Astley's No.99 Royal Tudor Full Latakia Mixture

This tobacco is a staple for me. I find it has the characteristics of other full english blends with the added bonus, if you like it, of a rather pure virginia base, void of perique. Kind of like Germain's "Special Latakia Flake" only rubbed out, dried out, and much richer in Latakia.

The tin aroma is really nice and the cut is easy to pack and light. When I first tried it I expected something like "Black Mallory", but found it a little tangier, stronger, and better balanced.

Give yourself a treat and try it in a meerschaum. The flavor is much more complex and intriguing when smoked in the coral. Taken with a dram of Laphroaig or a cup of Souchong it is hard to beat on a cold wet night! Briar or meerschaum, good stuff - highly recommended.

Astley's #99 has become a surprise favorite of mine. Usually, I go to Esoterica's Penzance for my evening Latakia cravings, but lately I've been picking up this tin of #99 more and more (and not just in the evenings). I bought a tin on the recommendations on this messageboard, but didn't open it right away. Instead, I popped open a tin of Presbyterian Mixture (bought on the same day) because that was the blend I wanted to like. And I did. But not as much as the Astley's. In fact there is not much I do like more than Astleys #99. It has more taste than the Presby Mixture (and it is a wonderful taste) and doesn't seem prone to tongue bite and smokes at a nice medium pace (not too fast or too slow). It finishes well (no penalty for relights, though there shouldn't be many anyway) and leaves a nice grayish-white ash. The moisture and cut are perfect (to me) and very easy to use. I just get a feeling of absolute highest quality when I handle this stuff.

As I said, I didn't set out to make Astley's my favorite English blend, I just sort of reached for it more and more until I had to admit that if I could only have one tobacco of it's type, it would be the Astley's. That's about the highest compliment I could pay a tobacco blend. Very highly recommended!

I don?t know if I did wrong, but a couple of hours after smoking a bowl of Crown Achievement I went on to smoke a bowl of Astley?s No 99 Full Latakia Mixture. They both are, after all, full Latakia concoctions. But the over all impression after smoking a bowl of each is that Astley?s is really something special and unique. I think it was ?Bear? who argued that after the house of Pease, Astley?s is currently the most consistent blender. I agree. This blend is premium quality and, IMO, one of the best full English blends I have smoked in years!

It is a strong, rich blend, not unlike the Crown, but perhaps smokier and with a better de-fined tobacco structure, probably because there is no Cavendish leaf in it. Easier to light and pack, it has a subtler and more intriguing taste, covering a wider range of flavor registers; where the Crown is almost overwhelmingly mo-notonous (in that sweet rich bitterness that can become rather cloying), Astley?s remained supple, crisp, and elegant. In any case, definitely livelier. It has a pronounced depth?as if you were actually smoking the lower range of notes produced by a cello?but it never ceases to be melodious, producing a grave and severe friendliness. Should this blend carry some Pèrique it could very well stand up to Dunhill?s Nightcap.

The mixture is visually very attractive. Ribbon cut, and rather moist, the jet black strands mark a striking contrast with the light brown and almost golden leaf. Tin aroma is less pun-gent and aggressive than other tobaccos of similar strength and make. Not as powerful as many Balkan type of blends (it does not have that mineral earthliness of Sobranie, Caravan or even London Mixture), it can nevertheless hold its own within the English mixtures range. I would even go as far as to say this is somewhere in between My Mixture 965 (stronger, even richer) and Nightcap. A great English experience, for the evening or as a mid day smoke in those cold wintry days. Highly recommended.

I have been smoking No. 99 for a while. It sure is Wayne Gretzki of latakia blends. The smell upon openning is not overwhelming like in some other full latakia blends. It lights up easily and relights are rare. No99 is very smooth without any particular type of tobacco dominating the blend. I do not detect any artificial flavouring while smoking it,but smellof freshly open can may indicate one. If you leave the can open for some time it evaporates without trace. In summary it is The Great(tobacco) like the hockey player. Highly recommended.

A superb and traditional english blend.It's rich in flavor,but not at all over the top.I would compare it to a more refined and gentler "Nightcap".It's one of the nicest blends that I've tried in years and it's become my "go to blend" lately. I'm planning on buying a half dozen tins to add to my cellar.If you enjoy english blends,I suggest you do the same... ******Hightest Recommendation****** prep

This was my first foray into the Astley blends. Quite by accident. My wife was in Boston shopping and due to her guilt regarding her purchases, stopped by my tobacconist, L.J. Peretti's to pick me up a "little" something, (bless her heart, and "Thanks" Steve, lol).

Well, I was delighted. I found the proportions to be near perfect and it is an exceptionally smooth, satisfying smoke. Cool burning, no wet dottle at the end, just a really nice sit back and enjoy it kind of smoke. It burned to a fine grey ash.

Although I usually do not enjoy blends with this much Latakia, there is something about the overall construction of this blend that makes it O.K. Actually more than O.K.

I can't wait for my wife's next shopping spree.

I cannot say anything about this tobacco that has not already been said, except to agree that it is fantastic, perhaps the best English I have tried. Go buy some now!

This English blend is wonderful. The smokiness of the Latakia is quite detectable to the nose unlit, but while smoking, not overpowering at all. The overall impression is English. There is really no detectable tongue bite. This particular blend, pitched as a "Full Latakie Blend" but not really, could have been overpowering, but it is delightfully smooth and complex.

I just tried my first tin of Astleys tobacco #99 Royal Tudor Full Latakia. This is the first Astleys tobacco I have tried and am very impressed. I have to admit smoking this blend reminds me most of Dunhill, somewhere in between London Mixture and Standard Mixture. But it is not exactly like Dunhill and is also most enjoyable and smooth. It is a very fine blend and have to admit that this could easily become my staple daily latakia blend. No bite, good flavor and burns nicely. Was very easy to light and keep lit. I have not finished the tin so I cannot expound too much. Excellent blend 31/2 to 4 stars.