First Experience With an English Blend

andrew369 · Apr 25, 2013

I am pretty new to pipe smoking and have been using aromatic pipe tobaccos like most beginners do, but in an order I made from 4noggins they threw in a free sample of Britt's Balkan blend. I just put it in my corn cob to try out and it is on a completely different level to anything I have tried. Even with a head cold and bummed up sinuses it tastes incredible. The smell is slightly less appealing to none smokers but the natural aroma of the stuff is better than some of the heavily cased blends I have been using. Mac Baren's Honey and Chocolate was so over done it made me feel ill. Highly recommended it to anyone! Just wish I didn't have so many aromatic blends to use up now

erichbaumer · Apr 25, 2013

I remember when I first tried Englishes I took to them pretty quick (they're almost all I smoke) and I ended up mostly giving my other blends to my buddies. They're also good to have on hand if you want to smoke in company that really doesn't appreciate latakia, though I actually haven't run into that problem.

It's a whole different world of blends to explore, have fun!

kashmir · Apr 25, 2013

Ain't it grand?

And you'll never look back.

andrew369 · Apr 25, 2013

It is like the difference between a cigarette and a good cigar almost lol. God knows how good it will be once my sinuses clear up a little. No more gooped up pipes either. Will probably end up smoking most of these aromatics and maybe give some over to a friend to try, but once these are gone I think I will be stocking up on some English/Balkan blends.

kashmir · Apr 25, 2013

Well, to each his own. Old school: I put down eight to ten bowls a day of English. Next to oxygen, it's the highlight of my day.

rmbittner · Apr 25, 2013

Welcome to the fold, Andrew!
When I first started out, I didn't make any distinction between aromatics and non- . I just smoked everything. Yes, my first blend ever was an aromatic (TB's North Sea, AKA Stokkebye's Nougat), but my third blend ever was Dunhill's London Mixture. At the time, I remember enjoying them all, although I definitely didn't have the vocabulary to describe what I was getting out of the English and Virginia and Virginia/perique blends at that point. I moved back and forth between the styles constantly during my first eight years as a pipesmoker.
Now, though, I'm much more in Roth's boat: I keep one aromatic going at all times -- out of a typical 5-6 open tins at any one time -- but I don't often dip into it.
Bob

madmick · Apr 25, 2013

I too like the English blends but I'm only allowed to smoke them outside due to the wife not caring for the room note. I only toss an English blend the bowl every now and then just to mix things up a bit. I like the flavor but it does leave a little bit of an aftertaste for a while.
8 to 10 bowls a day! 8O My god man, if I tried that I think I would die. I think the most I've done is 3 bowls and that’s if I'm out mowing my 4 acres and tending to the garden.

andrew369 · Apr 25, 2013

LOL I barely even smoke one a day, do it purely as a once in a while sort of thing. Don't think my tongue would survive 10 bowls a day. I have a tin of W.O Larsen signature blend which from what I have seen online is one of the best aromatics on the market. Tried a bowl yesterday and got no flavour from it all. Probably a combo of the cold and not being dry enough. Think I will use a lamp to dry tobacco out in the future, and not waste anymore tobacco if sick. :P

alexl · Apr 25, 2013

With all due respect to Britt’s Balkan, why not to try some real English? Dunhill or Gawith are known not without reason.

fitzy · Apr 25, 2013

Welcome to the wonderful world of Latakia. Man I love my English and Balkan blends.
I highly recommend the following:

Any Frog Mortons but particularly Cellar

Hearth & Home Magnum Opus

Hearth & Home Black House

Hearth & Home Larry's Blend

Hearth & Home Fusiliers Ration

McClellands Blue Mountain

Esoterica Penzance (Very difficult to try and obtain at times)

Sam Gawith Squadron Leader

Dunhill 965

Dunhill Night Cap
I've heard great things about the GL Pease English/Balkan blends as well and happen to have a few tins of those on the way.

dervis · Apr 25, 2013

Glad you liked it. I am about half and half English to VA smoker. Colder the weather the more English I reach for , and vice versa.

andrew369 · Apr 25, 2013

Thanks for the list Fitzy, Frog Cellar will be on my next order as long as it is in stock, might try a Dunhill and SG too after reading into their blends a little.

trailspike48 · Apr 25, 2013

I also started with aromatics. I tried a few non aros, Dunhill EMP and 965, Mac Barren Golden Extra, and now I prefer the non aro blends. I just have a pound each of 4noggins, Father Orin and Double Fantasy to use up. I bought a couple of boxes of half pint jars to store them in, but it may be a while before they are gone. My last order was 8 or 9 blends, nearly all contain Latakia.

mso489 · Apr 25, 2013

I second the Dunhill Mixture 965. Not all aromatics are overdone. Unless you go entirely to English and/or

unblended Virginia or Burley, many aros give fine tobacco taste with just a hint of something else, and often

that only in the room note. Lane's 1-Q is real popular on the Forums. I do like some of each. Variety is good.

judcole · Apr 25, 2013

Welcome to the next step in your evolution as a pipe smoker.

lincolnsbark · Apr 25, 2013

Being a new pipe smoker I have been bouncing back and fourth between english and aro blends. I have also liked the blends with perique added in. I tend to prefer the english but my girlfriend definitely prefers when I smoke the aros; breath is better after aros.

smokedogrememberthatsht · Apr 25, 2013

I've really haven't fallen love lat. I want to so bad but I just don't enjoy the taste. I this will sound wired but it reminds me of scotch which I don't care for.
I like VAs or VAPers. I'm a big fan of C&D because their blends do not bite me. I've tried many other brands and blends and they all leave my tongue a wreck.

waznyf · Apr 25, 2013

Love me some good English bacccy! Can't go wrong with some tobacco rich in Latakia.
-Frank

flyguy · Apr 26, 2013

I also started with aromatics. I did try English blends when I was young and thought they were nasty. As I grew older, my tastes have changed. I mostly smoke Flakes (Virginia, VaPers and Burleys) and English/Balkans nowadays. I also smoke an occasional aro for a change-up (especially mixed with CH). Tobacco variety is one of the things that make this such a great hobby!

erichbaumer · Apr 26, 2013

The scotch comparison isn't odd, in fact I love peated scotch, which is a huge part of why I like latakia so much.

First Experience With an English Blend

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