Tobaccos Hearth & Home - Old Tartan (Signature Series)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	beaupipe (102)	2013-12-18		Mild	Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Old Tartan is a fairly solid rendition of an old-timey American-style blend. There’s quite a few variations of this kind of “American English” blend on the market—a Burley base with a smidge of Latakia and other condimental leaf finished with some sort of aromatic agent—so Old Tartan has some competition as it tries to stand out in the crowd.

Old Tartan is much more American than it is English. The Latakia hides in the background—as it should—for most of the bowl. The Burley, with its toasted bread and hazelnut quality, tends to dominate for part of the smoke, but there are times when it plays a losing game of tug-o’-war with the deer tongue. Several reviewers here have complained about how forward the deer tongue is in this blend and I find myself agreeing with them. I like deer tongue but not if it’s used in a proportion that overwhelms the tobacco.

This tobacco does have one virtue: it lasts a long time. I tossed 2 ounces of Old Tartan into a Mason jar in February 2009 and I’m only now—almost 5 years later—approaching the bottom of that jar. Truth is, I find myself eyeing the tobacco cabinet when I’m about halfway through each bowl of this stuff because I’m neither satisfied nor am I ever inclined to smoke two bowls of Old Tartan in a row. It smells pretty good, I guess, but I really don’t care about the room note.

It’s worth mentioning, I suppose, that someone who better appreciates a generous helping of the herbal, vanilla-like deer tongue will probably have a completely different opinion of Old Tartan than I do. So be it. From my perspective, however, there are several more enjoyable tobaccos in this style and I’ll probably stick with them in the future.

Age When Smoked: fresh, aged, really aged (1-5 years)

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kraft1994 (54)	2014-02-15		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Being a Deer Tongue fan I gave this one a go. Its a nice mild blend. The deer tongue takes a background roll in this blend. Mainly it is a nutty burley blend with a nice smokey latakia note. The deer tongue adds a nice background sweetness that compliments the background spice of the perique. Overall a very nice blend. The liquor casing seems a little unnecessary and unfortunately lent the blend to a bit of tongue bite. When smoked slow and relaxed this blend is a nutty, spicy and sweet blend with a slight touch of deer tongue.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2011-08-11		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Old Tartan is Rush Ouellette's tribute to an old blend called Black Watch. Having never smoked Black Watch I cannot compare the two, nor would I anyway. What does come through is the successful creation of an old style aromatic from days gone by. I don't find the deer tongue overpowering and unlike some aromatics, the tobacco flavor comes through nicely. Mr. Ouellette's wide range of great blends only serves as more proof the he has earned a seat at the table with America's top blenders. Recommend.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2015-03-29		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Based on about an ounce. Mottled rough cut with the deer tongue coming thru loud and clear in the bag aroma with an undercurrent of toasty burley. Barest whiff of latakia, in the truest tradition of American English blends.

I made a nice discovery with this one. I smoked a bowl of it fresh and found in uninspiring. By accident, I failed to seal the baggie and when I returned to it a few days later, it was bone dry. Undaunted, I fired up a bowl and found it much improved. It burned faster, of course, and I had to be careful with my puffing cadence but the flavor really came forward. The burley was not only nuttier and tastier, but cleaner tasting as well. The deer tongue was still in evidence but subdued. Natural flavorings tend to stay when a tobacco is dried, where the artificial ones used in most goopy aromatics tend to dissipate. The latakia remained in evidence, with just enough of a presence to spice up the proceedings. Good bit of nic here, and even a bit of complexity. Crispy dry, this is an excellent 3.5 star blend. Having not really dried out my burleys (although most VA's get the heavy drying treatment), this blend reminded me to not only play with puffing cadences on new blends, but also varying levels of moisture. These kinds of discoveries are what pipesmoking is all about to me. I'll buy more of this and get it nice and crispy before I smoke it! YMMV of course, and drying out may not work with all blends but it's always worth a shot, especially if you find a blend ho-hum at normal moisture.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (179)	2006-10-29		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is a fine, old fashioned blend.

Cubes and rough burley, a little cavenish and latakia, and the star but a small one is the herb Deer Tongue (DT), as the description says.

