Compton's of Galashiels York Full Mixture

I recently added York Full to my collection of Maxim's mixtures, and I like this one the best. The others being #10, Viceroy, Macedonian, and Scottish Mixture. This is a big mixture and appears to be more a broken flake than a ribbon cut. It packs easily and stays lit. Pretty user friendly. The cut is rougher than most ribbons and prevents to a certain degree getting too hot with my steam locomotive rate of smoking. It smoked cool and dry all the way down to the bottom of the bowl and is intensely flavourful. I would describe it as an English, not a Balkan, even though it has a lot of Latakia in the mix. The smoke is full and has a lot of interesting twists and turns, although not as much as a G L Pease mixture. Slightly sweet at times, it is very well balanced and has that "just right" combination of elements that propelled me to the computer to order a whole pound for future enjoyment and aging. It had none of those bitter aspects some mixtures have with major Oriental components. I think the cavendish leaf adds a subtle characteristic that one can only get from well processed unsweetened Virginia Cavendish leaf. This will be a blessing to those of you who remember the old Dunhill mixtures before they were mucked up by the Continentals. Shipping to California from Canada takes forever, it seems, and sometimes a shipment gets lost (stolen) , but Maxim will replace it gladly. Very highly recommended.

York Full by Comptons is a hand-blended tobacco from Maxim Engel at www.Pipes2smoke.com. Maxim has been re-creating a series of very old (1900s - 1920s)English and Oriental blends from original recipes.

I do not know where he gets the base tobaccos but they are fine indeed. Full of flavor, no humectants, on the drier side (as I prefer). In some ways the base tobaccos remind me of the excellent ribbon tobaccos available from Gawith.

This particular blend is delicious. I find it to be a truer representation of Dunhill's 965 than the current EU version of 965 which, after smoking it for a time, is good but lighter than its predecessor. York Full has plenty of smooth Latakia, sweet Orientals, and a fullness along with a tiny bit of natural sweetness which I think comes from some added un-sweetened natural Cavendish (like in 965) and the VAs. Easy to light and stays lit, burns to a fine ash, the flavor is complex and full all the way to the dry heel. But makes no mistake, this is a full flavored tobacco for veteran English blend smokers or those looking for a real tobacco adventure. York Full is no shrinking-violet.

Do try this (and other) tobaccos from this blender - particularly if you are fond of traditional English blends made in the old-style. A real delight. I will post reviews of other of these blends as I try them.

And now for something different -- Compton's by pipes2smoke.

I am glad I am the first reviewer for a short salvo of this reincarnations of fine old English blends. It's surprising a private house can produce such quality. You all come and join the mix.

This is not the run of the mill English, but a full meal of English delights.

This is a ribbon, dark tasting, smoky, and leathery blend with an abundance of darker tobaccos, highlighted by the Latakia this time.

Yes, this is certainly full and an evening smoke in my opinion. It is quite smooth for something with 45% latakia, and you must love that leaf to appreciate the high quality of this mix.

Some experienced puffers have compared this to the older version of Dunhill 965, but I only tasted Murray's later but now extinct version (which is not as dark or quite as full as this and more balanced to the sweet side). This is more akin to Pease's Oddessy to me but different enough.

This is not an all day smoke to me, as one bowl is plenty, but some of you who like heavier blends may partake of it more often than I. In its category of a full English, it is certainly a leader and not just a player.

Highly recommended to a variety of Latakia devotees and full English puffers.