Aros

[Segovia]

When I recently went through my tobacco collection, I came across a couple of McClelland aromatics that I had forgotten all about, Town Topic and Holiday Spirit. Both were from 2014 and each had been opened and just sealed with the plastic lid for the 50g tin.

Against all odds, each was at a perfect moisture level after all these years and still had plenty of maple on the one hand and dark rum/pecan/cocoa on the other. But they were also still really good smokes because the underlying tobacco was the high quality that McClelland insisted on. So much for "aros don't age well" internet wisdom. If you have any of the McClelland aros around, you are in for good times.

I don't generally like aros, too many taste artificial and are masking crap tobacco. But I am also good with the various W.Ø. Larsen blends and some of the Solanis, less good with Mac Baren and Dan.

As what I consider a different category, there are flavored blends that are also first class. Samuel Gawith Firedance Flake and Gawith Hoggarth Top Cherry are both excellent assuming that you like the taste of blackberry and black cherry, respectively, but are not what I would call true aros.

Anyone else find aros interesting from time to time?

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

I enjoy an occasional aromatic here and there, but much like you, some I can smoke and others I can't.

Most recent I have been enjoying Rattray's Exotic Orange and Solani Mango Flake. E. Orange is a German/Danish aro all the way, with subtantial flavor for the style and a nice aroma. Mango Flake is more in the realm of Sam Gawith Firedance in the sense that it smokes more like a lightly topped quality Virginia and it's not goopy.

I agree that Top Black Cherry is probably the best cherry flavored Black Cavendish aromatic available.

Wilke 191 is very good, as is Country Squire's Parson's Blend.

I am sure there are others that I have enjoyed from time to time, but typically I smoke natural tobaccos and several Lakeland made products.

Most American style aromatics may smell nice, but are too mild for my tastes, drug store burley blends included..

 

[Brewdude]

I'm not much for aros but BH posted a pretty good thread on aros that were worth considering-

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t31593-the-great-best-of-the-best-of-the-best-aromatic-project


Cheers,

RR

 

[Corncobcon]

I don't lean too much towards the aros, but I do like Mc Lintock's black cherry once and a while. Holger-Danske Original Orange ain't too bad either.

 

[Brunello]

I'm not sure, but pipers like Segovia and DrumsAndBeer and myself, who take the hobby seriously (compared to the casual OTC smoker) and also enjoy the occasional aro, may be in the minority. I've always had a feeling there is an unspoken thought in the piping community that beginners start with aros and then outgrow them when they learn what real tobacco is.

From the beginning, I always enjoyed variety, and the 80's my rotation was between three very contrasted tobaccos: Royal Yacht, Balkan Sobranie (white), and Borkum Riff. Just like with food, I may crave something salty, something sweet, something savory.

But, the food analogy only goes so far. I love fresh strawberries and cherries, yet despise anything that even hints at berry flavors in my tobacco. I popped a 6-year old tin of Firedance and found that it tasted like blackberry jam on burnt toast, and I haven't had the gumption to try it again. Conversely, I'm not wild about fresh plums, but really enjoy that flavor in my tobacco! And don't get me started on rum, I love my Rummy and Yummy Black Frigate!

So, I'm hoping somebody here has some insight as to why food flavors that I like do not translate to smoking enjoyment. Maybe tobacco is more like wine than food? I don't think I could stomach a strawberry wine either! :face:

 

[Blackhorse]

In my elder years I have come to appreciate a good aro much as I appreciate a good VA, etc. Good is good.

For me...no to cherry in general. Just sumthin about it that makes me a little queasy.

My current go-to’s are Rivendell (all that is good in an aro) and Gawith Firedance (Raspberry Creme in an otherwise excellent flake).

Have fun you guys.

 

[Brunello]

As Segovia said in the beginning: "assuming you like those favors." The search for a good aromatic should take into account flavors that one is inclined to like. Since I know I don't care for cherry flavor in my baccy it would be a thankless task for me to evaluate the 10 top-rated cherry blends just to see if maybe one of them was halfway decent. I'd also probably hesitate to try a banana pudding baccy.

Like with food, if you know you are not wild about oysters be weary of somebody who tries to sell you with this idea: "You haven't tried oysters until you've tried these, the best you'll find anywhere .... genuine Rocky Mountain Oysters!" :face:

 

[D.L.Ruth]

I'm kind of half and half between aros and non-aros. Like Blackhorse, Rivendell is one of my go-to aros, I also enjoy Second Breakfast and just picked up two new Country Squire aros (Tres Leches and By The Fire) so will be trying those out.

I usually smoke non aromatics in the morning on the way to work and aromatics on the way home.

 

[ftrplt]

I fully admit that early in my piping years, aros were a big deal (Middleton's Cherry Blend, John Rolfe's Peach, plus many others!) 'cause all the girls loved the aroma I soon outgrew aros. To this day, I only enjoy on occasion Bob's Chocolate Flake and The Mayor's Chocolate Flake. Only smoked in my cobs, cherrywoods, maplewoods, etc. FWIW :cheers: FTRPLT

 

[Segovia]

Interesting responses guys. It sounds like most here will smoke an aro now and then on a selective basis. That's where I'm at and have been for a while.

But as was mentioned, it is (or at least was) very common for somebody to start out with an aro mainly because they always sound like a good idea. That doesn't generally last too long, especially for someone who is trying to move away from cigarettes which is just not going to work.

 

[Brunello]

Maintaining a 4th of July tradition with me: Peter Stokkebye Heather Honey in a 40-year old King Cob.  Back in the 80s I used to occasionally enjoy a Niemeyer blend called Scottish Heather. In the 90s this PS blend, now long discontinued, was the closest thing I could find. I do like honey or nut tones in aros, and have even made my own blend called Honey Nut. Anyway, I trot this big cob out once a year just for this blend. 90 degrees out so keeping some ice cold water handy for hydration. Hope you all have a good 4th!