Gourmet versus Comfort Food blends

[DrT999]

 

Since we agree on the spectrum of "comfort food" blends, I'd be interested to know what it is that would make a top favorite for you. I always assumed it would be complexity, but maybe it's depth, or balance, or something that can't even be defined.  

For me, it's some of the Lakelands (Grasmere, #7 Broken Flake, etc.), but it I only smoked them, I get tired of them after a while and want something plainer and darker. To each their own!

 

[Ozark Wizard]

When I don't know what to reach for, PS LBF is a regular comfort smoke. Or Pebble Castle. Just about anything else is a treat.

 

[Segovia]

Royal Yacht was my go to comfort food in the 80s, but when production switched it was never the same for me. I agree with Jim Inks that the original had more depth and creaminess on the palate. However, I've only tried newer productions with maybe 1-3 years on the tin. I'm wondering if you have any experience with tins having more age on them. I don't expect they will ever taste the same as the 80s version, but do they develop more depth and fullness on the palate?

I did smoke some Royal Yacht back in the 80's, but I was just dabbling with pipes then and don't recall enjoying it that much. I do have a pretty good stash going back to 2012 and think that the older tins mature nicely.

But one thing that I would say about Dunhill blends over the past several years is that they were shipped too young in general with the exception of Three Year Matured. All of them profit from a year or two sitting in a cupboard, especially Elizabethan Mixture. Another one that ages extremely well is Standard Mixture, I opened a tin from 2015 last week and was astounded by how good it was.