Pipe Tobacco Review

Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture

Are we seeing the beginning of the end?  Will pipe smokers of the future ever get to experience the Dunhill blends of today?  Do you need to go overboard and stock up on Dunhill blends before they are all gone?  I can only answer each of these questions with…maybe.

In late 2016, the pipe smoking world was put into panic at the announcement that Dunhill would be discontinuing production on its pipe tobacco blends.  At the time, the pipe community was left in limbo, as details pertaining to the discontinuation were minimal at best.  Well, we have finally been given some clarification as to the future of Dunhill pipe tobaccos.

Two weeks ago, the Briar Report (http://www.briarreport.com) reached out to British American Tobacco (BAT) to inquire about the status of Dunhill pipe tobacco production.  The following is the response they received from BAT which can be found on their website:

“Thank you for getting in touch about this. At the end of 2016 we announced that we would be ceasing supply of Dunhill cigars and pipe tobacco by the end of 2017. Like many companies, we continually review and refine our global strategy to ensure the sustainability of our business for the future. These products make up a very small part of our overall business – the rest of the Dunhill portfolio is not affected by this decision. While we appreciate that this may be disappointing news for some consumers and industry partners, these decisions help us to remain focused on, and investing in, the right parts of our business to ensure our longevity and profitability for the future. When asked to confirm if the actual production of Dunhill Pipe Tobaccos and Dunhill Cigars has already ended they reaffirmed that they are no longer in production.”

Like many pipe smokers, I had already been preparing for the worst by stocking my cellar ever so gradually with my favorite Dunhill blends.  Therefore, when the end was announced, I wouldn’t be scrambling to find what remains of these buried treasures.  Just to be transparent, the tobacco sampled for this review was from 2013 and reflects a semi-aged tobacco, not a fresh tin.

Info & Overview

Brand: Dunhill

Category: VaPer (Virginia Perique)

Blend Components: Virginia, Perique

Flavorings: None

Cut Type: Ribbon

Available Packaging: 50g tin

Price: $9.87 USD

On to the review…

From the Tin: This is your typical Dunhill ribbon cut that is always easy to prep and pack.  Visually, the cut shows several shades of light and dark brown Virginia tobaccos with the occasional black leaf making an appearance.  The smell from the tin provides a rich sweet hay accompanied by plumy, fig, raisin notes.  The tobacco has a perfect moisture content needing no dry time, however, you will want to jar this one up upon opening, as it will dry out quickly if left unattended.

Tasting Notes: Dunhill Elizabethan is one of the simplest tobaccos I have ever smoked.  It lights easily, behaves throughout needing very few relights, and only improves as you progress through the smoking experience.  The initial tastes were remanence of a fresh batch of yeasty dough.  Although perique is associated with a spicy smoke, I did not find that to be the case with this blend.  Yes, there was an initial faint peppery, spice, however, it dissipated quickly not overpowering other flavors.  Halfway through the bowl, a creamy, almost vanilla, note appeared continuing in intensity until the end of the bowl.  Other tastes I noted throughout the smoking experience were a dark fruit character and a bright grassy likeness.  I found the room note to be extremely pleasant and welcoming, reminding me of the lingering scent one may note just before entering their favorite B&M.  Tobacco burned down to a solid white ash each smoke leaving little to no dottle in the bottom of the bowl.

Overall Impression: In my opinion, there are tobacco blends that come along during one’s smoking journey that make such an impression they are placed on a higher pedestal than other tobaccos.  Dunhill Elizabethan mixture is one of those blends.  This tobacco is refined, delicate, and certainly something ever pipe smoker should have the chance to experience.  If you haven’t already purchased this blend, please do yourself a favor and buy some before it’s gone.  I promise you will not be sorry you did.

Tobacco Score:

To leave you with some parting thoughts, we know for a fact that the Dunhill pipe tobacco blends, as they are currently produced, are running on borrowed time.  If you enjoy, or think you may enjoy, any of these blends in the future, now is the time to stock up.  No, you don’t have to go haywire about purchasing, however, once these staple blends are gone, they are gone.  Although I have well stocked my favorite blends, I am still tempted to purchase a few of the mixtures I am not as familiar with.  Why you may ask?  Because I don’t’ want to look back in 15-20 years and say, “I wish I had.”  Until next time, be blessed and cheers.