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The Modern Equivalents to Famous Smokers and Their Preferred Blends
A few weeks ago, I made a post about famous smokers and their preferred blends, and I gave the warning that many of these blends are no longer available. While lurking in the comments, I saw several people asking for modern equivalents to these blends, and who am I to deprive the people of what they want? Now a word of warning: since many of these blends are no longer, I've not smoked a lot of them, which means I'm relying on second-hand information and opinions of the masses to help determine some possible alternatives.
Shelby Foote
Starting off with Shelby Foote's choice of Edward G. Robinson's Pipe Blend, finding an alternative to this classic proved more difficult than I initially thought. During production, the alternative was Sutliff's Modern English 310. Outside of the shared components, they were both topped with some manner of alcohol. I believe both had a red wine topping, with some saying there was a cinnamon element. Otherwise, their shared components are Burley, Latakia, and Virginia. Robinson's blend also featured Black Cavendish.
I've also seen people label both of these blends more as traditional American blends. I'm not familiar with a lot of tobaccos that are topped with red wine or cinnamon, nor blends that people confidently call American. I know Dan Tobacco has Da Vinci, and though it's just Virginia and Black Cavendish, they share the red wine topping. Cornell & Diehl's Sweet English offers a Cavendish base of Virginias, Burleys, and Black Cavendish, adding a dash of Latakia but it's topped with a mixture of caramel and vanilla.
Gene Hill
Gene Hill's choice of Edgeworth proved easier. Edgeworth Ready Rubbed was made of the finest Kentucky and Tennessee White Burley tobaccos, carefully selected and aged to provide the coolest smoke possible. The three most popular alternatives I found were Prince Albert, Peter Stokkebye PS41 Cube Cut, and Cornell & Diehl's Cube Cut Burley.
Prince Albert may be a prince but many tote it as the king of codgers; its blend of Burley and Cavendish is complemented by a hint of cocoa and molasses. PS41 Cube Cut is an American blend of air-cured toasted Burley leaves from Tennessee and aged Red Virginias that have been pressed into cakes and cross cut into small squares for easy filling. C&D's Cube Cut is similar, composed of high-grade White and Dark Burleys from Kentucky, then making their own small-cut cubes. All three blends reward you with a delightfully cool, slow-burning smoke.
Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf's love for Edgeworth Aromatic was easier to find an alternative to. This Aromatic blend was made up of Burley, Latakia, Orientals, Perique, and Virginia flavored with a brandy topping. The first mixture that came to mind was G.L. Pease's Barbary Coast. Like the ready-rubbed alternatives, it's made up of cube-cut Burley before being paired with Red Virginia and a touch of Perique that's capped off with a delicate kiss of brandy, which polishes this blend to a perfect finish.
Norman Rockwell
Finally, we have Norman Rockwell and his love for Edgeworth Executive Mixture. Executive Mixture was made up White Burley, Golden flake, and a rare Red Virginia Cavendish. This one was also a difficult blend to figure out; I couldn't find a lot of people talking about it, so I'm just kind of working with components. Cornell & Diehl's Constellation might fit the bill. It's a little different with its Virginia ribbon, rough-cut Burley, unsweetened Black Cavendish, and Latakia. I also had the thought of Rattray's Accountant Mixture but I fear it might be too different. However, it's comprised of Virginias, unsweetened Black Cavendish, and Latakia.
Modern Equivalent Challenges
The main hurdle I've faced with Executive Mixture and alternatives is not having a topping and the lack of Red Virginia Cavendish. This is where I throw it to you, dear readers. Perhaps you have experience with the blends, and if you do, you can steer both me and your fellow smokers to the right path. Regardless, let me know in the comments what you think. In the future, when I do more famous smokers, I'll make sure to include the alternatives in that article rather than do two separate posts. Happy smokes!
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Comments
I've heard and read Shelby Foote mixed Burley with EGR also.
All of these alternatives are better than Retarded Donkey or whatever isn't $10 or more an ounce (the real elephant in the room). Thanks for your efforts, Rose.
Oh, you mean that these modern equivalences are better than Retarded Donkey or 2 ounce blends $7 or more an ounce...I agree. Throw an ounce of tobacco on the scales (just look at what an ounce really is), and I don't care if it's been aged in the finest sherry or bourbon barrels since the beginning of time and has the best tin art and background story that would resurrect your great great great grandmother from the dead with the will to go into battle just to die again with fueled unbridled aggression and selfless service, respect, integrity, courage, honor, loyalty, and duty... pipe tobacco shouldn't cost more than (I'll give you a dollar) $6 an ounce. No wool on these eyes🐑🐑🐑 just my humble opinion. This post was sparked by a hypocritical moderator from another forum, don't bitch or delete/lock a members post for being political when you're free to speak your politics. This is why I refuse to subject myself to a forum/community where you can be bullied or silenced by a moderator (get a real job).
How close is HU's Edward G. blend to the original, I wonder?
Not close, the only commonality is the name.
This was an enjoyable read from the academic perspective of what processes manufacturers used to use, and what modern manufacturers currently use to appeal to the tastes of their customers.
I don’t think I will ever choose a tobacco only for the reason that someone else smoked it and enjoyed it. But, I may try a few based on their reviews, because they were able to articulate how they enjoyed it.
On that note, not sure what Bigfoot Wannabe is referring to, but a word of advice that I find helpful: you can’t change how other people act, but you can choose what tobacco you want to enjoy and what pipe you want to smoke it in. Enjoy!
Very true, sound, and wise advice. Cheers!
Well, everyone and everything is gone, so how about a more contemporary or forward thinking approach, i. e., living celebs?
Well, everyone and everything is gone, so how about a more contemporary or forward thinking approach, i. e., living celebs?
R.I.P, Erich von Däniken🖖🏻 I'm not sure what his preference of pipe tobacco was, but I enjoyed his work. I hope your chariot ride to the Gods was a smooth one🛸👽
What about Hemingway? I've read Hemingway was a pipe smoker, and everyone considers him a cigar smoker.
Any thought?