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Let's juice up this forum and get some fun and interesting polls and discussions going! What is the predominant blend type that you smoke? Drop a comment on why you love it, and any specific blends that are your favorites.
For me, it's burleys. I just can't get enough of that codgery goodness!
Me either. I like a wide range of blends, relatively few aromatics but there are some standouts like the Savinelli "Armonia" or "Essenza Cipriota," both of which are great. A good Virginia flake, smoked or not, makes for a hefty but rewarding smoke. However, when it comes time to knock off and enjoy the crickets at night, I reach for the old Burley standbys like "Cube Cut Burley" from C&D or one of my all-time favorites, "Prince Albert." Yep, I know... I am not cool. But it's tasty and easy to smoke, perfect for the porch or a quick lunt around the neighborhood to see the critters come out as the humans quiet down.
Some people like to dump on OTCs, but they're a great choice when you just want to load up a pipe to enjoy without thinking about it too much. I smoke quite a bit of Carter Hall and Prince Albert.
I'm not proud to say that the common denominator in my rotation is probably vitamin N. Pure burly blends often seem a little rough to me. But I do love a good burly and Virginia mix. Vapors work too if there's enough perique to give it some satisfaction. I suppose My perfect blend would be an English with a decent nicotine kick, like Sexton, 965 or nightcap. However all Latakia blends leave a nasty taste in the mouth the next morning. So for me the time of day also dictates what I'm smoking. This week I've smoked Mad Fiddler more than anything else. It's just loaded with cigar leaf, and has a wonderful natural tasting fruity note and of course it delivers the goods.
965 is one of my favorite English blends. There is something about its tangy, zesty flavor with a deep rich smokiness that wins me over every time.
I'm all over the place. I love and smoke them all about equally. And I have 5 or 6 bowls a day, so they all end up in the rotation.
There's no blend family in which I haven't found something that excites me. I'll often have phases of digging more into one thing (been on an English kick more recently), but Virginias and VaPers/VaKentucky blends are a constant, they'll be in my rotation any time. Though there are some I'm especially fond of, I smoke more widely as opposed focusing in on a few favorites. If I had to pick some, I’d say Orlik, Capstan Navy Flake, Mac Baren Dark Twist Roll, PS 403/400 (really all the Stokkebye and Newminster flakes), Rattray Marlin Flake, Sutliff 1849, Pease Jackknife Plug, C&D Bayou Morning, Escudo, Amphora Virginia.
Some that I’ve been frequenting lately: Dan Tobacco Mallard w/ Perique, Cobblestone Hunting, Gawith Brown Sugar Flake, Sutliff Phantom Privateer.
I’m also (slowly) enjoying some McClelland samples a friend (thank you CRASHtheGREY) was kind enough to send me, but I’m taking my time to keep 'em around for a bit.
I am guilty of digging deep into a genre. Everyone hated me when I smoked nothing but blends with deertongue for a solid six months.
PS 400 is a great blend especially with a few months in the "cellar" (junk closet in our junk-filled "guest room"). I also go nuts for Sutliff 507-c. That Dark Twist is exceptional. What is it about smoking Englishes in summer that feels so good? They remind me of winter, which could show up for a couple days now and would be most welcome. One of my favorites is also the PS Amsterdam, which only shows up in shag form now, but it's great. Like the old Drum Blue but with more Virginia flavor.
Like others who’ve commented I am inclined to mix it up a bit. I tend to have phases where I’ll smoke particular blends more often. Last week it was Rattray’s Red Rapparee, Peterson’s My Mixture 965 and My Own Blend’s Blue Queen. This week I’m all about the VaPers: Samuel Gawith’s St. James Flake and Peterson’s Deluxe Navy Rolls.
Living in Denmark, my choice is fairly limited when buying locally. I don’t smoke aromatics, which accounts for about 75% of the available tobacco. If I want certain blends, I either have to ask visiting relatives to bring some over from the UK, or hop on a train to Germany (where the choice is incredible and the tobacco is half the price - the money I save pays for the train, lunch and beers when I get there!)
P.S. It’s really annoying that loads of excellent blends are made in Denmark, but not sold here! I blame the money-grabbing behemoth that is the Scandinavian Tobacco Group (boo! hiss!)
Virginia blends always work (whether with Perique, Kentucky and/or Orientals).
Everything else is situational.
While I prefer VaPers… I couldn’t agree with you more. Virginia/X blends are almost always enjoyable!!!
Virginia is the base of so many blends, even most good English blends. Lol. Hard not to say Virginia. Even forgetting the pedantic in me who wants to argue most of the options are condiment tobaccos, I am a Virginia fan.
