Peterson My Mixture 965

Thanks to this wonderful website I have managed to this point to avoid the truly terrible tobaccos out there. Even with the ones that I didn't like I could see how some people could enjoy them even if I didn't. But for f#*k's sake this was something else.

The story behind this disaster is that I walked into Edward's Pipe and Cigar of Denver, and here were are blessed with one of the truly great B&M's in the country. I took a look behind the bar and lo and behold, there, resting on the shelf, was something that I hadn't seen in years- a dozen or so tins of 965 and a few of Nightcap. I guessed incorrectly that some poor SOB had died and left his collection of Dunhill to posterity and that his wife or children had sold the lot off. My lucky day right? So I bought a tin.

Before going further, I must say that without a doubt 965 provided the superlative pipe smoking experience of my life. I loved the stuff under Murray's manufacture and still have a tin dated from 2000 that I plan on smoking when my physician informs me that I'm down to the final six months of my life- that's how good it was. I also have one remaining tin of Nightcap and London Mixture. They're great too.

What I purchased however, was what I should call the transitional Orlik's production. By that I mean that the lid was painted and said made in UK, but the back sticky label stated that it was EU production- tin dated 2007. They had just begun making tobacco under the Dunhill mark and would soon be out of the US market altogether. This tin was from that period.

To get an approximation of the flavor, go buy a carton of Camel Light cigarettes. Carefully unwrap each cigarette and place the tobacco on a sheet of paper. Then throw the tobacco in the trash, place the filters and the box in a blender, shred, then stuff your pipe and light. Horrible. Flat. Nearly tasteless. Hot. Jarring it and cellaring it for a few months only made it worse. Into the trash it went. A waste of 15 bucks and to this date the only tobacco I have ever thrown out.

Now I know why someone sold a lot back to Edwards: a dedicated dunhill fan took one puff and said, "Bye Bye." Life is way too short to smoke tasteless crap, particularly when there are so many great English and Balkan blends out there.

It seems from reading below that the more recent Orlik's stuff is much better. I certainly hope so. In the meantime, stay away from any of these transitional tins. Pure garbage. You have been warned.

What is this? Is this blend today really is what was originally once upon the time?

Today, most Dunhill's blends are looking like cheap Chinese copy of once famous tobaccos. Even one may see it from how package looks like... And the sensation of smoking - it is poor, tasteless and without any pleasure.

Fortunately, there are other manufacturers of good English blends which are representing British tradition of its best. Dunhill, with this blend, as well with Nightcap lost fame.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

This one just wasn't for me, iin fact none of the Dunhill products I have tried were very good and many have been downright horrible. I know they used to get rave reviews before the blender change, I wish I had been able to experiance that.

I never tried the original that everyone seems to rave about; however, I have tried it in bulk, I've tried it in the tin, I've tried it in the car and I've had it with gin. OK, not really w/ gin, I don't drink anymore and got carried away there.

I have aged it (1 year) and gone back to it, thinking the first time was a fluke. I've used different pipes hoping that would help...

I normally smoke English blends and lots of Balkans, but I must've missed something here. I don't taste the latakia and I don't like what I do taste. It's not that it's strong, just flat. I mixed some more latakia in it, maybe that'll help me finish off what I have left...then I'll be sure NOT to buy any more!

Update for the Orlik blend: My lord how could they have taken such a beloved mixture and trash it. I personally enjoyed this mixture almost to the exclusion of other blends as it satisfied everything one could want in pipe tobacco. I don't think it is entirely Orlik's fault as I detected the Murray blend being cheapened at the last, but this is just not the same blend. It has a harsher and more stringent taste. Alfred Dunhill has officially rolled over . . . and if there be an afterlife, I suspect Alfred will demand his justice for the infidels.

