Tobaccos Ashton - Consummate Gentleman

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A. Gabor (1)	2014-01-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It seems to me that this blend is under appreciated here on Tobaccoreviews.

People seem to note a inherent "lack of flavor," and call this blend "nothing special." I however, feel contrarily. This blend is special because it is so light in latakia, while still retaining a classic english odour and taste. Many criticise this blend, consciously, or unconsciously, because of the sparsity of the latakia, but that is precisely what makes it special, along with the addition of burley tobacco. Many overlook the fact that English tobaccos used to contain no latakia at all, so for those who say that this cannot be a proper english, may I remind you that a common and proper English, at one time, was comprised only of Virginias and Burleys, and a bit later, with just a pinch of latakia. Many englishes abuse latakia, overuse it (cough cough Nightcap) to the point that it will numb the palate of any smoker, experienced or not, to at least some degree. This one, however, does not. Yet it is still a fine medium-bodied blend with plenty of english character... and it won't destroy your senses of taste and smell! This is quite the refined blend, and I may liken it to SG Squadron Leader, another fine blend.

Pipe Used: Nording Dublin Freehand

Age When Smoked: A few months

Purchased From: Holt's Tobacco Co.; Philadelphia, PA

Similar Blends: Squadron Leader.

38 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-02-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The Latakia may be lighter than most of today's English offerings, but I wouldn't classify it as light. More of a medium presence. I can't really separate the Virginia, Maryland, and Burley tobaccos from one another. They combine to present a very nice flavor akin to raisins lightly dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon spice. Closely balanced with that are the smoky, woody notes of the Latakia. This blend is delicious. It's very well put together. I think I'll be smoking a lot of this.

Medium in body. Medium in flavor. Needs a little drying time. Burns best when fairly dry.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman, MM Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

23 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Clive Moses Apikouris (41)	2013-01-11		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a blend which I often smoked in the past. It had gone ignored for a while as recently having gone back to a dedicated pipe smoking, I had focused on types of tobaccos I had not previously experienced. Today I loaded some into an old Iwan Ries Dublin, acrylic saddle bit pipe for my first pipe of the day. I'm very glad I did. Consummate Gentleman is a marvelous gentle extremely well balanced classic English style blend. Gentle yes, but very flavorful. Smooth sophisticated Latakia in the background directs round nutty and demi-sec flavors. There is also a muted but very desirable spice to it. as English blends go this would be on the opposite end of the spectrum from a smoke bomb like Pease's Charring Cross. Very pleasurable indeed and highly recommended.

22 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2011-07-04		Strong	Strong	Very Full	Very Strong

Ashton's Consummate Gentleman is a properly balanced English mixture that is satisfying, dry smoking, and a pleasurable smoke. The tin itself is rather ornate and classy looking, so you know that if you're smoking this, you've made it into the brotherhood of Briar. To start, the tin note is very strong in Latakia's signature scent, but there are mellow and creamy Burley notes as well, and of course there's that wonderful dried fig smell of the good old Virginia sweet leaf. Overall, it smells bitter, almost like fresh cut Cedar, but it has a warm toasted marshmallow scent as well. This tobacco may need a little drying right out of the tin, but not too much. It smokes very dry to begin with regardless, but if you find it wet, give it a day or so after popping the seal and it will be perfect. The taste is glorious to say the least. Very cool and smoky Latakia overtones wrap this whole smoke in a tight embrace. It's the prominent flavor, and there's not even that much in there. However, this blend has its own cool sweetness and depth. It almost tastes like a sweeter, medium strength cigar infused with Latakia. It has a nice spiciness to it that is sure to satisfy the seasoned smoker. It has subtle notes of a woodsy flavor, not unlike Peterson's Irish Oak. Very robust, full and prominent. The forefront of this blend is certainly its English crafting, but it is definitely softer smoking than more traditional English and Oriental mixtures, like Balkans and heavier Latakia tobacco blends. Its room note is rather pleasant and potpourri-like, but it lingers. This is not the best blend to smoke in mixed company. Save this one for reading in your study, poker night, or when you feel like bringing something different to the table when you get together with your cigar smoking friends. I try to seek out good English blends to recommend to those who like aromatics, but want to try something a little more traditional. This one is not too strong, not too intense, and even though it has a significant amount of nicotine, it's a slow smoker, so it won't knock you right out. Even though it does not smoke hot in the slightest, I recommend this to anybody who likes to smoke a Gourd Calabash pipe. The extra cooling will bring out the subtleties in this blend like nothing else.

