Sutliff PS Mountain Pass

Tin Notes
In the higher altitudes the Alps retain a strong cultural identity with agriculture and culinary delights still being vital to the economy. Mountain passes have long been the route to move commerce. This delicious Black Cavendish with a delightful custardy top note is a taste of the Alpine at its finest.

     Strength: Mild to Medium
        Flavor: Medium
         Taste: Medium
Room Note: Very Pleasant

The tin note was of a rich egg custard. It reminded me of a desert my mother use to make during the holidays. On the charring light and true light the custard flavor was right there not overpowering, but flavorful. The Black and Golden Cavendish added sweetness to the flavor profile. Mountain Pass had several relights; it may have needed a little bit more drying time. Once lit it burned cool and well without any bite. I recommend giving Mountain Pass a try and you not will be disappointed.

Sutliff PS Archduke Ferdinand

Tin Notes:
This intricate aromatic is a mixture of seven distinct Vanilla sub-blends. It is a cornucopia of leaf in a variety of cuts ranging from Burley and Virginia to Black Cavendish. In that regard it is much like tracing the lineage of royalty.The name fits this blend rather well.

     Strength: Mild
        Flavor: Medium
          Taste: Mild
Room Note: Pleasant

The tin note was of  vanilla. On the charring light the flavor was of vanilla. The vanilla flavor was not overpowering, but smooth and delicious. On the true light a mild nuttiness from the Burley was added to the vanilla. A third of the way into the bowl the citrus and sweet grass flavors were added to the profile from the Virginias. The Archduke Ferdinand blend did not bite at all. It burned cool and well leaving no dottle. I would recommend giving this blend a try and it could become your everyday smoke.

Sutliff PS Kasimir

Tin Notes:
Kasimir denotes status as several Polish kings and prominent military leaders have borne the name. This extraordinary English Mixture of  Smoky Latakia, Rich Orientals, Golden Virginias and Burley could not be more aptly named.

     Strength: Medium
        Flavor: Mild
          Taste: Medium
Room Note: Pleasant

The tin note was of the smoky Latakia. The blend's moisture was good to go right from the tin. On the charring light the smokiness of Latakia was right there. On the true light the spiciness of the Orientals joined in. About a third of the way into the bowl the sweet hay flavor of the Virginias was apparent, and a short time after that the faint nuttiness of Burley jumped in to the mix. Kasimir burned cool and all the way to the bottom of the bowl leaving only light gray ashes. The Latakia in Kasimir in not over powering but is noticeable. This may replace Blend No. 5 as my favorite English. 

Sutliff PS County Cork

Tin Notes:
The majority of all Irish Whisky produced in Ireland today comes from County Cork. What better way to pay tribute to this superb Whisky blend of Virginia and Burley than to call it County Cork.

     Strength: Mild to Medium
        Flavor: Medium
          Taste: Medium

Room Note: Pleasant

The tin note was of the Irish Whisky. The blend was a little moist directly from the tin. So a little drying time was necessary. On the charring light and the true light the flavor and aroma was of the Irish Whisky. About a quarter of the way into the bowl the sweetness of the Virginia and a slight nuttiness from the Burley was added to the flavor profile. Three quarters of the way through the bowl the Irish Whisky flavor started to fade leaving just the tobacco flavor. County Cork burned well with only a few relights.

Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake

Tin Notes:
This is a hot pressed flake tobacco, meaning that during the pressing steam is added to mature the tobacco further and to ensure a mellow smoking experience. A blend of bright Virginias, spicy Orient, a bit of burley, and a fair amount of Cyprus Latakia is the foundation of HH Latakia Flake. The taste is complex with the smokey taste from Latakia in the front seat, the subtle sweetness from the Virginias working in the back, and the mellow spiciness from the Orientals popping up from time to time creating an intimate interplay where all tobaccos play there role in this unique smoking experience. A mellow yet satisfying tobacco,with a lot of nice smoky aroma. HH Latakia Flake has very little casing and no top flavor at all. The only taste you experience is the natural taste from the tobaccos used.

     Strength: Medium
        Flavor: None detected
         Taste: Full
Room Note: Pleasant

The tin note was of the smoky Latakia. I have been anxiously waiting the release of this blend since Per Jensen talked about it on Pipesmagazine.com Radio Show. This is definitely a Latakia forward blend, but that is not a necessarily bad thing. On the charring light and the true light the smokiness of the Latakia was right there. A little further down the bowl the spiciness of the Orientals joined with the smokiness of the Latakia. Next the sweet grass of the Virginians joined in.  HH Latakia Flake smoked down to a fine gray ash with no dottle. It stayed lit with out any re-lights. This flake is all that I had hoped for and I will be stocking up my cellar. I would highly recommend HH Latakia Flake any pipe smoke that truly enjoys both flakes and Latakia.

The Smoker Black Noble

Tin Notes:
This is the very definition of the American/English blend. Two rich and full-bodied types of Burley are combined with a light amount of Latakia and a hint of sweet matured Virginia to create a mixture that has a luscious mouth-feel and produces thick clouds of fragrant smoke. Black Noble delivers the experience of a rich cigar with the flavor of real pipe tobacco.

     Strength: Mild to Medium
        Flavor: None detected
         Taste: Mild to Medium
 Room Note: Pleasant

The tin note was the sweet hay from the Virginias with a light smokiness from the Latakia. On the charring light and true light there was a mild nuttiness along with a faint smokiness. About a quarter the way down the bowl a sweet hay flavor joined in. The smokiness of Latakia was very faint, more of a condiment to add flavor to the overall blend. Black Noble burned cool and with few re-lights. I would recommend Black Noble to anyone looking to experiment with Latakia as well as American/English blend smokers.

Hearth & Home Signature Mt. Marcy

Tin Notes:
This elegant blend gets its name from the highest peak in New York. This medium-bodied Balkan blend has a complex, delicate flavor and aroma. A great choice when you want the richness of Latakia and the bouquet of Turkish tobaccos, but don’t want anything too heavy.

     Strength: Medium
        Flavor: None detected
         Taste: Medium
Room Note: Pleasant  to Tolerable

The tin note was of smokey Latakia and the sweet hay from the Virginias. On the charring light the smokiness of the Latakia was the predominate flavor. On the true light the sweet hay flavor of the Virginias was added to the flavor profile. The spiciness of the Turkish tobaccos would wander in and out of the flavor mix. Mt. Marcy burned cool and well with minimal re-lights. I would not say that this blend is Latakia forward, but Latakia is one of the main flavors in the blend. I recommend giving the blend a try.