Dunhill Substitutes

[thomasmartin]

The Dunhill english mixtures are my favorites by far and since it seems that they are doomed I must find replacements. What are your suggestions for the following blends:

- EMP

- London

- Standart

- 965

- Nightcap

 

[mso489]

There are a number of matching blends either labeled as such or with names resembling the concepts, but also various blends that have unrelated names, but that remind pipe smokers of those blends. So this is a good thread for capturing those that are similar but not called matching. Not very helpful because discontinued, but Sutliff had a blend called Westminister, not the G.L.Pease blend, that reminded some of London Mixture. I have two tins of the Sutliff that I haven't opened, and one tin of London Mixture. Nightcap is one of the more imitated blends. C&D Night on the Bayou isn't a match, but is designed to have the same full-strength late evening appeal.

 

[cshubhra]

I am interested in this thread. I am a great fan of Nightcap, London Mixture, MM 965. Considering what I plan to smoke and compared to what I plan to spend, I will cellar at least 25 tins of these by next 1 year (Currently 6 tins in cellar). However, when Dunhill finally extinguishes, I will smoke the alternatives.

 

[thomasmartin]

I found that squadron leader was pretty close to EMP. Not similar but close in terms of a light english blend. I have yet to come across something that resembles the other dunhills. I know that GLP Westminster is supposed to match London but I don't find them similar. At least not compared to the current version produced by the danish people which I find wonderful.

 

[thomasmartin]

No suggestions ?

 

[dreamsofsmoke]

I seem to smoke the Dunhill blends that you do not. I'm a consumer of Dunhill Flake, dark Flake, DNR, and Royal Yacht. I don't intend on "replacing" them, but simply allowing their memory to fade.

RIP Dunhill tobacco. R.I.P. :?

 

[sablebrush52]

My suggestion is that you buy and cellar as much of the Dunhill product as you can while it's still available. Beyond that, find out who makes the blends that you like (it isn't Dunhill as that's nothing more than a trade name) and try other English blends from that maker. The balances may not be quite the same, but the constituents will be.

 

[paddypiper]

I've noticed Cornell & Diehl and McClelland seem to carry their own version of common Dunhill blends as well as other popular blends. I haven't actually bought any to try so I don't know how similar they would be or if most of them are even meant to be similar or they are just trying to capitalize on a similar name.

 

[bluegrasspipe]

I have read in a lot of reviews, (I haven't tried it yet), that GL Pease Chelsea Morning is very comparable to EMP.

That being said, I could never have enough Elizabethan, EMP or Deluxe Navy Rolls in my cellar..

 

[jpmcwjr]

Another suggestion: Forget about Dunhill altogether, now. Find out what you like among the great English offerings of GL Pease, Standard Tobacco of PA, Seattle Pipe Club, and other American based firms. It's good to buy American, especially when the products are better.
And you'll not regret it when Dunhill tins are available only at extortionate prices.

 

[owen]

I was a dedicated Dunhill buyer in the UK until I tried some American tobaccos. The only one I will miss is DNR.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Forget about Dunhill altogether, now.

I'm with you here. There isn't anything Dunhill makes that is irreplaceable to me. I'm a fan of Flake, but McClelland's VA flakes are every bit as good, and worlds cheaper. Their Englishes Va/Per aren't mind-blowing for me and there's a million others in both generas that I'm excited to continue exploring.

 

[bonanzadriver]

Not having a sophisticated palate, that many here do I'm sure, I find the Match Blends available @ P&C, CupoJoes & the 965 match @ SmokingPipes, all to be quite adequate.
Although I have stocked up a few tins of the Dunny's I like, my everyday or takin to the golf course baccy is often one of the matches.

 

[willieg]

i will miss royal yacht, flake, and emp. i can only stock up so much due to money.

 

[unkleyoda]

I'm a huge Dunhill fan, and here's what I've found so far:
1) My Mixture 965, so far Peterson Old Dublin is close enough for me.

2) Standard mixture, Peter Stokkebye Proper English

3) London Mixture, GL Pease Westminster. However, I'm still searching. (I hear skiff mixture or PS Balkan Supreme are close)

4) Nightcap, Ashton's Artisan's Blend

5) Elizabethan Mixture, Escudo.....but I hear GL Pease Fillmore is close

 

[cshubhra]

@unkleyoda - Thanks for these. Will try out.
However - I don't think Nightcap and Ashton Artisan's Blend (while strikingly similar) are a replacement for each other. Incidentally they are a both in my top 3 (of the 20 I smoked so far in my very short pipe smoking history)

 

[unkleyoda]

Agreed, but Ashton Artisan's is as close as I've found.
For London Mixture, I'm holding out that PS Balkan Supreme will be very close, since they are made by the same people. I'm gonna order some in the near future.
I also think there are two possible outcomes here:
1) Someone buys the Dunhill name and keeps the production going. (I get that BAT doesn't see value in having them in their lineup any longer, but someone will. And they'd be stupid to kill the name and not take any money for it)
2) STG releases 'new' mixtures in it's lineup once BAT kills Dunhill name. ( We've seen this already. Kohlhase & Kopp did this when the Peterson blends went to STG for manufacture)
But meanwhile I've been stocking up on my absolute favorites. I've cellared so far 3 pounds of 965 and 2 of Nightcap. I will be buying more this summer. I know I can't buy enough to last forever, but I can get enough to make it last.

 

[cshubhra]

@unkleyoda - Thanks. Since I started smoking only over a month ago, I will not be able to stash enough Dunhill tins to last for a lifetime!

I would think Ashton Artisan's Mix formula would also change, as Syrian Latakia is no longer available.
However - I do have a plan!
The money I per month on tobacco compared to the amount I consume, would help me to stash a couple of years of supply when Dunhill finally goes off the radar.

Most of my initial purchases when I started was aromatics - which was a mistake, as I stopped enjoying aromatics very soon. (I still smoke them 1 or 2 times a day, and at that rate the stash will last 3 months or more!)
The money I wasted on aromatics will now be spend on English/Balkan/VaPers so I am sure I will find some alternatives which I would enjoy!

 

[fitzy]

I personally prefer H&H Marquee blends like Blackhouse, Magnum Opus or White Knight.
Also SPC's Mississippi River and Smokers Haven Exotique are both great.

 

[inquisitor3]

Robert McConnell Original Oriental is quite close to EMP. Not perfect, but enough so that I and several other reviewers on TobaccoReviews.com noted the similarity.
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/974/robert-mcconnell-original-oriental#review2741