Tobaccos Ashton - Rainy Day

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2015-02-12		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

As I do enjoy a cased Burley and/or Black Cavendish from time to time - particularly in the evenings, I decided to give Rainy Day a try since all of the Ashton blends that I have smoked appear to be very nicely put together with quality leaf, even if I don't enjoy the blend that much. The Cavendish did present a nice aromatic taste and the Burley added a little punch without adding any addition flavor that I could tell. If you prefer aromatic blends that tend more toward the taste of tobacco, you might enjoy this one. It is mild and does not bite.

Best,

Pipestud

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	artielon (6)	2014-04-29		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

When tin first opened very strong berry flavors. First some effort to get lit and some tongue bite. When properly lit burned very easily smoking it very gently (which it demands). Very cool smoke and very relaxing! Quite pleasant aromatic flavors - this will be one of my favorites - a rainy day not required, just a peaceful setting.

Pipe Used: Falcon Coolway with filter

Age When Smoked: fresh from tin

Purchased From: Töölön Sikarikauppa Helsinki

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LondonCalling (13)	2015-12-13		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

I'm not normally an aficionado of aromatics, as I find almost all to be sickly-sweet, cloying confections blended around a base of tobaccos of pretty questionable quality. I do however very occasionally smoke them around Christmas, almost invariably to my disappointment, when I'm looking for something with an inoffensive room note I can smoke indoors. Rainy Day however is an exception. I bought the tin on a whim, and subsequently reading some of the reviews was preparing myself for another disappointment. Sure enough, there's a strong scent on opening the tin: which I think I've finally identified as predominantly tangerine; and there's definitely something of nut there too, (though quite what hickory nuts smell or taste like I've no idea). But the appearance of the stuff was the first surprise: a roughly-cut mixture of bright Virginias, brown burleys, and Cavendish which in appearance screams quality, and seems to have precisely the right moisture content. It packs well, lights well, and burns politely. But the best part is the flavour. Almost all other aromatics I've ever smoked - with the exception of an old Dunhill My Mixture long out of production - rapidly lose their intended flavour pretty shortly after lighting, leaving either a nasty mutated form of the essence, or simply a rank taste of burnt matter mixed with sub-standard tobacco. Rainy Day however is different. The flavour stays undiminished and accurate down to the bottom of the bowl. And around half way down the bowl there emerges alongside it a lovely flavour of Virginias of some quality. I feel the flavourings of most aromatics are hopelessly overdone. And on this front, Rainy Day is an odd beast. It's true that the tin note suggests to me the stuff has been overdone too. But once alight, the flavour comes across as surprisingly subtle. Some people clearly feel this blend bites like a rabid pit bull. Whilst I can feel it has some potential for bite however, it certainly isn't problematic in the way of, say, a pure Virginia smoked too fast, and should cause no problems to all but the most senitive of tongues. As for strength, most aromatics I've smoked seem to contain no nicotine at all, but Rainy Day is different on that count too. While it's certainly not going to knock your socks off, there's definitely enough strength to satisfy the average smoker. Would I add this to my list of regular smokes? I certainly don't class it as an all-day smoke, as I'd soon tire of it. But as a regular change from unflavoured tobaccos I'd certainly recommend it.

Pipe Used: Great big Royal Danish freehand

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Golden Butterfly tobacconist, Saffron Walden, Essex, UK