16 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2075)	2016-03-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Ashton - Consummate Gentleman.

To me, this is a very unostentatious blend; that's not a bad thing, to a lot of folks it could be more of a good thing, that's how I see it!

The aroma given off from the unlit blend is a steadfast English one; not too grassy or hay like, not aromatic, just woody and smoky. If your an English fan I don't think you'd find it disagreeable! Typically for a sealed tin, it needs to be aired. It's not saturated but too damp nonetheless.

How does it smoke? Good! It's simple to get lit and gives a good burn; that's a good start! The flavour isn't typically English though, it isn't a huge Lat-Bomb; the Latakia's present, albeit not the star of the show. To be fair, this blend doesn't really have a 'star', it gives a very well rounded smoke; slightly nutty, a little grassy and somewhat woody. Woody, not smoky; it's the calmer variety of Latakia, calm and there's not great deal of it!

One of the few negatives for me is the speed. It seems to burn too fast, so I'd recommend filling a bigger bowled pipe with it as a small bowl will be over in a flash!

This is a good smoke that would make a great all day blend; medium nicotine, good flavour, and no bite.

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Siena 320 KS

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My Smoking Shop

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2015-05-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was somewhat surprised at this one, since it is not so highly rated here by some. I must say this one is really quite good and it will definitely be one to pick up whenever I get the chance to. The tobaccos used form a very nice, delicate almost, English blend that goes back to a much earlier era of pipe smoking. This lights and stays lit quite easily and there is only a fine ash at the bottom of the bowl. The taste alone makes you want to take your time with this one to fully enjoy it. The nicotine level and moisture level are just right. Highly recommended.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2014-03-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

In a world flooded with varying English blends, this one does not try hard to stand out. Packs easily with a bit of spring, lights very well and stays lit. This tobacco requires very little attention, and is a friend of mine while performing tasks such as restoring straight razors, tying a few flies for the upcoming trout season, or goofing off on the internet writing these reviews. It is also a great English blend for road trips, as it requires no relights to burn to the bottom of the bowl. Notes of leather, sweet Va, and the backbone of burley. It is clean on the palate, pairs well with a Macallan 12, Highland Park 18, or even a snifter of Grand Marnier neat. Room note is not as heavy as say Pirate Kake, but it will still drive the wife to the other end of the house. But sometimes that is a blessing........

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2005-11-08		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is indeed a medium bodied mixture with deep notes filtering in from time to time thanks to the sparse hits of Latakia. The Burley gives this one a somewhat unusual taste sensation for an "English type" offering.

I really liked this one. Oh, and this blend's name is spelled correctly on my tin. (-;

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2015-06-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

What a wonderful blend. I received a sample of this one from a forum friend. It was not a large sample, just less than 3 bowls worth, but every one of those bowls was fantastic.

The latakia is light, but present, lending just the right amount of smoke to an otherwise nutty sweet vabur. The burley adds enough body to this blend to suit my tastes well. If I had to compare this to another blend from a taste perspective only, it would be Mac Baren's HH Latakia Flake. It has a very similar flavor profile and I also like that one. This one is a bit sweeter to my tastes though or perhaps it is just because it is less smoky as the the MB offering has a bit more latakia.

On only three bowls, I would typically cap out a review at three stars and come back to it, but I am going four stars on this one as each of those three bowls were heavenly and I definitely plan on repurchasing.

Pipe Used: Davorin Morta

Similar Blends: HH Latakia Flake.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_german (309)	2015-05-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

In the store to ask for something completely different, a few tins I had not seen there before caught my eye, and I bought all of them. Looking over this particular tin's labels, I once more note that Kohlhase, Kopp & Co's right hand does not seem to know what the left is doing; the descriptions of the components of the blend are different on the front and back labels.

Opening the tin, I see and smell a typical English of the sweeter style, bordering on Scottish. Stuffing and lighting are easy, as expected. The flavour is nice, sweet-ish English similar to Dunhill 965, as is the room note. Some Cavendish is in there, though not the Black Cavendish noted on the back label. Apart from that, various VAs and a reasonable amount of Latakia.

Not much build-up over the bowlful, and I tend to have some dottle in the bowl at the end; I would classify this as a pretty standard blend, not really standing out, but certainly not bad either--I would buy again if short on my favourites. Hence, recommended. Goes well with an aged Caribbean rum.

