
Hilary D.
Reviews


Ashton - Artisan's Blend 50g
7/2023 Not English!
Got this on sale last year from smokingpipes.com. I let the sealed cans age in my humidor till today. The baccy was made in Germany. It has imported tobacco and some "domestic" and, "imported" tobacco content. It's a fine ribbon cut that needs a little rubbing out, due to the compression of the baccy in the tin. Used an MM pot corncob to try it out today. It smoked well but, an "English" blend, it is not. It's actually a fairly homogeneous smoke with little oriental or latakia nuances. It has very little nic kick. It's OK for a morning pipe. There's a tad of complexity, but, nothing to write home about. Got it at an excellent a sale price though. It does leave a mild "English" aftertaste for awhile. An average baccy with an easy draw, though lacking the usual smoky flavor the UK baccys, like Sam Gawith posess.


Seattle Pipe Club - Plum Pudding 2oz
American-Anglo "Balkan"
Just tried this for the first time due to the UK dearth of "English" style blends. This one is a well balanced formula.The secret is in its mildness. Very smooth and subtle. No bite. The Cavendish keeps the lid on the baccy. It has a resemblance to Penzance, except the Latakia is not as pronounced. So, you get to enjoy the variety of the different baccys in the blend. You have to pay attention to get the nuances. It stays lit without relights. Even with packing your pipe tightly, the baccy remains springy, and provides a decent, yet not overpowering smoke. It creeps upon you as you puff. You do start noticing the Perique, the Turkish and the others without the slightest bit of overpowering the rest of the formula. Truly a remarkable blend. Wish I had tried some of Sutliff"s blends before. An easy going experience awaits even the novice pipe smoker. Strongly recommended!