This is what happens when I try to be funny. Was thinking about how HB has been called a latbomb when in reality is is called a nicbomb.
Light Latakia Blends?
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Joe Isuzu! You're showing your age, my friend!
I like everything about this thread. So many good choices.
Love the tin note of Plumcake and its flavour but it burned crap out of my mouth until I found a meerschaum lined 50s Heibi Goldpoint Dublin solved the tongue bite.
My first Latakia experience was a generous sample of Becks Ol' Limey Bastard. [At the time I described the bag-note as "Asphalt, burned rubber and butt" lol]
Although it's not considered a lat-bomb, it had way too much Latakia for my tastes but was not too bad when mixed 50/50 with Windsail Virginia.
My tastes haven't changed since. Latakia is best used as a condiment.
Jesses Own is one of my favourite non-aro's with a light touch of Latakia.
Count Pulaski is a very good aro with Latakia [though a touch too moist]
FVF dried well...and add your own latakia. Vary the amounts unitl you fins your sweet spot.
I do this most often with Syrian latakia. (about 95% FVF and the rest latakia)
I do this most often with Syrian latakia. (about 95% FVF and the rest latakia)
I am not trying to highjack the thread but it does seem to be a good place to ask.
My only experience with an English blend is "super value english blend"
Let me tell you i like everything about this including the price.
My questions are:
1 Has anyone tried this and if so how does it compare to other english blends?
2 Is it the latakia that gives it the "spice bite"
I have no real experience with latakia other then this english blend.
Until now i have not experienced anything like this and its Fantastic to say the least. Half way through the bowl i get like a lemon sweet grass taste and the exhaled smoke smells like a camp fire.
Building my cellar for the winter and i have plenty of bag tobaccos which are all jared and some dried.
Since i joined this forum i have learned so much and i am enjoying pipe smoking like never before.
Thank You Everyone
My only experience with an English blend is "super value english blend"
Let me tell you i like everything about this including the price.
My questions are:
1 Has anyone tried this and if so how does it compare to other english blends?
2 Is it the latakia that gives it the "spice bite"
I have no real experience with latakia other then this english blend.
Until now i have not experienced anything like this and its Fantastic to say the least. Half way through the bowl i get like a lemon sweet grass taste and the exhaled smoke smells like a camp fire.
Building my cellar for the winter and i have plenty of bag tobaccos which are all jared and some dried.
Since i joined this forum i have learned so much and i am enjoying pipe smoking like never before.
Thank You Everyone
Do try The Country Squire's P.S. Blend named for longtime customer Paul Simmons (R.I.P.) who wanted a mild latakia blend. It is the mildest of their three Latakia blends and while Latakia forward is an all day smoke. Very mild and tasty. I am about to have some right now actually while i run an errand.
I just had 1/2 bowl of P.S. Blend in a Vauen Olaf bent egg. Very mild, no tongue bite, pleasant Latakia forward blend with mild cavendish. I could taste the breadiness of the cavendish but the latakia added a sweeter malt, barley kind of flavor. For a few seconds I tasted something like cherry then a perfuminess like oriental but milder barely there flavor. I recommend it,
Sunrise: Early Morning Pipe Match is another of my go to blends.
It's got a very light topping, just enough to balance any astringency that one often finds in English blends.
Sutliff Light English is a good 'all day' smoke that's worth a try.
Once you've tried some of the blends we've all recommended, it would be good to hear your opinion.
It's got a very light topping, just enough to balance any astringency that one often finds in English blends.
Sutliff Light English is a good 'all day' smoke that's worth a try.
Once you've tried some of the blends we've all recommended, it would be good to hear your opinion.
I too burned myself out a bit on Lat blends and now prefer a lighter hand with the smokey leaf. That being said, the Last blend I reach for most often these days is Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme; it is heavier with Lat than Presbyterian or EMP but it is balanced by the other leaves in the blend, and to me at least, is more Oriental forward with the Latakia being the right amount to compliment without over powering the blend. It's also a bulk blend so you can try a ounce to see if it's up your alley 
It's been a few years since I had any, but I am pretty sure that Bald Headed Teacher from 4Noggins is a Burley forward blend with a hint of latakia. Could be wrong, but it has a lot of fans and good reviews from what I remember
Is it lighter than Hunting Creek? It's technically an Aro-English, but far more Aromatic than Northwest Trek (in my mind). Other than that I've only tried some Shepherds Pie, as none of the Cornishman blends have appealed to me.
An aside here, but I still enjoy Latakia and Perique, maybe because I smoke quite a few blends with neither, and a lot of burley base blends and with burley as a condiment.
I see that Latakia and to some degree Perique have become a sort of default pair of condiments put in "everything," or way to many blends in way high proportions.
So many other condiments are used less often, rarely, or poorly. There are cigar leaf of various kinds, unflavored Cavendish black and light, Izmir and other orientals, a variety of burleys and single-leaf Virginias, to name a few.
No wonder so many pipe smokers overdo and give up Latakia, such a fine condiment, so overused.
I see that Latakia and to some degree Perique have become a sort of default pair of condiments put in "everything," or way to many blends in way high proportions.
So many other condiments are used less often, rarely, or poorly. There are cigar leaf of various kinds, unflavored Cavendish black and light, Izmir and other orientals, a variety of burleys and single-leaf Virginias, to name a few.
No wonder so many pipe smokers overdo and give up Latakia, such a fine condiment, so overused.
Yes, JonDavid explained to me the order from mild to heavy is P.S. Blend, Hunters Creek then Northwest Trek ... I believe ... call and ask him.
Ahh yes, I have quite the laundry list going now! I will make sure to chime in with some thoughts as I acquire new blends.
I feel like this has been a part of my pipe smoking puzzle that has been missing ...I enjoy a wide spectrum of blends in other families/genres but never hit my stride with Latakia. Considering that I have been smoking Plumcake daily, I think there will definitely be some other blends that fit.
I smoked a bowl of Rattray's Red Raparee yesterday - while it has a bit more of a Latakia profile than I'd prefer for a daily smoke, the orientals really do a nice dance - I also found myself smoking the whole thing rather than getting too Lat-ed out and dumping halfway through. (thank you @MCJ for the sample!)
Cheers folks!
I feel like this has been a part of my pipe smoking puzzle that has been missing ...I enjoy a wide spectrum of blends in other families/genres but never hit my stride with Latakia. Considering that I have been smoking Plumcake daily, I think there will definitely be some other blends that fit.
I smoked a bowl of Rattray's Red Raparee yesterday - while it has a bit more of a Latakia profile than I'd prefer for a daily smoke, the orientals really do a nice dance - I also found myself smoking the whole thing rather than getting too Lat-ed out and dumping halfway through. (thank you @MCJ for the sample!)
Cheers folks!
