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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JimInks (2603) |  |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The earthy, woody, smoky, leathery sweet Cyprian Latakia is the lead component, but not by much. The spicy, woody, earthy, mildly floral, herbal, vegetative, dry and sour, moderately buttery sweet Orientals provide close competition, and at times, almost upstages the Latakia. The grassy, tart and tangy citrusy, lightly tangy dark fruity Virginias are just above being a condiment in terms of effect, and not by its percentage in the blend. The strength is a couple of steps past the center of mild to medium, while the taste just misses the medium mark. The nic-hit is almost as potent as the strength. Won’t bite or get harsh, and has only a light rough edge at times. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable pace with a mostly consistent, mildly sweet and smoky, savory flavor from top to bottom. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a lightly lingering pleasant campfire after taste and room note. By design, it’s an all day smoke with a little complexity and depth.
-JimInks
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fr_tom (379) |  |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a medium ribbon in a variety of colors. The pouch note is all campfire. It came at a great state of hydration for me.
This was a good smoke, and it is a better than average English blend for my preferences. It is heavier in Orientals than some, and it is not a latakia powerhouse. There is a little fruit and sweet from the Virginia, and some spice from the Orientals. It is a pleasant combination.
It packed and burned without quirkiness or drama. Either it has "enough there" that I am not prone to puff, or it burns a little slow. It is pleasantly complex without being challenging.
This is a nice English blend. It is available and comes in a pouch. What is not to like?
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StevieB (1964) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Mac Baren - Amphora English Blend.
Having finished my tin of Chieftain Blacksmiths Blend I wanted another English on the go. My tobacco tray always has one of each genre opened! So, a few weeks ago I got this out of my stash.
It isn't too fine a ribbon, slightly coarse compared to some, it arrives a little damp in the pouch, and has an emphatic English aroma. Although a touch moist it needed no airing to fire up.
On to the smoke: lovely! The overall feeling is quite heavy, although not too caustic with Latakia. The Lat' leads, without question, but is smoothed by the Oriental leaf. This, rather than being too floral or perfume-like, has a more creamy, glutinous feel to it. The Virginia is definitely in last place. But, this is the usual, honest, case with my English smoking; I find the Va gets smothered! The smoke's cool and comes from a mid-speed, reliable, burn.
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: full but I quite like it.
Amphora English Blend? Great. Highly recommended:
Four stars.
Pipe Used: Various
Age When Smoked: 3 months
Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| oldermanpipe (24) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
When a friend told me that Amphora now has an English blend, I was intrigued and bought a pouch. It was an experience.
This is not an English blend. It is a Danish blend, with some Cyprian Latakia added. Amphora is made by Mac Baren, and this has a typical Mac Baren taste. It doesn't bite at all, but from first light to somewhere below mid-bowl, the dominant flavor is dark-fired Kentucky, even though that is not a listed ingredient. As Charles Barkley says, "I might be wrong, but I don't think so." If Amphora English is reminiscent of any other blend, it would be HH Vintage Syrian, but with very good quality Cyprian Latakia. DFK is better subsumed by the Syrian; Cyprian seems to fight a losing battle with it.
I'll give it two stars for the quality of the ingredients and for its smoking properties, but it's simply not my dish of tea.
Pipe Used: GBD Prehistoric Zulu, Baraccini pot.
Age When Smoked: Fresh
Purchased From: Smokingpipes
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lager (29) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
I respectfully disagree with oldermanpipe as Mac Baren has done an exceptional job with the Amphora lines and their H&H series line. This one is a very good, rich English and Per has hit it spot on. The cut is a fine ribbon with good quality leaf. The blend dosen't fight itself like some do. This would be a good entry level blend for some wishing to explore English blends. For a more detailed review see JimInks. Highly recommended!
Pipe Used: Pete's, Savs, Stanwells
Age When Smoked: New to 2 months
Purchased From: Smoking.pipes
1 person found this review helpful.