I remember the old store on Jefferson Avenue back when the second generation of the Milan's had it. I think they even had a satellite store in one of the malls, but I might be confusing it with another retailer. Too many local tobacconists have gone by the wayside, it's nice to see an old favorite not only surviving, but apparently flourishing.
Curious about English blends
- Thread starter Benzadmiral
- Start date
I remember the old store on Jefferson Avenue back when the second generation of the Milan's had it. I think they even had a satellite store in one of the malls, but I might be confusing it with another retailer. Too many local tobacconists have gone by the wayside, it's nice to see an old favorite not only surviving, but apparently flourishing.
Lately I’ve been on a GLP Quiet Nights kick. It’s my go to after dark when I’m alone pondering life.
I’ve found John Bull Royal English to be a pretty good pouch tobacco that can be found at a reasonable price.
You’ve been given so many recommendations simply cannot resist confusing you further. “Old Georgetown” was first blended by the owner of Georgetown Tobacco when it was located in Alexandria,VA in 1962 I believe. This was my local tobacconist and Old Georgetown was my favorite tobacco for several years. John Crouch, the tobacconist, eventually sold the business and it is now located in Georgetown, DC. Out of curiosity, I looked it up last year and that blend is still available in bulk and for a reasonable price. I recommend it.
- Thread starter
- #45
Okay, folk --
Received the Match Walnut yesterday, and after dinner I loaded my small Jansen's bent billiard (the one I smoke EGR in) half full of the leaf and lit up. It burned easily, as ribbon cuts seem to do for me. It yielded a little over 10 minutes' smoke. So I re-upped with another half-bowl and got about 15 minutes' worth. An . . .
. . . interesting . . . taste and aroma, better in the smoking than in the bag note (the reverse of my codger blends!). I can imagine it would not be stuff that others would tell me "Mmm, smells so good!" Probably, too, as many of you have said, it would go better in colder weather. Oddly, it gave me the desire, which I ignored, to have a bowl of sour cream-and-onion potato chips. . . .
Received the Match Walnut yesterday, and after dinner I loaded my small Jansen's bent billiard (the one I smoke EGR in) half full of the leaf and lit up. It burned easily, as ribbon cuts seem to do for me. It yielded a little over 10 minutes' smoke. So I re-upped with another half-bowl and got about 15 minutes' worth. An . . .
. . . interesting . . . taste and aroma, better in the smoking than in the bag note (the reverse of my codger blends!). I can imagine it would not be stuff that others would tell me "Mmm, smells so good!" Probably, too, as many of you have said, it would go better in colder weather. Oddly, it gave me the desire, which I ignored, to have a bowl of sour cream-and-onion potato chips. . . .
- Thread starter
- #46
This morning while relaxing with a Hill Street Blues episode, I loaded some of the Seattle Pipe Club Miss. River blend that Whisky sent me in my small bent Jansen apple, which I've been using for Latakia blends. I made sure to dry it out -- I put some on a saucer before dinner last night, then loaded it into the pipe and let it sit all night.
First impression: barbecue sauce! (Though I'm not really one to eat stuff with BBQ sauce on it, I love my occasional bowl of barbecue-flavored potato chips.) The blend seemed toasted and rather salty. It refused to burn hot, though I needed to relight about 3 times -- perhaps I didn't pack it quite right. The scent of the cake in the plastic bag was much like other Englishes like the Match Walnut, but the aroma and taste are more subtle. Anyhow, I got a good 20 minutes' smoke from it, and am looking forward to trying it again.
First impression: barbecue sauce! (Though I'm not really one to eat stuff with BBQ sauce on it, I love my occasional bowl of barbecue-flavored potato chips.) The blend seemed toasted and rather salty. It refused to burn hot, though I needed to relight about 3 times -- perhaps I didn't pack it quite right. The scent of the cake in the plastic bag was much like other Englishes like the Match Walnut, but the aroma and taste are more subtle. Anyhow, I got a good 20 minutes' smoke from it, and am looking forward to trying it again.
Petersons Old Dublin.
Maybe it's just my interpretation of the blend but I wouldn't consider Mississippi River an English. While it does have Latakia it is so subtle to my taste buds that the overwhelming flavor for me is actually rum. However, I don't smoke The blend that often. Your post encouraged me to revisit it. Mine had been marinated in a jar for a bit which will round the edges of the Latakia. Regardless, it is a good smoke and one I have cellared
- Thread starter
- #49
Well, it's a sort-of aromatic, isn't it?
