Butera Latakia No.1

Shiny short black, and occasionally chunky, broken ribbon mixed with beautifully cut strands of chestnut, tan, and light brown. The tin nose is fragrant, offering a mix of earth and spice alongside a prominent sweet smokiness. A clean, well-crafted mixture which is as easy on the eyes as it is delightful to the nose.

Rather damp in the tin, it packs and lights well after drying, producing voluminous clouds of blue smoke. Medium to full bodied, the Cyprian latakia is predominant throughout the bowl, blending nicely with the musty orientals to produce a consistent, subdued spice with a long tart and tangy finish. Notes of wood smoke, earth, bitter orange, and pine make an appearance now and again. As quick to reward patience as it is to punish inattention, when smoked carelessly it can be a bit heavy on the tongue ? a common feature of many such latakia-heavy mixtures. When given its due, however, it shows a certain complexity which lays just beyond its initial assertiveness.

Described on the tin as an ?English-style Oriental mixture? ? in this case clearly a synonym for the more commonly used ?Balkan blend? ? this is an excellent representative of a well-worn, and nowadays overdone, style. Unlike far too many in the genre, however, Latakia No. 1 is never cloying or flat and while it can tend towards a dry and occasionally too tart finish, the mixture possesses just enough New World leaf (in this case bright North Carolina and red flue-cured Virginia) to add interest and depth to what might otherwise be just another run-of-the-mill Balkan. In this reviewer?s opinion Butera?s Royal Vintage Latakia No. 1 is certainly worthy of the attention of confirmed ?lataphiles?, and perhaps might even serve as a pleasant diversion for those who normally shy away from the oft abused leaf. While there are certainly better Balkans to be had, this one stands above many a competitor.

I just finished smoking another bowl of this tobacco, nearly completing my first tin, and I can't say how much I really do enjoy smoking this blend. I'm not all that familiar with the Basma (meaning its native aroma or flavor) other than just by the name. However, by the aroma in the tin, it must be one of the heavier or mustier smelling Orientals. If not, this blend's predominat tobacco is the Cyprian Latakia.

Upon first opening, its initial aroma has a sweeter smell to it but with aging it settles to an almost tangy aroma with just a hint of sweetness coming through. In the pipe, it has a musty, pungent aroma that I prefer with the sweetness present in the background. I have never found, though, this tocacco having any bite or bad after taste.

I'm not an all day smoker but would not consider this to be an all day smoke. I can only say to not smoke this on an empty stomach because it can pack a bit of a nicotine punch and leave one a bit light-headed.

Highly recommended and I will add this to my regular rotation.

My review is based on a 2004 tin, opened 9/2008.

Flavorwise, I found Latakia #1 to be milder than I really prefer, more an all-day smoke than a special-occasion smoke. And while for me that's a slightly negative assessment, it doesn't have to be. If you're looking for a high-quality, entrancing example of a Latakia/oriental blend (built on a strong foundation of Virginias), this one delivers.

To my palate, it is head-and-shoulders above Latakia #2, which I found virtually taste-free. By contrast, Latakia #1 gives a good dose of latakia, with a moderate Oriental presence and solid Virginias. For me, it comes very close to being a Balkan blend -- at least as I define a Balkan (heavy latakias/Orientals with distant Virginias) -- but the Virginias predominate more than in a typical Balkan, and the latakia is a little more restrained. For me, this never reaches the "creaminess" that you get in a great Balkan when the Orientals and latakia really come together. But it comes darn close.

I think this would be particularly appealing to folks who enjoy the Pease English/Balkans, as well as those wanting a richer experience than they can get from a budget or bulk English mixture. It's certainly earned a spot in my own cellar.

Bob

Lovers of full English and heavy Latakia blends are highly encouraged to try this.

One can compare RVL1 to blends such as King Charles, Margate and Red Rapparee, #1 having more Latakia and easier to pack than KC & M; to Crown Achievement though fuller in body and without Cavendish; to Renaissance with less complexity; to London Mixture with more oomph and less Virginias; to Nightcap without obvious Perique and more Turkish; to Commonwealth Mixture with more complexity and less Virginias; to 3 Noggins Full but far less sweet and deeper in Orientals; and to Wilke?s 524 with a touch more refinement and fuller flavor. I cannot say how this compares to Astley?s English offerings, McClelland?s #14, or Butera?s Pelican. Full like Penzance, but sharper and less creamy.

There is little similarity to the RVL2, the Frogs or British Woods due to the obvious casing of the latter three (I am still undecided if #1 is slightly cased). #1 has more Oriental leaf than BW or #2. BW is also vastly darker in appearance than #1. If the latter three do not thrill, still give #1 a shot. I detected no vinegar or ketchup.

The closest blend comparison I can make for RVL1 is GL Pease Westminster, with W being medium-full and #1 full for an English blend. Robert Lewis 123 also comes to mind. #1 lacks the Turkish leaf to qualify as a Balkan blend.

