Tobaccos Robert Lewis - Tree Mixture

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2013-10-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've been humming and harring for a while as to whether I should try this. Never having had a Robert Lewis before it was somewhat of an unknown quantity. On my last internet order, though, I was at a bit of loss as to what Lat to get and it seemed an apt time to take the plunge.

The tin aroma is one of mild creosote, I'm sure that's a description I've used before and probably recently too, it's still a good one. The cut, though, is more of a ribbon than broken flake, but no matter. Packing and lighting is easy, not a lot of moisture in this one. The flavour was a pleasant surprise just enough latakia to satisfy but not overwhelm but there's also a hint of something else, something a little sweeter and maybe with a hint of lemon, might well be the influence of the cavendish kicking in. A most delightful flavour and thoroughly enjoyable and continues to the end of the bowl.

In conclusion, a cracking smoke that provides a very pleasant change from most lats by the addition of that sweet lemony taste. The description calls it "aromatic and spicy" and that suits it perfectly. Comparisons to Squadron Leader? Not wholly fair to either, and yet not completely unfair either. SL is a bit stronger on the lat and nicely varies between the lat, turkish and virginia and is probably the more complex of the two. This tones the lat down and nicely introduces the sweetness without spoiling either. Yet both promise a good lat flavour and a bit more and deliver on both. I'm happy to smoke both regularly.

16 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2014-12-23		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Robert Lewis - Tree Mixture.

The smell from this actually deceives me into thinking it has a slight plum topping, not a full 'aromatic' one but more of a fruity condiment. The blend seems to include an adequate amount of all the different varieties of tobacco all at a good moistness so it can be smoked straight away.

The tin description is an accurate one, I straight away agree that it's a small amount of Latakia in the taste, if you're looking for a Lat-Bomb then step away from this as the Latakia addition is about on par a quarter of a spoon of sugar in your tea, really delicate. To me, the Virginia is also delicately added, it just seems to give substance to the smoke. Now, the Black Cav' and Orientals are more discernible, the sweet touch from the Cav' is a lot easier to recognize than the description lead me to expect, not at all gloopy or sticky but a good clean sweetness. The spiciness from the Orientals is really satisfying and I find that as the bowl goes along the spicy flavour becomes a slightly stronger. Unlike the aroma I notice no fruity addition whatsoever, the only extra flavour I get is a really slight chocolaty one with a good creaminess to it. The burn is steady and even giving off a smoke that is of a medium temperature and extraordinarily silky. The room note is definitely one to please smokers, a pure tobacco one that's almost antiquated which isn't to full but would probably be off-putting for some people.

When I first lit this I thought "three stars" but after five minutes my three star award had increased to a four star one, it's one of those blends that gets better the longer you smoke it!

Pipe Used: Peterson Sherlock Holmes

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: G.Q Tobaccos

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2011-08-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

There are so many choices here in the US when it comes to English blends that a blend must really stand out to get my attention, especially at a higher price point than most other blends. Tree Mixture did just that! This review is based on three tins of this fine weed with the oldest tin having three years of age on it. I will steal a couple of comments from other reviewers and say that this blend is both rich and balanced. I didn't miss the Oriental component at all as the Latakia is proportioned just right for me and the Virginia's are of high quality and offer a bit of sweetness. I think any fan of Dunhill tobacco's or Lancer Slices will find this blend to their liking. Tree Mixture's flavor doesn't vary a whole lot throughout the bowl and I don't find TM to be very complex either. Sometimes being really good at one thing is simply enough. Highly Recommended.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2013-10-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Others have noticed a little similarity to Squadron Leader, as did I. The grassy, hay-like, citrusy Virginia is the base for the other components. The Cyprian latakia gives it a smoky, woody, very mild sweetness in a small support role. The spicy, woody, dry and buttery sweet Orientals as a team player that compliments the other ingredients, and adds just a little body to experience. There's a light brown sugar sweetness from the black cavendish in the far background. Has a slightly more than mild nic-hit. Burns clean and slightly fast with a consistent flavor from top to bottom, though you may observe a slight harshness toward the finish if you are a fast puffer. Won't bite, though. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and needs few relights. It's not quite as complex a mixture as one might expect, and while not overly complex, has enough going for it that it's not an all day smoke.

-JimInks

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2006-02-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is a rather remarkable blend that is very satisfying.

The combination of flavors is just..... different somehow. I can see where this would be a nice change of pace for lovers of both Oriental and Latakia blends. My experience with Tree Mixture was exceptional and I really appreciated the firm dose of strength.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	colt25314 (42)	2009-04-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

I never thought I would say this but this may be a clone of Balkan Sobranie!!! I smoked at least a bowl full of Balkan Sobranie for 25 years and have paid as much as $200.00, for a tin of Balkan Sobranie. I can tell you I will never pay that much for Balkan Sobranie again as Robert Lewis Tree Mixture is just as good and made with higher quality leaf. Thank God for Tree Mixture and thank God for Monjure International for bringing it to the States. If you get a chance try a tin and then, all my Balkan Sobranie brothers, send Steve Monjure an email (pipadolce@aol.com) personally thanking him for bringing us back to the Promise Land, back to the land of Milk & Honey. After all, the tin may say Robert Lewis Tree Mixture but the heart and soul of Balkan Sobranie beats within.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2017-07-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Robert Lewis’ Tree Mixture is an exceptional Scottish blend if by Scottish we accept the definition of it being an English mixture with the addition of Black Cavendish. More than 50% seems to be black leaf, Black Cavendish and Latakia. The rest is red/brown with some bright ribbons as well.

Mechanics and moisture are very fine and the tobacco burns to the last shred leaving no moisture only grey ash.

