Sullivan's Special 69 Flake/State Express Navy Cut

[Lemuel Pitkin]

Does anyone here recall the above named Sullivan's tobacco? It was available in the late 70's-early 80's and one of my favorites. The only mention I've seen of it anywhere stated that it was made for @ eight years and then discontinued. To my murky memory it was along the lines of Astley's 44 or one of the F&T flakes (Cut Blended Plug?)...came in a squarish, not rectangular, tin with a navy blue label. I'm surprised I've never seen any other mention of it as it was quite good and Sullivan's, of course, was a famous and popular brand.

Also, I came across a photo of a tin of SE Navy Cut awhile ago and it set my mind a-droolin'. Although my experience with State Express was mostly with Roundels and London Mixture I did smoke a tin or two of their Navy Cut and found it favorable, but there were so many delicious flakes to try back then: Dunhills, Capstan, Sobranie, F&T (available by mail from the Arthur Leonard shop in Portland). Anyone have memories of this one?

 

[Briarcutter]

State Express "Roundells" was one of my favorites.

 

[jguss]

A great tobacco, unfortunately long gone. The earlier tins were 2 ounces and had a black label:



And the later tins were 1.75 ounces (50 grams) and had a blue one. I gather this iteration is the one you recall:

 

[Lemuel Pitkin]

That's the one; thanks so much for posting this. Am I correct in my comparisons with Astley's/F&T? It's been so long.

 

[jguss]

Unfortunately I can’t say. I’ve had the Astley’s 44 but not the Sullivans 69.

 

[driftedshank1]

Sullivan Powell tobaccos were truly great. I used to smoke OO, OX and Gentlemen's back in the day
I've heard that at the height of their fame ,the SP tobaccos were made by the House of Sobranie.

 

[jguss]

Sullivan Powell tobaccos were truly great. I used to smoke OO, OX and Gentlemen's back in the day
I've heard that at the height of their fame ,the SP tobaccos were made by the House of Sobranie.

Absolutely true. Sobranie bought them in the Fifties and introduced pipe tobacco under their name about 1970.

 

[sablebrush52]

Does anyone here recall the above named Sullivan's tobacco? It was available in the late 70's-early 80's and one of my favorites. The only mention I've seen of it anywhere stated that it was made for @ eight years and then discontinued. To my murky memory it was along the lines of Astley's 44 or one of the F&T flakes (Cut Blended Plug?)...came in a squarish, not rectangular, tin with a navy blue label. I'm surprised I've never seen any other mention of it as it was quite good and Sullivan's, of course, was a famous and popular brand.

Also, I came across a photo of a tin of SE Navy Cut awhile ago and it set my mind a-droolin'. Although my experience with State Express was mostly with Roundels and London Mixture I did smoke a tin or two of their Navy Cut and found it favorable, but there were so many delicious flakes to try back then: Dunhills, Capstan, Sobranie, F&T (available by mail from the Arthur Leonard shop in Portland). Anyone have memories of this one?

I remember smoking Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture and 759, Bell’s Three Nuns, Dunhills, Capstan, State Express, and others, but my most vivid taste memory isn’t a pipe tobacco, but Sobranie made Chaliapin cigarettes. Those were absolute heaven.

 

[driftedshank1]

I remember smoking Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture and 759, Bell’s Three Nuns, Dunhills, Capstan, State Express, and others, but my most vivid taste memory isn’t a pipe tobacco, but Sobranie made Chaliapin cigarettes. Those were absolute heaven.

Jesse - Balkan Sobranie Chaliapin cigarettes were the greatest cigarettes I've ever smoked and for a few reasons I've had the opportunity to smoke many foreign cigarette brands including other Sobranie offerings. So I don't call them the greatest for nothing. My recollection of the cigarette, and we're talking over 50 years ago, was that it was beautifully made, non filtered with a pale beige colored paper. And the taste- the taste was oriental with perhaps a tad of Virginia. Deep, rich but very mellow. Just exquisite. I think the importer in those days was G. A. Georgeopolous, on Stone Street in the Wall Street area. They had beautiful grades of oriental pipe tobaccos for blending too.

 

[sablebrush52]

Jesse - Balkan Sobranie Chaliapin cigarettes were the greatest cigarettes I've ever smoked and for a few reasons I've had the opportunity to smoke many foreign cigarette brands including other Sobranie offerings. So I don't call them the greatest for nothing. My recollection of the cigarette, and we're talking over 50 years ago, was that it was beautifully made, non filtered with a pale beige colored paper. And the taste- the taste was oriental with perhaps a tad of Virginia. Deep, rich but very mellow. Just exquisite. I think the importer in those days was G. A. Georgeopolous, on Stone Street in the Wall Street area. They had beautiful grades of oriental pipe tobaccos for blending too.

Yep!! That's what I remember, a very deeply rich soft full oriental Turkish that would kick any tobacco made today by anyone straight into the gutter. They were originally blended, in the 1920's, specially for Feodor Chaliapin, the world famous Russian basso. They came packed in a little flat box and cost me the equivalent of two hours pay at what I was making back then. and that was a LOT for a poor college student. I rationed them so a pack would last me a few weeks. Absolute heaven.