Just popped a fresh tin of Peterson Standard Mixture. No drying time needed. One hour plus with hardly any relights . Smooth and flavorful. Highly recommended.
Curious about English blends
- Thread starter Benzadmiral
- Start date
I've found English blends do better in cooler weather for me. They can be kind of heavy smoking mixtures that definitely compliment long pants weather.
Fortunately I live in SoCal near the ocean where the temperature is mild.
- Thread starter
- #64
I've got about 4-5 months before anything might cool or dry off around here (and even then there's no guarantee). Disgusting climate. I may have to restrict these Englishes to once a week, tops, for a while.
It's relative, of course, what with varying milage and physical smoking location (indoors vs out or what level of climate control like shade). This time of the year (in the Northern hemisphere), though, once a week is about right for me.
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
This was a trip down memory lane for me! My biggest pipe smoking days, believe it or not, were when I was in college and as a young Lt in the Air Force in NY. I pretty much gave it up when I got stationed in the Philippines, and have been a cigar guy ever since, although I'd dabble in the pipe from time to time. Now, I thanks to this group here, I think I'm solidly in the pipe camp again, and won't quit, especially since you pointed me to some blends the War Department lets me smoke inside.
But for my 'outside' backy? You've named pretty much all my old favorites. What I remember smoking the most when I was a bachelor were:
What you've made me want to order now are ones I have not tried. I still have some Nightcap and 965. But I'm going to get some
I'll be smoking those in a winter coat soon, unfortunately.
So there was a cellaring thread I've been reading. @Columbo am I correct that as soon as I open a tin of these I should get it into a Mason jar? Or are the tins OK for keeping it in as long as the seal is good and I'm careful handling the tins? I need more mason jars.
Edit: And just ordered most of that.
But for my 'outside' backy? You've named pretty much all my old favorites. What I remember smoking the most when I was a bachelor were:
- Nightcap
- My Mixture 965
- Iwan Ries 3 Star Royale
- Early Morning Pipe
- Penzance
What you've made me want to order now are ones I have not tried. I still have some Nightcap and 965. But I'm going to get some
- Presbyterian
- Peterson Old Dublin
- Peterson Standard Mixture
- Boswell Northwoods
I'll be smoking those in a winter coat soon, unfortunately.
So there was a cellaring thread I've been reading. @Columbo am I correct that as soon as I open a tin of these I should get it into a Mason jar? Or are the tins OK for keeping it in as long as the seal is good and I'm careful handling the tins? I need more mason jars.
Edit: And just ordered most of that.
It depends on why you are cellaring. Mason jars are your best bet, and I don't think you have to do anything special to the jars, although some folks warm them up prior to sealing them. I don't do this; we aren't canning this stuff, just allowing some fermentation. Virginia blends, being high in sugar, age nicely, and, if properly stored, will improve in flavor and mellow out any harshness IMHO. Latakia blends are a different matter. They are comparitively lower in sugar, and the flavor will stay the same and may actually degrade over time. I don't think it makes sense to cellar English blends. If you are cellaring as a bulwark against price increases or to insure availabilty, then it might be a good idea, but I wouldn't do it for very long.
JCinPA
The Lather Maestro
Funny, but from what I've been reading, English blends cellar and mature very well. In fact it's recommended to let the flavors meld and knock the sharp edges off the spicier bits. Which matches my experience with aging strong cigars. Like everything else, though, I guess it's YMMV. But most folks seem to believe Engilshes cellar well, I believe. Some say the Latakia becomes less front and center as Englishes age, but that seems to be feature, not a bug for most folks, from what I've read.
I believe Walnut which you already smoke is a fair introduction. If you like that, it would seem it to be unlikely you would be put off by other English mixtures. Like you, I have English as an occasional smoke where it was my mainstay for years.
Fair enough. There are some old posts from GL Pease though that addresses these issues if you can find them. My experience is that they don't change very much.
I'd say it's a mix. For example, Penzance is better fresh IMHO while SG Commonwealth ages nicely. Individual components in a blend will impact aging differently.
