Most traditional English blend?

[KevH]

What is the most traditional English blend still around (or available) today?

 

[DrT999]

Just for clarification, how do you define 'English blend'? (You may find quite a variety of opinion on the matter)

 

[Aristokles]

Just for clarification, how do you define 'English blend'? (You may find quite a variety of opinion on the matter)

Good point. Strictly defined, are there ANY blends made in England today at all? Samuel Gawith, Gawith Hoggarth?

 

[DrT999]

Just for clarification, how do you define 'English blend'? (You may find quite a variety of opinion on the matter)

Good point. Strictly defined, are there ANY blends made in England today at all? Samuel Gawith, Gawith Hoggarth?

They certainly both still produce in England, but not all of their blends are. If 'English Blend' means VA, Orientals, some Latakia, and maybe Perique, many of the old traditional blends many (Dunhill, for example) might be old blends but aren't produced in the UK anymore. I would be a bit surprised to learn that the larger-selling Gawith blends (like Squadron Leader, 1923) are still exclusively made in the little factory in Kendal. Not all the Germain products are produced only in Jersey, either. Are any of the other traditional British names still made in the UK at all?

 

[Richard Burley]

I know! If I may infer, or imagine, the spirit in which the question is asked, why not do this? Pick a traditional Englishman, then find out what kind of tobacco he smoked! Easy-peasy.

Seriously, what tobacco did someone like Kipling smoke? For some reason Rattray's and India come to mind, but that's just my subconscious twitching. And somewhere I read that St. Bruno's was the most smoked pipeweed in England. But is England still called England any more?

With the above wisdom imparted to the discussion, I now bow out of the controversy and tend to my lint collection.

 

[monbla256]

What is the most traditional English blend still around (or available) today?

As far as what is smoked in England, since many of those OTC blends aren't available here on this side of the Big Pond so they would be out of the equation so to speak. What many American smokers would probably consider a "... traditional English blend" would probably be many of the Dunhill branded blends ( they are not made by Dunhill nor made in England anymore) such as 965, London Mixture , Standard Mixture, Nightcap, Early Morning Mixture and Durbar, and Apperitif. I would also add Presbyterian, again, not blended nor made in England or by the original English firms as well as many of the Rattray's blends, again not British made nor owned. Times change and welcome to the 21st century  :twisted: :twisted: 

 

[Aristokles]

In case I inadvertently skewed this topic and the question is about blends regardless of where they may be blended now, perhaps several have already been mentioned here.

 

[Brewdude]

What is the most traditional English blend still around (or available) today?

As far as what is smoked in England, since many of those OTC blends aren't available here on this side of the Big Pond so they would be out of the equation so to speak. What many American smokers would probably consider a "... traditional English blend" would probably be many of the Dunhill branded blends ( they are not made by Dunhill nor made in England anymore) such as 965, London Mixture , Standard Mixture, Nightcap, Early Morning Mixture and Durbar, and Apperitif. I would also add Presbyterian, again, not blended nor made in England or by the original English firms as well as many of the Rattray's blends, again not British made nor owned. Times change and welcome to the 21st century  :twisted: :twisted: 

And then, there is also the (now defunct) British classification as "English Blends" as having no "flavoured" tobacco components. Taken literally, this would exclude blends made with essences/toppings from fruit, nut, alcohol, etc, or the like.

That said, I rather suspect the OP is referring to a blend constructed with Latakia as one of the major/minor components. Check me if I'm wrong on this.

Seems to me there is a comprehensive GL Pease treatise on this very subject. Can someone more computer savvy than myself link it please?



Cheers,

RR

 

[Fr_Tom]

Seems to me there is a comprehensive GL Pease treatise on this very subject. Can someone more computer savvy than myself link it please?



Cheers,

RR

Is this what you are looking for?

http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=90

 

[Brewdude]

Seems to me there is a comprehensive GL Pease treatise on this very subject. Can someone more computer savvy than myself link it please?



Cheers,

RR

Is this what you are looking for?

http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=90

That might just well be the one I was trying to remember Padre. And if not, it clearly serves to give one a historical perspective.

