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condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
7,995
26,613
New York
If you could walk into an old tobacco shop that had been sealed off from the world untouched for seventy years stacked full of cutter tins of yesterdays most popular blends which one/s would you want to try? I know my dear friend Mr. Lowercase would want to try them all but which ones would you reach for to light up in your pipe and why?

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
Not fully 70 yrs. ago, but I mourn the passing of:
Sobranie Reserve

ReserveBlend.jpg

... also John Cotton Smyrna

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
I'd like to try the original Bengal Slices.
Every blend that has been compared to it has been enjoyable to me, especially Lancer's Slices.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
This was my all time favorite from Lane Ltd. Highland was a lat blend that I used to purchase at their store on 42dn St in New York (across the street from Grand Central Station).

I was fortunate enough to start my pipe adventures in 1970 and got a chance to smoke many of the now bygone classic blends but I do miss Highland dearly.


 

mikestanley

Lifer
May 10, 2009
1,698
1,126
Akron area of Ohio
No doubt about it, for me, it would be Craven (Arcadia Mixture). Over the years I've been able to sample the old stuff a few times. I even found a couple of tins of the newer version from the early 1990s. The older stuff is really unique.
Mike S.

 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,223
5,349
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
papipeguy:
Do you recall of what tobaccos Highland Smoking Mixture was comprised? If so, then would you please describe it?
Also, you might mention this to Leonard Wortzel of Scandinavian Tobacco Group Lane, as he is seeking candidates for a blend to celebrate their 125th anniversary (see his thread under General Pipe-Smoking Discussions titled "Lane 125th Anniversary - Blend Recommendations").

 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,223
5,349
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
If I could walk into a tobacconist's shop in 1944 I would want to try Philip Morris & Co. Ltd. Inc.'s Revelation Smoking Mixture. The attraction lies in the fact that it was a Burley-based blend flavored with (according to what I have read) a plum-like casing, and that it was a favorite of Professor Einstein. Pipes, plums, and physics...who could ask for more?

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
Hunter, Highland was a burley, latakia cube cut blend with s light spice topping. I never know what it was but I always enjoyed it and got many compliments from people around me.

I had hopes that when Leonard found the old recipe book from the NY store that Highland would be in it but no dice. I sent Leonard a small sample that I still had from around 1980 but he could not pin it down either. Plus the fact that the latakia has softened and the topping is now very muted. I guess these days it would be called a cross-over blend in the same vein as Frog Morton.

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
You're right Uncle Simon,

I would want to try them all!
But, I'd reckon a great many of them would be a disappointment, weird how it works, how our tastes fluctuate 'n such, and even now I have a difficult time coming to terms with what's currently available just because there's so damn many, mostly I rely on descriptions and reviews or word of mouth --- I've been pleasantly surprised when I least expected it and I've also been severely let down. I have a caveman palate so I crave full robust strength and flavor and there ain't really a helluva lot that fits that bill just right --- yet I can still enjoy a mild/med like Dark Star because the taste hits home, or the toastiness of Golden Extra, or the dark fruitiness of Hastings, or, uh, waimaminnit, we're s'pposed to be a talkin' bout a dreamy time machine,

my bad.
I'd really really really like to sample some the the pre-war American stuff that came in all those beautiful litho tins, and it's a shame that not hardly any of that old stuff survived because the packaging technology was inferior to the cutter-top (which has allowed us to sample some very well preserved UK stuff), I think the American Tobo. Co. put some stuff out in cutter-tops proper, but that's about the only ones, most other USA companies didn't even have airtight tins of any kind!
And it's too bad because the USA had a very wide range of different stuff and alotta it sounded pretty damn good.
So,

I'd prolly fall back on my favorites - the British dark flakes.
Why aren't more dark flakes made today?

I don't understand - just about every one that is available is pretty popular and sells well, why the hell ain't there more?

We only gotta handful dammit, and a few of those few are continually outta stock!
So,

disregarding the fact that I'd grab a plugga Warhorse of course, and Condor Sliced, and a knife-lid St. Bruno, and some Cob Nut Sliced, Capstan Full, Digger Flake, and alotta the other alltime famous faves too, drool drool,

but,

I'd be happy hoppy happy to try the following 5...

:)

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PkZMQup.jpg


 

fishingandpipes

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 24, 2013
654
48
I'm with lowercase, I want to try all the old British flakes that are no longer made. I can't think of any one in particular to choose above another.
I also wish the plugs and flakes that are available across the pond would become available here.

 
Apr 26, 2012
3,352
5,159
Washington State
Not sure if these blends were around 70 years ago, but I would like to try the original Balkan Sobranie, original Bells Three Nuns, Capstan Blue & Yellow, Escudo Navy De Luxe. It would be nice to see how the original blends and blends with age on them compare to today's blends.

 
Oct 12, 2014
328
21
Early 1900's Prince Albert, also Half burley & Half bright -- a cargo of contentment :)

Copes Escudo

40's Edgeworth Extra High Grade Sliced!

Hi-Plane
#1 would be Mid 1800's G&H ropes or SG products-- I wish I could travel back in time and taste them to compare to now.- in a clay of course
Also War Horse plug!

 

lochinvar

Lifer
Oct 22, 2013
1,687
1,632
I've always been a Rattray fan, but never got any of the "Made by Rattray in Perth" as opposed to "Made for" so I would try them. Then there are the ones I dearly miss; Three Nuns and Kings Head, John Cotton Smyrna, Bengal Slices
Lastly I would try Arcadia, so much has been about it and I have never even gotten a whiff of someone else smoking it.

 

judcole

Lifer
Sep 14, 2011
7,149
32,928
Detroit
I would love to try some of the old "American classics" - Revelation,Country Doctor, Blue Boar. I had some of the House of Windsor CD and enjoyed it a lot. I didn't care for Revelation as much, but I'd love to try it again.

I'd also love to try the old Sobranie products. Not sure if they go back 70 years, though.

 

escioe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 31, 2013
702
4
Dunhill's Ye Olde Signe is atop the list for me, then Benson & Hedges Original Virginia Flake.
I'd also love to try more of the old Garfinkel's blends, both those blended by Sobranie and McConnell. I've had two tins of McConnell-blended Ridgeway and the others in that series, Armon, Marlowe, and Shottery, sound great. Plus there's the Orient Express line, blended by Sobranie, #7, #11, and #15, that Pease has raved about.
That's about it. I'm not big on burleys, and I've found that I have pretty narrow tastes for what I like in latakia blends, and I'm quite happy with my regulars there. It's the old Virginias in particular that promise the most to me.

 
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