Chief Catoonah Tobacconist Litchfield Mixture

Being from the Litchfield area, I had to grab a sample of this tobacco at the Chicago show a couple of years ago. Now, going through many samples on hand, I can see why Dick Silverman won the John Cotton throw down that year. Given that this review is based on a four bowl sample, take it for what it's worth. This well blended “American English” shows its Burley flavor right up front. I am not normally a fan of Burley added to English blends, but this one seems to work for me. Shortly after lighting, the Burley moves back a bit and the other component tobaccos move forward. What makes this blend for me is actually the added Turkish. The amount of Latakia is fairly light and only plays a supporting role throughout the smoke. There is some complexity to this blend and some sweetness too. I am not sure where the sweetness is coming from as I don’t think it is a result of the Virginias or a specific Oriental. My sense is that it is manually added, but only lightly. The sweetness in Litchfield Mixture reminds of what some might call a “cross-over” English. Those that like sweeter English blends like FMOTT or Northwoods would likely find a home here, but I enjoy this more than both of those blends.