Post by JimInks on Aug 5, 2017 2:44:02 GMT -5
I've now tried all the Daughters & Ryan blends except for the Blender's Bench series. As I have revised the earlier reviews, I thought I'd post the updated versions for those who may be interested.
D&R Athey:
The Virginia is grassy, hay-like, and citrusy sweet with a slight honey note, and stands out beyond what else you will taste. All the toppings are very mild, with the molasses being more noticeable than the others. The Scotch/Drambuie is lightly, sweetly evident, and I don’t know what the “light botanical topping” is, but the slight floral essence from it plays well with the other flavors as does every other one I previously noted. The molasses topping is mild. Has a mild to medium nic-hit. Won't bite. Burns a little fast, but cool with a consistent flavor, virtually no moisture left in the bowl, and a pleasing after taste. Needs few relights. A nice all day work and play smoke.
D&R Avanti:
The double toasted burley is indeed toasty and nutty with a slight sharpness, and takes a light lead over the Virginias. The Virginias are grass and hay with a bit of citrus. The black cavendish provides some brown sugar in a complementary role. Blender Mark Ryan said that there are “seven proprietary toppings that I am not at liberty to disclose.” Toppings are, next to Orientals, the hardest thing to figure out most of the time, and I can’t figure out which ones this product uses. They do somewhat sublimate the tobacco taste. I sense both a dry and a sweet wine, and something that gives a feel of alcohol. I’m thinking both red and white wine are in the mix, particularly the latter. I’m no liquor expert, but the presence of one or more is obvious to me, and I suspect drambuie is one of them. I also get a hint of orange and a slight floral essence. Burns at a moderate pace with a sweet, consistent flavor like none I’ve ever tasted in a tobacco blend. A smooth, cool and dry smoke that leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. Won't bite or get harsh. Has a little nicotine, and a nice after taste and room note. Not quite an all day smoke.
D&R Cockstrong:
The burley is the star component: toasty, nutty and oat-like, with a little sharp earthiness and a touch of sweetness. The flue cured gold leaf is grassy with a touch of citrus. The Orientals are dry, woody, and lightly smoky. There are no toppings. I did encounter a few cigarette notes along the way, but it didn’t detract from the experience. You’ll notice all the flavors in every puff. Won't bite or get harsh. Burns mostly cool and very clean with a consistent flavor. Needs almost or no relights, and leaves no moisture in the bowl. Has a very noticeable nic-hit. Has a pleasing after taste. Performs best when smoked slowly, and a light hydration won't hurt. Though it isn’t as strong as the name may indicate, it’s just over the all day smoke threshold.
D&R Don Giovanni Sigaretta:
This is similar to the Don Giovanni Sigaro blend, but a little lighter and sweeter. The variety of cigar leaves include the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Brazil, and Indonesia. Their characteristics include a little mustiness and leather, a bit of earth, spice and wood, a sour note here and there, a drop or two of cocoa and coffee, and a fair amount of floral sweetness. The grassy, citrusy Virginia is a hair more noticeable in this version. There’s a mild sharp note here and there, but it won’t bite or get harsh. The strength is medium, and the taste is a step or so past that level. The nic-hit is just shy of the center of mild to medium. Burns cool, clean and a little fast if not hydrated as the tobacco is dry, and this is shag cut, whereas the Sigaro version is ribbon cut. Has a consistent woody, smoky, lightly creamy, fairly sweet, rich cigar flavor that translates into a mildly lingering after taste. It also has a touch of cigarette in there as well. Needs few relights. Can be an all day smoke.
D&R Don Giovanni Sigaro:
The variety of cigar leaves include the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Brazil, and Indonesia. Their characteristics include a little mustiness and leather, a bit of earth, spice and wood, a sour note here and there, a drop or two of cocoa and coffee, and a fair amount of floral sweetness. The grassy, citrusy Virginia is just evident enough to occasionally notice. The strength is a tad past medium and the taste is almost in the center of medium to full. The nic-hit is a hair past the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool, clean and a little fast if not hydrated as this ribbon cut tobacco is dry. Has a consistent woody, smoky, creamy sweet, rich cigar flavor that translates into a mildly lingering after taste. Needs few relights. Can be an all day smoke for experienced cigar smokers, and repeatable for those who aren’t. It has a fuller, deeper, richness as compared to the Sigaretta offering.
D&R English Hoopla:
The Cyprian latakia is smoky, woody with a mild sweetness. The Oriental is woody with a slight sour note, a little earth, and toward the finish, seems to have a spice note in a support role. The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet, and acts as the base for the other components to play off. It’s the least noticeable of the three tobaccos. Even though the latakia takes the lead over the other ingredients, it doesn’t over take the Oriental and Virginia. The anisette and vanilla toppings are lightly applied, with the former being a little more obvious than the latter. Both are smooth with some creaminess, and they do not detract from the flavors of the tobaccos. Won't bite or get harsh. Has a moderate nic-hit. Well balanced, it burns at a reasonable pace with very few relights with a cool consistency, and leaves virtual no moisture in the bowl. Needs few relights. Has a nice after taste, and is an all day smoke.
D&R London Dock:
The double toasted burley is the basic star; toasty, a little sweet, grassy, earthy and nutty. The Virginia provides citrus, grass and hay in a support role. The Oriental offers a sour note and wood in a minor way. The perique is slightly noticeable with spice, and a touch of raisins and figs. The coumarin is very slightly vanilla-like, and adds a nice floral context with some strength. The rum is richly sweet. The deep toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to a fair extent. Well balanced with a nice complexity, it has a very consistent flavor from the first puff to the last one, but needs to be smoked at a slow to moderate pace to catch them all. Burns cool at a moderate pace without bite, and has no dull or harsh spots (unless you puff fast), and leaves no moisture in the bowl. Barely needs a relight. Has a pleasant after taste. Three and a half stars.
D&R Penhooker:
The flue-cured style gold leaf Virginias is half Canadian. They offer some grass, a touch of earth and wood, and some citrus. I’m not sure what the casing is, but it’s sweet and seems to have a small amount of sugar and perhaps fruit. It's very mildly applied. The nic-hit is moderate. The strength is mild and the taste is mild to medium. Needs hydration to bring out the flavors a little and to slow down the burn rate. Not a complex blend by any means, but it’s a ribbon cut that burns well with a consistent, gentle flavor to the finish. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh spots. Barely needs any relights even when you puff at a normal pace, which I recommend. Has a very pleasant semi-sweet, very light woody after taste. The room note isn’t pungent. Makes lots of smoke, too. Would make a good mixer, although I prefer it as is.
D&R Penhooker Silver:
The Virginias provide a bit of citrus, grass/hay, a little dark fruit, earth and wood, a floral note, and a couple pinches of spice. I sense an extremely light topping, perhaps sugar. The strength level is mild, while the taste is just shy of being mild to medium. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite or get harsh, but it does have a rough edge at times, and can get warm on the tongue if puffed like a steam engine. I recommend a slow pace and a light hydration. Burns clean and a little fast with a consistent flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Can be an all day smoke. Would make a good mixer, too.