In days past there were many DT blends -- Edwards Arabian and Jaimaca, Draper's Commander (I think), Country Doctor (don't know if its comeback version has it), and of course, Harkness F and G, to name some. Even cigars had something similar but not herbal, green wrapper claro leaf in days past but few do today --Optimo Admiral is maybe one accessible left). I heard it is too difficult to harvest and cut the herb or no one wants to do it any more but C&D.

The DT adds a slight herbal (not vanilla but more vegetal) quality to the taste and that's the only aromatic leaf, if you call it that, in here. But its all natural!

This blend is a cross between Harkness F and G by San Antonio's Humidor, in my opinion. (One had a lighter base and showcased the DT, the other was made more heavy with Latakia.)

The closest comparison today is C&D's Crooner -- which is all cubed burleys and some DT. A fine example but milder. Not all like the DT thoughis

The blend starts cool and light and showcases the DT. By mid-bowl the little Latakia shows itself more but the DT still shines some. A delightful return to the past.

Recommended for us old timers but it is something truely different nowadays. I smoked my two ounces in an older Dunhill and "new" Huybrecht from pipes2smoke.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2006-04-22		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I am somewhat confused (a natural state of mind for me,) because the pouch of Old Tartan I received came from Altadas, not pipesandcigars.com. The components described above and what I smoked were the same... maybe?!?

All I know is that Old Tartan from Altadis is a cube Burley and Latakia combination that was okay, but not impressive. The blend burned well and produced tons of smoke. I can usually detect deertongue, even when lightly applied, but I tasted none of it in my Old Tartan.

The Altadis version is not remarkable in any way, and packed little punch in nicotine or flavor.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-10-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If there was ever a "sleeper" of a tobacco, this is it. Listen up, folks, TRY THIS BLEND!

Old Tartan is the most unique smoke I have ever had. The deertongue really sets this apart, making it like nothing you have ever put into a pipe. Nothing artificial, and burns very dry with nary a bit of bite.

It's an aromatic, but it's not.

It's an english, but it's not.

A true crossover blend.

I liked the sample that Russ sent me so much, I ordered a half a pound. I have a nice Nording Freehand that never has or will burn anything else. It's that good.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	easterngray (11)	2017-05-29		Mild to Medium	Medium	Full	Pleasant

Not much to add here except to offer a high recommendation; "Old Tartan" certainly holds a permanent place in my top 5 blends. A very tasty smoke that offers an exceptionally unique and refreshing smoke. Modeled after the old Pat Vottis blend "Black Watch". The burleys play the main role in the mixture with the cavendish and Latakia complimenting them perfectly. This blend does leave some moisture, and I've found that a Kirsten pipe lends itself wonderfully to Old Tartan. A great blend.

Pipe Used: Kirsten Mariner

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: Nothing else!.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OldTallMike (13)	2015-02-04		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Just got a sample of this and it will go into the rotation for sure. Smooth blend, good tobacco flavor and then there is that Deer tongue. Great herbal flavor, didn't know what to expect-I had no knowledge of this blend prior to smoking it and when I tasted the Herb I immediately kept looking for it in every draw. Not overpowering, but it has some potency. I recommend this, but only if you like the incense type additives.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crrbassman (12)	2014-12-18		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Sigh...

I ordered a tin of this on special and from the description was eager to try it, as I like 'anglo-matics'. I like the tin note, and it's really an attractive tobacco.

Loaded up a bowl and lit up, and about a third of the way through the bowl, I began to sense the all-too-familiar feeling of a tobacco that's been sprayed with chemicals. The coating on the roof of my mouth and down the sides of my tongue was very noticeable. I can't recommend a tobacco that has this characteristic, when there are so many excellent others out there.

Darn...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geronimo Von Klaus (76)	2014-09-02		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

What a wonderful blend.

If you have sat downwind of someone who is smoking a pipe and said to yourself "now that is what a pipe smells like at its best", then this is the aroma you are looking for.

I thought it was high quality vanilla until my pipe mentor pointed out that its deer tongue that the sweet and rich vanilla-esque scent is. Its accompanied by a tiny pinch of lat that I can barely detect even though I know its there, and very good burley to make it earthy and sweet simultaneously.

Rather than just being a vehicle for the deer tongue, its a fine blend in itself with a gratifying oomph from the burley which is dark and rich, and the cav adds an element that I cant describe.