RVL1 is full of bold and weighty flavors, heavy in spiciness and woodsy notes. This is a stout blend leaning heavily on Latakia and Turkish leaf. It also has fair nicotine fullness.

#1 is perhaps the overall most enjoyable, full English I have smoked in a while. It warrants its own craving. It is clearly differentiated from Americanized Latakia blends absent of Turkish leaf and reminds me to keep pipes for different genres.

As RCUSElder offers, this is straight forward stuff, though I do not recommend distracted enjoyment. #1 must be smoked carefully to avoid the ?tongue pinch? fuller Turkish and Latakia blends can produce. DGT works well with this blend, and the last half of the bowl is rich and wonderful, leaving a dry, salt & pepper ash. Group 3 and 4 bowls provided less intense and rounder overall flavors than larger bowled pipes.

Please, do not recommend this as an introductory English blend unless to someone already smoking full Virginia flakes, ropes, twists, or heavy Perique blends! One needs to build up to heavily flavorful tobacco before delving into RVN1.

The tin I am reviewing is dated 2004, so I do not expect long-term aging adding sweetness from the Virginias. Since this is tinned one year before distribution, it is probably ready OTS.

Let me go against the grain here for a moment and say this is better than #2.This actually tastes like an English blend. The problem I have with McClelland blends is that all of their English mixtures have a very Cavendish quality about them.This one has a tad of that McCleland Ketchup ,yet maintains its integrity as an English mix. The Latakia is smoky and th virginias are slightly sour (in a good Way). I feel it has more flavor than #2 and would advise reaching for this 1st. An excellent all day smoke!

This is the most McClelland-like of the Butera blends I've tried so far. It's characteristically ketchupy in the tin, but still offers a pleasant note. No. 1 is more like McC meets Frog Morton, which, incidentally, is made by the same company. The Cyprian latakia is not as forward as FM On the Town, though I am almost tempted to call this OTT light. The accent here is on the excellent stoved Virginias with their comforting sweetness and mellow flavor. Butera adds his own masterful touches to making this a great blend. It's not as great as No. 2, and that's probably because the latakia takes a back seat, and for me, the more latakia the merrier. Nevertheless, like all the McCs and Buteras I've tried, this is an all day, reliable smoke. The aroma is particularly nice with it's mixture of toasty burnt ember and woodsiness. It's so close to FM, and yet uniquely different. That's the beauty of pipe tobaccos, especially those created by masters like McC and Butera.

Four of five stars

This blend has all the elements and characteristics that I look for in a good english; it's rich, smokey, and stout. The aroma in the tin is quite pungent in a pleasant latakia sort of way. The taste on initial light is very full and small puffs feel big on the pallate. This is one of my favorite winter smokes for in the evening and is a great way end the day. Latakia No. 1 smokes cool and fairly dry all the way to the bottom. Here we have the richness of Nightcap without the bitter harshness that often accompanies the dunhill line (for me at least). When I want a big english blend I reach for this one quite often. What this one lacks in complexity it makes up for in fullness and richness. I whole heartedly recommend this one to english fanciers as well those curious few.

I smoked Balkan Sobranie #759 almost exclusively for 20 years. I had stocked up so much that I had no knowledge that 759 was no longer available till it was already gone. Balkan Sasieni is good, but it ain't the real thing. This is what caused me to try around 30 different latakia blends in the last couple of years- hence all my reviews I am placing on this website.

OK- Now to the story. Butera's Royal Vintage #1 is as close as it gets. It is my current favorite. It has the same strong flavor, depth of flavor and cool burning qualities as 759. Like 759, it builds up flavor as it goes down the bowl and has that quality that every puff brings out a slightly different taste. This may be too strong for many as I can definitely get lightheaded if I smoke this in one of my big boys.

Being blended by McClelland, it needs to be dried out a little and I find I need to shorten the longer ribbons to get it to pack well, but I always did the same with 759. I have to be careful not to tamp it down too much in the bottom third because it tends to get hard and won't draw, forcing me to loosen it with the pick if I want to finish.

Probably 4 years passed after I ran out of 759 until I tried this blend. To my taste this is every bit as good as the Balkan Sobranie. It is the only blend that even comes close. I have tried the other recommendations of Caravan, Balkan Sasieni, etc, but in my taste, they don't compare.

Now the problem with Butera's Latakia #1- The aroma really tends to linger. It gets in the carpet and the furniture and hangs around for a while. If you have a mate, you will probably get sent to the porch with this. Of course, this was always a problem with Balkan Sobranie too.

A fine all-day smoke, sensibly better than Latakia #2 from the same producer. You can still feel the McClelland hands on this, but it is much more "English" in taste, deeper in the oriental department and with a more evident smokiness. Good blend but, having heard the rumours about it, I expected something fuller.