Butera Latakia No.2
(3.30)
A full English mixture of Cyprian Latakia, Turkish, Orientals, Red and Orange Matured Virginias. A touch of Toasted Carolina is used to enrich the smooth, nutty flavor. Blended into Ribbon Form.
Details
| Brand | Butera |
| Series | Royal Vintage |
| Blended By | McClelland Tobacco Company |
| Manufactured By | |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50g Tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Mild
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.30 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 21 - 27 of 27 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2004 | Mild | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
After a surprise experience with a sample of a McClelland bulk English, and subsequent positive experiences with the Ashton English blends, I was looking forward to great things with this tobacco. Unfortunately, it didn?t seem to pan out that way. (I?m sure the majority of readers already know this, but just in case ? McClelland makes most Ashton Blends, and the Royal Vintage Butera Tobaccos among others) Latakia #2 is not a poor blend by any means, but I just didn?t get the same range of flavors that I did with the sample blend. (Wish I new which one!) I have an awful lot of McClelland produced English blends in the cellar, so I?m sure I'll get to one that blows my mind soon enough!
Aroma: Probably the best tin aroma for an English that I have experienced. Smoky sweet, and almost has the smell of an old tudor mansion. (Figure that one out.)
Visual: 80% Black and Dark Chocolate, with the lightest tobacco only reaching the caramel color spectrum. Short/wide ribbon cut, and ?thick? looking pieces.
Texture: Soft and maybe a bit on the moist side, which doesn?t bother me a bit. Interestingly enough, I pour all of my tobacco onto a piece of clean white paper before packing each pipe, and this left a seriously dirty mess when I would pour the excess back into the tin. ?!
Pack/Pipe: A little more difficult to get the proper pack than I would have expected from such a manageable cut. I would recommend packing with a bit firmer hand than usual. (I am a flake smoker, so this could have something to do with me tending to pack lightly).
Light: One match to char, one to send it on its way. Usually required two-three relights to finish off, which is a lot by my standards.
1st 3rd: Fantastic smoky flavor with not nearly as much sweetness as some of the McClelland English blends I?ve smoked. (ie: Ashton Old Dog). It has a taste that stays on the tongue. Kind of like lemonade. (The way it stays on the tongue, not the flavor!)
2nd 3rd: Actually gets a little less flavorful here, which is not my experience with most other tobaccos. Not bad, just a bit muted. (Could have something to do with the ?tongue? effect stated above). Often needed the first additional match here.
Final 3rd: Usually lost even more flavor here, and if I didn?t keep the ember rolling, lost a lot more. Very seldom smoked entirely to ash and bits, usually had a small amount of dry but not charred tobacco remaining.
Notes: Having the tin open for a while didn?t seem to affect this blend too much. A very consistent smoke.
Stogie Rating of: 5 Fair Fonsecas
Aroma: Probably the best tin aroma for an English that I have experienced. Smoky sweet, and almost has the smell of an old tudor mansion. (Figure that one out.)
Visual: 80% Black and Dark Chocolate, with the lightest tobacco only reaching the caramel color spectrum. Short/wide ribbon cut, and ?thick? looking pieces.
Texture: Soft and maybe a bit on the moist side, which doesn?t bother me a bit. Interestingly enough, I pour all of my tobacco onto a piece of clean white paper before packing each pipe, and this left a seriously dirty mess when I would pour the excess back into the tin. ?!
Pack/Pipe: A little more difficult to get the proper pack than I would have expected from such a manageable cut. I would recommend packing with a bit firmer hand than usual. (I am a flake smoker, so this could have something to do with me tending to pack lightly).
Light: One match to char, one to send it on its way. Usually required two-three relights to finish off, which is a lot by my standards.
1st 3rd: Fantastic smoky flavor with not nearly as much sweetness as some of the McClelland English blends I?ve smoked. (ie: Ashton Old Dog). It has a taste that stays on the tongue. Kind of like lemonade. (The way it stays on the tongue, not the flavor!)
2nd 3rd: Actually gets a little less flavorful here, which is not my experience with most other tobaccos. Not bad, just a bit muted. (Could have something to do with the ?tongue? effect stated above). Often needed the first additional match here.
Final 3rd: Usually lost even more flavor here, and if I didn?t keep the ember rolling, lost a lot more. Very seldom smoked entirely to ash and bits, usually had a small amount of dry but not charred tobacco remaining.
