any hint of blandness while smoking it. It smells wonderful in the tin and I think it transfers to the bowl better than most that I've tried. As with other tobaccos I use (currently W.O. Larsen limited editions from 2016 and 2017, and Mac Baren's 7 Seas Regular), I, too, will let it dry out for 10 minutes or so before lighting it up. So, all in all, a very enjoyable, full and flavorful smoke, especially at the beginning and/or end of the day.

Pipe Used: Savinelli, Ser Jacopo, Brebbia

Age When Smoked: Less than 6 months

Purchased From: Online - Pipes and Cigars

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Chris TC (2)	2017-05-16		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

A very enjoyable fruity blend with a delicious room note. An easy go to tobacco that works well with a heavy drinking session. A favourite with my pipe club, new and seasoned pipe smokers enjoy. I always ensure I have a stash in the bar.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aylwin (1)	2017-05-02		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

After having a great experience with Sunset Breeze, and after reading many positive reviews of Connoisseur's Choice here, i decided to buy a tin to try the tobacco. It has great flavour in the tin (although the sweetness borders on cloying), yet most of the flavour really doesn't carry over to the smoke. Frustrated, I drew too deeply and too fast in search of satisfaction and ended up with a hot smoke. On the second bowl, I did slow things down somewhat yet the casings really weren't shining through unlike the Amaretto in Sunset Breeze. Overall, my experience with this blend has been mediocre at best. I will be continuing my search for an aro I can enjoy like SB.

Pipe Used: MM Cob

Purchased From: V.A.H. & Sons

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	usafvol1 (16)	2017-01-18		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Preface--I have only had the bulk version of this tobacco, so I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes, but based on the reviews here, I feel it might...

I'm always a little perplexed with Peterson tobaccos. I'm no genius, but no dummy, either, and I know that once a company reaches a certain status, you're paying for the name as much if not more than the product. Having said that, I think I have very high expectations for Peterson's tobaccos, and pipes, for that matter. While their pipes are usually higher quality pipes, their tobaccos don't seem to live up to the name to me. This one is good. Not great. Good. But, I'm critiquing it amongst a field of other big name/high caliber companies. Compared to some other luxury brand tobaccos, it's ok to good. Comparing it to value brands/off brands/cheaper brands, etc., it's really good.

Anyways, this one has somewhat of a complex taste, with no, single flavor being overwhelming. It's pretty mellow and balanced. Some spice, some nutty, some citrus. Burns ok. Little to no bite. Pleasant room notes, but it's not one of those room notes where the audience are raving about. I'd gladly smoke this again if it were gifted to me, but for the price/name, I'll likely just get something else.

Pipe Used: Peterson system, Viking 301, Calabash meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: P&C

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TheAromaticDan (10)	2016-10-16		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

This aromatic is easy to light, easy to pack, and easy to smoke. It has a Burley-like aroma, infused with a flavour that I can only describe as oak (from the rum, perhaps?). There is a certain bitter taste to it, similar to coffee, which certainly complements the nuttiness and slight fruity note. Make sure, however, to not smoke this too fast or too hot, or else it will give you a tongue-burn. The room-note is almost reminiscent of dark chocolate with a hint of hazelnuts in it. All in all, a blend that will grow on me and that will be smoked during the cold seasons.

Pipe Used: No-name Billiard

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Pfeifen Huber, Munich

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kobe.C (1)	2016-10-01		Mild	Strong	Mild	Pleasant

I am cigar smoker. This is my first tobacco for me. I got my 1st pipe -- corn cod pipe. Nice smelling, very spicy, furity, cherry, and sweety like candy. Very good experience for my first pipe. No feel any tough bite.

Pipe Used: Corn cod pipe

Age When Smoked: 36

Purchased From: Wing on super store

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Robykeys82 (25)	2016-09-14		Mild	Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

This was one of the first tins I purchased, almost one year ago. As many others, at the very beginning of my pipe-smoking journey I was intrigued by Aromatics and was scared by English Mixtures. During these months my tastes have quickly changed and now I'm more a Latakia-guy. That said, this tobacco is on the mild side, which for me is good. It has a wonderful tin aroma, which is very good. What about the smoke itself? As said by others, it requires a little more of effort to be lighted, then it tends to make the pipe hot if you draw too fast. The taste of the smoke doesn't really match the tin aroma. I'd recommend this tobacco to aromatic lovers, mainly. For an EM or Virginia lover, it can be a nice alternative.

Pipe Used: Savinelli, Frabenver

Age When Smoked: 0-1 year

Purchased From: Peterson's Shop, Dublin

Similar Blends: Somewhat similar to Peterson Sweet Killarney, more refined..

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cynicomen (5)	2016-09-12		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice was my first aromatic as a pipe smoker. I have mixed feelings about aromatics of the ones I've tried (I'm still trying to find that perfect aromatic) but nonetheless I'll state what I think of this blend and how to get the most out of it.

Tin: The tin note of this blend is one of the best I have ever experienced. It is extremely sweet and dessert-like and fills the air. You can mainly smell the tropical fruit and vanilla. No artificial or chemical scent to it whatsoever, it is absolutely wonderful. Imagine if Peterson's made ice cream versions of their aros...

Packing/Lighting: Moisture level is perfect. Packs good and lights generally good, but sometimes takes a bit of perseverance to "get it going", it's so mild you don't even know if it's lit or not.

This tobacco is definitely a sipper. This stuff can get hot if you're not careful. The key is slow and steady, but even so, it can still get pretty warm.

Strength: Mild to medium. There is a mouth feel to it, and somewhat of a body, but a little too mild for my taste.

Taste/Room note: As the tin says, this blend has a bit of spiciness coming from the Red Virginias. There is an underlying sweetness from the various flavourings. The tobacco is definitely quality stuff. This tobacco also has a very soft and velvety mouth feel which is very pleasant.

The room note of this tobacco is incredible, and is part of enjoying this blend fully. Without it, the tobacco would be pretty boring. I recommend to smoke this in a bent pipe so the smoke can reach your nose. Also when you exhale you can get the aroma of this tobacco.

Final Thoughts:

Honestly, this tobacco isn't really for me, but it's not the worst smoke. As I've said, it might be worth picking up if you're already a fan of aromatics and you think the room note sounds appealing to you, go ahead. If you like non aros and want to get into aromatics, go with something else. So overall, "meh".

Like - Incredible tin note and room notes, and a very relaxing smoke.

Dislike - It is a little on the mild side which is not for me. The taste, although decent, does not taste how it smells, which is disappointing, as it has such a great aroma. Heat can be a problem, as this tobacco can get hot very easily, even when smoked moderately.

Pipe Used: Falcon

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: smoke-king.co.uk

Similar Blends: Rattray - Tower Bridge (Aromatic Collection).

