Uhle's Bishop's Move

On the rare occasion that I want to smoke a straight Burley, I think that Ulhe's “00” Burley is the very best that can be found in the States so when I heard about Bishop's Move, I had to give it a try. True to form Uhle's comes through again with a terrific and unique English blend. At first glance the tobacco appears in the pouch to be of the highest quality. The pouch smell is dominated by the Turkish tobacco offering up a pungent and slightly tangy scent. Bishop's move is balanced out by the Virginia's and Latakia with emphasis on the word balanced. The strength is medium, but the flavor is medium/full. The Turkish tobacco makes the blend taste a bit nutty. It is refreshing to have stumbled on a small B&M that is scratch making blends that rival some of the world's biggest and best blenders! Highly Recommended!

Uhle's has always (in my 25-year association) advertised Bishop's Move as containing "Monopoly Turkish." I have no idea what Monopoly Turkish is...other than distinguished and delicious.

Anyone expecting a bump-free Balkan Interstate Highway ride will be disappointed. Bishop's Move has enough bumps to keep anyone awake and focused. You cannot put this blend on cruise control and forget about it: this is a REAL smoke.

As others have reported and Jack Uhle himself stated, Bishop's Move is not an "all-day-smoke." It might be...in some alternative universe of Zombies! Though this is an imimitable blend, its cousins, Blends 303, 232, and 71 are suited for regular puffing and Bishop's Move is best reserved for evenings and special occasions.

There are smoother and more refined Balkans to be had, but very few so engaging and flavorsome. This is an old blend, harkening back to an era when double-clutching and the throb of a well-tuned engine were part of driving a fine, high-powered car.

What Chicago writer Nelson Algren said of the Windy City could as well be said of Bishop's Move: "Like loving a woman with a broken nose. You might well find lovelier lovelies, but never a lovely so real."

The very smoky, leathery, woody sweet Cyprian latakia competes and contrasts well with the floral, dry and slightly sour, buttery sweet, woody monopoly Turkish for attention. The nutty, earthy, molasses sweet burley plays a supporting role. The raisiny, spicy perique is a background player. The grassy, citrusy Virginia is no more than a condiment. I suspect a few pinches of unsweetened black cavendish is present as I get a little brown sugar one doesn’t associate with the other components, The taste level is a step and a half past medium. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. No chance of bite or harshness. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a deeply rich, mildly creamy flavor that does sport a smidgeon of inconsistency. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires slightly more than an average number of relights as it easily buns to ash. Has a pleasant, lightly lingering after taste and stronger room note. Not an all day smoke, but it’s certainly repeatable.

-JimInks

Wow, is this one ever loaded up! I tasted all of the components and in strong doses. I love most Uhle's blends and I am sure this one was invented with care... but not at all my cup of tea. So many different elements are in this one that they seemed to me to cancel each other out and the English style flavor was monochromatic and more smoky than anything else. And by the way, I call this kind of blend a twothbrush blend... you need to brush your teeth twice before the wife will let you hop in bed.

Pipestud

This is a great smoke. Balkans are often described as subtle or nuanced. This is neither. It is also not an in-your-face latakia or perique flavor bomb. It is stout and a little edgy.

The flavor is a slighty tangy oriental forward with some smooth and sweet provided by the Virginia. There is a smoky latakia that does not overwhelm. The burley gives it some depth and provides a certain meaty, chewy quality to the smoke. The perique pokes its head out and provides some nose tickle, but it is not the main attraction. Roomnote has a certain incense-like thing going, and it is comfortable in its own way. I would not call the roomnote friendly in general, but my daughter likes it.

I highly recommend this blend to anyone who likes balkans. Like a stout beer, it might not be the best choice for someone new to the genre.

Bishops move is an amazing English blend. The blend itself is just a very well balanced blend. The Latakia is just enough smoke. The burley gives you a good nutty taste. The Perique adds just enough spice. All together leaves me with a zing in this blend I just can't put my nose on it. This really is a solid evening special occasion blend. I wouldn't call the strength on this full but medium. The taste is full and leaves you guessing on this blend. I really enjoy this blend and highly recommend to English and Balkan lovers. Great stuff

