Tobaccos Dunhill - Three Year Matured Virginia

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-04-21		Very Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Very Pleasant

Now here is a unique blend. It is flavored in the English manner (unobtrusive), and somehow remains cool. The virginia base screams quality, and it is a smooth smoke. It is also very much an aromatic and that is why I think it can help us.

You see, there are many aromatic smokers who do not know any better than to puff away on Borkum and the Captain. Give them a tin of this stuff and they will be confirmed members of the brotherhood. 3 Year Matured is a fun change of pace for me. When I opened the tin, I didn't know whether to reach for a spoon or pipe, but am glad I chose a pipe to load it in. Yummy!

44 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tommyboy1749 (27)	2015-06-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

The latest incarnation of Three Year Matured Virginia (first introduced in 1923) is another successful reintroduction of one of Dunhill's classic blends. The blend was discontinued after the 1970s, and reappeared late in the Murray's production run, only to disappear again in 2007. But once again, Three Year Matured is back.

The earliest description I could find reads, "A fine old Virginia tobacco, matured for three years, mild and mellow though rich in flavour, the ideal of the true pipe smoker" (1925). The new description reads, "A medium blend consisting of red (and other) Virginias, a pinch of Oriental leaf, and a very, very subtle fruit essence, leaving the flavors of the tobaccos themselves clear and intact. A classic now returned after a long absence."

The latest version approximates the original version, with a couple of minor changes--but the essence of the blend still centers on the matured Virginias. If you're worried about the addition of a "fruit essence," don't be. It is truly as "subtle" as promised. I only noted its presence occasionally in the side-stream aroma and find it enhances rather than detracts from the overall impression. Three Year Matured is not on the sweet VA side but has a matured dryness like a good Chianti or single malt scotch. There's the taste of dark, heavy bread and oats, along with an herbal spiciness, which I suspect is due to the presence of a "pinch of oriental leaf."

Three Year Matured burns cool even in my most finicky pipes and is gentle on the tongue. I sometimes smoke a little too voraciously, and Three Year Matured has never bitten me. Having only had a chance to sample a fresh tin, I look forward to trying this after it has been aged a bit.

33 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2012-10-07		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

The first part of this review is for the old, discontinued version. I detected more topping than expected, and though that didn't put me off, I didn't buy it to get a less natural Virginia. I thought it burned a little hot, though not to the point where it bit much, unless I forgot and puffed fast. Burned a little fast, so it needed a slow puffing cadence. It was very sweet (apricot, lemon, and perhaps orange) and not unpleasant, but if the grassy, citrusy, lightly earthy and woody Virginias really were aged three years, I sure couldn't tell it. The dry, sour, woody, earthy, herbal, lightly floral Orientals were in the background. The toppings sublimated them to a mild extent.

As for the relaunch, there are a few differences. It burns slightly less warmer, slower, and smoother with a shade fewer grass and earth notes. The topping seems slightly more "Royal Yacht" like, though less intense, a little less aromatic, and more of an apricot flavor. I think the lemon and orange(?) is the same. The amount and effect of the woody, dry, lightly floral, herbal, earthy Orientals seem to be the same. I still can't tell that the Virginias were really aged for three years. They remind me of the ones used in London Mixture, except they are sweeter. Then again, they are much sublimated by the topping. The strength and taste levels are mild. Has a light nic-hit. Won't bite. Needs to be puffed at a moderate rate and no more as it burns a little fast. The flavor is very consistent from top to bottom. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires few relights. Two stars for the original, two and half for the new version.

-JimInks

32 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Eulenburg (193)	2002-08-10		Mild to Medium	Strong	Medium	Pleasant

The essence of fruit!

English aromatics are like English cuisine: something to be made fun of, without actually committing the mistake of trying it out. But every-so-often a family member who ought to know better passes the Dunhill store in Park Ave, and buys My Highness a tin of something?after all, don't I smoke a pipe?

Model family love, my selfless sense of duty to TobaccoReviews, perhaps a lingering tendency or penchant for masochism, prompted me to try this Three-Year object. It is not bad...it is just so weird. Trevert was utterly correct in associating it with unknown galaxies.

Undoubtedly matured in a secure, undisclosed location, sort of like our vice-presidents, THREE YEAR adds to the etiolated douceur of cavendished Virginia, à l' Anglaise, a trowelled topping that makes ERINMORE taste like ERINLESS. Think blancmange dolled out with fermented elderberries...

The result is neither cheap nor, God knows, humdrum: I would call it, well, hallucinatory.

When Wagner's Siegfried, who has never seen a woman before, finally meets one, he cleverly cries out, rather enthusiastically, "This is not a man!" Likewise, if I were an alien from Planet Mongo and had never experienced FLAVOUR before, I would know I had experienced flavour after smoking this! Not tobacco flavour, no, but...weeeee...it is, like, psychedelic, yeah.

How could one resist it, my fellow boomers?

PS./ Smoking this whilst strumming a guitar strikes me as exquisitely apt.

21 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2011-07-11		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am a lover of Dunhill blends and this is one that I had been putting off because of some of the poor reviews. When I opened the tin, my first thought was that the bad reviews were most likely right as the tin had a very strong berry scent. However, upon smoking this blend, the Virginia's came to the front leaving a nice mild berry flavor in the background. Like so many of the Murray's Dunhill offerings, the tobacco quality was high, it had a good kick of Lady N and it smoked cleanly to a nice ash. I was lucky enough to score a few of these old tins and while they won't be part of any rotation, Three Year Matured is a nice change of pace, especially in a cob. Recommended.

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Big Train (118)	2016-01-27		Mild to Medium	Extra Strong	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Re-issues are never simple . The blender might have as his only example a decades old tin in which the tobacco has changed over the years . Some recent re-issues are pretty close to the mark , Dunhill Baby Bottom is a recent example . The latest re-issue of 3 year matured however , is very far off the mark . The 3 year that I smoked back in the 60's and 70's was exactly what is said it was , a well matured Virginia that presented a tangy and full Virginia taste . it was truly a great tobacco back in the day when there wasn't the variety there is today . The present re-issue is simply an over cased aromatic of the worst sort . The tin note reminds me of some sporting houses that I visited in Paris , mind you only as an observer . This tobacco can make you ill to your stomach really fast and it burns the mouth like no other . Even by aromatic standards this is a bust . I'm sorry , in a way , to give such a bad review . I'm sure blenders worked hard to make this a good smoking experience . As a consumer , however , I'm entitled to my opinion . Some people , I see , enjoy this mixture and they should keep on smoking it if they find enjoyment there . The main problem that I have with this tobacco is that it's even called 3 Year Matured . Alfred would roll over if he knew.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Contemplative (29)	2018-01-15		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

I don't know whether the current re-issue has changed the mix, but the tin only claims ''a blend of matured Virginia tobacco'' and that's all I can detect. None of the oriental/Turkish or fruit or whatever mentioned by others here, just straight, very evidently matured Virginia.

An exceptionally good smoke, the best VA I have ever encountered in a pipe. The flavour and aroma do bring back distant memories of State Express 666 (or was it 555?) unfiltered cigarettes, first encountered by me at a few years old in the late 1940s (parents didn't smoke but had wooden cigarette boxes with those cigs for people to help themselves at parties) and the now defunct Senior Service ciggies, also unfiltered, in the 1950s.

This baccy burns slowly and really is very pleasant indeed. It's a grown-up smoke without being harsh at all. One of the top 3 or 4 pipe tobacco mixes I have ever smoked. Thoroughly recommend it.

Pipe Used: Stanwell freehand (Queen)

Age When Smoked: 2 weeks.

Purchased From: Londis newsagent/tobacconist, Market Sq., Dover, Kent, UK.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2017-01-27		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This blend has all the quality standards of dunhill blends.when you open it you get spicy citruses and sweet grass aromas.the moist is proper,packs ok and lights easy.burns cool to medium with right moist.the virhinia flavours are dominant and the spicyness comes in the backround with some sweetness.you get citruses,grass and dark fruits in a very balanced waywith spicy notes.the nic level is ok for an all day smoke.it's a lighter version of royal yacht.if you are a virginia lover you must try it!

Age When Smoked: When opened!

Similar Blends: Dunhill Royal yacht.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jevverrett (106)	2016-01-16		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Got this one to continue my Virginia exploration.

I'm a dunhill fan myself, so this may be slightly biased. I tried the Virginia heavy dunhill flake first, and while I liked it, it was really sour most of the smoke to me. Maybe my tastes have matured a bit since, but I like this one much more.

The tin note is mild and sweet, the cut is a nice ribbon that is easy to fluff out of the tin. Easy to pack and light, and it stays lit well. I get the citrus and it is a bit sour. I have to say it is tasty. The bread notes are more pronounced in this one. The orientals are not very present in this, but they balance the smoke out well. Sweetness from the topping, but it's not like a normal aromatic. It's dry, subtle and hard to place a finger on what the flavor is supposed to be. That's good for me, bc I don't normally like aros. It does have a good punch to it nicotine wise, and it picks up in flavor as you go down the bowl. Not wet at all, comes out really dry in the end.

All in all I like it. I have a new mark tinsky bulldog I broke in with this, and now this is all I smoke in it. I have bought more since I finished the tin. Smoked the whole thing in less than a week. A good one for new Virginia smokers, and would be a nice change for the more fanatical ones.

Pipe Used: Tinsky bulldog

Age When Smoked: Fresh tin

Purchased From: Smokingpipes

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-07-26		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a decent smoke. Nothing real special, but has some nice flavors. The Virginias and Orientals combine to create a tasty darkish fruit flavor that has some depth and appeal. There is a touch of spice and a mild sweetness. The topping is very mild and, to me, taste of berries. It can and will burn hot and harsh if you aren't careful with your cadence. I'd give it two and a half stars if I could. I'm feeling generous so I'll give it three.

Medium in body and taste. Flavoring is very mild. Burns very well.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, Diplomat Apple, Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2016-04-08		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Dunhill - Three Year Matured Virginia.

I'm smoking a bowl of this as I write this review; I haven't been able to pipe much this last week due to being on holiday so my enjoyment of this may be partly reflective of the fact I've been 'pipe starved' lately!

I think Gentleman Zombie's first line summarizes this blend well: it isn't anything particularly special, but it's still quite nice.

I don't find the topping to be too noticeable, there's a mild fruitiness but nothing heavy or overpowering; it's not like a massive agglomeration of fruit and citrus. The same can be said for the tobacco flavours: they both amalgamate together very nicely, creating a mild taste with an 'age created' sweetness, but there's no sharpness or harshness to the smoke. Personally, I find the nicotine mild from Matured Virginia, very mild to be precise.

This is an enjoyable blend, but as I said: I've been a touch pipe starved this week so I best not let that make me bias with the result! I think three stars is perfectly fair.

Recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Donegal Rocky #03

Age When Smoked: Two months

Purchased From: GQ Tobacco's

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Swiss-smoker (87)	2016-02-06		Mild	Strong	Very Mild	Tolerable to Strong

It is supposed to be a Virginia Mixture with Oriental, “lightly flavoured with a mixed fruit essence”, as the official description states. Regarding flavouring, the reviews range from 1 to 10, that is from “none detected” to “extra strong”. Nearly the same spread regarding “strength” and “taste”. This inconsistency highly irritates me.

On opening the tin I smell bread/yeast from the Red Virginia and some vinegary sourness from fermentation of the matured Virginia, that’s all, neither Orientals nor artificial flavours. Let’s see, which aromas will appear upon smoking:

Good burning conditions. There is not much taste, it’s faint. The most obvious being that of matured or stoved Virginia, a bread/yeast note that is, hiding away the hay/grass notes. The small amount of Oriental leaf is noticeable and welcome. All aromas (good and bad) are quite irregular while smoking through the bowl. Some might find this interesting. I am not able to describe and specify the added flavouring. The tragedy is, that this artificial flavouring hinders most of the natural tobacco aromas to unfold, and the subtle ones are totally suffocated. Like many other artificial flavours do, it releases bitter tastes. At the end of the bowl I don’t know what I have been smoking and I am left behind with an unpleasant, weary after-taste.

It is misleading to call this mixture TREE YEAR MATURED VIRGINIA! It does not taste like an honest Virginia Blend. It is an indefinable, obvious Aromatic. It lacks in body, depth, character and taste. A disappointment. I can’t recommend it.

Age When Smoked: New, out of the tin.

Purchased From: Local tobacconist.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2015-11-29		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Walnut brown ribbons with quite a few stems and a light musty tin aroma. A minor hint of the fruit topping but nothing offputting.

The taste of this was of a dry Virginia upfront, a very mild lighter fruit topping and well to the rear a herbal-sour oriental presence. A fair bit of cigarette notes in this one as well, and with just a hint of sweetness. The name would indicate some sort of depth but I found it pretty simplistic - perhaps they should have matured the tobacco another three years? At any rate, nothing to write home about in the flavor department but it was a medium-to-full bodied smoke. The attribute this most possessed was an overabundance of nicotine. If you worship at the altar of Lady N, give this one a go. It gave me the "niccups" when smoked in my customary large bowls so I had to downsize to a Group 5 to tame the woozies. That said, I experimented with this as a mixer and it was a grand success! It provided body and just a touch of sweetness, along with some nicotine of course. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 overall, 2 as a straight smoke. This blend, like so many other Dunhill blends of recent vintage, show me that whatever Dunhill may have been in the past, blends carrying that venerable marque are not what they used to be. They have too much competition that better them these days, IMHO... not that my opinion should mean much to anyone else! ;)

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bonneville (52)	2018-03-31		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Calling this an aromatic is rather pretentious in my opinion. Yes, there may me an ever so slight "fruit" topping on this Virginia blend. But I've had a tin sitting around that I opened a couple years ago. The tin note is nothing but pure tobacco. Stop calling tobaccos like this an aromatic! Yes, we're all very impressed that your palette is so in tune that you would call a traditional cased Virginia an aromatic. But that word doesn't mean what you think it means. Aromatic means that when you smell the room note, you smell whatever the flavor is, be that cherry, vanilla, or whatever. There is not the slightest hint of flavoring in the room note. Therefore, it doesn't translate in the smoke. This is nothing but pure tobacco at some of its finest.

Rich and bready, with a medium note. Darker than, say, Dunhill Flake or Orlik. There is no bright citrus note. Instead, the red Virginias in this blend lend a richer stewed fruit quality. The tin topping is only there to make you salivate upon sticking your nose inside.

Rant over. And no matter anyway, as this one, like all the rest of the famous Dunhill blends, are going extinct. Grab some while you can.

Pipe Used: Peterson Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: Beehive Cigars

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	oldcodger (74)	2016-01-11		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Dunhill Three Year Matured Virginia is a tobacco with a coterie of devotees and somewhat of a puzzlement to many others. It dates back to 1923, but was discontinued before production switched to Murray and Sons in Northern Ireland. They revived it, but it was discontinued before their hiatus for Dunhill. Later the Dunhill offerings were taken over by the Scandinavian Tobacco Group. But STG did not reintroduce Three Year Matured until this past year. The fact that TYM keeps reappearing is a testament to that core of fervent fans.

Open a tin and you discover a ribbon cut of varied browns: light, medium, dark. The sniff reveals a typical Virginia smell with a faint overlay of aromatic. There is a smidgen of oriental in there, although I do not detect it in the tin odor. The moisture level is OK, although I find virtually all tinned blends better with a bit of drying initially.

TYM lights without difficulty, and burns steadily without need for relights unless puffed exceedingly slow. It burns cool when smoked with the relaxed puff rate proper for Virginias. The room note is pleasant, Virginia plus just a hint of the aromatic element. The nicotine level is slightly higher than expected from a Virginia dominant blend. Tongue bite threat is low for a Virginia based mixture. It burns dry and leaves a white ash.

What sets TYM aside is the flavoring, which I deem to be top noting rather than casing. The Tobacco Reviews description at the time I write this review states that it is "flavored with mixed fruit essence." I find it to be more a a berry essence, black currant and/or raspberry. There is just a whisper of fruit, possibly apricot or citrus. The flavoring is restrained and it does not mask the Virginia.

For me the flavoring, light though it is, seems dissonant to the tobacco itself. Some flavor agents such as honey. molasses, and maple sugar merge nicely with Virginia tobaccos. The Berry/fruit of this blend does not work for me. (I do not detect the oriental in smoking, although I am sure it does influence the mixture.) The underlying Virginia is excellent. Whether three year matured or not (I presume that it is), the Virginia is good stuff.

The repeated resurrections of Three Year Matured signal that for some smokers the symbiosis of flavoring and Virginia tobacco tickles their fancy. So I do suggest pipe smokers who often try Virginias sample this. Others who often smoke Virginias may well mirror my own lack of appreciation . However, even though the flavoring is subdued, I suspect that some aromatic fans will deem this a very interesting change of pace. I am less convinced that those who favor latakia or burley based blends will discover TYM an interesting diversion.

I smoke TYM in my aromatic dedicated pipes, although I do not think an occasional load of it will create a noticeable ghosting effect in pipes normally used for non aromatics.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Doctor Max (29)	2021-02-06		Medium	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Tolerable

This is a very polite tobacco. The tin note is very pleasant, what you would expect with some mature Virginias, dominated by dark dried fruits, figs, prunes, dates. Disappointingly, this does not carry over to the smoke, which is really quite bland and uninteresting. Marginal sweetness, no hay, no tartness, no fruitiness, just a vague Virginia style flavour with a strong licorice component (the sweetener?). Orientals? I didn't notice any. The room note is decidedly cigarette-like but at least not very strong. The tobacco is undoubtedly very high quality though, packs, lights and smokes like a charm, consistent from light to heel. Relatively high on nicotine. All in all I found it quite disappointing, there are much more interesting Virginias out there. Personally I prefer more distinct blends like Royal Yacht, Capstan Blue, Dunhill Flake.

Pipe Used: Corn cob

Age When Smoked: 0-2 years

Purchased From: Some tobacconist in Granada

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith - Full Virginia Flake.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Azirish (18)	2020-11-16		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

I’ll start by saying I am not an aromatic smoker and I don’t consider this an aromatic at all. Does it have a noticeable topping? Yes. A very slight essence is a perfect description in my opinion. Tin note for me is sweet Virginia, earthy, deep and that slight unidentifiable(to me) fruitiness. Condition was beautiful when opened, dark with a moisture level near perfection. Packs nicely with just a few relights. And the flavor, wow. Mellow but not weak, creamy mouth feel and no bite even if smoked a little vigorously. Nic hit is slightly above medium for me. A wonderful relaxing smoke if there ever was one. I have cellared some tins and look forward to many more special occasion smokes of this great tobacco!

Pipe Used: various Savinellis, Cobs Chacoms

Age When Smoked: Three years, Four years plus

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes and Pipes and Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Helsinki Pipesmoker (2)	2018-01-28		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nice tobacco. Fruit essense is noticeable and gives some sweetness to this blend but virginias are definitely in the front page. Orientals gives little spicynes which makes this blend more complex. Good blend which I might buy again.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dixcreek (184)	2015-10-06		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Good tin note, fine ribbon cut with light, medium and dark tobaccos. Packs and lights easily, as do all the dunhills. While there may be some oriental there it is not real noticeable nor is the topping as described. Good burn white ash little if any dottle. Good consistent smoke from start to finish. Good, relaxing smoke with a creamy semi sweet flavor. Room note is all Virginia and that is a plus in my book. One smoking note-- don't hammer this one to hard it can be a tounge torcher if you do. Like most Virginas slow and steady is your best bet. I believe this one will become a regular in the dix creek line up!

Pipe Used: Various Kaywoodies

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: Smoking pipes

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-07-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was an interestingly stronger VA than I expected. Fruity, sweet, dark in character. For some reason though I simply did not care for the flavor profile as it was presented. Otherwise it loaded easily, smoked clean and cool and had a moderate smoke volume when dried a little.

Smoke in peace, brothers and sisters of the leaf.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (401)	2021-09-01		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

Back in July a friend of mine at the pipe club gave me a tin of this. He had bought several tins of this probably a year ago when Dunhill was on sale but did not really care for it. This is a densely packed tin of tobacco predominately medium dark brown ribbon with a mildly sweet tin note and quite moist. I have smoked this on and off the past few weeks and while it is listed as an aromatic, I would say a light one indeed. For a 3-year Virginia if that is what it really is, I was left desiring more flavor from this smoke than what was offered. It is okay, probably a good candidate to pass around the club for those interested. For me, a somewhat recommended blend.

Purchased From: Gift

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L'Italiano (233)	2020-03-06		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

THREE YEAR MATURED VIRGINIA: This blend should be straight Virginia but it isn’t. I don’t know why STG has changed the recipe, but this change made the product much worse. A Virginia mixture matured for three years certainly does not need oriental tobaccos and least of all fruit essence. Bad job by STG which probably employs poor quality Virginia and for this reason the change of recipe. Dunhill deserves more. Now this mixture is gone, but I will not miss it. So, in my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 7 and two stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rafe Hyatt (5)	2020-01-26		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

From 2006:

Here ends my search for an everyday, go-to Virginia. OK, even the tin description indicates that it's not a straight VA, but I'll not quibble about that. What I will do is load this very satisfying blend into a small bowled Peterson and enjoy a rich, flavorful smoke. This is a dark, heady VA --- not light and sweet like 5100 but not quite as stout as Royal Yacht (my only other Dunhill regular). Some place the casing as berry-like and the tin description on this very site says "mixed fruit" but I myself can't taste anything fruity about it. Thumbs up to Dunhill/Murray on whatever this casing is, because it is pleasant and unique without overtaking the taste of the tobaccos themselves. Doesn't bite. May be a tad too strong for all day and does get a little unwieldy towards the very bottom of the bowl. For me, it's the perfect VA blend --- one or two bowls a day interspersed with my regular burley blends and flakes. The Murray's version of 3 Year Matured recently replaced Royal Yacht as my preferred tinned VA, and this review is based on the Murray's product. Recent reviews of other Orlik-produced Dunhill products have got me discouraged about my prospects for liking the Orlik version of 3 Year Matured. I'll post that review when I have tried some. Till then, 4 stars for 3 YMV!