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aether (9)	2013-07-01		Mild	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A l'ouverture de la boite, le mélange de tabac va du jaune doré au noir. Il s'en dégage une odeur de fruits exotiques ainsi qu'un peu de whisky. C'est une odeur tiède et doucement fruitée; un parfum d'été indien. Le tabac n'est pas trop humide et ne nécessite que peu de temps de séchage, il peu donc être fumé rapidement. Sa coupe relativement fine permet un bourrage et un allumage aisé. Au fumage le goût en bouche est très agréable et ne pique pas la langue. On sent très bien les fruits exotiques, le whisky est quant à lui très léger. En ce qui concerne la noix de pécan, celle ci se trouve en retrait, plutôt en arrière gout lors des grosses bouffées. La fumée est moelleuse, un petit peu sèche peut être parce que le mélange n'est pas autant sucré que les autres tabacs de ce genre. Le fumage se fait de façon régulière du début à la fin avec une pipe correctement bourrée. En ce qui me concerne je trouve cet aromatique très plaisant à fumer. Peu sucré et cepandant très doux, c'est un moment de bonheur et d'appaisement à chaque bouffée. L'appelation "Rainy Day" sied à merveille; il a fait mauvais toute cette semaine chez moi, et j'en ai fumé dehors a l'abri de la pluie, ce qui m'a procuré un peu de couleurs dans cette ambiance morne et grise. Cela me fait penser à une jolie carte postale colorée qui vous arrive du bout du monde alors que c'est la fin de l'automne...

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Der Pfeifenraucher (71)	2015-12-04		Mild to Medium	Extra Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Cigarette tobacco with oranges, mangoes, and/or rum. This is not a pleasurable tobacco in any sense. It tastes bad and burns like a beast. I got this on a whim at the tobacconist because they didn't have what I really wanted and the tin description sounded pretty good. Upon opening you get a very heavy handed orange/mango uppercut. Pack it, light it, puff it, and you'll discover satan himself dragging his sizzling orange peel ass across your sad and sorry mouth parts. Smoked three bowls and called it off. Only my second one star review.

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: new?

Purchased From: Timothy's Fine Cigars, Bay City MI

Similar Blends: Borkum Riff Limited Edition 11 degree North.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-02-14		Extremely Mild	Strong	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

Because Dunhill decided to cut down on UK smokers I had to order some NC, EMP and few others from Germany. Along with ordered tins I received sample of Ashton's Rainy Day and pack of jellies :)

Everybody knows haribo's so I'll concentrate on Rainy Day. Aroma was very intense coconut/tropical fruits really hit your nosebuds underlined by hint of tobaccos - they shoud put this into air fresheners.

Packs well, lightning is surprisingly easy considering thickness of ribbon cut, stays lit very well. Only the very first puff tastes ok , it instantly turns into tonguebite mayhem. I must say I'm not really fan of heavy aromatics I prefer pure tobacco like virginia flavoured by orientals, perique or cavendish additions. Almost undetectable nicotine level. This is just not it!

I don't think I sway the Ashton way.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Telling it how it is. (73)	2015-08-06		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

The closed tin already very strongly smells of what is to come. When you open the tin the entire room is filled with a very strong smell of undefined fruit, some alcohol note and sadly some slight chemical note.

Packing is easy as can be. Lighting is incredibly easy and the tobacco burns on its own for a very long time. Its rare that, without aiming for it, i can smoke a tobacco down to the very end of the bowl without relighting even once.

Sadly the taste is something you have tasted a dozen times before: fruit, hickory and again some slight alcohol note. Its just nothing special although nothing bad or boring either. And if you are amongst the lucky ones not getting tongue bite from it, it is even good.

But: it causes mad tongue burn and has a clear tendency to smoke hot, no matter how slow and gentle you puff away. I was stuck with this blend on a hike in the mountains for a couple of days, else i would have tossed it out after half a dozen bowls for the reasons above. It is halfway bearable if you let it dry out alot and use charcoal filters. But still not pleasurable.

It burns down to a very fine ash and the room note is very strong also, smelling like any whiskey laced tobacco.

I am guessing that this tobacco is treated with combustion agents, which causes the incredible burning properties as well as the tongue bite alot people experience. But i do not know that.

I really wanted to like this tobacco but for its evil properties and its commonplace taste i only can give it one star.

Do i recommend this blend? I do recommend this blend if it does not cause your tongue leaving the body due to pain. So please, by all means, get a sample first before buying a tin or you just might regret it!