It is smoky enough and initially it may make one believe it is Latakia which is the main flavor component, but I believe it’s the unflavoured Black Cavendish which leads the game with Latakia and Orientals adding up flavor as condiments. The smokiness here is smooth, almost creamy and subtly sweet – in no way acrid. Tree Mixture is built on a basis of yummy, mildly sweet, bisquity Black Cavendish upon which Latakia, spicy Orientals and bright Virginias intermingle. It’s in the same genre as Rattray’s Black Mallory, but to me Tree Mixture is far superior: tastier Black Cavendish, more Orientals and a Virginia touch quite reminiscent of Squadron Leader.

Strength is just about medium, not much nicotine but enough to satisfy, sure an all-day tobacco if you like the taste. And room note is not very offensive to non smokers. To me this is an exceptional mixture, but be warned, it’s not a traditional English, it contains a lot of Black Cavendish. If we stick to the above definition, then Tree Mixture has to be the quintessential Scottish mixture.

Similar Blends: Rattray's Black Mallory.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-05-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tree mixture is an enjoyable med-heavy English. The smell from the tin (a new tin) was of heavy latikia. The flavor was from the first match. A well mannered tobacco. Easy light - stays lit. No bite, or roughness. Nothing bitter about the smoke. Give it a little time in the air before packing. I hold great stock in a blend that you can enjoy without a lot of fuss. Robert Lewis Tree is such a blend. The more of it I smoke the more I like it. Burns to a white/grey ash, not a lot of bowl cling - clean. Dry as a bone in a straight Dunhill. I would put this blend somewhere between Black Mallory and Ashton's Artisan blend in taste, flavor builds in the last 1/2 of the bowl wonderfully. I'm sure it would celler - mine won't last that long - its good rignt now! Is it a sleeper blend - I don't think its the blend that's asleep. I cannot for the life of me understand why folks put up with blends that are NOT READY for release, young, harsh, flavor of the month junk. This blend is there - here - right now. You need not wonder what it will taste like in 2 years. Smoke it now! Enjoy it today. I'm not real crazy about the idea of some other SOB enjoying my aged tins after I'm gone. Life is too short. I'm taking mine with me! Balkan Sobranie? I don't care. Balkan Sobranie is gone. This blend is in the here-and-now, and ready to smoke. If Steve Monjure is the one bringing the Robert Lewis mixtures in - God bless him. Maybe he will run for office - he shows good judgement. To Col. Tree -- Vive la Mort! Vive la Guerre! Vive le Sacré Mercenaire!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipesmoking101 (63)	2015-01-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco for me has come as a pleasant surprise indeed. After trying a number of tobaccos recently that left me with a somewhat meh feeling, this one really blew me away. I will state here and now, that this is the greatest English blend I have ever smoked. The whole experience, from the tin note to emptying the ash from my pipe was a great experience overall. The fantastic tobaccos used all shine throughout. The smoke begins with the Virginias and the Latakia working in perfect harmony, the Orientals come through mid-bowl, and it all ties up together for a final crescendo of wonderfulness at the end. It took the light & burned like a dream. The room-note is typically English, but overall I think bystanders found it slightly more pleasant than Old Dublin (which is another favourite of mine) - maybe they were just cheered by the look of sublime happiness that took over my face whenever I puffed on this angel of tobacco heaven. Perfectly balanced in every way, and so gorgeous that I cannot adequately explain in words alone, it really does need to be experienced. I got this as part of a sampler pack, but will definitely be ordering a lot more. I cannot believe that this tobacco is not more well known, as it surely deserves to be recognised as a true classic, a giant among English blends. Colonel Tree - I salute you!

Pipe Used: Peterson Donegal Rocky 68

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: GQ Tobaccos

Similar Blends: Peterson Old Dublin, Dunhill MM 965.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hitchhiker42 (2)	2014-04-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild	Unnoticeable

This blend was pleasant and smoked cool. It reminded me of Squadron Leader with a more nutty flavor and without the floral notes. Upon lighting there is a slight walnut quality, but this goes away mid-bowl. There is no room note, and the aftertaste is kind of a bright citrus that you get from Virginias. The Tree Mixture was medium-strong in nicotine, close to that blast you get from Dunhill Nightcap, but turned down a notch. The tobacco was moist out of the tin and leaves a black, somewhat tarry perspiration inside the pipe. This is most noticeable on my French pipes which have an aluminum insert. This stem insert has a system of groves to channel the smoke and the tar buildup is quite noticeable on this after smoking. I only purchased one tin of Tree Mixture so far, and this may be a peculiarity of my batch, but when you get to the bottom of the bowl there is an ammonia smell. After smoking this in four different pipes, I believe this is a peculiarity of the tobacco and not a ghosting from the pipe. I have read the ammonia smell can occur when Latakia is rushed through the fermentation process so unfortunately, someone at Robert Lewis is cutting corners. I will probably not purchase this again and will go back to Squadron Leader, which I find more flavorful and a bit more "interesting" than Tree Mixture.

Pipe Used: Jeantet, Hardcastle, Tudor, Bruyere estate pipe

Purchased From: James Fox, Dublin

Similar Blends: Squadron Leader.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2014-03-21		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The initial tin note reminds me of Dunhill's Royal Yacht but not the flavor. The flavor starts with more of a Dunhill EMP ( Oriental Forward) but with a noticeable Latakia presence( Nightcap?). ( I agree with reviewer "Steel Cowboy" in that this blend reminds me of something from the Dunhill line). As I got further down the bowl the Orientals faded , latakia remained and a darker stronger burley like ( black Cavendish ?) base made itself known, almost chocolate like. This was never bitter, had some sweetness, never bit, and provided ample "N".

I especially have to agree with reviewer "Gentleman Zombie 2014-02-02" who said this blend was a "chameleon", changing form between bowls. I found the same thing, and I believe it's the unpredictable behavior of the "Black Cavendish"

The one thing I didn't get with this blend was the "Wow" factor, it's nice, but not better than other English/ Balkan blends and for the extra money, " What do they think, money grows on Trees?" .

