Kramer's Pipe and Tobacco Shop Father Dempsey
(3.47)
Though originally blended to match Father Dempsey's own preferred smoke, this full-bodied English mixture is now Kramer's most popular house blend and has been enjoyed by the likes of Cecil B. DeMille, Henry Wilcoxon, Samuel Goldwyn, Gene Barry, Mike Kaplan, Mel Tolkin, Fred McMurray, and many others.
Notes: The good father, an Irish priest, and my father Allen Kramer (who came to American as a child from Russia), may have seemed like an odd duo, but they became fast friends. When Father Dempsey was assigned to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, right behind our shop, he would always come in for a visit. The Father was used to buying his tobacco at Dunhill, but told my father he'd rather buy from his shop, if he could create a comparable blend. They spread out his blend on the tobacco bar and my father studied it. He was able to identify the different tobaccos, but not the proportions. So they kept trying different formulas until finally Father Dempsey said, "Stop right there! This is better than my old blend ever was." And soon so many of the Father's friends and parishioners were coming in asking for "Father Dempsey's tobacco" that it came to be called just that. My father would say it has the aroma of a campfire burning--a smooth and full-bodied Latakia based blend.
Among those in our rolodex who chose Father Dempsey's blend were Cecil B. DeMille, Henry Wilcoxon, Samuel Goldwyn, Gene Barry, John Conte, Ricardo Cortez, Howard Duff, Herb Edelman, Mel Frank, Mike Kaplan, Jesse Lasky, Sr., Fred MacMurray, Robert Sherman, and Mel Tolkin. Father Dempsey is gone now, but when he passed away he left his statue of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus and the medal he carried through the battle of Dunkirk to my father--and of course, the legacy of what is Kramers most popular house blend.
Details
| Brand | Kramer's Pipe and Tobacco Shop |
| Blended By | Allen Kramer |
| Manufactured By | Sutliff Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, bulk. |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.47 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 41 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2019 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Initial First Smoke impressions:
Popped the tin...smokey, woody, earthy scents like a freshly lit campfire. Smells amazing! I love the course cut. The jet black Latakia leaf contrasted by the lighter leather colored strands are absolutely beautiful. It's a little bit moist for my preference but it seems smokable out of the tin. I'm giving it about 15 minutes.
Lighting it up… not too tough to get going. Burns nicely. I'm getting a pretty big hit of sweet. It's a kettle corn sweet; the kind that lingers a little on the back of my tongue. I get the faintest sour flavor on the middle of the draw. Not much typical Latakia flavor initially. It's pretty balanced and well blended.
It is smoking medium to medium-full for me. It really sits in the same category as Peterson/Dunhill MM965 and Esoterica English like Margate or maybe more so Pembroke though there isn't an apparent topping on it.
Mid bowl the sweetness is making way for more smokiness and tangy pungency. I'm tasting some woodiness. As I finish the bowl it's still sweet and flavorful.
What I'm particularly loving about this is the consistency throughout the bowl. It's really staying true draw after draw. Many blends take you on a journey; there is an arc and a storyline to follow. Flavors mix and meld; there are transitions as the tobacco develops. Sometimes they start out really well but end up losing momentum mid smoke. Sometimes it's the other way around and there is a deepening of all the components which evolve into more than the sum. This blend doesn't do that for me nor does it seem to try to. Its a solid and dependable smoke. Its not complicated but it's very interesting. It's simple without being boring. I really enjoy this about it.
This is a comforting and comfortable smoke. It's a great chill out and relax smoke. I like this blend because it is straightforward and honest. I don't have to think too much about it but it still offers enough to contemplate.
Popped the tin...smokey, woody, earthy scents like a freshly lit campfire. Smells amazing! I love the course cut. The jet black Latakia leaf contrasted by the lighter leather colored strands are absolutely beautiful. It's a little bit moist for my preference but it seems smokable out of the tin. I'm giving it about 15 minutes.
Lighting it up… not too tough to get going. Burns nicely. I'm getting a pretty big hit of sweet. It's a kettle corn sweet; the kind that lingers a little on the back of my tongue. I get the faintest sour flavor on the middle of the draw. Not much typical Latakia flavor initially. It's pretty balanced and well blended.
It is smoking medium to medium-full for me. It really sits in the same category as Peterson/Dunhill MM965 and Esoterica English like Margate or maybe more so Pembroke though there isn't an apparent topping on it.
Mid bowl the sweetness is making way for more smokiness and tangy pungency. I'm tasting some woodiness. As I finish the bowl it's still sweet and flavorful.
What I'm particularly loving about this is the consistency throughout the bowl. It's really staying true draw after draw. Many blends take you on a journey; there is an arc and a storyline to follow. Flavors mix and meld; there are transitions as the tobacco develops. Sometimes they start out really well but end up losing momentum mid smoke. Sometimes it's the other way around and there is a deepening of all the components which evolve into more than the sum. This blend doesn't do that for me nor does it seem to try to. Its a solid and dependable smoke. Its not complicated but it's very interesting. It's simple without being boring. I really enjoy this about it.
This is a comforting and comfortable smoke. It's a great chill out and relax smoke. I like this blend because it is straightforward and honest. I don't have to think too much about it but it still offers enough to contemplate.