An anecdote on the side: we where in the woods and i was packing a pipe as i was ahead of my group. From afar (100m or so) they already where smelling my pipe and strongly too, but i have not even fired it up. That is how strong the tin note is!

Pipe Used: Aldo Morelli 187, Silvano Lungo, B. C. Provence

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Zero_Gravity (5)	2014-08-05		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I really enjoy this brand. I bought a tin expecting something stronger and more aggressive. I was pleasantly surprised to open the tin and find it very "happy" and "friendly" as I like to call it, smelling of fermented or dry fruits like figs or raisins, and packs, lights, and smokes almost perfect.

Best bang for buck, and a high class baccy to boot!

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-11-11		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

As I am somewhat new to the Pipe - I have purchased Several sample packs of tobacco between 5-10g to try out and this one gave me a pleasant surprise - a wonderful fruity aroma when I opened the packet – it was easy to light and keep alight – little to no tongue bite and a cool smoke – I was smoking this on a damp November day, whilst walking the dog, I found the experience to be very pleasurable indeed – I will invest in a 50g tin to help me through the cold winter walks with my dog....

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old German puffer (106)	2015-08-07		Overwhelming	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Pleasant to Tolerable

This smelled like lucky charms. A little fruity and a lot of sugar. After opening the tin the smell really hits you. I packed this very solid with 3 pinches into a large pipe. On first char ring it really grew and I had to tamp it down quick. On second light it rose up again but stayed lit. I chuckled because it is not often I fingers a tobacco that will burn my pants. The light really brings out the fruit smell even more. It really was a bit overpowering. It seemed like that the flavor just kept coming in and out over and over again. I smoked slow for about 45 minutes and tried real hard to like this. It just did not work for me. The roller coaster flavor ride was just to much. It never settled down. If you want sugar and fruit this might be for you. Me I will pass this on to the younger crowd. At 6.49 a tin someone will like it.

Pipe Used: Stanwell

Age When Smoked: fresh tin

Purchased From: Cigar Planet

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2014-10-18		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Ashton - Rainy Day.

What an un-lit aroma! I cant particularly give the smell a definite identity, all I can say is it's a great aroma being lively, fruity, with a touch of liquor, and a good tobacco hit, one of the best aromas as of yet! There isn't an issue when it comes to the hydration amount, mine is fab'!

I get this lit, with ease and straight away I am impressed with the flavour. It's by no means a harsh aromatic, there is a very good selection of tastes, all reflecting the un-lit aroma, some whiskey but I find that the lightest addition with the fruit/citrus taking the lead with an almost pineapple note to it. The balance of the different tobaccos is an impeccable one, neither of them take the spotlight but they all have an equal share.

Vitamin N I find to be just right: not strong and not weak. The room-note resembles both the un-lit aroma and the taste: not too heavy, quite fruity with good tobacco notes.

Three stars.

Pipe Used: Rattray Six Friends

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: G.Q Tobaccos

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DEN-C1956 (35)	2014-03-05		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

after the 50g tin of 'consummate gentleman' has now been finished i moved on to a 50g tin of 'rainy day' now this is a very nice gentle smoke, very relaxing and quite sweet, and its a lovely aroma, i quite like to odd aromatic blend and this is no disapointment, not much tonuge bite but the get the best out of this tobacco it needs to be smoked slowly and its quite fast burning so take it slow and it will reward you, the room note is very nice and overall a nice tobacco you can relax with at anytime. im going to buy more of 'rainy day' soon.

Pipe Used: peterson

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dode (14)	2018-11-27		Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

Couldn’t wait get home and try this. Pouring rain outside, freezing cold. Looking forward to a pipe and strong coffee. Upon opening the tin the blend looked very much like Solani Festival 333, smells ok, hard to pin down the exact aroma, fruity, liqueur kinda smell. Filled a bowl and lit up. That’s were the pleasure ended, within a few puffs my tongue was on fire! No way hot coffee! A couple of more puffs then the pleasant taste tasted acrid and my bowl was burning hot. Had to lay the pipe down. I tried different packing techniques and different pipes but the results were the same each time. Bought a 50g tin and as a canny Scotsman it’s not going to waste! Will blend it with some sweet black cavendish and smoke when drunk! Ha ha ha. The only other Ashton I’ve tried was “Guilty Pleasures” and I didn’t rate that either. We live and learn. Off now to suck an ice cube!! Happy puffing folks.