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: new

Similar Blends: Dunhill ( EMP, Nightcap ???).

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-02-02		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This blend just didn't do it for me. Seemed to be a chameleon. One bowl would be pretty good, the next not so much. It would sometimes turn on me during the same bowl, changing back and forth from good to bad. I have no idea why. Strangest thing I've ever encountered. I will say though that when it's good it's pretty dang good. Evidently this blend has been trying to tell me something. Something like, "Leave me alone. I'm not for you." I think I'll take it's advice.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman

Age When Smoked: 2 months

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	canvas (337)	2019-03-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A milder English with certain richness coming through, without much distraction from the Oriental spice or Latakia charcoal. The tin opening had some Frog Morton similarities. so I was quite eager to light up.

The cut was both fine ribbons and small pieces, so if this is indeed a broken flake, it is quite broken without any large pieces. Moisture was perfect and I didn't have to wait a moment to get puffing. Wow... what a pleasing silky smooth English with no bite and some savory flavor. Everything worked in harmony for a juicy mouth watering smoke that is filled with tangy nuances.

The room note reminded the misses of fall and burning sage, and since the nicotine was on the milder side, I had no problem pumping the room with several bowls worth of smoke.

This quality product performs double duty as a great English intro for new smokers, and refined product for leather tongues to ponder and explore.

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Frog Morton (lite).

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pre Republic Peterson (13)	2014-06-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Was worried to open my latest tobacco, as the last brand I smoked was horrid, so looked through the collection and thought try the Tree.

On opening looks great, very moist and bouncy reminds me of christmas cake mixture. Very enticing. Lots of Cavendish 70%+, rest Virginia.

Awesome aroma from open can, put in my pipe immediately (after briefly drying). I got botanicals like in Gin, and of course nice spicy Christmas flavors. Smokes good, burns right down to dottle. Fairly cool smoking too.

First outing with Robert Lewis, not disappointed at all.

Highly recommended… Thanks Robert Lewis and Colonel Tree.

Pipe Used: Ferndown Reo Lovat

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: mysmokingshop.co.uk

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-11-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Col. Tree, I salute you! I have read where many people think that this is very close to Balkan Sobranie, I would say that is half true, I think Balkan Sobranie is a bit stronger in flavor and nicotine. With that being out of the way, this is one fine tobacco blend. The tin note is of very strong Latakia. There is also whispers of Virginia and burly in the tin. The tobacco once dried smokes like a dream and leaves your favorite pipe abnormally clean. The taste is of strong Latakia, with slightly sweet Virginia. There is also a hint of nutty burly that seems to get stronger towards the bottom of the bowl. I think that is a very unappreciated blend. This blend is very highly recommended.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jakob Kiilerich (120)	2005-09-05		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Drainpipe said it all with his sharp, short and precise review. Instead of being smooth and well-balanced as Black Mallory for example, this is a tobacco were the blenders have managed to keep contrasts sharp and separated, instead of being intermingled as it is with many English Mixtures.

The unskilled pipester would be able to decipher all notes very easily, and that is what makes this blend both unusual and interesting.

However, as the nicotine lover I am, Tree Mixture could not satisfy me; that is why Tree Mixture only receives 2 stars.

Jakob Kiilerich, Denmark

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2005-05-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Appearance: A typical English ribbon cut, well variegated colors tending slightly to the dark side.

Aroma: Again, typical English aroma. The aroma is a good Virginia base with plenty of Cyprian Latakia and a lesser amount of Oriental leaf.

Packing: The blend packs easily into any pipe with no particular care required.

Lighting: Lights easily, but not too quickly. The usual two matches will get it going nicely

Initial flavor: The Latakia jumps right up in your face at the top of the bowl. The Virginias become apparent almost immediately, lending a nice sweetness to the leathery smokiness. The Orientals are in the background, easy to miss at first. Nonetheless, a nice flavor at the start.

Mid-bowl: Now it starts to show some better balance with the Orientals lending a spicy note. This varies as you smoke through the mid-bowl, giving you some complexity and layering of flavor. Not very complex, just enough to avoid being monochromatic.

Finish: Just a bit stronger at the end, leaving a fine medium gray ash. It usually smokes dry right to the end for me, very little tendency to gurgle.

Summary: A nice enough English blend, which I will return to periodically, but not too soon,nor too often.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Thanks be to Col. Tree becasue without his consistent patronage to Robert Lewis, we might not have this gem of a blend. Dunhill's English blends have long been my favorites but I must say that this blend may be better. Huge, meaty, and smokey, this blend shows a level of complexity that I have yet to find in other english blends. Flavor abounds through the finish of the bowl. The latakia and orientals seem to play tag with one another as the smoke progresses. A masterpiece. If you have not tried Tree Mixture, you must.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2004-04-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This blend has all the ingredients for an excellent blend, but I am afraid it didn't work for me.

Appearance: Ribbons of mohagany and darker leaf.

Tin Aroma: Delicious, with the oriental and latakia dominating. There is a slight wine, prune aroma too from the fermenting process in the tin.

Packing: Easy, with moisture perfect out of the tin.

Lighting: Easy, two to three lights.

Initial Flavor:Like a Balkan "light" with the oriental leaf in the forefront.

Mid bowl: More interplay between the latakia and oriental. The Va is starting to come out.

Bottom of Bowl: This is where I liked this blend the most. There develops a nice Va sweetness with a nice smoky background.

End: No goop, dry grey ash, with a light dusting in the bowl.