Pipe Used: Peterson 303

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (179)	2002-02-19		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I guess I am the odd man out here. I first smoked this blend about a year ago (in fairness, a full tin of course) before reading any reviews. I tied it exclusively in an unsmoked Dunhill Shell No. 5 I had bought (lumberman or small canadian) to give it a real test.

I have read in the 1960's it was introduced as a straight virginia, but it is obviously being re-introduced to be different now.

I did not know for sure it was aromatic until I had opened a tin a year ago, but it did smell sweeter or more fruity in the tin than a straight virginia. My memory is that it was slightly sweet, but a much more pleasant blend, to me, than Dunhill's Royal Yacht, which is stronger, etc. I've read since then the three year matured virginia tobacco is sauced with a bit of rasberry. Toward the end of the tin, about two weeks worth of smoking, it started to dry out, so that shows it was not too wet with anything. But if you take more than two weeks to smoke it, you need to preserve it better than just screwing the lid back on. I seldom smoke more than two bowls a day of it (or any blend).

Upon reading these reviews, I opened up another tin (I have two cellared now for about a year). I also read the quite brief review of one gentleman from a fairly recent Ephemeris issue, which was fairly nice, and from the most recent Winter 2001/2002 issue of Pipes and Tobaccos. Their reviewer is harsh on most aromatics, as you know, but his review is most fair to this unusual but sweet blend.

I have recently smoked nearly another tin of this blend in the same Dunhill pipe. This pipe remained unsmoked in the interim (from the last tin). It is a good pipe and most receptive of this sweet blend again. It has over 30 bowls of this blend in the cake now. It will continue to be enhanced with smoking, but I feel I can certainly give a true evaluation of this blend in such a pipe.

To me, it is mild and quite nice, and definitely on the sweet side. But not heavy. A light type of wine-like or fruity sweetness persists. There is a quality virginia underneath. It is very cool, biteless, and though not a real dry smoke, it takes little effort to run a pipe cleaner through my straight stem pipe once or twice in the last half of the smoke. Much dryer than St. Bruno's flake. It is also much better to me still than Royal Yacht, which I know does not say much, but the emphasis is on the word "much".

If you only like straight english, heavy scottish, balkan, or straight virginia/perique blend types, or do not like aromatics at all, this blend is not for you. If you're more flexible and have a sweet tooth at times (and I like the foregoing blend types myself), give it a full tin try in a good pipe. Don't jump to a conclusion by a sniff, a puff, a touch, or by imagination. If it doesn't sound like your cup of tea, don't bother with it at all. A bowl won't convince you in that case. But if you want to try a smoke on the sweet side, something suitable for an occasional smoke over a few weeks of different experience and pleasure, give it a try.

I know I'm going to finish up the last few bowls from my tin before I let this Dunhill hibernate again for a while. This is a special, not everyday treat. I hope Dunhill keeps up this blend in small quantities for us few in the U.S. who will continue to partake.

UPDATE: The 2015 reintroduction is probably closer to the older 1960-70 vintage -- not rasberry flavor but tangy, tart, and rich. (I reduced the flavoring rating from medium to mild to medium.)

Seems closer to a Red Ribbon or Red Cake blend, but more body. Fruit may be cherry-like but lite. SPC may have it right -- between Elizabethan and Royal Yacht. Pretty much for a straight Virginia smoker, but with a flavor enhancer.

Age When Smoked: new tin

Purchased From: smoking pipes

Similar Blends: Red Ribbon, Red Cake.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	taki (12)	2021-04-09		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A really beautiful blend! Have it always in my turn-around series of tobaccoes, not an all day blend --also for it's high price-- but at least once a day puffing. On the sweet-side, very light aroma, good quality virginias, cool without bite, it's a really relaxing,easy to pack, light and smoke tobacco.

There are some years since I met it and I feel tight to it. Always filino with this tobacco Dunhill pipes, I feel they can give me the max of taste of it.

This blend is also recommended at newbies, with nic-hit, taste and odour at medium range, no tongue bite, enough cool and dry.

Pipe Used: Dunhill

Age When Smoked: 3 years old tins

Purchased From: Esterval's

Similar Blends: ---.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	James C. (17)	2021-03-27		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This blend never disappoints me and always impresses me. It simply matured mellow Virginia that is accentuated by nice Orientals and a very subtle fruit essence. Piquant tartness weaves with the earthy dark fruit, molasses and hay. Straightforward easy burning tobacco down to a fine white ash. Truly a refined mellow smoke with a moderate nic hit. Does burn hot but won't bite. Consistent flavor that deepens down the bowl. Obviously gets better with age.

Sidenote: sweet lemon tea pairs well with this one

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: New and aged

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BriarBoyo (5)	2020-06-03		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Like Eulenburg says English Aromatics are like English cuisine, however I'd suggest misunderstood and underappreciated. Like a consumé (invented in Yorkshire) this tobacco takes a person with patiences and refined palate to appreciate the work thats gone into it.

The Virginias are beautifully sweet and sour with a hint of that grassy taste we all know and love but mostly a cane sugar note. The orientals play a fantastic supporting role. Unlike in most English blends they do not give a spicy tingle but an old classic clean cigarette taste.

The flavouring is subtle and pleasant and a joy to decipher. It almost reminds me of the "plum" topping of Royal Yacht, though it's more white plum then dark.

A wonderful smoke indeed, it goes well with sparkling wine or IPA and some mature Cheddar (some of many English culinary inventions).

Happy Smokes.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Zulu, Dr Plumb Tomato, African Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 5 years plus the "Three Years Matured"

Similar Blends: Dunhill, Royal Yatch.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (221)	2019-09-16		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Unnoticeable

Grassy hay and citrus from the tin and quite moist . One hour drying needed . Semi sweet and a wee bit sour and a little spice . I think Jim Inks is spot on with the apricot and orange. Burns a little fast . No bite . Nice change of pace and I believe you can still buy this online even though it is no longer in production. My tin is 2 yrs old . The low ratings is probably the reason it is still available. I like it . Very mild in taste and strength. All day smoke if you love it I reckon. Recommend ...................................................................update 10/28/19 I am on my third tin of this in the last 2 months or so .I got two more tins and they were 4 years old , so it must be down to very few left? I have to say I love this tobacco ! The red Virginias are very dark fruity and I get the orientals sourness and very noticeable! I am upgrading from 3 to 4 stars . I will get more if it’s still available. Also , this is not by any means an aromatic!!!!

Age When Smoked: 2 yrs

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Davedmn (17)	2019-08-03		Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

I really looked forward to this. Three year matured etc. It was a bit disappointing. Took flame OK and burned OK and tasted OK. Usually for me blends improve as I smoke down the bowl. With virginias a sweetness develops. With Burleys a sort of nuttyness. But here it was just meh!

Maybe if you usually smoke aromatics it might be a step up(?)

Pipe Used: No name Turkish meerschaum

Age When Smoked: At purchase

Purchased From: On line GQ tobacconist

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Napping Puppy (25)	2017-05-29		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Could be a replacement for Royal Yacht from time to time, but, in comparison, Royal Yacht would remain unbeatable. For aromatic smokers, switching to this blend is certainly recommended and would be even considered a very wise and clever move, although this blend can hardly be considered aromatic.

What may escape some's attention is the fact that this blend is very good to be blended with other purely Virginia based blends, where the result would ensure ample satisfaction for the experienced smoker. When aged more, I give this blend three stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrT999 (318)	2016-10-08		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

The re-issued version: the tobacco is mostly a light, pleasant, middle of the road Virginia, with the Orientals very much in the background -- just enough to make the blend interesting but not nearly enough to really consider this anything like an Oriental-blend. The mild topping lasts throughout the bowl, and other than being 'dark fruit' (apricot/plum? could be) it's fairly unobtrusive. Like all the thin-ribbon cut Dunhills, it burns a bit on the fast side, but with no bite.

All in all, a pleasant standard smoke; it probably won't wow many, but should not drive too many puffers away unless they love aros or strong blends exclusively.

Pipe Used: briars, cobs, and meers

Age When Smoked: 2 months after purchase

Purchased From: 4 noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2016-07-27		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

In typical Dunhill style you can taste the Turkish in the background which some will describe as cigarettish, which i like, but it's the Virginia's that dominate this blend. An easy smoke which is fairly mild and pleasant. Downgraded to two stars as this gets dull quickly and the quality of the Va's are average.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CoolPilot (69)	2016-02-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I wouldnt have noticed any flavouring without reading reviews here. Tobacco is - like all dunhills - perfectly ready to be smoked, and doesnt make any moisture. Some orientals, and yes the virginias here are superb. Mild to mild-medium strength. Good taste, good in the nose as well. Maybe too mild and the orientals are not giving a real character to the smoke. It is worth giving it a try.

Pipe Used: lubinsky

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	3000DK (7)	2015-11-06		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild	Tolerable

As much as I have enjoyed all of the recent re-issues of Dunhill - BB1938, Aperitif, Dubar - this one is quite disappointing. To me this one has no personality. Just a rather rough-edged and sharpish tobacco, that I will not buy again. For the good, pure and full-filling Virginia experience, I will still look towards Rattray's Old Gowrie and HOW - but maybe a re-introduction of Dunhill's Ye Olde Signe could somewhat change my mind. This one i a no-go.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2015-10-02		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Unnoticeable

I have been looking for this one for a while after it popped up on a pipe smoking forum So when it finally appeared over here I took the opportunity to snag a tin just to see what the fuss was about.

The tin aroma, for me, smelled of honey, not strongly but enough to lure me in. The tobacco itself is dark brown with flecks of lighter colours. It packs and lights very easily. The flavour itself is hard to pin down, there are hints of fruit in there, someone mentioned apricot and I would go with that. There was no citrus that I could pick up there. It is certainly not sweet or overpowering. Although it seems to smoke quite quickly it does not burn hot, probably one of the coolest smokes I have ever had.

for me, this is not a wildly exciting tobacco, but then it doesn't pretend to be. What it is is a cool, relaxing smoke that provides a nice uncomplicated treat to the taste buds. My only real complaint is that it smokes too quick. Nonetheless I think I will be treating myself to another tin.