Pipe Used: Briars, Calabash gourd, pearwood and cob

Age When Smoked: Straight from tobacconist

Purchased From: The pipe shop, Leith Walk, Edinburgh

Similar Blends: A cheap foreign cigarette.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2013-05-12		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

After 4 bowls and now a dedicated pipe this has become one of my favorite blends (if not #1). When you open it, it has a very pleasant smell with a hint of berries. Not a ton of flavor or overpowering by any means but I never get bored with it and I find it a very relaxing and calming blend that is perfect for contemplating life on a rainy day.

I would highly recommend everyone to give it a try for themselves.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Seabhac (5)	2019-11-13		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

PATIENCE WILL HAVE ITS REWARD I was offered this blend from a friend at my favorite tobaccanist. Opening the tin I smelled a delicious honey, nut and apricot. The smoke however was under whelming and a bit harsh. Took several re lights to finish. I immediately put it in a ball jar and left it. For five years! One day I picked that jar back up and decided to give it a try. WOW what a difference. The smoke was mellow, the flavor sweet and the smoking itself more cooperative. Starts a topical fruit burns into a caramel and finishes with a cigar note. Age this , sip through and. It will have its reward. For English lovers looking for a moderate aromatic fling.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Purchased From: The Briarpatch

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pencils (60)	2017-11-16		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

This is the most forward of the Ashton's aromatic blends I have so far attempted. In many ways it is massively flavoursome, but suffers from being a biter which The Walking Dead could employ. The open tin is akin to MacBaren's Cube, with the spicy Juicy Fruit immediately obvious. None of this is lost when packed and lit - it is a huge flavour bomb of burleys and virginias which have been doused in casings that infuse every puff. In the nose, it proves pretty sharp to the point of harshness, and my experience has been of a fast burning and almost volcanic temperature. Does it taste of tobacco? Yes, but it is a very potent mix of added ingredients which mask the base constituents.

I would only recommend this to those who love aromatics; there is no middle ground for uncertainty in the strength of what is added. Avoid if you want something gentle!

Pipe Used: Several

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Turmeau, Liverpool

Similar Blends: Other Ashton aromatics..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	periqueguy (43)	2014-01-18		Medium	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Tolerable to Strong

Although most Ashton blends are quite good, I found this blend almost vile. Over cased and over flavored. Not a positive smoking experience even for aromatic fans.

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: 4 years

Purchased From: NA

Similar Blends: nothing.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PuffPuffKeep (8)	2013-03-07		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It's tangy. It's a little fruity and leans towards the citrus side. Smoke it improperly and it will bite you.

The name alone should tell you this is not an everyday smoke. It's got that flavor you want to try every now and again. It's ok.

puff puff pass...

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2010-11-22		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Smoke this right out of the tin and it can be cloying and can bite, but let it dry out and it becomes a really nice blend that I am enjoying very much. It claims to have a nutty, fruity flavor which I don't taste at all, but I do taste the whiskey in it and it gives it a smooth sweet taste with the VA sweetness coming though, the burley giving it body as does the black cavendish. In the tin, it gives off a sweet aroma and smells typical of an aromatic. It is composed of rough cut ribbon flakes and run the gamet as to color, from light brown to dark almost black brown. Dried out it packs very easy and lights right up and stays lit giving a very slow nice burn that burns right down to the bottom of the pipe into a powdery ash. NO dottle and no wet crud at the bottom of the pipe. This is a very tasty relaxing smoke for me and the room note is very pleasant and will make friends for you. The leaf used in the blend is quality, has a velvety hand feel and it is a top notch aromatic. I recommend trying this but like I said, let it dry out some and you will be rewarded.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Smokey45 (16)	2010-10-08		Mild	Medium	Very Mild	Pleasant

This is a tobacco that I actually liked, but, after opening it and trying a bowl, I thought it was much like a tin that I already had opened: "Dan Tobacco Treasures of Ireland - Shannon."

