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madox07

Lifer
Dec 12, 2016
1,823
1,689
Just an odd observation: I have this little notebook that i use for keeping track of my cellar, in and out stuff. I think of myself as an English blend smoker, but checking with this notebook of mine I stand corrected. In 2018 the tins I opened were more of a Virginia based, less va/per quite a bit of va/bur and even a bit more of Virginia combos. The ratio was roughly 4:1 Virginia to English. All evidence point out that i am not an English blend addict .. I did not know that about myself :mrgreen:

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,337
Going from heavy English blends to more subtle blends such as Virginias tends to be a common trend. I've heard a few forum members talk about it, and I myself have experienced it. I haven't touched a heavy Lat blend for a while now and gravitate towards Virginia/Orientals and Aromatics.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'm kind of a burley fanatic, so there's that. But I wonder if English blends don't resort too often to a kind of Lat and/or Lat Perique condiment repetition. Burley, various Cavendish, Turkish and other Orientals, dark fired and other condiments provide a wider range. It would help the English blends if it weren't for the Lat/Perique cliches that become repetitious.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'm kind of a burley fanatic, so there's that. But I wonder if English blends don't resort too often to a kind of Lat and/or Lat Perique condiment repetition. Burley, various Cavendish, Turkish and other Orientals, dark fired and other condiments provide a wider range. It would help the English blends if it weren't for the Lat/Perique cliches that become repetitious.

 
Mar 29, 2016
1,006
5,540
Once you smoke heavy Latakia blends, I consider that there's nowhere else to go but back to Virginias and/or Va/Pers.

 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,220
Austin, TX
I still love my English blends in the cold weather. Even when I smoke indoors, it's just something about the ambient temperature that makes English blends so tasty in the winter time. I usually wont' touch English blends in the summer months though, just too heavy for the heat, that's when I go to VA town. I'll note that I smoke all other blends like Condor, St. Bruno and other scented tobaccos all year long. One lat blend that I do enjoy in the summer time is BIlly Budd, the cigar leaf and spice seem to really come out in the warmer weather.

 

hawky454

Lifer
Feb 11, 2016
5,338
10,220
Austin, TX
Hahaha. Damn, that's usually how it is down here in Texas but we've been getting a decent winter this time around. It's been grey for the past two weeks and we're staying down in the 30's for another week, I'm loving it, although, I'm not too fond of the wind when it gets this cold. It will go straight from cold to summer though, it's right around the corner, so I have to enjoy this why I've got it.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,578
66
Sarasota, FL
I've actually added some English blends to my rotation in the past three months. I like variety. I'm still 80% VA forward blends but I enjoy the variety. I'm glad I did, Chelsea Morning and Maltese Falcon are fabulous blends as are Westminster and Abingdon. I even enjoy an occasional latakia forward blend like Ashton Artisans blends, Black Frigate, Pirate Kake and several others. And then there is Quiet Nights!!! And Lancer's Slices! Why limit yourself when there are so many superb blends?

 

recluse

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 11, 2011
147
8
This sort of thing is another reason why I like the Tobacco Cellar site, since it provides statistics for you automatically that can highlight this type of discrepancy.
There is something to be said for English blends in cold and brutally cold weather for sure.

 
Mar 29, 2016
1,006
5,540
Latakia mixtures are a boon in Winter but are also nice in Summer nights in the right conditions. Billy Budd, Pirate Kake, Abingdon or Nightcap are good after a hearty dinner.

 

5star

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 17, 2017
727
2,018
PacNW USA
I've done the opposite of the OP, smoking more Englsh blends as of late. We've had lots of snow & very cold temperatures this winter. Perfect for an English blend and a dram of Isley scotch, or a mug of black coffee.

 
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