Best Orientals?

[sunriseboy]

Hi Gents, will you be so kind as to give me an intro to the best Orientals; say the top five or six. I've got a little Samsun left and smoke that from time to time but I'd like to know what the great Orientals are. Bearing in mind I don't like stuff that's too strong. I know, I know, I'm a nicotine snowflake. I just not in possession of cahones like coconuts, to smoke the stuff that straightens your hair!
All the best fellas!

 

[mikestanley]

The best way IMHO is to find the McClelland Grand Oriental series. Each highlights a different Orienatl variety. I enjoy the Smyrna and the Drama Resserve but the Yenidji Highlander, which has Latakia is my favorite. None of these blends are powerful but rather subtle.

Mike S.

 

[prairiedruid]

John Cotton's Smyrna

Peter Stokkebye's English Oriental Supreme

 

[cortezattic]

I recommend C&D's Orion's Arrow. It's a bulk blend, so you can order just an ounce or two to see if you like it. SmokingPipes.com frequently offers C&D bulk blends at sale prices, so you can stock up later if you happen to like it.
They also offer an array of blending tobaccos, so you can buy specific oriental components to try individually, or to mix-in with a base component like Virginia or Burley. This would give an idea of the tastes they create.
PipesAndCigars probably has a larger choice of plain Oriental leaf.

 

[fitzy]

McClelland Grand Orientals line my favorite being the now discontinued Yenidje Highlander
McClelland Balkan Beauty
Hearth & Home's Blackhouse, Magnum Opus and White Knight
Smokers Haven Exotique

 

[cortezattic]

Another good Oriental is C&D's Oriental Silk.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

+1 for C&D Orion's Arrow and the McClelland Grand Orientals. Good stuff.

 

[pitchfork]

The Orientals are all different, so it's hard to say which ones are "better." In any case, if you were to make a list of the top 5 or 6 varietals, that would pretty much cover most of the ones commonly available.
As others have noted, the McClelland Grand Orientals series is the way to go if you want to try different varietals. You can usually find Izmir on its own and Yenidje is sometimes for sale as whole leaf, but you might have to buy a pound of it.

 

[64alex]

Given you are looking for the ones with low nic drama reserve is a very good one with low nicotine content. Another very good one is Peretti Thaskent.

 

[lazar]

Robert McConnell's Original Oriental. 'Nuff said.

 

[skaukatt]

LJ Peretti's Tashkent

Smoker's Haven Exotique

GL Pease Cairo
A few of my favorites.

 

[pitchfork]

sunriseboy, are you looking for Oriental blends or specific kinds of Oriental tobacco? You mentioned having some Smyrna, which made me think you wanted different varietals, but the other responses here mention blends, which is maybe what you were looking for.
Either way, it's hard to beat the Grand Orientals series. Tudor Castle and Ashton Pebblecut are nice, too (VAs, Orientals and Perique).

 

[aquadoc]

A very nice blend that is Oriental forward is 4Noggins Owls Head. H&H Larry's Blend is also a favorite.

 

[lochinvar]

Try the whole Grand Oriental line. My favorites in the line are the Smyrna, Drama and Ynidje.
Other tobaccos that highlight Orientals:

-Presbyterian

-McConnell Oriental

-Dunhill Durbar

-Peretti Royal

-Smoker's Haven Exotique

-McClelland Pebblecut

-McClelland Virginia No. 24

-H&H White Knight

 

[Chasing Embers]

With the discontinuation of my beloved Yenidje Highlander, I would suggest G. L. Pease Cairo.

 

[sunriseboy]

Really appreciate that, gents. Thank you.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've been smoking Tsuge's "Raijin" God of Thunder for the last few evenings, and it's a quality Oriental that has been blended with a very keen taste to balanced flavor. I have read a few reviews that it has latakia in it, but I cannot detect a single thread of latakia (YMMV). But, it might not be the best Oriental to suggest, unless you have some "experience" with the pipe under your belt. Not, experience in flavors, but in technique and strength. If you approach it without respect, the Thunder God will shake your foundations.

 

[glassjapan]

There's many great suggestions here. I'd add G.L. Pease Temple Bar also.

 

[cshubhra]

Dunhill Durbar

Dunhill London Mixture

 

[virginialover]

McClelland - Drama Reserve (Grand Orientals). No Latakia.
Planta - Presbyterian Mixture. A smidgen of Latakia but not enough to become an English.