Advise on american made virginias and english/balkan blends

[Requiem]

Hi guys,

I'll be visiting the US, in August, and want to buy a few tins of american made tobaccos.

I smoke english/balkan blends, and straight viriginias. No perique or aromatics for me...

On the english/balkan side my favorites go from SL, EMP and Erinmore Balkan Mixture to Black Mallory... I don´t enjoy cavendish, so blends like MM965 are not for my taste. I prefer my english tobaccos not so creamy, but rather with a little "zist" and a little spicy. Is there anything with syrian latakia worth to try?
What should I get: Abingdon, Maltese Falcon, Odissey, Westminster, one of the Frog Morton's?
Or are european blends better and I should focus on american made virginias?

On the VA's side, as I usually smoke them as the first pipe of the day, I like it medium or medium-light in strenght, and not harsh on the throat.
My favorite is BBF (which I enjoy much more than FVF) and I also like Old Gowrie (though it is a little too sweet...).
So, what should I get: something from the McClelland range? Anything else? Is the hype around GLP Union Square justified?

I´m looking for easy to find tobacco's, as I guess I will not have the chance to visit many B&M's. Also, I rather buy tins than bulk.

Oh, and I also want to get 1 tin of some good burley. Should I get old PA or what?

Thank you all

[Zeabed]

Of the U.S. Balkan/English blends that I know, I would recommend GLP Westminster (Medium) and Samarra (Mild to Medium), both of which I consider excellent. I've heard good things about Abingdon (I have an unopened tin) but can't vouch personally as I haven't smoked it yet. Iwan Ries has Gourmet English, which is fine, but I don't know if it will be available where you'll be visiting. PS blends I'm sure are available to you in EU, otherwise I would certainly include Balkan Supreme. Although not an English-English blend, I would recommend an "Americanized English" blend, C&D's Epiphany.

My experience with Virginias is limited (I do like VaPers, however). One good burley is C&D's Old Joe Krantz. I know that some also recommend C&D's Haunted Bookshop.

[Hermit]

My five favorite Virginias:
Union Square
Hal O' The Wynd
Hamborger Veermaster
Opening Night
Full Virginia Flake

[sounds7]

Originally Posted by Zeabed

Of the U.S. Balkan/English blends that I know, I would recommend GLP Westminster (Medium) and Samarra (Mild to Medium), both of which I consider excellent. I've heard good things about Abingdon (I have an unopened tin) but can't vouch personally as I haven't smoked it yet. Iwan Ries has Gourmet English, which is fine, but I don't know if it will be available where you'll be visiting. PS blends I'm sure are available to you in EU, otherwise I would certainly include Balkan Supreme. Although not an English-English blend, I would recommend an "Americanized English" blend, C&D's Epiphany.

My experience with Virginias is limited (I do like VaPers, however). One good burley is C&D's Old Joe Krantz. I know that some also recommend C&D's Haunted Bookshop.

Abington is good but nothing is quite like Westminster.

[Vrbas]

Anniversary Kake.

[Zeabed]

Originally Posted by sounds7

Abington is good but nothing is quite like Westminster.

Westminster is ridiculous good, sounds. I'm stocking up on the stuff like there's no tomorrow for pipesmoking.

[Requiem]

Thanks gents,

I'm thinking it's probably best to place a online order, instead of looking for a B&M... so, I'm going to make an order and hope it arrives to the my US adress before August.

What is currently the most reliable online store, with good prices?

[Zeabed]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Thanks gents,

I'm thinking it's probably best to place a online order, instead of looking for a B&M... so, I'm going to make an order and hope it arrives to the my US adress before August.

What is currently the most reliable online store, with good prices?

Requiem, I use marscigars.com (usually very reasonable prices and fast shipping), 4noggins, and smokingpipes.com also good. You could look them up to see which one is closest to where you will be staying. That way the order could arrive faster. You're only contingency is placing an order and then getting an after-the-fact email informing you that it's backordered.

[commonsenseman]

I'd suggest Westminster & FM.

I've had good luck with both 4noggins & Smokingpipes, as Zeabed said, tough to say when stuff's out of stock.

[Alpedhuez55]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Thanks gents,

I'm thinking it's probably best to place a online order, instead of looking for a B&M... so, I'm going to make an order and hope it arrives to the my US adress before August.

What is currently the most reliable online store, with good prices?

What part of the country are you visiting? Some states have low taxes and good B&M prices. Or there may be a great B&M that does their own blends in the city you are visiting.

[Requiem]

Fall River - Massachussets, and NY.

I'll probably go to Providence and Rhode Island, too.

[rharris]

4noggins would be a good bet for you, as they are located in vermont. I live in upstate N.Y.and my orders are usually at my door in three days or less. I also love the anni kake which 4noggins carries.It is a hearth and home blend from pipesandcigars.com.

[KevinV]

The Prince Albert would be an excellent choice for burley. Carter Hall is another very good smoke.

[Alpedhuez55]

Originally Posted by Requiem

Fall River - Massachussets, and NY.

I'll probably go to Providence and Rhode Island, too.

You need to head up to Boston and visit L.J. Peretti's. They have a great selection of tinned tobacco. But they also do their own blending and have many fantastic English and Burley blends. D7485 , Omega and British blends are great English Blends. D9575 is an exceptional English with a burley base.

LJ Peretti Co. - Established 1870

Also meet up with some of the Boston Crew at Churchills if you get the chance. And while there...try out the DPE blend which is one of my favorites.

Also in MA or RI...Smokingpipes.com should be able to deliver to you the next day by UPS Ground. I think a $100 order is shipped free. Just do not wait till you get to NY to order it since the taxes may be considerably higher.

Good luck!!!

[Requiem]

Thank you all.

My wish list, so far, is as following (all 50g. tins):

2x GLP Westminster
2x GLP Abingdon
2x GLP Union Square
2x McC Frog Morton
2x McC Frog Morton Across the Pond
2x McC Frog Morton on the Town
1x McC Virginia nº 22
1x McC Virginia nº 24
1X McC Virginia nº 27

5x Missouri Meerschaum (2 or 3 to myself, the rest to offer)

still looking for a burley blend.

also, still undecided about GLP's Renassaince (discontinued???) and Odyssey...