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	KLRFegen (1)	2016-07-16		Very Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Okay so I'm new to pipes, actually new to any type of smoking so bringing a pipe home and actually smoking it was a surprise to everyone in the family. I'm going to be brief as I'm no expert but I would like to recommend connoisseurs Choice to anyone who is getting used to smoking a pipe and looking for something that will also please the noses of those around him while he finds his feet in this massive lovely world of tobacco.

I loved it from the minute I opened the can. The smell is...well let's just say yummy. It lights easily enough, especially for beginners this will help. It tastes great, not to strong so won't leave you dizzy and as I said you will get massive amounts of compliments from those around you.

As I said I'm no expert but I love Connoisseurs Choice and it has made smoking my pipe alot of fun and something I've started to look forward to after a hard days work.

Highly recommended.

Purchased From: Tobacco shop in Alberton

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AmericanF1Nutter (6)	2016-03-30		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I enjoyed this. It burned a bit hot at first, so left it dry out a bit. Good flavor without totally killing the tobacco flavor. A worthy aro to have, even if a tad expensive.

Pipe Used: medico

Age When Smoked: 1 to 3 months

Purchased From: wvsmokeshop.com

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Andy7777 (15)	2015-10-10		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

This is one of my favourite aromatics and I have smoked it for years. It has a fruity pleasant flavour, which is distinct. Would recommend this old favourite to anyone who likes aromatics.

Pipe Used: Briar, Pear wood and Corn Cob

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	Old German puffer (106)	2015-07-21		Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

I was given a five pound bag of this stuff a short while back. Like always I took it out of the bag and placed it in small canning jars and forgot about it. This morning I opened up one of pint size jars for a taste. It smelled the same as when it went in last year. Needs no dry time and went into my pipe without any protest. Lit very quickly slight tamp and no relight was needed. Smoked for an hour and 10 minutes in a medium size bowl. I never smell the any special flavors in this. To be honest it just burns real nice to ash. It is very mild.

Pipe Used: Dutch freehand

Age When Smoked: bulk in jars 1 to 2 years.

Purchased From: WASH. DC

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	Leeboy (20)	2015-07-19		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Vanilla and rum seem to be the flavors that jump out at me. I do get some citrus fruity flavors at times. This is really sweet and easy smoking. I tend to smoke strong natural flavored tobacco so I use this when I want a change of pace. It can burn hot at times and bite if you puff hard on it so be careful. When I first opened the tin it was quite moiste so drying time is needed. This is low on nicotine so don't expect a buzz from this. I really like this tobacco and will always keep a tin at hand.

Pipe Used: Dr Grabow

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: smoke king uk

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	Hillbilly08 (38)	2015-07-12		Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

I agree with other comments that the tin smell here is results in the same aroma when lit - no surprises. The leaf is probably best left out to dry first before smoking. Then it is easy to light, and to stay lit.

It is a very pleasant blend with the only drawback in that there are probably too many flavours competing with each other. This would be a top blend if there was less of something in the topping. Maybe less coffee, or maybe less amaretto, or maybe less apricot, or maybe less raisins, or less cocoa, or less vanilla, or less rum.... less of something, anything at all. Reducing some of that aroma "noise" and allowing just two or max three predominant flavours to dominate would make this a real winner.

Edit: about 9 months after opening, this blend has mellowed in a closed, but unsealed, tin. It burns now more evenly, and some of the extraneous aromas have gone. It has now become a proper vanilla / rum aromatic with cavendish base, and is now "highly recommended".

Pipe Used: Venini 1/4 bent, also Savinelli bulldog (both 9mm)

Age When Smoked: fresh out of tin (and then aged 6-9 months)

Purchased From: 4noggins of course

Similar Blends: Possibly the W.O. Larsen range, for example Signature, but Peterson's is not as beautifully cut, well-blended, or clean-flavoured as the W.O. Larsen brand..

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fred T (67)	2015-06-15		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant

A very nice, multi-flavored, aromatic smoking mixture. Cavendish based with rum and fruity overtones. Relatively mild, pleasant smoke. Smells great in the tin. I wouldn't mind smoking this ocassionally. I'd almost consider it for my rotation. For me, it's a 3.

Pipe Used: Nording

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

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	Cloud (11)	2015-06-07		Mild to Medium	Strong	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Very Pleasant

Update - I am on my second tin of it and having had this tobacco for a while it opened my eyes to a few things about it. This aromatic tastes a little bitter upon first light. It's rather tasteless on the tobacco side of things and that's covered up by the peachy rum flavouring. Not too much vanilla but it's there. It goes from not having any taste at all to tasting kind of foul for the last one-third of the bowl; I usually don't smoke that part. It's all smell and no flavour or taste really for that matter. Quite flat.

I liked this blend as a pleasant aromatic. A fine smoke any time of day. It was moderately strong at times but usually mild. Flavour was quite pleasant and noticeable. Taste of the tobacco was a bit muted or masked by the added flavour. Room note was pleasant or even very pleasant with the right air circulation. It was a bit moist when it was fresh. After a few days it was just right and started to burn quicker. When it's completely fresh it has a strong tin note which is pleasantly sweet. This is my first Peterson blend that I've tried and I'm very happy with the results. I bought another tin so that I'll have more for the upcoming week. I dig how the sweet vanilla mixes with the rum & fruit flavour. If you really love aromatics, you'll love this.

Pipe Used: Killarney 65

Age When Smoked: 4 days

Purchased From: Shefield Express

Similar Blends: Unknown.

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	Old at heart (9)	2015-05-11		Medium to Strong	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

It doesnt demand any concentration to keep lit , it burns well and has a hint of strength about it but doesnt slap you in the face saying "wake up cretin". I write and find this is my baccy of choice for the chore , you dont have to work at it to get the taste flowing (again - fruity). I find it smells quite nice and visitors often remark on the nice smell. Have a punt with this , you wont be let down , just like a find most pete baccys are - its pretty much the same every time .... perhaps not a good thing ? it doesnt burn too hot either.

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	natibo (169)	2015-02-08		Mild	Strong	Medium	Pleasant

This is a pretty good aromatic. I struggled between 2 and 3 stars, but it grows on you. I smoked it on vacation in Mexico because it has a tropical smell. I got no complaints about the room odor. I was just expecting this to be more like the special reserve 2014, but it just was not as good.

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	Italo Svevo (26)	2015-01-25		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is definitely an enjoyable aromatic smoke. The tin note note is strongly of plums in my opinion (I wonder why nobody detects it). The smoke is fresh, light, with mostly fruit and vanilla aroma developing especially in the first half of the bowl. I agree with those who say it reminds of shisha tobacco.

Being a mild Virgina/Cavendish, it tends to lack some "body", some tobacco strength, and may disappoint for this reason. What I often do, is to mix it with some Va/Burley mixture (e.g. MB Navy Flake), which adds some strength and makes it more round. With that, it becomes really a four star smoke. I love it especially in the evening, but it can be smoked all day.

