Peterson Elizabethan Mixture

When I want a mild Va/Per blend, this is what I reach for. The cut is very good for packing, lights easily and stays lit with rarely a relight needed. The Virginia comes through nice and mild with citrus/hay and the perique with its peppery type flavor is also present but not in an overpowering way at all. I find the proportions in the blend is well balanced. I consider it a mild smoke in all areas. I have heard from others they don't find the room note offensive but not an "oh that smells good" either. Any type of pipe smokes this well, I prefer to smoke it in either an Author or Prince shape. There are other Va/Per out there with more pronounced flavors from both the Va and the perique sides. EM is a good blend to start with for a Va/Per. On my scale it is a "cellar it" and have enough "just in case" it does disappear from the market as is projected in early 2018 at the time of this review.

This is quite an acclaimed blend and I tend to approach these ones with high caution as not to be predisposed. And so I opened the tin not knowing exactly what to expect rather than the tin description, and I was welcomed with a sharp note of citrus and grass complemented by the bright look of Golden virginia. Which is predominant in aroma and looks. The blend is cut to perfection - even more than the usual excellent Dunhill cut - and came at perfect moisture. I loaded the bowl which was a breeze and lit it up. It came out interesting, as I couldn't get much of that citrus taste whatsoever, it was richer and darker, but no light virginia or perique. And gradually towards the first third of the bowl the perique rises up to be the star of the show. Peppery, strong and nice, and this comes from someone who's not fond of perique. It remains so consistently till the very near end of the bowl. Dark and rich with a hint of pepper and zesty aroma. then just as I got to the end of the bowl, all this gets muted and the sharp, grassy virginia taste takes over. It is as if I am smoking a straight virginia. I tried 4 different pipes with it and got the same results, so I concluded that this is how it is. It won't make my favourite list for two reasons. One personal and one mechanical. The personal one is, I am fond of dark, rich virginia rather than bright ones, so that last part of the bowl becomes a tad annoying, and the mechanical part is that there is no complement of taste in that last part as well. It is as if the perique has disappeared from the blend. I compared this to one of my favourite VaPers which is Davidoff Flake medallions and I still prefer the medallions as it is more consistent and has aged virginia. But if you're unlike me, and you prefer sharp virginia, then definitely this is a top notch blend with the excellent mechanics of Dunhill tobacco.

I believe this was the first Périque blend I ever tried, seduced by the fact that its strawberry-honey hue reminded me of the unattainable mane of some beauty I was dying for at the time. The kitschy illustration on the tin seemed too utterly neat as well.

It was supposed to be Ol' Alfred's answer to Escudo, or Three Nuns. That it is not, but it is a good blend, and much easier to smoke than those two temperamental divas! Elizabethan will not suddenly go "poodle in flames" at you, and taste like burnt curdled milk. Impatient youths whose tongue quivers at the name VIRGINIA will appreciate Elizabethan's tried-and-true finish?the Dunhill hallmark, surely?and the Périque is very moderately, even staidly, applied.

V & P without tears, gentlemen. For young men in love.

I started smoking a pipe publicly in 1961. At the time, Dunhill Flake was my favorite smoke. Much later, I tried Elizabethan, expecting a treat. I was disappointed. Here is the review.

All perique is not created equal. Its taste is on a continuum with skunky on one end and figgy on the other.

Elizabethan is scented. I believe the additive is Oil of Bergamot. This is the oil that gives real Earl Grey tea its aroma.

The Dunhill version of Elizabethan was terrible. It contained too much skunky perique. It was overly scented. The bad perique and excess sauce overcame the wonderful Dunhill Virginia.

Shockingly, the Murray version was even worse than the original. During the Murray exile, the only Dunhill products I smoked were Standard and London Mixture. Even my Dunhill Flake was swill.

The Orlik version is very good. The blend has a lesser amount of figgy perique. The Oil of Bergamot is present but less prominent. The Virginia leads the way. It deserves three stars when smoked properly

1. Use a large bent pipe dedicated to Elizabethan. I prefer a Peterson System pipe for this tobacco. Elizabethan will ghost your pipe,

2. Smoke it wet. The depth of the Virginia comes through if the tobacco is a little on the moist side.

3. Pack it tight. I'm not suggesting that you pack it too tight. Pack it almost too tight.

4. Smoke it very slowly. Don't worry about relights.

5. Don't smoke it when you have anything else to do.

6. Pair it with Earl Grey. If you like Earl Grey tea, this is a good companion to Elizabethan. Lightly scented real Earl Grey is my personal favorite.

