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A Bosphorus Cruise enchantingly rewards with sights both numerous and wondrous, including six Ottoman palaces. Experience the breathtaking beauty of the old Byzantium Strait with Sutliff's impressive mixture of Oriental, latakia, and red Virginia.
Favorite Of 1 Users
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JimInks (3046) |   |
Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A well balanced mild to medium smooth English with every ingredient present in every puff. The Virginia offers a mild dark fruit tanginess and earth while serving as the base of the other components. The Orientals add a few spicy, woody, dry notes. The Cyprian latakia is smokey, woody sweet as the dominant tobacco, but it doesn't overpower the other elements. Has an extremely mild, sweet topping that doesn't detract from the tobaccos, and is barely noticeable. The nic-hit is just past mild. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable pace, cool and clean with a consistent flavor. Requires few relights, and leaves little dampness in the bowl as it easily burns to ash. Won't bite. Almost an all day smoke that has a pleasant after taste.
-JimInks
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| halpuff (11) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I was recently gifted a tin of Bosphorous Cruise and found it to be quite good, right up there with Balkan Saseini and the new Balkan Sobraine. I would classify this as a Balkan rather than an English because of the orientals that are obviously present. I found it to be a nice medium weight with the orientals slightly forward of the red virginia most of the time and with the latakia hovering in the background. It was very smooth and a nicely balanced blend with all three coming forward at various times throughout the bowl and somewhat comlex. It is definitely not a lat bomb with just enough to make it interesting. Burned nice and cool with a nice fine gray ash to the bottom of the bowl. It has a nice tin note and nose while smoking. Can't determine room note since I only smoke outside. Highly recommended!
Pipe Used: GBD Billiard
Age When Smoked: New tin
Purchased From: Received as a gift
Similar Blends: Balkan Saseini and the new Balkan Sobraine.
11 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Very Mild | Very Pleasant |
Blind test blend #2 - 5 bowls worth. Interesting looking with kind of a reddish hue to it. Bag aroma was of some of the juiciest orientals I've ever smelled. Almost made me want to eat it. But common sense came back and I fired it up. It leaned in the direction of "balkan" with the orientals out front and the latakia next in line. Tasted like mostly red virginia for the base.
The problem with this one was the flavor didn't match the aroma's power. I liked what flavor there was but it was just too faint, too bland. I'm not sure how they were able to make it smell so potent and taste so mild. I guess I conclude that it's more of a "beginners balkan" to start someone off slowly on their way to the pleasures that genre affords. I wasn't really aware that Sutliff made latakia blends, so I leaned more towards Peter Stokkebye, but wasn't really comfortable with that guess, either. This is a perfectly serviceable mild balkan but it failed to excite me. Worth a try if you're starting out with latakia and orientals or if you simply want a very laid-back version, perhaps for early mornings. No objective faults with this one - it just didn't have enough going on for my tastes.
Pipe Used: Meerschaum
Age When Smoked: New
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Demetri (113) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
What a sleeper blend this is! At my first light of Bosphorus Cruise I knew I had tasted something very similar before. It did not take long to recognize C&D's Star of the East taste profile here, but with considerably finer, more civilized behavior.
In short this blend is remarkably conceived and is every bit a quality product as anything from McClelland or C&D and certainly anything from STG.
Very similar components to SOTE in here: Red Virginia, Latakia, and other Orientals. The proportions are slightly different as is the Orientals used themselves. The SOTE has a kiss of Izmir where BC has a very well done blend of high quality Orientals in greater quantity. SOTE has 50% Latakia, BC less, but BC has more Orientals less Red Virginia. All in all, for me, where I can only handle a single bowl of SOTE in a day due to it's heaviness and very potent nicotine content (from it's greater VA content), I can smoke BC as an all day blend without fear of a nicotine haze or hiccups.
Like SOTE BC has a tasty aftertaste and a short finish, which is good.
I cannot fault this blend in any way except finding my tin to be dry, almost needing added moisture immediately. This makes me hesitant to stock in quantity unless I open and re-jar the whole lot.
I will definitely be ordering more; reloading it right now. Well done.
Easy 4 stars.
Pipe Used: Briars - large billiards
Age When Smoked: Unknown
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
Similar Blends: Cornell & Diehl - 066: Star of the East.
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| fr_tom (393) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is a very pleasant medium/mild English blend. The components work well, and the foundation is a sweet red Virginia. I don't detect any topping. The tin note is slightly sour. The orientals and the latakia are nicely balanced and are always present but never the defining flavor. The bias is on the latakia end of things.