- This said, the price in Italy is exhorbitant (also in relation to the quality), so I would always try to get it abroad. -

Pipe Used: Aldo Velani (filter), Chacom

Age When Smoked: fresh, 1m, 2m

Purchased From: taback-brucker.de

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	ing.poparadu (18)	2014-11-29		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I got this tobacco as a gamble because I couldn't find the Peterson Special Reserve that I was looking for.

The taste is somewhat unnoticeable when smoking, not what you would expect after sniffing the tobacco in the tin. The strength is medium. Therefore, I could say that this tobacco does not have anything special about about it.

From my point of view, it is recommended only for adding a nice smell to the room.

Overall, 2 out of 4

Pipe Used: Danske Club 84

Age When Smoked: fresh from tin

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	Sparco (1)	2014-07-19		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Is good teaste and smooth like tahat whisky like this and alcohol and best to the tobaco to be lens good Virginia and cavandish so very good for me

Pipe Used: Normal

Age When Smoked: 28

Purchased From: Uk

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	doc'spipe (241)	2012-12-19		Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

I just reviewed Nutty Cut and find this to be quite similar but with a slightly different flavor profile - both offerings rated very mild. The major differences are with the tin note having a more fruity essence (I would guess Mango) and slightly more of a rum presence than with Nutty Cut. As with Nutty Cut, loading and lighting were relatively easy as was keeping it lit throughout the smoke. I did find it to smoke a bit hotter than Nutty Cut, but there was no bite. It had a tendency to gurgle at times and that was in a Peterson System Pipe buy the way. It had more of a rum presence than Nutty Cut. I couldn't detect the vanilla and the fruity essence in the tin note didn't translate much in the smoke. Don't get me wrong, it was a pleasant smoke but way too mild for my liking. Between this and Nutty Cut, I prefer Nutty Cut, but Hyde Park and Holiday Season 2012 are way better in terms of flavoring and they both had more of a tobacco presence than either Connoisseur's Choice or Nutty Cut. Still I can recommended it with 3 stars, but like Nutty Cut, not a first stringer with me. If you like mild and want a nice room note smoke, you can't go wrong with either of CC or NC.

UPDATE 1-4-13: I like this one better when I add some Hyde Park as it gives the overall smoke more body and additional flavors.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-07-29		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

Smells like fruitcake in the tin - very sugary. Considering that the blend has some lighter Cavendish and Virginia in with the black Cavendish, I was expecting some body to the smoke, but it was light. Too light for my tastes. The casing, although it smelled medium in the tin, also tasted light. Perhaps this is because the tobacco [in my well-sealed tin] was very dry for an aromatic. Hardly moist at all, like it had been left out for a week. If you like a semi-aromatic, or a more subtle aromatic that is smooth and mild, this may be for you. No tongue bite or gurgling with this one.

Another problem I have with this aromatic is that the tobacco has a slight spicy taste to it that doesn't mesh with the fruitcake flavoring. One could argue that it adds complexity to the flavor profile. This slight spiciness is also apparent in the tin aroma.

The room note is excellent, tho I can't really identify what I am smelling as far as the different ingredients advertised to be in the casing. For example, I detect no coffee taste or aroma.

When I exhale the smoke, it seems rather empty. Or flat. It has no weight to it. Partly because the smoke is so bone dry. The deficiencies of this blend become extremely apparent when compared to a MUCH better version of it - Dan Tobacco Blue Note - another black Cavendish/Virginia blend with whiskey, fruit/citrus, and vanilla flavoring. Unless your tastes run to a mild and dry semi-aromatic, best to skip it.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-07-20		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

One of my "special occasion" tins. I dont ever want it to wear out its welcome. Was recommended to me buy the owner of a local shop, and I trust the mans taste. Now I dont get the tropical fruit as much as I get an almost caramel/rum thing. A glass of Iced Tea and this in my pipe and Im good to go.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-07-15		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

In the land down under we are heavily taxed on everything so any tobacco product is damned expensive. 50 grams will cost you anything from $35 - $50 bucks oz dollars dependant on brand. Anyway, I am a novice (12 months) to the pipe. I haven't yet progressed to english blends still enjoying the aro's and this is the best i have found so far in our very limited selection of brands. It smells great in the tin, easy to pack and lights and smokes well with only a couple of tamps required. My mates all comment on the great room note and reckon you could eat this out of the tin. It was a bit moist in the tin so 15-20 minutes drying time did the trick for me. Smoked in a large stanwell filter pipe so tounge bite wasn't a problem and I usually puff at full steam ahead. Enjoyed this more than Sunset Breeze. This will become a staple in my limited collection. Highly recommended

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	JustinCarcerated (99)	2012-07-14		Mild	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

Second Peterson aromatic blend for me-Sunset Breeze being the first. Well packaged-as is a Peterson trait, moist,needs drying till about 1/2 way through tin. Nice rummy/fruity aroma, the better half likes the room note (as long as its wafting through the porch only). Nice Lucky Charms-like bits of yellow flake throughout, smooth and not harsh with no tongue bite; to that end I only smoke aromatics in a Peterson Drinkless with the standard P-hole, as it has proven to be very suitable for aros. I always keep an aromatic in my 4 blend rotation, although each tin last twice as long because it's only for mornings when I can enjoy a bowl. Better tasting than Sunset Breeze to me, quality smoke.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-07-01		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This tobacco has everything I dream of in a smoke. The sweet, relaxing notes of the maple, rum and vanilla, as well as the wonderful tobacco flavors from the flake. I purchased a tin of this stuff with my Savinelli Oscar Tiger Rhodesian. IMO, no better way to experience the art of pipe smoking. The tin note offers caramel, rum and tobacco. Light up offers much the same. I really am glad I found this tobacco. It is now in my regular rotation.

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	Grandad (8)	2012-05-17		Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

As with all Peterson aromatics, I still find they differ from tin to tin in regards to flavour and taste which is why, I guess, there are so many differing views in regard to how good or bad they are.

Personally, I really liked this one. When I opened the tin, the aroma wasn't very strong but when lit the smell and taste was very moreish, which is probably why I finished the tin quicker than I normally do!

If you're trying do cut down on eating cake, this would make a great substitute to that after dinner smoke/dessert.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-04-12		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I enjoyed this blend, however it is much like a lot of Peteron's other sweeter products. It reminded me of Sweet Killarney, and did not stand out as a unique or memerable tobacoo. The only major difference I noticed was a some floral aroma. I went through the tin pretty quick, with the help of a friend. Neither one of us was disappointed, but I don't think I will be rushing out to stock up on more. As with every Peterson product I have tried, the tobacco itself was perfect, and burned to the end of the bowl. I did not detect any "tropical fruit" or rum, but did get a taste of maple. I would say this tobacco is worth trying.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-04-04		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

There's a lot of similarity in Peterson's aromatic range. So it's another sweet aromatic with a hint of... what's this one? Fruit and rum? Oh, okay. It might smell slightly different to Gold Blend and Nutty Cut, but it tastes very similar.

If you like Peterson's style of aromatics then this one won't disappoint. Or surprise.

