Quintessential tobacco - Survey says.....

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backwoodsjack

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 25, 2015
179
6
Central Minnesota
I had a thought regarding tobacco and its geographic origins or influences last night. I'll admit I don't know a great deal of tobacco history, but it may not matter for this census. I'm more interested in what you members would consider the best representative of each category would be. Please list in order what you consider to be the quintessential blend for each of the following categories:
1. English

2. Scottish

3. Balkan

4. American

5. Virginia Flake
You may give a long winded explanation of your answers, or none at all. But please, for this survey, list only tobaccos that are currently available.
I have a few ideas in mind, but in the end, I would like to put together a package of tobaccos "from around the world", and send them of to a buddy.
Thanks for your input.
My list is looking like this:
English - Dunhill 965

Scottish - Rattray's Highland Targe

Balkan - McClelland - Blue Mountain

American - Mac Baren HH Old Dark Fired

V Flake - Samuel Gawith FVF

 

dottiewarden

Lifer
Mar 25, 2014
3,053
57
Toronto
1. English - Dunhill London Mixture

2. Scottish - MacBaren Scottish Mixture

3. Balkan - Samuel Gawith Balkan Flake

4. American - Captain Black Regular

5. Virginia Flake - Orlik Golden Sliced

 
Quintessential? "representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class."

Ehhh, I don't believe in quintessentials.
But, regardless, I will give it a go.
English - I guess you mean latakia mixtures... Because when I think of England, I think of guys smoking stuff that smells like grandma's rose shaped decorative soaps. But, yeh yeh, we've also come to call some obscure aspect of latakia blends, English blends, even though they are really imitations of Balkan Sobranie, like Nightcap or 965. I just wish someone would explain to me why 965 is not a Balkan. Anyways, I guess my ideal or typical would be something like Bengal Slices. It has the latkia without too much of the orientals which actual makes an English into a Balkan.
Scottish. I have no idea what a Scottish blend would be, Presbyterian maybe... which is a Balkan also. Ha ha. IDK, pour some whisky or hard liquor over a tin and call it a Scottish, oops, or would that make it an Irish blend? So confusing.
Balkan... Ha ha, the term Balkan tobaccos were those found in the Mediterranean and Balkan regions, as the Turkish Empire collapsed, creating these tribes. So really, anything with latakia, Turkish, orientals, etc... would have been called a Balkan. But, I think that Balkan Sobranie would have set the standard for what we now know as a Balkan, but... there are better Balkan than this new putrid swill they tin up and disgracefully put the old labels on. Only suckers smoke the new Balkan Sobranie. Don't be a sucker... smoke Hearth and Home's Whiteknight. It blows the puke they call Balkan Sobranie out of the water.
American? What? It's funny that you have a Danish MacBaren selected as a typical American blend, ha ha. I can't even imagine what someone would be talking about if they called something an American blend. I guess if they were from Eurpoe, they might mean a goopy Lane or Sutliff blend, like 1Q or something with a peach flavor :::shivers::: But, then we have McClelland and C&D... I guess an American blend could be said to be any unadulterated tobacco with no flavorings added... also. So, I will say... hmmm... Carter Hall, bah ha ha...
Virginia Flake... one of these categories is not like the others... The quintessential Virginia Flake would have to be an American Flake, because of course how would the rest of the world know how to handle Virginias like McClellands. But, they make funny flakes. So... McCranies Red Flake. It just cannot be beat.
Yeh, I guess I got myself in the long-winded category, ha ha.

 

drennan

Can't Leave
Mar 30, 2014
344
3
Normandy
Too me
An English blend is mix of oriental, virginia and latakia tobaccos in which the virginia and latakia dominate. It could be a lat bomb like Dunhill Nightcap or something more subtle like SG Squadron Leader.
A Scottish mix is the same as above but with cavendish, something like MM965.
A Balkan is a mix of oriental, virginia and latakia tobacco in which the orientals and latakia dominate. Something like Dunhill London mixture or SG Skiff.
An American blend is something burley heavy with a light topping, like Carter Hall.
For virginia flake it's hard to see past SG FVF or Dunhill flake, I'd go with the latter if the sample is being sent to a newbie.

 

backwoodsjack

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 25, 2015
179
6
Central Minnesota
Cosmic,

I left the categories undefined, knowing you all would have different takes on these "labels"
In my mind, an American blend would be burley forward. ODF is a stretch, but it is Kentucky and Va.
I'm rethinking my choice for the American cat.
Dottie, drennan,
thanks for the input guys.
Keep ém coming, this will take shape.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
English, Nat Sherman 536; Scottish, Dunhill Nightcap; Balkan, C&D Super Balkan; American, PC Log Cabin; Virginia, OGS. Thought I'd stay a little out of step and select at least some less mentioned blends. Each category generates a long list, as it should.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,256
108,360
English-Lancer Slices

Scottish-Dunhill My Mixture 965

Balkan-Stokkebye Balkan Supreme

American-G.L. Pease Cumberland

Virginia Flake-Aylesbury Luxury Flake

 

backwoodsjack

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 25, 2015
179
6
Central Minnesota
Cosmic,
The word quintessential, could refer to anything, i.e. taste, leaf, history of the blend.
There really are no rules here to speak of. So yep, absolutely, a less popular blend is welcome.

 

backwoodsjack

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 25, 2015
179
6
Central Minnesota
chasingembers,
American- G.L. Pease Cumberland
I like this, fits the bill. US made, US grown.
Now I must admit, I never have smoked it. I should remedy that.

 

owen

Part of the Furniture Now
May 28, 2014
560
2
A great thread, Cosmic that is a textbook answer.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who finds it different to navigate the English/Scottish/Balkan/Oriental issue.

 

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
605
Virginia Flake -- Union Square
Since you've got VAs covered, I'd pick some kind of burley for the American category. Maybe Prince Albert or Half n Half. Alternatively, you could pick one of the Cornell and Diehl burley blends -- doesn't get more American than that. Haunted Bookshop and Old Joe Krantz have the three great American tobaccos in them -- Virginias, burleys and Perique (no furreners in the mix!). Morley's Best is another great burley blend, which is based on Blue Boar, itself a classic American blend (with Latakia).

 

pitchfork

Lifer
May 25, 2012
4,030
605
I'll give a nod to Cumberland, too, for American blend. Anything made in USA with Perique and Kentucky dark fired is quintessentially American.

 

backwoodsjack

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 25, 2015
179
6
Central Minnesota
1. English - Dunhill London Mixture

2. Scottish - MacBaren Scottish Mixture

3. Balkan - ?

4. American - G.L. Pease Cumberland

5. Virginia Flake - Samuel Gawith FVF
Thanks guys, any ideas for Balkan ?
I like Peretti's Royal myself, but I'm open to ideas.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Another esteemed American blend, Iwan Ries Three Star Blue, a very traditional aro with burley, Va, and a little Lat, and tobacco-forward for sure.

 
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