Pipe Used: Stanwell bent pot, Vauen De Luxe 08

Age When Smoked: Fresh from new tin

Purchased From: HoS, Lingen, Germany

Similar Blends: Dunhill - My Mixture 965, Rattray - Accountant's Mixture.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FilipPruncu (85)	2019-06-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I will begin by saying that this is one of the tobaccos I smoke daily. From the first time I tried it at one of the Pipe & Cigar Club Romania meetings, it seemed like an excellent blend and went to buy myself a tin right away, which I devoured very quick. Yes, for a latakia lover this can be a daily tobacco. And it’s also a blend that I’d recommend to beginners, and you’ll understand why after reading the rest of this review.

Although the description says “with a pinch of latakia” I can say that the smell of latakia is quite pregnant when you open the tin. However, the room smell is not so strong and it doesn’t bother people much (I personally love the smell of latakia, not to mention the taste, but non-smokers will find latakia smell disturbing).

The tobacco is not very wet and can be smoked right out of the tin, it lights easy and doesn’t fade away, so no need for relights. Another good thing about this one is that no matter how much you draw, it doesn’t bite. It has a medium strenght (enough to feel that you’re smoking real tobacco).

Now lets talk about the taste... it’s not aromatic, but it is very delicious. Probably the most pronounced aspect is the cool, creamy taste, like a thick cloud of smoke that kisses your pappilae. Yeah, I think this is the best description: creamy. It has a very interesting taste, subtle but pleasant. It has virginia and we can feel a slight taste of it, it has burley and we can taste a slight taste of it’s nutty taste. And it has latakia, with its creamy, smoky taste. All of these complete each other perfectly, making it a very balanced blend.

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: JPB stores in Bucharest, Romania

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2011-06-28		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Delicate EU style Latakia taste is what comes to my mind, but there is nothing to which I could make an analogy, milder then Dunhill EM or 965 and somewhat sweeter. It is a tobacco to like and buy constantly.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2005-12-22		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Because I'm far from being one, Consummate Gentleman came in as a nice surprise. Firstly, because it was part of an early Christmas gift; secondly, because this is not at all a bad blend. From the onset: this blend does not aspire to be a Balkan or a Scottish mixture. It's a middle of the road English in all the extension of the term: straight Virginias, Burley, some Maryland, and a pinch of (enough) Latakia to spice things up.

It's beautifully presented in the tin. Ribbon cut, the variety of leaf covers a range of brown and reddish hues, plus the jet-black strands of the Latakia. Unlike many English and Balkan blends, this is not a pungent tobacco. Instead, upon opening the tin, one is greeted by the natural fragrance of matured Virginias, the Burley nuttiness, and a slightly sweet whiff from the Maryland leaf. The Latakia is there all right, but in a rather restrained form. The level of moisture was perfect: not too humid, not too dry, but definitely on the drier side. Easy to pack and light, it also has a nice burning rate.

If I had to compare this blend, I would say it's somewhere in between Gawith's Squadron Leader (though far less pungent, as there's less Latakia in CG and no Turkish leaf at all), and Davidoff's Royalty (both, in structure and in price). The first light yields a creamy taste, the Virginias being the most evident flavor, with the Burley smoothing things up. Tasty, lightly piquant, the Latakia hovers in the background, providing density and an incense-carbon aftertaste. The presence of the Maryland leaf is almost an anecdote. As you progress down the bowl, the flavor remains consistent, with the Latakia coming to the fore every now and then, but never overpowering the Virginias.

Absolutely tongue bite free, Consummate Gentleman is never imperious or demanding. There is no mystery, no complex interplay of flavors. Austere, tranquil, you can smoke this blend as a reading or writing companion. It's tasty and smooth enough to enjoy it regularly through out the day. Granted: I wouldn't go out my way to get hold of this blend, but if given the chance to smoke it, don't let it pass you by. For the novice, this may be a wonderful introduction to English and Latakia blends; for the established smoker, this is a quality alternative when not in the mood for a heavy Latakia tasting blend. Nice, composed, polite, but with enough punch.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gr8tefuldawg (87)	2020-04-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Ashton- Consummate Gentlemen

I am revisiting this blend today as I recently cleared out some jars I had buried in my cabinet this Jar is dated 28Feb19. I don’t remember why I purchased this but this was early in my pipe smoking hobby. I think this was my purchased in some confusion as I’m sure I was looking for artisan blend instead.

