Sutliff Tobacco Company Heavy English #503

(3.23)
Lemon Virginias, Smyrna and other Orientals, and Latakia are combined in Sutliff's Heavy English, which despite its name is rather lightly balanced as far as Latakia mixtures go — some even find it quite suitable for an "all day" type of smoke.
Notes: A hearty English blend combining Smyrna, lemon Virginia, Oriental grades and high in latakia content. For the sophisticated pipe smoker.

Details

Brand Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blended By Carl McAllister
Manufactured By Sutliff Tobacco Company
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging Bulk
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.23 / 4
5

6

2

0

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 13 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 19, 2018 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
The main components are the buttery sweet, woody, earthy, spicy, floral, sour Orientals, with Smyrna being the star. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian latakia has a support role. The lemon Virginia offers a tangy, acidic citrus and mildly grassy quality as a secondary player. Despite a misapplied name, the strength and nic-hit are a couple steps past the center of mild to medium, while the taste just passes that mark without reaching the medium threshold. Won’t bite or get harsh, but it does have a light rough edge at times. Burns fairly cool and very clean at a reasonable pace with a very consistent, mildly complex sweet and savory flavor. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasantly lingering after taste, and the room note is not overly pungent. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 18, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
Sutliff Tobacco Company - Heavy English #503.

So, after buying it from Smokingpipes.com, where it's wrongly listed as #203 Heavy English, I finally worked out exactly what it is and here I am! They'd called it #203 Heavy English, which after speaking to Chuck from this site, who spoke to a guy at Sutliff, transpired to be a coffee aromatic: #203 coffee, # 503 Heavy English. In all fairness the No.5 key's dead above the No.2, so maybe that got pressed by accident when they put it on the site! Other than the number, the description's identical though!

The contents of the pouch are fairly coarse and a little rustic looking. There's many different shapes, sizes, and colours in there: to be fair, at a glance it's mostly medium brown, but upon closer inspection I can see a small amount of black leaves and a few bright yellow ones. The moisture amount's good, but it has been in a loose pouch for about a month so it may have been moister at the beginning.

It lights up easily, and then gives a superb burn; SUPERB. I find the most formidable leaf is the Oriental/Turkish: this accounts for a high proportion of the smokes flavour. The Latakia's easily noticed, but it gives the cleaner variety of flavour as opposed to the commonly found 'acrid, smoky, sharp' taste: it seems high quality. The Virginia gives a gentle grass note, which to be truthful, is much stronger at the start of the bowl, then it dies down quite a lot. The only flavours I get are what would emanate naturally from the weed used, there's nothing that seems added, or false.

The nicotine's rather mild from this, it's not 'very mild', but only mild to medium at a push. And finally the room-note: nothing flashy, but if you like a classic note (as I do) you'll like this.

It makes a nice change, some milder English blends have too much vanilla sweetness from too much Black Cavendish, but this has a true English taste, only dialled down a notch!

At first I thought 'boring', then it started to grow on me, and by the end of my first bowl I thought 'four stars'.

Highly recommended.
Pipe Used: Savinelli Roma Lucite
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: One month
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Aug 12, 2008 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
An Altadis offering that was christened after being tested in various stages of completion by several pipe clubs around the country, including mine.

A little over a year ago, Altadis put together a test kit of English blends for sampling, complete with ratings forms. What came of all the testing? Heavy English 503. It is a very "English" tobacco with all the usual Oriental, Virginia and Latakia (Cyprian version) components. This one sends the Latakia meter into the red zone. It's a cool burning blend and my only complaint is there were a large number of stem pieces in my 50g pouch.

If heavy English is your cup of tea..... well, here you go.
10 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 08, 2017 Mild Very Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Quite decent. Course ribbon and beautiful in colour, a hint of sweetness along with a bit of smokiness in the unlit tobacco! The smoke itself is in a good balance, Smyrna is the star of the show and gives the whole smoke a unique taste, fragrant and spicy, the Virginia broaden the spectrum and the Latakia is always there to show support! Never heavy as the name suggests, a nice all day smoke, also the price is friendly!

