Robert Lewis Orcilla Mixture

Initial rush of tin nose upon opening made me think this might be a dead ringer for G. Smith and Sons Old London Mixture that I've been unsuccessful in finding more of. Very rich, deep aroma. Mostly tan in the tin and a fine ribbon cut. It smoked very quickly due to the cut and, as with most blends, slow sipping helps.

Taste-wise, this was nowhere near OLM. It was very subtle and wispy, but with good flavor and a fair slice of complexity. This is purported to be just oriental but there is naturally a base of virginia and with a bit of latakia as well. I've found that if you think there's latakia in a blend, there probably is, Fox' Provost Mixture being a notable exception. Some smokers find perique in here as well, but I did not. There may be some dark cavendish, however, as there is a bit of sweetness that I don't associate with straight virginia.

While I was disappointed that this didn't live up to my original hope, this is a very nice blend with a mildly spicy Turkish overtone. It won't bite if overpuffed but it will become a touch harsh. Unfortunately, it's light flavor will cause some to overpuff, so just keep in mind that patience is required to bring out the flavors. This is a little lighter than I prefer and I probably won't buy this again, but it was worth the time I spent with it.

For those who like Oriental tobacco, Orcilla is a rare bird, an Old School blend that offers just what it says it offers, full, rich Turkish tobacco that scratches that particular itch and satisfies well on that particular level. The tin note has some cocoa over the tobacco, but I don't get this in the smoke. Otherwise, the fragrant Orientals are forward, Latakia is faint, and the VAs nearly AWOL. As for the Cav, I wouldn't have known had I not read the K&K blurb, but now I think I smell it and taste it, too, just a little... Preparation is simply loading the shag rather loosely in the pipe. I suggest a big bowl and very careful - or no - tamping. Better, only judicious poking. Loosely loaded, it lights fairly easily and burns fast. The initial tobacco aromas and flavors start out mild, rich and fragrant rather than strong and peppery, in a distinctive way, sort of loam-y, with all the best, most exotic Turkish spices. Low key, but subtly complex. Flavors tighten up and concentrate some as the tobacco is smoked down, becoming more focused and sour. There is just a little sharpness and sweetness offsetting the sour taste, and now that I know there are VAs and Cavendish in the mix, I suppose that explains it. Some anise and cardamom appear down the bowl, in the taste and in the wonderful blue-purple smoke, and it's over too soon for the aficionado. The aftertaste is - once again - a good representation of the genre, smoky, loam-y, spicy/sour tobacco that is probably "an acquired taste". To my taste, Orcilla is anything but "dry" or "dusty" at any point. YMMV, likely based on your love or hate of the Turkish leaf or the shag cut. As for room note, my first though is always to spare others from Turkish tobacco, although I love the smell. I have been surprised by how well Orcilla ages, becoming even softer and still more fragrant.

3.4 stars all day, based on its being consummately - itself.

I was pleasantly surprised to see this stuff at my local B&M as a previous inquiry with the proprietor revealed that Robert Lewis's offerings were far from his biggest sellers, giving me the impression that, at the time, he was unlikely to stock any more after the few tins of the bland Wingfield Mixture he had in had sold. I have been humming and harring for a while as to whether I should take the plunge on this one as the idea of a Turkish blend interested me but my experiences of RL's other offerings have left me with mixed feelings. Their Tree Mixture is an absolutely superb smoke while the Wingfield left me feeling a little underwhelmed. But actually seeing a tin of this stuff on the shelf made my mind up for me.

The smell upon opening the tin gave me both sweet and slightly sharp hints of lemon, giving faint reminiscences of the one time I've smoked pure Turkish. The cut of the stuff is a little fine so does require a little separating and fluffing out, a fond reminder of some of Germain's tobaccos such as Plum Cake or Perique Mixture, though this isn't as fine as either of those. The packing is easy enough once that's done. The smoke itself is a peculiar one, the taste of medicated lemon is strong, as one mind find in a sore throat lozenge or cough syrup, that is occasionally interrupted by a mild dose of toffee, that could possibly be the virginia in there. The two also combine from time to time to provide a strange kind of medicated, lemony marzipan flavour, though that may be a sign I've eaten too much christmas cake. There's no sign of Latakia or any form of Cavendish that others have picked up that I can tell. That might just be me but I'm usually pretty good at picking up these things.

On the whole then, quite a queer flavour to this one but not an unpleasant one. This is certainly worth smoking and no doubt worth another tin from time to time. Three stars is probably about right as it doesn't thrill or set itself apart from other smokes. The only real downside to it, as some others have noted, is that it does smoke a little too quickly, though that's probably down to the fine cut.

