Planta Full English

Planta - Full English

This is a superb blend that I like a lot because it's just sweet enough but not too sweet, and unlike some other englishes I've experienced the latakia component doesn't knock me over.  Sure the latakia is there but as Mr. Gentleman Zombie commented something to the effect of, it wasn't heavily smoked such that the basic oriental nature of the leaf comes through also. Pretty clever.

Another benefit of this is that the latakia doesn't knock over the cigar leaf either.  In some cigar leaf blends I've tried the cigar leaf gets lost behind the latakia, while others I've tried that do not have latakia felt, ah...empty you know?  This one gets it right.

So I'm sitting here right now on my front porch with a light rain falling, smoking a bowl of this blend over a glass of pinot grigio and I'm thinking it's all quite nice.  This has recently become not only my favorite english blend but also my favorite cigar leaf blend as well.

The Latakia is definitely there but it's not a Lat Bomb. The description of the tobacco doesn't include any Oriental or Turkish leaf but, if I didn't know that, I would swear that it is there. There is a distinctly sour note, but not unpleasantly so, that is usually associated with Orientals/Turkish. Perhaps that comes from the type of cigar leaf used... The Virginias are sweet, with a bit of fresh bread flavor.

Excellent tobacco, very spicy, satisfactory with pure tobacco taste tha reminds you a good cigar. The latakia is not dominant, only gives to the blend and extra push...recommended for experienced pipe smokers and smoked in a small bawl preferably.

Summary: an English blend with cigar leaf instead of Orientals, producing a smooth and creamy taste in which the Latakia spice "pops."

English blends are like coffee: you can choose a morning blend, heavy on the Virginias and therefore sweet; a mild roast, which mellows out the blend with Burley or Cavendish; a full roast, which brings out the Latakia; or a dark roast, like "Nightcap," where another element such as Perique broadens the flavor and channels the agave-sweetness of Virginias more toward a spicy fruit flavor. "Full English" takes yet another course and adds cigar leaf in place of the Orientals, then reduces the Latakia, creating a molasses and vanilla flavor which causes the spiciness of the Latakia to pop right into the forefront at first. Eventually, it mellows, and the smoker experiences the wizardry of the English-style blend, which is balance. All of the components hold each other in contrast and yet meld together, bringing out a new flavor. Unlike Latakia bombs, "Full English" allows you to taste all of the constituent parts, despite creating a final product that melts down into a gentle spicy sweet-sour flavor, and bears more nicotine than the average English, making this suitable for an all-day smoke.

Notice: On smokingpipes.com, I noticed that this blend is discontinued by June 2020.

As previously mentioned, the java leaf content of this blend increases my curiosity each and every period that I tried. When I smoked it two years ago, it was fresh, smelling just latakia, but nothing else, cigar leaves were observable yet maybe not mature enough to take the lead during the experience of smoking. What I would say is that just like other latakia blends, it was a bit spicy, a bit sounded like BBQ sauce and oily&peppery through the end. Nothing special is worth mentioning. After a year of maturation in a mason jar (last year), to be honest, I intentionally tried it to see whether the taste is changed a little bit, but don't actually remember any significant idea. It slept for one more year. Now, in 2020, I am tasting my old friend again. It's just completely different. The traditional smell of latakia is almost faded away, and the strength of Java leaf came into the force! Hail Java! A hint of latakia does exist, but overall, it's now more like the blend of burley-latakia or Kentucky-latakia. Simply amazing.

My #1 English blend that I tasted so far. Sadly, it's discontinued.

I always have to smoke multiple bowls before I can come to a conclusion on a new tobacco. It sometimes takes my palate a bit to adjust, and the first bowl on a delightful new tobacco can be horrendus. Planta's Full English is no exception. Given the price, I just went ahead and pulled the trigger and purchased a pound. I figured even if it wasn't that great, the price would make up for it, and we're in lockdown and none of my local tobacconists are open. I'm just now finishing up a third bowl, and I have to say, I'm not at all disappointed. The first bowl had a bad bitter taste for the first half, but again, my palate takes time to adjust. The latter half was pleasant. The second bowl was markedly better, but not superb. The third bowl is very good. There is also a decent amount of vitamin N, which I like. If I could, just based on this third bowl alone, I'd give this 3 1/2 stars, but it's 3 or 4, not half way in between. Given the current price of just under $24/lb, I'll bump it up to 4 instead of down to 3.

EDIT: I knocked it down to three stars after smoking a few bowls in my briars. I couldn't get the first half of the bowls to be great, but the second half was superb. I may revisit this after some of it has aged for a month or three.

I will say that the aroma of the tobacco when I first opened the pouch was like nothing I have ever smelled before. I put 3/4 of it in a jar for aging and 1/4 in another jar for smoking. Maybe after some months, this will become a solid 4 star in its own right. All in all, this is fairly unique in my experience.

2nd UPDATE: I packed it all into jars and I just opened one just under two months. It really seems to have smoothed this blend out. With no age, I would say this is recommended. Just two months and I would rate it as highly recommended.

This is definite staple in my cellar! A great choice for the first pipe of the day with your morning Joe, and also a great all day blend that won't weigh heavy on you.

Pouch aroma/appearance:

3 distinct tobaccos in the pouch, the bright Va, the medium brown Java and the dark Latakia. The Latakia comes into this blend in hard chunks, at first I thought it was all stem pieces. They can easily rub out into finer pieces to ease packing. Moisture content on point here. Aroma is a fig like sweetness, with just enough light smokiness to know there is Latakia mixed in. The Java leaf really stands out in the aroma, lending only what I can describe as a slight chocolate aroma. From the initial pipe I packed with this blend, I knew I would be hooked.

Packing/Lighting/smoking:

Packing is plain and simple. The moisture content and uniform cut makes it a breeze. Initial light comes easy, just a light, tamp, light. Burns cool and even, not many relights needed.

The flavors are delicious. The Java leaf has a perfectly balanced sweetness to the Latakia, adding that sweet cocoa note to the mix. The Va adds a bit of spiciness and tang, which gets a bit more intense into the bowl. Yes, Java is used as a fine cigar wrapper, but this doesn't have the room note or flavor of a cigar, so do not let that dissuade you from trying this blend. In fact, I think it has a pleasant room note, and so did the wife. Nicotine is middle of the road. Its not light, but It doesn't set you on your butt neither.

This gets a full 4 star rating from me. Superb blend that will always be in my rotation as long as they keep blending it.

Planta