This English blend has a sweet and smokey dynamic, the sweetness from the Va’s and what I can only surmise is also from the Maryland’s. This is an easy to pack ribbon, with no pronounced topping or flavoring added, it has the same taste profile as a SPC plum pudding.

This blend which goes for $10 dollars a tin is a great value buy, not something I will stock up on but if I get a craving I will not let this sit on the shelf again and smoke it again.

Pipe Used: Bones bent Dublin

Age When Smoked: 14 months

Purchased From: Tobaccopipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipeDragon (42)	2019-03-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Consummate Gentleman was the first English Latakia blend I've ever smoked. After years of smoking mostly aromatics and trying a few non-aromatics from brands such as Peterson or Robert McConnell, I've decided to finally sample an English Latakia, so I've picked up a tin of Consummate Gentleman, together with a tin of Artisan's Blend (actually, these were the only Englishes available in my local tobacco store).

The unlit tobacco presents itself pretty attractively in the tin. You have the golden and brown nuances from the Virginia and Burley, plus the black pieces of Latakia. In the tin note, you can definitely sense that classical Latakia smell, but it's not overpowering and it's complemented by a slight sweet, almost tea-like smell. It comes pretty wet in the tin, but a 20 minute drying time on a paper towel should be enough before packing.

Mechanically, the smoking goes pretty smoothly. Lights well, doesn't require a lot of relights, tends to smoke a bit hot if you smoke it too quickly. As far as flavors are concerned, the Latakia is definitely there, but it's not as heavy as in Artisan's Blend. It's mainly added as a condiment to spice up the sweet, grassy, almost wine-like taste of the Virginias and that slightly chocolate hint from the Burleys. The chocolate note from the Burleys blends perfectly with the Latakia and it contributes to the overall velvet quality of the smoke.

Personally, I think that this is an excellent English Latakia tobacco, bit on the milder side. While Artisan's Blend goes well as an evening blend, Consummate Gentleman can go fine as an afternoon or even morning blend. Very good quality tobacco, which has become part of my rotation.

Pipe Used: Straight Savinelli Capitol

Age When Smoked: 1 week

Purchased From: Tobacco store

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mnadz (69)	2013-07-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an excellent all day English blend. A little bit less flavor than Frog Morton (hence why just recommended). Not strong but still gives enough flavor.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2011-04-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A classic Latakia mixture balanced in all aspects. There is Virginia, Black Cavendish and of course Latakia as per K&k website description. A good after dinner smoke for the occasional Latakia mixture smoker or for an all day smoke. The Latakia is very good tasting, different and interesting. There is some sweetness in this blend and it tastes kind of "dry" which I like. Overall a very serviceable blend that deserves attention.

Virginia lover

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2006-03-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

This was surprisingly a very nice change of pace. A lightweight balkan blend that isn't bland or boring. I say surprinsingly because I had been forwarned that Ashton is now the product of another manufacturer, different country, different tin (which I love) ... blah blah blah. I've learned to not have any preconcived notions about where. I'm strictly about whether I like it or not.

This fine blend has a range of complexity that I have seldom found in a mild to medium smoke. Quite often I find milder blends to be too mild, in fact bland. In this case it's complex and interesting and very well behaved. The tobacco in the tin is the first thing that put a smile on my face since it was not shy for a mild-medium blend. I have actually grabbed the tin and a few pipes and spent the day with this one tobacco while out and about. Moreover, I have lit successive bowlfuls of this without any disappointment.

The mixture is pretty much an American Balkan and the blend is smooth. While the Latakia is reserved it doesn't require a search party. Blending is such a fine art that escapes me but the product of good blending is musical. This is one of those very nice blends. The Burley, I believe is fundamental in temporing this blend yet doens't accomplish it with a bland attribute but rather a mellowness maybe even the word tame comes to mind because many of the fine elements that I look for in the more robust blends are present, just in a very restrained way. There is subtle natural sweetness but not from a dressing. It smokes cool and clean to a medium gray ash with no dottle.

It is in a fine ribbon which lends itself to burning more quickly than some. The melange of tobacco produces a wonderful blend that completely surprised me. It also surprised me that I wouldn't put the first tin down until it was empty.