Pipe Used: MySmokingShop own brand briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh from the tin

Purchased From: Cuban Cigar Club

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ryan G. (5)	2015-06-10		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

This is for the relaunch version, smoked right out of the tin in a Missouri Meerschaum Wasp, this stuff bit like a rabid dog, it smoked hot, harsh and largely flavorless. The tin note was nice, not much of a top dressing noticeable, it wasn't too moist or dry, it was just about perfect. I'm not going to write it off yet, I may revisit in a week or 2 (when my mouth heals 😀)

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Wasp

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-06-18		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I enjoy all genres of tobacco blends. I especially like when I find a blend like this one that adds a nice hint of flavoring to some quality tobacco, especially when they work so well together as they do with this product. You get a nice taste of Virginias with no real bite, accompanied by a whisp of blueberry or raspberry.

3YMV falls under the love it or hate it category I guess, like its sibling Royal Yacht. I don't really understand why either draw so much criticism - especially this blend. Its not the holy grail, but its definately something I'd recomend to anyone lacking predjudices toward flavored tobacco. 3.5 stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-04-09		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This is something I had wanted to try for a while, just from the name and the maker. I'd never tried Dunhill virginias so I didn't know what to expect. I read the reviews here, but didn't let them bother me too much. My father bought 6 ounces of this at Tinderbox in Sacramento. (citrus heights, actually) He bought it for himself, tried it, and promptly shipped it off to me. That should have been fair warning.

So, moisture content in the bag was o.k. Pouch aroma was uninviting; just a vague tobacco smell, without the berries or pineapple I'd read about. It did smell like tobacco. Like cigarette tobacco, except a little sweet. Fair warning. I smoked it anyway. It tastes like a bad non-filter cigarette, and I've had some bad ones from Poland and Romania.

This is the only tobacco I've ever smoked that makes me sick. It makes me wretch. I know it's not the nicotine. I have smoked Nightcap as my all day smoke when I was out of everything else and had a big stash of it. My sample of Three Year does have a fair amount of nic., but something else about this tobacco really turns the screws on me. Maybe the tobaccanist dug this out of a secret bunker somewhere, but i'm not going to buy it ever.

Even worse than smoking it was my attempt at DGT with Three Year Matured Virginia.(Insert vile descriptive here) Never again. I've tried smoking it a couple times since, just for a nic fix, but got a twisted stomache.

Oh yeah, this isn't meant as a shot at Tinderbox, just this tobacco in particular. My parents taught me not to say anything if it's not going to be positive, but I just had to give something back to this weed. It was not very nice to me;-}I expected much more from Dunhill.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-08-31		Strong	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As with Royal Yacht, I think that this tobacco has a bad reputation that is not completely deserved. Sure, it ain't the greatest thing in the world, and it has a couple of characteristics that can easily drive some smokers pissed, but I seem to enjoy it once in a while. The appearance is of a fine cut dark brown/reddish Virginia, finer than Dunhill's English blends: this accounts for great packing and even burning. What shocks most reviewers seems to be the berry flavoring, an addition that seems to have been added only in recent years. Say what you wish, but I think it's one of the better touches of this blend, and I usually don't like aromatics! This is another kind of aromatic, not the usual lousy ultra-cased cavendish with no tobacco taste: here the Virginias are clearly perceivable, and the topping perfectly complement their naturally sweet taste. The berry flavor comes and goes, just a bit more than slightly perceivable, never intrusive and always very natural. No soapy impression, too, which is a bonus in comparison with stuff like Dunhill Ready Rubbed and, in a minor way, Royal Yacht. Some of the sweetish tones remind of Royal Yacht, but it's less nauseating: also the nicotine content, while rather high, is lower than that of the dreaded Yacht. The taste is not always perfect (a bit sharp at times), but I found out that using a little slightly bent pipe and a light packing helps. Very critical for appreciating this tobacco is keeping it slow burning and cool. If you feel the exterior of the bowl is hot (not scorching hot, just plain average hot) you are spoiling this blend. I personally think it's slightly better than Royal Yacht, but I still prefer Rattray's flakes when I want a nice Virginia as this one is rather boring. Anyway, sometimes a bowl of this is nice, with its berry flavoring which hits the spot (and is rather pleasant to non smokers around) and its absolute lack of bite. It leaves an unpleasant smell in the bowl, though, but it's not a problem for me since I don't smoke it too often, so it is quickly cancelled out by other tobaccos.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-02-14		Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

Please just let me echo the sentiments of the first 6 reviews. I tried this tobak in about 3 pipes, and it took a while to get the nasty taste out of each of them. YUK!!!

I like Virginias...I like them a lot. But this is a waste of good weed and a HUGE waste of $$$.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScienceSmoker (60)	2022-01-06		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

In my cellar, I found two Dunhill blends from the year they were re-released, 2015: Ready Rubbed and this one, Three Year Matured. So this review will be of a ~6 year old tin of Dunhill's Three Year Matured, with some memories of the fresh blend too. The tin note smells pretty strongly of fruit, possibly apricot. The sides of the inside of the tin are sticky with topping. Tobacco looks ok, it's your basic ribbon cut with a pretty uniform brown coloration with very little variation. First few puffs, the flavor is mostly the fruit topping (apricot maybe) and quality matured red Virginias. There's very little overt Oriental flavor, except for some light sourness. The fruit topping starts to fade a bit by a quarter of the way into the pipe. That's when the blend becomes more enjoyable IMO. The natural sweetness and fruitiness of the aged red Virginias is more apparent at that point. It's a pleasant smoke. I don't remember if this was the case when fresh, but I get no bite at all from this 5 year old stuff. It's very mellow and very smooth all the way to the end. The ~5 year aged tin is much nicer, smoother, and naturally sweeter than the fresh tin. The fresh stuff is a 2 star blend, but after aging a while, it's a solid 3 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Honest&Simple (25)	2021-11-14		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I missed this during the actual production run. I acquired a few tins that were still in stock , which told me it couldn't have been very popular.

The tin note is delightful. Sweet deep rich fruity tobacco. Its uniform in color (medium brown) and ribbon.

Behaves well, lights easy and tastes great.

Its a very sweet citrussy virginia. I am unsure if that is from the topping or the tobacco itself.

I will let the other tin age and see if the topping fades and the tobacco changes.

Pipe Used: Cob, various briars

Age When Smoked: Not sure, 3 to 5 years?

Purchased From: Mars cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lord Guyrox (24)	2021-06-20		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

An interesting tobacco for sure. The tin I opened had 6 years of aging on it after purchase date. The tin note is of very subtle citrus combined with rich, matured Virginias. Being a STG product there are no excessive humectant added. Lighting up the tobacco and keeping it lit do not, thus, represent a challenge. The taste is of a rich Virginia, more on the savory than sweet side and builds up some spiciness from the Orientals as I progress. TYMV is not very complex after 6 years of aging - I was expecting something more- but complex enough to keep me interested. I do have some more tins in the cellar but would not, if offered the opportunity, buy more.

Age When Smoked: 6 years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ChadwickGHurlburt (24)	2019-03-26		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I know my matured and aged Virginia's. Somehow, I suspect this isn't aged as much as the tin suggests it is. After my second bowl I decided to put the rest into a jar for long-term aging. I have another unopened tin that will go into the cellar as well. I really like aged Virginia's, I buy Orlik Golden Sliced and never touch it until it is at least 3 years old, even better at 5-6 years. As this tobacco tastes to me now, I would describe it as young-tasting and very one-dimensional.

I suspect that the blender for Dunhill pipe tobaccos had every intention of properly bringing this blend back, but ended up releasing it early because they knew production was ending and they didn't want to be stuck holding a stock of Virginia's they had no use for. Of course, that is just my own speculation, it's not supported by any inside information. However, it would explain the state of this tobacco blend.

I recommend anyone that has this to age it for 3-5 years. I'm sure the Virginia lovers will find it matures nicely.

Pipe Used: Savinelli

Age When Smoked: Young, about 1 year old.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gmgsydney (4)	2019-03-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Dunhill Three Year Matured Virginia is an excellent Dunhill tobacco. I am smoking a 2019 purchased fresh tin from Smoking Pipes , SC USA ; smoked fresh from the tin . To my palate this is an excellent natural matured red Virginia , fine ribbon cut , with typical Dunhill strong nicotine level. I smoke TYMV in large to extra large James Upshall and Tilshead bowls where the fine ribbon cut burns consistently well and provides an outstanding matured red Virginia experience. There may be other Virginias and Oriental tobaccos in the mixture , but when I pick TYMV up I pick it up as a matured red Virginia , with an excellent deep mature red Virginia flavor and excellent burn . Strong nicotine , smoke it under your favorite tree , you will be amazed. Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: James Upshall - large

Age When Smoked: fresh 2019

Purchased From: SmokngPipes SC USA

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-03-03		Mild to Medium	Medium	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable to Strong

Couldn't get past the awful flavoring of this one... Well, I wasn't too disappointed with this Dunhill blend. The tin aroma produced a fruity-like essence. I wasn't crazy about the flavor but the strength was respectable. However, the aftertaste is where this one is lacking... I didn't even like the Murray's version very much either. The flavoring left an oily, intrusive taste on my palate that detracted from the overall smoking experience.

I thought after wasting $$s on a roll of the original Murray's awful tasting stuff, why would I suffer a chance on the newer Mac Baren's mixture? Not a palate pleaser for this piper. Not too awfully bad but certainly not good! However, I can understand why many find this blend to their liking & why many dislike it. I've never suffered another tin nor do I ever intend to. It wasn't a totally pleasing bell ringer type experience that I was anticipating. Not all Dunhill blends befit the name &/or quality... especially this one & a few others.

Pipe Used: Peterson Deluxe 9S & 11S

Age When Smoked: Aged Murray's Tins

Purchased From: Various Dealers... eBay, etc.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	canvas (337)	2019-01-15		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Here lies my last Dunhill review, last of the purchasable tins before the dinosaur migration. I am not a huge Virginia fan. I chock up most of them to smelling like the State Fair animal pens (musty hay smell), this stuff was a bit different. It still had a natural sweet smell, but with some added sour bits. Defiantly not an aromatic, but some flavor had to be added to this one.

The ribbon was nicely shredded, and the moisture was perfect for an immediate tin to bowl fire up. A very pleasant few puffs arose that stayed mildly sweet and interesting throughout. It felt like a classic smoke without much bite. It was just above mild in the nicotine category and was easily smoke-able all day. The misses also enjoyed the room note.

It was a good smoke that could easily be 3 stars for a Virginia fan wanting to relax.

If there is truth to this being aged three years, I would submit the aging did indeed affect the flavor profile by brightening it up.

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WolfmanSam (37)	2018-07-05		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This review is based off the STG re-release. The ribbons are slightly moist and do not need to dry. One light and it’s off to the races. I sense grass, wood, a faint, almost Pine-sol like tanginess, and a lemony sweetness. The moderate spiciness is always present. It’s also pleasantly sour, and sometimes sweet.

It’s never harsh, even with quick puffing. It’s almost medium in body, while the nicotine level is mild.

