Advice On English Blends For a Beginner

[gervais]

Samuel gawith skiff mixture is a solid English/Balkan

 

[olkofri]

The Book of Pipes and Tobacco has a proper definition. It's more than a couple of sentences, so I'll quote it after dinner. Stay tuned.

 

[olkofri]

In the early days of manufacturing, tobaccos of both England and the United States were harsh, dark, and heavy-bodied. With the production of flue-cured, bright Virginia tobaccos, however, processing of tobacco in England and the United States began to differ.​

​

In the United States, between the Civil War and the turn of the century, Burley became the standard tobacco for the pipe smoker. In England, on the other hand, the bright, new, Virginia tobaccos proved to be the ideal base for the Oriental and condiment tobaccos the English had enjoyed for years. The new Virginia also proved to be popular in English cakes and rolls, and because of its delicate flavor [sic] it soon replaced the darker varieties. [...]​

​

English-Scottish straight tobaccos, which are also clasified as "Matured Virginias," are made with very few exceptions from high-grade Virginia. [...] No flavoring [sic] agents or heavy casings are used in their manufacture. Their aroma, flavor [sic], and softness are derived from the suse of the choicest leaf blended and seasoned skillfully by craftsmen. [...]​

​

Perique and Latakia are the principal flavoring [sic] agents in all English-Scottish mixtures. Without them, a mixture would have little depth. They are important also because their density reducees the rate of burning. [...]​

​

Subtle differences in flavor [sic], intensity, body, and smoothness can be created from the skillful mixing and processing of these tobaccos. [...] While these tobaccos possess a natural sweetness, they would not be classified as "sweet" in the sense that fragant tobaccos are sweet.​

​

—Ehwa, Carl Jr., The Book of Pipes & Tobacco (New York: Random House, 1974), 184, 188-189. (Emphasis mine.)

 

[cosgringo]

How does one "grow up" and like English blends with a chunk of latakia? Lord knows I have several now but after Boswell's I am thinking to leave them sealed.
Not a novice smoker (cigars for decades) but bam. I love campfires and have made dozens of bonfires to wake up to smoke embers- I can't get over the Boswell I had that taste like I grabbed a half burnt piece of cedar.
Else- I best sell off or gift my sudden purchase of many latakia blends.

 

[danimalia]

How does one "grow up" and like English blends with a chunk of latakia? Lord knows I have several now but after Boswell's I am thinking to leave them sealed.
Not a novice smoker (cigars for decades) but bam. I love campfires and have made dozens of bonfires to wake up to smoke embers- I can't get over the Boswell I had that taste like I grabbed a half burnt piece of cedar.
Else- I best sell off or gift my sudden purchase of many latakia blends.

No easy answers here, my friend. You may just be one of many pipe smokers who does not like Latakia. I'd suggest waiting just a bit, maybe trying another blend or two just to make sure... I really didn't know what to think of Latakia at first. Then a coworker gave me a sample of McC's Bombay Court which was so impressive and balanced and complex. I bought a tin of Frog's Cellar, then a tin of Maltese Falcon, and then I was off...

You can always sell off or trade what you don't like.

 

[olkofri]

Go back to your usual fare, and/or try something else—VaPer, straight VA, aros, what have you—then revisit the Englishes. Sometimes that works.

 

[diamondback]

There’s been some fabulous blends suggested. @lawdog recommended H&H WhiteKnight: that’s a slam dunk. Fabulous.

Smoker’s Haven Exotique Mixture is wonderful. A little on the pricey side but it is fantastic. It’s a Balkan but as someone stated the line between English & Balkan is a bit blurry.

 

[cosgringo]

No easy answers here, my friend. You may just be one of many pipe smokers who does not like Latakia. I'd suggest waiting just a bit, maybe trying another blend or two just to make sure... I really didn't know what to think of Latakia at first. Then a coworker gave me a sample of McC's Bombay Court which was so impressive and balanced and complex. I bought a tin of Frog's Cellar, then a tin of Maltese Falcon, and then I was off...

You can always sell off or trade what you don't like.

