Drucquer & Sons Levant Mixture

Tin note is slightly like hazelnuts with a sweet Va. undertone. The Latakia smokey smell was muted in my tin. Tobacco is a ribbon cut of mostly dark brown with a good helping of black (Lat.) and a sprinkle of light orientals. I came across this tobacco in my hunt for a Night Cap replacement. This is better than Nigh Cap. The tobacco packs, smokes, and lights easily. The char light tastes like a grilled lemon slice. As the bowl progresses the lemony taste lessens to be replaced with a Full English smokey taste. The nicotine is just past medium. Leaves a slight floral/lemon aftertaste on the lips.

I got one of the very first tins, so it was super-fresh (just days old). It didn't really taste that great, so it went in a jar. While it was aging, something magical was happening inside its jar—actually just fermentation, but that sounded cooler. I opened the jar eighteen months later, and a wonderful cornucopia of aromas flooded my nostrils. Well-known artist, tobacco connoisseur, and all-around good guy JimInks mentioned an almost musty, incense-like quality in the tin note; I agree. That aroma is second only to the usual smokiness of Latakia, and a whisper of your usual Virginia aromas comes through as well.

In the pipe it behaves nicely and tastes great. It has all the hallmarks of a good, full-flavored English blend. While that smoky Latakia flavor is in every single puff, somehow it's not overwhelming. Usually I avoid blends with this much Latakia. The other components somehow shine through all of that smokiness. Most notably, I taste those wonderful—but so hard to describe—funky flavors of "small leaf Orientals". Virginia flavors are there, both gold and red, but they serve to tie everything together. Most of all, I taste their natural sweetness. There's plenty of Latakia here, but it's not a 'Lat. bomb'.

Levant Mixture needed a few relights, and burned to a pretty clean ash. The potential for 'Lat. tongue' is minimal, which I like. Won't bite unless pushed hard. Not an 'all-day' blend, and best savored slowly after a long day. Nicotine level is medium. As for room note, there are far more offensive blends, but it's not pleasant for non-smokers. It but borders on "divorce tobacco" — a term coined by Mac Baren's blender, Per Jensen. In a sentence, Levant Mixture is an enjoyable, full-flavored, and somewhat complex English blend that's worth the wait to age it to its full potential.

Levant is the seventh, and last, of the Drucquer/Pease revivals I have smoked during my Covid19 isolation and it is the one that I feel is least like the original blend that I smoked often during Drucquer's original run. I made a fortunate purchase of bunches of original Drucquer English blends in the late 80's and sold many tins off in the 90's. However, I kept three blends for my stash: Cook's #5, Blend 805 and Levant. Unfortunately, the first two are not in revival. I smoked many tins of Levant over the years until my stash became depleted somewhere around 2005. My current tin was only 3 months old and appeared very blond and bright among the brown and black bits; understandable for a new tin. However, it smoked with a high register; higher than I remember the blend smoking in the past. The other thing that struck me as not in the original was the noticeable dryness of the smoke. In this I agree entirely with reviewer Beer 2020-01-26 and state that this is the driest pipe blend I have ever lit. I do not fault Greg Pease for this. Today's tobacco stocks are simply not the same as 40 or 50 years ago and results like this are to be expected. I agree with the many reviewers who have said this blend is quality, blended well, great English and everything else. I just feel that it is the most off-centered of the seven revivals. I used Levant in micro blending and discovered it worked best when paired with a heavier English of a darker nature, like OVTC's London Night. I also added some Cornell and Diehl Burley Flake #5 to this mix and it was a grade A smoke all the way. So, all in all, I have no problem recommending this blend at three stars. I feel that this blend might age well and will put some tins away.

Lately I find myself in a phase reaching more for a full English than my usual Balkan. Contenders are many. Westminster, Kensington, Blackpoint, Lagonda, Meridian, Ashton Artisan, Mississippi River, Father Dempsey and Nightcap. Levant mixture is certainly a contender in that elite field. I would put it in the middle of the pack in strength. Smoky latakia and hints of sweet Virginias. Orientals in the background. I am not going to bother reviewing the SPC, Pease or Dunhill choices as they have been reviewed adequately by others.

Levant comes in narrow ribbons. Almost a shag. The narrowest ribbons of any mentioned before. I prefer to break them into shorter segments as to me that packs more consistently. I have always done that with ribbons.

In rotating among those lately there is no clear winner. Father Dempsey is the least full with more sweet Va and Artisan is the fullest. I will likely just keep a rotation going among those.