I started smoking a pipe fairly recently and I figured the best way to get experience was to purchase a bunch of fancy tobacco shop aromatic blends... They smelled so good I wanted to eat them all. I enjoyed them but couldn't find the "right" one. A side note here: If you are a new piper and you have previously smoked cigars, beware of the well intentioned blogger or tobacconist who recommends aromatics as the "smart and easy way" to pipe smoking. I will never understand this logic. You smoke cigars... a giant monstrosity of leaf layered upon leaf that you smoke for an hour plus...but the very idea of tobacco flavor in a hunk of briar may cause you to wilt and wash your tongue off with Brillo? Yes of course go from a Montecristo #2 or Padron Magnum to a nice Cherry, Vanilla Custard in a dainty sweet corn cob. Makes perfect sense. I read the Dunhill 965 was the be all end all of English blends, and snob that I am not, I figured jump right to that from PA Dutch yummy sweetie stuff. I took a sniff out of the can and thought, "whoa...this is a big change, may put hair on my feet!" Well I smoked half a tin of that and realized I was not an aromatics guy...I will smoke them but that is not where my heart is. Uhle's Bishop's Move was even stronger smelling with the Latakia right out in front. I am not good at describing the nuances and/or flavors like some of the poets I have read on this blog. But man!!! this stuff burned beautifully, I smoked a bowl out of one of my Sav's driving home from the shop in Milwaukee (I live in Chicago burbs) and it was like a meal. It got better as the drive went on. First class smoke and something that has depth and flavor! Good stuff. Update 12/17: I have smoked about a pound of Bishop's move since my last review (what a long strange trip it's been), and I have smoked quite a few English blends, from Strong Limey English to wilting American English's and everything in between since my first review here. I will say that compared to many I am still a novice piper, many years of cigars and call it 2 years with a pipe (and the first 6 months were light at best) but I found my initial review of this tobacco accurate, yet unrefined. Bishop's move is everything else you have read: Full flavored, Lat forward, a little "rough" around the edges. It is all of those things, but much more. The blend is what I would consider a Balkan (another "fun fact" Uhle's is notorious for inaccurate labeling on their blends, and the staff doesn't care too much to make it a priority to fix. I guess that is their luxury when the products are so good. As recently as November of 17 I have seen the same tobacco listed with 3 sets of ingredients on their website, in store and in their paper menu, so I do not really trust the listings and tend to use my eyes and nose.This doesn't list Turkish/Orientals in the description but on visual inspection and smoking, I am pretty sure they are there in a reasonable amount. The Latakia is the star but the Orientals and Burley make this a truly unique smoke and the Burley provides the edginess to the blend. There is a woody character that is also creamy and toasty and nutty. This is the interplay of Turk/Oriental and Burley. The sweet smokey Cyprian Latakia are strongly supported by the Virginia and Perique. The Perique is a light condiment but gives the blend additional spiciness and a dark fruit background. The Virginia's smooth out the smoke and give additional depth and sweetness. I very nice Balkan with some Burley. This is one to buy by the pound.

Hats off to Uhle's for making a very full English. Due to its Burly content I guess you could call this an American English.

Whatever you call it - Bishop's Move is a big meaty smoke that really checks all the boxes for me.

This full blend has the right amount of Latakia oomph - with a little spice of Perique, wonderful orientals, and body that comes from the Burly.

If you love a full complex English - put this on your short list. Highly Recommended!

Much like blend 71 which I adored Bishop's Move is Uhle's answer to those seeking a high quality bulk English. Where as 71 is a medium strength blend in flavor, fullness and power, Bishop's is further up down the line and more of an Evening smoke. It seems that other companies have had issues with quality and consistency when brands have changed hands, Uhle's having been around since before WWII have not and when you receive your package one can see and feel the quality that only a pipe shop that has been around forever can exude. (if they didn't their doors would have closed decades ago). Bishop's move is a blend so good that even our esteemed Deleted Account Bing Crosby would croon over - Boo Boo Boo dee dee... Try some while we can still mail order tobacco to our hearts desire. 4 stars!

Hopefully you come across this particular tobacco at the end of your English journey and not at the beginning. If the former, appreciation should abound in such a wonderfully-blended and full-flavored product. Should the latter be the case, you'll need to work your way through the plethora of English blends only to find your way back to Bishop's Move.

The flavor - and I mean that literally, you WILL taste this tobacco - is deep and nuanced by the condiment tobaccos. This tobacco will show you many faces each time you smoke it. I experienced no bite, but did feel the 'pepper' of the Perique.

Wonderful stuff! Working my way through the Uhle's house is thus far a real treat.