True. By "Virginia-based" I was thinking straight VA, or anything VA dominant in flavor. This is just how I categorize blends in my own mind, but in reality, there are many, many types of blends that don't fit neatly into any one category.
I dug out some old C&D "Virginia Slices." They aged nicely during the unknown time that they were hanging out in the cellar. A good VA-dominant blend is like that, sort of starts out sweet, then gets a little fruity, and finally that nice bread with honey flavor that is really pleasant on an autumn night.
I ignored Virginias for a long time in favor of Englishes, but discovered later on that I love that bready thing that VAs can provide. Newminster 400 tastes like honeyed raisin bread to me - just wonderful stuff.
I rotate through every type of tobacco and enjoy them all in their time, but Virginia blends are my staple smoke and what I always return to.
I do tend to start my day with lighter Virginias and as my sense of taste and smell wanes through the day, I move to more flavorful and substantial blends.
The only blends that really turn me off are those with minimal to imperceptible nicotine.
I enjoy a decent straight black cavendish from time to time, but they can be like the non-alcoholic beer of pipe tobaccos - next to zero nicotine.
I have to admit being in the same boat. Ornamental tobaccos are nice and all but I would like something to clear the head as well.
I like Vapers and balkans. Every once in a while, I,ll smoke an aromatic.
Although I do partake in all known genres, I am a Latakia-based blend zealot. For me it is the colorfulness and complexity of the ensuing taste profile that keeps me intrigued and actually focused on the experience rather than mindlessly puffing away. Besides that, deep rich flavor of Latakia when joined with and complemented by other traditional varietals is pure ecstasy to me, Ha-ha, have I convinced you?
I like a good dose of Latakia as well. A pinch can really spice up a blend, but it can really knock your socks off when added generously (Pirake Kake, anyone?) It's like the Islay peated Scotch of the tobacco world.
There's something about a good solid English blend that makes it hard to put the pipe down. I tend to like low to middling Latakia, but sometimes an aged English hits the spot.
I started a hardcore english guy. If it didn't have latakia, I wasn't smoking it 🤷Ended up smoking every english worth smoking and moved on to Va/Per's. Smoked majority of them too.Then straight virginia's and did the same.
Now I'm all over the place! Right now I'm into... aromatics, surprisingly. Just the ones I feel are high quality tobaccos and the flavors/toppings are used just to enhance them. Mostly Ken Byron's blends. But, been puffin on L.J. Peretti's Thanksgiving Day Blend, Straus's Sleepy Hollow, P.S. Twist Flake, Bob's Chocolate Flake, and Warped St. Espresso to name a few. All of which are amazing!
A bunch of others in the rotation of course my but, I've noticed I've been shying away from my beloved englishes. Life is weird 😂🤷 Cheers, Fellas!
I, like you, smoke them all. But any good Virginia blend with 4 years or age, or more, is where you'll find me most often.
Perique lover here but Semois is quite a thing !
Definitely a weather or mood preference. Burley as a rule, but there are times in the winter months that I just need some English or a Virginia to satisfy the taste buds and aroma needs.
straight virginia here, with some depth richness. a sweet blend with some stoved
Fifty years ago I smoked Amphora Rich Aromatic (green packet). Until Lady Latakia whisked me away. Now I find myself going back to aromatics.
I still enjoy latakia, but more and more I find I only want a little bit of it. Like what's in Sutliff Match Holiday or Edward G Robinson's blend. Match Barking Dog will also do, although the latakia content is on the high side.
A good Virginia flake, like Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Flake or Newminster #400 Superior Navy Flake, is also good for the occasional go.
And instead of a morning doughnut or after dinner dessert, I may enjoy Wilke's Rum Cake or 515 Double Shot. Oh so sweet and delicious!
But what I find myself smoking most these days is Sutliff Match Holiday; Milan's "Our" Carter Hall and "Our" Prince Albert; and a blend reminiscent of Brigg's Mixture that I made with Milan's Dave Meyer.
Now that I'm old, I'm finding that simple pleasures are the most pleasing.
Perique is my go to for flavour. I love spicy foods, so it makes sense.
However, there are so many situational smokes depending on the weather. If it's really hot outside, there is no way I am smoking a heavy blend. I finally give attention to my fruitier aromatics.
In the middle of the winter, I almost exclusively smoke strong English blends to get a quick vitamin N fix before I start to shiver.
The spring and fall leave me open to explore flavours that aren't my top picks. Burley blends, lakelands, and autumn themed aromatics.
Atually, it depends on season. 😉
May-September - Va/VaPer
September-May - Balkan/English
Almost never - Burley/Kentucky-based
Other blends - depending on mood
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