This blend is good but not astonishingly good. There are a lot of options in the "English" category, and competition is tough. The price point here is excellent, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in this genre. I am not likely to buy more, but if I got an 8 oz tin at Christmas, I would smoke it every day until it was gone.
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| MrPiper (31) | |
Medium | None Detected | Very Full | Tolerable |
A true sleeper for Sutliff. The is a well blended treat and if it had a small blender boutique label it would be the rave of the industry. As a best kept secret, this is a very good Balkan, Orientals forward and highest quality leaf throughout.
Unfortunately for me at least, Sutliff offers SO many blends in their classic tin, I get stymied by all of the variety!!
Save yourself some time as you are standing in front of the display at your local B&M trying to decide which of the dozens of Sutliff tins to try and pick up this one.
Pipe Used: Several
Age When Smoked: 2 year old tin, newly opened
Purchased From: Local Shop
Similar Blends: Balkan Sobranie.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Capn Jimbo (24) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
By now you are fully aware that this is a blend of oriental, latakia and red virginia, pretty much in that order and just as advertised on the tin. This blend begins oriental forward, thus making it a Balkan with the red virginia sweetness in lovely harmony, and the latakia way, way back. But as the bowl develops so does the strength, but never overpowering and with a changing interplay between these three very well chosen components. Sipping is recommended - not because of tongue bite - but more to get all the changing subtleties of this remarkable blend.
Yes, I know some have criticized the Bosphorus as "bland", but I suspect that observation comes from pipers who like their latakia forward English blends.. To me, the beauty of this blend is the superb balance and harmony. Oriental perfume, red virginia sweetness, and latakia smoky mild pepper with an occasional woodsy tobacco richness. At times merging into one another, but with each coming forward intermittently and with an exquisite oriental retrohale.
Smooth, balanced, dry and tasty. Nice. Actually a 3+...
Pipe Used: Cob
Age When Smoked: Unknown
Purchased From: Local
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Dr. G (15) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
As a relatively infrequent latakia smoker, I am really quite sensitive to its presence in most blends - a nice bonus as I really like it properly woven into the fabric of a well-executed blend. Such is the case with Bosphorus Cruise. Its presence is readily apparent (to my sensitive tastes) in the tin note and on the charring light. This is really my only significant point of divergence with the excellent review by pjorge1036. The spiciness of the oriental is also forward in the blend. Half way through the bowl the sweetness of the VA starts to chime in and from there to the finish line, there is a nice menage et trois between the constituents of this well- formed blend. For an inexpensive blend, the good quality of the tobacco is apparent. The appearance of the blend in the tin is impressive in its contrast. Room note is unobtrusive but not kudos-worthy. Nic content is acceptable for my insanely high requirement. All elements are detectable throughout the last half of the bowl but no one does the heavy lifting. All in all a nice, balanced and affordable blend. Recommended
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Geronimo Von Klaus (76) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
A sleeper if ever there was one.
If you love English blends, you have to give this a spin.
Very nice lat, but what makes this is the interplay between the Virginias and the Orientals. They have got the balance so right that it does give it a Middle-Eastern spice feel to it, which matched with the forward lat is almost like Black House in some respects.
That is a good analogy, its 90% as good as Black House, for 30% of the price. I cannot remember how many times I have been standing in front of my cabinet about to pick an English to go out onto the deck on an Autumn evening, and this has been picked up ahead of some big name contenders.
High quality, smokes to a fine white ash, no bite, no drama, easy to clean after, sublime aftertaste. Any time someone asks what my sleeper blend is this is it. I have a stack of unopened cans, and am planning on mason jarring a stack of it.
Two enthusiastic thumbs up.
Pipe Used: Peterson Killarney
Age When Smoked: 1 year
Purchased From: Cant remember
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| CherchezLaghost (52) | |
Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
I was really sad to see this one go. To my knowledge it was the only Sutliff product i ever repeat purchased, and now its out of production! Very sad. This was, i thought, my little secret. A richly beguiling little gem, the red va and lat in some proportion or of some variety that ive not found duplicated. If anyone knows of a similar blend id love to hear about it. It always delivered a cool, creamy, va sweet and heady smoke, i likened it to a cross between presbyterian and balkan sasieni. It was unique. I have a tin left; i was caught unawares when it was discontinued. From time to time i enjoy a bowl and become nostalgic for my pretty, cheap, little baby, taken too soon.