TYM is a pleasantly smooth, uncomplicated, garden variety VaOR. Had Dunhill not exited the tobacco business, this would have been a good blend for those looking to explore the world of VaOrs.

Pipe Used: Briars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fletch (11)	2018-04-16		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

Description says: "A medium blend consisting of red (and other) Virginias, a pinch of Oriental leaf, and a very, very subtle fruit essence, leaving the flavors of the tobaccos themselves clear and intact. A classic now returned after a long absence."

Only able to distinguish the sweet Virginias which smokes well and delicious from start to finish. lApparently the pinch of Oriental leaf is small enough to make it undistinguishable. Not my favorite Virginia, but not a bad smoke at all.

Easy to pack, burns a little hot if not given a rest while smoking.

Room note is pleasant.

Overall: I enjoyed the first pipe load and really wanted to enjoy each subsequent smoke, but as I continued to smoke through the tin, I became less enamored with this tobacco.

Pipe Used: Knute Freehand

Age When Smoked: Unsure

Purchased From: Local Tobacconist

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RoundTwo (38)	2017-09-24		Mild	Mild	Mild	Tolerable

This blend is not exactly the flavor I imagine should be inserted into a pipe. A cigarette tube? Absolutely. I can see the relevance of this tobacco and I appreciate it for what it is. If you enjoy mixing orange juice and coffee in your mouth at breakfast before swallowing then you just found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Luckily for me and the tobacco, I was able to trade it with someone who would enjoy it more. I wish I would have enjoyed it and maybe one day I will give it another try just to see if I missed something.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Iwan Ries

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DEN-C1956 (35)	2016-04-25		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

another very nice tobacco from Dunhill,the aroma in the tin is just lovely.burns well with no tongue bite,a nice tobacco to relax with after a hard day,room note is nice,well worth trying and i will be buying this again in the future for sure.

Purchased From: Basildon town centre tobacconist.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WmZiggy (81)	2010-02-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

The tin that I am reviewing is a 1994 vintage. Not sure if this will help, given it's age and manufacture (Murry) no longer produces Dunhill blends. However, it might offer some comparison of newer tins.

Needless to say, this 100 gram tin with 16 years age was opened with anticipation reminiscent of opening a rare wine or old scotch. The tobacco was very dark to black in a riff or cigarette cut. It had a nice plum nose of well aged Virginia. It packed well and lit easily, producing a nice volume of sweet and mellow smoke. It did not bite nor was it ever harsh from top to bottom, producing a white ash. The flavors were only a little more subtle in the middle third of the smoke; otherwise it was very consistent from beginning to end. I could not detect any oriental leaf, just nicely aged Virginia leaf. A rare one I will reserve for special occasions

Just smoked a bowl of this now 21 year old blend. Just beautiful. A wonderful VA - sweet, spicy, mellow smoke. Great from to top to bottom. I need to get a tin of the newly minted to compare.

Pipe Used: Dunhill squat bulldog Cumberland blast.

Age When Smoked: 1994

Purchased From: Gift

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-02-18		Mild	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant to Tolerable

With so many great choices out there, this one just falls flat for me. I really don't get any flavor. Once I got to the bottom of the bowl i detected a slight fruityness with a hint of butter, but it wasn't easy to get that out of it. This is just a bland tobacco especially when there are so many other choices out there like Petersons Sherlock Holmes that have the virginias and oriental with a nice flavor to boot. Just not my cup of tea, might be good for a cigarette smoker that just swapped to pipes?

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-06-28		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I am usually a big fan of Dunhill tobacco. I have tried quite a few of their blends and have usually came away glad to have tried it. With Three Year Manured nothing could be further from the truth. It was easy enough to back and light, but almost intolerable. The taste reminded me of a cross between burned popcorn, and the perfume of a cheap French whore!!! The tobacco did not burn badly, but it was all I could do to smoke a half of a bowl. All I have to day, is this blend is in a category reserved for "if this was all that was available I'd QUIT"

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-10-31		Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild	Very Pleasant

This is the only tobacco I have ever smoked that made me vomit. No joke. After just one bowl!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A. Morley (97)	2007-01-28		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Even I, the defender of bizarre and maligned tobaccos, cannot salvage the reputation of Dunhill's Three Year Matured. Mind ye', this is a weird idea for a blend: take sweet, stoved Virginia and bitter, pungent Orientals and then douse it all with--fruit sauce? It's just not a good idea. This becomes apparent soon after you light the stuff. All of that kooky fruit essence burns right away or sometimes settles near the bottom of the bowl. One is left with some generic dark Virginia and low-end Oriental leaf that do not go together well at all. The overall taste is like that of bad office coffee; uncomfortably warm and bitter in a way that is neither bracing nor pleasing. If your really lucky, that fruit stuff will rear its head again, now all funky and wet tasting, making latter half of the bowl almost nauseating. I kept smoking this stuff for a month, either because I am stubborn, poor, or stupid, but I could only manage to smoke a bowl of it about one day out of the week. By the end, it was tinder-dry. Surprisingly, this was not an improvement.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-10-26		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A very generic VA. Much like cigarette tobacco.

BETTER PICK: MCCLELLAND CHRISTMAS CHEER 05' OR 06

LIGHT FLAKE, DUNHILL- OR GOLDEN SLICES ORLIK

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-05-06		Extremely Mild	Strong	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

I usually really enjoy the Dunhill blends but there are a couple that are beyond awful, and this one is right out there in another galaxy. It produces a unique taste sensation remarkably similar to drinking a glass of grape juice after eating a taco. Hmm. I think that's probably all that can safely be said. This is another blend that will infest your pipe and never let go, so be warned.

**Revision - Six years later, I had the chance to try some of this again. My tastes have shifted a bit towards some Virginias in the meantime, and since I've become accustomed to the Lake District blends, I thought this might make a better impression. Sadly, not the case. Way too flavorful for me in all the wrong ways. An odd thing, too, as I usually liked the pre-Orlick-shift Dunhill tobaccos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-04-03		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Three Year Matured is a nice change of pace. The name suggests a Va mix, but it isn't. When I got it, I was told by a friend that it was a lot like Royal Yacht. Well, it has a topping, and it is a Dunhill blend. That's where the similarity ends.

The topping was very strong in the tin, but while airing the tobacco out, it faded to a more reasonable level.

The tobacco packed and lit well, once it was dried to my liking. The topping was a bit much for me at first, but by the time I was a third of the way through the bowl, this stuff was starting to grow on me.

I let some sit in a bag for a few days and I found it to be a much more enjoyable smoke. The topping had faded to where it no longer dominated.

Aromatic smokers who would like to get a bit more quality in their smoke will like this blend. Straight VA type people need to keep an open mind.

*NOTE: This review is based on a Murray's tin. Since the Orlick takeover, all bets are off. Try it at your own risk. (I have not had much luck with the 'new' Dunhill blends)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-03-06		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Here ends my search for an everyday, go-to Virginia. OK, even the tin descripion indicates that it's not a straight VA, but I'll not quibble about that. What I will do is load this very satifying blend into a small bowled Peterson and enjoy a rich, flavorful smoke. This is a dark, heady VA --- not light and sweet like 5100 but not quite as stout as Royal Yacht (my only other Dunhill regular). Some place the casing as berry-like and the tin description on this very site says "mixed fruit" but I myself can't taste anything fruity about it. Thumbs up to Dunhill/Murray on whatever this casing is, because it is pleasant and unique without overtaking the taste of the tobaccos themselves. Doesn't bite. May be a tad too strong for all day and does get a little unwieldy towards the very bottom of the bowl. For me, it's the perfect VA blend --- one or two bowls a day interspersed with my regular burley blends and flakes. The Murray's version of 3 Year Matured recently replaced Royal Yacht as my preferred tinned VA, and this review is based on the Murray's product. Recent reviews of other Orlik-produced Dunhill products have got me discouraged about my prospects for liking the Orlik version of 3 Year Matured. I'll post that review when I have tried some. Till then, 4 stars for 3 YMV!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-06-13		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

In the tin: This is a mixture of mostly dark strands with just a strand or so of a lighter leaf. The aroma is sweet and generically fruity, but also smells of fermented Virginias.

Packing and Lighting: This packs easily and well and lights up easily and stays lit.

Taste: It may be laced with fruit essences but I don't taste much fruit, just the satisfying sweet/sour note of aged Virginias. Produces nice thick substantial smoke, very little steam as far as I can tell. Consistent throughout the bowl except that towards the end the smoke becomes richer and more flavorful.

For the aromatic smoker this would be something good to try if you're looking for something a little stronger and a little more complex. For Virginia smokers, don't be put off by the idea of flavoring. Flavored it is, but the bulk of the smoking experience is pure matured Virginia.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-22		Very Strong	Very Strong	Very Full	Very Pleasant

Don't think of this as virginia. Don't think of this as an oriental blend. Instead you should think of it as an incredibly strong aromatic.

It is wonderful! I like tobaccos with a strong nicotine kick, but alas, so many of them lack the civility needed to be smoked in public. Those that have impeccable public manners are as limp as overcooked pasta. This is the tobacco to choose if you want something that people around you will like and still satisfy you. When smoking this in a public place without fail someone will come up to me and tell me how wonderful it smells- it does have a magnificent aroma for the non-smoker. And for you, the smoker, you won't have to contend with that question that I get after smoking so many other aromatics: "Did I just smoke something?" No, you'll know that you did, your wobbly knees will speak volumes.

What this blend does have in common with virginias is that to really enjoy it you need to smoke it slowly. While it doesn't bite too badly because of the orientals in it, if you puff too hard you'll lose the remarkable flavor of this blend. Slow smoking will release a constant stream of berry flavor (raspberry/blackcurrant/whatever) into your mouth and into the room around you. It comes very close to tasting like it smells.

I realize that the dedicated Virginia smoker would probably find this far too heavily flavored for his tastes. I realize that the English smoker would find it far too sweet. But for those of us who have a palate that ranges far and wide, this is one tobacco that shouldn't be skipped.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-24		Medium	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Pleasant

Upon opening this tin for the first time I was reminded of the Monty Python skit where the police man goes to the confectioners and complains about the larks vomit . Three Year Matured Virginia would lead on to believe the tobacco to have certain traits . None of which would be the heavy dowsing of fruit aroma . This should definately have a very large label on the front reading "WARNING ! FRUIT FLAVORED!"

