Dunhill Aperitif

Aperitif is to My Mixture 965 what Frog Morton original is to Frog Morton's Cellar.

Smokey with only a touch of sweetness. It's another of what I tend to call the "meat and potatoes" type of blends, though this one is better than most I put in that category.

I wouldn't say it is the kind of blend that is going to "wow" you, nor is it one that you're liable to sit and necessarily savour for its own sake (though I could imagine there could be circumstances where you might), but probably more the sort that you will sip away at while you work on something else or have your focus otherwise on other things.

It's not a bad little blend, though My Mixture 965 or Frog Morton's Cellar are far more interesting to me, probably because I like a bit more sweetness to sit alongside the smokey characteristics. This has sweetness, just not as much as I'd personally prefer, or which tends to capture my attention.

To be honest, the most alluring thing about this particular blend is the name and the tin art, but here again if I'm going to smoke a blend like this I'd prefer to just stick with Frog Morton's Cellar or My Mixture 965.

But if you find those two a bit sweeter than you'd like, this might be one for you.

UPDATE 07/2017:

I'm not sure if its the age of the tin or my age now, but this blend has completely changed for me, becoming far more interesting and with that interesting incense like quality to it.

It's become a favourite and I'm cellaring it up.

Bought this because I enjoy Dunhill tobacco, N.Cap, R.Yacht, and other English blends especially Artisan's Blend, and I enjoy S.Leader from my Meerschaum. I have tried it in a few different pipes and the result is the same. It is a bit like an overly peppery version on S.Leader. I did not enjoy this at all, it burns well, and smells ok'ish but that's about it. Constant same flavour all the way through, like smoking the remains of an old ash tray.

This is properly a Scottish mixture. Virginia, Latakia (not too much), Oriental and toasted unflavored Black Cavendish. As a Scottish this tobacco could be a four stars but in my opinion there are two little lacks. First I prefer a little more sweetness, that is more Virginia and less Latakia. Second in this blend there is not much strength (a mild to medium strength) which for some might be a merit, but for me it is not. For these reasons, in my personal rating system (from 1 to 10) my score is 7 and two and a half stars.

I did in fact wait to smoke Aperitif after an amazing meal with a few drinks, which may or may not influenced the review. Opening the tin I was met with a familiar English charcoal/fireplace aroma found in Dunhill's 965 or Nightcap, but it was not as pure having a little of that outdoor barn smell from the Virginia. This was the first time those two paths converged in a single blend for me. It was an intriguing proposal, would the Virginia soften it up?

Packed and sparked up like a champ. Gave off a fairly neutral taste with the two sides sort of canceling each other out, though the English was still the frontrunner. That first night (blame the drinks) it worked for me, repeat performances were just, fine. Landing this smoke 2 stars for me.

It never overpowered me, which made for a long lasting smoke, but it never hit any wow nerve either. It is a good smoke with smoke tang and I would be happy to buy a tin if it was the only choice available, but given all the choices out there I'd likely not rebuy it.

While a good all around smoke, I found this to be not all that distinctive. It was indeed mild, but that in and of itself cannot be a recomendation. I have smoked my way through most of the Dunhill mixtures and many of the McClelland mild Virginia oriental mixtures such as Mixture number 6. Aperitif, while pleasant, is simply not distinctive enough to warrant a repurchase.

EDIT REVIEW OCT06/2015:

the current edition by ST is something different, just like other Dunhill's.

Very nice burning qualities, no bite. It offers a smooth & refreshing medium smoke with a dry quality to it. All the components are very balanced, the Latakia contributes to the flavour in a very lesser measure one would expect from the tin aroma. I don't feel a great sweetness, but a buttery tone which I associate to the unflavoured Black Cavendish.

A nice medium EM in the Scottish style. Not going into the list of my preferences, in comparison to other EM's available in Italy (Sam Gawith's in the top list).

***

Alongwith opened tins to be cleared out from cellar, here is a case of something to be religiously kept well protected...

This tin is marked "dunhill" (not "Dunhill" in italic font, know what I mean ?) and shows the Mark "by appointment of Her Majesty... as purveyors..." upon it; the rim is also showing "Manufactured and blended in the United Kingdom" and "Alfred Dunhill Ltd. Duke Street St. James's London". I bought it in Munich (DE) circa 1990, I well remember how many good tobacconists with products we never had in Italy!

The tobacco was taken out from the tin time and time ago, well before it went ruined by the rust, and put on a glass vacuum jar. I'm still keeping the tin, just to remember the good times... and regarding the tobacco, I know where to go when I want celebrate the true english mixtures of old.

It was supposed that the "appetizing" qualities of Apertif were due to some cigar leaf added, maybe there is a small quantity, I could't swear.

The smoking experience is heavenly. I would name dozens of nice conjugations to this superb mixture, whose colour the time has melted into a deep brown and black colours. The smoke is extremely balanced, spiced, biscuity, naturally sweet. No way to have the bowl hot, indeed!

Lucky I am that enough is remaining, I keep me enjoyed as one does with vintage liquors.

A heaven of stars to Aperitif.

Odd, I was unsure of what to expect when I opened the tin, but not the sweet aroma Apertif produced. The Dunhill blends I have tried have usually been quite proper, as far as English tobaccos are concerned, this is a definate sweet change of pace.

Upon lighting, I tasted baking spices, perhaps allspice, cinnamon or clover. Such a strange taste, I was put off at once. I continued through half a bowl and that was all I could stand, so I put the tin away for several days, thinking that my taste buds were being affected by outside influences. When I tried another bowl the taste was the same, baking spices, I will not return to Apertif, but it was an interesting blend.

Not awful, but not what I would expect from Dunhill.

This blend was milder than I expected. Less Latakia than I expected. This was the first taste of Scottish blend of tobacco for me. I've just expected something more flavourful.

As a first time smoker of this blend, I was looking quite forward to it - bearing in mind it is a re-release from Orlik/STG. The usual Dunhill cut is flawless and mositure perfect. Tin note is typical of tobaccos of this genre. Initial taste was a pleasant oriental forward smoke of medium strength and no harshness. About mid-bowl however, the Cavendish was a little too pronounced for my liking, with a flat, cardboardy taste that luckily did not dominate the flavor. Otherwise, not a bad smoke, but not one I'll be craving too often.