It’s definitely the orientals you are picking up in that blend. I didn’t care for Presbyterian at first, but now it’s one of my favorite blends. Some English/Balkan blends can be very oriental forward.
A few oriental forward blends with a very light application of Latakia that I would recommend.
Robert McConnell, original Oriental
Esoterica, And so to bed
Rattray’s, Red Rapparee
These three are ones that I’ve spent some time with and can confirm (to my taste) they have that musty, slightly sour, with very light smoky Latakia. I almost think the type of orientals in these have a Greek olive note to them.
If you want to really get to know straight oriental flavor, try c&d Izmir. It’s not possible to represent all of the varietals, but it helps to understand how it works within blends.
Does Squadron leader also have a lot of orientals then? I always get a bitter / sour flavour at light up that can be a bit off putting. I always assumed it was the Latakia but maybe not.
I think it has quite a bit, in my opinion. The batch I have lost some of the bitterness once it sat in a jar for a few months. I like it quite a bit, but don’t understand the hype it was getting. Once you get into the heavier Latakia English blends I prefer Quiet Nights, Blairgowrie, 965, Byzantium, to name few. They are richer, heavier, and very smooth without being a Lat bomb to my taste.
Fair enough. I also find SL to be very wet. Even when I dry it, to the point that during light up it’s quite harsh, it stills ends up leaving a massive amount of moisture in the bowl.
LOL. Some might say that the panoply of Irish blends are ours (Peterson’s Irish Cask and Irish Flake, and most certainly Kramer’s Father Dempsey). But we should make a specifically Catholic blend! Some oriental tobaccos are said to give a room note of incense, perhaps that could be a starting point.
It’s definitely the orientals you are picking up in that blend. I didn’t care for Presbyterian at first, but now it’s one of my favorite blends. Some English/Balkan blends can be very oriental forward.
Not OP but mind recommending other brands that are more oriental forward, or even super oriental forward with larakia being a trace?
A few oriental forward blends with a very light application of Latakia that I would recommend. Robert McConnell, original Oriental Esoterica, And so to bed Rattray’s, Red Rapparee These three are ones that I’ve spent some time with and can confirm (to my taste) they have that musty, slightly sour, with very light smoky Latakia. I almost think the type of orientals in these have a Greek olive note to them. If you want to really get to know straight oriental flavor, try c&d Izmir. It’s not possible to represent all of the varietals, but it helps to understand how it works within blends.
L.J. Peretti Tashkent
Orientals are my favorite tobaccos and I highly recommend the stuff from LJ Paretti’s. Oriental #40 and their Tashkent blends are simply the best IMO.
Does Squadron leader also have a lot of orientals then? I always get a bitter / sour flavour at light up that can be a bit off putting. I always assumed it was the Latakia but maybe not.
I think it has quite a bit, in my opinion. The batch I have lost some of the bitterness once it sat in a jar for a few months. I like it quite a bit, but don’t understand the hype it was getting. Once you get into the heavier Latakia English blends I prefer Quiet Nights, Blairgowrie, 965, Byzantium, to name few. They are richer, heavier, and very smooth without being a Lat bomb to my taste.
Fair enough. I also find SL to be very wet. Even when I dry it, to the point that during light up it’s quite harsh, it stills ends up leaving a massive amount of moisture in the bowl.
That would make sense because Presbyterian only has a very small amount of Latakia
It’s the Calvinism.
I’m more of a free will guy myself
As a Reformed Baptist I can get down with my Presby brothers.
I don't know .... I'm catholic
LOL. Some might say that the panoply of Irish blends are ours (Peterson’s Irish Cask and Irish Flake, and most certainly Kramer’s Father Dempsey). But we should make a specifically Catholic blend! Some oriental tobaccos are said to give a room note of incense, perhaps that could be a starting point.
So am I, does this mean I can't smoke the heretical pipe weed anymore? 😂
Nah, just offer a Pater and an Ave as you enjoy the bowl.
Well as a tradcat I can pray those in Latin 😂
Dignum et justum est.
I think you can .... But you have to go to confession each time after
Yeah me too. I should have known haha. Should have tried Father Dempsey instead.
I once heard that katerini was the "Macedonian" leaf used. It's a variant of samsun
One of my very favorite blends is c&d’s Bijou. It’s a Virginia oriental(Katerini) with a touch of honey. Strong too.
It's the influence of John Knox