Craven Craven Mixture

Craven Mixture was a beautifully balanced, old-fashioned English mixture – supposedly the “Arcadia Mixture” celebrated by J.M. Barrie – that is no longer made. It began life in the 1860s and was last seen (by me, at least) in the 1980s. There are from time to time rumours of a comeback or a clone, but I've never seen any sign of one. I don't really know of anything that could be called an approximation, with the possible exception of Gawith's Skiff Mixture. One can only wonder why so many of these marvellous old tobaccos disappeared yet there is still a market for cherry-flavoured blasphemies and tongue burners.

Ah, I miss CM still. “It's the smoothest and most satisfying tobacco a man could wish for”, says an old advertisement from 1928. In the same advertisement it is advertised as being available in tins and “cartridge form” – i.e. in the soft paper packets that were in use before those wretched plastic pouches came along. CM was to English mixtures what Balkan Sobranie was to Balkan mixtures: the absolute ne plus ultra. The “Craven Ready Rubbed” to which “Holy Smoke” is (I think) referring has nothing in common with Craven Mixture but the Craven name. Craven Ready Rubbed is in my opinion the worst kind of supermarket garbage. Craven Mixture would be highly recommended if you could still get it.

An old favorite of mine from the 70's, long gone from the market in its original form. Simply a well balanced, tasty, and cool smoke that I could enjoy all day and into the evening without switching off. Always lit well, burned cool and dry. One of the few that said "hit me again" as I cleaned the pipe. DAMN, I miss it.

If this was the basis for the fictitious Arcadia Mixture, then I can understand what the fuss is about. McC's Arcadia didn't get it right, IMHO.

I seem to be reviewing more tobacco's that are no longer in production than I do in production tobacco's. I am not sure if it is my desire to hear the echo of my ancestors, live in a romantic world that never really was or to avoid the excess of what we have today as we lament the loss of things that have evolved. A rose by any other name... This is a phenomenal tobacco. Period. I am not sure if it is blenders art, leaf quality and processing issue or age, but Craven Mixture has something near extinct in pipe tobacco. A little commentary, it seems like the diversity of Oriental/Turkish/Macedonian tobacco has significantly declined along with the quality. Modern techniques do not seem to agree with the finer pipe tobacco leaves. This is the reason tobacco like this is so prized Craven Mixture (1993 tin I am reviewing) tin note is slightly sour and woody, from Syrian Latakia and other Orientals, sweet with some very light hay notes. Delicate and hypnotic. The flavor of this smoke is the archetypal Oriental pipe tobacco. This is what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would have smoked while writing Sherlock Holmes. It is Holmes squared. Delicate, complex and sophisticated. This is an Oriental masterpiece. The base of high quality Virginia (brights I think) provides a slightly sweet bed of hay on which to showcase the Orientals. Latakia is an Oriental tobacco, btw. The use of both Syrian and Cyprian Latakia in measured quantities provides sweetness and that signature wine like flavor that can make or break a tobacco. This not only works, but its subtlety acts a flavor enhancer to the woody and spicy Orientals. The complexity in this smoke does not have an equal in my opinion. I do believe that there is either deer tongue or Lakeland like essence added to this smoke. I get something on the palate, not the nose that is slightly floral, but like flowers and vanilla. If someone infused some lavender into a high proof bourbon, this is what it would taste like. Another complexity that plays with the raw tobacco flavors. This is to be mourned. Nothing like this today, maybe they should try.

This review of the Craven Mixture is based on one half of a two tin set recently purchased from a consignment seller. This mixture comes from the pink lidded tin that I believe is from the 1990's. Based on other reviews, I think it's safe to assume that Craven Mixture had a pouch version, possibly in the final days of distribution. It is only a guess, but my opinion is it's unlikely that the pouch version was the exact same blend as the version found in the tin.

Upon opening CM, the appearance is that of a typical medium English blend. The Virginia's showed some sugar crystals on them. The moisture level was perfect and Craven produces clouds of very smooth smoke. I am sure that the Latakia has softened with age and in this case, it seems to have melded beautifully with the other component tobaccos. With the exception of the aged Virginia's, there isn't very much sweetness to the blend and I imagine that the Latakia was far more forward when it was originally tinned. If you are a fan of aged tobaccos and medium English blends, this little gem is worth the price. Highly Recommended.

I just got around to popping open one of my tins that I had bought in the 1990s, and already aged a few years. This was the original mixture with the pink label, not a replacement or imitation.

The tin aroma was heavenly, with the fruity, sweet scent of matured and aged Virginias that evokes memories of great tobaccos of the past. While smoking this bowl, I tasted the Latakia in this mixture; it was subdued by the 25+ years aging, but present nonetheless. After two to three re-lights, I was able to keep it going with occasional tamping for about a half an hour. The strength and flavour seemed to be constant throughout the smoke that lasted more than a half an hour in a size 3-4 bowl of my bent apple. The Virginias and other components really delivered a pleasant taste and smoke.

All in all, a great smoke, evoking memories of pipe pleasures from the past. Some of the later-day reincarnations of this noble mixture do not do it justice. Once my stash is exhausted, I will miss it. Its memories will encourage me to try to find a suitable alternative. Although I do not believe that I will find an exact replacement, those of us who have been fortunate enough to have smoked it have been fortunate to have experienced a most noble tobacco.