I looked for "Frog's" but did not find it. Thx

 

[olkofri]

I looked for "Frog's" but did not find it. Thx

You won't. The company that produced the Frog Morton series, McClelland's, closed their doors a year or two ago. Now you can only find it at exorbitant prices. I was lucky enough to get ahold of a tin of the regular Frog Morton; but I'm unlikely to ever smoke Frog Morton's Cellar, Frog Morton on the Town, or the one that was rather elusive even when McClelland's was still producing, Frog Morton Across the Pond.

Good thing I'm only an occasional English blends smoker, I guess.

 

[diamondback]

I’ve smoked FM OTT and FM (original). I always thought they were pretty good but not superlative. If I’d have known McClelland’s was going out of business (totally blindsided me), I might have bought another couple or three tins of OTT.

 

[diamondback]

I looked for "Frog's" but did not find it. Thx

Be sure and visit “https://www.tobaccoreviews.com/search” Put frog in the search and let it rip. It’s THE place for reviews. Mr. Jim Inks is always a very reliable reviewer there IMHO.

 

[bullet08]

fell in love with english blend the first time i tried it. it had this depth of flavor i couldn't run away from. you might want to try less potent blends as suggested. bht i heard there are those who can't stand latakia.

 

[Seeker81]

How did you like Nightcap? It's pretty much the granddaddy of English style blends.

Being in the U.K., if you can find Esoterica Penzance over there, it's a top Balkan blend, which is a style very similar to (and sometimes overlapping) English blends. Both styles contain latakia, which is the tobacco that gives Nightcap the "smoky campfire" smell and flavor. Just FYI, at least over here in the U.S., Penzance has such a cult following that it's almost become a joke... like "Pssst, hey man, yeah you over there... got any Penzance?" It's hard to find and has sold at astronomical prices on the resale market. However, it might be easier to find in the U.K. since that's where it's made, as I understand it.

Another vote here for Balkan Supreme as well. It's also a great smoke, and I believe it's blended by Peter Stokkebye and should be available in the EU.

If you can get Hearth & Home White Knight, either by ordering from the U.S. or finding it in the EU, it's an excellent blend and quite possibly my favorite in the English / Balkan genre. Well worth the effort to import a couple tins if you find yourself enjoying latakia blends.

I really like Nightcap. It's kinda what I was expecting/hoping for (without knowing it) when I got into pipe smoking. Tried it through an Alco (Falcon-like pipe) and even liked it even more. I have been smoking it like 90% time since I started smoking... just starting to want a bit of variety. Don't want to get fed up with it.

I will definitely try to get some Penzance ha ha. "Pssst, hey man, yeah you over there... got any Penzance?" ...

"sssshhhit man! you crazy??? keep your voice down!!" That type of thing? Will be on the lookout for it.

I take some comfort in the fact that G&H tobaccos are quite readily available over here and are hard to get elsewhere... not taking pleasure in others misfortune just... you know, we gotta have some compensation haha.

But yeah a quick look at some online UK sites shows that it is pretty hard to get here too apparently (SOLD OUT!!) but I will check with my local B&M next time I'm down. Thanks.

 

[hauntedmyst]

How does one "grow up" and like English blends with a chunk of latakia? Lord knows I have several now but after

You don't. You don't grow up to any tobacco. And there is no reason to push yourself to like it. I smoked for 20 years and didn't like English blends. Then one day I tried it and bam, my tastes changed. If it happens for you great, if not, just be content enjoying what you enjoy. That's grown up.

 

[anotherbob]

In the early days of manufacturing, tobaccos of both England and the United States were harsh, dark, and heavy-bodied. With the production of flue-cured, bright Virginia tobaccos, however, processing of tobacco in England and the United States began to differ.​

​

In the United States, between the Civil War and the turn of the century, Burley became the standard tobacco for the pipe smoker. In England, on the other hand, the bright, new, Virginia tobaccos proved to be the ideal base for the Oriental and condiment tobaccos the English had enjoyed for years. The new Virginia also proved to be popular in English cakes and rolls, and because of its delicate flavor [sic] it soon replaced the darker varieties. [...]​