4 out of 5

Pipe Used: Ropp Dublin Gr3 19 * 35
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes dot com
Age When Smoked: Only a few weeks
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 30, 2014 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Sutliff Heavy English is not a heavy English blend, or at least with what I associate a heavy English to be. But it is a pretty good English blend, especially at its price point. To me, HE is an Oriental forward English blend. From the very first puff to the end of the bowl, the Oriental component takes the lead. There is an ample amount of Latakia too, but it never overtakes the blend. I think that there could be an extremely faint topping on HE too. It seems to top up from time to time. I have not yet smoked a lot of Sutliff blends, but this is one of the better ones I have had thus far.
Pipe Used: Mostly straight bulldogs
PurchasedFrom: pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked: new
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Mar 08, 2015 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
Sunliff Heavy English is an excellent English style pipe tobacco, roughly comparable to Dunhill 965, but slightly milder. 965 is the gold standard in English style tobaccos in my view and Heavy English offers a similar smoke.
Pipe Used: Castillo Sea Rock Billiard
PurchasedFrom: Cup O' Joes
Age When Smoked: 2 to 3 months
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 07, 2014 Mild None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
A very nice bulk tobacco. Some impurities in the chop but for the low price I'd expect some. Packs easily and takes a charring light nicely. I love the initial presentation of the orientals. They play well off the Latakia. The taste bounces subtly between the two. Not much outside of the two spectrums. Very nice for an all day smoke. Maybe a more expensive tin type will give you more difference in the tastes. But for what this is I love it. I recommend not buying this aged. The Latakia seems to settle in. I think a newer batch is much better when the Latakia is not neutered by aging.
Pipe Used: Peterson Barrel Rustic
PurchasedFrom: Allegheny Smokeworks
Age When Smoked: 1 year or less
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Sep 02, 2020 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Heavy English sports a very floral, almost minty pouch aroma, with some smoky Latakia layered underneath. Short choppy ribbon cut, devoid of any sticks and stems. Moisture content is great, no need for any additional dry time before enjoyment. Packs easily, with not much spring.

The Orientals and what I assume the Smyrna are absolutely intoxicating. Light, delicate and flavorful, they lend such a brightness to this blend I cannot say I have experienced in an English. I think in part because the Latakia is subdued, it allows the Orientals to show there true colors. Mild sweetness and a touch or toasted tobacco flavor, this blend is balanced right. This blend is anything but heavy. Not heavy on the Latakia, not heavy on the nicotine.

Burns clean, cool and dry, never hints at tongue bite!
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 18, 2021 Medium Extremely Mild Medium to Full Tolerable
If you regular smoker of 1Q and go to hoist a headier varietal that is probably not the best laid plan is my thinking. So, in fore noting my review of the subject mixture, let me allay any fears in stating that a truly experienced smoker of meatier blends will find that the load imparted by Sutliff 503 Heavy English is not so immense despite its daunting namesake.

Heavy English branding tends to make people flip their wigs as I have surmised. It can send them running like a fearful cat startled by the sound of a slamming door. Even for myself, an experienced English smoker, I felt a tad bit inhibited to try it to be honest.

In targeting the stalwart class of pipe smokers, 503 Heavy English meets the classic definition of a standard English mixture. Yet standard it is not. With a staunch constitution, the blend provides a complex and atypical fusion of flue cured Lemon (Bright) Virginia, rich Latakia, and a generous mixed strain of Oriental tobaccos, Smyrna being primary within the “Turkish” assortment.

Moreover, the let-down ratio of Latakia to the other components bends the bar on that which is conventional in a traditional English mixture. 503 is monstrously stacked with a copious amount of the potent Cyprian leaf. So, as I surveyed this stout specter of lavish black and gold ribbon-cut brawn, the thought occurred to me that perhaps I should be strapping on my lifting belt for supplemental support. Well, in the end, I just made sure I was properly seated for the potential strain that was about to hit me.

Simply holding the poly bag at arm’s length, I was smacked by the unmistakable smell of an English tobacco, wow! Upon opening the bag an extremely bullish essence unleashed itself in full force rocking my nasal foothold. Clearly there is substantial Latakia present as the dominant nose pumped iron cast of a dense campfire, barbeque, vinegary bruhaha of aroma.

