English Oriental: Pete vs Stokk

[LikeDadDid]

Peterson Early Morning - yucky.
Stokkebye 306 Eng/Oriental - yummy.

I don't know enough to define why two tobaccos that smell and taste so similar would strike me so differently. I've tried them both from several pipes with the same reaction each time.

Incidentally, I'm smoking the Stokk in a Dr Grabow that was mistakenly (maybe) sent to me by an ebay vendor. The finish is crap, but I did a salt/alcohol clean on it, and it smokes great, nasty-free. I've ordered a couple really nice pipes, but I can't complain about this one. I will refinish it and keep it.

 

[telescopes]

EMP is the quintessentially English blended tobacco. It is very different then the 306. Maybe you like that Mexican Burley?

 

[bullet08]

What did you find that wasn't to your liking?

 

[danimalia]

I've never had Early Morning Pipe, but Stokkebye makes some pretty good Latakia blends! They also make the Balkan Supreme for Arango and I believe they also make Balkan Sasieni. Two very good blends, IMO

As for why you like one and get the other, it could just he the blend ratios and component leaves, or some processing element. Just how it goes sometimes, I guess. Isn't the Stokkebye heavier on the Latakia? Maybe EMP is too light in Latakia for you?

 

[mparker762]

I agree with you on both. You should also try Balkan Sasieni (also made by Stokkeby) and Peretti Royal; they are in the same vein but even better (they're both matches for different generations of the old original Balkan Sobranie). You should also try McConnell's Original Oriental and Oriental Square (a Dunhill Durbar match), and Robert Lewis Orcilla. And Peretti's Tashkent which is not a Balkan Sobranie clone but is even better than Royal.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

My Oriental-forward English short list:

• Arango Balkan Supreme
• G. L. Pease Spark Plug
• Cornell & Diehl Star of the East (a bit one-note, but it’s a good note)
• Sutliff Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture Match

 

[rushx9]

So many people love EMP, but it has never done anything for me, which seems odd because I generally appreciate lighter English blends. It just tastes cigarette-ish to me, but not like the cigs I used to smoke (camel lights). I tend to like the blends that get compared to it much better, like Presbyterian, Star of the East Gold, Standard Mellow, Squadron Leader, Skiff Mixture, and surprisingly... EMP Match "Sunrise". Who knows, I may have liked the Murray's version better since many of the Match blends are based on them instead of the current Scandinavian production.
If you really like Sutliff EO, it probably does have something to do with the burley component, or just Sutliff's general moisture level, sweetness, and softness. Also, since it's focused more on the orientals, you may be more of a Balkan fan... I often read folks saying EMP is oriental forward, but I find it to be mostly red and gold Virginia with a smattering of Turkish and a whisper of Latakia. More Turkish than Greek oriental leaves, and far more "lt English" than "lt Balkan".
As with all things tobacco related, ymmv.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I use the local tobacconist’s English plus extra lakatia.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

If you enjoy Burley in the mix, you might give C&D Tuggle Hall a whirl. Or if you feel like putting your big boy britches on, their Bayou Night has plenty of Burley. It’s heavy on Perique also, though. Not sure how your nicotine tolerance is, but Bayou Night is a stronger blend.

 

[LikeDadDid]

What did you find that wasn't to your liking?

EMP

EMP is the quintessentially English blended tobacco. It is very different then the 306. Maybe you like that Mexican Burley?

I like burley, so I guess so

 

[LikeDadDid]

What did you find that wasn't to your liking?

EMP has some kinda bite

 

[LikeDadDid]

I've never had Early Morning Pipe, but Stokkebye makes some pretty good Latakia blends! They also make the Balkan Supreme for Arango and I believe they also make Balkan Sasieni. Two very good blends, IMO

As for why you like one and get the other, it could just he the blend ratios and component leaves, or some processing element. Just how it goes sometimes, I guess. Isn't the Stokkebye heavier on the Latakia? Maybe EMP is too light in Latakia for you?

I don't know. Lat = smoky, peaty, I think? Maybe EMP has more

 

[LikeDadDid]

I agree with you on both. You should also try Balkan Sasieni (also made by Stokkeby) and Peretti Royal; they are in the same vein but even better (they're both matches for different generations of the old original Balkan Sobranie). You should also try McConnell's Original Oriental and Oriental Square (a Dunhill Durbar match), and Robert Lewis Orcilla. And Peretti's Tashkent which is not a Balkan Sobranie clone but is even better than Royal.

Thanks. They're going on my list

 

[LikeDadDid]

If you enjoy Burley in the mix, you might give C&D Tuggle Hall a whirl. Or if you feel like putting your big boy britches on, their Bayou Night has plenty of Burley. It’s heavy on Perique also, though. Not sure how your nicotine tolerance is, but Bayou Night is a stronger blend.

They are both going on the list

 

[craig61a]

Never smoked Stokkebye 306... but there are a number of "English Orientals" on the market I like.

As for EMP, I enjoy it, but it's not the top of the list for me. I would compare it to Pete's Beard Blend.

And I second Balkan Sasieni. I love it.

 

[rushx9]

If you really like Sutliff EO

My mistake. My brain switched Stokkebye for Sutliff.
STG makes both EMP and the Stokkebye line, so the biggest difference was likely the addition of burley and greek orientals in EO, the selection of Virginia's in EMP, and the moisture difference between tinned and bulk blends.
Although I'm not a big fan of EMP, you may like it better after the tin has been open for a few days. The dunhill blends all have a slight top dressing and tin fermentation note that flashes away after a week or so, and I've always gotten a bite if I smoke it from a freshly cracked tin, even with some drying time.

 

[daytonsean]

Grab a tin of Old Dublin by Peterson. It has a great oriental flavor. Not overly complex either.

 

[LikeDadDid]

Not overly complex either.

I'm a one-string banjo. Complexity is wasted on me.

 

[bullet08]

EMP has some kinda bite

Can't figure out what caused it. Might be tobacco had a little moisture? Some times Latakia can come off little harsh, specially newly opened tin. EMP should be pretty mellow smoke. Give it a week or two and try again in your widest chambered pipe.

 

[danimalia]

My Oriental-forward English short list:

• Arango Balkan Supreme
• G. L. Pease Spark Plug
• Cornell & Diehl Star of the East (a bit one-note, but it’s a good note)
• Sutliff Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture Match

I second the suggestion for Pease's Spark Plug. It is my favorite Latakia blend at the moment. I think it is a masterpiece of Latakia and Oriental tobacco blending!