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	FlatCapMatt (59)	2012-01-06		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm new to pipe smoking, so take from this what you will... I've only tried 3-4 kinds of tobacco so far, but this one is currently my favourite.

When you open the tin, you get a pleasant fruit-cake like smell. You almost want to eat the tobacco, which is odd because I don't like to eat fruit cake...

It has a mild or very mild taste when you smoke it. Sweet and pleasant, maybe hints of something like maple. It is nice, but not as strong of a flavour as I had hoped for.

The room note is also light and pleasant. My wife likes the aroma too.

The tobacco burns well straight out of the tin. On my 2nd or 3rd bowl, I was able to smoke the bowl nearly to the bottom on one match, with no relights. That's something I couldn't do with the other tobaccos I have tried. (smokes well in a corn cob too)

I definitely recommend this tobacco, especially to Australian pipe smokers who don't have a huge selection of tobaccos to choose from. I can definitely see myself buying this one again after trying out more of Peterson's range.

= 2018 Update =

I bought some of this recently for the first time in years. I guess my tastes have changed, because this is no longer one of my favourites. First bowl in a briar pipe resulted in some nasty chemical tastes, which could be the pipe more than the tobacco. Second bowl in a corncob was a bit better, but I still didn't like it as much as I did a few years ago. Maybe I've just had some nicer blends since I first reviewed it.

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	Tom Bombadill (120)	2012-01-01		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A very well done aromatic. One of the most enjoyable I've smoked. I cellared this particular tin a year before I cracked it open two weeks ago for a Christmas treat. I'm very glad I did. The casings/flavorings are very enjoyable and do not overpower the various tobaccos. Smooth, spicy, relaxing. Excellent.

Happy New Year!

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	Stress Free (2)	2011-09-09		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

My favourite aromatic, it smokes to the bottom of the bowl on the original light - and with NO bite!

It has a very pleasant room note. My wife calls it "dessert."

It is an excellent tobacco from Petersons of Dublin, Ireland.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-07-31		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

This at the moment is my favourite Aromatic blend !! Just the right moisture levels straight from the tin. Pack the bowl light, tamp, re-light and "gently" sip away, tamping about every 4 or five minutes and it'll smoke right down to a white ash !! puurrfik. Never had a bite off this tobacco and its quite flavoursome, all the way down. A good high quality blend for new smokers too as I feel the nicotine levels to be quite manageable or even quite low, I have never had a nicotine hit from this blend but I am not a "puffing Billy", I like to chill, there's not a rush in me now'a'day. The bonus side effect is...... Your wife / partner will love the aroma, never fails !!! in fact? I might even get away with a "in- door smoke" around Christmas time, well it does smell a little like plum pudding and it would make a welcome change to those smelly old floral things my wife plugs into the electrical socket ( which by the way offends ME, as if that matters, lol ). I agree with the previous review, and set aside a pipe just for this blend, I have two and one is in my fishing basket !! Its good practice to have a pipe for each brand of tobacco your going to smoke regular and use corncobs for testers.

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	SmileyOrb (17)	2011-07-17		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Now this is the stuff! A fine aromatic with a subtle rum taste and cherries. My wife likes the aroma. When I'm in the mood this is my alternative to St Bruno and Players Navy cut, do is comparatively very different. I enjoy this and smokes easily without burning too hot. But I sometimes need to rest my pipe a few times as the flavor can hold for a few days in a briar. I can sometimes not turn to this as too much can spoil the sensation on the nose. It's a fine smoke. It has a mind a tropical taste which I appreciate. To use an extreme example, you could smoke this whilst watching Pirates of the Caribbean - but it's not a "cheap" tasting tobacco. I'm impressed. It's in the same league as Sunset Breeze but has a different, not so floral melody to the taste. I do recommend it if you like smoking aromatics occasionally.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-07-16		Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Tasted a bit cherryish, like sunset breeze but more confectionary flavoured. This lightens up a bit after the tin being opened for a week. Decent nicotine levels, this actually hurt my lungs for 24 hrs (I inhaled), I think this was due to the topping on the tobacco. Good quality as usual from peterson, If you like lolly smoke, buy this. I think it's a good tobacco, but a little too sweet to buy again.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-06-21		Mild	Strong	Very Mild	Pleasant

When you open the tin, you meet a strong aroma. They say it is composed of Vanilla, Rum and Citrus fruits but I could not detect them seperately. Nevertheless the smell is nice.

Let's light our pipe. I cannot say I taste something, the taste is very flat actually and sometimes it tends to taste bad. Should you puff quickly you'll get a nice tongue bite, so be carefull! The room note is nice and pleasant though...

Overall:

If you are really into aromatics, try this tobacco, it may end up as one of your favourites.

If you don't like aromatics very much or you hate them, avoid this tobacco.

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	Papa Koala (12)	2011-06-13		Mild	Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

You take of the lid and the smell is quite intoxicating. Hell, forget smoking this just stick your nose in the tin and breath deeply. I find my self doing this a lot. In fact I'm stopping here to do it again. Ahhhhhhh. Sorry about that. Ok then. I have two different pipe systems. One is Peterson's p-lip and the other is the Design Berlin twin bore with 9mm filter. Test number 1: Smoking with DB system. Result? Very pleasant fruity smoke on the tongue with a nice balance of casing to Virginia tobacco. Room note very nice and remains so after the last puff. Test number 2: Smoking with Peterson p-lip system. Result? Very bland taste but same yummy room note. Conclusion: To get the best from this tobacco I would recommend a pipe with a straight through style mouth piece and not a p-lip. I would add this to my favourites list based on the note from the tin alone. In fact I will. Highly recommended, 4 stars. I like it.

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	Mr. Big (321)	2011-05-23		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Maybe some vanilla/rum, but mostly sour berry like the old " fruit strip gum" the cherry piece, nice. needs some time to breath or it will be hot and steamy. I'm not an aromatic kind of smoker, but this one I can get by with, along with "Luxury blend". Flavor stays almost through the entire pipe. I might keep this one around. No gurgle, no real bite, wife didn't complain, I can only hope it will age well since this is a once a week smoke.

3/26/12 I pulled this one out from behind the cellar to give it another go. I still agree with my above review , however I picked up some bitterness and bite. Will not buy again.

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	gunner525 (66)	2011-04-05		Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

As I said on the IPPC, I now know what heaven tastes like. My first go with this blend was with a glass of Baileys and it was wonderful. It does tend to smoke a bit hot, and this is kind of how I've understood the dedicating of pipes to certain blends, but a warm bowl is well worth it for the flavor. A great mix of black cavendish, golden and red virginias, and a luxury broken flake. It's flavored with tropical fruit, maple, vanilla, and rum. Smells and tastes divine. If you're an aromatic lover, definitely grab a tin of this when you can.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-03-16		Mild	Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

CC is a lush, flavorful aromatic. The toppings combine for a rich, delicious taste.