Overall: This blend was inconsistent and was sensitive to pipe size. It seemed to smoke better in group 4 pipes and worked best for me in a Geppetto Poker. I suppose if you like to wrestle with your tobac, you might like this. As for me, there are too many other blends that surpass this style of blend.

Rating: 3 out of 5 points. Enjoy...

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-04-22		Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

From notes taken from my prior review in 2011 before rejoining Tobacco Reviews. This is a slow burning full flavor tobacco. Well balanced between the different types of leaf make this a very satisfying smoke. This is one, not the best but "one" of the best English mixtures I've smoked and to me, like Old Dublin, in my opinion, also seems much more like a Balkan Mixture although the terminology of either is relatively academic... why not just call them what they are... Latakia blends & stamp the tin percentage amount so the smoker can decide as to his/her own choice which Latakia variety that suits his/her smoking requirement, & how much he/she prefers in a blend & not have to suffer the trial & error method.

Well, anyway, the interplay among the varietals join together and provide a very satisfying and enjoyable smoke session with a unique taste and sort of an aromatic essence that I can't put a handle on. One reason I liked the blend is because it didn't seem to be overladen with Latakia... just the right balance. I'll be trying this again as soon as it becomes available somewhere. The good stuff is always "on backorder" & one must endure the waiting game to acquire the better blends. Tree Mixture like Old Dublin both had a unique flavor that I enjoyed.

Pipe Used: Dunhill 2S Shell Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Peterson's Old Dublin & a little like MM 965...

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	maigret fan (76)	2013-08-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Not easy to find and not cheap but worth it.

I bought Tree Mixture and Wingfield Mixture in the London shop where they are house blends. Tins were opened and I had the opportunity to have a smell at the tin note. Just to mention that Tree seems stronger as Wingfield. Here is my review for Tree. Later will come the review for Wingfield.

First I must mention that the tin is more difficult to open as usual. Whatever the reason the reason, the moisture was perfect: not to wet and not to dry, allowing to light it easily and to have from the first minute a good idea of the blend.

Now, what a luxury! If the tin note let anticipate high quality tobacco, that is fully confirmed when smoking it. Long, cool smoke with the different aromas of the tobaccos mixing perfectly.

My benchmark regarding English blend is Royalty from Davidoff, easy to find and one of my favorites. This Tree extends its leaves and branches well over Royalty.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-10-22		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I like this tobacco quite a bit, and though I am sure it has changed from the original British made version, it is still very good. Classic English mixture that reminds me of Dunhill blends. The virginia and latakia are full and well balanced. The beauty of this blend for me is that it isn't overpowering, yet it is rich. It smokes cool for me and has a refined softness that I like. That isn't blandness! There is no sharpness and that is soothing to my palate.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JB (44)	2003-06-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Tree Mixture is a wonderful tobacco blend. However, as English blends go, this one is much more toward the oriental end of the spectrum and has far less latakia than Balkan Sobranie, for instance. The musky oriental notes are evident early in the bowl, but there is plenty of Virginia there to support it. There is just enough latakia to provide structure, but contrary to some of the other tasters, I didn't find this strong at all. It's richness comes from the ample orientals.

I found that it took a couple of weeks with the tin covered, but unlocked, for the tobacco to dry to the correct smoking point. This should be smoked on the drier side, in my view.

This is a marvelous tobacco if you like oriental blends.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (179)	2003-04-28		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I smoked half of a sample tin of this in a Wiley pipe dedicated to english blends, thanks to Joe of my local Metairie Tinder Box. I am smoking the other half now. The flavor is so distinctive and consistent that I felt a review now is appropriate, though normally I wait for a full tin or two to comment.

William Serad of Pipes and Tobaccos said this blend is rich, rich, rich. It's true. He wasn't kidding. It is a english oriental (or even balkan blend) with a good dose of latakia. More richness that Butera's devine Pelican blend. It's richer than some of the Dunhill line, e.g., Early Morning, London, Standard; is as rich as Fox's Provost, Dunhill's 965, etc., but not as heavy as a full balkan or a real strong english like Dunhill's Nightcap. So a very rich, full, delicious natural taste, but not quite as heavy as you would think a blend would have to be to produce that experience. It is close to balkan in strength though. No bite to me.

No trouble in moisture content, packing, keeping lit, or consistency in rich oriental flavor. Not hot, as the latakia keeps it cool.

I recommend this for the full english oriental smoker. This has the extra oriental kick many good english blends lack. A step up in strength from Pelican or Esoterica's Penzance and at least two from Germain's King Charles. A no nonsense smoke, especially good for outdoors.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	thesmoggypipester (77)	2022-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

No doubt this tobacco has caused many gallons of virtual ink to be spilled by self proclaimed experts on obscure blogs and forums, is it an English, is it a balkan, is it a Scottish mixture or something else entirely. No doubt the discussions have became heated, the sycophantic minions of the big boys club on both sides of the camp will have nodded sagely at the self proclaimed experts opinion whilst with fire and fury instantly jumping into action to quash any disent of their masters opinion. Is it an English? Is it a balkan or something else entirely? Ask 10 different pipe smokers and you will get 10 different answers. However ask an 11th pipe smoker like myself and my answer will be "it tastes good i don't particularly care.".

Rant over back to the tobacco. Opening the tin you are greeted with a mostly dark mixture, interspersed with some lighter flecks of yellow Virginia and the slightly green Orientals. Its aroma isn't as forthcoming or brutal as other latakia mixtures but the typical creosote, smokey campfire and dickensian squalor aromas are there typically. Packing is an easy affair, along with the lighting and once you are away, my goodness this wonderful. The addition of the black Cavendish, rounds off any rough harsh edges of the blends and keeps the latakia in check by not allowing it to totally dominate all the other flavours. The spice of the Orientals, the citrus and hay of the Virginia are all easily discernible. This is blending at its finest, no one tobacco dominates the rest and it maintains its flavour and aroma right to the bottom of the bowl. Strength wise it is a nice middle of the road affair never too potent never too weak, room note won't win over any non smoking companions however I find it delightful.

