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London Mixture - Latakia is growing on me (and a grape or two)

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andya27

andya27

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 15, 2014
501
2
I'm still quite new to pipe smoking. Perhaps a month or so ago I had asked for recommendations on some good tobaccos for newbies. Two that I ordered based on all the recommendations were London Mixture and 965. When they arrived I wondered if something was wrong - they had such an unusual, and not really appealing, fragrance. My wife agreed that they smelled unusual - and in her opinion - horrific. I tried smoking them, but it just wasn't enjoyable.
Fast forward a few weeks and the arrival of a tin of Frog Morton Cellar - which also has some Latakia - and I realized that the Dunhills smell as they're supposed to. I wasn't thrilled - as Cellar didn't smell any better in the tin than the Dunhills. But I smoked a bowl of Cellar. Then another. Then another - until it has become perhaps my favorite.
So today I brought out the London Mixture again. You know, the Latakia fragrance is growing on me - both in the tin and in the bowl. Smoked in my 320, the London Mixture was a true joy.
I'm beginning to get the sense that I may enjoy a variety of tobaccos, and that Latakia is one that will be a staple for me as the years progress. I remember 965 being a good bit stronger than London Mixture, so I may wait a few more weeks before I dive back into that tin.
I also found it quite enjoyable to eat a bowl of grapes while smoking - just a bit of sweetness and liquid.


 
claypipesarchaeologist

claypipesarchaeologist

Can't Leave
Mar 31, 2014
385
1
Welcome to the love of latakia! I can't get enough of it. The past month, I've been smoking stuff with nearly 50% Syrian latakia, and I originally just started out with it as an accent to a blend. Be careful, it's addictive!
On the grape note: Something I'll do on occasion is tuck some chocolate in my cheek while I'm smoking tobacco that just isn't as flavorful as I'd anticipated. I've never liked aromatics, but this is nice.

 

apatim

apatim

Can't Leave
Feb 17, 2014
497
0
Jacksonville, FL
Ahhh... Latakia! Like you, my first sniff of it wasn't very pleasant but now I love the aroma! Partly because it just smells great to me and partly because I know the rich flavors that are about to engulf my tongue.

 
matchstickman

matchstickman

Lifer
Jul 15, 2011
2,363
31
You know, London Mixture was a rare miss for me as I like almost everything Dunhill puts out, but it was just too mild for me. Now you, being relatively new to latakia, I can see where you would like the stuff. It is a very good introduction. I myself love Latakia and the more the merrier, so I'm always smoking things like Billy Budd, Pirate Kake, Larry's blend, etc., but I agree that once you develop a taste for it you'll crave it non-stop.

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
I love Latakia, as blended in Nightcap, 965, and especially Nat Sherman 536. I like it well integrated with the other

tobaccos, not just a Lat bomb effect. But also, I don't want it every smoke. Rotating to other kinds of blends, I find

the Latakia inclusive blends much more piquant if they are not omnipresent in my rotation, but coming around between

Virginia and Va/Per blends, and lately especially some of the blends centered on burley such as Triple Play, Pegasus and

Old Joe Krantz. Latakia is superb, but I don't want it like mushroom sauce at every meal.

 
hiplainsdrifter

hiplainsdrifter

Part of the Furniture Now
Jan 8, 2012
977
14
My first latakia was 965, and I didn't like it at all. I was smoking aromatics exclusively when I tried it. Years later, my tobacco palate has been honed by fine virginia blends, and now I really like an occasional latakia, if it is well done. Try to get your hands on some Penzance next time it is available.

 
apatim

apatim

Can't Leave
Feb 17, 2014
497
0
Jacksonville, FL
From time to time I see comments that seem to indicate that Latakia is for more experienced pipers or it is somewhat of an acquired taste or something along those lines. I'm not sure I agree with those opinions as I loved it the first time I tried it which was just a few weeks after I started piping. Like foods and beverages, it's just a matter of taste and as we know, tastes often change.

 
andya27

andya27

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 15, 2014
501
2
I'll be giving 965 a smoke this afternoon. I'm letting it dry out for an hour before lighting up, and I'm really enjoying the Latakia fragrance wafting up from the small pyrex bowl the tobacco is sitting in. My last smoke with 965 was truly painful - nasty tongue bite - so I'm hoping that drying out the tobacco some, and really working to smoke slow and cool, will make a difference.
It is a bit surprising that I've gone from a month ago thinking Latakia must be a mistake to enjoying the fragrance. Anyway, we'll see how the 965 works for me in a bit.

 
captainbob

captainbob

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 5, 2010
765
2
If you like grapes, you could consider my blend which is a "light" English containing Latakia (1/16th)and is flavored with some terrific "grape" aromatic along with other flavors consisting of Black Walnut, Maple, Caramel, Orange and Vanilla. It is available from P&C or smokingpipes.com. I know that there is one individual on this Forum that says I only post about "my blend". However, that is simply not true. He needs to read more posts! I've been around a long time and everyone knows that I do not profit from the sale of my Cornell and Diehl Blend. If you like grapes, this is an appropriate post.

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cortezattic

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,638
Chicago, IL
Just pulling your chain, Skipper! :lol: I just had a bowl of Captain Bob's Blend this morning, and I think it's pretty good.

Your description is spot-on. If anybody likes Two Friends' Valle Crucis, they should like CBB too, tho they're not the same.
As for posting about your blend all the time, maybe you should click on your avatar name and see how often you really do!

Or better, search: https://www.google.com/search?q=site:http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/%20Captain%20Bob%27s%20Blend

and retrieve about 643 results! :rofl:

...But God bless ya, you're doing us all a favor -- for either the blend, or comic relief! :D

 
andya27

andya27

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 15, 2014
501
2
I've just added the Captain Bob's blend to my wish list. Over the weekend I placed another tobacco order, so I'll need to wait a few weeks before I place another. I'm getting so much tobacco that I just hope it doesn't all dry out by the time I get to using it all. I'm storing it in mason jars - some heat sealed for cellaring and others just with the lids tightened.
By the way, the 965 was a very pleasant smoke yesterday. I went very slow, made sure to not smoke hot. No tongue bite or roof of mouth burning. Ate some cherries along the way to cool and sweeten the experience. So there's no doubt I'm a burgeoning Latakia fan. Now I enjoy just taking the lid of a tin of a Latakia blend to smell it. My daughter who is home from college for a few days thought the tin note of 965 smelled awful, but agreed that when lit, it has a completely different and very pleasant aroma. She's 21, smokes a hookah with her Iraqi friends at college, and couldn't get the hang of smoking my pipe without inhaling the smoke and coughing.
With my tobacco order I placed this past weekend(mostly Cavendish based as so far I've concentrated on Virginias, Latakias, and Burleys), I'll be getting a sample of Gaslight. All the reviews and Youtube videos make it look quite an experience.

 
captainbob

captainbob

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 5, 2010
765
2
Coffey or Coffee?
Captain Bob "Coffey"

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captainbob

captainbob

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 5, 2010
765
2
I Just had to do it! The tin description is:

"Named for friend and customer Capt. Bob Coffey. A blend of Virginias and Burleys with just a dash of Latakia and Perique and finished with a refreshing flavor. "

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apatim

apatim

Can't Leave
Feb 17, 2014
497
0
Jacksonville, FL
If there is a god, his/her gifts to mankind include beer, single malt scotch and Latakia. Not necessarily in that order!
Oh... And sex, too. Of course. :puffpipe:

 
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