I wasn’t supposed to like this one. I have very little tolerance for perique, as my tasting faculties can hardly tell the difference between that tobacco’s distinctive spice and the sting of tongue bite. It’s not the tobacco, it’s me. So I don’t smoke a lot of Vapers. Take the review with a grain of salt, then, if you like. I wasn’t even looking for a Vaper. I’ve been finding it harder and harder to find tins of straight Virginia at any of my local tobacconists, and thus settling for blends with Virginia in them. This has had some lucky results. Picked up a tin with few expectations other than of disappointment.

However, this was a pleasant surprise. Right from the charring light, there is a wonderful blast of spiced honey and figs— that classic Virginia perique profile. You don’t taste it on the tongue, but in the back of the throat and in the nose, especially strong on the retrohale. Rich, distinctive and delicious. A note of buttered toast— buttered toast with honey is maybe the best way to encapsulate the flavors. Quite a sweet smoke, but the sweetness is all natural, much to my liking. There is a very slight bitter counter-note, as of walnuts or almond, maybe even loam or dark soil, that both balances and accentuates the sweetness. It also accentuates the sweetness of whatever drink you’re pairing it with— in my case, a watermelon shandy or bourbon. Quality all around. I’m pleased to see that Peterson has kept those wonderful ribbon cuts from the Dunhill line. This is a one-match smoke, if you pay attention and puff consistently.

I could see this being a regular in my rotation, especially in these summer months. Do I feel the need to start deep-diving into perique blends? No, but I’ll definitely throw in a tin of Elizabethan Mixture along with my usual Englishes and straight Virginia.

Elizabethan... Yes, this is a straight Va / Per blend that stands by its proposal. Out of the tin, a light german bread / hay smell from the Virginias. Smell it deeper and paying attention and you will get a bit of that perique raisiny smell too. Packs easily as it is presented in fine ribbons. Burns very well from top to bottom seldom needing a relight. Fine ashes at the bottom of your bowl. Taste wise - it tastes good, real tobacco taste, slightly sweet and the full flavour you will get by french smoking and retrohaling it from time to time - smells toasty . Medium to high nicotine for me here, so take your time... Very statisfying. blend.

Dunhill - Elizabethan Mixture.

I posted a review on this years back when it was still a relatively new smoke to me, so thought this was one I had to re-do!

The blend is very unfluctuating with its sizes of ribbon, they're all quite delicate. The colour is also fairly steady: medium brown. Even though the contents of the tin are quite heavily compacted, once fluffed apart there isn't too much moisture in there.

Lighting? Easy. Burn? Once lit an issue with it can be the speed, because of the slight build; so I tend to be gentle with my puffing. Apart from the speed there's no problem with the burn, going clean to a white ash. The flavour? A quality VaPer one: the Virginia gives the mix some backbone, by bringing hay and citrus, with the Perique livening it, by giving a deep fruity note; I get more in the way of flavour from the Per side than just spice alone. Elizabethan doesn't really bite, unless it's pressured to do so.

I find the room-note quite nice, and the nicotine medium.

A good quality VaPer.

Recommended.

I find quite a few Vapers to be overwhelmingly strong or spicy or both. Elizabethan on the other hand, to its merit, is smooth and flavorful with measured spiciness and strength.

It lights easily and behaves perfectly as all Dunhill blends. Produces a voluminous smoke which combines the Virginia straw/hay-like flavours with Perique induced dried/stewed fruit (fig/plum) juiciness and as the bowl progresses it becomes mildly peppery. It's not as juicy as other Vapers (Scottish Cake, Ascanian, Tudor Castle) as here Virginias are quite hay-like, nor does the Perique add a "black" element which I find in St. James' flake or Davidoff's Flake Medallions. I find it a very well balanced blend with some sweetness and a cigarretty character as well.

Strength is medium and it is nicely delivered by the creamy/smooth texture of the smoke. Nicotine is probably medium or a little higher, so although not a strong blend it is satiating. It can be an all-day smoke if one likes the flavour. One drawback I could mention is that it burns a little quick.

This Tobacco burned hot. Tasted sour and ash. I personally did not enjoy this blend. I know It’s fan favorite. I typically love love love VaPer Tobacco blends too. I will be giving this another try, but probably not any time soon. It’s a good Tobacco. Great quality. It’s just not for me.

UPDATE:4/8/23 I have just recently tried another tin. It seems this Tobacco has grown on me, but very very slightly. It’s good. And good quality. The smell is alluring. But I’m not sure what it is, but this Tobacco bites and burns really really hot. Even with that being said, this can be an easy all day smoke, simple and middle of the road, pure Tobacco flavor. I have dedicated it to breaking in my Virginia pipes