Venturing into the english world.

[nogbert]

I recently purchased a Savinelli Baronet pipe, and i was planning to use it as a dedicated english pipe.

I have been dabbling with english blends on and off for a while, but have never had the means to acquire a large variety of english tobaccos to try. I have a tin of Suttlif Blend No.5 and a few small samples of some flakes, but nothing to really get me started in the ways of breaking in my pipe and having any type of variety.

what are some good begginer english blends, and where should i start basically?

thanks

 

[s.ireland]

Nogbert, I'm not much for English blends these days but a local shop that my buddy owns hand blends a burley based English. It's quite good. Not too much lat, burns easily, complex enough... I smoked a LOT of it my first few years until I discovered VApers. I still have a bit left send me a PM and I'll send you some to try and maybe a few other English samples I have collecting dust

 

[Maiser]

Hey Nog,

PM me your address and I'll send you some samples.

 

[nogbert]

what generosity.

although i am slightly confused as i thought "english" encompassed any non aromatic tobacco.
perhaps someone could clarify for me.

i basically interested in trying things outside of aromatics, so VA blends and VApers too. mainly just anything.

PM's will be sent.

 

[Boulder]

There are basically three different types of pipe tobacco—aromatic blends, Virginia blends and English blends.

These tobaccos exhibit their own characteristics but generally the aromatics are flavored, Virginia blends tend to be sweet and English blends are typically stronger.

 

[mark]

There are basically three different types of pipe tobacco—aromatic blends, Virginia blends and English blends..

Let's not forget Burley,,,It's the Budweiser of tobaccos,,,,

 

[Gumball]

My go-to English blend is Squadron Leader by Samuel Gawith.

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?ALPHA=S&TID=1040

It is readily available in the UK but various posts by colonial BoB's indicates it may be harder to get hold of on the far side of the pond.

 

[WaydeG]

My go-to English blend is Squadron Leader by Samuel Gawith.

http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?ALPHA=S&TID=1040

It is readily available in the UK but various posts by colonial BoB's indicates it may be harder to get hold of on the far side of the pond.

Gumball's right - tough to find here but.... keep touching base with the 3-4 mainstream online retailers and develop a relationship with a local shop. You never know. I strolled into Tobacco Lane in the local Mall and found a tin. Hard to believe DFW is so lacking in a good pipe shop.

 

[Storm_Crow]

what generosity.
although i am slightly confused as i thought "english" encompassed any non aromatic tobacco.
perhaps someone could clarify for me.

You are correct. I find that most folks immediately think latakia when they say "english" however.

Some non-aros I enjoy:

Virginia: Blackwood Flake and Dark Star

VAPer: 3 Friars (with burley) and Anniversary Kake

Oriental: Drama Reserve and Oriental Silk

Cigar Leaf: both VA Spice (with VA) and Storm Front (with Burley)

Latakia: Epiphany if you like it smokey sweet, Plum Pudding = sweet and sour, or Black House if you want smoldering boot leather

unflavored Cavendish: Trout Stream

Burley: Storm Front again...though I'm looking for another Burley and thinking Burley #3, Old Master, and Nut Brown Burley...Carter Hall is tasty for an OTC

 

[Rusty]

what generosity.
although i am slightly confused as i thought "english" encompassed any non aromatic tobacco.
perhaps someone could clarify for me.

You are correct. I find that most folks immediately think latakia when they say "english" however.

Some non-aros I enjoy:

Virginia: Blackwood Flake and Dark Star

VAPer: 3 Friars (with burley) and Anniversary Kake

Oriental: Drama Reserve and Oriental Silk

Cigar Leaf: both VA Spice (with VA) and Storm Front (with Burley)

Latakia: Epiphany if you like it smokey sweet, Plum Pudding = sweet and sour, or Black House if you want smoldering boot leather

unflavored Cavendish: Trout Stream

Burley: Storm Front again...though I'm looking for another Burley and thinking Burley #3, Old Master, and Nut Brown Burley...Carter Hall is tasty for an OTC

The keyword that hasn't been mentioned so far is 'mixture'. And the class is referred to generally as English/Scottish Mixtures. It most definitely included mixtures like Sobranie smoking mix too. Older Brits are much more likely to say things like St. Bruno Flake are traditionally English because things like St. Bruno were much more popular than mixtures with Latakia. There is in fact at least one review on tobacco reviews where a British smoker explains this. I'll see if I can find it again.

