Erik Stokkebye 4th Generation 1882 Founder's Blend

This is a very enjoyable blend, one that I could easily smoke any time. My sample was a touch on the dry side but it was not too far off the mark from what I prefer. When first lit, the flavor is somewhat sweet, a bit smoky, and relatively herbal tasting. As the pipe gets going the herbal flavors build and the smoke delivers a cool minty sensation on the palate. Overall this tobacco is very mellow and even by the mid-bowl point it remains incredibly smooth, flavorful, and similar to what one might expect from a mixture with a lot more age on it. Furthermore, I found it to be almost entirely devoid of the typical spiciness found in similar blends. The Latakia flavor is still fairly forward but it’s nicely balanced by the sweetness of the other tobaccos. Mild mannered? Check. Medium flavor and body? Check. Founder’s Blend is also well behaved, tasty and it burns nicely. Overall this is a well crafted blend.

The tin aroma is intoxicating, all the components are quality, and come at a perfect RH ready to pack.. the coarse cut packs nicely though may need a couple of relights. The beginning of the bowl was surprisingly sweet and had me licking the sensation off my teeth, perhaps the only downfall of the blend but also one of its charms. The woodsy exotic spicyness of the blend is a nice counterbalance and it has a good amount of body right at medium. Finish has a slight red grape/dates kind of quality to it along with the earth and smokiness of the Latakia/Kentucky. Could be an all day smoke and is definitely a repeatable one. 3 stars because of the distinct sweetness that I can't compare to anything- but i could see it being 4 stars for others.

After the screw-up with "1855," I was cautious about the manufacturer's description. What if the Danish have their own understanding of the "English blend"? The description read, "Latakia, sun-dried Orientals, mature Virginia and full-bodied Kentucky leaf are blended together to create this old-fashioned English tobacco."

The 8 digits on the round 50-gram tin referred to June 2020. I opened the tin. The tobacco was cut in fine ribbons, well mixed, different varieties easily distinguishable, from dark lemon Virginia to almost black CYPRIAN Latakia. The latter turned out to be quite a lot, which gave some hope of meeting the expectations. There was a small amount of light colored Virginia, mostly ripe, milk chocolate varieties.

The flavor of the tobacco was fully consistent with the understanding of "English blend". The smoky, woody Cypress latakia provided the main note, enhanced by the Kentucky smoke and complemented by the subtle herbal sweetness of Virginia with a slight citrus sourness. The Orientals in the whole bouquet gave a hint of tan leather and an almost subtle aroma of incense. I did not detect any flavorings. The tobacco is quite dry despite its freshness, puffs easily, but does not crumble or dust. Naturally, you can light and smoke it very easily.

The taste of the tobacco did not let me down either. It has considerably less sweetness than, say, the Boutique Blend that I have reviewed before, but the bread note is more noticeable. Plus there is a slightly astringent nuttiness, a bit of woody flavor, a smokiness of the latakia and some white pepper. The flavor is harmonious, but a little dry. It changes in the process, taking on a slightly more defined sweetness. The tobacco does not bite, burns warmly, but does not burn the pipe. The strength is medium, unchanged through the smoking process. No nicotine hit. The smoke is warm, but does not burn the tongue and does not bite. The ash is gray and loose, the tobacco leaves almost no moisture, there is no need for a filter.

The smoke has a woody, toasty note with a light scent of incense. It does not irritate people around you, it is easily dispersed.

Bottom line: despite the presence of Kentucky, the tobacco is a great English blend for every day. I hope it stays on our shelves long enough.

The Kentucky is a nice change of pace. Burns well. Doesn’t bite. I thought the original tin design was classy, but they changed it for some reason. If you’re looking for an English with a punch, try this out.

UPDATED: Jan/6/2022 I guess the tins are now Grey, and say “Now with Full-bodied Burley.” Haven’t tried the new version.

This is an excellent tobacco if you love English pipe tobacco. Which I do. It's great right out of the tin. It smoke's cool and tastes great. My normal pipe tobacco guy ran out because I smoked it all. He never restocked but his other location has plenty. Well worth the drive.

Tin note of sour fruit, sweet hay and smoky. Tobacco is a coarse cut of brown, black and tan. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with a few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and moderately consistent, with notes of smoky, spices, incense, sour peaty vegetation, orange peel, leather, nuts, herbal floral, tangy citrus, toast, spicy, dark dry fruit, wood, earth, molasses, cocoa, a mildly sweet lemon grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Kentucky, Oriental/Turkish and Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.