Old Review: I have been smoking pipes for 40 years and smoked literally hundreds of tobacco brands, always in search of the perfect tobacco. I bought a tin of 965 perhaps 15 years ago and from my very first bowl I knew I had found it. It just doesn?t get any better than this blend, and even though I continue to search for another that can match it for pure enjoyment, I have never discovered one. Indeed I would be a happy pipe smoker if no other blend existed. There is an underlying sweetness and nuttiness here that is simply delicious. Never bites, and I tend to be a heavy puffer. While I enjoy the occasional pressed Virginia, Balkan and many other English blends, I find I reach for this one from the first bowl in the morning and throughout the day, usually only stopping for an occasional heavier English as an after dinner smoke. I have no idea what is in the ?Cavendish pot? included with 965, but I suppose it is that recipe that heightens the other tobaccos and brings out the smoky, velvety, tangy, all at the same time flavor. If you love good tobacco, pay little attention to the reviews of those who prefer to smoke raspberry goop in their pipe, and treat yourself to a bowl of what tobacco was meant to be. I recommend the tinned version, as the bulk is never as good and always seems to have a faint but noticeable stringent taste.

Update: The last few tins and bulks samplings, even prior to the Danish hand-off, drop this to one star. This has gone from a momentous smoke to something hot, harsh and undistinguished. I can make no correspondence between recent tinnings to what I wrote four years ago on TR. Sad.

Original review:

A blend full of complexity and depth of flavor. I still consider it a special smoke after 10 years.

I cannot believe what heights of creaminess and toasty aromas this achieves, with just the right amount of spiciness and floral notes, too. Cavendish brings in burnt-caramel/toasted marshmallow flavors, especially the last half of the bowl.

I prefer the tinned version, having purchased this in bulk previously. For whatever reason, I find more subtly in the tinned packaging. Go figure; it is probably just my problem.

My only complaint about MM965 is that once I have enjoyed a medium sized bowl of it, my mouth is fairly bombarded for about six hours or more. I guess the satiation adds to the economy of the blend.

Too moist or dry, I find anything less than moderate humidification to seriously diminish my enjoyment of MM965. It must also be puffed with care to avoid nipping the tongue.

There is little wonder to me why this has been popular for so long, amongst new and experienced smokers alike. Mastering the smoking of this blend will serve one well in pipe-pleasure and the enjoyment of other less challenging blends.

Mixture 965 has been reviewed with the results of a champion. And like a champion boxer, it virtually knocked me out. It is a nice-looking ribbon blend, but there the pleasantness ends. I smoked it while driving on a New York motorway called the Taconic State Parkway. PARKway indeed. With little to no shoulder on this scenic drive, I could have used some place to park. This is a road that I have driven at least a thousand times, getting off of the same exit each time. This time, with this deadly weed filling my auto and my mouth, I missed my exit. I was light in the head, I forgot where I was. At one point, dazed, wondering if I had really just passed my ramp, I swore that I could see the ghost of Alfred Dunhill laughing at me. With the ringing of his hyena-like laughter in my ears, my vision blurred, and I swore that I was losing my mind. It was the later years of American president Ronald Reagan all over again. This stuff is deadly and is the reason for smoking warnings on tobacco. It has to be the only legal weed that has the essence of illegal forces. It should be called Mixture 666 as it is the very devil in a can; this is clearly the aim if one looks at the font used for the 'M' in its name (a swirling evil tail that does not end). I will not attempt this again, but gladly have recovered to conquer another journey.

Not another review of 965! Well, yes. It is important for dissenters to voice their opinions. First, the nicotine content of all the Dunhill line just seems too high to me compared to other brands (very fishy, indeed!). Second, I would classify this as a "Scottish" type blend, not an "English". IMO there is nothing special in this to qualify this as the "standard by which all English blends are measured". It smokes easily, leaves no dottle, no tongue-bite, etc..., but does that make it classic or great? No, thank you. Rating 3 out of 5 points. Save your pennies and go elsewhere Nuff said... Update: 01-27-04 A fellow pipester opened up a vintage tin of ths blend (1980's)and I'm afraid that it is still not a blend I particularly like. The ageing has smoothed it out, but the cavendish sweetness is cloying and for what ever reason, provokes heartburn in me. The nicotine content did decrease significantly, so that was nice, but for a blend of this type, I prefer "Old Dublin" or "My Mixture 7000". What else can I say?

Having tried and liked Nightcap, I thought I'd give 965 a try. Well... can't say I'm too enthused by it. It has a flavor that to me seems to be missing something essential, I'm just not sure what. I still have some around, but I doubt I'll be smoking it very much.