D&R Picayune:
The flue cured gold leaf offers some citrus and grass/hay as the base of the blend, though it’s sublimated by the other tobaccos. The dry, woody, smoky, nutty, earthy lightly peppery dark fired burley melds with the spicy, raisin and fig perique, and the floral, dry, woody, earthy mildly sour, vegetative cigar-like Samsun to create a full bodied, well blended product that can be smoked straight by experienced smokers as well as being used as a mixer. The nic-hit is medium to full. The strength and taste are very full. Won’t bite, but may get a little harsh and cigarette-like if puffed fast. It’s dry and benefits from a little hydration. Being a virtual shag cut, it burns quickly with a very clean, consistent flavor. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. The strong after taste and room notes will linger. Not an all day smoke, and not for the novice. I suggest a small bowl if you smoke it straight. Also makes a good mixer to perk up bland blends.
D&R Raccoon’s Accent:
The mildly tangy Acadian bright Virginia is processed in the perique style, and is fruity sweet as a major component. The double toasted burley is toasty, nutty, lightly earthy with minor rough and sour, spice notes. The floral, woody, lightly sweet and sour earthy yenidje also has a dry “unflavored soda” essence, and ably competes for attention with the other tobaccos. The nic-hit is almost medium. The strength and taste levels are medium. Won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh moments. The tobacco is a little dry, and I recommend a light hydration. Well blended with some complexity, you’ll notice most every aspect of the tobaccos in every puff. Mildly complex, this mixed cut product burns at a reasonable rate if hydrated, cool and clean with a very consistent sweet and savory flavor from start to finish. Requires few relights, and barely leaves a trace of dampness in the bowl. The after taste is pleasant, and the room note is stronger. Both do linger just a mite. Not an all day smoke for the novice, but experienced smokers may consider it to be one.
D&R Raccoon’s Delight:
The mildly tangy Acadian bright Virginia is processed in the perique style, and is fruity sweet as a major component. The very sweet blonde and double toasted burleys provide a bit of toast, some earth, nuts, wood, and a touch of spice. The double toasted burley also sports a slight rough edge, and dry sour notes. The grassy, tart and tangy citrus, lightly spicy bright Virginia complements and competes with the burleys for attention. Well blended with some richness and complexity, you’ll notice most of the complexities of this blend in virtually every puff. There’s no topping. The nic-hit is mild to medium. The strength and taste levels are medium, but get a tad stronger after the half way point, as does the nicotine. Won’t bite, but I recommend a little hydration and moderate puffing cadence as the tobacco is fairly dry. Once done, this mixed cut manufacture burns clean at a slightly more than middling pace with a very consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Requires few relights, and hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl. The sweet and mildly savory pleasant after taste and stronger room notes will linger. Can be an all day smoke for experienced smokers.
D&R Raccoon’s Friend:
The mildly tangy Acadian bright Virginia is processed in the perique style, and is fruity sweet as a major component. The dark mahogany and double toasted burleys are toasty, nutty, woody, and earthy with a smidgeon of spice with a slight rough, sour hit. They are the most obvious components. The earthy, mildly tangy, dark fruit sweet red Virginia is a background player. The lightly applied smoky, woody Cyprian latakia underscores the experience. There’s no topping. You’ll notice nearly all aspects of this complex blend in every puff. The nic-hit is a step closer to medium than it is to mild. The strength and taste levels border on medium. Won’t bite or get harsh, but I recommend a little hydration and slow puffing cadence as the tobacco is fairly dry. Once done, this mixed cut blend burns clean at a slightly more than moderate pace with a very consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Requires few relights, and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Has an earthy, woody, lightly sweet after taste and room note, both of which linger a little. Can be an all day smoke.
D&R Ramback Balkan:
This Oriental dominated blend includes sun cured Balkan Oriental and Balkan Virginia, along with yenidje, basma and flue cured Virginias. The various Orientals provide a lot of earth and wood, some sour floral, herbal dryness, a light buttery sweetness, and a pinch of salt, spice and mustiness. I also observe a slight “unflavored soda” note from the yenidje. The citrusy, grassy flue cured Virginias are mostly present to add some smoothness to the experience as they aren’t very noticeable in any other capacity besides being in the background. The strength, taste and nicotine levels are barely mild. No chance of bite or harshness. As with most D&R products, the tobacco is dry, so it burns a little quickly, though cool and clean. Has a very consistent flavor from start to finish with a pleasant, light after taste, though it does suffer from lack of depth. Leaves almost no dampness in the bowl, and needs few relights. An all day smoke that would make a decent mixer.
D&R Ramback Gold:
The flue cured Virginia provides citrus and grass as a supporting player to the Izmir, and adds a mild sweet and smoothing quality to the blend. The Izmir is woody, earthy, toasty, slightly floral and spicy with a few sweet and sour notes. The strength level falls a tad shy of medium, though the taste is medium. The nic-hit is a tad past the mild to medium mark, but seems to get a little stronger by the last quarter of the experience. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent sweet and savory flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Has a pleasant after taste that slightly lingers. Not quite an all day smoke, but it’s certainly repeatable, and veteran smokers who are Izmir fiends may well consider it to be an all day smoke. Three and a half stars.
D&R Ramback Regular:
The Turkish is choice: fairly woody, earthy, and toasty, slightly floral and spicy, with a few sweet and sour notes. There are no toppings, and the cut is closer to shag than ribbon. Dry as are all the D&R blends, it burns quickly, and can be harsh if you puff fast. Not very nuanced as it is a straight Turkish, and not an all day smoke, but it does well in small to medium doses. The nic-hit is mild to medium. Won’t bite. Burns clean, leaves no moisture in the bowl and hardly needs a relight. It reminds me a little of smoking a Camel cigarette in your pipe, and if you like that, you’ll like this. Would make a good mixer, too.
D&R Rimboche A.B.:
The first thing that hit my taste buds was the tangy spice from the dark fired tobacco that was processed by the perique method. It is a little raisiny, figgy, smoky and woody, too. There’s a “touch” of latakia present, but noticeable in most every puff and adds a sweet, very smoky, woodiness. I think more than a touch is present, but the latakia always plays back up. The flue cured gold Virginias are the base for the other components to shine; grassy and hay-like with some citrus and a drop or two of honey. Has no toppings. Very well balanced with a consistent flavor to the finish. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. It does benefit a little from some hydration, but it does very well dry, and isn’t really necessary due to the richness of flavors. And I seldom smoke bone dry tobacco. Has a mild to medium nic-hit. Will not bite, but the spice is pleasantly tingly all the way, including the pleasant after taste. Can be an all day smoke.