Pipe Used: Cobs
Age When Smoked: New to 1 year
Purchased From: Smokers Haven
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| arpie55 (77) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I read sevral reviews which stated that this blend "reminded" od another blend, I will have to state the same, but for me it was McClelland 5110 Dark English Full (one of my favorites), both of which are more on the Oriental side to me as opposed to the English. Overall I would say this is an outstanding blend (a very pleasent surprise given the price) and that the next time I go to order something along these flavor lines it will probably be this blend.
Easy to pack (trickle method), easy to light, burns well, great flavor profiles with all components contributing and none overpowering, wonderful tickle to the nose when smoke is expelled through the nostrils, and the price is great.
Pipe Used: Ascorti
Age When Smoked: ?
Purchased From: Savanah Cigars
Similar Blends: Mc. 5110.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| brashboy (84) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Very Pleasant |
I agree with Mr. Piper: if Bosphorus Cruise carried any other name but Sutliff, it would be getting ecstatic rave reviews. It’s good. This is an Oriental-forward Balkan blend, very refined and balanced but with balls. The leaf quality is excellent. It ain’t a bland English, it’s a Balkan, and while the Lat is fine and a bit sweet, those needing an intravenous Lat fix would do better elsewhere. I get the Lat and Turks equally in the tin note, which is quite fine and bracing.
It is indeed a bit reminiscent of SOTE, but for my money, better and not as strong. My tin was 3 years old, which may have added considerably to the flavor and dampened the Lat profile a bit. Whatever -- it ages well.
This is a 4-star blend even if the price was double. But even though it’s only 1.5 oz, it is Sutliff-priced. Great all-day smoke. No annoying topping. Sweetish room note is wife-approved, and few are. Cellar it, boys and girls.
Age When Smoked: 3 yrs.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| RedDirtBlueSkies (4) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
This Balkan surprises me every time I smoke it, and it shouldn't because I know it is good. This is an Oriental forward blend, but the Orientals here give this great mineral taste that I haven't tasted in other Balkans. The best thing that I can compare it to is Oban Scotch, if you've had this single malt and like the mineral taste, you will love Bosphorus Cruise. The Virginias are sweet, and there are times where I would swear that this blend had Cavendish in it. I'll get these rare little pops of cotton candy flavor, and though I cannot say what the room note smells like, it seems very sweet. The Latakia is mild, but it has that great kind of burnt, bitter taste that I love, very similar to Dunhill Standard Mixture. There are two final things that really push this blend over the top for me, the price is not bad, and the nicotine is not high. This could easily be an all day smoke, and is really a great value.
Pipe Used: MM Patriot, Kriswill Pot
Age When Smoked: 6 months
Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| King Weed (228) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
I've often read reviews of English blends where the reviewer states that the tin aroma was that of a wood fire, but this is the first time and blend where I feel the statement actually applies. When I opened my tin of BC I thought that it had the aroma of a hardwood fire from later after the fire is smoldering. It just didn't seem quite right to me and I was suspicious that the wood fire odor had been "enhanced" somehow in processing. The mixture had an overall darker hue ranging from reddish brown to black and a rather even ribbon cut. The moisture level was such that you could load-up and smoke right away - so I did. The slightly acrid wood smoke odor in the tin was not really present in the smoking aroma and I was happy about that. From the initial light to the finish, it smoked in a normal and civilized medium English manner. Although a rather pleasant smoke, there was nothing that set it apart from the host of other medium Englishes that exist in a very crowded field. I've used it in micro blending and that has worked out fairly well; however, I like for my English base in a blend to have a tad more richness in the non-Latakia portion of it's base mixture - but, all in all, not a bad smoke and I can recommend it to other smokers.
Pipe Used: LX thick-walled Ashton Dublin Brindle
Age When Smoked: current
Purchased From: pipes and cigars
Similar Blends: a number of medium Englishes I have smoked.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| CTS (138) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
A bit more Latakia and Oriental forward than Berkshire. Good components and blending, without the annoying topping. Burns smooth and cool. Once into the bowl, the Virginia sweetness comes out a bit more, helping round out the overall flavor profile. Very good blend. 3+.
Pipe Used: Willmer 35+ years old, MM
Age When Smoked: Unknown; at least 3 months.
Purchased From: CI
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
At first I found the blend to be lacking flavor and punch. For the first minute of the smoke I couldn't even feel the presence of the Latakia.