​

English-Scottish straight tobaccos, which are also clasified as "Matured Virginias," are made with very few exceptions from high-grade Virginia. [...] No flavoring [sic] agents or heavy casings are used in their manufacture. Their aroma, flavor [sic], and softness are derived from the suse of the choicest leaf blended and seasoned skillfully by craftsmen. [...]​

​

Perique and Latakia are the principal flavoring [sic] agents in all English-Scottish mixtures. Without them, a mixture would have little depth. They are important also because their density reducees the rate of burning. [...]​

​

Subtle differences in flavor [sic], intensity, body, and smoothness can be created from the skillful mixing and processing of these tobaccos. [...] While these tobaccos possess a natural sweetness, they would not be classified as "sweet" in the sense that fragant tobaccos are sweet.​

​

—Ehwa, Carl Jr., The Book of Pipes & Tobacco (New York: Random House, 1974), 184, 188-189. (Emphasis mine.)

that might be so but there are lots of things called English that don't follow this instructions. There is nearly zero accountability for what you label a blend as.

 

[olkofri]

that might be so but there are lots of things called English that don't follow this instructions. There is nearly zero accountability for what you label a blend as.

Enter the Deeming Regulations! Muhahahaha! ?

Yes, the book was written in the 70's, so some info might be outdated. Still useful as a guideline, though.

 

[anotherbob]

Enter the Deeming Regulations! Muhahahaha! ?

Yes, the book was written in the 70's, so some info might be outdated. Still useful as a guideline, though.

hence why when explaining English I usually say it tends to mean... It's like the word natural on a package, it only means the person that made the product thinks it's natural or passably natural. Replace natural with English it still applies.

 

[Stoic__Smoker]

I was a devout english smoker for 4 years. (Trying out burleys and Virginia's now) I lean towards more of the oriental side. But through my journey I found the essential classics to be.

Ten Russians, White Knight, Plum Pudding, Mississippi River, Bengal Slices, Quiet Nights, Star of The East Flake, Balkan Sobranie, Nightcap, My Mixture 965 (the original dunhill was my favorite. Have yet to try the peterson version) If I could pick one out for you. GASLIGHT. GASLIGHT. GASLIGHT. Gaslight is everything a English blend is. Smokey, heavy, spicy, with hints of citrus and, mustiness. It tastes like drinking an Earl Grey tea by a big smokey campfire. Its my favorite English blend and I could smoke it all day.

Those are the classics. I have never delved deep into the rare english blends. But those are the absolute must tries when getting into this type of tobacco.

 

[Idahojoe]

I was a devout english smoker for 4 years. (Trying out burleys and Virginia's now) I lean towards more of the oriental side. But through my journey I found the essential classics to be.

Ten Russians, White Knight, Plum Pudding, Mississippi River, Bengal Slices, Quiet Nights, Star of The East Flake, Balkan Sobranie, Nightcap, My Mixture 965 (the original dunhill was my favorite. Have yet to try the peterson version) If I could pick one out for you. GASLIGHT. GASLIGHT. GASLIGHT. Gaslight is everything a English blend is. Smokey, heavy, spicy, with hints of citrus and, mustiness. It tastes like drinking an Earl Grey tea by a big smokey campfire. Its my favorite English blend and I could smoke it all day.

Those are the classics. I have never delved deep into the rare english blends. But those are the absolute must tries when getting into this type of tobacco.

I will add a most enthusiastic second for Plum Pudding. It's simply one of my favorite smokes
I must try this Gaslight of which you speak.

 

[mso489]

If I was introducing a somewhat new pipe smoker to English blends, and wanted to suggest a blend that is both mild but had some complexity, I'd recommend Nat Sherman 536. It has a touch of burley as a condiment but otherwise is a classic English blend, refined but not esoteric. There are so many good English blends, and you might like something with a little more strength, but I don't think anyone would be turned off by 536, if they could like English at all. That's one possibility. I very much like C&D Stratfordshire and Peterson 965. I don't think there are many outright bad English blends. They tend toward a tried and true pattern and most find them companionable and tasty.