Same sweet and fruity flavor, though not as sweet and pronounced as Shannon. Also, I've started to wonder what manufacturers are thinking when they label tobaccos. Does anybody here think of sweet and fruity scents and flavors when they think of a RAINY DAY? I for one don't. On a rainy day, you're just never going to beat a good English blend, which "Rainy Day" is not, nor pretends to be.

It's a pretty decent tobacco, sort of a "Shannon Lite" if you will. My wife liked the room note, and it is a nice, pleasant smoke, best suited for a mild after dinner pipe.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	renwardhoop (177)	2010-07-28		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

The trouble with most of these aromatic blends, whether it be Petersons, Ashtons or Sam Gawiths, is they always invariably smell fantastic when you open the tin.

It rarely follows through on the smoke. Rainy Day is not an exception.

It has a little more character than Winding Road, which, on refection, was pretty bland. The best bit is, of course, filling the pipe time, what a superb aroma. More or less what it says on the tin.

Traces of the aroma hang around for a few puffs and then just dissipate. It goes out a lot and has a rather sour smell at rest.

I had a surprise when Mrs RH commented - favourably - on the smell. She doesn't often pass comment, unless its really strong or horrid. So it scores highly on the room note.

In conclusion then, yet another brew from Ashtons that promises a great deal at tin-opening time but inevitably disappoints.

Don't think I'd rush to buy another tin.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	onehitter (16)	2009-04-20		Very Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant

This leaves a film feeling in my mouth and the last half of the bowl has tastes of motor oil.After tin was opened some time the tobacco was still wet/moist but the fruit aroma was disappearing rather fast .

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	geocritter (21)	2006-10-09		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Ashton's Rainy Day is an interesting aromatic; full flavored, but with a flavor which reminds me more of smoking a tangerine than anything else. I never did pick up a nutty flavor, but it was almost a tangerine-guava-passionfruit taste/smell. Easily lit, didn't require extra lights. First third of the bowl yielded a heavy volume of smoke which was somewhat moist and very fruity, almost sickeningly so; the Virginias and Burley's didn't come out in force, but the cavendish was much more noticible. The 2nd third of bowl became more dictated by the virginias and burleys, with much of the casing becomig burned off. Had to be careful not to scorch tongue here!! Smoking slowly yeilding a nice taste. Final third of the bowl cooled down considerably, with only the taste of the virginias coming through, with a hint of the casing, but noticibly less bite (either from burning off, or my taste buds are numbed, don't know which). Flavor became kind of scorched-tasting. Little to no dottle remaining; fluffy dark gray ash.

All in all, a fragrant smoke which can be enjoyed by those who aren't huge aromatic fans but occasionally find it enjoyable, and will certainly find love in the hearts of aromatic smokers. Pure english blend purists, however, will probably find this way too fruity for their liking. And yes, it does taint the pipe afterwards. I don't know how long that will last, but I could still detect it after smoking 2 bowls of a latakia base, if that tells you anything.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (153)	2021-06-03		Very Mild	Strong	Mild	Very Pleasant

The jar had the 2015 excise tax, so the tobacco should, logically, have matured. But expectations were not fulfilled: the tin banged out smell loud, and not the "rainy". The strongest flavor of citrus with cane sugar and rum burst into the room like a tropical hurricane. The manufacturer claims that it is whiskey, but because of the basic bright tropical bouquet one can't speak about any whiskey - obviously, rum. There was also a little bit of coconut, and somewhere in the far reaches hid a cherry note of cavendish. I was overwhelmed by flavor, and set the open can aside for an hour or two to air out, not daring to smoke it straight away - let's have a look at it for a while.

