Dunhill Aperitif
(3.28)
A complex blend of Virginias, cavendish, Latakia and Oriental Leaf. The name 'Aperitif' suggests this well balanced medium mixture should be enjoyed prior to dinner.
Details
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.28 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 20 of 145 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 06, 2015 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Based on the new Orlik version. This looks a lot like Durbar in the tin but the aroma isn't the same musty, juicy oriental-forward mouth-watering affair. Here the latakia is more to the forefront in the tin note but doesn't completely devour the orientals.
Balance is the keyword for this blend. For some reason, I like to dump latakia blends into English, Scottish or Balkan, but this one is so well balanced that it doesn't really fit into any of them. It may be called a Scottish because it contains Cavendish, but the latakia content is too high in my opinion. I think of this as more of an English, although the latakia content is too low for that, again in my opinion. Hence the problems with pigeonholing. At any rate, in the smoke, no one component ever rose up above the others. It was almost as if it was a single tobacco strain rather than a blend. I wouldn't call this a sweet tasting tobacco, even with the inclusion of Cavendish, nor a smooth tobacco. It had a nice "bite" to it (not tongue bite - more of a flavor explosion with guts) and even its bitterness worked to its advantage. I find this to be one of the better Dunhill blends but it still lacks something... and I wish I could figure out what. Perhaps a sweeter mix of Virginia? Hard to say. It wasn't a creamy smoke like 965, nor did it have that blend's robustness and character. I may have to experiment with this one some more. I liked it and am glad I tried it, but once the tin was empty I didn't have the desire to restock. If you want to complete the Dunhill ensemble of "time of day" oriental blends, this should fit in nicely somewhere between EMP and Durbar.
Balance is the keyword for this blend. For some reason, I like to dump latakia blends into English, Scottish or Balkan, but this one is so well balanced that it doesn't really fit into any of them. It may be called a Scottish because it contains Cavendish, but the latakia content is too high in my opinion. I think of this as more of an English, although the latakia content is too low for that, again in my opinion. Hence the problems with pigeonholing. At any rate, in the smoke, no one component ever rose up above the others. It was almost as if it was a single tobacco strain rather than a blend. I wouldn't call this a sweet tasting tobacco, even with the inclusion of Cavendish, nor a smooth tobacco. It had a nice "bite" to it (not tongue bite - more of a flavor explosion with guts) and even its bitterness worked to its advantage. I find this to be one of the better Dunhill blends but it still lacks something... and I wish I could figure out what. Perhaps a sweeter mix of Virginia? Hard to say. It wasn't a creamy smoke like 965, nor did it have that blend's robustness and character. I may have to experiment with this one some more. I liked it and am glad I tried it, but once the tin was empty I didn't have the desire to restock. If you want to complete the Dunhill ensemble of "time of day" oriental blends, this should fit in nicely somewhere between EMP and Durbar.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30, 2014 | Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable |
This blend blew me away. It reminded me of the murray's 965 which I throughly enjoyed. It has the distinctive dunhill signature, leathery, spicy and buttery thanks to the english canvendish. Easy to keep lit and full of flavour.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 2015 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Strong |
I regret I didn’t try the old version of Apertif. Never saw a tin back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I recently ordered a couple of tins from Tabaqueria Xian (a heroic enterprise in a country where pipe smoking is rare and good pipe tobaccos are difficult to come by).
Apertif belongs to a range of three tobaccos originally designed by Dunhill in the mid 50’s to form a day long rotation, starting with Early Morning Pipe and finishing with Nightcap. Theoretically Apertif would be a pre-dinner smoke. It is medium to full but not as strong as to render the palate innocuous to the dining flavours to come.
It is a mixture similar to 965 but, in my opinion, not as strong. It seems that the English style Cavendish is more prominent here than in 965, whereas the Latakia has receded to a bare minimum. Yet there’s enough of it to make it clear this is an English/Oriental.
This is a very smooth and luxurious smoke. Easy to load, it lights up rather easily and it stays lit throughout the duration of the bowl. It seems to be a bit moist in the tin, but in my experience that does not affect the combustion rate. A very good tobacco that should be enjoyable to all English/Oriental blend lovers.
Apertif belongs to a range of three tobaccos originally designed by Dunhill in the mid 50’s to form a day long rotation, starting with Early Morning Pipe and finishing with Nightcap. Theoretically Apertif would be a pre-dinner smoke. It is medium to full but not as strong as to render the palate innocuous to the dining flavours to come.
