Full-Flavored Blends for the Outdoors
17 May 2000

Decker's ASP
Extracts

FeSwaby

My current living arrangements have me banished to smoking outdoors. This of course leads to the problem of much of the taste and aroma being dissipated by the wind (ever-present here in Boston). In the search of flavour I have been shifting towards the stronger end of the English/Scottish spectrum, like Balkan Sasieni and Bengal Slices. The Sasieni is pretty light tasting outdoors, and Bengal Slices is a little better - almost a medium. Still looking for something stronger (not more nicotine, just more taste).

Anyone have any recommendations for full-flavoured blends that can hold up outside?

Jeff Schwartz

Dunhill Nightcap and 965. Either of these are wonderful outdoor English blends. Nightcap is currently my favorite English.

JW Davis

I would give Butera's Pelikan a try.  It's a nice full English with a healthy dose of Oriental leaf.

R. Saylor

Penzance!!!!!  Since Penzance is a crumbly flake, you can adjust how coarse or fine you want it.  Most people like to smoke it coarse, and that way it resists being blown about by the wind.

JW Davis

If you're looking for a robust, somewhat heavy-handed tobacco that would get your attention outside, Penzance is NOT the way to go.  OTOH, if you have some quality time to sit and contemplate what you're combusting, Penzance is much more detailed than Margate.

You would be well-advised to try GL Pease "Mephisto" for a wonderful, smooth, full English.  Also, if you can wait a month or so, Greg's newest blend, "Raven's Wing", will be released to the public, and THAT is going to be one excellent full English!

Pascal Essers:

To add some Ful-Flavour advise: some blends of Hans Schuerchs are not so much very heavy but have indeed a full flavour: Zaffiro is very good and according the description on Tareks site (www.pipesandtobaccos.com) "Tarek Robusto" could also be a good choice.

farndog

Briar Bill

I just recently got through a "sample" of Esoterica's from www.tobaccomkt.com which included 8 x 1.5 of most of the Esoterica line.  I highly recommend anyone trying it this way, saved me a good bit of money, since as it turned out ...

I didn't care much for any of them!  The Penzance was a major disappointment for me; flavor was too weak for me, and not what I expected.  Of the rest, only the "King Charles" impressed me much, and maybe the "Dorchester", but with all there are to try, I'm not likely to try these again.

I also tried a Samuel Gawith sampler, with which I was much more pleased.  Both the RB plug and the Cannon plug I found to be as flavorful as it gets; also really liked the "Special Flake #7" (which, I believe is the flake form of the RB plug) and the "Curly Cut".  The twists/ropes were a bit much for me, though.  A couple of 'em taste like King Edward's cigars to me...

This is just my tastes; until then, my favorite has been Dunhill London and My Mixture 965.

Michael Stanley

I enjoy LPI (now McClellend) Bombay Extra for outdoor smoking. It has a really nice flavor with a long "finish". Smokes and burns well outdoors.

Gargoyle

FeSwaby

On a side note, I am curious about the distinction between "English" and "Scottish" blends. For the most part I've seen the terms used synonymously.  Could you clarify the distinctions between the two styles?

JW Davis

It's easy to explain but there are a few that will disagree with my definition of a Scottish Mixture.  It is important to understand that these people are lunatics and should not be trusted around farm animals.  That being said, Scottish mixtures typically use Virginias as a base, then are enhanced with spicy Orientals.  Latakia is used as a *condiment* (as opposed to a side dish) and the mixture is then sometimes topped with a flavouring of some kind, but typically a whisky (scotch).  The blend may or may not be steamed and/or stoved at this point.  Latakia content should be no more than 20% or thereabouts.

English blends usually increase the portion of Latakia and sometimes the Orientals as well, while reducing the Virginias.  While there are exceptions, traditional English blends don't use a topping of alcohol.

While we're on the subject, Balkan blends can typically be distinguished from English blends by the high proportion of Oriental and Latakia leaf. Virginias are further reduced, almost to the point of the Oriental leaf becoming the base for the blend.

Go ahead, lunatics, tell me I'm wrong!

Ed Anderson

Just want to add a note about Rattray's Highland Targe, my favorite "Scottish". According to their brochure it has "a Turkish accent (vs. a Latakia accent I presume) and a "high proportion of Black Cavindish" and is a "mild to medium
strength".  Also I don't believe it is topped with any flavoring.

As to my favorite full flavored English blends, in no particular order...

Dunhill's 965 is my all day smoke and is a medium strength, full bodied tobacco. Highland Targe I find to be less "full".

Colonel Panic

Hie thee to http://www.hilandtrading.com and order some 'Dr. Truesdell'.  It's only $16.75/lb or so and it's about as rich and heavy as one can get in the flavor department, especially for the price.  Balkans are my favorite outdoor smokes, for the same reason.  Tasty stuff indeed!

H. Plugson

Gawith's Commonwealth Mixture would be just the ticket.

 

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