Thoughts on Westminster?

[jvillaveces]

For a long time Dunhill 965 was my favorite "English" blend. I've been smoking it since it was made by Dunhill, straight down to the current Orlik (loose) interpretation. About a year ago, upon reading the glowing reviews at tr.com I bought a 2oz tin to try out. To say I was impressed would be an understatement: it smokes cool, just about the right amount of nicotine, complex enough to "study" throughout the bowl but unobtrussive enough to just provide deep satisfaction without working on it while I do something else. The pleasant room note is not a handicap, either!

I smoked through that first tin without alternating it with anything else, and liked it more after my last bowl than after the first one. When I finished it, I cracked open one of my remaining Murray's 965 tins. I have to say that Westminster is far more refined, balanced, and rounded than the Irish 965. My next step was to sell my remaining tins of Murray's and Orlik 965 on eBay and purchase enough Westminster to last me through a war, recession, or tobacco ban.

Nowadays I do alternate it with my other tobaccos, mostly vapers. It's a part of my rotation, and a very enjoyable one. I do tend to turn to it more often than any other tobacco, and continue to savour and enjoy each and every bowl.

Juan M. Villaveces

 

[Anonymous]

I came nigh to despair with the three-stage method for packing English/Balkan mixtures. When I did that, I ended up with a wet heel, no matter what. (This is maybe 10 years of trying).

What works on this end, and brings the flavor level up to "amazing" is to grab a plug with four fingers and stuff it into the bowl, leaving room at the bottom and a lot of untidy leaf strands at the top like Jimmy Hendrix hair. The springiness of the tobac will hold it there, suspended off the bottom. Then, using the tamper of the trusty Czech pipe tool turned at a 45-degree angle to the top of the bowl, I press the edges (only) straight down, working around the perimeter a couple or three times until it's all tucked in. The center never gets touched. What results is the opposite of a cigar -- loose in the middle and tight around the periphery.

Just watch it doesn't crown up too high from a too-long initial light, and be amazed at the extra intensity of the flavor.

LL advocates a similar method, only pressing sideways, that I've never been able to get my head wrapped around (Tight center and loose wrap, like a cigar).

FWIW

:face:

 

[mycroft]

I think Westminister is one of the finest English blends available today. It's probably been 30 years since I smoked it on a regular basis but it reminds me a lot of the Original Balkan Sobranie. As I remember though the Sobranie was more of a ribbon cut than Westminister.