Dunhill Standard Mixture Full

One of the finest (and certainly stoutest) full English blends ever put on the market. Full of Depth due to the Latakia and Virginia, yet with elegance and spice from Orientals that purr like a kitten. Stronger than any other Latakia blend Dunhill ever made (even stronger than My Mixture 11806), and the flavor presentation is as deep as the ocean. The 40-years of aging in the tin that I smoked had softened the Latakia, allowing the extra ripe Virginia and Oriental elements to shine. Man, I want more of this stuff!

Pipestud

This was a more complex, stronger version of the other Dunhill Standard products. The Cyprian Latakia was smoky, woody, earthy, and musty with a very mild sweetness, and took a leading role. The woody, earthy, herbal, vegetative, dryly sour, slightly sweet Orientals were a very noticeable supporter, and also had a pinch or two of spice. The Virginias were a little grassy with some earth, wood and tart and tangy citrus as the base of the blend. The strength was a couple of steps past the medium mark. The taste level was a notch past that. The nic-hit was medium. Didn't bite or get harsh, but had some rough edges. Well blended with a little complexity, it burned clean and a tad warm at a reasonable pace with a very consistent, mildly sweet and more savory, campfire flavor, though you'd risk a hint of harsh cigarette if puffed very fast. Required few relights, and left little moisture in the bowl. Had a lingering, pleasant after taste, and stronger room note. Not an all day smoke, but it was repeatable.

-JimInks

I smoked a couple of tins of this blend which were cellared for 25-30 years, and in perfect conditions! Well, you have to say that Dunhill used to make better tobaccos than nowadays... Probably age took away some edge, and what I found was a rather mellow tobacco with no harshness at all. Rich and heavy, but definitely round and graceful. The virginia base typical of the Standard series is evident and gives great sweetness, and there's less Latakia than you might expect... but of a very high quality. Not as rich and spectacular as some Balkan Sobranie 759 from the same age, but still tasty, fresh and utterly unforgettable. I offered some to friends at a pipe dinner we had some months ago, and the opinions were all highly positive.

And what a fine blend it is! I am smoking my last bowl of “Dunhill Standard Mixture.” I purchased it in March 2018. I cracked the tin and started smoking it in on Easter Sunday April of 2020- the year of Covid. And now I am finishing it the day after Christmas 2020!

The tin I have just says “Standard Mixture” with nothing about “Full” , “mellow” etc... so I am reviewing this as standard full. This is about as classic an English blend as you can get. An all day smooth smoke. The latakia is pronounced though I am not sure it qualifies as “heavy” as noted by other reviews. You would expect a first class mix from Dunhill and this is no exception. Just a first class mix of the orientals and smooth Virginias with the strong dose of latakia throughout. A fantastic blend for latakia lovers. Of Note: The back of my tin says it was manufactured in Denmark, I'm thinking by Orlik. The fact the Dunhill mixtures have been licensed to various manufactures over the years makes me feel less bad I didn't stock up on tins before the line was bought by Petersen. I have several Dunhill tins representing their classic English blends squirreled away in the basement. I will update this in ten years when I crack my stash!!! It's a classic! Enjoy!

This is my first endeavor in smoking a Dunhill blend. I found this blend very enjoyable. Smoked cool, very flavorful, and not overpowering like some English blends. The tin I purchased was a bit moist, and took a couple of relights, but once it got going, it stayed lit, and burned cleanly to the bottom of the bowl with almost no dottle whatsoever. This remined me of a milder version of Squadron Leader, one of my all time faves. This one is definitely a keeper...

Ahhh, yes. I was lucky enough to pick up a very old tin of this from ebay not too long ago. Curiosity got the better of me and I paid more than I probably should have but this was a once in a lifetime experience.

The sealed 30+ year old tin was in great condition and upon opening, revealed a thick fragrance of latakia, oriental and hints of Virginias. The blend is mostly ribbon cut with some flake mixed in and after some loosening up, it packed nicely. For this tobak, I used a virgin pipe to get the full flavor of this blend and keep out any of the other tobak's seasoning. From the first bowl, the smoke was full and complex. Not too sweet and not too spicy. It burns down to a wonderful blue-gray ash that is almost white, and leaves no pungency in the bowl.

This was the first English blend that my wife was fond of. She was immediately aware of the complex smoothness of the aroma. I don't know what this would have tasted like 30 years ago, but the vintage tin that I am working through is absolutely fabulous.

If you are fond of English blends and happen across a tin or two of this, don't pass it up.

Dunhill Standard is the definition of "fine tobacco". It leans more to the orientals but it is a great smoke from top to bottom. Light it and let it go out. Tamp lightly and it will smoke itself. I never do more than three strong puffs while lighting and then let it simmer trying to make as little smoke as possible. The vapors that this fine blend gives off are wonderful. People talk about tobaccos burning down to a "fine white ash", Standard just disappears in the bowl, if smoked with care. You will be left with an empty pipe. Dunhill may not be quite what it was in the 1960's, I loved it then and I'm sure glad we still have it in 2013. This won't be the first choice for folks who like CB but if you want to try the English side, give Standard a try. I hope you enjoy this tobacco crafting masterpiece as much as I do. Smoke it slow and you will be well rewarded. Fine tobacco.

Notes: Based on several vintage tins, this was best when blended by Alfred Dunhill, as opposed to later Murray's tins (surprise, surprise!). Still the Murray's blend is good, if a little more latakia-heavy and slightly less complex. None of these are available any more, of course. My review focuses on my impressions from an 8 oz tin from the 1940's; this smoked best in a Group 2-3 Dunhill.

Appearance: A medium cut ribbon, mostly deep red, brown and black with crystals abundant on the surface of the leaf.

Aroma: Smoke, dried bluberry, burgundy wine, black Russian tea, condensed milk, clover honey, buttercream cake frosting, leather, fresh blackberries, black plums, apples, cherries.

Taste: Cream, leather, Bordeaux wine, green tea ice cream, smoke, plum cake, char-broiled steaks, Stilton blue cheese, raw milk Camerbert, fruit of the strawberry tree, pistachio nut, Turkish delight, aged Scotch whisky. Smooth, full and complex upon the palate. Not a hint of harshness. Seamless and well-balanced. Of infinite complexity in its layers of flavor. Savory, addictive.

Comparisons: Much like Dunhill's Standard Mixture Medium, but with more latakia. Similar to Dunhill's London Mixture, but with less latakia and oriental leaf yet a fuller subtler mouthfeel.

Bottom Line: For the category of Medium-Full English blends (not Balkan types like Durbar or Sobranie), this sets the bar and seems ideal. It is my favorite English blend and I would smoke it each night were it not for the fact that it is not made any more.

perfect to have an other toba to change with nightcap, I love that great tobacco!