Benchmark Blends "The List" *Please Chime In*

[Dock]

I was thinking that it would be great fun to know what blends you consider "The Benchmark" for each genre. In a perfect world all of our members will respond to this and after a bit of time I will tally up the results to compile the ultimate list! If I've missed any category please feel free to add it.....

Pure/Classic English:

English/Latakia Flake:

Oriental/Turkish:

Oriental Flake:

Virginia:

Virginia Flake:

Virginia/Perique:

Lakeland Flake:

Burley:

Burley Flake:

Drug Store/Over The Counter:

Aromatic:

_____________

Just for fun.....

The Benchmark Tobacco Company or Blender:

 

[Frost]

Awesome idea Dock.

If you don't mind though, I need a few years of research to come up with some answers.

 

[Dock]

Pure/Classic English: Dunhill's #965

English/Latakia Flake: Esoterica "Penzance"

Oriental/Turkish: McClelland's #8

Oriental Flake: Samuel Gawith "Sam's Flake"

Virginia: McCranie's "Red Ribbon"

Virginia Flake: Samuel Gawith "Full VA Flake"

Virginia/Perique: Escudo

Lakeland Flake: Gawith & Hoggarth "Brown Flake"

Burley: House of Windsor "Barking Dog"

Burley Flake: L.J. Peretti's "Somerset Slice"

Drug Store/Over The Counter: "Prince Albert"

Aromatic: NONE! :evil:

*Just for fun.....

The Benchmark Tobacco Company or Blender: This was a toughie. It was a tie between Rudiger Will individually and Gawith & Hoggarth collectively :lol:

 

[Slow Puffs]

I know there are "fine" lines here, but what would you consider a balkan?

I was scratching my head about where 965 might fit, but you answered it for me...

 

[Puff Daddy]

Pure/Classic English: 965

English/Latakia Flake: Don't have one, but since there's no Balkan category, Penzance.

Oriental/Turkish: Orient 996

Virginia: (I wrote in Dorchester but this is a a vaper, so I guess I don't have a benchmark ribbon cut va at the moment).

Virginia Flake: FVF

Virginia/Perique: Astley's 109

Lakeland Flake: Conniston cut plug unscented

Burley: Uhle's Perfection plug

Burley Flake: Peretti's Sommerset Slice

Drug Store/Over The Counter: Haven't found one that I can live with.

Aromatic: None.

 

[Slow Puffs]

Pure/Classic English: 965

English/Latakia Flake: Chocolate Flake

Oriental/Turkish: Nightcap

Oriental Flake: Embarcadero

Virginia: Laurel Heights

Virginia Flake: Union Square

Virginia/Perique: Telegraph Hill

Lakeland Flake: Bracken

Burley: Old Joe Krantz

Burley Flake: University Flake

Drug Store/Over The Counter: Green Sail

Aromatic: Blue Note

 

[scottbtdmb]

Great idea Dock! Here goes nothing.....

Pure/Classic English: Dunhill's #965

English/Latakia Flake: Smoker's Haven's Krumble Kake

Oriental/Turkish: Pipeworks & Wilke #10

Oriental Flake: N/A

Virginia: McCranie's "Red Ribbon"

Virginia Flake: Samuel Gawith "Full VA Flake"

Virginia/Perique: Rattray Hal O' The Wynd

Lakeland Flake: N/A

Burley: House of Windsor "Barking Dog"

Burley Flake: Solani Aged Burley Flake

Drug Store/Over The Counter: Half & Half

Aromatic: :no:

A couple of these got N/A because I have not yet sampled the style enough to give a definitive answer!

-Scott

 

[Buddy Springman]

A similar exercise on ASP earlier this decade yielded this

http://nocturne.org/aging/touchstones.php

Buddy

 

[shadrack]

Pure/Classic English: GLP Chelsea Morning

English/Latakia Flake: Esoterica Penzance

Oriental/Turkish: GLP Embarcardero

Oriental Flake: MC Tudor Castle

Virginia: MC Aurora

Virginia Flake: MC Christmas Cheer

Virginia/Perique: Escudo and Solani 633 (tied)

Lakeland Flake: GH CR Bright Flake

Burley: Peter Stokkebye Cube Cut

Burley Flake: Solani Aged Burley Flake

Drug Store/Over The Counter: Captain Black Royal

Aromatic: none

_____________

Just for fun.....