I enjoy stout balkan blends and a range of VA's that I enjoy too. All of them very complex. Typically I have a method to when I smoke a particular blend of the aforementioned whether it be based on what I ate or drank or likewise anticipated in consuming. Also I have habits (they may be clinical obsessions) about the early morning and late at night. Consummate Gentlemen has made it to a place only 2 other blends have achieved, and that is - Good anytime. It's the kind of smoke, that without fear of boredom, can be my singular blend on a 2 day trip. Bravo, I'm very impressed. Highly recommended for someone looking for a lighter weight but tasty entry to their rotation.

Cheers, VC

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LiterarySmoker (143)	2020-03-24		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

I bought this tin on a whim and when I first smoked it, I couldn't notice any difference between this and other English blends, but at that time I was really new to smoking English blends. So, not wanting to waste it, I jarred it and forgot about it. I opened it up after 5 months and 1 year, and this has become one of my go to's for English blends.

Opening the jar the Latakia gives this blend a very mellow smell, which I find to be quite pleasant. This comes in a ribbon cut which to me is a big longer than the perfect cut I've experienced with the Peterson blends but it still packs well. It lights well and stays lit throughout, I can leave the bowl for 5 minutes and it is still alight.

In smoking I find a very soft leathery aroma, that makes the experience almost creamy, it has a little peppery note and is satisfying as you puff away. Burns to a fine white ash.

Pipe Used: Smokey Hollow Bent Billiard

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: Peterson Early Morning Pipe, PS Lavish English.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Madox07 (43)	2019-08-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have popped a tin of Ashton's consummate gentleman for the first time in a year and a half, and let me say this is a breath of fresh air. After smoking a long series of latakia heavy English blends, I finally remembered this little fellow and suddenly remembered that a latakia light version of an English exists. It also seems very burley forward, with a significant sweet side. I am not sure what this Maryland tobacco might be, in fact I think this is the only blend I have smoked containing this, but I am blaming it for quite a unique note. Overall, I stick to my guns - this blend is very very underappreciated and unique in its own sense for an English. In fact, I have experimented so deep down the English latakia path that I got to the point where I could only distinguish the various blends in accord to the latakia content, hardly focusing on anything else. Or in other words, I have valued English blends in relation to the latakia content and how that affected the whole story as a main character. This is a totally different ball game, and it offered me huge satisfaction tonight upon smoking. Taking the latakia out of an English, or better yet - toning it down, opens the door to an entirely new level of complexity. Still an English, but a particular type of English that brings forward the burley and virginia that is so often strangled by the rich latakia flavor.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mariusK (31)	2018-07-30		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Enough has been said about this excellent tobacco here. I agree wholeheartedly with all those who like this blend, so there is no need to repeat their reviews. This is as balanced and tasteful English as they get, similar to SG Squadron leader but without the spiciness. Mellow, satisfying, an excellent tobacco. Enjoy it as I have.

Pipe Used: 1950's Comoy billiard

Age When Smoked: new

Similar Blends: Squadron Leader.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sorringowl (8)	2010-12-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a really nice, medium English Blend. There is a lot going on here and if you mind this blend when you smoke it, it will reward you with plenty of flavor and body. I could find subtle notes of red wine, smoked meat and very light citrus notes. It is very smoky without being spicy. If you push this, it can bite but if you keep your cool, this is a really nice smoke down to the bottom of the bowl. Unlike a lot of English blends, when you get to the bottom of this one, the smoke just gets sweeter. One of my new favorites.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-11-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

A superb English style blend. I have been quoted saying that English blends are the 'Bordeaux' of pipe tobaccos. This blend is true to that sentiment. One of my favorite mixtures for any time of the day.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-01-20		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Consumate Gentleman is one of the first English blends I have really enjoyed. It is a medium English that can be smoked through out the day. The smell from the tin is typical of a medium English. It packs well and needs few relights. It does take some drying out in order to get the best flavor. I usually let it dry out for a day or two or microwave it on high for 10 - 15 seconds. I am not a heavy English smoker so CG is just about right for me. I started like most pipe smokers in the aromatic tobaccos and found most of them to burn hot and over whelm you with flavor. I wanted a moderate tobacco flavor and began my search in moderate English tobaccos and CG is a part of my regular rotation. Frog Morton is also a good English, however, I buy McClelland 5110 bulk which is very simular. Here are my top five tobacco's, CG, McClelland 5110, Penzance, Davidoff's Royalty, and Sam Gawith Golden Glow (my only Virginia). Highly recommend, Enjoy! Update: While I will still keep this in my rotation, I have just tried and enjoyed Peter Stokkebye's English Oriental Supreme. It is very very good with quality tobbaco. A must try for all English smokers.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2006-03-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

CG's A very nice high quality english slightly reminicent of the Murray's made Dunhill's #965 though with much less latakia.This could be considered an all day smoke and has a good solid flavor without being terribly over bearing.I would reccomend this blend to an aromatic smoker wishing to reform or a VA smoker who likes his latakia in short supply...