The word on this blend is that this blend was maintained as a private blend by one man, the mysterious colonel tree, for nearly 50 years and it wasn't until the end of the 20th century that it was finally released to the public. So in effect you can say this was one of the best kept secrets in pipe smoking, and I can see why. 4.stars.

Pipe Used: Peterson standard system 314

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: The black Swan shoppe

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Farshid Houshmand (8)	2021-03-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Hi everyone As I'm writing this, I'm smoking this blend for the first time and listening to the soundtrack "from northern lands" for thr gazillionth time... So, these are my first thought on this interesting blend. The first thing that got my attention was the spicyness of the blend. It's so spicy that _believe me_ you can mistake it for tongue bite. As you go along and get the tone of the blend, you can the sour taste of the orientals and a little bit of the Virginia sweetness. Latakia plays its part accordingly too. It reminded me so much of Sam gawith's Skiff mixture, only more oriental. A little more savage and wild. Overall a nice blend, worth both your money and time.

Pipe Used: Captan Black briar

Age When Smoked: Unknown but i think at least one year

Purchased From: Gift from a friend

Similar Blends: Samuel Gawith's Skiff mixtre.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jonno51 (11)	2020-07-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note - disappointing to be frank, somewhat better once decanted into a Mason jar and left for a few hours. Appearance - 50% dark ribbons from the latakia and black cavendish, 50% light ribbons from the orientals and virginias

The papers in the 50g tin were a little discoloured from the tobacco, so I'm assuming it was not recent production. It was drier than I am used to compared with other mixtures, absolutely ready to smoke straight from the tin.

I have been working my way through a number of English and Scottish mixtures over the last few months. So far Old Dublin has stood out, and for various reasons EMP, 965, Squadron Leader, Black Mallory and GH Balkan Mixture have all fallen short of the mark. Tree Mixture is an exceptionally well balanced tobacco, which smokes sweetly and evenly to the end of the bowl. No one component dominates and the end result is a very pleasant and relaxing smoke. It will disappoint latakia hounds but for me it is almost perfect, outperforming even Old Dublin which is praise indeed. It also beats it's stable mate Orcilla, which differs by using Perique instead of black cavendish and as a result is less smooth. It is very rare that I smoke back to back bowls of any tobacco, but I did with Tree Mixture. Colonel Tree knew what he was doing when he decided upon this blend all those years ago. I thank him and recommend this mixture without reservation to my fellow pipe smokers, especially those ready to include English/Scottish mixtures in their rotation for the first time.

Pipe Used: Medium sized bowl bent briars with 9 mm filters

Age When Smoked: straight from the tin

Purchased From: Blakemar Briars, Northampton UK

Similar Blends: Old Dublin.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2018-12-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is a slow burning full flavor tobacco. Well balanced between the different types of leaf make this a very satisfying smoke. This is one, not the best but "one" of the best English mixtures I've smoked and to me, like Old Dublin, in my opinion, also seems much more like a Balkan Mixture although the terminology of either is relatively academic... why not just call them what they are... Latakia blends & stamp the tin with the type & percentage amount so the smoker can decide as to his/her own choice which strength to choose, or how much he/she prefers in a blend & not have to suffer the trial & error method.

Well, anyway, the interplay among the varietals join together and provide a very satisfying and enjoyable smoke session with a unique taste and sort of an aromatic essence that I can't put a handle on. One reason I liked the blend is because it didn't seem to be overladen with Latakia... just the right balance. I'll be trying this again as soon as it becomes available somewhere. The good stuff is always "on backorder" & one must endure the waiting game to acquire the better blends. Tree Mixture like Old Dublin both had a unique flavor that I enjoyed.

Pipe Used: Dunhill 2S Shell Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Peterson's Old Dublin & a little like MM 965 & with subtle nuances of the BSOM.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Briar Piper (89)	2018-11-19		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I bought this because another reviewer said he thought it was a clone of balkan sobraine. Having a few very old sealed tins of that venerable old blend which are older than I am, I decided to crack one, and smoke it back to back with a tin of tree mixture to decide for myself. Now the balkan sobraine has aged until the whole blend is dark, but the different tobaccos are still readily intelligible. I must not only agree that this is a balkan sobraine clone, it is a superior product to it. Tree mixture has the same aroma in the tin, same taste (but a better latakia is used, smokier and more incense), the room note was stated as identical to everyone I asked. This is not a medium english as claimed by others, but a full one, which is marvelous. Easily on par with any dunhill blend, this is one of my favorite smokes. I have been trying all of the Robert Lewis blends, and every single one of them is a 4 star tobacco! Tree mixture really reminds me of dunhill aperitif but is less sweet.

Pipe Used: grabow, peterson

Purchased From: cupojoes, smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Balkan sobraine, dunhill aperitif, blackhouse.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lazarus77 (91)	2017-10-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Great tobacco !!!! one of the best Balkan mixtures available today in the market. Nice, cool creamy smoke, no chance of bite, dry smoke till the end. Almost full in flavor. Highly recommended !!!

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: mysmokingshop.co.uk

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2017-05-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Light brown to black ribbons with a hazy hue. Tin nose was of latakia and Virginia. I detected no oriental or Cavendish in the nose. The cut was mostly narrow ribbons but with some chunkier ones in the mix.