The Benchmark Tobacco Company or Blender: tough call on this one. Single blender is R.Will and company would half to be McClelland.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Pure/Classic English:

English/Latakia Flake:

Oriental/Turkish:

Oriental Flake:

Virginia: HOTW

Virginia Flake: Marlin Flake

Virginia/Perique: Escudo

Lakeland Flake: Dark Flake, Dark Plug

Burley:

Burley Flake:

Drug Store/Over The Counter:

Aromatic:

 

[Rugbysh9]

Pure/Classic English: Boswell Northnorthwoods

English/Latakia Flake: Penzance

Oriental/Turkish: EMP

Oriental Flake:???

Virginia: HOTW

Virginia Flake: FVF

Virginia/Perique: Reiner LGF

Lakeland Flake: GH BBF Scented

Burley: H&H Classic Burley Kake

Burley Flake: C&D Burley #1

Drug Store/Over The Counter: PA/CH

Aromatic: WOL OF

 

[Justpipes]

I proably don't have a dog in this fight but the results will be interesting to read. :lol:

 

[frankluke]

Pure/Classic English: GLP westminster

English/Latakia Flake:

Oriental/Turkish: McC drama reserve

Oriental Flake: McC/PCCA tudor castle

Virginia: red ribbon

Virginia Flake: astley's 109

Virginia/Perique: McConnell scottish cake

Lakeland Flake: G&H best brown#2

Burley: mccranies old master

Burley Flake:

Drug Store/Over The Counter:

Aromatic: C&D autumn evening

 

[pipetongue1]

Classic Eng.....Westminster
Eng/Lat fl.......G&H's Bob's Chocolate fl.
Oriental/Turkish McConnell's Oriental
Oriental Fl......PCCA Tudor Castle
Va.......SG"s FVF
Va./Per........G&H's Louisiana fl./ Reiener's Long Golden
Lakeland fl.......Bosun Cut Plug
Burley.........Peretti's BPC.....Uhle's PPC
Burley fl......Peretti's Somerset fl.
OTC/Drug Store/ Aro. YUCK!!! Ken :tongue:

 

[gandalfpc]

Pure/Classic English: GL Pease Westminster

English/Latakia Flake: Esoterica Penzance

Oriental/Turkish: McClelland Drama Reserve

Oriental Flake: C&D Star of the East

Virginia: Rattray Hal O the Wynd

Virginia Flake: Rattray Marlin Flake

Virginia/Perique: Davidoff Medallions

Lakeland Flake: Gawith 1792

Burley: Peretti BPC

Burley Flake: Peretti Somerset Flake

Drug Store/Over The Counter: Capt Black

Aromatic: Gawith Christmas 2007

_____________

Just for fun.....

The Benchmark Tobacco Company or Blender: G.L Pease

 

[Anonymous]

I can only comment on a few:
English= S.G. Squadron Leader
VA Flake= S.G. FVF
Aromatics= Dan Tobacs Devil's Holiday

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Pure/Classic English: --

English/Latakia Flake: Bob's Chocolate

Oriental/Turkish: Presbyterian

Oriental Flake: --

Virginia: McCranies Red Ribbon

Virginia Flake: F&T Cut VA Plug

Virginia/Perique: Solani 633

Lakeland Flake: dbl. yuck

Burley: Stokkebye's Cube Cut

Burley Flake: still looking

Drug Store/Over The Counter: Sir Walter Raleigh

Aromatic: Capt. Black

Jim

 

[happypipester]

While I've tried several blends from almost all the categories listed, I'll just give a few where I feel more confident in my opinion:

Pure/Classic English: Dunhill's 965
English/Latakia Flake: Esoterica Penzance
Virginia/Perique: Escudo (sadly, haven't tried Cope's production of it)

 

[Anonymous]

Living in South Africa I am to scared to comment!

Virgina: GLP Laurel Heights
Virginia Flake: FVF / (OGS..... has a small whack of burley)
Virginia/Perique: 3 Nuns
Burley Flake: Pete Irish Flake
Drug store/otc: Walnut
Aromatic:...... like most of you......... :no: no thanks.....