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-10-13		Mild to Medium	Strong	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I am new to the world of virginia tobacco. My experience is largely founded by trial and error, and limited to a graduate student?s budget. Being that my focus as a student is on literature, the future does not look better, according to job statistics posted on the math department?s entrance. So exited I was about my recent discovery of Dunhill?s Light Flake, that I ordered three tins of their Mature Virginia. After an initial four days since I clicked on the order, I waited like a sniper for the mailman, and entrenched myself in the bedroom with my required reading of Swann?s Way. The smell upon opening the tin was thick of raspberry! Something like an edible Hallmark Card. It is a dark brown ribbon cut with a few individual blondes hairs if you look hard enough. The tin smell was consistent with the aroma upon the lighting. The flavor was obviously fruity, with the intensity of the flavor varying from mild to medium, and the sweetness of it all was definitely too much for my olfactories. I found the tobacco?s body, in other words its effect on my palate, to be a bit overpowering at times. Perhaps my palate hasn?t callused enough for this blend. The smoothness of this tobacco (the relationship between the body and flavor), is subject to individual taste I suspect, and the fact that Dunhill mass produces this blend must mean that many pipe smokers appreciate it. Nevertheless, the body of this blend was not consistent to me. It possessed the overpowering sweetness of a virginia blend that may have been allowed to ferment too long in its own juices. I suppose I should have researched better before I purchased three tins. My girlfriend walked in on me and claimed the aroma was identical to a shower lotion she uses. On a positive note, the tobacco did smoke better in a MacArthur corncob, though there is something sacrilegious about the act.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (166)	2023-02-26		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My tin date is Oct. 4, 2015. I waited three years to pop the tin, so by then really already a six year matured Virginia. But it sure didn’t taste like it. I mean I age Virginias and blending tobaccos all the time, but maybe these weren’t particularly high grade tobaccos to begin with. Which is maybe why it needed three years to be palatable. Anyway, I never had the original, but this re-release didn’t impress. Jarred and waited another five years – now almost eight years in total. Here’s what I get:

Tin note when first opened was like old weathered hay and some rustic dark oat bread. After sitting in the jar undisturbed for five years the aroma has changed to a distinctive rye and pumpernickel bread. I may have perceived some slight dried apricot when I first tried it, but now I find no trace of the fruity top note that others mention. What I get is rather dry and woody and the red Virginias just don’t seem of a quality sort.

Still warrants two stars, because I reserve one star for blends that are faulty or obviously imbalanced. This is just a thankless chore getting through a bowl when I know I have so many better choices waiting for me in the cupboard. Like regular old Dunhill Flake, even without any aging. But, as they say, you mileage may vary.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (558)	2023-02-07		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note of hay/vegetation, mild citrus and spices. Tobacco is tan, light brown, brown ribbon cut with a little dark brown mixed in. 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 Plum and Citrus. Flavoring is upfront in the 1st 1/4, then moves to the background. Plum fades to nothing at the 1/2-way point, leaving the lemony citrus alone in the background. Taste is mild to medium and mostly consistent, with notes of plum, spice, bread, acidic, rich wood, very earthy, cigarette, leather, floral, dry, herbal, orange peel/zest, slight bitterness, citrus, fermented sour, a lemony grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Virginia is leading with Oriental/Turkish and Flavoring supporting. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is good.

Pipe Used: Peterson Bard Rusticated 221 Fishtail

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Seanv (35)	2019-08-04		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Tin is pretty close to smokeable as soon as opened. I am working off some tins from a few years ago at this point. If I go by the online Dunhill date codes, I have tins from 2014 and 2015.

Dark ribbon cut. Aromas of pure tobacco. The initial plum note is now very faded and almost not noticeable. I can pick up some of the Orientals I think from time to time. The Virginia's smell of old earth.

The iinitial flavours are of grass and tobacco. The Virginia’s are somewhat sweet but have become more earthy. The orientals are present but subdued. The sweetness of the Virginia’s grow as the bowl progresses. The top note of plum is noticeable from time to time but very mild.

Overall this is a good Virginia blend but there are better available. The age that has been added to this tin enhances the earthy qualities of the smoke. The sweetness comes through but it more refined now than in a fresh tin.

I find the body to be medium and the nicotine to be close to medium as well. This burns easily to a fine ash and leaves little moisture behind. I am disappointed that it is gone. I will open 1 tin a year until I am out of stock.

Pipe Used: briars

Age When Smoked: various

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Olivermac (19)	2019-05-07		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I am having a really difficult time understanding why the reviews for this are so mixed. When I first opened a new release tin, it did legitimately seem like a tin of matured Virginia. After those early smokes, I considered it a solid 3 and a quarter stars. I've got quite a lot of these tins due to Dunhill's seemingly inevitable abandonment of it's beloved tobacco line. I mean honestly, I don't even know what else they sell. Maybe some cologne or perfume? Watches? Not sure. Anyway, back to it. Up until searching this product here, I had no idea it was flavored. That's how subtle the application is to my senses. Personally, I've always noticed that my tastes for different tobaccos changes and evolves over time drastically. A lot of tobaccos come and go in my rotation, dispite my want for some to stay amazing to me, they just don't. 3 year however, while not the most awesome tobacco I've smoked ever, has continued to maintain a lofty spot for me and has actually been climbing the ladder lately. That is very rare indeed. The last time I opened slightly lighter appearing Virginia in it and smelled amazing to me. I didn't know it had orientals in it either. Interesting.... Maybe this last time was a little bit on the fresher side. I'm not convinced that aging tinned tobacco always makes it better. I'm experimenting now on that front in an effort to gather more data. I'm staring at a bowl of this great tobacco in my polished, maple pipe right now and I need to get to it, so to sum it up, this is a really good tobacco and you may love it like I do so don't let the haters put you off.

Pipe Used: All manner of cobs and briars

Age When Smoked: Around 6 months?

Purchased From: P&c

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-04-20		Medium	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Couldn't get past the awful flavoring of this one but I wasn't too disappointed with this Dunhill blend. The tin aroma produced a fruity-like essence. I wasn't crazy about the flavor but the strength was fairly respectable. However, the aftertaste is where this one is lacking. I didn't like it & this roll was the aged Murray's version. The flavoring left an oily, intrusive taste on my palate that detracted from the overall smoking experience.

I thought after wasting $$ on a roll of the original Murray's awful tasting stuff, why would I suffer a chance on the newer Mac Baren's mixture? Not a palate pleaser for this piper. Not too awfully bad but certainly not good! However, I can understand why many find this blend to their liking & why many dislike it. I've never suffered another tin nor do I ever intend to. It wasn't a totally pleasing bell ringer type experience that I was anticipating. Not all Dunhill blends befit the name &/or quality... especially this one & a few others. I found a buyer who loved it and unloaded it on him.

Pipe Used: Peterson Deluxe 9S & 11S

Age When Smoked: Aged Murray's Tins

Purchased From: Various Venders... eBay, etc.

Similar Blends: Unique & the taste/flavor turned me off about like the Erinmore Mixture..

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	renwardhoop (177)	2019-01-11		Medium	Mild	Medium	Unnoticeable

Plain virginia blends can be as boring as hell.

This one isn't.

There is an amazing tin scent awaiting the piper as he opens this one. Rich virginia fragrance delicately dashed with oriental leaf - just as the description above says. The cut itself is soft ready rubbed with a few longer strands some of which are hard as nails. The moisture content is just right from the tin and this is the new style; deeper than the older ones. I know not why or what the theory is behind the change (not doubt some smart alec will tell us).

The smoke is rich gentle and flavoursome for a virginia and I think these additions to the blend, subtle as they are, make a difference and as a result this is a worthwhile smoke.

Pipe Used: Briars

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke-King (Greens Leeds)

Similar Blends: SG FVF.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2018-12-16		Medium	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well, I wasn't too dissapointed with this Dunhill blend. The tin aroma produced a fruity-like essence. I wasn't crazy about the flavor but the strength was respectable. However, the aftertaste is where this one is lacking. The flavoring left an oily, intrusive taste on the palate that detracted from the overall smoking experience. Not a palate pleaser for this piper. Not too bad, however & I can understand why many find this blend to their liking & why many dislike it. Doubtful I'll buy another but it wasn't a totally pleasing experience that I was anticipating. Therefore, IMHO, Three Year Matured Virginia only merits two & one half stars but I'll go three.

Pipe Used: Size 2 Stanwell

Age When Smoked: Several Years

Purchased From: eBay

Similar Blends: Nothing else I've sampled.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Skando (203)	2018-06-18		Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

During the last couple of weeks, I have smoked one tin each of these three blends. At the end, I’m pretty torn about which is the correct rating they deserve. And will go for the two stars.

All of them have a beautiful cut and the most correct dampness. All of them smoke cool and I’ve not experienced any biting. All of them need a dose of attention, just because the rushed smoke cause some undistinct or even bitter flavour.

These three virginias form a sort of scale, where Ready Rubbed is the mild-to-medium step, TYMV the medium, YOS the medium-to-strong. RR shows a well behaved fruity character. TYMV shows a milder fruit counterbalanced by a spicy tone. YOS shows a drier and mildly woody/cigarish tone. This latter is the one I prefer over the other couple.

I have never smoked their predecessors, and don’t want to sing the same old song of how Dunhill’s were in the days of yore. In my opinion, today the basic elements are just average quality, sure no boutique baccy. If they were sold at average prices, I would for sure smoke them often, because they are easy and pleasant. But that is not, therefore my choice goes elsewhere (Gawiths, just to make one name).

Will the production of Dunhill’s tobaccos cease ? I don’t see what’s to mourn about, but the memory of my smoker’s youth.

Pipe Used: Castello's

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: local tobacconist

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lazarus77 (91)	2016-10-13		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not bad tobacco, burns well,smokes well, if puffing to fast some tongue bite may appear. Leaving some moisture in the bowl. Worth to try it, but not to buy again, it's a lot better alternatives around

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smoke-King.co.uk

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kamerling (28)	2016-09-05		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

I could describe it by one word: soar. Soar as hell. That was a torment, worst Dunhill tobacco as far. Smoking it slowly and carefully you will get sometimes a menthol taste instead, but not for long - even then it will remind how sour it is. Three Year Matured Viriginia is very pretentious - somekind mix of Royal Yacht with Saint Claude (cheapest and awful french pipe tobacco). I will never try it again.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crazy owl (74)	2016-06-27		Medium	Strong	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

Don´t waste your money in this trash.In the old times Dunhill made really good aromatics,though for a non aro-lover like this humble reviewer.But the point is that this a perfumated trash,of course IMHO.By the way the theory that asserts that meerschaums aren´t prey of undesirable ghost becomes absolutelly false with this grizzly blend.

Pipe Used: meers and briars

Age When Smoked: current production

Purchased From: local tobacconist

Similar Blends: Mac Baren stuff.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2015-12-05		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is far from the OTC brands that almost everyone has tried at one time or another. There are actual tobacco plants that died in the making of this blend. The flavoring is used sparingly as to not overwhelm the quality components of this blend. As others have said, this would be a very good replacement for those smoking Captain Black or some other concoction that is more chemical than tobacco. You will still get compliments on the room note and this one will not clog up your pipes nearly as bad. All in all, a very well rounded blend that will be sure to please almost any palate. Recommended.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-12-21		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Well, I wasn't too dissapointed with this Dunhill blend. The tin aroma produced a fruity-like essence. I loved the flavor and the strength was respectable. However, the aftertaste is where this one is lacking. The flavoring left an oily, intrusive taste on the palate that detracted from the overall smoking experience.