Highly Reccomended prep

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Professor B (1)	2020-11-21		Mild to Medium	Medium	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

I began smoking a pipe in 2005. I've mostly smoked aromatics with the occasional Virginia now and then. I've always wanted to develop my palate toward English blends, but I was never successful. The latakia was just too strong.

Then I heard about this stuff. I ordered some and just received it today. I promptly packed a bowl and lit up. Wow! Very nice. Very smooth. A subtle but definitive taste. No bite. Burns evenly. Stays lit. And just the right amount of latakia. I'm going to buy a few more tins and let them age a bit.

If you've wanted to try English blends but have been intimidated by the latakia, go for this one. It's a very good transitional smoke for people coming off the aromatic train. Don't smoke it too fast. Sip it. Let it work on you.

I shall henceforth make this blend one of my daily go-to smokes.

Pipe Used: KAF Churchwarden

Age When Smoked: New

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2018-10-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The nice tin appearnce and the blend name forces you to purchase a tin.once the tin opens a nice natural smell comes out.spices grasses and woodsy notes combine with some smokey notes.the blend moisture and the cut are perfect to pack and light almost without effort.while smoking the flavours are pleasant and natural.burleys and maryland tobacco are woodsy,spicy and peppery.virginias are in the backround being grassy and a little citrusy.latakias are the miinor player adding some coaly and smokey notes to make the experience more pleasant.generally the flavours combine well supporting each other into a nice and simple blendi would not consider this blend as flat but different.burns cool and somewhat fast to perfect ash without creating moisture.the room note is tolerable for an english blend but not pleasant as all english blends.nicotine level is medium without a chance of tongue bite.not an all day smoke.generally this is a decent easy going english blend that differs from the typical character of this type of blend.

Age When Smoked: fresh

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JustinCarcerated (99)	2017-04-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

So Ashton is responsible for Artisan Blend, a fantastic and deeply flavored English (if i may be so bold) so I appreciate K&KS blending prowess with this branding.

Consummate G perhaps gets less attention as it's not as ...prevalent in flavor depths shall I say. They removed all traces of the Turk & Perique and markedly reduced the Lat component. In doing so this blend still manages to pull off maintaining an English flavor profile.

After all, English blends are not Latakia dependent. .. despite what we Yanks might believe :)

Had I smoked this 40 - 50 blends in the past I would have surely demonstrated a naivety by expressing CG as being muted in flavor - where all components are so evenly matched in competing flavors so as to have little flavor at all.

Having no defining personality, if you will.

Not the case in the here & now though; as it's soft, gentle on the palate, and it alternates in a was between the flow of a light Vabur and an English. A very good morning smoke, not to strong in the Vitamin N realm, never hot or bitter - often sweet and smooth.

So in this case it would be Early Morning Pipes more flavorful alternative (such as Artisan Blend is to Nightcap). I only refrain from four stars because I am not a light-english fan. I smoked this for the purpose of educating my own palate -since Ashton had shown me much with Artisan Blend... that same experience I did receive from this blend.

If your considering exploring English's but don't know where to start this would be a perfect jumping off point. Vabur philes too might enjoy this blend.

