Escudo Navy De Luxe Pipe Tobacco

After a long hiatus, I have recently returned to pipe smoking and have been looking for tins worth smoking and cellaring. There have been some hits and misses after the smoke cleared and this tobacco is definitely in the hit category for me. It is both smooth and complex. Can't wait to see how the flavor profile deepens with age.

So easy to smoke. Delightful flavor, no bite, you can smoke this all day and night and never be bored.

This product is outstanding. The natural sweetness, the earthy flavor, the smooth smoking experience, and the availability of this product make it one of the very best non aromatic options on the market. If you plan on buying this, be sure to get more than one tin, it ages exceptionally well.

My favorite VaPer by far.

Escudo is the benchmark for VaPers. Well represented in my cellar for a reason. This is extremely good every time I smoke it.

One of my favorites. Good flavor and strength.

I like this tobacco very much. It has a rich character that I prefer.

Excellent! An old favorite of mine.

I sure hope I don't upset fans of Escudo, but I try to give my experience as best I can and let readers ultimately decide for themselves. Part of how I feel about Escudo is based on built-up expectations. When I finally tried this, I was expecting so much more than what I got. I initially thought I must cellar it, which I did. I tried it after a week, then after a month, then I decided I'd cellar it for a few more months hoping to let it age a bit. It's getting there, but it's now in the cellar for the foreseeable future as it'll obviously take a year or more. So, what was really wrong? Nothing really. It's pretty good. I tried the fold/stuff, I tried it rubbed out, in both briar and cob...it smokes good, not at all difficult. The taste was nice, but it seemed a little harsh. I had a similar experience with Dunhill's Elizabethan. I do enjoy other VA/Pers; I've had Stokkebye's Bullseye Flake which is often compared to Escudo and I liked that rubbed out. I also enjoy C&D's Bayou Morning which is stronger and yet not as sharp. Perhaps my favorite would be Murray's 1921 Cunningham which is near perfect fresh from a new tin. The Murray's may not be an apples-to-apples comparison though since it also contains rum, which I also like. We each know what we like. Escudo isn't bad - it's quite good. But, it's just not my go-to VA/Per.