Sutliff Tobacco Company Blend No.5

By way of disclaimer, I have never smoked 965, so I am reviewing this on its own merits and not by comparison to something else.

This is a lat-forward medium strength English blend. I have enjoyed it, and found it a solid player in a crowded field. To my palate this to be mostly latakia and Virginia in the flavor profile. The burley may give it some body, but for me it does not contribute to the taste in any way I can pick up. An interesting characteristic of this blend for me is a smooth and full "mouth feel." This may be the burley. Other reviewers mention a topping, and I can't detect any at all. Perhaps pipes were ghosted?

This is a pleasant blend I would buy to keep in inventory. It was smooth and tasty. It comes at a good price point. I don't hesitate to recommend it to someone who likes or wants to try a blend of this type. Like others of this genre, it has a room note that may not be the most friendly to non-smokers.

The first bowl of this was good, and I find I am liking it more as I smoke through the tin.

I was gifted a 1.5 ounce tin of this tobacco this past week. I spent most of the weekend smoking this blend only to get a good review formed. I must admit that I was kind of skeptical of liking this because #1 it is made by Altadis and #2 not being real impressed with the original MM965. But, I have been very pleasantly surprised by this blend. My experience with MM965 was early on in my quest of getting away from the aros that I used to smoke exclusively. So, I chalk that review up to inexperience. Upon opening the tin, it was loosly packed and at the right moisture level for me. This one here seems to have a mild to medium spiceiness in the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the bowl and then the Va and burley seems to calm things down quite nicely. This could very well be an all day smoke for some. The price does seem to be rather reasonable on several online stores. I may have to invest in more of this fine weed.

I tried this blend based on the output from the company website application to help find my perfect blend. I took the quizzing twice to make sure and then bought a tin of this and Bosphorus Cruise as well.

Some reviewers found no toppings in Blend No. 5. I, however, was immediately reminded of Esoterica's St. Ives as soon as match hit the leaves. I did not like St. Ives at all. The topping here is not heavy but the flavor is nearly (if not exactly) what they put on R Blend. With this blend the heavy Latakia masks the topping, but it's there.

I wish I could post that I just confused Blend No 5 and R Blend, that I ghosted my pipes, that I smoked them too close together in time. But none of that is so. I had long finished my tin of this blend and cleaned my pipes many times before I ever opened the R Blend. Such a shame because sans topping this is a super blend with a wonderful tin note and in well prepared ribbons. I will still give this 3 stars because I know my aversion to flavorings (most of them anyway) should not override a decent blend.

There are two types of good tobaccos. Tobacco so good you cellar it and tobacco you don’t mind smoking everyday. This tobacco is the latter and has been in my rotation since I opened the tin. The taste is sweet but no so sweet that you feel the need to rinse your mouth half way through the bowl. When I show this blend to non smokers they find the smell to be strong. However I got one of my friends who mainly smokes cigarettes to try it and I almost got him to switch to the pipe. Which is my main point with this blend. Ain’t anything special here for experienced smokers however if you haven’t smoked any English blends yet this would be the one to start with. What’s unique about this tobacco is even if you really puff on it the taste still shines through. A perfect tobacco to smoke while preoccupied with any kind of task. Whether it’s lawn care or writing a review. I might pick this blend up again down the road but with so many other tobaccos I haven’t experienced yet it’ll be a long time before I pick this tobacco up again.

I was looking for a nice, not too stout English blend for my “winter stash”. My taste in pipe tobacco is fairly ecclectic, but these days I am definitely a Va/Per and straight Virginia guy. Still, I also regularly smoke the milder burley-based blends, particularly the so-called “old codger” or otc blends. But for this winter, I really wanted to try some new blends, particularly those from companies I'm not familiar with or have limited experoience with. Plus, I wanted to get some “heavier” blends like English/Balkan blends and some more or less straight burley blends. So, I came across Sutliff's Private Stock series, and Blend No. 5 sounded like a promising cold weather blend. The 1.5 ounces came in a rather large tin. Upon opening, the tin note was largely latakia with maybe a hint of the nutty burley. My tin/pouch/baggie note sniffing abilities are not all that keen. Others may discern more. Tobacco Reviews indicates burley, latakia and Virginia as the component tobacco. The cut is your basic ribbon mixture. It looks like tobacco. The moisture content was fine. I didn't need to dry it at all. It loaded and lit up easily enough with plenty of smoke from the latakia. The first taste I got was certainly the latakia. The latakia has the driver's seat in this blend, in my opinion, but it is not a reckless driver. I don't care for “lat bombs”. I mean, Pirate Kake is just too much for my tastes. I'd say the most latakia-forward blend that I really enjoy is GLP Quiet Nights. Love the stuff! It's so well balanced. Blend No. 5 probably has less latakia than Quiet Nights, and as the bowl progresses I was able to taste the nutty burley and a bit of sweetness and maybe some hay from the Virginia. All three components show up and the blend is pretty well balanced. But the latakia is the primary player here, I think. All in all, this is a good blend that is mild enough to be an all day smoke for some, and perhaps a good introductory blend to those looking to try out English style blends. I think Blend No. 5 is good and is worth giving a try. I recommend it and may very well buy more.

Solid blend, Latakia is there but not overpowering, Burley is nutty and has a good earthy taste and the Virginia adds a grassy note. This has a sweet flavor as well. It is not listed as a component but I feel it may be a cavendish. Tin note matches the flavor as well. Overall an enjoyable smoke that can be enjoyed all day long as the nicotine is not over the top. This blend ages well as the flavors seem to marry and become a team. There are better blends of this type Or so I guess but I feel the price point on this one more than makes up the difference. Another fine offering from Sutliff.

It's been several years since I finished the last open tin I had of this blend. From what I remember it was a decent smoke worth giving a try. Well it looks like I'll have to open up one of the two unopened tins I still have. Let me see here... Well I hope they aged well. I've had these cellared for a little over 8 years.

Another of the bombing gifts I received. I don't know if I would say this is like 965, but I will say if you do like that, you will like this.

This tin note is heavy Lat, sweet and damp. Moisture is at a good level from the tin. Nice fluffy ribbons, mostly dark with some darker chunks. Lights well and burns well through the bowl. Developes nicely through the bowl. Can nip a bit if rushed. Good round, rich flavor. Decent nicotine content, not strong though.

All in all, it's good for what it was meant to be. A solid, Lat forward English blend with a burley base. I don't think 965 is a good comparison for this at all. I normally wouldn't go in for a sutliff private stock item, but this is nice. Beware the French quarter in this line, it's awful.

Label: In the true tradition of providing the market the best tobaccos available for over 160 years, English style tobaccos are flavored with only different types of tobacco and not additional flavoring. Generally, these blends use Latakia, Perique, and Virginia tobaccos and are best suited for the more experienced pipe smoker

Aroma: Smokey, I'm not a huge Latakia fan. It was clear, but I'm glad it wasn't overwhelming. There might be a bit of an aromatic vanilla smell, but it's not strong.

Taste: The Latakia is the first note, but not as strong as some other English blends. Coming from someone that prefers aromatics, it has a full flavor.

Room Note: It's definitely an outdoor smoke for me. I'll occassionally smoke an aromatic inside with the window open, but I wouldn't try that with No 5.

Thoughts: I think it's a good introduction to English tobacco, with a bit of Latakia, but not so much as to cover up all other tastes. It's a unique flavor, not too strong, and not unpleasant. I also didn't get the nicotine buzz that I get from some Englishes. I'll be smoking it again. If you normally smoke aromatics, it's worth a shot.

http://www.sutliff-tobacco.com/blend-5.html