Mac Baren Presbyterian Mixture

After reading the maelstrom of reviews on this blend, I had a tin sent from Smokingpipes and decided to give this a whirl. I am smoking this in a 40+ year old Weber billiard (unsmoked!) so there can be no taint to my smoking this. Was normal as far as moisture content in the newly opened tin. To me it looks and smells like Early Morning Pipe in the tin - a mild English. Lighting up and about a half hour later I come up with Latakia in a minor way, but surely is not anything close to being a center player. Nicotine was mild, and was an average smoke generator in my experience. Virginia is what I can taste and this stuff reminds me of Skiff Mixture which I smoked years ago when steering away from Aromatics. Recommend for people who enjoy a mild English tobacco.

Sweet Virginia and spicy Oriental, Latakia is minimal. Cool and dry smoke, no chance of tongue bite, not to complex so perfect for all day smoke. 3 and half stars.

I bought my first tin of this back in 2004. I still have it, with just a few bowls worth missing. I hadn't come across it in the vast cellar in years. I decided to do some rearranging and organizing of all the open tins and near empty jars when I spotted it. Its fairly dried out, so I ordered a few fresh tins to finally review this ancient mixture.

Opening the fresh tin, I'm surprised they still use a plastic pouch inside the tin instead of paper. Majority of very bright-blonde Va, with specks of medium brown and black tobacco bringing up the remainder. Tin note is a very sour aroma from the Orientals, with a hint of smokiness from the minimal Latakia. Reminds me of the sour note in Esoterica's "And So To Bed", minus the more Latakia aroma. Moisture content is where it should be. Packs with ease, just as I remember. Pre-lit draw produces those sour notes onto the pallet, which taste surprisingly pleasant.

Initial lighting takes a few match strikes. The Va offers hay like profile, and the orientals offer a terrific spiceiness that balance perfect. The Latakia offers very little in this blend, but it does hang out in the back just enough to know its there. If you are looking for a great English blend but are not a fan of Latkia, this is your guy.

This does tingle my tongue a bit, but I've always had a sensitivity issue. Most shouldn't be bothered. Burns well and even, leaving just a powdery gray ash. For me, this blend worked the best in a tall, narrow bowl, but we are all different.

Planta – Presbyterian Mixture

Since getting into this hobby I’ve seen plenty of reviews that heap praise on this blend on this website and elsewhere. Given that its seen as a good beginner’s English blend I figured I would give it a shot. Not available in Ontario so I had to mail-order from the USA.

The tin note is quite nice and not overwhelming like some of the English blends I’d tried previously. The scent is definitely like many of the English blends that I’ve tried but not quite as strong and spicy. Good start.

The tobacco is a ribbon cut and a large portion is light strands which I assume are Virginia. Darker ribbons scattered throughout but this one seems a bit more yellow Virginia heavy than others I’ve tried.

Lighting up and I knew I liked this blend immediately. It has a light incense note on the retrohale which I love reminiscent of London Mixture. The Virginia develops through the bowl as it seems to for me into a nice savory flavour that balances well with the sweet incense-like flavour. The Oriental is there but takes a back seat to the Virginia in my opinion.

I would recommend this tobacco to anyone. In terms of the Latakia, despite my unrefined palate I know that I can taste it in here. I suspect that once I’m unable to acquire any more Dunhill blends that this may become a regular purchase for me, but for now it seems a little redundant.

This is a heady, medium to full mixture of Virginia and Turkish (or some other Oriental leaf). Being a full English, it nevertheless is at the opposite end of Dunhill's London Mixture or Standard Mixture Medium. Where these two are eloquently austere and sober in their components, with a slightly toasted undertone, Presbyterian is almost floral and baroque. Very pungent and moist, the tobacco packs easily but if not previously aired it can be difficult to light.

More than smooth, the taste is fresh and musk, but I wouldn't say Presbyterian is a cool smoke in the same sense that My Mixture 965 or Commonwealth Mixture are. In fact, after the second half of the bowl it starts smoking hot, and it can produce an astringent and piquant effect on the palate. I believe this is on account of the Orientals.

Presbyterian is a mixture along the same lines of Davidoff's English or Dobbie's Original. I have smoked at least three tins of Presbyterian, and I find it very good and pleasing, even though it leaves me thirsty. IMO its only drawback is the acute pungency of the mixture?akin to that of Red Rappary?and though quite strong (let's say slightly above the medium strength region), I find it lacks in depth and roundness of flavour. I miss the more earthy tones and temperance I always find in 965 or London Mixture.

(NB I was one of those fooled in believing this mix had some Latakia leaf!)

This is a very good tobacco. As a EPC Presbyterian I love the name. Normally mild English blends are not for me. And admittedly this one does get boering at times but it interesting enough to stand out amounts other mild English blends.

The latakia is not predominant by any means. It adds a pleasant smoky sweetness to the dominant Virgina and Oriental flavors of grassiness, tart citrus, spice, woodiness, and some sourness. There is a fleeting umami note that I find intriguing. I don't know where it comes from. Maybe the orientals mixing with the Latakia? I just wish it was more prominent.

This blend burns well needing very little attention. Overall a nice blend, I would not have this in my rotation, but I can see myself reaching for it from time to time.

Ok but to Virginia foward. Smokes real well, burns more on the warm side. Great quality tobacco. It would be a great recommendation for those who like the flat grassy taste however, there is a noticeable amount of Latakia which really helps to complement this blend.

Smoking a bowl out of a Meer now. It's a fairly smooth bodied oriental/turkish dominant blend to me. I taste the Virginia's with very little Latakia present. The oriental's are pronounced, so I'd suspect this is the light smattering of latakia giving them a fuller flavor profile, but not enough latakia to taste "latakia".

Reminds me a bit of Durbar, but this one is a bit more oriental tasting than that one. I really like it and it's a bit on the White Knight, Durbar, side of a Balkan. A good day smoke, not heavy to my tastes.

Planta’s Presbyterian Mixture smells quintessentially “English” in the tin, with loamy, musty, slightly spicy Orientals over vaguely “soapy” Latikia, and grassy, somewhat earthy, flue and air cured VAs underneath. The rough-cut mixture ranges from golden brown, to medium-brown, to some dark brown chunks. It’s easy to load and light, right from the tin, and it’s easy to smoke. The tastes and aromas while smoking it run thusly from top to bottom, with each varietal staying in character: Orientals, followed by VAs, followed by ever-present Latakia. IMO, PM is a very well balanced blend, with no rough edges. Strength is more mild than medium. Tastes run closer to medium than mild. Room note is not bad, at all. Aftertaste is best of the smoke. English lovers might well find they can smoke PM all day.

Bottom line? It’s hard being an English blend these days. It’s not like there’s anything wrong with PM; it’s just that, IMO, it is just short of the top blends in its genre. 3+ stars; not quite 4.