Smokers' Haven Select Mixture

This stuff is awesome! I thought that I would miss the Latakia in this one like I did with In-B-Tween Mixture but this smokes more like a lightly topped VA blend than it does an English blend. It’s a very soft but rich smoke that has a lot of complexities to it. I detect a tad bit of licorice but there is certainly more to it than that. This blend is a treat that I think would make a great holiday smoke as the tin note conjures up images of the warm spices that are commonly associated with Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mulled wine is one that comes to mind the most and I wouldn’t be surprised if they used some type of wine in the topping. I highly suggest dumping out the whole tin on a plate and thinning out the tobacco to air dry for about an hour and a half as it comes a bit too moist for immediate smoking but I appreciate that they pack it this way cause it just seems to age better with a bit more moisture in the leaf. I was fully planning on adding some more Latakia to this after reading a lot of the reviews but I think I will leave this exactly how it is because like I said before, it is a real treat. I’d highly recommend it to English afficianodos, VA fanatics and even the aro heads alike as it’s got something that will certainly please everyone. The main problem I foresee is we all know that it can be hard to obtain Germain products and lately all of the Smokers Haven blends have become scarce as well. Will this beat out Exotique for my favorite SH blend? Absolutely not! But I certainly would buy more tins in the future if they become easily obtainable again like they once were. Nicotine in this is light but the full, rich flavors in the smoke more than make up for this.

This gets a full four stars from this here pipe smoker.

The tin note on this one is straight tobacco with latakia, which the description says is present yet is barely noticeable. Turkish tobaccos seem to be at the core of this blend. It does not smoke as cool as the other Smokers haven blends and it is definitely not as complex either. Not a horrible smoke, but I would not buy it again.

Through this winter I have really favored Virginians, but English blends are part of my regular rotation. Two premium crumble cake flakes are part of my inventory. One day I brightened an English flake with Xmas Cheer and was pleased. That led me to find a lighter English blend. Select Mixture is that great blend. There?s so much to like-quality, complexity and balance. The very fine ribbon cut allows for effortless smoking. It smokes well in both small and large bowl pipes- quite user friendly. The Syrian Latakia and Turkish are perfectly applied by never outpacing the sweet and tangy Virginians. Each component tobacco shows up throughout the bowl. If you enjoy Early Morn Pipe, Squadron Leader and Presbyterian Mix you should not miss this blend, and HH Vintage Syrian, sadly, can?t compare. The bowls finishes with a dry, powdery ash. This is a marvelous all day smoke. I am head over heels on this blend.

I'm really enjoying this superb string cut blend. It's mostly a VA, with a small amount of Turkish & sprinkled ever so lightly with Latakia. I'd guess it to be a Syrian Latakia, very smooth & creamy tasting, strictly as condiments. It's sweet, stays lit, and is satisfying. As mostly a VA piper, I like the fact that the pallet isn't overpowered for a follow up bowl of a straight VA.

Key, it does well when allowed to dry in a ZipLok baggie for a couple weeks.

I like it best in bowls with 13/16-7/8" bore diameters. Thanks to Smoker's Haven for reviving this fine blend & to Germain.

I purchased this as I was looking for a good, warm weather English. I tried this in a short clay, to get the full taste. The Virginia is slightly sweet, yet toasty, the Latakia is present, but is a bit in the background. It smells more of Latakia than it tastes, which is what was intended. The Turkish adds just a hint of spice, which grows stronger towards the bottom of the bowl. It arrived a bit moist, and would probably benefit from drying. Go slowly at the end, as it gets a little bitey. I suspect drying would help this as well. It leaves a nice, natural, tobacco aftertaste. I don't believe the room note will win you any new friends. My only quibble is it is a bit pricey. But as I only smoke a bowl or two a week, eight ounces will last me a long while. Definitely a top quality blend.

Addendum: I let this stuff dry out a couple of days, and what a difference! Although not a heavy blend, this is surprisingly rich. The Smoker's Haven site hints this could be a morning smoke, but I couldn't imagine using this as a wake up blend. I find it a little too full. There are hints of unsweetened cocoa, fennel, and black walnut. It is still a little nippy at the end, but slow smoking will thwart tongue bite. This stuff is much better in a briar. It reminds me of a milder version of Black Mallory, which is one of my favorites.

Another fine all-day smoke!

Appearance and Tin Aroma: Comes in a bulky large tin with a plastic bag inside. It is a bit moist, will benefit from some drying time before you pack your pipe. It smells very rich with the orientals prominent, there is a note similar to "And so to Bed" by the same blender. Visually it is a fine ribbon cut of mostly browns to dark with the golden Va ribbons here and there.

Packing and Lighting: once dried out a bit, easy. 3 lights typical.

Initial Flavor: "And so to Bed" light? This blend definitely has the Germain's signature flavor which I love.

Mid-Bowl:Aah! delicious! This is a perfect mid-strength English blend with the top note at the perfect level. "And so to Bed" gives me a whopper of a headache, this blend did not, even after several bowls in a row. None of the leaves stand out, everything is in perfect harmony.

Bottom of Bowl: A slight build up of strength and all you are left with is dry mottled ash. Which pipe shall I fill up next?

Overall: I was pleasantly surprised by this blend. It will not overtake my favorite English blends, but will be in my rotation pretty regularly. As a side benefit, the room note is liked by some of my non-smoking friends. To me, this blend fits between Royal Jersey Latakia and King Charles Mixture by the same blenders. Very well done indeed!

It is Hi Time to visit my August tobacconist, will you join me in the pipeline?