I typically smoke this kind of thing in one of my big and wide pipes. Mostly Savinelli Autographs. Huge ones. They are ok in smaller pipes, but in a small pipe do not have enough in the bowl to really build flavor and nicotine hit. I love a good nicotine hit.

I will not recommend any of these over the others. They are all way up there.

Raising this to 4 stars cuz I find myself going to this frequently.

I will use this opportunity to rant about so many of the reviews on this website. I routinely read somebody proclaiming their undying love for a blend based on one bowl or even less. Any experienced pipe smoker knows that a particular blend does not taste the same each time. Very often your taste buds and nose are affected by what you have eaten, smoked or drunk recently. I recently experimented with VaPers. They do not work for me. I found that they might well taint my taste buds such that the next several bowls of one of my usuals tastes differently than normal.

You need to really smoke something 10 times or so to really get used to it and catch the nuances. Many blends have a learning curve of how to smoke them. What kind of pipe. Width of the chamber. Packing. Pace of puffing. Etc.

I'm overwhelmed! Taste is mild but this mixture is strong... room note is fairly pleasant. The Cyprian Latakia in Levant is more pronounced initially but doesn't steal the show & this "mixture" is perfectly balanced & provides plenty of Vitamin N... plus a great flavor with a slight sweetness that increases as the bowl progresses & morphs into an indescribably delicious Balkan flavor... almost like a fine aromatic but this mixture is all natural.

Nearing mid-bowl where the interplay of tobaccos meld, more flavor develops, improves & gets a little sweeter & tastier as the smoking session progresses. My advice... spend a few extra $$ for a trip back in time & try this mixture & see for yourself. It's worth it. There's something magical & special in this Levant Mixture like you might experience with other quality, aged Balkans. "Magical" meaning the whole is equal to more than the sum of its parts... an incredible blending achievement. Levant becomes a little stronger toward the end but doesn't bite or get harsh. This stuff can sneak up on you due to its mild smoking nature.

It really does seem to possess characteristics from days gone by that will take you back in time. This is not an English blend... strictly & totally Balkan & I think it might possibly be the finest Balkan blend available in this time period. I predict Levant will rise to number one & will become legendary... hence the reason I purchased plenty for the cellar. I think it's wise to have extras in your tobacco "portfolio."

Wanted to try an old-school Pease blend and Blairgowrie continued to be out of stock so I thought about this Balkan/English. After it arrived, I waited as long as I could and dove into the tin. Broad spectrum of flavors, but as Wilke High Hat is one of my go-tos, I am on intimate terms with Latakia and immediately recognized spicy Lats as prime constituents in Levant. That said, it is a credit to the blender that it complements, but does not overpower, the more sour, yeasty taste of the Virginias, while the bright leaf keep the blend from becoming overpoweringly heavy, adding touches of sweet grass as the bowl progresses. The mouthfeel was creamy/thick and the smoke luxuriously billowy. Best smoked, IMHO, when there is time to sip and savor the smoke. I do not think this is an all-day smoke, but I have done back-to-back bowls with great enjoyment.

My favorite English. Full bodied endlessly complex. A bit like quiet nights without the in your face strength. The Latakia is fantastic. Masterfully blended for dark strong English that you can smoke all day (though it’s more nighttime vibes).

I got to try some of this about a week ago but unfortunately did not take good notes and my memory ain’t that good. All I know is I really like this one and gave it 4 stars. An outstanding mixture as are most of the tobaccos under this label. A must try. Maybe I can snag some more and provide my fans with an update. 🙂

I really didn't understand this when it first arrived. My tin was 6 months old and it was fresh with no vacuum seal (as Pease doesn't vacuum seal, thank goodness). I loaded a bowl and was quite unimpressed. Had a few more bowls, jarred half of the tin and there it sat. About two months later I reached for it again and sat down and carefully packed a bowl and calmly smoked. Wow, what a difference a little time and attitude made. This is not a pack and go smoke, this is a sit and relax smoke. Do not rush anything here and you be gifted with an old world of excellence smoke. The Latakia and Oientals play back and forth while the Virginias stay as a backround player. This is a heavy and stout blend and should be treated as such. Pease is a genius and uses the best leaf available as far as I'm concerned. The cut is fine ribbon, packs and lights well and the moisture level is spot on. As was said before, not an all day smoke but good with a morning coffee or a good Lager beer. On another note about vacuum sealing, once your tin is vacuum sealed do you think the blend will continue to age? How can it without any oxygen? At least with non vacuum sealing the tobacco's will continue to age until the oxygen is used up? Of course.I could be totally wrong, just a thought. Anyway, I highly recommend this blend as it is old school cool.

Lager