I'm not doing a good job describing this, so let me just say, its smells like an old fashioned pipe blend, with good burley base and on top of that there is a rich creaminess from the little bit of lat, and its topped off with a twist from the deer tongue which gives it almost a crossover English feel.

One of my faves.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Reject Billiard

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Houndstooth (34)	2014-03-30		Mild	Medium	Mild	Unnoticeable

I don't think I've had a tobacco I've vacillated on more than this, but it has grown on me consistently over time. Some reviewers have detected perique, but I don't, nor is there any in the manufacturer's description. However, it might make a great addition, as my main complaint is a lack of complexity.

This is an easy smoke, but personally I'd prefer more punch. Recently, I was informed via Pipes & Cigars (I think) that this blend no longer contains deer tongue, but a close substitute, which is perhaps why I've not enjoyed it more. While I've not studied the room note enough, I think it tastes like potpourri should smoke. Finishes in a vacant way with barely any dottle. Two stars.

UPDATE My vacillation continues. Having smoked this several more times I find two stars to be too high. Just not enough notable going on here. One Star.

Pipe Used: various- cobs to Petersons

Age When Smoked: delivered to me new as of late last fall 2013

Purchased From: pipes and cigars

Similar Blends: As per Hearth & Home, Daybreak might be the closest thing, but not as sweet as this..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	codyp (65)	2014-02-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A blend I was very interested in for a while. I was actually suprised how mellow and mild it was. The flavors weren't out of control, but it was still a good complex smoke.

Burns even and another recommended.

Pipe Used: Nording Poker

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Local Shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lit a Kia (69)	2014-01-19		Medium to Strong	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Really unique blend. Tin note is mostly anise/black licorice; there's a nutty banana bread hiding behind them and faint honey-like smell from the deer tongue. (I sometimes stick my nose in the tin for a little pick me up.) Crazy mix of cuts (shag plus cubes??) and nice range of colors.

Packs and lights well. (Another reviewer's suggestion to pack a bowl and leave it for several days is interesting; will have to try that.)

This is one of the few blends I've tried where the smoke smells and tastes a lot like the tin note. The room note is incredible. (But I enjoy smelling of campfires and burning tobacco, so what the hell do I know?)

The burley, cavendish and latakia play in a way that almost tastes like a spicy oriental at first, go figure. That soon gave way to the nicotine-laden burley, with a taste that reminded me of baking bread and hot cocoa.

The deer tongue is dancing on top almost the entire time. Try to imagine standing outside a bakery that's cooking something chocolate while you're chewing on a mouthful of black licorice. The deer tongue adds another dimension to the aftertaste and tongue coating that isn't entirely pleasant. But like everything else about this blend, it's different.

It's not for everybody, and as with any burley-based blend, it can start to go sour the longer it's heated up. But Russ has done a masterful job with this one, imo. I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could.

3/4/2014 - The more I get to know this blend, the more I like it. Upping to four stars. This is really good stuff.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BigWhiteWilly (10)	2013-01-30		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

If you have wished for someone to package the smell of an old tobacco shop, wish no more, here it is! 'Nuff said.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-04-15		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This is one of the most unique blends I have ever tried. The deertongue stands out - in the tin, in the nose, and in the mouth! I've only smoked a few bowls of this, one in a meerschaum, one in a corn cob (Missouri meerschaum, of course), and one in my Peterson bulldog. It was a little dry, so I rehydrated it. It still tastes about the same: somewhat smoky, slightly nutty and buttery from the Burley, and the deertongue is present from start to finish. It is hard to describe the deertongue; it would be like trying to describe the taste of chicken: it has its own flavor. Once I get through my tin, I'll add a further note. As of right now, I'm enjoying this blend.

5/3/11 Here is my additional note. I still like this blend, though the reaction from others has been somewhat negative regarding the room note. I have smoked this while drinking a good beer and for some reason, unlike most other English blends, it was not a good combination. However, when I smoked it with a cup of good English tea, it proved an excellent combination. It is a good smoke and has smoked well in all of my pipes. This is one to be enjoyed in private, or in the company of other smokers who do not mind the stronger traditional blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2010-12-24		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This one is rather bland for me. It does not really do much for me personally. It lights easily enough and stays lit. It does produce a decent amount of smoke and burns down to a nice ash at the bottom of the bowl. But just not might cup of tea. I'll finish up the sample I have, but won't be ordering it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2010-12-02		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

To be brief: this half the amount of deertongue, this would be my favorite burley mixture. Excellent tobaccos, great smoke. Just a bit too overflavored.

