Skiff Mixture - the answer to EMP

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Pseudo Nim

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If you are lamenting the loss of EMP, fear not, for Skiff is at hand, perhaps a little more stronger than EMP, but what I would consider the same basic components, Skiff is a nice easy start to the day for Latakia fans who don't want to be slapped over the head with a Cricket Bat in order to wake up.

A fine compilation of quality tobaccos, Orientals, Turkish and Latakia I beleive are the main components that give a good easy going smooth smoke, easy to light straight from the tin, no drying time required and low maintenance. At the end of the bowl, just ash no dottle = no wasted tobacco.

I enjoy Latakia in the colder weather and Skiff along with Squadron Leader for the daytime, and perhaps Perfection for the evening could well see EMP 965 and Nightcap fans satisfied, at least to some degree.

(For those at a loss for the sad demise of Nightcap, I am led to beleive that Ashton's Artisan's blend is a very close call. Personally, although I had the chance to try Nightcap, I refrained, no sense in falling in love with a tobacco that is now discontinued, except for the Japanese market, beleive it or not)

For myself, Skiff will help to start the day nicely with Squadron Leader, on the beach, dog at the side and bitter Nor Westerlies blowing. Love it.
 
Great review my Brother, I've never tried Skiff Mixture, now you've gone and gotten my interest up!
 
Thank you for reminding me of Skiff. It's been a long time. When I first smoked Skiff, I detected the nuttiness flavour that I often detected in 965 (my quirky taste buds). I enjoyed it very much.

Your thoughts made me check to see if I had any on hand, and lo and behold, I do have a tin :D . It's a shame that there is not more exposure for this blend.
 
Much the same for me. I haven't popped a tin of Skiff in quite a while; but have two or three aging on the shelf! FTRPLT
 
I keep meaning to try Skiff. Just never got there. A little stronger than EMP. That's good.

Ashton Artisans Blend is no Dunhill Nightcap. A similarity in passing, yes. But it's far weaker in strength.
 
I liked Skiff quite a bit, and will have to get some more.
The prices are attractive now. Which of the SG blends would benefit the most from cellaring?
 
Stefanos":y1xxbjrv said:
I liked Skiff quite a bit, and will have to get some more.
The prices are attractive now. Which of the SG blends would benefit the most from cellaring?
Two that come immediately to mind for me are SG Squadron Leader and SG Full Virginia Flake. On FVF I'm lucky enough to have 1 pound (unopened) and a couple of ounces in current rotation from the year 2000! 'Superlative' is a good beginning of a description for this leaf with that kind of age on it!

Some other good candidates:

SG Sam's Flake (nice mellow VA - Oriental flake which may have a slight topping, semi - floral)
SG kendal Cream Flake (slightly floral, nice creamy vague 'rose germanium - possible anise' topping)
SG Commonwealth Mixture (50-50 Virginia - Latakia nice mellow mixture, though high in Latakia it does NOT come across as a Lat Bomb)
SG 1792 Flake (some will argue that nothing with that amount of Tonquin can age, I assure you from my experience the bulk variety of this fine flake benefits greatly (mellowing) from aging for at least 1 year)
 
Stefanos":dcrv3j6e said:
I liked Skiff quite a bit, and will have to get some more.
The prices are attractive now. Which of the SG blends would benefit the most from cellaring?
As Brother Kilted 1 quite correctly pointed out, FVF would be an excellent choice, personally, I would add to that SG's Best Brown Flake, (exactly the same flake as used in FVF, slightly different process) and Golden Glow. These three alone, being pure virginia's with no additives, would cellar for decades.

I might even be so bold as to suggest 1792 even with it's tonquin topping. The reason, I recently found a tin of Erinmore Flake, opened at least three years ago, as you can guess, it was a little dry, as I have a head cold, well no reason to be put off, I could see how my cold was doing by comparing to how vile Erinmore tasted !!!

So I tried some in a clay, ( I always smoke a clay if I have a cold or flue, they're nice and easy to clean and sterelise, just leave them in the fire for a couple of minutes ) when I lit up, suprise !!! most of the aniseed topping had gone and I was just left with a virginia, fair, but not the best by any means. As Sam Gawith uses Tonquin essence, I reckon it would be pretty safe.

Good luck with the cellaring.
 
The first time I smoked FVF I thought, "I'm not man enough for this!" I fell off my horse. metaphorically.
I'm going to order some and cellar it for the future.
 
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