D&R Rimboche A.P.:
The flu-cured gold leaf Virginias are a little grassy with a minor earth note, and mild amount of citrus and fruit. The Acadian perique offers tangy pepper with a little prune and fig, and are evident in every single puff as a contrasting supporting player. The tobaccos meld well to create a very consistent flavor with a slight smokey quality, and is more a dry smoke rather than a sweet one. There are no toppings. The nic-hit is moderate. The strength and taste are mild to medium. Dry out of the tin, I recommend a little hydration for best effect. It brings out the flavors a little more, and slows the burn rate a mite. Requires almost no relights as it easily burns to ash, leaving no moisture in the bowl. I’ve smoked bowls without a relight. Has no dull or harsh spots, and will not bite. Has a nice peppery, slightly woody after taste, and makes nice clouds of smoke.
D&R Rimboche S.J.:
The Virginia is grassy sweet with some citrus and a touch of honey. The Saint James perique is more plumy sweet than peppery in a very complementary support role, and is very noticeable in every puff. There are no toppings. I suggest you hydrate this one first, but if you don’t, it’ll burn fairly quickly without harshness, unless you puff like a winded Superman after a race. No chance of bite or harshness. The flavor is very consistent with a mild to medium nic-hit, and leaves no moisture in the bowl. Not a dull or weak spot to be found. Hardly needs a relight. Has a pleasant after taste. An all day smoke for the VaPer aficionado who wants a break from heavier blends in this genre.
D&R Rowland Gold:
The flue cured Virginias offer citrus, grass/hay, a little earth, wood and dark fruit along with a floral note. Has a very lightly applied cocoa topping that lightly tones and smooths out the blend. The strength and taste levels fall just short of medium, though they start out with a little less impact, and gather a little potency as you go along as the taste does reach medium in the last third of the experience. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite and has no harsh moments, but does sport a rough edge here and there, especially if you are a fast puffer. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, one dimensional flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. The slightly lingering after taste is pleasant. An easy going all day smoke with a little dryness among the sweet. Two and a half stars out of four.
D&R Rowland Platinum:
The aspects of this blend as compared to Rowland Regular are much the same. The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet with a drop of honey. The burley is nutty, earthy, toasty sweet in a supporting role, and lightly less obvious in this production. The Oriental is very lightly spicy, smoky and woody, and underscores the experience in a slightly lesser way than it does in the other versions. The very light chocolate topping is mildly sweet, and doesn’t detract from the tobacco taste, and is a little less noticeable here than in the Regular version. It has a mellowing affect that helps smooths out the blend. The strength and taste levels are mild. The nic-hit is very mild. Won’t bite, and has no harsh notes. Burns well and cool with hardly a relight, almost no moisture in the bowl, and a consistent flavor; pretty rich for a mild blend. Has a pleasant after taste, and is an all day smoke.
Essentially, this review is the same one I used for Rowland Silver, which is also lighter than Rowland Regular. The difference I find is this is the smoothest and mildest of the Rowland series, which pushes this particular version to three stars. I also think this has a tad more Virginia than the others.
D&R Rowland Regular:
The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet with a drop of honey. The burley is nutty, earthy, toasty sweet and well complements the Virginia without over taking it. The Oriental is a minor component, very slightly spicy, smoky and woody. The very light chocolate topping is mildly sweet, and doesn’t detract from the tobacco taste. It has a mellowing affect that helps smooths out the blend. Won’t bite, and you’ll only experience a light harsh note if you puff hard, though it does sport a rough edge here and there. Burns well and cool with hardly a relight, almost no moisture in the bowl, and a consistent flavor. Has a slightly more than mild nic-hit. Has a pleasant after taste, and can be an all day smoke.
D&R Rowland Silver:
The aspects of this blend as compared to Rowland Regular are much the same. The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet with a drop of honey. The burley is nutty, earthy, toasty sweet in a supporting role, and lightly less obvious in this production. The Oriental is very slightly spicy, smoky and woody, and underscores the experience. The very light chocolate topping is mildly sweet, and doesn’t detract from the tobacco taste, and is a little less noticeable here than in the Regular version. It has a mellowing affect that helps smooths out the blend. The taste level is closer to mild than it is to medium. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite, and you’ll only experience a hint of harshness if you puff hard. Burns well and cool with hardly a relight, almost no moisture in the bowl, and a consistent flavor. Has a pleasant after taste, and is an all day smoke. Two and a half stars.
D&R Ryback:
The burley is toasty, nutty sweet. The Virginia is grassy, citrus sweet in a support role. The dark fired Kentucky is earthy, spicy and slightly woody and sweet, and competes with the burley for the lead. Dry as a bone, and being a shag cut, burns quickly, but not harsh unless you puff it fast. Won't bite. I prefer to hydrate it. The spiciness almost dominates the flavor, though the sweetness of the tobaccos is right there to compliment and contrast it. No casing or toppings. Has a medium to full nicotine hit. Burns clean with a very consistent flavor. Needs very few relights. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and if you like this kind of tobacco, you will appreciate the after taste. Not an all day smoke.
D&R Ryback Gold:
The Virginia is grassy, citrus sweet, and shares the lead with the earthy, spicy, woody sweet dark fired Kentucky. The burley is toasty, nutty sweet in an important support role. There’s more Virginia in this than there is in the regular Ryback, where the Kentucky and burley are more obvious. The spiciness from the Kentucky is just above being a condiment here, and the sweetness of the Virginias is more noticeable. The strength level is just past the medium threshold. The nicotine hit falls just short of medium. Dry as a bone, and being a shag cut, burns quickly, but not harsh unless you puff it fast. I suggest a light hydration. Won't bite and is a smoother smoke than Ryback. No casing or toppings. Burns clean with a very consistent flavor. Needs very few relights. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and has a pleasant after taste. Not an all day smoke, and I recommend a small bowl if you have multiple repeats in mind. Three and a half stars.
D&R TAPS VIP:
The light and brown Virginias are buttery sweet with a hint of grass and earth, and some citrus. The smell of the tobacco from an open tin is fruity: apricots, figs and raisins, and much of that is mildly evident in the smoke. The perique is more fruity than peppery, but the latter is an important part of the experience. The toppings are a light honey bourbon and a small touch of anisette, and they do tone down the tobaccos just a little. It's A.P. Rimboche with toppings.The tobacco is dry out of the tin, so you may prefer to lightly hydrate it. I found the flavors stood out more when I did. Burns well, cool, clean and very smooth with a consistent flavor, and no chance of bite or harshness. Hardly leaves any moisture in the bowl, and needs few relights. The sweet taste never wanes or gets boring, and the after taste pleasantly lingers long enough for you to immediately considering having another bowl right away. It doesn't have much nicotine, and may not have enough strength satisfy hardcore VaPer smokers, but for those who aren't, it's a four star blend.