The tobacco in the jar is sliced with a ribbon. The tobacco varieties are easily distinguishable - there are several varieties of Virginia, light brown burley, and dark blotches of cavendish. The cut is neat and the bag is loose.

After letting the tobacco rest for a couple of hours and making sure that the flavor has become less concentrated, I filled the pipe and smoked. The first few puffs were quite harsh, but didn't burn my tongue, rather, just a pungent taste that had sweetness, hay flavor, a distinct viscosity of nut skins and the feeling of having drunk a sip of alcohol. Smoked tobacco retains its pungent flavor for a long time, being nevertheless quite light in strength. The tobacco notes begin to overlap the flavoring somewhere in the middle of the pipe, but the rum remains almost to the end. The smoking is quite hot, I definitely don't recommend small pipes for this tobacco.

The smoke has all the same cane-nut note, doesn't make you uncomfortable in the room, but stays long enough. The tobacco is smoked dry, the ash is uneven, but it is not much.

Oddly enough, I ended up liking the blend more than the started. It's clearly for a Aroma fans, the flavor is dense and bright, the taste is a bit harsh. But at the same time, I can't help but notice the great harmony of the bouquet. I won't keep it in my collection, but if you don't have any other dessert tobaccos on hand, you can have it.

Pipe Used: Peterson 999, XL26

Age When Smoked: 2015

Purchased From: Online

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LiterarySmoker (143)	2021-05-26		Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

The tin shows an interesting scene of a rainy day. I do like a good rainy day myself. When I opened my tin I found a nice mix of Burleys, Cavendish, and Virginias. As with all of the Ashton blends so far the ribbon is pretty even with a stray stem every now and again. The tin smells of berries, Whiskey, toastiness and a light nuttiness.. The tobacco in my tin came pretty moist, so I recommend a light dry time. It lights well and stays lit throughout the bowl.

Upon a light I taste the Whiskey and the fruit topping, it sort of reminds me of traditional English Plum Pudding in an odd way. I think it is the combination of alcohol and fruit. It leaves a very nice aftertaste. The underlying tobaccos are still present but very light the Burley adds a little nuttiness, and the Cavendish is toasty and sweet. This can tend to burn hot, so I recommend a slow cadence but I had no problem smoking this in my everyday pipes. I don't detect a ghost in my pipes after smoking this.

I give the taste a medium. It's medium bodied, and slightly mouth filling. The strength is a mild. This is a good blend for the early morning or anytime you don't want to smoke something heavy. The room note on this is heavenly and I think you will have no problem with non smokers unless they have a prejudice against tobacco smoke in general. I like this blend and I think it's an aromatic done well.

Pipe Used: Peterson Donegal XL90

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HeavyTrees (70)	2019-04-15		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant

Nice sweet Virginia cold smell with fruit topping when opened. Cavendish based aromatic loose cut doesn't look very special. Packs well with various methods and chamber sizes and takes flames easily. Burns slow and cold until the end with no tongue bite. I literally tested this one in a rainy day and found the fruity aromas fitting more for a sunny spring morning or a mellow summer evening. There are tobacco notes mostly Cavendish but the fruit topping is stronger so this tobacco is rather suitable for lovers of aromatic blends. Nothing outstanding but a solid fruity aromatic that tastes till the end.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Purchased From: Cigarworld

Similar Blends: Dan Tobacco - 2000 (Christmas Tobacco).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BubbaBriar (4)	2019-03-24		Medium to Strong	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Strong

Picked up a 50g tin at the tea store in town. Because there's no other store carrying pipe tobacco on main street I thought I'd offer my patronage and buy something. Tobacco is extremely expensive in Sweden! Opening the tin I took a big wiff and my eyes almost started watering. Not in a good way either but rather like putting your head down in a freshly filled mop bucket. I soldered on and filled my pipe. Upon lighting the first light it reminded me of the first and last time I cussed at my Mom as a little boy. Soap isn't a pleasant memory there. By now you'd think I'd put an end to the abuse. I'm cheap and stubborn. I soldered on hoping for a miraculous change. It never came. You could draw a picture of tobacco on A4 printing paper then dip it in washing detergent, rip it in pieces and stuff your pipe. At least then you'd save some money. no tobacco taste and will never buy any Ashton product again. Period.