It is a mixture similar to 965 but, in my opinion, not as strong. It seems that the English style Cavendish is more prominent here than in 965, whereas the Latakia has receded to a bare minimum. Yet there’s enough of it to make it clear this is an English/Oriental.
This is a very smooth and luxurious smoke. Easy to load, it lights up rather easily and it stays lit throughout the duration of the bowl. It seems to be a bit moist in the tin, but in my experience that does not affect the combustion rate. A very good tobacco that should be enjoyable to all English/Oriental blend lovers.
Pipe Used:
Peterson's De Luxe
PurchasedFrom:
Tabaqueria Xian
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2018 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
It's good to come back to a Dunhill blend. I've been smoking Samuel Gawith blends for the past two months or so and I can honestly say that I have missed Dunhill - especially their famous ribbon cut (still the best) and ease of smoking. You open the tin and it's ready to go - no need for drying out, no need for prep work, just fill your pipe and enjoy bliss.
Tin note is that of Orientals (being Turkish, I get the Turkish tobaccos in here very, very easily), Latakia, leather, some sweetness, some spice. It smells delicious.
And that's exactly what this blend offers, smoking bliss. The tin aroma gives off a nice whiff of Orientals, along with the Latakia. It's just a match made in heaven, and it's very hard to go wrong with a blend such as this. But this being Dunhill, it's been blended to perfection.
The smoke is sweet, silky smooth and just full of flavor. I prefer this to 965, which is also a great tobacco. But this is just sweeter, more mellow somehow, not as harsh. It's so easy to smoke that I barely even noticed that I was smoking it for nearly an hour. Also incredibly easy to light and maintain, no big surprise there. I'm sure I could have smoked down to the end of the bowl with just the initial light, but of course I tamped to have a more even burn. The ashes are quite fluffy and soft. The smoke itself produces thick clouds of white, soft smoke.
Really, this is an excellent, excellent blend. The nicotine level is quite normal for me so I could very easily smoke this all day. Goes great with strong black tea. Very impressed.
Tin note is that of Orientals (being Turkish, I get the Turkish tobaccos in here very, very easily), Latakia, leather, some sweetness, some spice. It smells delicious.
And that's exactly what this blend offers, smoking bliss. The tin aroma gives off a nice whiff of Orientals, along with the Latakia. It's just a match made in heaven, and it's very hard to go wrong with a blend such as this. But this being Dunhill, it's been blended to perfection.
The smoke is sweet, silky smooth and just full of flavor. I prefer this to 965, which is also a great tobacco. But this is just sweeter, more mellow somehow, not as harsh. It's so easy to smoke that I barely even noticed that I was smoking it for nearly an hour. Also incredibly easy to light and maintain, no big surprise there. I'm sure I could have smoked down to the end of the bowl with just the initial light, but of course I tamped to have a more even burn. The ashes are quite fluffy and soft. The smoke itself produces thick clouds of white, soft smoke.
Really, this is an excellent, excellent blend. The nicotine level is quite normal for me so I could very easily smoke this all day. Goes great with strong black tea. Very impressed.
Pipe Used:
Various
PurchasedFrom:
Local tobacconist
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 07, 2016 | Mild to Medium | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
I really do not smoke much. In fact just during my vacations in Greece, where I'm always looking for the Greek cigarette "Papastratos" later named "ASOS" and I always smoke these oval cigarettes without filter. By accident, I jumped into a very nice tobacco shop in Copenhagen telling about my Greek habit. Then I was introduced to the Dunhill Aperitif. One pibe a day while walking my hunting dog has now become a daily pleasure and I always get the same lovely feeling from an excellent blend of tobacco with this touch of Turkish intensity. I love it.
Pipe Used:
Stanwell 2003 Silver edition
PurchasedFrom:
The Danish Pibe Shop
Age When Smoked:
65
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 17, 2014 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
New Orlik version and I never had the opportunity to smoke Murray's. The smell from the tin says 965 with Latakia quite present. The fine ribbon cut tobacco is moist but could be smoked right away. It lights easily and burns quite fast especially for fast puffers. The Cavendish is the dominating flavor, a slightly sweet and mellow taste with some tangy Virginia and spicy accents from the Oriental and Latakia. The description is spot on for a smoke before your last meal of the day. It's even good as a last smoke if one doesn't want something too strong but with a good amount of flavor. This mixture benefits more from sipping than fast puffing, the flavors tend to be replaced by a sharp tangy taste if you rush your smoking session.