D&R Three Sails:
Reminds me exactly of Three Castles, which I used to enjoy, and I suspected this is what the Castles once was, something blender Mark Ryan has confirmed to me as he blended Three Castles for years. When Three Castles was discontinued, Ryan continued to make it as Three Sails. It's a simple uncomplicated Virginia with natural citrusy sweetness and some grassiness. I also get a few familiar notes that reminds me of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic. I'm not comparing those two blends because they are different (e.g., SWRA has a topping and burley, and this has neither), but they both must use a similar type of Virginia. Has a mild to medium nic-note. Puff at a slow to moderate rate, and Three Sails will do well, won’t bite (even if puffed fast) or get harsh or cigarette-like. Has a very consistent flavor from start to finish, and easily burns to ash with hardly a relight. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and being a dry shag cut, burns quickly, but not hot if you pace the smoke. I do suggest a light hydration. Has a pleasant after taste and is an all day smoke.
D&R Two Timer:
The burley is toasty, woody, and very nutty with a little cocoa. While it may be used as a RYO, it’s does well as a pipe tobacco product with a mild to medium nicotine punch. Puffed at a moderate rate, it’ll mostly keep its flavor and not get harsh. Puffed fast, it’ll have some cigarette notes, possibly a little loss of flavor and a hint of a harsh note. It won't bite. Has no casing or topping. Burns fast, but not hot, and clean with a consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Leaves almost no moisture in the bowl, and requires very few relights. Has a nice after taste. An uncomplicated all day smoke that does even better with a light hydration.
D&R Two Timer Gold:
This is Two Timer with Virginia, and with that exception, the smoking qualities are the same. The burley is toasty, and very nutty with a little cocoa. The Virginia is a little grassy with some citrus, and a touch of honey. While it may be used as a RYO, it’s does well as pipe tobacco and has a mild to medium nicotine punch. Puffed at a moderate rate, it’ll mostly keep its flavor and you'll avoid a harsh note. Puffed fast, it’ll have some cigarette notes, and possibly a little loss of flavor. It won't bite. Has no casing or topping. Burns fast, but not hot, clean with a consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Leaves almost no moisture in the bowl, and requires very few relights. Has a nice after taste. An uncomplicated all day smoke that does even better with a light hydration.
D&R Vengeur Platinum:
The grassy, very citrusy, slightly woody gold leaf Virginia forms the base of the blend. The nutty, toasty, earthy, slightly cocoa-ish burleys are an important condiment. The dry and lightly sour, woody, lightly floral, smoky Oriental also offers a pinch of spice in the background. The strength level is mild to medium while the taste is a step closer to medium. The nic-hit is just past the mild threshold. Won’t bite and has no harsh moments. Gets a tad stronger in the last third of the experience. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, though not complex flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. The after taste is pleasant. An easy going all day smoke that’s smoother than expected with just enough character to hold your interest. Three and a half stars.
D&R Vengeur Regular:
The flue-cured Virginia is grassy and mildly sweet with a touch of citrus. The burley is a little toasty, nutty, with an essence of cocoa, but has very little sweetness as a second lead. The Oriental is slightly floral and woody in a supporting role. A thin ribbon cut that burns fairly quickly, this needs to be sipped to avoid harshness, and provide a smooth smoke. Won’t bite. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and has a mild to medium nic-hit. Has no casing or topping. I recommend a little hydration as the tobacco is very dry, which will enhance the flavors a bit. Burns fast, but not hot, clean with a consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Hardly needs a relight. Has a pleasant after taste. An all day smoke that wears well in repeat performances.
D&R Vengeur Silver:
The grassy, very citrusy, slightly woody gold leaf Virginia forms the base of the blend. The nutty, toasty, earthy, mildly chocolatey burleys are an important condiment. The dry and lightly sour, woody, mildly floral, smoky Oriental also offers a little spice, and is always noticeable as slightly more than a background player. The strength level is just past mild to medium, and taste almost reaches medium. The nic-hit is mild to medium. Won’t bite and has no harsh moments, but does sport a rough edge every so often if you puff fast. Gets a tad stronger in the last third of the experience. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, moderately complex, mildly savory flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. The after taste is pleasant. The description claims it’s lighter than Vengeur Regular, but I don’t find that to be the case here. Three and a half stars rounded up to four.
D&R William’s Delight:
The double toasted burley is very toasty, and a little sweet, grassy, earthy and nutty. I also got the sense of oats a number of times. There’s not much of the Orientals present, but they are woody, and have a very minor floral and spice hit along with some sourness. The black cavendish is apparently unsweetened, but it adds some sugar smoothness to the tobaccos. The vanilla casing is extremely mild. This is a coarse cut blend that burns at a moderate rate even when dry. And speaking of dry, the light sour dryness throughout the smoke contrasts with the sweet flavors, but has a slight sour, woody bitterness near the finish. That bitterness lingers as in the after taste as does the sweetness. Won’t bite. Has a mild to medium nicotine hit, leaves no moisture in the bowl, and while not a powerhouse, I wouldn’t classify this as an all day smoke.
D&R Windsail Original:
A straight uncomplicated flue cured Virginia that is a little grassy and hay-like, and fairly citrusy with some honey and earth notes. It also has a very light spice hit. The nic-hit is just a shade past the mild mark. The strength and taste are medium. Ribbon cut for very easy, slightly fast burning, it requires few relights. Won't bite or get harsh, leaves no moisture in the bowl and will burn to ash with little trouble. Makes tons of smoke. It may be a one dimensional smoke, but it's a very flavorful all day no nonsense blend, and not every pipe tobacco product has to be complex to enjoy. Would make a good mixer. Has a pleasant after taste. I give it three and a half stars out of four.
D&R Windsail Platinum:
The flue cured Virginias provide a bit of citrus and grass/hay, a little earth, and touches of dark fruit, smoke, wood and spice. The strength and taste levels are a step past mild as is the nic-hit. Won’t bite, but does sport a light rough edge, and fast puffing may result in a harsh note. The tobacco is a little dry, but performs well even without hydration, so I suggest a slow smoking cadence. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, mostly one dimensional flavor. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Requires few relights. Has a pleasant after taste. An easy going all day work and play smoke that would make a good mixer, too.
D&R Windsail Silver:
The gold flue cured Virginia offers a bit of citrus, grass/hay, hints of wood and earth. The strength and taste levels are mild as is the nic-hit. Won’t bite or get harsh. The tobacco is a little dry, but performs well even without hydration. I do recommend a slow puff rate. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, one dimensional flavor. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Requires few relights. Has a pleasant after taste. An easy going all day work and play smoke that would make a good mixer, too. Three and a half stars.
D&R Winter Gold:
The grassy, citrusy Virginia and nutty, earthy, lightly woody burley are greatly sublimated by the wintergreen topping. The strength level falls a tad short of medium while the taste just hits that mark. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool and clean and little fast with a mostly consistent, sweet, minty flavor, meaning the topping fades just a touch in the past quarter of the experience. Hardly leaves any moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. The after taste pleasantly lingers. Can be an all day smoke if it fits your preference.