I smoked this and eventually started taking notes because this one was an odd one. Supposedly it contains orientals and Cavendish and I tried in vain to find those flavors. There were none of the usual oriental descriptors - no middle eastern spice (beyond the latakia), no sweet and sour or incense, etc. The blend had a natural sweetness that didn't taste Cavendish-derived. The Virginias seemed to be a mix of lemon (light) and heavier dark leaf with a small amount of latakia. Even so, the latakia ran the show. It wasn't heavy but it supplied its usual smokiness with spice, while the Virginias formed a nice base and added body. Snorking brought the latakia to the fore, but still no orientals. Every once in awhile I thought I'd caught their scent but at no time did I taste anything resembling non-lat oriental tobacco. I did some research and found that this is also known in certain places as a Virginia/latakia only blend, and that's how it struck me. If there are orientals here, they are way, way, WAY to the rear. As an oriental blend, this failed but it was a very workmanlike VA/Lat blend with an excellent mouthfeel and some moderate complexity. Nothing for the rotation, but very good.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Boswell (12)	2013-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I've been smoking this a reasonable amount recently, and find myself reaching for it in preference to the current versions of Dunhill's 965 and London Mixture.

I'd agree with Il Commissario that this can be a little inconsistent, but it's a very enjoyable smoke, with a nice balance of spiciness, smokiness, and a slightly sweet, at times chocolately, base.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-12-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The tobacco seems to be roughly equal mixture of dark (mainly Latakia), brown (orientals) and golden (Virginia) ribbon. The tin note is tangy and earthy with a strong smoked-wood smell backed by a distinct dried apricot-like sweetness.

The tobacco smokes slowly and cool throughout the bowl, and often with very few relights. The Latakia is upfront but is mellowed by a fragrant, slightly floral sweetness. Not particularly peppery or smoky, it is sour to tangy in character. Mid-bowl the background sweetness becomes more rich and chocolate-like and makes a very pleasurable smoke at times. But it can be quite temperamental, alternating from sweet and fragrant to sour and tangy, and not particularly smooth. Compared to other Latakia-blends, I feel this is a little unbalanced and not quite 4 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-11-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a slow burning full flavor tobacco. Well balanced between the different types of leaf make this a very satisfying smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	johnstaf (12)	2012-08-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a very luxurious tobacco. The dark oily latakia, in a setting that's on the sweeter side of Balkan, makes for an opulent blend; like frankincense and myrrh, with the delicate softness of cavendish.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	salopst (15)	2012-04-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

A relatively mild oriental with a nice balance of latakia that, as one other reviewer noted, lets the virginia leaf sweeten up the last 1/2 to 1/3 of the bowl. I smoked this straight from the tin from 2010 and had no problems with excessive moisture.

The smoke is nicely creamy, and the tobaccos burn flawlessly, but I do tend to relight this quite a bit as the bowl progresses-- that's just me, as I really do sip VAs and I an non too keen on getting bitten.

Not unlike Squadron Leader, but it does have the mouth-feel of being fuller and slightly more rounded, if a little less interesting.

Purchased from The Owl Shop, New Haven, CT.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	quantumboy (130)	2011-05-27		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I have really been enjoying this stuff, enough to order five more tins for the cellar. It's a simple formula, just Virginia and Latakia, but it's delicious and very alluring. It's a simple blend, which reminds me a lot of McClelland's Anniversary (the 2005 version) which comprises the same two types of leaf.

It's tasty enough to stay interesting, and borders on rich and spicy at its best. Stays relatively consistent in the bowl (and from pipe to pipe), is never real complex, but just a very satisfying, straightforward blend that is NOT a Latakia powerhouse.

Like Anniversary, the two tobaccos are present in precise proportions to create lots of flavor without the Latakia overload (even though, in the right context, I love Latakia bombs). Balance is the word I would use. Perfect balance.

Highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipesterJim (47)	2011-01-02		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I have just been visiting with a pipesmoking friend who was working through a tin of Tree Mixture, and who kindly gave me the opportunity to sample a couple of bowls during the course of my stay.

Although this exposure was insufficient for me to wax lyrical with regard to the merits of this blend, I thought it was worth recording that Tree Mixture seemed to be a top smoke.

Although in many respects it is a middle-of-the-road blend, it displays a degree of balance and refinement which elevates it above the common herd of medium-weight English mixtures. All the usual elements are in their proper place, but the resulting blend has a unique taste and character that surpassed my expectations.

Smokes cool and flavourful all the way down with absolutely no fuss. On this evidence, Colonel Tree was a man who knew what he was about.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-08-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a very good tobacco! Delicious! It reminds me a lot of the legend Balkan Sobranie altough it has some distance to it. If you love a satisfaying latakia blend than buy Tree Mixture.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-09-17		Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Tolerable

Notes: Sampled about 100 grams in several pipes, with the best being a mid-sized Charatan that brings out the oriental flavors a bit more.

Appearance: Black and Gold. A 50-50 mixture of bright golden and blackish strands with a small amount of green-gold and pale brown leaf in a thick-cut ribbon, fully rubbed out.

Aroma: Apricots, figs, honey, grape leaves, stewed plums, strawberry jam, and smoke -- sweet and fragrant.

Taste: A bit of tongue nip. A very mild, round-cornered English blend. Gentle smoking, smooth. Well-demarcated components. A bit austere. Figs, smoke, plum sauce, spice cake, walnut oil, crusty white bread, spice cake.

Comparisons: Similar to Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe but without the sweetness or melding of flavors. Similar to Dunhill's My Mixture No. 965, except not nearly as strong or complex.