I’m not sure it would fall into a “true” English category either. I threw it in because it’s marketed as an English blend. Then again, it’s also marketed as a plug but seems more like a crumble cake to me.
I wasn't arguing against anyone here. SP classifies it English and many of the reviews say the same. I haven't heard people claim otherwise. Just from my experience and my personal understanding of English tobacco blends, I don't classify it in that category. Thats based purely on my interpretation of the flavor and not the component leaf.
I'm pretty sure most forum members here would disagree...its why I like this place. I can share that here and not get jumped on for being some sort of taste bud blind idiot.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I'm pretty sure most forum members here would disagree...its why I like this place. I can share that here and not get jumped on for being some sort of taste bud blind idiot.
Yup. Pretty sure I'd be lynched anywhere else on the net for my pipe preferences and (non)shopping choices
- Thread starter
- #53
I'm the guy who thinks Arko soap smells like stale corn chips and Sharp Dressed Man aftershave like stale Cheerios. You're in good company, B.I wasn't arguing against anyone here. SP classifies it English and many of the reviews say the same. I haven't heard people claim otherwise. Just from my experience and my personal understanding of English tobacco blends, I don't classify it in that category. Thats based purely on my interpretation of the flavor and not the component leaf.
I'm pretty sure most forum members here would disagree...its why I like this place. I can share that here and not get jumped on for being some sort of taste bud blind idiot.
Pipe tobaccos so far for me seem to fall into 3 categories: Englishes (aka rubbery), burleys (aka sweet and pleasant), and Half & Half (like burley but more lively). I like all 3, but I have to be in the right mood for a given blend type.
Whether it's an English, a crossover, or an aromatic, the only thing that really matters is that you enjoy it and it brings you pleasure.
That SPC blend is as English as my R129 is. But if you like it, who cares what category it falls into. You like it.
That SPC blend is as English as my R129 is. But if you like it, who cares what category it falls into. You like it.
Arko reminds me of the stuff we used to clean out the latrines in basic training.
- Thread starter
- #56
I hope to try the Squadron Leader this weekend.
So something like Peterson Early Morning Pipe is a "true" English, then?
The better word is probably “traditional”. EMP is closer to the center point of that genre than many. But it’s a wide spectrum of blends.
The one that’s “down the middle” as a traditional English, as mentioned by someone else, is Peterson (nee Dunhill) Standard Mixture. I named two that are slightly more mild, and more of an all-day blend. There are many others.
But there is nothing wrong with the crossovers you have been trying, either. There is nothing “untrue” about them. And it shouldn’t matter whether it’s one or another if you like it.
As long as you like it, that’s Your Standard. Whether it’s Penzance or Gambler is somewhat irrelevant by that metric.
- Thread starter
- #58
No, I'm just curious about the terminology that everybody agrees on. To me the "truck tire" scent says "English," just as "chocolate" or "maple" or "molasses" says "not-English" or "codger."
It's a lot like pipe shape naming. At what point does a bent billiard start being an Oom Paul/ Hungarian? Or maybe like paint chip cards? 197 different colors on the wall that fall under the category of "Blue", each different from the last so there's purple, green, and black and everything in between, but all under the "Blue" section. No! Like bay rum! Everyone and their brother has a bay rum scent. The only thing they have in common is they're called bay rum.
It's all very confusing, especially for a newer pipe smoker. Lat bombs, aromatic English, American English, Scottish, Balkans, all English blends. Sometimes I think the best thing to do is get a few samples, like 3-5 different blends. Then come back and say "I like that part of this blend but don't like this part of that blend". Then with a frame of reference you'll find more helpful lists and recommendations.
It's all very confusing, especially for a newer pipe smoker. Lat bombs, aromatic English, American English, Scottish, Balkans, all English blends. Sometimes I think the best thing to do is get a few samples, like 3-5 different blends. Then come back and say "I like that part of this blend but don't like this part of that blend". Then with a frame of reference you'll find more helpful lists and recommendations.
- Thread starter
- #60
This afternoon I tried the Squadron Leader that Whisky sent me, in the bent apple I've been reserving for Latakia blends. It definitely has a memorable taste, rather smoky and salty. For some reason I could not keep it lit for long, and gave up after about 15 minutes. Perhaps I need to dry it a bit more before smoking (I set it out for about 20 min. before lighting up), or to pack it a little differently. As with the Match Walnut and (possibly) the Miss. River, I think it will go better in cooler weather.