Still recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-05-23		Very Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

This blend is very mild in taste, the presence of Latakia is nearly imperceptible, even visually bag received the Latakia is not seen. Burn very smooth, it leaves a very slight aftertaste of hazelnut. As the first morning smoke, especially in my opinion, with a warm climate, is a good option. But I do not know if I buy it again.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-12-09		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

At first light this tobacco seemed odd, different. It was very dry out of the bag and that worried me. After I packed it into my Peterson and gave it a light it seemed tasteless at first. i went lightly on it at first due to it being so dry. After a few puffs I was greeted with a lovely aroma and an off sweet taste. The smoke billowed from my pipe and it became a very nice experience. One I didn't expect.

I have been smoking a pipe less then a year, but I feel I have been able to try lots of different tobaccos. This one was a nice surprise. I will keep it around for when I am looking for that something different.

It is very, very, nice.

Note: Significant other thinks the room note does not smell as nicely as many of my other tobaccos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2009-09-09		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I did not know if i would like this or not, but I wanted something different. And this answered that craving quite well. I really like this blend! In the pouch, it is a mottled brown mix with a little of the latakia darker leaf in small pieces and if you look hard the light green flakes of the deers tongue lightly mixed in. The pouch aroma is very spicy with a sweet twang. Very intriguing. It packed easy with just a touch of too much moisture, so I let the pipe sit an hour before lighting up. On first light, I was rewarded with a nice sweet smooth smoke with a little spice and twang, and the room note has the great aroma of a good burley with the deers tongue making is present known the the sweet tart almost vanilla way it does. It is very tame in it's bite but the perique keeps it alive on the tongue and the latakia kicking in once in awhile adding it's smokey goodness in. It burned all the way down to a medium grey ash with very little dottle in the pipe. I enjoyed this blend a lot. I can see this pouch going fast and me reordering it in bulk to have around. Great with a cup of black tea. I highly recommend this blend if one wants to try something different and tasty.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-09-25		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This was my third blend with Deertongue. I had high hopes for it since I like Burley blends and deertongue. It started nice- I could actually smell the room note myself. Taste was kinda- And forgive me anyone that may get offended- Like Prince Albert with a light vanilla haze. It was a real treat. Then I hit midbowl- It kinda got harsh and bitter. Now I know burleys tend to do that...So I pressed on....by third part of bowl I was headed for the ash tray. Disappointing to say the least. I tried another pipe (first was a big Prince of Wales freehand)- A bent apple with the same result. Sorry to Pipes and Cigars- Could only go 2 stars on this one.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Dottle (162)	2006-03-17		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My experience with Old Tartan was akin to an aging, leg-weary prizefighter who loses his punch. Old Tartan lost its punch after the first quarter bowl: the flavor, taste, mellowness and zing that was there in the beginning of the smoke slowly began to dissipate and became a ?hot air,? bland smoke with no flavor or taste as I progressed down the bowl. This happened repeatedly over several weeks in many different pipes. I can?t explain it nor was I ill so my taste buds were in working order. This tobacco does not DGT well, either. I am a big fan of P&C blends but this one just didn?t do it for me.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 6.5 out of 10.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-12-04		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

As a fairly new smoker I simply love this tobacco, this is my go to blend when I can not make up my mind. It is hard to put a finger on exactly why this is so, this is something I find myself smoking all day. I really enjoy how well all of the ingredients in this blend play well together, nothing really comes to the front and grabs you, it is all a beautiful symphony of flavors playing softly in the background allowing you to just enjoy. I will be ordering a BIG bag of this to have around all the time, it is that good.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-11-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Anyone who has been following my reviews on the Hearth and Home series is probably wondering if I am on the payroll at Pipes and Cigars because all my reviews are four stars. The answer is simpler; they get these reviews because they are excellent tobaccos. Old Tartan follows in that mold.