Getting past that hefty blast, I was able to detect a mildly sweet and spicy pungency fighting to come forward from the assorted Orientals. Running down the rest of the rack, the Virginia is almost undetectable offering at best a frail grassy hint.

Loading the bowl quite easily with a pillowy mass of tobacco, with wrist wraps set so to speak, I proceeded to raise the pipe for execution of the smoke. At the initial pull on the pipe the anticipated heavy-handed Latakia exerted significant tension and roughness as its yoked charry girth recoiled me by reaction. Catching my bearing, I quickly recovered to manage its influence. Then something surprising happened.

Despite all its intimidating physical attributes and the leading perceptions, 503 Heavy English morphed into a smooth, creamy, balanced consistency that was quite impressive and exceptional. Chewing this amalgamation, the textural feel was unquestionably satisfying. The smoke produced is characteristically mellow, bringing a rich fullness of healthy flavor. Securing my grip on the ensuing taste profile, with unshakeable confidence I realized that I could master this alleged beast.

Interestingly, what I learned about 503 being “heavy” is principally in relation to the contribution of Latakia in the mix. However, even with that, this is very much an earthy Oriental-forward blend as the dominant registration, being gingerly juiced by a wonderful stream of vibrant Turkish nuisances. This was such a pleasant surprise to me as I absolutely am weak (ha ha) for Oriental-forward English tobacco. Primarily I discerned an exotic moving melody of floral/herbal sweetness, faint minty-soft chocolate, and pungent sour mushroom spice as the central base flavor seeped by the mash of Oriental varietals.

In truth the Lat flexes hard to show its Herculean mass on this one, however, it is consistently relegated to a secondary constituent. For all its gargantuan volume, the incensy Latakia contributes a nice complementing smoky woodiness and an aged leathery tang. The heavier presence in my opinion is primary aimed at cooling the blend given the pumped-up sugars originating from the flue cured Virginia and what I believe to be an added corn syrup casing, which is not uncommon for Sutliff English blends. It does burn quite cool incidentally.

In finishing out the powerhouse characterization, the lemony Virginia bestows a wonderful grassy sour-sweet tang that reservedly enfolds the bottom/mid-body flavor as it gently wraps around, leaving a trailing citrus twang. Additionally, I did espy a few dark fruit notes and as well the starchy sweetness imparted by the noted casing. In sum, 503 poses a very lively and hulky flavor profile that moves around with interesting and complex highlights straddling on top of the paired Oriental/Lat base configuration.

As for the room note of the beefy mixture, much to my personal pleasure, the low-nicotine 503 presses a respectful fragrance that is of a warm earthy intonation, not so heavy as to be foreboding or overbearing but most definitely of the English class. With the accents of mushroom-tart incense and sweet bread rolled under the principal scent, I found this blend’s nose to be glowing and deeply indulging. I do relish a good English experience after all. One note, the residual smell of 503 on your person does have some serious hang-time, so be informed if that disheartens you or others who do not
particularly care for the essence of strong Latakia.

So, what is the takeaway? Well, first and foremost it is apparent that the word is not the thing. Heavy is a relative term that often receives misperception. Furthermore, half of a formidable challenge, whether you are lifting a pair of York dumbbells or a Savinelli Dolomiti 673 KS briar, is harboring the correct mental framework; it sets the pathway to success. In this case, Heavy English proved to be a quality medium-strength blend once this experienced smoker embraced and adapted to the true level of resistance.

So, if you are a confident consumer of robust tobacco, then go ahead to try and delight in yet another smoking conquest. If you are somewhat unconditioned, then my advice is to set yourself up with a realistic progression into stronger mixes, as the palate and the person need time to mature the tolerance for more intense blends. Whatever the case, Sutliff 503 Heavy English will be an enjoyable challenge that will advance your piping progressive adaptation. No pain but definite gain on this one,

Pipe Used: Savinelli Dolomiti 673 KS
Age When Smoked: Fresh & 1 month jarred
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 15, 2009 Medium Mild Medium Strong
I like the nice straightforward dryness. Bites a little. Very ?normal? experience. Nice to pack. A.
1 person found this review helpful.
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