Pipe Used: Briars - Petite Kriswill

Age When Smoked: 2 years & some change

Purchased From: Pipes&Cigars

Similar Blends: Between Early Morning Pipe & Standard Mellow...ish.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Uban (60)	2015-10-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I find this much less sweet than Squadron Leader, but very soft and creamy on the palate. It has the slight nuttiness of burley nicely intertwined with the campfire and old leather of latakia. I think that this one is all about balance; no single aroma predominates, but the overall effect is of a harmonious and indeed proper English. The flavor and mouth feel build consistently from light to medium throughout the bowl, always clean & dry to the very last. Great stuff in a large calabash as noted below.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dragon76 (4)	2014-02-01		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Smooth English for sure. I bought a tin of this tobacco to try something new. I read the back of the tins description and was intrigued. It is a good consistent English from beginning to the end. Burn is great, not to hot and no bitter taste. The Maryland Tobacco mix, gives it a little touch of extra smoothness / different / tiny sweet flavor, that compliments and enhances the Latakia-English flavor very well. After I used up my first tin, I went back to buy a second tin.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Flinthills Tex (27)	2013-06-01		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am a smoker of aromatics, but once in a while I like a change of pace. I have 3 pipes dedicated to blends containing Latakia or Orientals, but, alas, my stomach doesn't seem to be able to take most English blends (most of them are just too strong). So I was quite pleasantly surprised by this tobacco, which, although definitely an English blend, did not upset my stomach in the least. Finally, I have somewhere to turn when I get the craving!

Tin note: definitely English, Latakia prominent, though not overpowering

Moisture content: less than aromatics, really ready to smoke out of the tin, packs well with just the right amount of resistance to draw

Room note: spicy-smokey, typically English without being overpowering

Taste: just the right amount of zest and spice to remain interesting throughout the bowl; hard-core English smokers may find this tobacco too mild.

I would recommend this tobacco to anyone who enjoys an English blend or to those lovers of aromatics desiring to make first acquaintances with an English blend. Consummate Gentleman is a smooth smoke, though definitely not as velvety as, say, Dunhill Nightcap. It is a good all-day smoke, though I prefer it with a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Whosblah (4)	2012-08-08		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This was my first English blend I've ever tried. And I LOVED it. I'm beginning to finish the tin I purchased it in and it's almost sad. I want more. Now, this IS my only English blend I've ever had, and I've been smoking it is a cheaper pipe (I don't have any actual nice ones), so I might find I like better once I've had a few. I use the 3-pack method when packing this into my pipe. It's lights very easily and rarely goes out throughout the bowl. I've maybe had to relight it 3 times depending on how well I packed and how hard I was puffing. For the most part, it stays light very well.

The taste is gorgeous. Now I finally know why people love Latakia so much. As soon as you pop the tin open, the scent of latakia hits you square in the face. It reminded me of the smell of leather. Well, I wasnt sure how I'd like it because of the strong smell, but when I lit it up and tried it... Oh goodness. I call it my A1 tobacco. It reminds me of eating a nice hardy steak with A1 sauce. It isn't spicy, but it has that nice rustic taste to it that brings memories of a nice cookout to mind. Will definitely purchase another tin of this. Great daily smoke, not much of a vit N kick.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	atomicbuster (79)	2011-08-10		Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Pleasant

I've been smoking pipes for only 3 years. I still consider myself a newbie in this arena. I've smoked about 18 different pipes but only a handful of tobaccos. After going through the available drugstore brands, all aromatics, I decided to order something totally different online. Consumate Gentleman was my introduction to English blends and Latakia in particular (along with Balkan Sasieni and Astley's #1 Mixture, reviewed separately).

The aroma that comes from a freshly opened tin is quite strong to me, so I figured it would produce flavorful smoke. Not quite. I've smoked cigars before and the flavor of the smoke usually corresponds to the smell of the cigar. This is very light on the actual smoke flavor. I can taste it, but just barely. The room note is OK. It's got that that smoky/spicy/leathery combination. It's not overpowering. I actually find it relaxing. I haven't experienced any bitter aftertaste. It will only produce tongue bite if you puff very quickly. Otherwise, it smokes fairly cool. I recommend it. I certainly find it better than anything OTC.

My overall score for this blend is: average. But I haven't smoked too many different tobaccos, so my criteria for evaluation might be limited. I might have to come back and edit this review after a year or so of trying different blends.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-08-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

There is nothing wrong with this blend, its just kind of a "wall flower" in a world filled with a vast number of English blends. I will finish the tin, but there isn't a compelling reason to buy more.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kissphantom05 (22)	2010-03-08		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I enjoyed this blend pretty well, although it was not what I consider a "great." When the tin was opened I could smell a certain sweetness in the tobacco. The pinch of Latakia is very apparent, but It did leave a slight bitter finish on my palate. It seemed moist for an English blend, so I am going to let some dry a bit next time. I did blend this with some Lane black Cavendish just for an experiment and it ended up smoking very nicely. I would say a little bit less than half of the mixture was the Cavendish. I recommend that it at least be tried, because as the saying goes, "To each his own."

