Latakia Blends

[Jon Seward]

As a new pipe enthusiast, I am actively trying to expand my tastes in tobacco. I have found that I truly enjoy aromatics that are not covered in goop and straight virginias of all sorts and virginia based blends. I am rather anxious to try some blends with Latakia in them, but it seems to be a bit of a gamble. I have tried to read reviews and come to some sort of understanding on the characteristics of certain blends with Latakia in them, but there seems to be no consistency in how it is viewed.

Can some of you more experienced connoisseurs of tobacciana please help me to discover the delicacies of latikia so that I don’t ruin it right out of the gate? Suggestions on which blends to start with would be wonderful. I would also like to know why that suggestion is one that you are recommending.

Thank you in advance for all of your assistance!

 

[Chasing Embers]

there seems to be no consistency in how it is viewed.

Welcome to pipe smoking, everything here is subjective to the individual.

 

[lraisch]

My suggestion is to order a couple of ounces of Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme and the same amount of their Proper English.

The first is a mild but flavorful blend with a definite contribution of Latakia. The second is a very similar blend, but with the Latakia amped up. I think that will allow you to experience the effect Latakia has on a blend in differing amounts.

If you really get into the leather and campfire flavors, try some Samuel Gawith Commonwealth, which is 50% Latakia.

 

[DanWil84]

English blends are considered a good starting tobacco which I contest, but that's because it was quite easy for me to pick different flavors. Most will say taste is subjective, It's like food, drinks, liquor and women, in some case it's a lack of it. How on earth can you like Islay whisky!

 

[--dante--]

Consider a simple type of blend that you know you like (like Va/Per, Burley, Bur/Va, etc) and look for one with those ingredients but with latakia as well. Read reviews on the blends you want to try to make sure the latakia is more in the background. You'll be able to see the difference it makes, and whether you like it or not. I think that's a better way to develop a taste for it than going in right away on latakia-heavy blends.

 

[anotherbob]

jump in. Almost any of them will give you a good general idea of how much you like blends with latakia. Like even if you don't like the blend you might find yourself thinking I should get one with more latakia or less. But you'll get a good idea from almost any of them about how hard you want to dive into the latakia end of the pool.

 

[kola]

GL Pease has some really great Latakia blends. Endless. I'd bet you'd easily find a bunch of them you'd like. From mild to medium to strong. There's too many to recommend as I tend to like almost all of them.

 

[mingc]

You're overthinking it. Just pick a couple of blends and try them.

 

[OzPiper]

You won't know until you try !
Asking for someone's opinion is a crap shoot unless you have an idea of their taste.

Get a sample pack from an online retailer like Boswells to gauge your tolerance of Latakia/Orientals

Coming from a world of wine, if Robert Parker Jr rates a wine 100pts, I know I'd hate it. Our tastes are diametrical opposites.

Just saying

 

[boston]

965 is a good place to start. Lots of fans (including me) for a reason. GLP blends for sure, Abingdon is swell. Samara too. The GLP blends can be more nuanced based on my decade plus memories of them.

A bit monochromatic but sweet and rich....Dan tobacco old ironsides is also a good choice. Harder find now. Balkan Sasieni for a Latakias Oriental powerhouse.

The less potent /strong blends are not as rewarding for some new pipers, so I suggest these flavor bombs.

Myself, now, I tend towards lighter Latakia blends, orientals, and straight Virginia blends.

 

[Terry Lennox]

When I was a kid my father took me to a pipe and cigar shop that had different house blends in big glass jars. You could open the jars and take a whiff of the aromas. That is how I got interested in English blends with Latakia. The woodsy campfire smell was like the smoke from a home fireplace in winter. From there I tried a bowl of my dad's Sobranie 759. It was way too powerful for me and put me off. But years later when I was an adult I had a clear memory of that tin on 759 and tried to find anything similar.

The advice above from others is right. Order some 1-2 ounce samples of Peter Stokkebye blends. Better yet, call up Boswell's and have them ship you a sample pack of their house blends. Boswell blends tend to be sweeter and are cut with black cavendish to mellow them out. And if you can visit a tobacconist with jars to sample do so.

 

[anotherbob]

You won't know until you try !
Asking for someone's opinion is a crap shoot unless you have an idea of their taste.

Get a sample pack from an online retailer like Boswells to gauge your tolerance of Latakia/Orientals

Coming from a world of wine, if Robert Parker Jr rates a wine 100pts, I know I'd hate it. Our tastes are diametrical opposites.

Just saying

which one of you likes wild irish rose?

 

[judcole]

It's very hard to say, because taste is so individual. You have several good suggestions here.
I would add, though, that if you pick up 6 or 7 blends, don't try them all at once. Open one tin at a time. Smoke the entire tin. Get to know it. Be patient with it. If you need to set it aside for a couple of days, do so.
Enjoy.

 

[Peter Turbo]

If you like smokey bbq, campfires and smokey/peated scotch, chances are you’ll like latakia.

Other then that you won’t know until you try it.

 

[Jon Seward]

Thank you all for your insight it is much appreciated. The varying degrees of opinion and wisdom will all be taken into consideration.

I can not thank you all enough for your open and candid input.

Blessings!!!

 

[warren99]

965 is a good place to start. Lots of fans (including me) for a reason. GLP blends for sure, Abingdon is swell. Samara too. The GLP blends can be more nuanced based on my decade plus memories of them.

A bit monochromatic but sweet and rich....Dan tobacco old ironsides is also a good choice. Harder find now. Balkan Sasieni for a Latakias Oriental powerhouse.

The less potent /strong blends are not as rewarding for some new pipers, so I suggest these flavor bombs.

Myself, now, I tend towards lighter Latakia blends, orientals, and straight Virginia blends.

I second Balkan Sasieni and GLP English/Oriental blends (Caravan, Charing Cross, Abingdon and Samarra are excellent if you like latakia). Sorry GLP Raven's Wing is no longer made since the fire at the warehouse destroyed the Syrian latakia. It was one of my favorites as was 965 when Murray's was blending it for Dunhill. I'm less fond of the current Peterson's iteration, however.