Notes: Having the tin open for a while didn?t seem to affect this blend too much. A very consistent smoke.
Stogie Rating of: 5 Fair Fonsecas
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 15, 2003 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
This one tastes as if it were a first cousin or even sister to Ashton's Celebrated Sovereign. The diference between the two is that this blend is a little more restrained and therefore can be an all-day smoke. It is a little moist upon first opening the tin, so I leave it open for about ten to fiteen minutes before packing my pipe.It lights easily and smokes without a fuss, maybe one swipe through with a pipe-cleaner for excess moisture, but apart from that it has joined my daily rotation. I love the way this matures as you smoke to the bottom of the bowl with a earthy smokiness that you wish did not have to end. I recommend highly!!!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 08, 2003 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
Opening the tin finds a wonderful full stringy English-cut blend. All componets in this blend can be detected in a complimentary way with each other. There is definitely a citrusy note that interplays off and on all the way down the bowl.
The blend easily packs and does not need a relight. It burns to a medium/fine gray white ash, without condensation in the heel at the end.
After my initial bowl or two I was not greatly impressed. Maybe I had rushed the experience. Now I find that several days have passed and when trying the blend again, I appreciate the subtle nuances to a far greater extent.
Just a really nice, smooth, what I would consider as an all-day smoke.
The blend easily packs and does not need a relight. It burns to a medium/fine gray white ash, without condensation in the heel at the end.
After my initial bowl or two I was not greatly impressed. Maybe I had rushed the experience. Now I find that several days have passed and when trying the blend again, I appreciate the subtle nuances to a far greater extent.
Just a really nice, smooth, what I would consider as an all-day smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 03, 2001 | Mild | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Nutty, sweet, and smoky, with a light citrusy underpinning to brighten it up, and quite a bit of spice dancing around in your mouth from the orientals. Just what you'd expect from the description. It's the same general strength as Dunhill Std Mixture Medium, only more complex, and doesn't have that pungent bitterness from the orientals like Std Mixture Medium. A very nice daily smoke.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 10, 2008 | Extremely Mild | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Very Pleasant |
My experiences seem a bit at odds with some of the other reviewers here. . .
I'm smoking a 2005 tin, opened in fall 2007. I have been impressed by the quality of the leaf and the blending. I also must say that this has a fantastic, latakia-rich aroma that I find absolutely delightful.
Where this disappoints is in terms of flavor. In short, there is none. I was shocked that a blend that could smell so wonderful could have so little impact on the tongue. . . almost like an aromatic that you endure just so other folks are happy. (Not that a latakia-rich aroma is going to make others all that happy. . . but you get the idea.)
I was so disappointed in the lack of flavor that I thought I might actually toss the remainder of my tin after three bowls. But I've never done that with a blend that was so well-made and that smelled so rich. So I continued. . . and I did find that the flavor improved slightly if you could dedicate a pipe to it. As another reviewer here has noted, this feels very much like a relative of Frog Morton; it just lacks the distinctive qualities that make the Frogs so interesting. More second cousin than sibling.
I would highly recommend this blend for new-to-English smokers or those who plan on smoking it all day. But if enjoying a pipe is something you do only once or twice a day, as is my situation, then I think you'll want something that can deliver more flavor along with the entrancing aroma.
Bob
I'm smoking a 2005 tin, opened in fall 2007. I have been impressed by the quality of the leaf and the blending. I also must say that this has a fantastic, latakia-rich aroma that I find absolutely delightful.
Where this disappoints is in terms of flavor. In short, there is none. I was shocked that a blend that could smell so wonderful could have so little impact on the tongue. . . almost like an aromatic that you endure just so other folks are happy. (Not that a latakia-rich aroma is going to make others all that happy. . . but you get the idea.)
I was so disappointed in the lack of flavor that I thought I might actually toss the remainder of my tin after three bowls. But I've never done that with a blend that was so well-made and that smelled so rich. So I continued. . . and I did find that the flavor improved slightly if you could dedicate a pipe to it. As another reviewer here has noted, this feels very much like a relative of Frog Morton; it just lacks the distinctive qualities that make the Frogs so interesting. More second cousin than sibling.
I would highly recommend this blend for new-to-English smokers or those who plan on smoking it all day. But if enjoying a pipe is something you do only once or twice a day, as is my situation, then I think you'll want something that can deliver more flavor along with the entrancing aroma.