In the pouch this tobacco has several different hues of brown from the burleys, some black flecks of cavendish, and sparsely scattered among these are little pieces of deer tongue. The pouch aroma is slightly sweet, no doubt from the influence of the deer tongue and cavendish.

After loading and firing up a bowl (I packed with the Frank method) the first flavors sensed are the subdued nuttiness of the burleys, along with the smokey Latakia flavor, all overladen with a sweetness from the deer tongue. It is a delightful taste, one that could easily be smoked all day. As the bowl burns down, the deer tongue fades a bit without ever going away, and the Latakia and burley come to the forefront. They are almost perfectly balanced, with one never dominating the other. This was my first deer tongue blend and it was a pleasant experience. I prefer this tobacco to C&D's Crooner, which also has deer tongue. The tobacco burns down to the bottom of the bowl, leaving only a little blackened dottle. Relights are also kept to a minimum, and a lot of the credit for this has to go to the cut and packing method.

Old Tartan is only sold in bulk, which may put some smokers off who prefer tinned blends. Take my word for it; this one will hold its' own with any tinned blend. Considering the quality of the tobaccos used, the price is reasonable, too.

As for the scores on Old Tartan; taste- 17 of 20 points; lighting and burn- 9 of 10; value- 8 of 10. A total of 34 of 40 adds up to a solid ** for Old Tartan. And the winning streak for Russ Ouellette continues.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-10-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

This is my first review and I haven't been smoking for that long.

That being said, I bought the sampler pack from pipesandcigars and one of them was Old Tatan and I really like it. I seem to be liking English/Balkan blends which this isnt realy like that but I like it alot just the same. I have reached that smoke "nirvana zone" state with bowls of this several times.

The base is a really good quality burley I think. There are chunks of it and some cube cut and ribbon in the blend. The deertoung makes it a little sweet on the humantounge. The latakia makes it a little Englishy. It is very smooth yet complex. 'Pretty consisitant down the bowl. This is the best/easiest packing blend I have yet experienced. Lights Easy. Just the right moisture content. I could smoke this all day as it has never bitten me.

I am with the first reviewer here...I'm going to buy a big bag of this!

1 person found this review helpful.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-04-03		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Well well, this is an unusual one. I've had a sack of this around forever and it never seems to run out. Could be because I rarely smoke it. Here's what happens when I do:

Since it's in crispy condition (entirely my own fault), I'll gravity feed a bowl to the top and blow through the stem till gets pliable, then tamp it down. Top it off with a little from the bag and off to the, um, chair.

I always think straight off, "why don't I smoke this more often?" The first half of the bowl is Great. Burns fine, no bite, quality leaf, fer sure, fer sure. Dan-o's chai tea comment is dead on as far as flavor goes, owing I guess to the deer tongue.

Trouble is, it burleys-out on me at the half way mark. I do like Burley, but it doesn't like me. It always goes stale on me somewhere, regardless of quality or maker. So, I can only give this two stars, even though I don't think there's anything wrong with it. There must be something wrong with me, instead. (But you knew that already.)

p.s. I think they should call this 'Bambie's Lisp'

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-09-27		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco is a unique and delightful surprise. It does not taste anything like the most popular and highly rated English, Burley, or Crossover blends. The Latakia is very mild and condimental, just the right touch to mellow and enhance the plain tobacco flavor. The burley is buttery rich and smooth with semi-sweet vanilla leaf (deer tongue) on top . A satisfying smoke all day long, all year round.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Blue Jazzman (73)	2007-09-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco is a masterpiece. I have aged mine for over a year. Upon lighting up I was rewarded with a burst of flavorful tobacco that was nothing short of magnificent. Needs to be smoked correctly to avoid the bite of Mr. Burley but when done so will reward you with a medley of flavorful tobacco which pleases from start to finish. Stays lit and burns to a nice gray ash. Russ O has proven again that he is truly a master blender who only uses the finest of tobacco's and has a knack for blending them consistently for our smoking pleasure. 4 stars and TOP NOTCH!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-06-20		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is another truly unique blend from the pipers at Habana. Even though it has latakia in it, the "wife rating" is pleasant. My Mrs. does not particularly like the smell of latakia tobacco, but the room note of Old Tartan is mellowed out by the deer tongue. It smells similar to fresh cut grass or parsley; it has a fresh greeness aroma to it. The burley adds a slight buttery taste. It lights easily, burns well, and is gentle to the tongue. All in all, this is a very well-rounded tobacco. I give it a 4-star rating.