Pipe Used: Briar

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Giovanni Palomino (21)	2016-01-25		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

The Tin aroma is as a liquor matured with notes of citrus, in Mr. Brog Navi black pipe is where I enjoy this mixture, does not burn very hot and doesn't need many reencendidos which makes enjoy even more his smoke, the nicotine charge is soft making it pleasant and quiet the smoke note in the room is very good is like a wine matured with very citrus notes although the liquor feels really Whisky.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Flyerdog (9)	2013-11-27		Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

I am not a fan of aromatics - I smoke mostly straight VA or VaPers. That being said, this provides a nice smoke if smoked gently. Smoke it hard and your tongue is not going to be happy.

Pipe Used: Tinsky bent

Age When Smoked: 1 yr

Purchased From: 4Noggins

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MyWay (2)	2011-07-14		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I received a fresh new tin from Switzerland today and popped it open. Tasty and relaxing, leaves a fine citrus/tropical fruit room note. Burned hot in one of my small briars. Was that a trace of tongue bite towards the end? It was kind of hard to keep lit, even after padding it down. I would definitely purchase more of this in the future just to have around. The taste and aroma are definitely appealing.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2011-07-09		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not my favorite aromatic but it works. Also not the best of Ashtons tobaccos but if you don't smoke it to often it can be quite nice to take a bowl on a rainy day.

I noticed that it actually don't taste as good on a hot summers day as it does on a grey chilly evening. Probably just my imagination but still.

My wife does not appreciate the room note on this one as she thinks it has a funny almost sour smell.

The taste of exotic fruits and hickory is almost undetectable but it's there in the background.

A OK tobacco but I will probably not buy a new tin directlly after this one is empty.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-08-06		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

very good blend of tobacco, perfect for rainy days, as the name says, and a glass of good cognac in hand ...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (251)	2009-10-04		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

A unique aromatic. Like a Carmen Miranda hat with all that fruit, but tropical fruit. I really liked the tobaccos in the blend, and the flavor, but I can't smoke aromatics like this all the time. It was not as overpowering as some. It is definitely a hit with the ladies or with nonsmokers.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-01-05		Very Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Very Pleasant

If you are an anti-aromatic taliban don´t waste your money and time.

This is a delicious aromatic mixture, it´s very light and extremely easy to smoke. Doesn´t bits at all if you smoke it relatively slow.

Tastes amazingly fruity with a point of whiskey and extemely dry for an aromatic blend. A great tobacco for begginers.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darwin (5)	2021-10-14		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Strong

Sooo good. My first Ashton. The taste is so full and rich. Perfect not just for rainy days.. Very strong aroma and room note. Hightly recomend!

Pipe Used: Lotr 13.2

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noddadoc (4)	2021-07-12		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

Rainy Day: I tried it new and now with 3 years age. The good; burns even and easy to keep lit. The tin I got wasn’t wet and was smokable right out of the tin. It is moist though and could have some drying time if you so choose. The smell: great tin note. Fruity, nutty, and the undertone of tobacco is in there. I had high expectations when I smelled the tin note because it really is pleasant. The taste is even all the way through the bowl and room note is pleasant. It has a lovely taste. I used cobs every time for fear of a poltergeist that never came. Theres no chemical flavor.

The bad: unfortunately, there is one con that has caused me to just toss this tin and give it a poor review. It bites. And bites, and bites, and bites some more. I’m pretty sure Ashton loaded this tobacco with 1,000 angry Chihuahuas to attack my mouthparts. Even when sipped, and I mean sipped, you have to be careful. It demands to be sipped: which is fine, that’s how you get the best flavor from tobacco, right? But if you take one puff of this witches brew not to the Chihuahuas liking, they unfurl a barrage of nasty on your tongue that will soon have you reaching for water. This tobacco actually kept me humble. I smoke vapers….I know how to sip and avoid bite and harshness. The only way this tobacco didn’t burn your mouth off was if it was 1/2 second away from extinguished.