Bob
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 20, 2006 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Very Pleasant |
i recieved a tin of this for christmas.boy was i glad i did.i fell for this tobacco right away.i have smoked a bunch of this tobacco,and i never get tired of it.it burns great,tastes great,and smells wonderful(i love it when i walk out of the room,and come back in,awesome aroma).the only negative thing about this tobacco is,it is`nt sold in bulk! man i wish they would sell it in bulk. this is a good quality english tobacco.i highly recommend this to anyone.just make sure you leave enough for me!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 25, 2004 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
I tried this blend because it is rumored to be a duplicate of one of my old favorites, John Cotton's #1 Mild. Although it is close, there are many subtle differences. Even though it is definitely not the old JC#1, this blend has become one of my current favorites.
This leaf comes in a round tin with an attractive label. Upon flipping up a ring and ripping off the top, the smoker is rewarded with a burst of raisiny-citrusy aroma, over a background of rich Latakia, Virginia, and Turkish tobaccos. The cut is a medium ribbon, with no stems or knots. You can easily make out the different components. The tobacco is loose and contains just the right amount of moisture. Although a snap-on plastic lid is provided to keep the tobacco fresh, I like to store the partially used tin in a Zip-Loc bag for extra protection.
Packing was easy in the larger bowls that I prefer. To give some extra springiness to the bowl, it helps to air out the leaf for five minutes or so before packing. The unlit tobacco has a tangy aroma which promises greater things to come.
The first match yields a rich billow of dense white smoke with a tangy, nutty taste and some citrus overtones. Level it off and apply another match, and the bowl burns clean to the bottom without additional relights. The ash is very light grey, fine, and loose.
Cruising down through the bowl, the taste is of a well-balanced English blend, although without the heavy nicotine hit of the Dunhill family. The smoke is creamy and cool, with definite weight and body. The smoke curling off the top of the bowl is sharp and crisp without being harsh. This is a great tobacco for blowing smoke rings. The flavor is full and rich without being overpowering, and definitely balanced. No single component of the blend stands out above the others. There is a distinct nutty taste as the bowl progresses past the half-way point.
Most of my smoking is done out of doors. This blend seems to expand in the still air, and achieve a satisfying fullness without seeming the least bit heavy or close.
Down near the bottom of the bowl, the smoke becomes a little dryer and thinner, and then, it is gone. Too bad, I always want more, but am satisfied for several hours.
If you like English blends that are rich and full without a large dose of nicotine, this is one you should try. Old John Cotton may be gone, but the aroma of this blend is close enough to awaken old pleasant memories.
This leaf comes in a round tin with an attractive label. Upon flipping up a ring and ripping off the top, the smoker is rewarded with a burst of raisiny-citrusy aroma, over a background of rich Latakia, Virginia, and Turkish tobaccos. The cut is a medium ribbon, with no stems or knots. You can easily make out the different components. The tobacco is loose and contains just the right amount of moisture. Although a snap-on plastic lid is provided to keep the tobacco fresh, I like to store the partially used tin in a Zip-Loc bag for extra protection.
Packing was easy in the larger bowls that I prefer. To give some extra springiness to the bowl, it helps to air out the leaf for five minutes or so before packing. The unlit tobacco has a tangy aroma which promises greater things to come.
The first match yields a rich billow of dense white smoke with a tangy, nutty taste and some citrus overtones. Level it off and apply another match, and the bowl burns clean to the bottom without additional relights. The ash is very light grey, fine, and loose.
Cruising down through the bowl, the taste is of a well-balanced English blend, although without the heavy nicotine hit of the Dunhill family. The smoke is creamy and cool, with definite weight and body. The smoke curling off the top of the bowl is sharp and crisp without being harsh. This is a great tobacco for blowing smoke rings. The flavor is full and rich without being overpowering, and definitely balanced. No single component of the blend stands out above the others. There is a distinct nutty taste as the bowl progresses past the half-way point.
Most of my smoking is done out of doors. This blend seems to expand in the still air, and achieve a satisfying fullness without seeming the least bit heavy or close.
Down near the bottom of the bowl, the smoke becomes a little dryer and thinner, and then, it is gone. Too bad, I always want more, but am satisfied for several hours.
If you like English blends that are rich and full without a large dose of nicotine, this is one you should try. Old John Cotton may be gone, but the aroma of this blend is close enough to awaken old pleasant memories.
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