House of Windsor Country Doctor

I got a generous sample of this from a friend - about 2 oz. I have been smoking through it.

This is a very pleasant burley forward blend with traces of latakia and perique in "salt and pepper" mode. They enhance the experience but you don't notice them if you are not looking for them. There are occasional bright Virginia notes and a mild fruit topping that I think is a berry of some sort. This could be a plum contribution of the perique, but I think it is a topping.

As the bowl progresses, the burley is more dominant, and I could believe there is a little DFK in there. There is a slight bitter toward the end of the bowl.

I like it, and I find it a very good smoke. It is not exciting or a flavor powerhouse, and it is not the sort of thing people rave about in one forum or another. In my rating system, a 3 is something that could be my regular smoke if options were limited. This is a solid 3, and it is one of those "all-day" smokes from a different era.

To be fair I will preface my review by saying I'm not a fan of Latakia - even in small doses. That said, I agree with most of akaiser77's review on this unusual tobacco. Like so many of its long running, traditional American counterparts, you can usually only buy it in the big 14 oz can - not much good if you end up not liking it! Personally, I didn't and as dry as this concoction was it eventually succumbed to fungal rot after sitting for several years before it tossed it. I kept the can of course, mainly because of the quaint art work and in respect for an old time icon in American pipe smoking history.

A nice blend, some latakia but not too much. I have about two more pipefuls left of this and will miss it (and Briggs) after it is gone, definitely one of the best HOW blends.

Mild, a good all day smoke. A lot of flavor without becoming harsh with constant smoking. Interesting notes as it lingers in the mouth. A bit pricey for me. Really good looking tin.

First bowl, smoked in a Stanwell Saturn

Pouch aroma: light fragrance, sweet, smelling vaguely of brown sugar and figs

Consistency: light and springy – do not overpack

1st puffs: very mild, no bite, sweet and rich

Smoke character: medium thickness, easy to keep lit, just a few tamps

2nd half: the nic kick is there, especially toward the bottom, but nowhere near as intense as Big n' Burley. The flavor strengthens, sweet burley, with some emerging muted spiciness and vague fruitiness. Very pleasant.

Aftertaste: Sweet, figgy and not at all unpleasant

Overall: A good, satisfying smoke. I have not tried Revelation or Union Leader yet, but this one is a keeper. Not regular rotation material, but nice to have on hand.

*Note: I smoked the Altadis match I got from pipesandcigars.com. I do not know how it really compares to the HoW version. Also, thank you to akaiser77 for the notes on Jean Hersholt.

Just finished up a 2 oz tin. No previous experience with this one but I also recently smoked Revelation, and as hard as I tried to avoid it, I couldn't help thinking of this one as Revelation Light.

In this one, the condimental tobaccos were so faint that I really couldn't taste them. Perhaps they did something to cool or slightly spice the smoke but I tasted mostly burley, with some occasional VA sweetness and the topping. The flavoring was definitely on the same fruity side as Revelation and really didn't detract from the blend, as flavorings often do. This was predominately burley. It was a good smoke but this one threatened to bite me at the slightest provocation. I found that I had to slow my puffing cadence to the point that it was an effort to continue - I kept losing my relaxing, calm state of mind.

A pretty good tasting smoke whose demise I do not mourn terribly. Revelation was better, IMHO. This is, however, superior to the various "matches" of this blend that Sutliff has produced - no big surprise there.

now this one i should be careful reviewing,, i bought an estate sale pipes from ebay and a fourteen ounce tin was thrown to the lot, i have to be honest when i say i was attracted to the name as a veterinary pathologist the doctor title got my interest "little that i knew, how old this tin was" i just popped the seal and it is 1967,,good LORD. this aging must have done alot to the flavoring however simply the fresh smell of figs and fermented dates slapped me in the face. the virginia and perique taste is obvious non the less hints of latakia is very weak, to be honest the latakia and oriental are weakly participating still it is a perfect blend, burns smoothly and finely with a reasonable strength and acceptable room note. if the new batches is any where near this one then it shall be my all day smoke

Along with Revelation this is one of the better blends by HOW, simple and satisfying. I can't tast the latakia much, but the perique is noticable although subtle. This is another blend where, after I'm done smoking, I go outside for a short time and then come back to savour the pungent but pleasant aroma.

It can bite if smoked too hard/quick, but it packs, lights and smokes very well.If you want a decent "drugstore" blend, you have to try this one.

Are you an aromatic smoker that's looking to get started with an English blend? This may be the tobacco for you. It's kinda a cross between the two. Has a nice friendly aroma but a little of the English taste too. Give it a try. Pretty darned good. You'll have to hunt pretty hard for the Latakia flavor but it's in there. If you can't find it, try blowing the smoke through your nose. Very Mild. I could smoke this all day long.