D&R Athey:
The Virginia is grassy, hay-like, and citrusy sweet with a slight honey note, and stands out beyond what else you will taste. All the toppings are very mild, with the molasses being more noticeable than the others. The Scotch/Drambuie is lightly, sweetly evident, and I don’t know what the “light botanical topping” is, but the slight floral essence from it plays well with the other flavors as does every other one I previously noted. The molasses topping is mild. Has a mild to medium nic-hit. Won't bite. Burns a little fast, but cool with a consistent flavor, virtually no moisture left in the bowl, and a pleasing after taste. Needs few relights. A nice all day work and play smoke.
D&R Avanti:
The double toasted burley is indeed toasty and nutty with a slight sharpness, and takes a light lead over the Virginias. The Virginias are grass and hay with a bit of citrus. The black cavendish provides some brown sugar in a complementary role. Blender Mark Ryan said that there are “seven proprietary toppings that I am not at liberty to disclose.” Toppings are, next to Orientals, the hardest thing to figure out most of the time, and I can’t figure out which ones this product uses. They do somewhat sublimate the tobacco taste. I sense both a dry and a sweet wine, and something that gives a feel of alcohol. I’m thinking both red and white wine are in the mix, particularly the latter. I’m no liquor expert, but the presence of one or more is obvious to me, and I suspect drambuie is one of them. I also get a hint of orange and a slight floral essence. Burns at a moderate pace with a sweet, consistent flavor like none I’ve ever tasted in a tobacco blend. A smooth, cool and dry smoke that leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. Won't bite or get harsh. Has a little nicotine, and a nice after taste and room note. Not quite an all day smoke.
D&R Cockstrong:
The burley is the star component: toasty, nutty and oat-like, with a little sharp earthiness and a touch of sweetness. The flue cured gold leaf is grassy with a touch of citrus. The Orientals are dry, woody, and lightly smoky. There are no toppings. I did encounter a few cigarette notes along the way, but it didn’t detract from the experience. You’ll notice all the flavors in every puff. Won't bite or get harsh. Burns mostly cool and very clean with a consistent flavor. Needs almost or no relights, and leaves no moisture in the bowl. Has a very noticeable nic-hit. Has a pleasing after taste. Performs best when smoked slowly, and a light hydration won't hurt. Though it isn’t as strong as the name may indicate, it’s just over the all day smoke threshold.
D&R Don Giovanni Sigaretta:
This is similar to the Don Giovanni Sigaro blend, but a little lighter and sweeter. The variety of cigar leaves include the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Brazil, and Indonesia. Their characteristics include a little mustiness and leather, a bit of earth, spice and wood, a sour note here and there, a drop or two of cocoa and coffee, and a fair amount of floral sweetness. The grassy, citrusy Virginia is a hair more noticeable in this version. There’s a mild sharp note here and there, but it won’t bite or get harsh. The strength is medium, and the taste is a step or so past that level. The nic-hit is just shy of the center of mild to medium. Burns cool, clean and a little fast if not hydrated as the tobacco is dry, and this is shag cut, whereas the Sigaro version is ribbon cut. Has a consistent woody, smoky, lightly creamy, fairly sweet, rich cigar flavor that translates into a mildly lingering after taste. It also has a touch of cigarette in there as well. Needs few relights. Can be an all day smoke.
D&R Don Giovanni Sigaro:
The variety of cigar leaves include the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Brazil, and Indonesia. Their characteristics include a little mustiness and leather, a bit of earth, spice and wood, a sour note here and there, a drop or two of cocoa and coffee, and a fair amount of floral sweetness. The grassy, citrusy Virginia is just evident enough to occasionally notice. The strength is a tad past medium and the taste is almost in the center of medium to full. The nic-hit is a hair past the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool, clean and a little fast if not hydrated as this ribbon cut tobacco is dry. Has a consistent woody, smoky, creamy sweet, rich cigar flavor that translates into a mildly lingering after taste. Needs few relights. Can be an all day smoke for experienced cigar smokers, and repeatable for those who aren’t. It has a fuller, deeper, richness as compared to the Sigaretta offering.
D&R English Hoopla:
The Cyprian latakia is smoky, woody with a mild sweetness. The Oriental is woody with a slight sour note, a little earth, and toward the finish, seems to have a spice note in a support role. The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet, and acts as the base for the other components to play off. It’s the least noticeable of the three tobaccos. Even though the latakia takes the lead over the other ingredients, it doesn’t over take the Oriental and Virginia. The anisette and vanilla toppings are lightly applied, with the former being a little more obvious than the latter. Both are smooth with some creaminess, and they do not detract from the flavors of the tobaccos. Won't bite or get harsh. Has a moderate nic-hit. Well balanced, it burns at a reasonable pace with very few relights with a cool consistency, and leaves virtual no moisture in the bowl. Needs few relights. Has a nice after taste, and is an all day smoke.
D&R London Dock:
The double toasted burley is the basic star; toasty, a little sweet, grassy, earthy and nutty. The Virginia provides citrus, grass and hay in a support role. The Oriental offers a sour note and wood in a minor way. The perique is slightly noticeable with spice, and a touch of raisins and figs. The coumarin is very slightly vanilla-like, and adds a nice floral context with some strength. The rum is richly sweet. The deep toppings do sublimate the tobaccos to a fair extent. Well balanced with a nice complexity, it has a very consistent flavor from the first puff to the last one, but needs to be smoked at a slow to moderate pace to catch them all. Burns cool at a moderate pace without bite, and has no dull or harsh spots (unless you puff fast), and leaves no moisture in the bowl. Barely needs a relight. Has a pleasant after taste. Three and a half stars.
D&R Penhooker:
The flue-cured style gold leaf Virginias is half Canadian. They offer some grass, a touch of earth and wood, and some citrus. I’m not sure what the casing is, but it’s sweet and seems to have a small amount of sugar and perhaps fruit. It's very mildly applied. The nic-hit is moderate. The strength is mild and the taste is mild to medium. Needs hydration to bring out the flavors a little and to slow down the burn rate. Not a complex blend by any means, but it’s a ribbon cut that burns well with a consistent, gentle flavor to the finish. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh spots. Barely needs any relights even when you puff at a normal pace, which I recommend. Has a very pleasant semi-sweet, very light woody after taste. The room note isn’t pungent. Makes lots of smoke, too. Would make a good mixer, although I prefer it as is.
D&R Penhooker Silver:
The Virginias provide a bit of citrus, grass/hay, a little dark fruit, earth and wood, a floral note, and a couple pinches of spice. I sense an extremely light topping, perhaps sugar. The strength level is mild, while the taste is just shy of being mild to medium. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite or get harsh, but it does have a rough edge at times, and can get warm on the tongue if puffed like a steam engine. I recommend a slow pace and a light hydration. Burns clean and a little fast with a consistent flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Can be an all day smoke. Would make a good mixer, too.
