Wessex Gold Standard

(2.75)
Gold Standard is a full bodied classic British pipe tobacco mixture produced by Wessex from an exclusive formula. Only pure, natural Virginia, latakia and Turkish tobaccos, blended and aged properly. No flavoring, nothing artificial. Just rich tasting fine tobacco.

Details

Brand Wessex
Blended By  
Manufactured By  
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 ounce tin
Country Germany
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

2.75 / 4
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2

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Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 06, 2017 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Heavy on the Latakia and the Orientals are really present in Gold Standard, too. But, its the rich, bold Virginia presentation that really stood out for me. Kind of surprising, too. I always associate lighter colored Virginia to be lighter in flavor and strength (I know, that's not always the case), but this one, like Chuck Norris, is stronger than it looks. Really good stuff!
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 25, 2019 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Wessex - Gold Standard.

I was expecting, incorrectly, a golden Virginia tobacco; from the name. So, when I opened it to be greeted by a 50/50 black to brown mixture, I realised the name Gold wasn't relevant to the colour! The seal never hissed when I broke it so I expected it do be dehydrated. However, it was only a tiny bit too dry; nothing major. The smell was the other thing not congruent with my expectation of a golden Virginia blend. It suggests a Latakia rich blend.

The smoke? LOL, nothing like I anticipated! The Latakia, without doubt, leads things. Smoky, smoky, smoky! A fragrant Turkish/Oriental note takes second place, and adds a redolent, slightly perfume-like, character. The Virginia is subordinate to these, it sweetens the smoke, but doesn't make it over-fresh, or grassy. The burn from it's medium in temperature, mid-speed, but the smoke has the propensity to bite me a little.

Nicotine: above medium. Room-note: quite strong.

Gold Standard? Although it gives my tongue a little peck, I like the flavour. Recommended:

Three stars.
Pipe Used: Peterson #03
PurchasedFrom: Cup O' Joes
Age When Smoked: 4 months
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 25, 2016 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
So, it was a Friday night and I remembered that I forgot to restock on my Chelsea Morning, my favorite Saturday Morning tobacco, in a panic I ran to my local Tinder Box. To my dismay they did not carry GL Pease tobaccos. The tobacconist recommended this as an alternative so I went ahead and purchased it.

So, it's Saturday Morning and I crack the tin open and stick my sniffer in. Smoky, very smoky, almost reminiscent of Syrian latakia. I am searching for but cannot find any of the virginia and the tang of the orientals is discrete. Not what I was looking for. However, each tobacco must be judged on its own merit.

I packed this into my trusty tasting cob and lit it up. I was mildly surprised. While this does not fit the bill that I was looking for it's a solid, medium strength english. The flavor was balanced, with just enough of that smoky latakia that I love. I would put it in the vain of 965 or Standard Mix. Which is why I don't see me buying anymore of this tobacco. Both 965 and Standard Mix have a place in my line up already. Both 965 and Standard Mix are a couple of my favorites. I would reach for one of those solid, medium strength english blends over Wessex Gold Standard under just about any circumstance.

If you are already into english deep and have a 965 in your line up do not waste your money.
Pipe Used: Cob
PurchasedFrom: Tinder Box
Age When Smoked: 22
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 27, 2010 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
Gold Standard is apparently produced by Altadis for XYZ's Wessex brand (unlike most others in the Wessex line, which are manufactured in Germany by K&K). I probably shouldn't mention that because I've encountered far too many in pipedom who seem to associate all-things Altadis with all-things bitey or chemically enhanced. Gold Standard is neither of these things.

This isn't half bad as a medium to medium-full English. It all seems very correct with a lightly sweet Virginia base, soothing Orientals, and a modest amount of musty, smoky Latakia. The problem with all of this is that correct English blends are pretty common and unless you're going to do it better or cheaper or you're going to market the hell out of it, you run the risk of being a marginal member of a very large group. I'm inclined to believe that's exactly where this tobacco is going to remain. In the Wessex catalog, I suppose it is “cheaper”—cheaper at least than the German manufactured Balkan Supreme. But it is only equal in price to many other fine, American made, correct English mixtures.

I quite like it and would have no problem buying another tin if my preferred English mixtures were all-of-a-sudden unavailable. But I don't think that's going to happen.
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