Peterson My Mixture 965

This is my first Dunhill tobacco... and I can say, without reserve, i don’t like it. I noticed a similar “cheapness” in its quality which I’ve found in other European producers - something in the smoke which is thin, characterless, and simply unpleasant.

Even my wife, who has an astute nose for my tobacco choices, said that the whiff she caught while I was smoking was reminiscent of cigarettes, and even more so in my beard and on my clothes afterward.

The cut, moisture, blending, and consistency of the tin were fine. I think it’s more a question of taste. Obviously a lot of people love 965. As a lover of all Latakia mixes, I wanted to also... I just couldn’t, and I am firmly convinced that it’s something in the Continental style which doesn’t jive with my tastes.

I really wanted to like this blend as it has gotten such high reviews, but sadly, I must say it is a no go for me. I am a fan of Latakia based blends and generally like Dunhill's line of tobaccos, but this blend is just not satisfying or even enjoyable.

In a word . . .ashtray, start to finish. It tastes like I just licked an ashtray for 45 minutes. Nothing stands out that is really pleasant or interesting, it just tastes like dry cigarette tobacco to me. Maybe previous versions were really good, but the current production is just sad.

Early Morning Pipe is great, London mixture is smooth and relaxing, but this just doesn't offer anything worthwhile in the flavor department. It also burns on the hot side and is prone to bite. I will be cellaring my current tin in hopes that time will improve it.

This is perhaps the friendliest "heavy" tobacco I've smoked; sort of the Guinness of Stout beers. It's so well cut and such a

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smooth and cool smoke that the flavor of the heavy latakia content is prone to pass right by. To some, it's the sort of English blend that

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drives innocents from the room, but when smoked it's such a docile partner that I never find myself conscious of its potency. Comparing it

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to Frog Morton or Pirate Kake is much like comparing being asked for a charitable donation to being mugged - it delivers the same effect,

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albeit in smaller doses, but is so polite about it that you're prone to underestimate the experience. It is, however, still not a tobacco for the

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beginning smoker, and definitely not for the smoker accustomed to light aromatics... this would be much like going from Bud Light to, well,

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Guinness Stout for flavor shock value.

So I had a bulk version of this sitting around for a year before I tried it. When I tried it, I got a weird metallic flavor. I'm not a huge latakia fan when it overpowers a blend but I thought this would be the most balanced of the main Dunhill choices. It sort of was, but I couldn't get past that taste which reminded me of licking metal.

Drew Estate's "Meat Pie" had the same disagreeable taste. I've had other latakia blends which did not feature this off-flavor so I'm not sure what causes it in these. But either way, I threw out the Meat Pie as well as 965. It was that unpleasant to me.

I had VERY fond memories of this blend from years ago. I remember a blend with powerful, intoxicating blasts of flavor. Of course I couldn't wait to get my tins in the mail once it was reissued. Sadly this isn't even similar to what it used to be. The flavor is tinny, metallic, and acrid. It has a very strong stench of chemicals, and even though I never inhale this stuff makes me short of breath. No other tobacco does that. I still have quite a bit on hand, and I am debating whether to even defile my compost heap with this vile, noxious weed.

I contemplated two thoughts before writing this review. One, should I review it so soon after smoking my first few bowls. Two, should I compare this to the Murray's version of 965. The free sample my local pipe shop gave me only lasted a couple of bowls, and I will compare this to the Murray's version because the tobacco is still called My Mixture 965. I was fortunate to smoke not only 965 but also EMP and Nightcap (in bulk) from Murray's. What I remember about Murray's 965 was that it was a deep, rich smoking tobacco. Not heavy, strong or biting but it just smoked deep. I'm sure it had lots of latakia but you couldn't tell. It had some sweetness to it, almost fruit-like (maybe apricot or pear), but the most noticeable component was a very pleasant nuttiness. Overall, I enjoyed smoking it but then Orlick took over. This version, regardless of who blends it, is nothing like the Murray's offering. At best, I can only classify it as a regular English style tobacco and not a very good one at that. It appears to be a little rough around the edges. Very unrefined. I can't really compare it to anything else I've smoked but there are many I could recommend that are far better. You can never go wrong with Balkan Sasieni or PS Balkan Supreme. They're both a bit easier on the wallet too. Not only is this blend not even close to the Murray's version, IMHO it's a below average smoke. I'm surprised it's not blended by McBaren's. Crappy and harsh.

As I opened the tin and loaded the first bowl in a Peterson's churchwarden I was totally anticipating the experience and... Yes... At first I liked it quite a lot, but then, bowl after bowl I began to feel something wrong about it... like if something was totally missing.

As I smoke it I notice how the tobacco seems to be totally lacking of any "bottom note"... Like if it was disembodied.

I think it is a very harsh blend and, to quote some other review, the more I smoke it, the less I like it.

Ok, I don't get this blend. I have been smoking more than 40 years and just tried this tobacco for the first time. Now, halfway through the tin, I get nothing. Very pleasant aroma from unburned tobacco, but once lit there is, basically, zero taste. How can there be zero taste from a Scottish blend? I have no idea, but there it is. Easy to light and to keep lit. No bite. But without taste, why smoke it? Other reviewers say that some tins are much better than others--inconsistent quality, but I have plenty of tobacco that is consistent in quality, as well as good. Not recommended.

Initial lighting - lightly latakia forward, dry and reasonably smooth. About quarter bowl, the cavendish dominated with no sweetness whatsoever and a dry, flat taste. A little pepper from the perique accompanied the cavendish, with the latakia all but disappearing into the background for the remainder of the bowl. the only redeeming feature of this otherwise disappointing blend is that it burned superbly right to the bottom of the bowl with a light gray ash dusting the side of the chamber. Nothing like the earlier version of 965 IMO.