The only things keeping me from awarding this one four stars are its tendency to burn a bit hot (not like those bowls of hot coals from Mac Dante's Inferno, but a bit too hot never-the-less) and that the flavorings seem to pretty much burn off by the the second half of the bowl.

Aromatic lovers should definitely give this a try.

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	Arkie (129)	2011-03-05		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I enjoyed this blend but it is not quite as good as DeLuxe or Solani Sweet Mystery

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-03-02		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Since this blend has been reviewed so much, I won't go into any great details about it. It is a very pleasant aromatic. I smoked about half of the tin in meerschaum pipes and the rest in briar pipes and it smoked very well in both. The flavors of fruit and vanilla predominated, although there was a slight hint of maple.

While I recommend this blend, I must say that I will not be purchasing anymore. Why? Because I have not found a tin of this sold for under $10 anywhere in the U.S. And for that amount, there are simply plenty of other great aromatics, such as some of the Boswell or Stokkebye blends, that you can buy in bulk, taste and smoke just as good, and you will receive more than twice the amount of tobacco for less than what you paid for this tin. If this was sold in bulk at a better price, I'd be willing to purchase it again.

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	thefoolish (10)	2011-02-18		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Oh, yeah. That's the stuff.

I have spent the last few weeks smoking nearly nothing but the new Master-Pease, Jack Knife Plug. After being inundated with that flavor for so long, I was ready for something relaxing and different.

I remembered this tin of Connoisseur's Choice that I had opened a while ago and never really smoked -- I guess life just got in the way.

I opened the tin and saw what looked like a firework display against the night sky: reds and golds, all dancing gracefully against a black background.

Taking a sniff, I was transported to a beach with white sand and clear, blue water, where a scantily clothed vixen handed me a drink served in a halved coconut, with a little umbrella sticking out of the top. That's the aroma I got.

Oddly, the smell of the tin made me nervous. So often, I smell an aromatic that teases and entices, only to find that the smoke, A) Doesn't live up to the smell of the tin, or B) I am flooded by syrup in smoke form. Luckily, Connoisseur's Choice delivered without leaving me feeling like I had just finished a serving of maple syrup with a side of pancakes. Rolling the smoke around in my mouth, I was reminded once more of that vixen and the coconut drink, and I had to try very hard to resist drinking up the smoke. I tasted vanilla and fruit -- mango? maybe even banana? -- and rum as I exhaled.

The smoke burned quite nicely into ash, leaving no dottle.

Leaving the room for a moment after the smoke, I was pleased to discover my smoking-area deliciously inviting.

I look forward to my next bowl of this blend. I don't think that my affinity for this blend makes me a "Connoisseur", but rather someone who appreciates luxury and beaches with white sand.

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	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-02-11		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

It's early days yet for me, but I have a feeling this is going to be a repeat purchase for me. A fantastic smell out of the tin and a delightful smoke, all the flavour and sweetness with the fruity aromas and taste. It's like smoking christmas pudding, it's lovely.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fireball (36)	2011-01-31		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Update: I just can't smoke this anymore! I think it has become a novelty balti for me. Ghosts up my aro pipe something rotten. Downgraded to somewhat recommended - if you are an aro man/woman.

Much like a 'Tropical Balti', there's a lot going on, and I wondered initially if it was going to come together, or become a novelty that would wear off quickly. In fact, it's grown on me, it's a pleasant, fruity, sweet vanilla, fairly light, cool burning treat after dinner, a second dessert if you like. My wife (not normally a fan) on room note: 'Aaah, that one smells lovely'.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	morphijuana (17)	2010-12-24		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

My first smoke of this blend wasn't as satisfying as others I've tasted, but I wasn't completely disappointed. However, upon revisting it several more times I have come to appreciate it for being a great tobacco. When I take slow draws and let it roll over my tongue, I can taste all the flavors that are advertised on the can, a step above mild, and a great room note, I would suggest this tobacco to anyone.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-12-18		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Pleasant

If you're a pipe smoker who fancies aromatic tobacco and you want to feel more luxurious than usual, have a go with this blend. This is a sensory adventure of a tobacco. It starts with the fruity, caramel scent with just a hint of coffee and wood smoke. Lots going on already, and you've only just popped the seal on the tin. This tobacco packs well, lights evenly, smokes cool and without too much gurgling. But most importantly, it tastes just like it smells: Amazing. Many flavors come together to create a full-bodied (but not overpowering) smoke. The taste is initially fruity, almost like orange or grapefruit, but the Cavendish adds a chocolaty coffee- like taste that lends a full bodied tone and rich creamy smoke. (Excellent leaf for smoke rings by the by) Finally, to top it off and give an already satisfying blend that little extra zing, the Red Virginia comes through to finish off the taste with a rather satisfying woody and peppery spice note. Delectable to say the least. I would not recommend this tobacco to beginning pipe smokers as it's very rich in flavor, however it is good for transition from aromatic tobacco to more traditional Balkan and English mixtures. Excellent mixture through and through. This will definitely remain in my smoking regimen for years to come.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mawi (1)	2010-12-05		Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

This is one of my favorite tobacco's. The aroma is exquisite, a very pleasant room note. If you like aromatics, I can highly suggest this one! You won't be disappointed! Don't smoke it too fast though, take your time and enjoy! I never had to relight, burns well, no tongue bite whatsoever.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-11-13		Very Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

The sensory immersion starts when you open the can! This tobacco has a wonderful aroma.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-08-27		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

Should you find yourself stood in front of a firing squad for whatever reason, and they give you the customary option of a last smoke, ask for this. You'll go out happily sedated.

Update: After smoking it for a while my enthusiasm has cooled down somewhat as I've found myself increasingly warming up to English blends. Still a fair choice for a firing squad smoke though. I find it best enjoyed smoked as slowly as possible.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-06-25		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Overall, it was good. It was a tad dry in the tin, but still enjoyable. The flavor did not pack as much punch as I thought it would, but overall it was a solid purchase. The smell upon opening the tin was subtle, but enjoyable.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-06-08		Very Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Mild but magnificent!!! Upon opening the tin, you are greeted with a lovely fruit-cake smell, very sweet smelling. I let it dry for a little while before packing it, and I packed it nice and loose. The taste is kinda spicy, and fruity, like tropical fruit (if smoked slow and cool) It's a lovely taste, very moreish, I found myself grabbing another pipe after my first bowl to experience it all over again! The room note is absolutely gorgeous, I mean, literally AMAZING... I would quite happily set this up as some sort of incense because it really does smell so good, smells like a really fruity moist cake freshly baked... Mmmmmm!!!

I highly recommend this, it's a great tobacco, anyone who say it's not, is very unlucky to have either recieved a bad tin, or packed it too tight, or just doesn't have the right chemistry in their mouth! You must try it, I bet you'll love it (aromatic smokers only though!!)