Bottom Line: A smooth-smoking, extremely mild smoky English blend. Quite decent. Fans of Early Morning Pipe and 965, who seek a less sweet, less imposing smoke will be charmed by Tree Mixture.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Albion1956 (42)	2003-04-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A fine blend of Latakia, Virginia's, and Oriental. Supurb blending and just the right amount of ingredients makes this a pleasant and fullfilling smoke. Moisture content is like most coming from across the pond, so a little air won't hurt. The charring light is a breeze and the need to relight rarely occurs. The tobacco has that creamy effect, simular to G&H's Mixture #12, or a couple of GLP's offerings, smokes well, all the way down, without a bite or that burnt Latakia effect that others have laving the palate flat. While having quite alot of Latakia, it doesn't overwhelm, but rather mixes well with the support of the other players. In taste and overall enjoyment, I would have to put this by many of the current blends on the market, and above a few others. While being a somewhat strong smoke, it could easily be an all day companion.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kbosi (16)	2003-04-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

If you like Latakia will should like this one. Filled with wonderful smokey flavors. no bite. This is a blend that I would always keep on hand.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (557)	2023-04-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Tin note of sour, smoky and sugar. Tobacco is a ribbon cut of yellow, tan dark brown and black. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is mild to medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of smoky incense, floral, toast, sweet grass, herbal peaty vegetation, wood, sugar, tangy dark fruit, fermented sour, spice, orange peel, savory, slight bitter, acidic, a zesty tart citrus background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Oriental/Turkish, Virginia and Cavendish supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: James Upshall Smooth Acorn (4) (P) (FH)

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (156)	2023-01-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I've been on the hunt for some Oriental led English mixtures, and sadly these seem to be a dying breed in the UK at the moment. Gone are London mixture and Durbar, gone is Red Raparee, and before I got round to trying it, gone is Robert McConnell Oriental Original. Then I discovered the Robert Lewis blends and I wonder why I hadn't tried then sooner. Tree Mixture is fabulous!

When I crack the tin I know I'm in for a treat - the fresh yeast aroma I associate with my favourite Dunhill mixtures greets me! The tin aroma offers yeast, oriental funk, leaf mould, spice, slightly sweet, with a background of wet hay, and just a slight hint of smoke.

The tobacco is supplied on the dry side, in a medium ribbon cut that's not entirely regular. It's about half black and very dark brown leaf, some mid brown and just a smattering of Bright. It packs quite nicely and takes an even light with two matches - little maintenance is required, perhaps a relight towards the end.

From the first light the flavour is delightful. Orientals dominate, musty and slightly spicy, their astringency curbed but not removed by the Cavendish. Latakia hides in the background throughout, rarely declaring itself. It occasionally pops out near the end of the bowl in a brief flash of smoke, but otherwise it's quite subtle. The Cavendish lends a gentle sweetness for the first part of the smoke, like a sweet cup of tea with milk.

I'm very satisfied with the decent poke of nicotine! It's not a powerhouse but a nice big bowl of this delivers a good dose. Speaking of which this blend is splendid in a really big pipe - the softening quality of the Cavendish wears off towards the end to make for a more dry and astringent finish, which I do enjoy. The mixture offers good variation and progression through the bowl, it's not entirely linear, with the first half softened by Cavendish for a creamy quality, and the end more astringent, throughout the Orientals are the lead with other elements making a brief appearance. I will also second the suggestion that it varies a little from bowl to bowl in terms of the Latakia. Sometimes I barely notice it, sometimes it has a real blast at around the two thirds mark before disappearing again, and occasionally it builds through the second half of the bowl - this variability is noticeable within the same tin of tobacco. I really don't mind this variety. Perhaps it relates to the pipes I've used, or to the environment I'm smoking in, or perhaps it's just how this blend is.

It can be smoked to the last dregs with barely any dottle, never bites, and is rather moreish. I'll be getting a supply of this on hand because it's just that damn good. Colonel Tree, I salute you.

Age When Smoked: New

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pipey duck (50)	2021-01-27		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

I have to start with complaining the way peolple estimate strength here. Strength means the content of nicotine, right?This in mind a heavy latakia mixture is mostly low in strength. Because of the fact that latakia per se has almost zero nictotine. So I was glad to read about some strength in here but it wasn't. The flavour reminds me a bit of Royality by Davidoff and is not bad at all. A semi brut Virginia in a forefront some orientals and just a pinch of latakia makes it at allday smoke . It is very enjoyable and the tobaccos are of very good quality. I like it a lot but the strength.......could be higher. A big plus for not getting sharp like most latakia heavy blends

Pipe Used: Parker 109

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Gerd Jansen

Similar Blends: Royality by Davidoff.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2019-03-07		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a slow burning full flavor tobacco. Well balanced between the different types of leaf make this a very satisfying smoke. This is one, not the best but "one" of the best English mixtures I've smoked and to me, like Old Dublin, in my opinion, also seems much more like a Balkan Mixture although the terminology of either is relatively academic... why not just call them what they are... Latakia blends & stamp the tin the percentage amount so the smoker can decide as to his/her own choice which strength to choose, or how much he/she prefers in a blend & not have to suffer the trial & error method.

Well, anyway, the interplay among the varietals join together and provide a very satisfying and enjoyable smoke session with a unique taste and sort of an aromatic essence that I can't put a handle on. One reason I liked the blend is because it didn't seem to be overladen with Latakia... just the right balance. I'll be trying this again as soon as it becomes available somewhere. The good stuff is always "on backorder" & one must endure the waiting game to acquire the better blends. Tree Mixture like Old Dublin both had a unique flavor that I enjoyed.

Pipe Used: Dunhill 2S Shell Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh Tin

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Similar Blends: Peterson's Old Dublin & a little like MM 965 & with subtle nuances of the BSOM.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Prof. Lewis (7)	2018-01-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Coming off of having tried Robert Lewis 123, I figured I would try this one. Generally I have been fairly impressed with K&K so I figured I could not go wrong. What did go wrong is all I could taste were the orientals and they weren't great in fact slightly acrid. Hoping this will mellow in the jar into something better like the 123 did, but for now - 2 stars.

