Lot of people mix 5 bros. with Sir Walter Raleigh to bump up the nicotine content without changing the base flavor.
@gorgo2 Since you really like Lane Limited's V.I.P., you might want to have a look at this thread: https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/what-are-lakeland-blends.37771/ You may be interested in the 'floral' aspects of the 'scented' blends of England. (Yeah, they are English Aromatics, but of a much different style than most American tastes prefer). Edit: Americans prefer sweet tobaccos, according to Russ Oulette. I rather like V.I.P. myself, now that it's aired out and aged a bit. The Granny's perfume note that was so off-putting has faded to a background murmur, and the rest of the blend is rather tasty in a very old fashioned sort of way. It's really too bad it isn't available anymore.
The review I wrote on the match version at the tobacco review site, I stand by it. The match is quite good on its own but it's nowhere close. I wouldn't know what Birch taste like but the closest my brain connects it to is sassafras. Will definitely look into Lakeland.
Morning mix...the leftovers of 1-Q, Autumn Evening, and a little Villiger jamaican thrown in. A little muddy and indistinct? Yes. Still tastes and smells good? Yep.
Birch is very resiny/smokey. It's what gives Russian leather it's distinctive scent. I have some dubl duck Russian leather strop dressing, and it has a fair amount of birch tar oil in it.
Definitely wouldn't think birch then, unless my can has aged SO much it no longer resembles what VIP originally was. Do you get birch from it?
No. Not as many sort of primary flavor or note. Aromatics don't tend to age well. Captain Black Royal being one of the few exceptions. I don't know exactly what I taste from V.I.P., except that it's tasty.
Someone else just asked about it a couple days ago on Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/PipeTobacco/s/mBQ0H2m7rl I haven't tried Royal Yacht myself, but I've been less than impressed by the other four Peterson blends I've tried.
HH Dark Fired is... interesting. Not quite the flavor powerhouse I was expecting. There's a smokey richness to it that deepens as you get further into the bowl. It's pretty punchy on the nicotine as well. Definitely an after dinner smoke. I can see it as an additive to other blends moreso than a stand alone smoke.
Speaking of adding Dark Fired to other blends, I decided to try Country Gentleman by Missouri Meerschaum. another Russ Oulette blend, this one pairs Virginias with a touch of Perique. The blend is finished off with a light addition of Kentucky Dark Fired Burley. It's cased with a sweetener and comes in an unsealed pouch. Someone described this as a good introduction to VaPer blends for the newbie, but would be considered boring and 'light' by those at the other end of the Virginia/Perique spectrum. The Virgina is front and center on this blend, with only the occasional touch of Perique. The overall taste is sweet with a hint of vanilla. The Dark Fired Burley doesn't start poking through the sweetness until mid-bowl, giving the blend a cigar-like undertone. The nicotine hit is above average. This could be an all-day smoke for some. This would be considered an American English blend, a traditional English style tobacco cased with an aromatic, though the aromatic in question here is likely just sugar water. Room note is subtle, tolerable, not offensive, but won't draw admiring remarks.
I really enjoy CB Dark and have been adding it to tobaccos where I think they should complement one another. With VIP, it moderates the "birch" and is sublime. With Gray Ghost, it smacks down and smooths out the deep, bold cigarness and makes a great smoke. Next up is with the Sugar Barrel match, which alone is so good it's already on my Keep On Hand list. After that, Five Brothers (that should be really interesting).
The fourth pipe down in the top picture looks like an old Charatan second. I say second, because it looks like maybe a small putty fill toward the top back of the bowl, and may have sold as a store brand. How long have you had that pipe? I have one like it that is definitely a Charatan second, mine also has a putty fill. I paid about $17 for it in 1978, as a “counter top” pipe, and have been offered several hundred for it from an experienced tobacconist. As my first real quality pipe, I wouldn’t part with it. I’ve posted pics of it before, but will do again soon.
It does have fills, a few of them do. It came in the lot I picked up a few months back with several that say only Made in England. How'd it go?
I’m generally not a fan of the Peterson blends. Maybe I just haven’t hit on the right one yet. Royal Yacht was an old Dunhill blend picked up by Peterson. Supposedly it has a plum topping, so that would not be attractive to me, as I generally prefer Virginia’s and some Vapers.
With the kidney stone? Never passed it, had to have surgery, and doc sliced it up with a laser. Had a stent for a while that caused some discomfort, but that is out now, so feeling much better! Not a two weeks I prefer to repeat! Putty fills generally don’t affect how a pipe smokes, unless they’re really large and deep. Then there is a risk of a bowl cracking. I’ve seen that happen before. Since that pipe was made in England, it is almost certainly a Charatan. Charatan isn’t around anymore, and therefore some people like to collect them. Try running a regular size pipe cleaner into the stem, and see if it passes all the way into the bowl. Well made pipes will do that, and would likely absolutely confirm it was made by Charatan.
I don't care for Royal Yacht but I know I need to give it a few fair tries, spaced out. Sweet Killarney, I like. Sunset Breeze is tasty for about a minute, then nothing special. Nightcap is good, Standard Mixture is fairly likeable. Have other Petersons I've not cracked yet. My dad loves C&D Founding Fathers, and it ain't bad. He's also digging Crooner.
Love the Charatan seconds Canadian family pipes. Does the second one going clockwise have a round or oval shank?
