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gregbc

Lurker
Jun 30, 2013
15
0
Hello peeps. New to the site, and to pipe smoking. So far with my experimenting I found that I am very fond of English blends.

I've been doing some research on English blends, and I have found there is a difference between english and latikia blends. Also what's in them.

My favorite tobacco that I have tried so far is Captain Earl's Night watch, I love that smokey campfire taste. So my question is, what is the smokey flavor? Is it the latikia (which I think it is) or is it the orientals? And if anyone has tried the night watch, what other tobaccos are similar for me to try? Thanks for any help.

 

uberam3rica

Lifer
Sep 7, 2011
4,015
9
Capac, Michigan
I've been doing some research on English blends, and I have found there is a difference between english and latikia blends. Also what's in them

English blends could be considered a latakia blend, as they tend to be predominantly latakia. Though there are latakia heavy blends that aren't an English. As for what is in them, that varies from blend to blend.

So my question is, what is the smokey flavor? Is it the latikia (which I think it is) or is it the orientals?

Yes, it is the latakia.

what other tobaccos are similar for me to try?

A few blends I like are Cornell and Diehl Mississippi Mud, Esoterica Penzance, and McClelland Frog Morton On The Bayou(Though all of the Frog Morton blends are good)

 

assaad

Can't Leave
Apr 4, 2011
340
2
In North America the term "English blend" is used to refer to what used to be called a mixture by the older blending houses. The term gets confused because a true English blend could be a blend of virginias without a heavy casing or with an English style casing such as floral essences. Some companies, such as Peterson with their blend Hyde Park, refer to a blend with "the traditional English style" while the blend contains no latakia. This seems to confuse a lot of people in the Americas. A traditional "mixture" contains latakia, virginia, and perique, at least according to some authors. I hope this isn't very confusing. With most people you can get away with calling a blend with latakia, virginia, orientals, etc. in any combination without a pronounced flavoring added, an English blend. Of course the correct use of the term English would apply to anything typical of blends produced by longstanding companies founded in England.
Don't worry it gets more confusing and then you will just get it.
Latakia is an oriental tobacco that is smoke-cured with certain wood to give it a characteristic camp fire type smell. It's delicious and wonderful, probably the best thing to happen to mankind in the way of consumables.

 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,149
32,916
Detroit
I haven't smoked Nightwatch, but I have tried Captain Earle's Ten Russians, which has got loads of latakia in it. You might enjoy that.

Welcome to the forum.

 

hemsworth

Might Stick Around
May 27, 2013
85
0
How about Britt's Balkan from 4noggins? This has rapidly ascended to the top of my list and is currently battling it out with Charles Fairmorn Lancer's Slices(a little more subtle than Britt's and no flavoring) as my favorite. Of course, that could change tomorrow...my palette is so wishy-washy. :roll:

 

kashmir

Lifer
May 17, 2011
2,712
63
Northern New Jersey
Welcome Greg. If your interest lies in Latakia, might I suggest Star of the East, Odessa, Campfire, Engine 99, Westminster, Charing Cross, Odyssey, Abingdon, Nightcap, London Mixture, and Balkan Sasieni. Pirate Kake and Penzance also.

 

salewis

Can't Leave
Jan 27, 2011
412
0
Welcome to this forum. English blends always have latakia in varying quantities but can be Virginia or oriental forward tobaccos. For my money I suggest you try GLP Westminster, Dunhill's London Mixture or McClelland's Blue Mountain.

 

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,010
1,749
Robinson, TX.
Greg, there are many blends out there with a "smoky" taste that do not contain Latakia. Ever tried Condor as an example? Dark stoving Virginia leaf with lots of pressure can present a smoky, campfire taste as can deep stoving heavier Orientals.
I've heard so many different explanations of what constitutes an English blend from the so called experts that I've about given up trying to figure that one out. So, I made up my own definition and live with that. An "English" style blend is one that has a lot of Latakia in it and whatever else the blender throws in. (-:
Best,
Pipestud

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
32
In North America the term "English blend" is used to refer to what used to be called a mixture by the older blending houses. The term gets confused because a true English blend could be a blend of virginias without a heavy casing or with an English style casing such as floral essences. Some companies, such as Peterson with their blend Hyde Park, refer to a blend with "the traditional English style" while the blend contains no latakia. This seems to confuse a lot of people in the Americas. A traditional "mixture" contains latakia, virginia, and perique, at least according to some authors. I hope this isn't very confusing. With most people you can get away with calling a blend with latakia, virginia, orientals, etc. in any combination without a pronounced flavoring added, an English blend. Of course the correct use of the term English would apply to anything typical of blends produced by longstanding companies founded in England.
How about we call the Virginia/Latakia/Orientals concoctions "English mixtures" and leave the term "English blend" for the more general use?

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
One English is enough for me so I smoke Nightcap as it packs a Lat and nic punch but has enough of other ingredients to taste interesting. Second to it would be MM965. A bit sweeter and more fragrant, but milder in strength. Latakia is such a domineering leaf that it really takes some blending skill to come up with something that differentiates a blend from the rest. I suppose that's why there are those Latakia+Black Vanilla Cavendish blends, but those stretch the definition of English rather thin.

 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
I like to make a distinction between Latakia blends (or "Lat-bombs") and English blends just because the term "English Blend" is so vague, even though technically they're the same thing.

A Lat-Bomb is definitely going to be dominated by Latakia and usually has a strong savory taste, where English blends can have a wide variety of flavour profiles.

 

pipeanddrum

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 5, 2016
281
2
I'm always confused by the term 'English blend' as I associate it with latakia but there are blends that are considered English which have no latakia whatsoever. Rattray's Stirling Flake (a great smoke) is one example: http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/9178/rattray-stirling-flake
I believe English blends are those with no casing, no matter the leaf component.

 

deathmetal

Lifer
Jul 21, 2015
7,714
32
Someone explained this convincingly as the difference between an "English blend" and an "English mixture."
The former is a wide category, including GH blends, and the latter refers to the nearly-universal mix of Virginias, Orientals, and Latakia with optional Burley, Cavendish, Perique (and probably others).

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,565
27,067
Carmel Valley, CA
Ironically, perhaps, in that the best English blends are now made by American blenders- GL Pease, Std. Tobacco of PA, Wilke, H+H, Seattle Pipe Club and others.

 
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