Peter Stokkebye English Luxury (No.17)

This is one of those easy smoking English/Scottish blends. I really enjoy it and it is quite the bargain as well. It has a sweetener added to it, but I don't know whether it is topped, cased in whole or if just some of the Cavendish or burley is treated in such a way, but there is something sugary to this blend, to my tastes, perhaps a bit of vanilla.

Unlike other blends of this sort, the sweetness does not stand in stark contrast to the smoky Latakia. Rather it compliments it in a nice way. The Latakia is also present and is not hiding at all. Of this sort of blend, this is one of the better that I have tried. I would put this in the company of Bald-headed teacher and distinguished gentleman, but better than those two.

I recommend this for what it is; but would probably highly recommend it for someone just venturing into Lat blends. Also highly recommended to anyone on a budget as it is quite the bargain.

Lesser in Latakia than Proper English and English Oriental Supreme. Sweeter but not cloying in any way. Nice for a change of pace

English Luxury presents as a wide array of dark to light brown ribbons. The nose from the bulk bag is smokey sweet yet subdued, musty and earthy. 

The charring light takes quickly, as this blend ships ready to smoke in terms of moisture content. It's surprisingly dry for an aromatic English, and brings much less sweetness than one might expect. I get musty, earthy, damp, mushroom flavors from the Latakia with a very neutral burley base - parchment and wood rather than overt nutty or chocolatey flavors. The Virginia is smooth and mild, and far in the background. The Cavendish is truly unflavored and adds a subtle sweetness to balance out the blend. 

While the Latakia here is damp and musty in flavor, the blend itself smokes surprisingly dry. The Burley and Virginia are remarkably smooth and biteless. This blend reminds me of Wilke No.5 without the trademark Wilke flavoring on the Cavendish, dryer smoking, and less sweet. Another comparison would be a lighter, more mild version of Black Mallory.

English Luxury could be an all-day smoke, a great introduction to Latakia blends, or a solid choice of an aromatic English for those wanting only a touch of sweet within a smooth smoke that still imparts a Latakia flavor. Though an import, English Luxury is an outstanding and understated example of an American English blend. There is absolutely no bite to be found in this blend.

A very pleasant bulk English, and very inexpensive as well. I do believe there is a bit of sweetener in this, but it is very discreet and is no hindrance to enjoyment.

The addition of cavendish makes for a slightly sweeter and more aromatic smoke than the English Oriental Supreme. Sometimes it's exactly what I want. Always a pleasant smoke. It's also very mild (no tongue bite), and leaves a very nice room note. My wife loves it. This may just be the best deal in bulk tobacco out there. Not the most exhilarating perhaps, but very very well done.

Update: I bought a pound of this and it's a quite different than my first sample. Less sweet and more subdued aroma. More bite. I liked the first batch more, so I am downgrading it to 3 stars to average out.

Once you get this to the proper humidity level, English Luxury gets my vote as the most user friendly, smokeable English blend you can lay your hands on.

It has little complexity, Latakia depth or strength. However, it has

1) Absolutely no bite at any speed, it's impossible to get this to misbehave 2) Virtually no PG, 3) Pleasing room note, 4) Very smooth, rich mouthfeel, 5) Subtle sweetness under the surface, 5) A balanced, English flavor, with the taste of Latakia always present. 6) Mild (very mild) nicotine. It's also cheap.

I'd reccomend this as your first tobacco, your first English or I'd reccomend it to anyone as a change of pace.

I would rate this at the highest mark if the playing field were leveled to include only English blends. I do not prefer English blends, but occasionally get struck by a mood for one. When the mood strikes this is my standby. There are some complexities you will pick up on even as a novice to English blends (but enough for the seasoned English smoker as well), and latakia burns coolest of all tobaccos, so all combined this is an overall pleasurable experience. My local tobacconist says this isn't a blend for married folk, as wives often despise the smell of latakia.

This is one of my favorite English blends to come to. It burns great, tastes great, and smells quite alright. It doesn't have anything special about it going on, but that's what you want out of a high-quality English blend. It's something I would smoke everyday if I could afford myself the time to.

UPDATE: After trying more English blends, it is sad to say but I must drop this review from four to three stars. It is still great and definitely a high three.

From the bulk sample I received, the tobacco is ribbon cut and came a little on the moist side, but smoked well as is. The tin aroma is very sweet. I easily pick up on the black cavendish. The burley shines through as well, with a lot of earth and nuttiness. Of course the smoky Latakia is present, but isn’t overly powerful. I believe this has has a light topping applied that is adding to the sweetness.

Upon lighting, the Latakia is in the forefront. It’s smoky, woody, and fragrant. It is on the light side however. The Virginias add a hint of sweetness, a blade of grass, and undertones of citrus. The Burley is quite present in the blend, and is nutty with a good amount of earthy notes. The Cavendish adds adds brown sugar and sweetness, and mixed with the sweetness from the topping, drowns out the tobacco to a degree. The topping, whatever it may be, doesn’t add a lot of flavor, mostly just sweetness, as mentioned before. Overall, an uncomplicated, very sweet, and mild English blend.

English Luxury smoked cool and dry, but could get a bit nippy if puffed aggressively, so slow gentle puffs will win this race. It stayed lit well and required few relights, so there was no fuss keeping it going. The flavor is in between mild and medium and Nicotine is just a hair less than that. This would be a good all day smoke for someone wanting a light and sweet English. 2.5 out of 4 stars.