D&R Picayune:
The flue cured gold leaf offers some citrus and grass/hay as the base of the blend, though it’s sublimated by the other tobaccos. The dry, woody, smoky, nutty, earthy lightly peppery dark fired burley melds with the spicy, raisin and fig perique, and the floral, dry, woody, earthy mildly sour, vegetative cigar-like Samsun to create a full bodied, well blended product that can be smoked straight by experienced smokers as well as being used as a mixer. The nic-hit is medium to full. The strength and taste are very full. Won’t bite, but may get a little harsh and cigarette-like if puffed fast. It’s dry and benefits from a little hydration. Being a virtual shag cut, it burns quickly with a very clean, consistent flavor. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. The strong after taste and room notes will linger. Not an all day smoke, and not for the novice. I suggest a small bowl if you smoke it straight. Also makes a good mixer to perk up bland blends.
D&R Raccoon’s Accent:
The mildly tangy Acadian bright Virginia is processed in the perique style, and is fruity sweet as a major component. The double toasted burley is toasty, nutty, lightly earthy with minor rough and sour, spice notes. The floral, woody, lightly sweet and sour earthy yenidje also has a dry “unflavored soda” essence, and ably competes for attention with the other tobaccos. The nic-hit is almost medium. The strength and taste levels are medium. Won’t bite, and has no dull or harsh moments. The tobacco is a little dry, and I recommend a light hydration. Well blended with some complexity, you’ll notice most every aspect of the tobaccos in every puff. Mildly complex, this mixed cut product burns at a reasonable rate if hydrated, cool and clean with a very consistent sweet and savory flavor from start to finish. Requires few relights, and barely leaves a trace of dampness in the bowl. The after taste is pleasant, and the room note is stronger. Both do linger just a mite. Not an all day smoke for the novice, but experienced smokers may consider it to be one.
D&R Raccoon’s Delight:
The mildly tangy Acadian bright Virginia is processed in the perique style, and is fruity sweet as a major component. The very sweet blonde and double toasted burleys provide a bit of toast, some earth, nuts, wood, and a touch of spice. The double toasted burley also sports a slight rough edge, and dry sour notes. The grassy, tart and tangy citrus, lightly spicy bright Virginia complements and competes with the burleys for attention. Well blended with some richness and complexity, you’ll notice most of the complexities of this blend in virtually every puff. There’s no topping. The nic-hit is mild to medium. The strength and taste levels are medium, but get a tad stronger after the half way point, as does the nicotine. Won’t bite, but I recommend a little hydration and moderate puffing cadence as the tobacco is fairly dry. Once done, this mixed cut manufacture burns clean at a slightly more than middling pace with a very consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Requires few relights, and hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl. The sweet and mildly savory pleasant after taste and stronger room notes will linger. Can be an all day smoke for experienced smokers.
D&R Raccoon’s Friend:
The mildly tangy Acadian bright Virginia is processed in the perique style, and is fruity sweet as a major component. The dark mahogany and double toasted burleys are toasty, nutty, woody, and earthy with a smidgeon of spice with a slight rough, sour hit. They are the most obvious components. The earthy, mildly tangy, dark fruit sweet red Virginia is a background player. The lightly applied smoky, woody Cyprian latakia underscores the experience. There’s no topping. You’ll notice nearly all aspects of this complex blend in every puff. The nic-hit is a step closer to medium than it is to mild. The strength and taste levels border on medium. Won’t bite or get harsh, but I recommend a little hydration and slow puffing cadence as the tobacco is fairly dry. Once done, this mixed cut blend burns clean at a slightly more than moderate pace with a very consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Requires few relights, and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Has an earthy, woody, lightly sweet after taste and room note, both of which linger a little. Can be an all day smoke.
D&R Ramback Balkan:
This Oriental dominated blend includes sun cured Balkan Oriental and Balkan Virginia, along with yenidje, basma and flue cured Virginias. The various Orientals provide a lot of earth and wood, some sour floral, herbal dryness, a light buttery sweetness, and a pinch of salt, spice and mustiness. I also observe a slight “unflavored soda” note from the yenidje. The citrusy, grassy flue cured Virginias are mostly present to add some smoothness to the experience as they aren’t very noticeable in any other capacity besides being in the background. The strength, taste and nicotine levels are barely mild. No chance of bite or harshness. As with most D&R products, the tobacco is dry, so it burns a little quickly, though cool and clean. Has a very consistent flavor from start to finish with a pleasant, light after taste, though it does suffer from lack of depth. Leaves almost no dampness in the bowl, and needs few relights. An all day smoke that would make a decent mixer.
D&R Ramback Gold:
The flue cured Virginia provides citrus and grass as a supporting player to the Izmir, and adds a mild sweet and smoothing quality to the blend. The Izmir is woody, earthy, toasty, slightly floral and spicy with a few sweet and sour notes. The strength level falls a tad shy of medium, though the taste is medium. The nic-hit is a tad past the mild to medium mark, but seems to get a little stronger by the last quarter of the experience. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent sweet and savory flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Has a pleasant after taste that slightly lingers. Not quite an all day smoke, but it’s certainly repeatable, and veteran smokers who are Izmir fiends may well consider it to be an all day smoke. Three and a half stars.
D&R Ramback Regular:
The Turkish is choice: fairly woody, earthy, and toasty, slightly floral and spicy, with a few sweet and sour notes. There are no toppings, and the cut is closer to shag than ribbon. Dry as are all the D&R blends, it burns quickly, and can be harsh if you puff fast. Not very nuanced as it is a straight Turkish, and not an all day smoke, but it does well in small to medium doses. The nic-hit is mild to medium. Won’t bite. Burns clean, leaves no moisture in the bowl and hardly needs a relight. It reminds me a little of smoking a Camel cigarette in your pipe, and if you like that, you’ll like this. Would make a good mixer, too.
D&R Rimboche A.B.:
The first thing that hit my taste buds was the tangy spice from the dark fired tobacco that was processed by the perique method. It is a little raisiny, figgy, smoky and woody, too. There’s a “touch” of latakia present, but noticeable in most every puff and adds a sweet, very smoky, woodiness. I think more than a touch is present, but the latakia always plays back up. The flue cured gold Virginias are the base for the other components to shine; grassy and hay-like with some citrus and a drop or two of honey. Has no toppings. Very well balanced with a consistent flavor to the finish. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and hardly needs a relight. It does benefit a little from some hydration, but it does very well dry, and isn’t really necessary due to the richness of flavors. And I seldom smoke bone dry tobacco. Has a mild to medium nic-hit. Will not bite, but the spice is pleasantly tingly all the way, including the pleasant after taste. Can be an all day smoke.