Pipe Used: Various Briars

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Cup O' Joes

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antihero (17)	2017-11-28		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This tobacco is like an old and trusty companion. The sort of friend with whom you sit together, don't talk much, if at all, and just enjoy knowing each other. Other friends may take you on crazy rides or tell fascinating stories or be the life of the party. This one is just there, but you are glad that he is and he is always reliable when you need someone. Don't want to miss him.

And a little more prosaic: An all day smoke if there ever was one. Mild, yet satisfactory. Rather straightforward, yet not boring. Doesn't demand much attention, will burn easily and steadily. You can taste every component if you want to, but the taste remains steady. Fine ash, little dottle, very few relights if any.

Pipe Used: Oldrich Jirsa Canadian (sort of)

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Purchased From: www.tabak-kontor.de

Similar Blends: MacBaren HH Vintage Syrian.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	babysinister (55)	2016-07-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A very smooth, oriental-forward English blend, the first flavor to make an appearance is light, warm butter on toast (I don't know how else to describe it), yielding almost immediately to the muted yet citrusy orientals. The toasty flavor returns a bit later to share the stage for good. There is also another flavor which I find harder to define, perhaps a dry tangy wine, like some Pinot Noirs.

This blend appears to be mostly orientals; if there is latakia here it's well in the background. No one component predominates and the tenor of the smoke remains muted and relaxed throughout, although a bit darker towards the end if you draw too frequently. As I do not like strong or overpowering blends this smoke was eminently satisfying to me, and to the eponymous Col. Tree, for the tobacconist at Robert Lewis blended it for and named it after that customer. It's far from being a nic bomb and meant to be enjoyed placidly and, arguably. as an all day smoke. Others may judge it to be a mite weak in the nic department.

It fills well, remains lit with minimum fuss and is frankly, amiable. It reminds me a bit, at least initially, of Dick Silverman's Chief Catoonah blends, specifically Princes Street Mixture and its predecessor the John Cotton #1. The first part of the bowl promises a very relaxing smoke, and it delivers on that promise. It also promises to be a more complex smoke than its low profile would suggest at first hand. And on that promise too it delivers. This is a sly blend, easy to enjoy but difficult to understand completely from just a short acquaintance. A strong three and a half stars, for now.

Pipe Used: Peterson Kenmare 999 rhodesian

Age When Smoked: New tin

Purchased From: TobaccoPipes.com

Similar Blends: Chief Catoonah's Princes Street, John Cotton #1.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2015-10-14		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Body chemistry? Variation from batch to batch? I don't know, but my reaction to this blend makes me an outlier: I didn't like it, and I won't buy another tin. I found this too be too sweet for my tastes: almost syrupy. It seemed rather more than the sweet experience that some oriental leaf can bring to a smoke. I like aromatics. I like oriental blends: I'm not keen on mixing the two.

Age When Smoked: unknown

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Nice blend from Robert Lewis, a nice English blend with the typical smoky edge. Wasn't expecting much, but I felt wronged, cause it's really a great tobacco.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	machinebcon (50)	2012-11-21		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

All in all a good tobacco. It has a bit of German sourness in it which I didn't find in 'real' English blends (though this one is of Scottish style). Slightly fragrant from the BC, quite musky, surprisingly cool with very little to no bite. Seems like a stronger variant of Rattray's RR/BM, with a bit more 'bass'. 3.5 of 5, it's good, it's good. One more thing: my tin did contain ribbons, not broken flakes (as the blob says)

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-09-29		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Appearance is a mixed brown ribbon. Tin smells lightly sweet and smoky, with a sour note, making for a nose akin to barbeque sauce. Tastes lightly smoky with sourish notes.

Tree Mixture has several notes in common with Gawith's Commonwealth Mixture and Squadron Leader. Nice, basic, English mixtures that develop during the smoke. Like the Gawith blends, Tree does smoke cool. However when smoking Tree nothing truly develops except a mild to medium bite. I wanted to like Tree, but like several K&K mixtures, there is a sharp biting edge.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-09-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Greatness detected upon opening the tin.

Similar to Squadron Leader, but a bit more crisply defined.

Colonel Tree deserves promotion to Brigadier!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-12-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

Without doubt one of the finest English blends on the market!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-03-10		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tree Mixture, as stated by Pipestud, IS a very unremarkable blend. Though a beautiful presentation, the tobak doesn`t perform well for me. Even aging was no help. Maybe my power settings were off and couldn`t get this tobacco in sync! Will not attempt this venture again! Sorry Col.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-07-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

If my favourite pipe tobacco is a Great Dane in his prime, 'Tree Mixture' from Robert Lewis is a toothless Chihuahua whose bark is merely an annoyance. (Although, at any age, the bark of that Mexican beast is an annoyance.) This aging Chihuahua, shaking in its skin, must be kicked aside (pardon PETA). This is no German Shepard either, but a bit of roadkill waiting for vultures to finish its pitiful existence. I cannot recommended 'Tree Mixture'--it is rough stuff just barking up the wrong tree (double pun intended).

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-07-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Unnoticeable

This is one of my all-time favorite English blends. A true old-school English mixture. As others have said, it has great richness and some wonderful Orientals. The closest blend to this that I have encountered is Pease?s Renaissance. Tree Mix tends to be more expensive than Renaissance, though, so I tend to smoke the latter more often. My tins of Tree I prefer to age and save for special occasions. If you love classic English/Oriental mixtures, you really have to try this one.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-08-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Tree Mixture has a great tin aroma that reminds me a little of Sobranie 759 and the room aroma is similar, but this aroma is only partially reflected in the flavor. Tree has a unique twist on the English theme and leans towards the Balkan end of the spectrum. I cannot recall trying another English blend that has the same range of flavors here, so it is a little hard to describe.

My problem with Tree is that it is a little harsh on my throat, which makes it hard to smoke the pipe straight through without setting it aside for a while. Too bad, bacause it is a different and interesting blend.

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