Wessex English Mixture

The Virginia is grassy, citrus sweet, but rather plain. The Orientals are mildly floral, spicy and woody, and dominate the Virginia by just a little bit. The Cyprian latakia is smoky woody sweet, but doesn't have much depth, though it plays well with the other components. Burns at a moderate pace, though the flavors just don't stand out for much attention. Little moisture in the bowl, no dottle, no bite. Needs an average number of relights. Has a decent after taste. An innocuous all day smoke.

-JimInks

Not really upper shelf type stuff, but sure did make for an easy, uncomplicated smoke. I guess this is an English Mix but I'd sure call it a light one - in fact, the Orientals really spoke up. Steamed in such a manner that even puffing like a locomotive couldn't cause tongue bite... and I did puff vigorously trying to find a deeper flavor. I never was successful.

Pipestud

Heres one that is an easy smoke. No need to explore for the flavors, just a nice delivery of spice with some sweetness here and there during the journey to the bottom of the bowl. After opening the package it does dry up pretty quick as well so off to the mason jar it goes. It does nicely in a larger bowl too.

I just popped open a can and packed a bowl. Once lit, my palate was hit with a delightful floral note which turned sweet and mild, then slightly spicy/creamy and finally back to a floral element. In other words, there's a lot going on here. I'm a little disappointed by the above listed reviews. This is a nice blend which reminds me of Sutliff's Country Doctor. I find the flavor in the Wessex to be far more consistent. Wessex English burns well, as long as one remembers not to puff too hard. Non-aromatics are generally more potent than the run of the mill virginia/burley types which tend to be drowned out by their casing. It's best to give your pipe a good cleaning before delving into this one. English blends seem to work better in briars. I often wave the bowl under my nose while smoking this one (akin to sniffing brandy before sipping) and it really enhances the experience. In short clean pipe, pack well, light up and sit back and take your time with it. You won't be disappointed by the flavor or subtle room note. English mixtures are meant for the more experienced smoker. If you are new to pipe smoking you'll want to ease your way into the non-aromatic genre. This coming from a guy who doesn't care for English blends in general. Another blend I highly recommend is Rowland Platinum, which might be a good alternative if the Wessex doesn't suit your taste.

Wessex tobacco has the consistency of Babe Ruth... They either hit the ball out of the park, or colossally strike out in ugly fashion. This my friends is a massive strike out. The tobacco is poor quality (think Altadis) burns hot, and by half bowl it looses all flavor. STAY AWAY

Horrible!!!!! The worst stuff I have smoked this year in the English category. Hot! Hot! Hot! and flat. Cheap tobacco with a lot of Latakia. If I could assign negative stars I would! Stay away from this!

This blend is good enough to be sold in tins, but for whatever reason it is available in pouch form. The blend is very similar in flavor and consistancy to the now discontinued Dunhill Aperitif. However, it lacks the natural sweetness of Aperitif and isn't anywhere near as good in general. That being said, it definitely is a decent blend and worth the coin. It burns slow and smokes cool. The moisture content from the pouch seems to be perfect. Nothing really to complain about here, but nothing stands out as spectacular either. Worth purchasing for those who prefer this type of English blend. Three stars.