D&R Rimboche A.P.:
The flu-cured gold leaf Virginias are a little grassy with a minor earth note, and mild amount of citrus and fruit. The Acadian perique offers tangy pepper with a little prune and fig, and are evident in every single puff as a contrasting supporting player. The tobaccos meld well to create a very consistent flavor with a slight smokey quality, and is more a dry smoke rather than a sweet one. There are no toppings. The nic-hit is moderate. The strength and taste are mild to medium. Dry out of the tin, I recommend a little hydration for best effect. It brings out the flavors a little more, and slows the burn rate a mite. Requires almost no relights as it easily burns to ash, leaving no moisture in the bowl. I’ve smoked bowls without a relight. Has no dull or harsh spots, and will not bite. Has a nice peppery, slightly woody after taste, and makes nice clouds of smoke.
D&R Rimboche S.J.:
The Virginia is grassy sweet with some citrus and a touch of honey. The Saint James perique is more plumy sweet than peppery in a very complementary support role, and is very noticeable in every puff. There are no toppings. I suggest you hydrate this one first, but if you don’t, it’ll burn fairly quickly without harshness, unless you puff like a winded Superman after a race. No chance of bite or harshness. The flavor is very consistent with a mild to medium nic-hit, and leaves no moisture in the bowl. Not a dull or weak spot to be found. Hardly needs a relight. Has a pleasant after taste. An all day smoke for the VaPer aficionado who wants a break from heavier blends in this genre.
D&R Rowland Gold:
The flue cured Virginias offer citrus, grass/hay, a little earth, wood and dark fruit along with a floral note. Has a very lightly applied cocoa topping that lightly tones and smooths out the blend. The strength and taste levels fall just short of medium, though they start out with a little less impact, and gather a little potency as you go along as the taste does reach medium in the last third of the experience. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite and has no harsh moments, but does sport a rough edge here and there, especially if you are a fast puffer. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, one dimensional flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. The slightly lingering after taste is pleasant. An easy going all day smoke with a little dryness among the sweet. Two and a half stars out of four.
D&R Rowland Platinum:
The aspects of this blend as compared to Rowland Regular are much the same. The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet with a drop of honey. The burley is nutty, earthy, toasty sweet in a supporting role, and lightly less obvious in this production. The Oriental is very lightly spicy, smoky and woody, and underscores the experience in a slightly lesser way than it does in the other versions. The very light chocolate topping is mildly sweet, and doesn’t detract from the tobacco taste, and is a little less noticeable here than in the Regular version. It has a mellowing affect that helps smooths out the blend. The strength and taste levels are mild. The nic-hit is very mild. Won’t bite, and has no harsh notes. Burns well and cool with hardly a relight, almost no moisture in the bowl, and a consistent flavor; pretty rich for a mild blend. Has a pleasant after taste, and is an all day smoke.
Essentially, this review is the same one I used for Rowland Silver, which is also lighter than Rowland Regular. The difference I find is this is the smoothest and mildest of the Rowland series, which pushes this particular version to three stars. I also think this has a tad more Virginia than the others.
D&R Rowland Regular:
The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet with a drop of honey. The burley is nutty, earthy, toasty sweet and well complements the Virginia without over taking it. The Oriental is a minor component, very slightly spicy, smoky and woody. The very light chocolate topping is mildly sweet, and doesn’t detract from the tobacco taste. It has a mellowing affect that helps smooths out the blend. Won’t bite, and you’ll only experience a light harsh note if you puff hard, though it does sport a rough edge here and there. Burns well and cool with hardly a relight, almost no moisture in the bowl, and a consistent flavor. Has a slightly more than mild nic-hit. Has a pleasant after taste, and can be an all day smoke.
D&R Rowland Silver:
The aspects of this blend as compared to Rowland Regular are much the same. The Virginia is grassy, citrusy sweet with a drop of honey. The burley is nutty, earthy, toasty sweet in a supporting role, and lightly less obvious in this production. The Oriental is very slightly spicy, smoky and woody, and underscores the experience. The very light chocolate topping is mildly sweet, and doesn’t detract from the tobacco taste, and is a little less noticeable here than in the Regular version. It has a mellowing affect that helps smooths out the blend. The taste level is closer to mild than it is to medium. The nic-hit is mild. Won’t bite, and you’ll only experience a hint of harshness if you puff hard. Burns well and cool with hardly a relight, almost no moisture in the bowl, and a consistent flavor. Has a pleasant after taste, and is an all day smoke. Two and a half stars.
D&R Ryback:
The burley is toasty, nutty sweet. The Virginia is grassy, citrus sweet in a support role. The dark fired Kentucky is earthy, spicy and slightly woody and sweet, and competes with the burley for the lead. Dry as a bone, and being a shag cut, burns quickly, but not harsh unless you puff it fast. Won't bite. I prefer to hydrate it. The spiciness almost dominates the flavor, though the sweetness of the tobaccos is right there to compliment and contrast it. No casing or toppings. Has a medium to full nicotine hit. Burns clean with a very consistent flavor. Needs very few relights. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and if you like this kind of tobacco, you will appreciate the after taste. Not an all day smoke.
D&R Ryback Gold:
The Virginia is grassy, citrus sweet, and shares the lead with the earthy, spicy, woody sweet dark fired Kentucky. The burley is toasty, nutty sweet in an important support role. There’s more Virginia in this than there is in the regular Ryback, where the Kentucky and burley are more obvious. The spiciness from the Kentucky is just above being a condiment here, and the sweetness of the Virginias is more noticeable. The strength level is just past the medium threshold. The nicotine hit falls just short of medium. Dry as a bone, and being a shag cut, burns quickly, but not harsh unless you puff it fast. I suggest a light hydration. Won't bite and is a smoother smoke than Ryback. No casing or toppings. Burns clean with a very consistent flavor. Needs very few relights. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and has a pleasant after taste. Not an all day smoke, and I recommend a small bowl if you have multiple repeats in mind. Three and a half stars.
D&R TAPS VIP:
The light and brown Virginias are buttery sweet with a hint of grass and earth, and some citrus. The smell of the tobacco from an open tin is fruity: apricots, figs and raisins, and much of that is mildly evident in the smoke. The perique is more fruity than peppery, but the latter is an important part of the experience. The toppings are a light honey bourbon and a small touch of anisette, and they do tone down the tobaccos just a little. It's A.P. Rimboche with toppings.The tobacco is dry out of the tin, so you may prefer to lightly hydrate it. I found the flavors stood out more when I did. Burns well, cool, clean and very smooth with a consistent flavor, and no chance of bite or harshness. Hardly leaves any moisture in the bowl, and needs few relights. The sweet taste never wanes or gets boring, and the after taste pleasantly lingers long enough for you to immediately considering having another bowl right away. It doesn't have much nicotine, and may not have enough strength satisfy hardcore VaPer smokers, but for those who aren't, it's a four star blend.