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-05-31		Very Mild	Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is the best tobacco I have smoked in ages.the aroma,flavour,etc is superb.They should make this in bigger tins since it is a tobacco you can smoke at any time of day.Goes exellent with a good cup of tea

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-05-25		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Nice tobacco with a noticeable maple flavor. Not as good as WO Larsen, but I will buy some more.

tips: Let it dry, it's better. Smoke it slow.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-05-12		Mild	Mild	Full	Very Pleasant

This stuff starts from the very moment you open the tin. WOW it smells good enough to eat (seriously) it is one of the nicest aroma's I have ever come across.

Its a lovely leaf to pack. It tastes beautiful. (to note: it tastes a lot more subtle then it smells) It leaves a hint of chocolate (coco) on the palet.

It burns well, even and cool. It also leaves a nice room note. pleasant and not overpowering.

Its just a fabulous overall smoke. I would consider it an everyday tabacco. A real treat in the evenings and would compliment a nice Irish whiskey (Jameson 1780) or brandy (Hennessy cognac)

Enjoy it lads i would highly recommend it to you all.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fubber (14)	2010-04-27		Mild	Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

I love this stuff. Like most of you I have tried tons of tobaccos and while this is not my favourite tobacco (if there is such a thing!)I could happily smoke this every day. Nice tobacco flavours with nice fruit notes. I recommend it highly.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ynrozturk (62)	2010-04-06		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I was so bored of smoking Mac Baren's Black Ambrosia that I wanted to stab myself in the eye with a dull knife. I had a tin of this lying around and had never opened it before so, what the hell?

Whoah!! This stuff smells absolutely delicious. Though as we all know, most of the time the smell doesn't translate to the actual smoke, so I approached with caution.

The tobacco itself is beautiful - nice shades of tobacco in there with broken flakes. Mmmm, flakes. Moisture levels seemed to be just right, so I went ahead and loaded up a bowl and lit up.

Took to a flame well, and stayed lit all the way down after a single tamp. The flavor is pretty complex, and I agree with previous reviewers saying that there is too much going on - I mostly got the rum and fruit. Room note is out of this world.

Tongue bite? Over heating? Gurgle? None of that. Mine smoked smooth and cool down to the last embers.

Top notch smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Servo (58)	2010-04-03		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

In the tin this stuff smells delicious, I didn't know whether to smoke it or put whipped cream on it.

Comes across with a very appealing room note. But all those flavors that were so lovingly applied to this mixture, not to mention the poor tobaccos themselves, are all quickly lost in biting heat and the fog of my own apathy.

I may be too critical. Basically I feel that this mixture is nothing special, but it is priced like it is something special.

Try Boswell's Pipes' aromatic mixtures instead - i.e. Berry Cobbler or Christmas Cookie - The tobaccos and the delicious flavors come off much better in those mixtures.

I seem to have trouble appreciating Peterson's aromatic blends. Odd, because I love their pipes.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Full English (31)	2010-03-18		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

An otherwise standard, yet attractive mixture, given some interest and body with the nice addition of coarse strands of broken flake, which goes some way to make up for a somewhat lacklustre base. However, Peterson do score with a massive bouquet that's up there with the very best of aromatics. I can't quite place the fruit, but it's an absolute top-note. Balanced with the equally present maple and rum, there seems to be some serious complexity at work under the tin lid. The sum total of fragrances is akin to Bailey's Irish Cream, and even more so, Amarula liqueur.

Connoisseur's Choice is very much the bigger brother to the Luxury Blend, packing similar, yet bigger flavours, and smoking a great deal hotter, with an incredibly spicy finish, that some are going to find way too aggressive. Smooth it is not, but the pleasing toffee-fruit room note gets a big thumbs up from room dwellers, even if you yourself are left fighting a tad too hard to get a handle on the raw tobacco. The base virginias are a little flat for my liking, but everything else pulls them through to create a relatively pleasing smoke that's like rum punch at the beginning, going through salty in the mid bowl to creamy soap at the end. Moreover, I find a p-lip bit pretty hopeless with this tobacco, and it seems to respond much better to a wide fishtail mouthpiece.

It's a veritable journey into the senses, and although not quite as balanced as some of its closest rivals (perhaps Ashton's Smooth Sailing), it piques my interest enough to allot it three stars. Pretty decent stuff.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-03-11		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

While i'm mostly an English blend smoker i have to say i was pleased with this Aro. A friend of mine gave me a sample to try and after i left his place i went directly to my tobacconist to buy a tin to decide what in this blend so attracted me. Well first of all i would like to say that i didn't had any tongue bite which in my opinion is an important detail when speaking Aro . Now to the point , i think it's the well balanced proportions of virginia that got me hooked on this one .While surely fruity it's not strong when smoked and a pleasure to smell from the tin. A very decent addition to my cellar which as i said is mainly English oriented.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-02-14		Mild	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

A real cornucopia of flavors in this. Between the cavendish, flake, fruit, vanilla, rum and maple, surely there is something in there for you. The broken flake is a nice part of the mix. I dried it out for 45 minutes of a July 2009 tin. Still took a few matches to keep lit. Probably needs a few days of drying with the top off. But it was not a wet smoke, no gurgles, no goop. But curiously it left a lot of black ash residue. This one is a real cake maker. If you want a fast cake buildup this seems to be the fastest I've found.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-01-29		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A very pleasing after dinner tobacco, it has a nice, dark fruity flavor (sort of like plums or something similar) that's very relaxing in the evening. The room note is similar -- a dark, fruity sort of scent that lingers in pockets of air. An all around good tobacco for those who like aromatics.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-01-27		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

I am from Romania, and i will write this rewiev in my mother language, because other romanian pipe smokers will read this. It's the right choise for a beginner, like myself. The room note is very pleasent.

Am citit despre acest tutun de pipa chiar aici, pe acest site, indrumat fiind de comentariile de pe forum pipabucuresti. Sunt incepator in fumatul de pipa, dar ma perfectionez pe zi ce trece. Ca orice incepator am inceput cu aromaticele, pentru ca sunt mai usoare si lasa un miros extrem de placut in locul unde fumezi. Connoisseur's Choice este un tutun placut, extrem de aromat, care se arde de la sine, daca fumezi pipa in mod linistit. Il recomand oricarui incepator, iar nu in ultimul rand si celor pasionati de tutunurile aromatice, desi contin unele arome mai mult sau mai putin naturale. Salutari din Bucuresti, Romania.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-01-17		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Have to say that my first pipeful of this was somewhat of a disappointment. Seemed to be a bit of a chemical taste going on somewhere. However now that the tin has been opened and air has got to the tobacco this chemical taste has disappeared and what you are left with is Christmas cake in a tin. Honestly you put your nose in and you just want to put a dollop of cream with it and have it for desert. The tobacco packs well, lights first time and burns all the way through to the bottom of the bowl with little or no effort. The sweetness is evident on the tongue and lots of nice creamy billowy smoke. Which you blow out through your nose and then walk into because you want to smell it. It is fantastic to smoke in company. In fact was at a conference the other day and nipped outside for a smoke during a break with cigarette smokers and they all comented on how nice this smelled. Even non smokers came outside to inhale the lovely aroma. As an aromatic I think I am going to find this one very hard to beat. In my book I cant see myself ever being without at least one tin of this in the cupboard maybe more.

