I scored a tin of this legendary blend from the marked "Circa '85" at my favorite tobacconist. Age has turned the paper liner a translucent dark brown. The tin aroma immediately threw me back to my college days. The Syrian Latakia in this has aged to absolute perfection. The flavor and aroma remind me of Bengal Slices, which was the first English Blend I ever smoked, and remains the standard by which all other's are judged.
I understand why Greg Pease calls this his "Grail Tobacco". The orientals offer a soft spice with notes of cinnamon and ginger. The Syrian Latakia is just phenomenal in this blend. It is rich and thick on the tongue, without ever overwhelming the palate. I smoked two bowl of this in a row with two different old Dunhill blasts. Both times I ended up sucking in ash at the end because it kept getting better and better as it burned. The aftertaste that remains is like a smoky single malt Scotch and Chai Spiced tea.
It is nothing short of phenomenal.
I understand why Greg Pease calls this his "Grail Tobacco". The orientals offer a soft spice with notes of cinnamon and ginger. The Syrian Latakia is just phenomenal in this blend. It is rich and thick on the tongue, without ever overwhelming the palate. I smoked two bowl of this in a row with two different old Dunhill blasts. Both times I ended up sucking in ash at the end because it kept getting better and better as it burned. The aftertaste that remains is like a smoky single malt Scotch and Chai Spiced tea.
It is nothing short of phenomenal.