6/20/2007 I revisited this one again after several months in the cellar. It smelled and packed the same, however it scorched my tongue! Downgrading it to 3-stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Buster Bluth (56)	2007-04-29		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Old Tartan defies description, and is one of my favorites. I'm 32, so I have no nostalgia for old-time blends. Nothing else on the market I've found compares in the slightest.

I like my blends with a little spice, and to me, the latakia and deertongue coupled with the body of a burley base really are great.

The spice is not the latakia campfire, nor the semi-sweet oriental. The closest modern thing it compares to is Chai tea.

The burning qualities of this tobacco are excellent. Don't get too agressive, or you'll get burned. No doubt burley owns the show, but not the taste.

I love the aroma of this blend. The fairer sex seems to hate it. They all say "It smells like old man." To me it smells of aged and oiled wood like an old hand plane, or a rocker seasoned by linseed oil, the fireplace, and several generations. You will find this scent in smaller museums that don't isolate their holdings from the public and antique stores.

Again, nothing else compares!!!! Try it!!!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-03-08		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is my first review, so please bear with me. I've been a pipe smoker for about a year now, mostly sticking drugstore blends. Old Tartan was one of my first experimental forays, and to be honest I had no clue what to expect from it. I had not yet discovered the wonderful resource that is TobaccoReviews.com.

My decision to try Old Tartan was based solely on the fact that I had been a resident of the Albany area some years ago. I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised. It has (to me) a very unique flavor, which I presume is imparted by the deer tongue. This makes it a truly enjoyable smoke to a beginner like myself, in search of new experiences. I make sure to reccommend it to the few other pipe smokers who make my acquantance.

My single complaint about this blend stems more from the fact that the room note of the deer tongue was somewhat distasteful to my significant other, (who is a bit opposed to any airborne fragrance that isn't a cleaning product). Our children on the other hand found it almost as pleasant as my then regular Captain Black.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	huffnpuff (53)	2006-02-21		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I think so far this is the best blend in my review and I will buy a pound of this . At first light I noticed the latakia and then I notice some of the the deer tongue and I was very glad I tryed this smoke. For me this totally different then the aromatics I smoked . I dont even know if it is an aromatic but it is pleasant.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-02-17		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Fascinating, old, exotic, unique; packs, lights, burns wonderfully. Tasty. It is a wonderful Burly blend with an old-fashioned/exotic edge that can only be experienced. A thoroughly enjoyable smoke from easy light to fluffy ash. Thank you so much Russ. Namaste'

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-01-26		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

I hate the term 'old fashioned'. It's a well-worn cliche overly used by admen and marketing reps, and it generally signifies nothing. Yet, I can't seem to think of anything else when reviewing OT, because it really means something here. Unlike sickeningly sweet drugstore blends or even the nostalgic House of Windsor trips down memory lane, OT really pleases. Deer Tongue provides just the right hint of incense and spice without coating the tongue with a casing. It's light and fragrant the way pipe tobaccos must've been 75 or 100 years ago. Pack a pipe bowl and let it set for a couple days. The drying married with the briar has a positive effect. A really surprising pleasure both new and old pipe smokers should enjoy. Thank you pipesandcigars and Mr. Ouellette for re-igniting a taste and style unknown to later generations of pipe smokers!

Four of five stars

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-01-21		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

You should smoke this simply for the fact that there is really not much like it on the market. The best description of this is the following; An excellent SIR WALTER RALEIGH mixture with Latakia and Vanilla added.Very unusual and most delicious. If you like Wilke's ROYAL SCOTT and don't want the bite try this. It will transport yoou back to SUNDAE SHOP in the 1950's. The ladies will love the room note and fellow pipers will thank you for exposing them to a truly unique smoking experience. Everybody should try this. 3 of 4 stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dualkarnain (75)	2006-01-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a truly unique blend that is diffucult to compare to anything else. It's spicy and cool and interesting, in contrast to this short review!

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