Ah I found it!
Tinderbox Philosopher is the tobacco being reviewed.
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend_detail.cfm?ALPHA=P&TID=2376

Scroll about half way down to Pipemanuk's review notes:

"Ooooh I wish people wouldn't call this kind of tobacco an English blend!

English blends do NOT have orientals or balkan leaves in them. English blends are straight Virginias, often from Africa rather than America though not exclusively. They might be cased but never have any east european or mediteranean tobaccos in them.

Sorry about the rant.

You Americans! Love you to bits, but you always get us Brits wrong!"

He's probably an older British smoker and he's reacting to the term "English blend". For him it means a Virginia blend, topped or not. If people had called it a 'mixture' instead that would be compatible with his naming. Traditionally they don't generally preface mixture with 'English'. Of course today most of the pipe smokers online are aware of American terms and when we refer to 'English' we mean a Latakia mixture. It may be even more narrow than that but it certainly starts there.

 

[Boulder]

Reading for us newbie's


http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze43wza/smoke/tobacco.html

 

[Muddler]

Either way, you could do far worse than getting a sampler of GL Pease tobaccos. Start with the best.

 

[SailorJack]

So many possible suggestions. Go to tobaccoreviews.com and start researching.

But here are a few:

Orlik's Golden Sliced
Rattray's Marlin Flake
Solani 660:Silver Flake
Wessex Brigade Campaign Dark Flake
Peter Stokkebye's Luxury Bullseye Flake

 

[mattia76]

My go-to English darlings are:

-Dark English Full (McClelland Bulk 5110, called British Windjammer at Just For Him)
-Nightcap
-Legends by McClelland
-Spillman's Mixture
-Odyssey
-Avalon- by Wayne at John's Pipe Shop in Columbia, MO

I guess for me, the English Blends usually contain Latakia. Does that make them Balkans?

 

[operaguy2570]

Nogbert,

The most savory English blends to my taste are (remember smoke slowly in a geometrically appropriate bowl and keep a smallish combustion zone for maximum flavor):
1. Esoterica Penzance
2. Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding
3. 60's or 70's Dunhill 965 My Mixture
4. G. L. Please Blackpoint
5. H & H Black House
6. Frog Morton (original) - a true English/Aromatic Crossover Blend

 

[Mikem]

A very nice English bulk blend IMHO is Stokkebye's Proper English. It is what I would consider my everyday English. Another stronger bulk blend is Lancers Slices.
Some of my favorite tinned English blends would be G.L. Pease Blackpoint, Seattle Pipe Clubs Plumb Pudding and Esoterica's Penzance

 

[skullnbones]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I was going though some stuff last week and found a ziplock bag my friend had given me 5 or 6 years ago. It just sad Balkan on it and it was dry as hell. I threw one of those pouch humidifiers in it and stuck it in a jar for a couple days. So the other day I figured I'd give it a shot, I pack half a bowl in a horrible little basket briar and wow what a good smoke. The tobacco had a nice spice to it and smelled like leather and a camp fire. It burned down to a nice grey ash with only one relight. I never would have expected such an enjoyable smoke from a pipe that has given me nothing but problems and some old dried out tobacco.

So where do I go from here? There seems to be as many definitions for Balkan, English and Latakia blends as there are blends themselves. Since my friend just wrote Balkan on the bag I really don't know where to start. I'm going to be picking up a Peterson estate pipe from a cleaning on Friday day and I like to break it in and dedicate it to something along the lines on this "Balkan" any suggestions would be great.