The blends you are referring to are sometimes referred to as "crossover English" blends. Maybe you'd like to start a thread on that - the response might be better than trying to discuss it here.
Personally I enjoy, From the country squire Bag End, Cornishman, Angry Cornishman, and Shepherds Pie.
H&H WhiteKnight is a favorite, Balkan Blue, SPC Plum Pudding.
There's so much more but those are the ones that come to the forefront currently. Have tins waiting that I have not tried such as Balkan Sobranie, GLP Quietnights, GLP Westminster, a few of the Dunhills. But I'm wanting to work through the open tins before cracking more tins.
Balkan Sobranie was my favorite English/Balkan blend, but it's manufactured today by a different company. Here's Bradley, of YouTube's StuffAndThings channel, reviewing the recent iteration of Balkan Sobranie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTMP_ZdCe1g
@KenofAhwlby Go back to page one in this folder for detailed discussions of Latakia. Excerpt: <<Latakia is not a tobacco; it’s a process. .... It’s harvested and cured in a structure in which a fire burns using aromatic woods indigenous to the area, mostly of the evergreen type. When it turns black, the tobacco is ready.....>>
I used to like the term,, always loved campfires. Except last month went to one,, don’t know what they did wrong, but smelled like burning garbage, Anyway thank you..
Latakia Icky🤢 Might as well smoke camel dung…..🤔…….maybe it is🤔 Maybe it’s tobacco that has been retrieved from camel dung, kinda like that Civet Cat, poo coffee, Kopi Luwak🤔 😬 Please smoke that Latakia all up, far away from me though👍🏻. I can guarantee you, I won’t be fighting for any, please stock your cellar full🙂
@Fuel52 Welcome fellow pipe smoker! Good to have you aboard.
As many of you already know, I am NOT an English blend fan, much less Latakia. What does that mean? Only that my tastes may be a little different from yours... no big deal. But there is one on @Fuel52 list that I can say I can tolerate. It's Ashtons Artisan Blend. IMHO, it is a mild English and gives me a break now and then from all my aros. Again, IMHO...
What is the or are the quintessential Latakia blend(s) that are in production today? What’s a must try whether for what you believe is high quality or because it’s like an unspoken right of passage?
@Whoispra If you want to experience the interplay of Latakia and Virginia, I'd recommend Freiburg & Treyer Waterloo #2 or F&K Lancer's Slices. If you're interested in the English/Balkan with Orientals then G. L. Pease blends that have just Latakia, Oriental and Virginia components. Abingdon is high on the Latakia, its somewhat subdued in Kensington, and, Westminster is nicely balanced. Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader and Skiff are/were good choices but I'm not as fond of them since the merger with Gawith Hoggarth.
@Whoispra I looked back at some of the blends containing Latakia that I have smoked and enjoyed. I went heavy into Latakia blends for about two years. Some of the ones I've enjoyed were:
Ashton Artisan’s Blend
C&D Bayou Night
C&D Black Frigate (rum aromatic)
C& D Vieux Carre (whiskey flavored)
Esoterica Penzance
Esoterica Margate
G.L. Pease Maltese Falcon
James Fox Dorisco Mixture
James Fox London Mixture
Those should all still be in production and available.
Comments
EXPLOSIONS ROCK LATAKIA HOURS AFTER RUSSIA-TURKEY AGREE ON IDLIB BUFFER
https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Explosions-rock-Latakia-hours-after-Russia-Turkey-agree-Idlib-buffer-567457Personally I enjoy, From the country squire Bag End, Cornishman, Angry Cornishman, and Shepherds Pie.
H&H WhiteKnight is a favorite, Balkan Blue, SPC Plum Pudding.
There's so much more but those are the ones that come to the forefront currently. Have tins waiting that I have not tried such as Balkan Sobranie, GLP Quietnights, GLP Westminster, a few of the Dunhills. But I'm wanting to work through the open tins before cracking more tins.
Go back to page one in this folder for detailed discussions of Latakia.
Excerpt: <<Latakia is not a tobacco; it’s a process. .... It’s harvested and cured in a structure in which a fire burns using aromatic woods indigenous to the area, mostly of the evergreen type. When it turns black, the tobacco is ready.....>>
And it sounds like the flavor really isn’t particularly strong, like I thought it was.
Anyway thank you..
https://pipesmagazine.com/blog/fireside/latakia-doesnt-age-well/
Plum Pudding (Special Reserve) - Seattle Pipe Club
Lagonda - GL Pease
Casbah - Drucquer & Sons
Artisan's Blend - Ashtons
Northwoods - Boswells
Might as well smoke camel dung…..🤔…….maybe it is🤔
Maybe it’s tobacco that has been retrieved from camel dung, kinda like that Civet Cat, poo coffee, Kopi Luwak🤔
😬
Please smoke that Latakia all up, far away from me though👍🏻. I can guarantee you, I won’t be fighting for any, please stock your cellar full🙂
@Fuel52
Welcome fellow pipe smoker! Good to have you aboard.
What does that mean? Only that my tastes may be a little different from yours... no big deal.
But there is one on @Fuel52 list that I can say I can tolerate. It's Ashtons Artisan Blend. IMHO, it is a mild English and gives me a break now and then from all my aros. Again, IMHO...
Go to the "New to the forum? Introduce yourself!" and do just that. Judging from your picture, I think you will fit right in.
If you don't laugh at yourself, somebody else will...😏
If you want to experience the interplay of Latakia and Virginia, I'd recommend Freiburg & Treyer Waterloo #2 or F&K Lancer's Slices. If you're interested in the English/Balkan with Orientals then G. L. Pease blends that have just Latakia, Oriental and Virginia components. Abingdon is high on the Latakia, its somewhat subdued in Kensington, and, Westminster is nicely balanced. Samuel Gawith Squadron Leader and Skiff are/were good choices but I'm not as fond of them since the merger with Gawith Hoggarth.
I looked back at some of the blends containing Latakia that I have smoked and enjoyed. I went heavy into Latakia blends for about two years.
Some of the ones I've enjoyed were:
Ashton Artisan’s Blend
C&D Bayou Night
C&D Black Frigate (rum aromatic)
C& D Vieux Carre (whiskey flavored)
Esoterica Penzance
Esoterica Margate
G.L. Pease Maltese Falcon
James Fox Dorisco Mixture
James Fox London Mixture
Those should all still be in production and available.