Top stuff, light up and smile at the Latakia smokers.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Peterpiper (4)	2010-01-06		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This Peterson mixture is a delight to the nose in the tin. I found it to be less vulgar and slightly milder mannered than Sunset Breeze (if a comparison is justified.)

In the bowl, it is a little harder to recommend. The gentle nature of this tobacco suggested by the aroma turns out to be rather more boisterous and ill tempered. Although it takes to the match well, and the upper decks are refreshing and autumnal in flavour, before reaching mid-ships I was battling with a very different beast. The word is HOT. My Doctor Plumbs ‘dinky' heated like a cauldron, even when sipped very gently.

This fierce heat was a feature throughout the bowl; to such an extent that I feared my briar might crack asunder.

The room note is delightful, and a sure fire hit with the ladies. Such a shame that the work involved in producing this pleasing note is scarcely worth the effort.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	paulwfromtheden (14)	2009-12-14		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Yes, this is a good aromatic. The aroma, both when opening the tin and during the smoke are very satisfying. Inevitably, it is not the strongest tobacco in the world, but is certainly worth a try if you are into aromatic blends.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-07-23		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

I just got my tin of this today, and am I pleased! This tobacco is excellent start to finish. It has a slight berry flavoring to it, with a good warm tobacco taste as well. I will definitely keep this tobacco in my rotation. I HIGHLY recommend this tobacco. I only experienced the bite when I smoked it in my corncob. When I smoked it in my Peterson it was smooth and polite.

**Updated review: over time I have found this tobacco to be a bit numbing to the palate. Though it is still good, it's not one of my absolute favorites.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-07-19		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

Upon opening the tin, you are greeted with a delightful smell, a mix between that advertised tropical fruit and chocolate? Smelled like chocolate to me... maybe the rum, maple and vanilla flavour, when combined, smell like chocolate?

Anyway.... I wish the tobacco itself was as flavourful as it smelled. It wasn't a bad tobacco taste, it was just bland. The room note coming off of it was better than the smoke I was draw into my mouth. I find the same problem with University Flake... smells great, taste blah.

Of course, this was only after one bowl, a first impression if you will... I hope it will grow on me. Maybe after some aging and another bowl will be great!

It just seems, to me anyway, that Peterson blends and my palate don't mix. Maybe their blends are too subtle and nuanced for my untrained taste buds to notice. Maybe I am just expecting more umph! out of my tobacco (like Plumcake and Devil's Holiday).

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-07-01		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This is one of the better aromatics I have smoked. There is a lot going on in this mixture. However, it smokes hot so take it easy and slow. Also let it dry out for a good half hour for better results.

The room note is wonderful but my wife still will not let me in the house when smoking. If you like aromatics try this one. For me I enjoy "choice" in the evening as my last pipe of the day.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-05-31		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This is the first Peterson I tried and I wasn't disappointed. If I were to describe it in one word, the word would have to be 'yummy'. Smells great out of the tin and lingers consistently throughout the smoke. Its wonderful room note, makes most people turn heads. In fact, having been an avid smoker for years, I do carry quite a number of blends in my collection. But, each time I bring this on, people actually have approached me and complimented on the absolutely lovely room note. The spicy recipe of Tropical Fruits, Maple, Vanilla topped off by rum is well balanced, smooth and easy to smoke. Like with all aromatics, one needs to pace it to avoid any bites. And believe you me, you are well advised to do so because the taste is so good you would want to eat it too! Absolutely, no regrets in choosing this one and am looking forward in exploring other Petersen options too.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-19		Mild	Very Strong	Mild	Pleasant

It is a one of its kind aromatic tobacco.

One day, while I was smoking it in the streets of a big city in Europe, young people smiled at me while smelling it (you see what I mean, dont't you ?).

I mean, I am sure it is far from being 100% tobacco(it is supposed to have fruit bits or whatever in it).

Otherwise, it is quite pleasant for lovers of aromatics based on virginias.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-04-07		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I'm having a great time, as a new pipe smoker, trying different blends (until the better half said "Don't you have enough for a while?-I think the four pounds I bought -1 pound each of some blends I really like-may have had something to do with that).

This tobacco smells great in the tin, and smells good in the room. Not my everyday smoke, as my esteemed fellow puffer says, it's a little pricey for that...but a great one to have for a change now and then. I like it well enough that I bought three more tins to put away for later.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-03-27		Mild to Medium	Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A good solid 3 star blend, good quality tobaccos, just a bit heavy on flavor my tastes.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-03-20		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

I picked up a tin of this tobacco last night and was pleasantly surprised.This tobacco is absolutely wonderfull.If you like CAO/DAN tobaccos,then you will love Connoisseurs Choice.It burns a little on the warm side,but this is one tobacco that I will not keep around due to the cost.It is not available in bulk,and $12.00 for 50g. tins is something that Im not willing to pay and I had to come back and edit my review for that very reason.At the time when I first submitted my review,I was unaware of how expensive it would be to smoke this tobacco.Its good,but NOT THAT GOOD.I will stick to DAN tobaccos Sweet Vanilla Honeydew,and DaVinci.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2009-03-01		Mild to Medium	Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

The tin aroma is very tropical FRUITY. Almost smells like a fruit punch (spiked with rum). The vanilla is there but sits more in the background. The flavoring is quite heavy which IMHO is the downfall of this blend. It covers up that beautiful tobacco too much. I did find that drying the tobacco for about an hour helped bring the flavor down some, but for me, still too much! The best part of the bowl is that bottom 1/3 when the tobacco becomes more stout and can compete with the sauce! This blend is also prone to biting the tongue.

This tobacco is beautiful to look at. Chunks of flake can be found in the mix, which I love. No doubt that very quality tobacco was used to create this blend. The fruit flavor does stay through entire bowl. A good thing for an aromatic. Too many aromatics just burn off leaving you with a bowl of average leaf.

I do enjoy several aromatics, and I smoked two tins of this one. But I won't be buying anymore.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Nick (74)	2009-02-05		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Man oh man there's a lot of stuff going on here. Tropical fruit, Maple, Vanilla and Rum. Virginias, Golden, Reds and flakes. Black cavendish. Throw it all together and what have you got ? Connoisseur's Choice, or should it be called Connoisseur's Aromatic Choice. Either way this is really good stuff. With a little drying out time you will be greeted with a top notch sweet and tasty aromatic smoke with minimal bite. Even when puffed hard all you get is a mild and managable bite telling you to slow down a bit. Quality tobaccos, highly aromatic, very nice intermingling between the two, its all there.

