Latakia

Well, that's really a relative question which will come with numerous different answers based on the differences in palate and body chemistry. I myself am not fond of Lady Latakia, but I can say the most popular Latakia blends are probably Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe and McClelland's Frog Morton.

Hmmm....I don't who "they" is, but I'm a latakia hound who dislikes most Syrian blends....
This is terribly subjective, of course. And the question isn't made any easier by the fact that there are probably hundreds of such blends....
The Frog Morton series is very popular, especially for smokers who are just starting out on latakia. McClelland also makes Wilderness, Legends, and Three Oaks Syrian, all of which are top-notch mixtures (if exceedingly mild).
I would say, however, that most of the "top shelf" blends are by either GL Pease or Dunhill. I've tried most of the offerings from both of them, and I can't say that I'm very fond of Dunhill's products (hence I won't venture to give you any recommendations). I am a big fan of Pease's stuff, however, so I'll recommend what I think are his best blends:

Odyssey

Maltese Falcon

Chelsea Morning

Sextant
I would also highly, HIGHLY recommend a blend called "Northwoods" from Boswell. It's a spectacular smoke, and is good for both beginners and more experienced smokers.
Also, Hearth and Home makes at least two awesome latakia mixtures: "Larry's Blend" and "Fusilier's Ration."
There is also a large genre of so-called "American English" or "crossover" latakia blends. These tend to be a little lighter on the latakia and use burley in place of virginia as a base tobacco. Morley's Best, Epiphany, Walnut, Old Hollywood, and Countryside are some of the better examples.
I hope this helps!

BLACKHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry, I have never tried BlackHouse, but I just wanted to fit in with the cool kids. :wink:
In truth, the best latakia blend I have had so far has been McClelland's 3 Oaks Syrian. Very smooth and all latakia!

McClelland's 3 Oaks Syrian. Very smooth and all latakia!

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Not according to the tin description: "Rare Syrian Latakia, with its renowned mellow smokiness, is balanced with natural sweet Oriental tobaccos and aged Virginia leaf to create a satisfying blend reminiscent of classic Syrian Latakia blends of old."
But the question asked by the OP is super subjective. What is best to one person is anathema to another.
Unlike the poster who didn't smoke latakia blends, I do - and have been for years. I enjoy both Syrian and Cyprian latakia. "Crossover" English blends are not the same as American English blends; the latter are, as was pointed out above, burley based instead of Virginia based. C&D does a lot of these. A "crossover" English may be Virginia or burley based, but it is topped with something to add a sweet aroma and/or taste. MacBaren's The Solent Mixture is a Syrian latakia crossover; the Frog Morton series from McClelland uses Cyprian lat, IIRC.
Personally, I smoke a lot of MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian. Peterson's Old Dublin is also a staple in my rotation, as is McCranie's Murdock's Pipe, and Larry's Blend from the Hearth and Home Series. I also enjoy Penzance, C&D Star of the East, SG Squadron Leader and Balkan Flake, and many others.

Since Bulldog Mick already stated the obvious, plus other people mentioned Frogs, Dunhill and 3 Oaks Syrian, I'll add Autumn Walk by Jack Lee Blend. It's an aromatic with Latakia and it's very good! Here's the thread with my review!
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/autumn-walk-by-jack-lee-blends-pipeinhand#post-270443

Depends on how much Latakia you like. On a cold night I grab the blackest, stinkiest, most leathery blend I can find, in which case you will want something like C&Ds Star of the East, C&D DaVinci, or Hearth and Home Larrys Blend. If you want something a little lighter, try some Dunhill Early Morning Pipe, McClelland Frog Morton, or Hearth and Home's Namaste, which is a really tasty English with just the right amount of Latakia for me to make it an all day smoke.

As it seems like I am over-sencetive for Latakia, I might not be the right one to answer, but I found GLP - Fillmore very nice. It's a VaPerLat with very little Latakia, and bulids a nice base of deep taste.

I like Dunhill Nightcap, SHCP Great Hiatus, SPC Plum Pudding, H&H Larry's Blend, and McClelland's Legends
Not necessarily in that order
Frog Morton Across the Pond and On the Town are good too ... and Peter Stokkebye Balkan Supreme

Not according to the tin description:

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Of course only blending latakia is 100% latakia. What I mean is that the flavours are all rich latakia, unlike something like GL Pease's Odyssey, which has a strong flavour of VAs and latakia (and can also bite).

There are so many good Latakia blends and people's tastes are so different, it's almost impossible to answer this question. You have plenty of good answers already and all I can add is that if you're on a budget don't neglect the H&H blends, particularly Larry's Blend and Ten to Midnight. Evening Stroll is also a good light English blend that you could start out on. If you're really on a budget and don't mind a strong Balkan smoke, Peter Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme is a great smoke at an amazing price. It's hard to find but Mars Cigars usually has it.

Smokey

This is like asking, who is the prettiest woman in the world, you'll get many answers but you need to decide for yourself. I suggest trying 2 or 3 of the blends mentioned by other members above. Write down what you think of these tobaccos as you smoke them. Then go to tobaccoreviews.com and read other smokers opinions of these same blends. Find some people who tasted what you tasted when you smoked them. I would then check out some blends that those people gave four stars to, this is probably the cheapest way to find a tobacco that you'll really enjoy.

+1 philobeddoe
For the most part, you can find some thoughtful, well written reviews on tobaccoreviews.com and have a much better chance at finding tobaccos that you would be willing to take a chance on without ever tasting them. Watch out for the guys who say, "I don't really like aros (or latakia or orientals) but I'm going to review this anyway..." and then trash what could be a good tobacco.
This forum also has some excellent reviews on it and if you do some thoughtful investigation, you can also find a gem or two to put into your rotation.

Watch out for the guys who say, "I don't really like aros (or latakia or orientals) but I'm going to review this anyway..." and then trash what could be a good tobacco.

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Likewise, note the guys who say, "I don't usually smoke (whatever it is),and then like the blend they usually don't care for.

Hands down....C&D Engine 99

One of my now favourite Syrian Latakia blends is Ahston Artisans, it is a good heavy Lat' blend though, probably want to try something a little lighter first like Dunhill Early Morning, Barneys Punchbowle is also another very enjoyable Lat' blend.

I just got my order from Mars Cigars today and I would like to add another great Latakia blend to my recommendations. It's McClelland's Frog Morton on the Town. It's a medium based smoke with a room note that my wife likes. You can get it from almost any on-line merchant if you don't have a local B&M.

Smokey

I think Peterson Old Dublin is most excellent and is one of my main smokes. It has lat in it. I also enjoy Blue Mountain, Squadron Leader, Frogs, and EMP.
What kind of Latakia blends have you tried that you like thus far?

favourite Syrian Latakia blends is Ashton Artisans

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Another good one.