Not too bad, however & I can understand why many find this blend to their liking. Doubtful I'll buy another but it was a fairly pleasing experience. Therefore, IMHO, Three Year Matured merits three stars.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-10-09		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A good friend recently purchased a tin of Three Year Mature from the Lane era for me. I was excited to dig into this blend, as it is my first Dunhill blend I've ever smoked. I was also apprehensive upon reading the reviews of this tobacco. I enjoyed this tobacco and would purchase it if available. It reminded me of Peterson's Sherlock Holmes, except the Dunhill was a much more refined and quality product. Although there is a berry flavor to the smoke, I found it enhanced the wonderful flavor of the underlying Virginia. This is truly a quality product when compared to other blends of its genre. I understand that this tobacco may not be enjoyed by everyone, but I was pleased with the smoking experience. The quality of the tobacco is apparent, and as a new comer to Dunhill, I guess that explains the hype surrounding the brand. Overall, a great experience. I'm looking forward to digging into some newly ordered 965 and EMP when my shipment arrives.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-07-24		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A strange cookie.

The Murray produced tin displayed a strong casing aroma.

Beautiful dark broken flakes.

The taste was rather overwhelming, in a negative sense. Too much casing and not enough tobacco taste, I would suppose.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-12-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I don't understand why this gets bashed. It's a nice, aromatic Virgina that smokes cool, doesn't bite and smells wonderful.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

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

Berry good! Not what I think of when I hear the words "matured Virginia." This has a very nice scent in the tin, but does not cloy when smoked. My kind of aromatic. Pipestud wanted to eat it with a spoon, and the smell does remind me of some kind of berry sauce used to top ice cream or pancakes. This becomes only a hint of topping as the tobacco is smoked, however. I would buy it again for this, though there are many other tobaccos I would buy in larger amounts.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	newmission (14)	2009-06-08		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant

Found an old tin a few months ago in a strip mall tobacco shop. It was amazing and full of flavor. Due to my excitment I did smoke the first couple bowls a little too quick. Had to set it down for a couple days to give my mouth a rest. The rest of the tin was wonderful and full of flavor. I compare it too fusion Jazz, Tribal Tech to be exact. The base is there but there are hints of Rock and Blues. This blend has the straight Virginia power but has overtones of nutty and oak'y flavor. Since then I purchased the last two "OLD" tins, dust and all and am going to sit on them for a couple years. Some days I have the urge to pop one of the seals. But, for now, I will keep them aging for a special occasion.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Papillon6 (24)	2008-07-13		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This blend starts out as a rather harsh basically virginia blend that is then aged about three years. It's not an unpleasant blend but it takes some getting used to. It's better then Dunhill's royal yaht by far. It's somewhat strong but mild's out with time like most Dunhill blends, a fresh opened tin bite knock the socks off your tastebuds in a bad way but one that's been opened a few times and allowed to air out will provide a nice long satisfying smoke. This is one the first Dunhill blends I ever tried, and after having a bad experience with Royal Yaht this was definately a move upwards. It has a nutty almost smoky flavour that comes through noticable the whole way down. I do recommend it but take your time deciding if it's for you or not...

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-12-08		Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It should be put to flame, just not in a pipe. Tinned for decades, so it must have a following. Longevity is not compelling enough for me in this case. Not terrible, just boring.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-02-02		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Not very fond of this one at all. I've had far worse, but thankfully, I have had far better.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Captain Pete (83)	2006-10-15		Mild	Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

I think Philo pretty much nailed it. Nicely cased with a rather pleasant tin aroma (once it's aired off a little), but just not enough going for it in the flavor department to make it a worthwhile smoke for me. And I was really hoping for the taste of Frankenberries.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Philo Beddoe (221)	2006-10-14		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

After reading the previous reviews I was expecting casings or even an awful stench, but I was not expecting plain and boring. This Virginia was boring in every way, I cannot say it was unpleasant to smoke, just one-dimensional.

I opened the tin and smelled rich figs and some berry as well, I was thinking the worst, but as I started puffing I tasted no casings at all, but it was clear, that this was a very middle-of the road tobacco. There are too many other Virginias out there to ever visit this again.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-09-16		Extremely Strong	Very Strong	Overwhelming	Pleasant to Tolerable

The best way to describe this tobacco, in one word, is Beurk. Too bad, the smell is very nice, sweet and very present, the flakes are nice and dark, but I did not smoke more than one third of a bowl and then my mouth, tongue and stomach were screaming for mercy.

Really, my tastebuds are not compatible with that blend. If you like really strong tobacco,and want something flavored, then Three Year Matured VA is for you. But it's not for me.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	huffnpuff (53)	2006-04-18		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

PROS: There is a good amount of virginia,has some aromatic smell,lights good and packs good.It is Dunhill

CONS: The oriental leaf throughs off the virginia. better if not aromatic. wife hates it.I dont care for it.smells like rotten fruit with tomato paste.

I am glad I bought just an ounce I was hoping for a good straight VA blend instead I got a aromatic with dumpster fruit

nuff said.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2006-03-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant

The smell I percieved upon opening my tin totally surprised me. I thought I knew what to expect with a Dunhill tobacco, silly me. Going past the funny fruity flavour, you find a really fine cut tobacco, finer than the cut I'm used to with Dunhill, which makes easy to pack and light and contributes to keep an even burning. The taste is something in between St.Bruno and Erinmore, a little more like Erinmore but unobtrusive, you can clearly taste good quality Virginia leaf. I usually don't smoke aromatics, but this one is good (if you can call it aromatic): not biting at all, not wet, never hot. A fine change of pace for me or a fine all-day smoke for aromatic-smokers who wants to taste real tobacco sometimes.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-10-30		Very Mild	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Had Dunhill built the Edsel, this tobacco would have been their second largest flop. I am very pleased that this was not my first foray into Virginia tobaccos, otherwise it would be difficult, make that nearly impossible, to get me to try another.

I am a fan of Dunhill tobaccos and as such I really wanted to like this stuff. I kept putting the tin away for longer and longer periods of time in hopes that something would happen, it never did.

Rather than spend your hard earned cash on this, cut the grass and load your pipe with the clippings.

Update: I tried this tobacco originally in '02' and had a chance to pick up another tin just a few months ago at what I thought to be a good price. I had hopes that if treated a bit differently it may be a good tobacco. Turns out that there is not a good price for bad tobacco. I can't get this weed to behave no matter what I do.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-09-17		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Notes: I have tried various vintages. In the 1960's (blender: Dunhill), the flavor was superior, but the cut was so stringy it burned unbearbly hot. In the 1990's (blender: Murray's), the flavor was mediocre, but the thicker ribbon cut allowed to burn rather more cool. I found it best in a churchwarden or a tall, thin Danish chimney.

Appearance: A fully rubbed out ribbon, varied thickness depending on the vintage and maker. The color is light tan/green to darker medium brown in mixed proportions.

Aroma: An enticing raspberry/boysenberry topping is prevalent, black cherry, mild hints of frankincense, benzoin, allspice, smoke.

Taste: Of course, there is this berry-flavored topping to deal with, but it is relatively mild, if you can accept its presence. Citrus and berry toppings don't come along too often, so they are a bit disorienting, but if you can accept Royal Yacht, you can deal with this one, too. The berry flavor helps to accentuate the sweetness of the virginias in this blend, and it becomes much less prevalent as the tobacco ages for a few years. Underneath, a decent virginia-oriental mixture. Incense stick, walnuts. The latest iteration is rather dilute in its flavor profile, a bit smoky at times, but for the most part extremely subdued. If you don't pay attention to it, you would say: "It's not good or bad; it's just... there." If you take your time, it is a bit more rewarding. Can certainly burn the tongue if you don't take care.

Comparisons: Not nearly the flavor of the old blend. The bookish, invalid brother of Royal Yacht. The same topping as Dunhill's My Mixture No. 36609, but instead of a rich dark flake, this has a milder oriental-light virginia blend underneath.

Bottom Line: The acme of English-aromatic crossover flavor. For those who find Royal Yacht too strong, but want a mild virginia blend with a berry flavor, this could be ideal. Watch out for tongue bite, though!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-09-17		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have to say this tobac. tastes a bit harsh to me. It has good flavor and plenty of punch, but pales in comparison to Dunhills' Light Flake. Once again due to the fine cut relative dryness can be an issue. It can go from too wet to too dry in a very short time. When it is in the "zone" it smokes well and has a decent flavor. When it is a little damp or too dry it is closer to a two-star tobac.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SopwithCamel (255)	2005-06-15		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I was unduly harsh with this blend the first time I tried it. By the name, I expected a straight Virginia blend. It isn't a bad aromatic, but the folks at Dunhill really should name it something else! It has a pretty good nicotine punch, so if you are sensitive to Old Nick, go slowly. I wholeheartedly agree with Tantric's description of it as a "bold change of pace".

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-04		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I must say that Dunhill threw me a curve ball with this one. I was expecting something so much different. I was shocked by the berry blast that permiated the tin. I love both Dunhill pipes and their tobaccos but, the marketing is really misleading with this line. The name suggests a fine VA with well aged to a level of perfection, so typical of the Dunhill name....but the reality is much different. I must say at first that I'm not really a fan of aromatics or anything heavily cased, yet this blend didn't really yeild an air of disgust. For some reason I found myself unable to make up my mind about this one. It burns well and doesn't bite. The flavor is not nausiating like some aromatics can be. I guess that the best way to put is just as the Recommendation states: "Might try it again, but will not keep it on hand."