It’s also harsh and painful on the retrohale, even after 3 years (I put it on the shelf for this reason). I love to retrohale tobacco as that offers more flavor and nuisance. The Chihuahuas do not want to go through your nose. Again, I had to concentrate on trying not to get punished by this tobacco. I was constantly at odds with it.

I do enjoy a good aromatic but it shouldn’t be painful to smoke it. And Rainy Day is. I use cobs with filters, didn’t matter. Without filters, didn’t matter. I questioned my pipe packing, smoking cadence techniques because it was so harsh and bitey. So I did my snail slow cadence, breath method, it helped (but even then it wanted to bite) but there is no retrohaling this tobacco. It straight up burns. Now maybe it’s my body chemistry but this tobacco has a harshness about it I actually have never experienced, After finishing my last bowl yesterday, I gave up on the tobacco. Had to decide if it goes back to the shelf or just in the garbage. I threw it out despite the many good things this aromatic offers. The taste is good but there’s too many good aromatics out there to smoke that aren’t painful like this one.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: 3-4 years

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WorkingClassChap (197)	2021-02-06		Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

Smoking now:

Tropical fruit tin note.

Taste is, well, fruit rum punch. Pineapple and rum. The Virginias are noticeable and the burley imparts a nutty flavor that pares well with the topping. Sip as it is an aromatic and I imagine it would bite. Definitely dry out for better results. It’s a pleasant aromatic.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lazarus77 (91)	2020-09-02		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Easy smoking tobacco, burning cool, no tongue bite, very pleasant aftertaste and room note. Can be an all day smoke for aromatic lovers, at least must to try.

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: pfeifendepot.de

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-07-01		Very Mild	Medium to Strong	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Upon opening the tin the aroma is very pleasant indeed, evoking ripe tropical fruit, soft vanilla and a hint of whisky.

Lighting was very easy and the first puffs promised a very delicate, aromatic smoke with the whisky note clearly detectable. Unfortunately things went south pretty fast after that (about 5 minutes in the smoke). Even though I smoked it slowly it started biting fiercely and the delicate light taste was totally lost in what I can only describe as a very unpleasant bitter, oily film covering my palate and tongue. It then started smoking wet and whatever enjoyment was left after the taste got clobbered up quickly dissipated. I gave up after 20 minutes and emptied the bowl. Overall it's a disappointment, if you're an aromatics afficionado it may be worth a try else I'd steer clear.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-06-29		Mild	Strong	Very Mild	Pleasant

I will have to give this one another try at some point... but my first experience with this was not what I expected. Out of the tin it smells wonderful, just as described, and I am a whiskey (Crown Royal Black Label)fan so I thought I was going to be in heaven. I wasn't. If I recall correctly, within 4-5 puffs, my mouth had a "waxy" like taste in it and it felt as if my tongue went numb. I only made it a bit further and then just gave up and emptied the bowl. I wasn't even able to reload with a different blend and have a nice smoke after that... My tongue definitely needed a rest... I am going to try this one again as I said, but right now it would not be on my list.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-09-21		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

I enjoyed this blend fairly well. The aroma is very appealing as well as the slightly sweet taste. A nice, nutty, fruit aroma upon cracking the container. I smoked it right out of the tin and rate this as a pretty good aromatic that is easy on the tongue/palate if not pushed. This tin appeared to have had a longer shelf life than most as the tobacco coloring had leached through the plastic cover inside. Therefore, maybe this is an indication that a little age might be beneficial to some aromatic blends. I liked it pretty good & feel that any aromatic officianado will find it...interesting? and palatable. This review is based only on the quality of an aromatic and therefore, IMHO, Rainy Day merits two **s!

Nobody has rated this review yet.