Sutliff Tobacco Company Majestic English SPS-14

Altadis is kind enough to ship my local pipe club a box of a different blend each month. Majestic English sure tasted similar to several other Altadis offerings. This one, however, is layered with more of that salty Latakia flavor that I tend to enjoy. Unlike many Latakia blends, this one packed a bit of nicotine punch. The cut is somewhat broad and required constant relighting. It did take some time to get to the bottom of the bowl, and aggressive puffers will probably appreciate this one.

Majestic English is a very "comfortable" blend, IMHO. The Latakia leads the way, but the other components are easily found. A little moist from the bag, short drying time was in order. Easy to load and light in any size bowl, I suggest a large bowl to really enjoy the flavors. Slow burning, required only minimal relights. A little harsh note mid bowl but it went away quickly and was not enough to turn me off to this nice smoke. Very little moisture, no dottle, no tongue bite even when pushed. Nic hit was very mild. Flavor and strength are mild to medium. The room note, to me, was mild to medium. I would consider this an all day smoke.

10/11/2021 I mixed this with some Black Cavendish. This was too dry and the BC was too moist. The blend balanced out the moisture level and after 24 hours, this became a nice Aromatic English blend for a nice change of pace.

After a few days of smoking English/Balkans with some major flavoring addition (Cavendish, Perique), it was nice to come back to a very savory, almost salty English blend, and Majestic English fits that bill. I do pickup a little PG in the taste but it's not severe. This is a very well-balanced English, the parts all playing in concert with one another... the Virginia in here isn't super sour because the lat's richness cuts through it, the lat isn't super campfire tasting because the oriental's salty mustiness cuts through it... it's nothing to write a book about, but it is a good English tobacco.

It is also the opposite of temperamental, slow puff, hard puff, it burned fine without bite. However, my first time smoking this blend was on a windy day during a walk and it was rather sour, the wind obviously making the bowl burn a bit hotter. Inside my home was a much different story.

I purchased this tobacco on a whim from PipesandCigars,com in one of their English Sampler Bulk Tobacco Package (I was looking for something different, and rather than reading other’s reviews, I wanted to be surprised … i.e. kind of like going to a movie and not knowing anything about it except that it is a Mystery or Action movie). I am so glad that I made this purchase.

I must say that I am really intrigued by this tobacco. The name “Majestic” English seems like a tall order to fill or a presumptuous name … yet I became spellbound by this tobacco! It starts out relatively nice. The charring light is good and I was thinking this could be a regular in my rotation of English Blends.

When I hit the mid-bowl I was really enjoying the flavors that jumped out. I found that I was puffing at a faster pace just because it was so good! My pipe was becoming hot to the touch yet there was actually No Bite … just great flavors … some spicy notes and some depth that was really satisfying. There was also a unique mellow taste that just hangs on your tongue in a “good” way. By the end of the bowl, I was completely satisfied and began to wonder if I would replicate this experience (adding an additional pinch more on top of the dead ash and re-lighting was also good). My first bowl was in a Savinelli – Bing’s Favorite, so I tried it in a Mastro de Paja bent Rhodesian (same results) and today I tried it in a Stanwell HCA Calabash with a short stem (again same amazing results).

During my second bowl, I was waiting on my son in a parking lot and the pipe was so peaceful and so tranquil, I actually began to nod off in my truck … this has never happened to me while smoking … amazing. I wonder what a few years of cellaring would do for this blend.

I’d like to say that this is a “Perfect Smoke” but I can’t because it requires several re-lights (maybe it was a bit too damp from the pouch, however, there was no gurgle and I had a nice gray ash at the end).

If this isn’t a 4 of 4, I don’t know what would be. I rank this one up there with the likes of McClelland’s Starlit Night (a short run blend for PipesandCigars that I wish McClelland would make one of their regular offerings), Golden Leaf Tobacco’s Shipwreck, and McClelland’s Dark English bulk.

If you try this blend I hope you find the same satisfying results that I was able to find. Happy Smoke Trails!

Easily the smoothest English I have smoked. Majestic English is an eloquent blend that produces a large volume of cool, tasty, silky smooth smoke, without bite, bitter aftertaste or sensory overload. How nice to enjoy these qualities without having to resort to an aromatic!

Very unusual experience for me. I love almost all of Altadis blends and they never give me problems. However, when i smoked this one, it had a pretty hard bite to it and it didn't make sense. Had several bowls and every time it kept happening even though its not that strong for me at all. I think i will cellar it and bring it out in a few years.

The main problem with this bulk English is that (at least in my sample) there was a lot of humectant, which has no place in an English blend without topping. And there is no topping or casing here that I can detect. The other problem is that I think the older, Consolidated Medium or Full English (502 or 503) tastes a little better, with more contribution from the VA and orientals. Too bad those blends are getting hard to find.

I bought this at Cup O' Joes within the last month or so. When I went back to their website it wasn't listed nor could I find it in a search. Another website in Texas lists it but I have never done business with them so I can't recommend them at this time. Here is their website address: www.westburysquare.com The review: A terrific light English blend. If you want a nice Virginia/Oriental/Latakia tobac that has a light touch of Latakia give this a try. It tastes a lot like Count Pulaski without the anise flavoring. Another big surprise from Altadis! Here's hoping Cup O' Joes puts this back in the inventory!

A very pleasant, middle-strength (in terms of Latakia) English blend. Unless you require much greater (or lesser) Lat in your English, or greater N in general, English-lovers should give this a try. Yes, a little too much on the damp-side, but this is an American-made blend sold in bulk; I wouldn't expect otherwise. Since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is probably not.

If you enjoy a mild to medium English blend with a constant, albeit light, Latakia presence, this is a tobacco worth your (smoking)time. A nicely balanced, fairly cool-smoking offering that would be a pleasurable addition to your tobacco rotation. One of Altadis' best, IMHO.