"Styles" of English Blends

[msromike]

First post. In researching English blends, are there a few "styles" that blenders try to land in? What would be the prototype in production product that best defines each of these "styles?" Hope my question makes sense.

 

[prairiedruid]

The answer to this is varied with few clear cut boundaries. My opinion:

Straight English: PS Proper English, GLP Quiet Nights
Scottish is English with cavendish such as MM 965
Balkan is English with oriental tobaccos such as Super Balkan, PS English Oriental Supreme
Syrian is English with Syrian latakia instead of Cyprian latakia such as 3 Oaks Syrian
Aromatic English has additional flavors such as Fusilier's Ration and Bengal Slices

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Then there are many cuts of tobacco blends. Do you mean both?

Please introduce yourself in the forum for newcomers!

 

[Infantry23]

So does a Straight English just use Cyprian Latakia?

 

[Peter Turbo]

So does a Straight English just use Cyprian Latakia?

It all uses Cyprian Latakia these days unless you have a tin that states otherwise. Haven't been able to get latakia from Syria in like 10 years.

 

[kcghost]

There are many hundreds of English blends to chose from.

 

[msromike]

The answer to this is varied with few clear cut boundaries. My opinion:

Straight English: PS Proper English, GLP Quiet Nights
Scottish is English with cavendish such as MM 965
Balkan is English with oriental tobaccos such as Super Balkan, PS English Oriental Supreme
Syrian is English with Syrian latakia instead of Cyprian latakia such as 3 Oaks Syrian
Aromatic English has additional flavors such as Fusilier's Ration and Bengal Slices

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Thanks, Great place to start, and exactly the type of information I was looking for.

 

[JimPM]

-First post. In researching English blends, are there a few "styles" that blenders try to land in? What would be the prototype in production product that best defines each of these "styles?" Hope my question makes sense.

Very simple question but not necessarily a simple answer. English/Balkan/Scottish style blends can be clear as mud. I guess I would say it depends upon the recipe and the blender's intent. Blends can feature or "forward" certain varietals depending upon the recipe. Blends can be more balanced with all the "standard" English constituents on the other hand. Maybe you class them as Virginia-forward, Lat-Forward or Oriental-forward or balanced "styles". Each one offers a different experience.

 

[kschatey]

The answer to this is varied with few clear cut boundaries. My opinion:

Straight English: PS Proper English, GLP Quiet Nights
Scottish is English with cavendish such as MM 965
Balkan is English with oriental tobaccos such as Super Balkan, PS English Oriental Supreme
Syrian is English with Syrian latakia instead of Cyprian latakia such as 3 Oaks Syrian
Aromatic English has additional flavors such as Fusilier's Ration and Bengal Slices

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Yep, this sums up the major English categories nicely:

English
Scottish
Balkan
Aromatic
Other

 

[alaskanpiper]

You’ll get a lot of answers, most of which will revolve around how strong the latakia presence is. I wish blenders would just describe latakia content like they do with DFK (condimental, a pinch, balanced, forward, etc.).

Latakia is showing up in so many blend types now I wish there were just a 1-10 lat scale stamped on the tin label, haha. Same with aromatics to be honest. 1-10 on the goop scale. Some would want the same for perique.

Or better yet (but unrealistic lest anyone give away their secrets) percentages of each type of leaf. Imagine how great that would be if every blend just had a little label at the bottom that said “40% VA, 30% Orientals, 30% Latakia.”

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yep, this sums up the major English categories nicely:

English
Scottish
Balkan
Aromatic
Other

For my money, English blends include Balkan, but Scottish is its own thing. Aromatic and "other" don't figure in. Mileage, etc.