A ribbon cut, much lighter in appearance than it's sister Tree Mixture. The tin note is pleasant to those who love oriental tobaccos. Moisture level was about right straight from the tin, it lights well and smokes coolly and steadily right to the end. This is an oriental forward blend, on a virginia base. There is little perique in there, and even less latakia. It is mild/mellow without ever being bland, yet I noticed more of a nic hit than I did with Tree Mixture. It is an above average blend, sufficiently different to stand out from the crowd, and one that aromatic and virginia smokers might find ideal for that first journey to the Balkans and the Levant. I recommend it to pipers who don't like latakia and perique used as blunt instruments, but it won't find it's way onto my rotation from where Old Dublin and Tree Mixture are currently repelling all boarders.

After an exhausting morning spent shopping for brass collar stiffeners on Jermyn St, and in need of some restoration I bobbed around the corner to James Fox, one of the finest examples of a Tobacconists one can ever hope to encounter within these glorious isles.

Looking for something oriental, the Wise Old Sage recommended Orcilla Mixture, a long-standing best seller, and seeing no reason to argue, I handed over the necessary doubloons and followed the well-worn rabbit trail to Green Park to enjoy the horticulture.

There is nothing quite like popping a fresh tin of tobacco. The satisfying rush of air as the seal is broken, the unveiling of the stained paper, the careful lifting of the card, followed by the plunging of the head deep into the leaf, like a pig snuffling for truffles. I know how Howard Carter must have felt when he opened Tutankhamun's tomb.

I didn't detect any latakia in the tin note, although I wouldn't have objected if I had. It's about as fine a smell as nature has to offer. The cut is more shag than ribbon, and maybe a little damp so would benefit from a few minutes drying and loose packing to avoid steam.

It does have a tendency to burn quickly, so not one to smoke outdoors on a windy day, but for my park bench in a green oasis in the metrop on a still early-autumn day, it was the snake's eyebrows.

I had some difficulty mastering the packing technique with this shag cut mix of yellow to red tobaccos especially with my larger bowled pipes. However, my hand is used to packing VA flakes so this blend, a much finer cut, was quite a change for me. My tin also had small amounts of jet black ribbons and a greenish/gray oriental add. The room aroma received no compliments from non-smokers but is rather typical of this type of blend or even turkish cigarettes. I thought that it smoked cool and found the taste uniform from start to finish. However, I feel that the orientals overpoweed the VAs and their normal sweetness and resulted in a rather spicey taste. Although I can enjoy this as a change of pace, I would not choose this blend as a steady smoke. This blend is accurately advertised as a "classical oriental blend". If that's your pleasure, you'll most likely enjoy the high quality tobaccos in this blend.

Due to being a shag cut this burns very quickly, however it doesn't burn hot and I do not get any tongue bite. It is very mild in terms of nicotine, and therefore there can be a tendency to puff too hard and fast if you are not too careful and it goes quickly (it's good for a quick outside smoke when in work therefore!), however if you can puff slowly this is a very interesting blend.

At the start of the bowl there is the right amount of refreshing Turkish in there (and a very nice tin smell), making it for me at least a good morning blend. But then things get very interesting as you get to the middle and then to the end of the bowl as a lovely spicey flavour comes to the fore. I would class it still as a mild flavour, but by no means a 'thin' one, and as others have said this would make a very good all day blend for those who smoke a lot of bowls.

Tin smells of fruit and good Virginia hay with subtle leathery notes. It's light and sweet at first when the virginias dominate, but the orientals quickly come into play and it gets quite spicy, almost peppery towards the end.

Nothing else like it on the market and deserves to be tried. It took me a while to get into this tobacco, and my tin has lasted me nearly a year, while countless other tin have been popped and smoked in the same time, but when I'm in the mood for it and it's subtleties, it's a damn fine blend and I'll revisiting it as long as it's available. And I have to agree with a previous reviewer and say that this is an excellent (fall) autumn tobacco. Try it!

This is a very nice fall tobacco. Lots of Oriental, never bitter, nice mature Virginia. This is not a big smoke, not overwhelming, but pleasant with enough dimension to keep it interesting. Seems more rounded and a little less monochromatic compared to EMP. I also tried this along side of Campanile. It somehow just seems a bit more mature, a little more smooth. Smokes down to fine ash, pleasant all the way. An excellent fall walking trip tobacco.

Update June 2009. I found a can of this that had been opened but well kept for at least a year laying about. It is far more spicy and strong than I remember it being! Seems the orientals are reALLY coming out and there an almost perique like spiciness that takes over near the last third of the bowl. A little different than I remember it, but still a very good smoke.