Unsung blenders and blends

[Wet Dottle]

I always read with interest the topics about favorite blends. It's my main source to decide whether or not to try new blends. The thing is I never see anyone discussing my favorite blenders. Perhaps my tastes are off, but here they are.

Robert McConnell This is my favorite brand, bar none. There is nothing not to like. Oriental is simply outstanding. Scottish Blend, Scottish Cake, Scottish Flake, and Special London Mature are fabulous. The only ones that are iffy are the Latakia Flake (makes me queasy) and the Rich Dark Virginia (tongue bite if not careful), but everything else is simply exceptional. If I were to go to a deserted isle and could only take one brand, this would be it.

Fribourg & Treyer If you like sweet Virginia flakes, these are possibly the best. Special Brown Flake is the highlight, but almost any of the other ones are excellent. And they age extremely well (I have 8 and 9 year-old square tins that never lost the vacuum nor got rust). Unfortunately, their English blends are only average.

James J. Fox Banker’s Blend (my favorite blend with cigar leaf) and Dorisco Mixture are simply unsurpassable.

So, go out and try some of these. You won't regret it, or your money back (not).

 

[Benton]

Fribourg & Treyer If you like sweet Virginia flakes, these are possibly the best. Special Brown Flake is the highlight, but almost any of the other ones are excellent.

I hear about everyone enjoying their VA's so much, but it seems to be the only type of tobacco that I can't figure out. I've either figured out how to smoke or found good blends in every other category: aromatic, balkan, oriental, english, burley. The VA's and VA/per's, they bite me.
Is Special Brown Flake the cure?

 

[regor]

You are absolutely right!!! They are three very good blenders and I have enjoyed a few of each one over the years. I do have 4 tins of the London Matured and do enjoy it when I can get away from soime of my other favorites LOL :cyclops: :sunny: :sunny:

 

[thomas james]

Virginias don't seem to bite me.

My Montana wife of fortyone years has set her teeth in my ass numereous times though.

 

[frankluke]

havent tried either but would you say cut virginia plug and brown flake are the best bets for F&T?

agree on mcconnell scottish cake and oriental, scottish cake might be my favorite tobacco.

 

[Anonymous]

Fribourg & Treyer If you like sweet Virginia flakes, these are possibly the best. Special Brown Flake is the highlight, but almost any of the other ones are excellent.

I hear about everyone enjoying their VA's so much, but it seems to be the only type of tobacco that I can't figure out. I've either figured out how to smoke or found good blends in every other category: aromatic, balkan, oriental, english, burley. The VA's and VA/per's, they bite me.
Is Special Brown Flake the cure?

There may not be a cure. Some folks body chemistry simply will not tolerate virginia tobaccos. I can't explain it but apparently its a PH thing. :scratch:

 

[Anonymous]

I find Astley's 109 to be mild and tasty and Escudo to be just slightly stronger with barely a taste of the perique. Penzance, Krumble Kake, and Black Bayou Mist will give you a range of latakia strenths. The discontinued Momoyama and Professional blend are the finest aromatics I have tried. Orientals are iffy if they have too little latakia. I could be happy with only these tobaccos if necessary, but there are still some I have not tried yet.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

Gh:

Dark Flake, one of my all-time favorite tobaccos-packs a wallop of nicotine which I thoroughly enjoy. Not very complex.

Dark Plug: more complex than Dark Flake, (nicotine)

S. Gawith:

FVF, Best Brown Flake, Dark Birdseye (nicotine)

Peterson: University Flake, Irish Flake (nicotine)

VA/Periques:
Escudo, Haddos, St. James Flake

Some pipers cannot handle straight VAs; VA/Periques lessen bite

 

[ofafeather]

I'll go along with the Astley's, also I think Esoterica/Germain has some fine blends, often overlooked.