Pipe Used:
Chacom Club 168 and Royal Danish 991R
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
3 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 02, 2018 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Since the demise of McClelland's tobacco I have been looking for new tobaccos to replace the five blends of theirs that I smoked. Not replace in the sense of flavor (let's face it; there will never be another "Frog Morton), but just to keep my choices still varied. I started reading reviews and came upon "Father Dempsey." So many smokers, so many great reviews. Needless to say, I was intrigued. Let's just say I wasn't disappointed. I could smoke this all day. I note spices, nuts, and a bit of saltiness. These are in the tobacco, not added artificially. Just a fantastic tobacco that will be in my rotation as long as I can get it.
Pipe Used:
Caminetto Cavalier
Age When Smoked:
fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 2018 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Man, I am really starting to love this blend! There is a sweetness to it that makes me think that there is some kind of topping in there but it's so well blended and natural tasting that I can't be sure if it's due to the play between the mixture of the varietals or if it's an actual topping... whatever it is, it's delicious. It almost has a roasted quality to it as well, something I've not really experienced in other English mixtures. This is certainly one of a kind and stands out in the over saturated market of English/Balkan Mixtures. It's up there with my two all time favorites, SG Skiff Mix and SH Exotique and the price is just great to boot! Full bodied, medium nicotine and a nice sweetness makes for a good all day smoke any time of the year. Usually I don't much appreciate the smoky qualities of this genre in the hotter months but I actually really like to smoke this one on warmer days as well, although that could be due to the fact that I've been smoking indoors a lot more these days. I'm going to go ahead and call this one an essential buy and it's hands down the best American/English I've ever had the pleasure of smoking.
Essential.
Essential.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 14, 2017 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
I am about 30 minutes away from my 3rd bowl in the last 2 hours. It's that good. Super light (for my taste) but flavorful and easily an all day everyday 24/7 God Bless Father Dempsey kind of smoke. I. Love. This. Stuff. Campfire in the tin opens into a somehow light but flavorful gorgeous first few puffs. Flavor rolls along from there with the light and up front latakia and orientals swirling around with the va laying down a solid but perfectly dispersed foundation. Great all the way to the bottom of the bowl. I needed to dry this just a bit (30mins lol) before smoking. Could maybe dry longer but I don't wanna wait. Oh my....would you look at the time? Better go check on the good Father and ready another bowl.
Pipe Used:
Various billiards, dublins
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 22, 2022 | Mild | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
The Lord works in mysterious ways!! As a new smoker I like English but want them to be well balanced with some sweetness. I am not experienced enough nor will embarrass myself attempting to articulate the nuisances of a blend. Just trust me when I say it’s delicious and try it.
Pipe Used:
MM Gentlemen
PurchasedFrom:
SmokingPipes
Age When Smoked:
1 year
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 05, 2022 | Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
Easy to see why this is a favorite to many. a really tasty medium blend that is both smokey and sweet. it does change slightly from bowl to bowl but in a good way. could easily be an everyday all day blend. very reminiscent of some old blends from the past. seems to have a top not of some spice. no bite at all and just a really good smoke from start to finish. does have a bit of spice that comes through the nose in a good way. in my rotation of eight bulk tobaccos. I enjoy it in a freehand when I can. top tier smoke.
Pipe Used:
Lorenzetti, Nording free hand
PurchasedFrom:
smoking pipes
Age When Smoked:
couple months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 26, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is slightly lat forward for me. The lat is smokey and sweet the smokiness reminds me a little of juniper burning. The orientals at times will compete with the lat and move a little forward. They have a dry woodiness, a very nice creaminess with a little buttermilk like sourness to them a slight spicy note and a little earthiness that I think comes from them as well. The VA's form a slightly sweet base with notes of roasted grains and a little grass way in the background. This one changes just enough throughout the bowl to keep things interesting. A very good med strength lat blend definitely stands out among the many out there as an outstanding example of a med English blend.
Age When Smoked:
ROTT
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 16, 2018 | Medium | Medium | Medium | Tolerable |
I don't have as a refined a palate as some I'm sure, but to me, this is a wonderful blend, my "daily" smoke, that always satisfies. It just hits all the right spots for me. The Latakia is present but not overwhelming. The Orientals and Virginias bring some sweetness and sourness. It's just a dang good, extremely well blended smoke. It sort of reminds me of Presby but with more Latakia. I love it and buy it by the pound. Highly recommended.
Pipe Used:
various
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
3 months to 1 year.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2017 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
After trying quite a few Latakia blends, Father Dempsey is a strong contender for my go-to every-day smoke. Described as 'Full Bodied', but I don't find this blend overpowering. it is a flavourful blend that smokes smooth and cool. All flavours blend together well and occasionally you get a pleasant blast of Latakia. I have never tried the original Dunhill My Mixture 965, but this is apparently a close facsimile of that blend.
Pipe Used:
Parker Knight 395 Parker Jockey-Club 140
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Fresh from tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2017 | Mild | Mild | Mild | Pleasant |
This is a well done blend. I really like what they have done with it. The components of this blend are all blended perfectly. The Virginias stay in the background. Just enough to let you know they are there, but not overpowering. The Orientals/Turkish are just right. You Know they are there...but they but they do not overpower. And the Latakia is just right. All in all it just makes for a perfect blend. I can see why Father Dempsey loved it so much. My hats off to the blenders of this fine tobacco. It's a pleasure to smoke.
Pipe Used:
Peterson No. 3
PurchasedFrom:
Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
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