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-10-28		Mild	Medium	Mild	Pleasant

A friend of mine gave me a tin of this because he did not care for it. I brought it home and set it on my tobacco shelf in my den and forgot about it for a couple of weeks. One day I was in the mood for a different tobacco and thought that I would give this a try. I was very surprised by this tobacco. Very easy to light and very pleasant to smoke. A nice fruity taste (that I normally don't care for) and a wonderful room note. I felt that it went very well with coffee and Starbucks Frappuccino. So I decided to buy a bulk bag of this at Cup'o Joes and thought it would make a nice fall-winter tobacco. Well, when I recieved the 16 oz bag, I was very dissapointed! The flavor and aroma were very much stronger than the tin that I had previously smoked. I am going to attempt to dry this out a little and see how it goes.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-24		Medium to Strong	Medium	Mild to Medium	Very Strong

This tobacco used to be one of my favourites until it was discontinued in the UK during the ninteen seventys .Recenty,with a tobacco order from the USA I purchaced two 50g tins. What a let down.This tobacco is more of an aromatic than the great virginia remembered of years gone by I like to smoke an aromatic sometimes for a change of pace but did not like the taste of this.And the aroma!.When I smoked TYM in the pub I got a lot of comments which were not in its favour If you like natural va tobacco this one is not for you.My big regret is that I bought two tins of the stuff

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jaybee (77)	2004-07-29		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

An interesting aromatic of high quality. The fruit topping tastes and smells great. My only reservation is that the flavoring tastes kind of strange with the orientals weaving in and out of the taste.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-05-31		Medium to Strong	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I have been reluctant to review this blend, but since I just opened a tin I figure, why not? I have smoked it on occasion over the past couple of years. You know, one tin now, another six months later. In the past couple of years I have smoked my share of Virginias. So I think that I can now provide some worthwhile comments about this unusual tobacco. To begin, the tin aroma is strong of mixed fruit. The ribbon cut makes this about the easiest to pack, light, and smoke to the bottom of all the Virginias I know. The first taste is a bit fruity. It quickly changes to a smooth Virginia tobacco flavor. Aged with rich taste and a nicotin kick. It is not my favorite Virginia, but it is far from the bottom of my list. It's a nice change of pace from the English and Balkan blends I usually smoke. I can purchase Three Year Matured locally at a very attractive price. This is a blend that goes very well with a hearty brew. I do not think of TYM as an aromatic, but certainly there is a topping. So when I put it all together, not at all bad.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pounder 5000 (178)	2004-05-18		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

In a blind taste test I never would have guessed Dunhill! I find it helps to think of this as a strawberry flavored aromatic. That said this is indeed the same high quality that I have found in all Dunhill blends. The Va's are indeed there but don't seem particularly matured. It brings to mind Cairo by Pease, although I like this blend better. The casing is pleasant, but overall I find this blend a bit boring. I will finish the tin over the summertime easily enough, but probably won't buy more.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-10-20		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Dunhill's Three Year Virginia is kind of a disappointment to me. THis is billed as an aromatic, and I guess to several reviewers it is, but not so to me. I had smoked about half a tin before reading the reviews here and had not picked up on it's aroma standing. Now, I can just perceive it as such now that I know.

The orientals do not sit well with me. They seem to give a bite to the blend w/o adding a lot of spiciness. This blend just seems harsh from the get-go.

Good thing that there are a lot of other Dunhill blends out there that turn my crank.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-09-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild	Pleasant

I have been smoking this tobacco for about a week now, I heard and read a lot of negativity about this and had to try it.

I sort of like the tobacco as it is not all that strong.

Being a connoisseur of the aromatic tobaccos I never did get any fruity aroma from the tobacco in the tin or while smoking it. Most likely not enough for me to sense if there were.

I have never been a big fan of the English Tobaccos but this one tastes and smokes very well, no tongue bit, no harshness just the flavor of the Virginia tobaccos.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-07-06		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

This is another of the love/hate smokes that abound the world of the pipe. And yet again one of my all time favorites! I am not big on aromatics because of the lack of substance, But this one is IMO one of the dual purpose ones. It meets me nned for a kick and my wife LOVES the smell of the stuff. The tin is fruity smelling and I concur the blackcurrant scent. The taste is pure tobacco with a fair punch of good old nic. It burns clean and light ash to the heel and can be smoked all day if one chooses. It has not bit me yet even when smoked a a good pace but bite does seem to be possible if you try.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-13		Mild	Extra Strong	Mild	Tolerable to Strong

Dissapointment plus! Rather than going the way of a type of fruit in the description of this tobacco I'd prefer to go the way of perfumes. 3 year matured was to be a high point in my smoking career. the idea of a Dunhill pure matured virginia sent me into realms of fantasy only Tolkien could have devised. This made the let down so much greater. Immediately upon opening I knew something was wrong. Had my wife secretly emptied a full bottle of OPIUM scent into round flat tin? NO she wouldn't have, and there was that wonderful characteristic whhup as the air enters the tin for the first time. Poisonous stuff me thinks. My mouth was charred. My heart saddened as I tipped 25gms intot he flower bed! Expensive fertilizer.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-12-15		Mild	Mild	Mild	Very Pleasant

This blend is not as bad as I have been lead to believe. It definitely has a fruit flavoring which to me is Raspberry. If it is smoked moist, the flavoring is all that I taste. I can take enough out of the tin for a bowlfull. I let this completely dry out until it is bone dry. I then pack a Meerschaum (I would not smoke this in a briar), and rehydrate it by blowing through the bowl until it has the proper moisture. Now I can taste the underlying tobacco with just a hint of the Raspberry. Yet, the room aroma leans towards the Raspberry. The base tobacco is quality, and probably would have been best left alone. For 35 years, when smoking a new blend, I ask my wife what it smells like. The answer is almost always "pipe tobacco". This time it was "fruit". After a heavy meal, smoking this without letting it dry out is like having dessert. The tobacco has a lot less calories than a Raspberry Tart. While this will not be a regular for me, it sure beats goopy aromatics and would be a step up for smokers of those blends.

Update. After a few more bowls, I think that the flavor is more like Black Currant than Raspberry.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-09-29		Very Strong	Medium	Very Full	Pleasant

Okay, my current production tin is two years old and as I popped it I was greeted by a strong whiff of the topping. I know exactly what it is -- it's blackcurrant! I loved it in French soap, but was bitterly disappointed by the Twinings Blackcurrant Tea which I found too cloying. I might revisit that, since I haven't tried it with honey, which makes a world of difference. But this is neither here nor there.

The tobacco was delightfully fresh; the moisture was just right, and the dark shreds of leaf were streaked with sugar crystals. I was able to scrape my first 2/3 bowlful from what had adhered to the paper disc without difficulty and pack it into the smooth Stanwell billiard I'd chosen for it. The charring light gave me the impression that the topping had indeed been increased a hundredfold from the original version, but was nevertheless essentialy the same blend. I also had the impression it would more closely resemble my 40-year old sample if it were dried out for some years and then rehydrated (which is what happened to my old sample). The main difference, I find, is that this current stuff is strong -- not the flavor, but the nicotine hit. By the time the top was charred and I was reaching for my tamper, the garage was starting to sway a little. Upon relighting, I decided that breath smoking was the way to go. From then on, it was much the same as the old stuff. I did notice that the sugar crystals gave the smoke a certain quality that I've only encountered with similarly aged C&D Blockade Runner, a sweet, musty, silky smoothness that brings on a temptation to puff harder and more often. But giving in to this is inviting tongue bite and a hot, wet smoke and as it was, the tobacco burned to a very clean, dry white ash.

In short, I was a bit disconcerted and apprehensive about the apparent heavy-handedness with the topping. But once I settled into the main smoke, I found it a faithful successor to the original. I wouldn't have either the original or the new production as an everyday or all-day smoke, but it is a great change of pace smoke, very pleasant. Too bad winter is just about gone, this would be great on frosty nights with a nice steaming mug of Darjeeling tea or apple cider.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-09-14		Mild	Strong	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Fruit Loops in a can. In fact, the only differences between Three Year Matured Virginia and that beloved Kellogg's cereal are: A) Three Year Matured Virginia burns slightly better than Fruit Loops, and B) Fruit Loops are less dishonestly named. (Seriously, what kind of drugs were the Dunhill folks on when they dreamed up this blend? "Matured" is in particular a misnomer: here's a pipe tobacco for the kid in all of us!)

The Virginia component is, I imagine, of good quality, but for the life of me I can't taste it beneath all the fruity toppings. This might be a good step up for the piper who's accustomed to those godawful "cherry cordial" drugstore blends. Other beware.

That much said, I will freely admit this _is_ a fun tobacco to fire up now and then in a corncob, when I feel like smoking a bowl of Frankenberries.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-09-01		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend is interesting because it is so uninteresting. My tin was about two years old when I first opened it, and maybe that was why I did not experience the fruit overload of previous reviewers. Some light raspberry flavor in the tin, very little in the smoke flavor. It wasn't a sweet raspberry. The real lack here is flavor of any kind. It is just smoky, somewhat ashy, as if all flavor had just been sucked out of the leaf. Cut in a cigarette shag format, it might be something a roll your own cigarette person would like, because though it isn't great, it is still a few steps above ciggies. Yawn! Another blend to add to the "trade for anything else" box.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2002-08-09		Mild	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Perhaps I am getting it all wrong, but to me this one is a close cousin of Peterson?s Sherlock Holmes, except that the latter has a dryer, more watery taste. TYM is certainly a Virginian tobacco but different in essence or spirit. It smells sweeter than most Virginias, yet the aroma does not entirely reflect in the taste. A slow burning product, it is very easy to pack and keep lit. I have tried this a number of times in the last year. I am not a fan of this blend but for some odd reason I keep going back to it. It may be because it is not a ?distracting? blend in the sense you can be smoking it whilst strumming a guitar or leafing thru a magazine without paying much attention to your pipe.

I think the great Eulenburg has nailed it when he refers to this tobacco as "cavendished à l' Anglaise", with a note of elderberries. It is a very subtle and mild smoke (quite surprising for a Dunhill), perhaps redesigned so to meet the flavouring demands/expectations of a would be new generation of pipe smokers?-something which seems apparent with all these new Dunhills in a rectangular tin: Aromatic, Mild and Ready Rubbed. I guess that many of us are used to Dunhill tobaccos as the equivalent of grand symphonies and concertos, and all of a sudden we are presented with these rather insubstantial impromptus that are closer to the Carpenters than to the more structured Brahms or Beethoven. Non the less, I would recommend it for someone new to the pipe smoking experience, or else as a bold change of pace within the Virginia smoking range.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (305)	2002-07-30		Mild	Strong	Medium	Pleasant

As the outdoor temperature in the Northeast climbed above 90F again, I continued my quest for an enjoyable aromatic. Figured a Dunhill blend would be a good bet but was wrong again. The luscious, fruity tin aroma of the dark brown ribbon cut disappeared after the initial light. Fearing I'd infect my pipes with a foul taste as has occured with other aromatics, I initially dedicated only one to these trials. From the start, I didn't taste the sweetness and with each bowlful, it became more bitter and exceptionally dry. However it was cool and without bite. To salvage the tin, I tried different pipes with better results, smoking only once in each before cleaning. The fruity taste lasted longer but still didn't result in a great smoke. Perhaps an avid aromatic fan would enjoy this blend, but not me. If anything, this tobacco made me appreciate some of the better aromatic blends from CAO/Dan, Germain and MacBaren even more.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-12-04		Mild	Strong	Mild	Tolerable

It is an insult to call this tobacco. This could be the worse blend I have ever tried in 10 years of pipe smoking. I have run out of tobacco and smoked drugstore blends that are better. I am usually a fan of Dunhill blends, but this is not good. Dunhill promotes it as a 3-year mature tobacco, but I think it was fermented a little to long. Mature is not the word, geriatric maybe. It is very sweet and fruity. The taste is not only bad, but it never goes away. I have cleaned my Stanwell 3 times and I can still taste it. People who peddle kiddy porn should be forced to smoke this blend for the rest of their lives. Avoid.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-03-16		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Strong

I consider myself to love all VA tobacs. However, this one I can't stand. It has a dry awful taste. It burns my throat, and I can't wait for it to end. I can't even finish the bowl.

Nobody has rated this review yet.