Virginia lover
Virginia lover
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 05, 2011 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Aperitif is another one of the Dunhill blends that Orlik has chosen to leave as a memory with their return to the American market. I am not sure if it was due to lack of demand or lack of available leaf. Either way, like most Dunhill blends Aperitif is made of quality leaf and is somewhat complex for a blend touted as...well, an aperitif. Like most Dunhill blends, Aperitif will offer a good dose of Lady N if smoked quickly. This medium English offers an underlying sweetness to complement its smokey quality. It could easily be an all day smoke. However, I would agree with Claudius below in that its not distinctive, at least not enough to pay big bucks for when my small small stash is exhausted. I would recommend it for lovers of Dunhill blends that haven't had the chance to try it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 20, 2017 | Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Typical latakia aroma when you open it!it comes at the right moisture though it might need a few re lights!nice cut easy to pack burns quite good.if you go easy some sweetness and citrus taste is there but latakia leads the taste.also it has all the quality standards of dunhill blends.after a good dinner it helps you relax more!i recommend it!
Age When Smoked:
When opened!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 04, 2014 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I Like this new release, period ! To me, Dunhill, has a strange marketing ploy, naming their blends for different times of the day, Early Morning Pipe, Nightcap, Aperitif. I actually like smoking their different blends, whenever, and this is no exception.
I find their "ribbon" cuts very easy to work with . Easy to pack, light, stay lit and no problems with embers falling all over.
This particular blend is smooth and I would compare it to a mild MM 965. I have never been a big fan of MM965 because I personally find it on the harsh side. This might not have the same bold flavor as MM965, but I do find it to be an all day smoke, while still being a flavorful, smooth, " Scottish" blend with plenty of smoky latakia.
I agree with reviewer ,"Eulenburg 2004-05-09" even with the new release.
I find their "ribbon" cuts very easy to work with . Easy to pack, light, stay lit and no problems with embers falling all over.
This particular blend is smooth and I would compare it to a mild MM 965. I have never been a big fan of MM965 because I personally find it on the harsh side. This might not have the same bold flavor as MM965, but I do find it to be an all day smoke, while still being a flavorful, smooth, " Scottish" blend with plenty of smoky latakia.
I agree with reviewer ,"Eulenburg 2004-05-09" even with the new release.
Pipe Used:
cob
Age When Smoked:
new
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2017 | Mild | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This is one of my favorite Scottish Blends, though I must admit there are few blends I consider to fit the definition. Also, some might not consider the Oriental leaf in this blend to be sufficiently prominent to justify this blend's labeling as Scottish. Issues of definition aside, this is a very enjoyable smoke.
The Orientals and Cyprian Latakia take the lead from charring light to last sip. The Orientals consistently provide spice, woodiness, and some very mild (and welcome) sourness. The Cyprian Latakia is, of course, smoky and meshes well with the inherent sweetness of the unflavored Cavendish. The Cavendish not only sweetens the blend a bit, but also contributes a creamy smoothness that is always present in the smoke. I do not really detect the Virginia leaf, but I get the sense they are doing their job in the base of the blend.
The strength of the blend is medium for taste and mild for nicotine content. Few relights are required and the blend leaves a dry bowl. Considering the Latakia and Oriental content, the room note should be relatively inoffensive to bystanders.
I highly recommend The Aperitif. Where some other Latakia/Oriental-forward blends are smooth in a way that leaves me underwhelmed, the Aperitif is interesting in its complexity and Oriental spiciness/sourness but smooth because of the Cavendish. I hope that makes sense to the reader. I have liked this blend from the start, but figuring out what set it apart took quite a bit of smoking.
The Orientals and Cyprian Latakia take the lead from charring light to last sip. The Orientals consistently provide spice, woodiness, and some very mild (and welcome) sourness. The Cyprian Latakia is, of course, smoky and meshes well with the inherent sweetness of the unflavored Cavendish. The Cavendish not only sweetens the blend a bit, but also contributes a creamy smoothness that is always present in the smoke. I do not really detect the Virginia leaf, but I get the sense they are doing their job in the base of the blend.
The strength of the blend is medium for taste and mild for nicotine content. Few relights are required and the blend leaves a dry bowl. Considering the Latakia and Oriental content, the room note should be relatively inoffensive to bystanders.
I highly recommend The Aperitif. Where some other Latakia/Oriental-forward blends are smooth in a way that leaves me underwhelmed, the Aperitif is interesting in its complexity and Oriental spiciness/sourness but smooth because of the Cavendish. I hope that makes sense to the reader. I have liked this blend from the start, but figuring out what set it apart took quite a bit of smoking.
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