D&R Three Sails:
Reminds me exactly of Three Castles, which I used to enjoy, and I suspected this is what the Castles once was, something blender Mark Ryan has confirmed to me as he blended Three Castles for years. When Three Castles was discontinued, Ryan continued to make it as Three Sails. It's a simple uncomplicated Virginia with natural citrusy sweetness and some grassiness. I also get a few familiar notes that reminds me of Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic. I'm not comparing those two blends because they are different (e.g., SWRA has a topping and burley, and this has neither), but they both must use a similar type of Virginia. Has a mild to medium nic-note. Puff at a slow to moderate rate, and Three Sails will do well, won’t bite (even if puffed fast) or get harsh or cigarette-like. Has a very consistent flavor from start to finish, and easily burns to ash with hardly a relight. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl, and being a dry shag cut, burns quickly, but not hot if you pace the smoke. I do suggest a light hydration. Has a pleasant after taste and is an all day smoke.
D&R Two Timer:
The burley is toasty, woody, and very nutty with a little cocoa. While it may be used as a RYO, it’s does well as a pipe tobacco product with a mild to medium nicotine punch. Puffed at a moderate rate, it’ll mostly keep its flavor and not get harsh. Puffed fast, it’ll have some cigarette notes, possibly a little loss of flavor and a hint of a harsh note. It won't bite. Has no casing or topping. Burns fast, but not hot, and clean with a consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Leaves almost no moisture in the bowl, and requires very few relights. Has a nice after taste. An uncomplicated all day smoke that does even better with a light hydration.
D&R Two Timer Gold:
This is Two Timer with Virginia, and with that exception, the smoking qualities are the same. The burley is toasty, and very nutty with a little cocoa. The Virginia is a little grassy with some citrus, and a touch of honey. While it may be used as a RYO, it’s does well as pipe tobacco and has a mild to medium nicotine punch. Puffed at a moderate rate, it’ll mostly keep its flavor and you'll avoid a harsh note. Puffed fast, it’ll have some cigarette notes, and possibly a little loss of flavor. It won't bite. Has no casing or topping. Burns fast, but not hot, clean with a consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Leaves almost no moisture in the bowl, and requires very few relights. Has a nice after taste. An uncomplicated all day smoke that does even better with a light hydration.
D&R Vengeur Platinum:
The grassy, very citrusy, slightly woody gold leaf Virginia forms the base of the blend. The nutty, toasty, earthy, slightly cocoa-ish burleys are an important condiment. The dry and lightly sour, woody, lightly floral, smoky Oriental also offers a pinch of spice in the background. The strength level is mild to medium while the taste is a step closer to medium. The nic-hit is just past the mild threshold. Won’t bite and has no harsh moments. Gets a tad stronger in the last third of the experience. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, though not complex flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. The after taste is pleasant. An easy going all day smoke that’s smoother than expected with just enough character to hold your interest. Three and a half stars.
D&R Vengeur Regular:
The flue-cured Virginia is grassy and mildly sweet with a touch of citrus. The burley is a little toasty, nutty, with an essence of cocoa, but has very little sweetness as a second lead. The Oriental is slightly floral and woody in a supporting role. A thin ribbon cut that burns fairly quickly, this needs to be sipped to avoid harshness, and provide a smooth smoke. Won’t bite. Leaves no moisture in the bowl, and has a mild to medium nic-hit. Has no casing or topping. I recommend a little hydration as the tobacco is very dry, which will enhance the flavors a bit. Burns fast, but not hot, clean with a consistent flavor as it easily burns to ash. Hardly needs a relight. Has a pleasant after taste. An all day smoke that wears well in repeat performances.
D&R Vengeur Silver:
The grassy, very citrusy, slightly woody gold leaf Virginia forms the base of the blend. The nutty, toasty, earthy, mildly chocolatey burleys are an important condiment. The dry and lightly sour, woody, mildly floral, smoky Oriental also offers a little spice, and is always noticeable as slightly more than a background player. The strength level is just past mild to medium, and taste almost reaches medium. The nic-hit is mild to medium. Won’t bite and has no harsh moments, but does sport a rough edge every so often if you puff fast. Gets a tad stronger in the last third of the experience. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, moderately complex, mildly savory flavor. Hardly leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. The after taste is pleasant. The description claims it’s lighter than Vengeur Regular, but I don’t find that to be the case here. Three and a half stars rounded up to four.
D&R William’s Delight:
The double toasted burley is very toasty, and a little sweet, grassy, earthy and nutty. I also got the sense of oats a number of times. There’s not much of the Orientals present, but they are woody, and have a very minor floral and spice hit along with some sourness. The black cavendish is apparently unsweetened, but it adds some sugar smoothness to the tobaccos. The vanilla casing is extremely mild. This is a coarse cut blend that burns at a moderate rate even when dry. And speaking of dry, the light sour dryness throughout the smoke contrasts with the sweet flavors, but has a slight sour, woody bitterness near the finish. That bitterness lingers as in the after taste as does the sweetness. Won’t bite. Has a mild to medium nicotine hit, leaves no moisture in the bowl, and while not a powerhouse, I wouldn’t classify this as an all day smoke.
D&R Windsail Original:
A straight uncomplicated flue cured Virginia that is a little grassy and hay-like, and fairly citrusy with some honey and earth notes. It also has a very light spice hit. The nic-hit is just a shade past the mild mark. The strength and taste are medium. Ribbon cut for very easy, slightly fast burning, it requires few relights. Won't bite or get harsh, leaves no moisture in the bowl and will burn to ash with little trouble. Makes tons of smoke. It may be a one dimensional smoke, but it's a very flavorful all day no nonsense blend, and not every pipe tobacco product has to be complex to enjoy. Would make a good mixer. Has a pleasant after taste. I give it three and a half stars out of four.
D&R Windsail Platinum:
The flue cured Virginias provide a bit of citrus and grass/hay, a little earth, and touches of dark fruit, smoke, wood and spice. The strength and taste levels are a step past mild as is the nic-hit. Won’t bite, but does sport a light rough edge, and fast puffing may result in a harsh note. The tobacco is a little dry, but performs well even without hydration, so I suggest a slow smoking cadence. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, mostly one dimensional flavor. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Requires few relights. Has a pleasant after taste. An easy going all day work and play smoke that would make a good mixer, too.
D&R Windsail Silver:
The gold flue cured Virginia offers a bit of citrus, grass/hay, hints of wood and earth. The strength and taste levels are mild as is the nic-hit. Won’t bite or get harsh. The tobacco is a little dry, but performs well even without hydration. I do recommend a slow puff rate. Burns cool, clean and a little fast with a very consistent, one dimensional flavor. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Requires few relights. Has a pleasant after taste. An easy going all day work and play smoke that would make a good mixer, too. Three and a half stars.
D&R Winter Gold:
The grassy, citrusy Virginia and nutty, earthy, lightly woody burley are greatly sublimated by the wintergreen topping. The strength level falls a tad short of medium while the taste just hits that mark. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Won’t bite or get harsh. Burns cool and clean and little fast with a mostly consistent, sweet, minty flavor, meaning the topping fades just a touch in the past quarter of the experience. Hardly leaves any moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. The after taste pleasantly lingers. Can be an all day smoke if it fits your preference.
