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Charatan - No. 10 Mixture 50g
A proper English English
This is a solid English blend worthy of notice. In world devoid of the great McClelland English blends, and dominated by ubiquitous STG, Johnny One Note tobacco. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I don't know why I waited so long to try it. A big thanks to TOR for making it available to the North American market. It's not just another generic hohum so-Latakia and Virginia concoction, it's unique, with a degree of complexity.

Cornell & Diehl - XXV Reserve: Dusk 2oz
Extraordinary!
Absolutely magnificent! I dream of a world where a tobacco blend such as this is available on a daily basis. This rivals all of my old favorite McClelland blends in the quality of the leaf, and skill with which it is blended.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Dark Bird's Eye Vintage Cut
Traditional tobacco
In the pouch, the smell reminds me of driving through the hills of Kentucky at that time of year when all the tobacco is curing in the barns, and smoking sheds. The Dark-fired Kentucky is unmistakable, but the Virginias are in no way subordinate to it. Kentucky and Virginia compliment each other. The nicotine level is respectable but not overpowering. Tongue bite should not be an issue, the room note is that classic pipe aroma that could never be mistaken for cigarettes or cigar. It's a smell I have always associated with leather chairs and old books.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Rodeo
Man, this is good!
I have not had a Virginia blend this good since McClelland's Fragrant Mature Cake. I hesitate to review this because I don't want it to be perpetually sold out, but as soon as I post this I am ordering some more.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - Caribbean Coconut
Outstanding!
The coconut topping is not overpowering, but its presence is clearly evident. The tobacco is superb. Not a hint of bite, nothing harsh, cured to perfection, with enough strength to make it worth your while. My first order was two ounces, halfway through the first bowl I was on my phone ordering 500 grams.

Gawith Hoggarth & Co. - American Delite
Not what it claims to be, but good.
The description claims, vanilla, caramel, and fruit. I get none of that. Is it bad? Not at all, it just isn't as described. What it is, is premium quality tobacco. No bite, no harsh notes, just smooth, well behaved tobacco that smokes cool, lights readily, stays lit with minimal attention. It reminds me of something from House of Windsor that I pinched from my Grandpa's pipe cabinet back in the 70s when almost all tobacco blends were good.

Rivertown Tobacco Works - Custard Conspiracy
Very familiar new blend
This is a good aromatic that is not cloyingly sweet. The topping is very familiar, it has a lot in common with C&D's line of cream aromatics; Apricot and cream, Apples and cream, Irish Blessing. It has that same oily texture that feels like it should be overly moist but actually is not. It lights well, minimal relights, a slight crackle without excess moisture. Plumes of white smoke, pronounced custard flavor, and an aroma that only a dedicated Karen could take offense to. If you like aromatics in the vein of Irish Blessing, this one is for you.

Rivertown Tobacco Works - Mystic Moor
A solid English
Honestly, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. I was wrong. This is a very good English blend that has everything you could want.

Sutliff - Field & Stream Match
Better than the original
Another match blend that surpasses the original. It does not burn hot or get harsh like the original blend did. I regret waiting so long to try this. I have often been disappointed in Sutliff blends, but that is definitely not the case with this blend. The toppings last throughout the bowl but are not simply a means of making inferior tobacco; the tobacco is excellent quality.

F&K - Lancer Ready Rubbed
Close to the original Bengal Slices
A pure, unabashed, English broken flake tobacco. The room note is extraordinary, deep, and rich. The smell took me all the way back to 1972, sitting at the tobacco counter in my Grandfather's Farm Supply store and Oliver Tractor dealership in Michigan. It is a perfect blend of Latakia and Virginia tobaccos, neither one overpowers the other. It smokes cool, burns slow, even for an aggressive puffer like me. A bowl in a Missouri Meerschaum General, which is a big pipe, lasted over an hour and a half and didn't require a relight for almost 40-minutes.

