Anyone know of a good Vanilla Aromatic pipe tobacco? I'm looking for something that's not too sweet, but just has some nice vanilla notes.
[Reply]

Peter Stokkebye Luxury Twist Flake
[Reply]

Stanwell Vanilla is probably the best vanilla flavored pipe tobacco I have had in twenty years of pipe smoking. It's readily available and inexpensive.
[Reply]

Dan Sweet Vanilla Honeydew is the only vanilla I really enjoy.
[Reply]

Boswells best, boswells Christmas cookie, peter stokkeby sweet vanilla all are great vanilla blends (imho)
[Reply]

Something to consider as you look at these answers, "what is the palate of each respondent like? & What is your palate like?"

For example, I am not normally an aromatic smoker. I have run the full cycle. Yes, there are some who have postulated a theory that pipe smokers mature in their tastes for tobacco in a particular manner - I sort of agree with it, but burley & oriental blends never came into my world. The theory is based upon the idea that we go from bold, in-your-face flavors (often added to tobacco above simple aging or pressings, like in aromatics and Latakia) to more subtle and natural flavors, enjoying the complexities of pure tobacco. Kind of like going from flavored cigars and maturing into straight long-filler cigars.

In my 30+ years I followed the general path. I began smoking only aromatics, moved into Latakia (English blends) almost exclusively, and have settled now into Virginias & VaPers. I occasionally smoke a blend with Latakia, but rarely. And upon occasion I like an aromatic. Not a fan or oriental blends or burley blends, do not even have any in my cellar.

There are smokers who smoke only aromatics, and their idea of a good aromatic I find cloying and simply disgusting. I do not begrudge them enjoying what they like, but I cannot bring myself to put such blends in my pipe. Of course, they would never be caught dead with a straight Virginia either, they cannot find any taste to it.

Where is your tobacco taste wheelhouse? Then, consider the suggestions made here - what is the wheelhouse of everybody who has responded?

When you know the answer to those questions, you will be better helped to figure out whose vanilla suggestions are up your alley.

So, in my case, I pretty much smoke only Virginias and VaPers. When I do pull out an aromatic, I do not like them covered in PG, but with a light topnote. My favorite aromatics are done primarily by Cornell and Diehl because they do not use any PG, they use quality tobacco, and their topnotes are very lightly done. I have not had any of their "vanilla" blends as that wasn't something that normally enticed me. The only aromatic I smoke any more is Two Friends Celtic Mist.

(C&D has a Vanilla Cavendish & Green River Vanilla are couple I remember - but if you call them, they'd give you a better idea)

However, I did enjoy Sweet Vanilla Honeydew up till a few years ago. And, I found it most enjoyable mixed 50/50 with McClelland 5100.

So, knowing this, maybe my suggestion for a Vanilla blend isn't worth the bandwidth space it took to write that suggestion.
[Reply]

Todd - thanks very much taking the time to type all that up. It really helps me wrap my head around what I'm looking for better.

I also never considered mixing a vanilla aromatic with something else, and that might help me obtain the sweet spot of flavor here.

I will definitely get out there and try some stuff to see what I find. My goal here is to get a nice tobacco with a hint of vanilla that kinda lingers in the finish. I'm not looking for sweetness, or an overpowering flavor that cancels out the natural tobacco flavors.

This weekend I'm going to pick up a Cobb and see if I can get some samples of any of these recommendations from my B&M.

Thanks to all for your recommendations!
[Reply]

if you find one you like but think its too sweet you can always cut it with some virginia
[Reply]

this is the best IMO as well
[Reply]

Been doing some experimenting and I have found that the Dan Sweet Vanilla Honeydew is my favorite of the vanilla aromatics I've been able to try.

I still found it to be too much of a vanilla bomb so I took RevSmokes advice and did a 50/50 mixture of the Dan Sweet Vanilla and McClelland 5100. This really hit the sweet spot for me! Makes the Dan Sweet Vanilla last much longer too, which great because it's a little bit expensive.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!
[Reply]

Just as a thought, you can mix it with just about anything. I have a buddy that tried the SVH with some Dunhill Nightcap - it was interesting, not my cup of tea, but he loved it.

I enjoy a VaPer, so I had some I mixed with some G&H Louisiana Flake. Interesting twist to things.

My favorite though is the McC5100 with it.

Glad it worked out for you.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
[Reply]

Another good vanilla aromatic that I have recently tried is Longbottom Leaf from the Middle Earth Pipeweed Series. The only downside is that it's only sold by "Just For Him" but I decided to try some because I was ordering some cigars from them online, and I'm glad that I did. This is also very subtle on the vanilla side and they have some nice tasting virginias blended in there.
[Reply]