Thanks, and Cheers,

RR

 

[DrT999]

Seems to me there is a comprehensive GL Pease treatise on this very subject. Can someone more computer savvy than myself link it please?



Cheers,

RR

Is this what you are looking for?

http://glpease.com/BriarAndLeaf/?p=90

Of course, that doesn't answer the original question, what is the 'most traditional' (oldest?) such blend still available? Squadron Leader dates back to 1923, and apparently Dunhill was producing some sort of 'mixture' which would fit this (Standard Mixture, perhaps) as far back as 1910. Robert McConnell's'Original Oriental' and 'Scottish Blend' supposedly go back to 1848 but those have some Cavendish (the other 1848 blends are 'Red Virginia' -- a VaPer -- and 'Maduro' -- a steamed Virginia --- are there any other 'original' McConnell blends?).

Any pre-1910 blends still around with no Cavendish?

 

[Fr_Tom]

If you can find some http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/1185/murray-sons-co-ltd-murrays-mellow-mixture, that was supposedly the first tobacco tinned.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd go so far as to say the word 'traditional' in connection to English blends is a misnomer. Firstly, historically, English pipemen have preferred straight Virginias; there really is something of the truffle about 'English Blends' in that it was a fairly narrow demographic that was smoking them. Secondly, these styles are relatively recent.

For me traditional means Red Virginias. Some of those blends go back to the 18th Century.

 

[Aristokles]

I'd go so far as to say the word 'traditional' in connection to English blends is a misnomer. Firstly, historically, English pipemen have preferred straight Virginias; there really is something of the truffle about 'English Blends' in that it was a fairly narrow demographic that was smoking them. Secondly, these styles are relatively recent.

For me traditional means Red Virginias. Some of those blends go back to the 18th Century.

Technically correct if one is confined to that specific era, which does seem reasonable.

 

[idbowman]

So, before poor KevH's head explodes, let's boil this down...

We could be looking for any of the following:

1. Blends historically produced in England which are still produced there to this day.
2. Blends that would have been considered "English" under a now-dated nomenclature, meant to include non-flavored tobaccos with Latakia as a noticeable component.
3. Blends that have a long-standing history of being smoked by Englishmen, regardless of where they are produced and/or the composition of the blend (although this definition will naturally lend itself to Virginia dominant, unflavored blends).
4. Some combination of two (or all three, I suppose) of the above.


So...if the OP is still watching the thread, perhaps he could point us down the right path?

 

[monbla256]

So, before poor KevH's head explodes, let's boil this down...

We could be looking for any of the following:

1.  Blends historically produced in England which are still produced there to this day.
2.  Blends that would have been considered "English" under a now-dated nomenclature, meant to include non-flavored tobaccos with Latakia as a noticeable component.
3.  Blends that have a long-standing history of being smoked by Englishmen, regardless of where they are produced and/or the composition of the blend (although this definition will naturally lend itself to Virginia dominant, unflavored blends).
4.  Some combination of two (or all three, I suppose) of the above.


So...if the OP is still watching the thread, perhaps he could point us down the right path?

"Clear as mud, but it covers the ground" Got that KevH ?  :twisted: :twisted: 

 

[DrT999]

So, before poor KevH's head explodes, let's boil this down...

We could be looking for any of the following:

1.  Blends historically produced in England which are still produced there to this day.
2.  Blends that would have been considered "English" under a now-dated nomenclature, meant to include non-flavored tobaccos with Latakia as a noticeable component.
3.  Blends that have a long-standing history of being smoked by Englishmen, regardless of where they are produced and/or the composition of the blend (although this definition will naturally lend itself to Virginia dominant, unflavored blends).
4.  Some combination of two (or all three, I suppose) of the above.


So...if the OP is still watching the thread, perhaps he could point us down the right path?

If 2, then it looks like Dunhill Standard or Squadron Leader; if anything else, well, he'll have to clarify

 

[SpeedyPete]

It seems as if we need mr Sherlock Holmes to clear this matter. Anyone have his present contact details perhaps?