Cornell & Diehl - Crooner
Much better than I expected
I'm not usually a fan of big Burley blends because they are usually reminiscent of cigarettes. The Burley in Crooner is high quality, obviously cured properly, with care. The deer tongue is quite evident in Crooner although not as conspicuous as in C&D's New Market although it is more visually present in Crooner. This is, honestly, the first full Burley blend that I can say that I actually like. You have to smoke it slow or it will develop cigarette-like characteristics, but if you go easy, the Burley is nutty, with cocoa overtones that are complemented by the vanilla notes of the deer tongue. Smellwise, this stuff won't make you many friends but when it comes to friends, my goal is quality over quantity.

Planta - Full English
Excellent
The Latakia is definitely there but it's not a Lat Bomb. The description of the tobacco doesn't include any Oriental or Turkish leaf but, if I didn't know that, I would swear that it is there. There is a distinctly sour note, but not unpleasantly so, that is usually associated with Orientals/Turkish. Perhaps that comes from the type of cigar leaf used... The Virginias are sweet, with a bit of fresh bread flavor.

Grand Croupier - Double Down
Good Quality
This is the best Burley/Virginia that I have had. I know it's characteristics can't be consistent all the time, except that it is consistently good quality tobacco. The nicotine hit from the batch I got is stronger than medium, almost at the upper level of what I am comfortable with; suitable for a Country Gentleman sized bowl, not a General or a MacArthur, in my opinion, but the next batch could be closer to mild I suppose.

Grand Croupier - Boneyard
My Secret
I'm not going to go on social media and sound the trumpet for this blend because I don't want it to be perpetually sold out. I bought a pound of Boneyard on IPSD and was so pleased with it that I immediately ordered two more pounds, only two pounds because that was all that was left in stock at the time. I'm anxious to see how it is when it acquires some age. At this price, I can easily cellar a good portion of every pound I purchase, and compare the various "vintages" in a year, two years, or more. The tobacco is high quality, just what we expect from Cornell & Diehl. My first pound had all the flavor profiles that I look for in an English or a Balkan blend, just not in the usual proportions. Since it's an ever-changing blend there is no point in trying to describe particular tastes, but I can see a good percentage of flake, sparkling with sugar crystals so, it's a good Virginia. The Latakia is lighter than I prefer, but it's certainly there, as are some spicy Orientals.

Sutliff - Revelation Match
Better than the Original
It has a dark, fruity smell. I can detect the smell of the Perique but there's not enough of it to cause the characteristic tongue tingle that Perique often causes. The Dark Fired Kentucky and Latakia compliment one another without competing, or one getting lost in the other. It must be the Virginia that adds some sweetness as well as the plum casing. The Burley rounds it out and gives some body to the smoke. I had the original House of Windsor years ago, and I did not like it. I like this enough to call it one of my favorites and to try to always have some on hand.

Cornell & Diehl - Billy Budd
Excellent!
Billy Budd reminded me, briefly, of McClelland's Coyote Classic Full, which is one of my all-time favorites, but the resemblance was ephemeral, as the unique qualities of Billy Budd came to bear, such as Burley and Cigar Leaf which Coyote Classic does not have. Conversely, Billy Budd does not contain Oriental/Turkish leaf that distinguishes Coyote Classic. Billy Budd has a rounded flavor, no sharp notes. It is Latakia forward, which is perhaps the quality that first invited my comparison with Coyote Classic, as well as the fact that the tobaccos used are premium in every respect, no inferior Burley leaf as a cost saver here. It was a little slow to stay lit, but once it was lit, it stayed lit to the bottom of a large bowl. The nicotine is, I would say, past medium bordering on strong. The Cigar Leaf is evident without giving the impression of a cigar. It is a cool smoke with no chance of a tongue bite. The room note is strong but not offensive, although some who are sensitive may disagree. It burns to a fine gray ash, with no dottle, and no moisture.

Lane Limited - HGL
Pretty good
The combination of Latakia and aromatic compliment each other perfectly. I can't imagine anyone being offended by the smell except, perhaps those who are intent on being offended. The tobacco burns cool with plenty of smoke at a reasonable rate. There is no goop or dottle left in the bowl, just a fine gray to white ash.

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