4 stars for the aromatic fan and a must try for the adventurious naturalist.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	z_evil_genius (6)	2008-12-07		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Yes, "candy" is the word here. It smells like a fair in the tin. That in itself is pleasant, although I was hesitant to smoke it because ultra-sweet tobaccos tend to make me feel ill. In any case, it was sweet on the tongue, in the air, etc. The wife thought it was a little strong, but not unpleasant. Others said it burned really hot. I found that in my meer it burned somewhat hot, but not to the point that I couldn't handle it. Overall, I thought it was an okay smoke and good for after dinner occassions. At least it was different. I'm rather sick of all the vanilla or cherry aromatics. I will keep some water on hand though to help keep that bite down.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-11-28		Medium	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

An unopened tin was given to me by Gioupy2000. After so many tries, he decided that he is not an aromatic smoker; now he has become a latakia connoisseur. But for me, this is one of the best aromatic tobaccos I've ever tried. I am a fun of Peterson pipes, and all these years I was trying to find the rewarding Peterson tobacco. Well, this is it! Smells really good in the tin, tastes wonderful in the bowl. Everyone around will adore you. Take it easy with the puffs and your tongue will be happy. IMO, it is perfect for early to late morning nicotene chases, preferably in a Peterson Sherlock Holmes Original pipe, dedicated exclusively for this divine blend.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-08-29		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Vanilla and rum spice notes make for an extremely enjoyable aromatic. Enjoyed by smoker and smokers friends alike, it is a great smoke anytime of day, any season.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipePaladin (78)	2008-02-09		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

As I have said before I am not an aromatic person! This one though is a very mellow blend with a good rum toping! If you like aromatics and dark leaf aromatic blends you will like this! Perfect for breaking in new pipes..

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-01-24		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

This is one of my favorite aromatics. After a little drying it pack and lights well. I have a pipe dedicated to this mixture. It produces a pleasing fruity taste,however it not overpowering. The room note is as well very pleasing. Fortunatly my local tobacco shop keep a good supply on hand. If you are new to pipe smoking this is a blend I highly recommend. I will interject that it to be smoked slowly as it can bite a bit if you puff too vigorously. I would give this blend 5 stars if it were possible.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-12-24		Mild	Strong	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Very satisfying, spicy and aromatic mix of black Cavendish, gold and red Virginia.

The aromatic recipe of tropical fruits, vanilla and rum, make this tobacco, smooth and very pleasant, without loosing tobacco?s flavor.

Nice perfume in the room, it reminds me a lot of Poul Winslow No 1. As an alternative tobacco, is perfect.

The negative issue is that you cannot find it easily.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-07-26		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

This blend has an excellent room note, very pleasing and sweet due to the tropical overtones. Has a mild, nutty tobacco flavor very unlike the room note, becoming stronger towards the end of the bowl. I find that upon opening it smokes best in a gourd calabash or Lepeltier clay pipe, but about 2-3 weeks after untinning it smokes well in briar and meershaum. A good morning smoke, and very suitable after a light meal.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-07-02		Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I don't normally go for the full aromatic but as I was looking to add one to my rotation, I thought i would give this a try.

The flavouring is REALLY strong from the tin and overpowering when testing the draw but on lighting ( three vestas a pipe at least) this is a really lovely smoke. The flavour is consistent throughout, the room note is good and pleasant. This is a definate MUST if you want a quality aromatic and are not sure where to start.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-02-24		Mild	Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

What a pleasant surprise this was! I came into my local tobacco shop (Cousins -- Avon, OH) looking for a new tin -- something a little sweet, but not too sweet. Josh recommended Peterson's Connoisseur's Choice, and, as usual, he was dead on. This blend is wonderful -- smooth, fruity, and tasty. The flavoring is there, but not overwhelming. Still a good tobacco taste, with an afternote of nectarine. Smokes long, and flavor is consistent top-to-bottom. Only drawback is that some tongue bite appears towards the end of the bowl. Overall, a superb change of pace.

While smoking this blend, I imagine I'm wearing a Hawai'ian shirt, sitting on the veranda of a Caribbean beach resort, in a white rattan chair, with a colorful-banded Panama hat on my head and a tropical drink on the table next to me. There is only the slightest of breeze, so when I puff this excellent tobacco, clouds of luxurious smoke waft slowly toward the bocce court to my right. The early afternoon surf is calm, and the heat of the day is yet to come. What a magnificent way to spend a lazy hour or so in the tropics . . . .

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-02-18		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

Without a doubt one of my favourite aromatics, I would always keep a tin on rotation. OK, it can smoke hot but you can take that as a chance to perfect your technique, like yoga. The room note could bring smiles to an entire WI meeting at your local village hall. I found it to be a very coherent and consistent smoke, no surprises between the smell of the casing and smoking the bowl at the start or end points. The casing is rich, deep and subtle at the same time, without any particular note dominating, and certainly no soapyness or candy shop qualities. If I was moving to a desert island I think this would come with me.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-06-04		Very Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant

The right adjective for this tobacco is "delightful". It could be one of the best aromatics I ever smoked for its delicate and fruity taste; the sweet vanilla notes in the undertone and the touch of rum to blend all together... But if not smoked very slowly and carefully it loses all of the above very soon to become just an average tongue biting tobacco. That's a pity, because the first puffs are really wonderful.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-01-04		Very Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

This blend is rather nice. I have to agree with the other reviewers that this smells almost exactly like Killarney, even looks the same.

Peterson's tobaccos must be smoked slowly otherwise you will get a strong bite on the tongue. The tobacco is rather moist so it is best to clean your pipe after a smoke due to the amount of residue left over. I switched to smoking a Kirsten Pipe and could not believe the amount of moisture this tobacco holds. I do not work for Kirsten, but if you want the right pipe to smoke with this type of tobacco I would consider getting one if I were readings this.

The tobacco is ok, not incredible. When I first started smoking Petersons I thought it was the pinnacle of aromatics. I have since moved on to Benjamin Hartwell Evening Stroll for a good tobacco.

This is worth buying, but make sure you smoke it slow or your tongue will pay the price.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-09-04		Mild	Medium	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

Although I am new to pipe smoking I have tried a number of Peterson tobaccos and have yet to find one I like. It smelled delicious from the tin but was a highly disaponting smoke. Just boring, not unpleasant but jsut boring. Maybe this one needs to be let dry out completely before smoking it. Not for me. I might try it again but to be honest I am not sure I shall.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-12-17		Very Mild	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

This is my first review so bear with me please. I have to smoke aromatics on more than one occassion, and generally find them pleasant. The same could be said for Connoisseur's choice. The Vanilla and Rum hit you when you first open the tin, for those around you it's a very pleasant experience. Though I have noticed that the taste gets slightly bitter towards the end of the pipe, it does not disappoint in the manner of Sweet Kilarney. I have experienced less bite from this blend when somked out of a meer, and it certainly does not bite as bad as the W.O. Larsen blends. Room note is pleasant, and though I will not make it a favorite due to the small bite, I will smoke this on occassion

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