After that this started to change slowly and I started picking up some of the smokiness and even a subtle leathery flavor associated with Latakia. At this point the spicy orientals also started letting their presence be known but it wasn't until I was halfway through the bowl that the big changes came. That's when all the flavors started to concentrate and develop a little complexity.
Earthy, smoky and peppery this turned out to be a satisfying smoke although, it took a while to get there. Definitely not the best in its class but a good smoke for the price.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Starduster (3) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
If you see it buy it! One of the best Balkans I've ever smoked. Plain and simple. The marriage of flavors in this blend is just a treat . Bring it back Sutcliffe!!!
Pipe Used: Custombilt saddle grain
Age When Smoked: 4 years
Purchased From: Pop shop Niles Mi.
Similar Blends: Old Hollywood.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| arpie55 (77) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I read sevral reviews which stated that this blend "reminded" od another blend, I will have to state the same, but for me it was McClelland 5110 Dark English Full (one of my favorites), both of which are more on the Oriental side to me as opposed to the English. Overall I would say this is an outstanding blend (a very pleasent surprise given the price) and that the next time I go to order something along these flavor lines it will probably be this blend.
Easy to pack (trickle method), easy to light, burns well, great flavor profiles with all components contributing and none overpowering, wonderful tickle to the nose when smoke is expelled through the nostrils, and the price is great.
Pipe Used: Ascorti
Age When Smoked: ?
Purchased From: Savanah Cigars
Similar Blends: Mc. 5110.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild | Mild | Medium | Very Pleasant |
I love Bosphorus Cruise. It has a unique character. It was one of my first tobaccos I bought, and just recently found a tin at a cigar shop, I unhesitatingly leapt for it. This is like gold to me, I think we should all have a tobacco like that. Upon comparing it with some Frog Mortons, they are very similar in tin aroma. But upon smoking it, they don't compare at all, they are both very different. I recommend giving Bosphorus Cruise a try. It's one thing to read reviews but it's another to try it for yourself. Something that received negative reviews might turn out to be your favorite tobacco if you just try it, and vice versa. Something that received high praise might not be that good to you. So strike me a match and let's go pipes a blazin!
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Peppino (74) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Wow! Bought on a whim, I liked the packaging and it had everything I like. It lights easy and has a full flavor, it holds it's flavor through the bowl. Smokes dry with a nice gray ash, liked it so much I bought six tins to age for awhile. Excellent
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Bought this from my local tinderbox on an employees recommendation. must say I am quite happy with this blend. The flavour is complex yet subtle with a leathery/peppery overtone as provided by the modest amount of latakia. seems to burn a tad on the hot side, but that may just be the way I'm packing it. Has an after-taste of walnuts and peppercorns which I find very pleasant.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant |
I got a tin of this free from my favourite tobacco store and was blown away by how great it is. I am a fan of regular frog morton and found this to be on the same level. I really cant find any thing bad to say about it. Smokes very cool and has no bite and has a very great latika flavor as well definately recomend to everyone.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I got a free tin of this at he Chicago Pipe Show and was genuinely and happily surprised! Upon opening the tin you get a strong scent of Latakia. This blend has an almost McClelland type smell to it. First light brings instant pleasure. The Orientals are quite prominent,followed by luscious high grade latakia and sweet virginias. I was actally shocked tht this was an Altadis product. Far superior to most bulk blends and on par with many expensive tinned blends. If you like Artisan's Blend or Tashkent but cannot readily find them this, is a good substitute. Very much recommended for the heavy English crowd.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| constantsmoker (65) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
This is one of the better Altadis/Sutliffe offerings. A solid Balkan/English/whatever entry. A tasty smoke, room note that the girl friend likes and, most importantly, the Latakia makes its presence known, interplaying nicely with the Virginia and Oriental components. Indeed, a pleasant surprise that compares well to some of the more pricier blends of this type. Recommended.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30167) | |
Very Mild | Mild | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
I've been smoking a pipe for roughly 2 years now and I've only recently started experimenting with different types of tobacco. I started with aromatics for my wife's sake but I was never satisfied with the over-all taste, especially towards the end of the bowl.
Bosphorus Cruise is the 3rd English Blend that I've tried and my favorite so far. It starts out mild but if you smoke it slowly it definitely picks up flavor. As you get towards the middle of the bowl you can definitely start tasting the Oriental and the Latakia is present throughout the smoke which gives you a nice smooth smoke.
Overall I would consider recommending this to anyone who likes a mild English Blend and this is good for beginners like me.
1 person found this review helpful.
600 Perdue Ave
Richmond, VA 23224