Astley's No.1 Medium Latakia Mixture

Astley's - No.1 Latakia.

I've not been having too much luck lately; I've found nothing special in the new tobaccos' I've reviewed. Mind you, I've been going against the better judgement of this site a lot of the time and opening things such as Savinelli Armonia and Solani Green so it's my own stupid fault! Because of these blends that have been over-cased I wanted something full and natural; this seemed like it could be the one!

The aroma from the newly opened can lets out a huge paroxysm of " I'm what you want"; it smells very natural and un-cased. The ribbons are 50/50 black to brown and apart from a couple of twigs there's no problem. So, on with the smoke:

The taste isn't as heady with Latakia as I'd expected it to be; there's a good amount of it in there but it's more 'rich' than just smoky. In fact, all of the tobacco's are well rounded with one another, they're all notable without being too imperious .

The burn is superbly even and the temperature of the smoke is pleasant. This blend can issue a slight bite if sucked with too much voracity, but if it's smoked 'normally' it's no problem.

This has hit the spot perfectly; full, very natural, very rich, and just what I needed!

Highly recommended.

I cannot really add to what the above esteemed reviewer has said other than the fact that this blend will probably perform better once its been dried out some. I found the leaf to be too moist straight out of the tin.

This is indeed an elegant, Latakia dominated blend with just enough of the other elements to cause Astley's #1 to really shine, particularly in larger bowled pipes. I have no idea why, but it seems that Latakia/unsweetened cavendish blends tend to smoke better for me when given more room for the flavor to "roam," if that makes any sense.

More sweet than smokey, I think Astley's #1 is probably going to please anyone who enjoys Latakia enriched blends that don't flex their muscles and then slap you across the face.

Although this is a decent smoke, I think the Black Cav is a bit overdone. I taste it more than I taste the Latakia and that is not much to my liking. It also overshadows the Turkish and Virginias to a fair extent. It is pretty smooth and it burns very well. Just doesn't entirely suit my taste. I'll somewhat recommend it.

Mild to medium in body. Medium in taste. No added flavoring.

There's some dark fruit and a little earth from the red Virginia, and grass from the cavendish that offsets the smoky, woody sweet Cyprian latakia a little, though the latakia is the main player here. I got a light hint of spice, and dry wood from the Turkish in the background. The nic-hit is just past mild. No chance of bite, though there is a slight rough edge at times. A well balanced blend that burns clean and mostly cool at a moderate pace with a fairly consistent flavor. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a decent after taste. Not an all day smoke, and it does lack a little depth. Two and a half stars.

-JimInks

Between this and Astley's #99, almost all of my need for English type blends is satisfied. Astley's #1 is unquestionably my favorite mild to medium English and the perfect latakia blend for a Virginia and Va/Perique smoker such as I.

Perhaps the most appealing characteristic is the way that the Latakia does not overly dominate the blend. The combination of that earthy, smokey character that Latakia imparts, mild sweetness from the predominant Virginias and nutty, mildy sweet flavor from the black cavendish (it isn't overly sweet though-- more like the washed black cavendish used by Greg Pease or Craig Tarler than the sweeter cavendishes used by other firms-- perhaps the proportion isn't just that great. Not sure, but don't let the black cavendish turn you off as it would me had I not tried the blend).

All round, a superbly balanced blend and a perfect English smoke for those that generally do not lean towards heavy proportions of latakia.

With the tin open there is a slight antiseptic odor that is different but not displeasing. A little too chemical for my tastes. However, that clinical feeling quickly disappears as I close the tin.

It is easy to work with while filling the pipe. A virgin volcano chosen for the natural flow of grain and the fact that the gods of pipe smoking require a firey sacrifice. There is no sweetness to tempt the taste buds. There is no nashing of teeth to mortify the tongue. It is a benediction that is heard by the blenders is the sacred realm.

They are pleased as I start to smoke. The slight odor of burning myhrr fills the room. Something sacred goes on between the puffs of white smoke. The taking of smoke into my lungs as I open my mouth is a hymn; a solemn moment. I must continue my prayers.

It may not be the same religious experience for you, but I will never commit the sin of not having a tin in my house.

An interesting but restrained English with a fairly heavy reliance on British style (unflavoured) Cavendish. The Latakia is light but enough to smoke up the ripe-fruit Cavendish flavours. The base is an unassuming mixture of Virginias and Orientals but it’s hard for me to tease much apart from those components. Loose ribbon cut, easy to burn and handle. This blend won’t be everyone’s favourite but I think it will appeal to anyone who likes a lighter English or seeks a little twist on the every day standards. Recommended.

While it has Latakia and it is in the name not so much in the flavor of this blend. It is a really fine smoke but if your a Latakia lover like myself this simply falls considerably short in that category. This is a good smoke and has some flavor but if your looking for that big time smoky taste you will be a bit disappointed.

This is a good English blend with character. I didn't have any bad experience with this one. With that said, it's not perfect and it didn't blow me away. You could do a lot worse, but I'm still waiting to do a lot better.

This is a good English blend with character. I didn't have any bad experience with this one. With that said, it's not perfect and it didn't blow me away. You could do a lot worse, but I'm still waiting to do a lot better.