Update: I am smoking the very last of this tin and it has been about two months. I must say my views on the tobacco changes a bit. Aging this tobacco helped mellow and mix the flavors to a rich but smooth and satisfying blend. I may actually have to buy some more!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-01-04		Very Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Update:

Yep. Sounds about right. I had to jar this stuff to keep it from drying out. I think I have most of the tin sitting in that jar still about 6 months later. I am in no rush to get to it. I would give it to a newcomer to the hobby the whole time explaining that there is much more to it but I don't want to overwhelm you. keepin it at 2 stars cuz it doesnt suck it's just not good. lol

Original Review:

Very very mild smoke. Good for when you don't want to focus on the smoke at all. I have a few tins laying around. For some reason I just keep buying a tin of it with my other bulk orders. Not something I would cry about if I was out and could not find any but also something I seem to always have around. Nice easy burn. no bite. 2 stars.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-12-01		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A decent tobacco,but quite plain. Definitely not for the fan of aromatics.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-03-25		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

When reading cigar reviews one often finds reviewers frowning upon anything less vigorous than a super Camacho double Corojo, triple ligero, gordo, inter-continental missile. This can also be the case in reviewing pipe tobacco blends. So let's start off by saying that this blend is not your bowl of Night Cap. In terms of flavor and strength it is much like Twinings "Prince of Wales" tea, round flavored, balanced and subtle. They actually go wonderfully together; I am enjoying that very combination as I write this review. Consummate Gentleman is just that, a gentleman, agreeable and pleasant to spend time with. This blend lights and burns evenly, the taste stays enjoyable and smooth, no tongue bite and not a hint of an unwanted acrid or gaseous flavor. The Latakia is present but as a subtle spice in the mix and does not take the center stage. C.G. is not hyper delicious, stimulating or complex but still makes a fine companion. I often alternate C.G. with Morning Pipe as my daily smoke. It's fine as an afternoon pipe or to be enjoyed while writing or driving. Recommended.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2006-05-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A good blend, at least a turn from the standard Kohlhase&Kopp blend. A medium tobacco, suitable for all day smoke. The lack of Orientals removes the deepness this blend could have, but the burley gives a nice turn and a nutty flavour throughout the smoke. I don't think I'll buy another tin, but I won't throw mine away.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2005-11-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I think I've said this before: like other Ashton blends I've sampled, as well as their cigars, Ashton is nothing to write home about, hardly memorable & way overpriced. This is not a bad blend, but C & D & McC offer much better English styled mixtures than this at better value. And if you prefer honest to goodness English, stick with Dunhill. If status is what you seek, then be impressed by the Ashton label. Buy this if your local tobacconist is selling his last tins at deep clearance prices. Otherwise, why bother? Yawn!

Two of five stars

p.s. 'consumate' is spelled 'consummate'.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (431)	2022-11-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Tin note of tart fruit like wine and slightly smoky note. Tobacco ribbon cut is brown, light brown and a small amount black. Tobacco is moist, drying may improve performance, but no drying or prep is needed. Burns average with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and consistent, with notes smoky, citrus, wood, a little nutty, slight stewed fruit and a spicy retro. Virginia is leading with Burley supporting. Maryland and Latakia are providing back up. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 2013 J.M. Boswell Poker

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pureta (2)	2022-10-31		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

OK, I'm not going to wax on about the Virginia or the Burley or any of that, because I smoke what I like and I like what I smoke, and that's as far as it goes. I tried this for the first time last night because I couldn't get hold of my regular brand which is Davidoff Brasil (yellow). Consummate Gentleman is a fairly neutral to strong tobacco which is great, and I was a bit disappointed at first because it didn't hit me at the first draw. However, a few minutes into the smoke, it gained maturity and flavour, and I ended up really enjoying it. I normally leave the last quarter of the bowl, but I smoked this one right down to the wood. There is a touch of Latakia, enough to excite the taste buds, but not so much that it paralyses the tongue. It's definitely more rewarding than Borkum Riff, and I felt truly satisfied at the end of the smoke. So much so that I ended up pouring myself a Grant's to accompany it for the last few minutes! Would I change over and leave off the Davidoff? Probably not, but I'll definitely add it to my collection to smoke every now and again when I fancy something a bit simpler and more straightforward than Cavendish.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 106 Sistina rusticated.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: La Cava de Magallanes, Madrid, Spain

Similar Blends: It's kind of out on its own..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Unk.Benj (11)	2021-01-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Though ive heard many complaints about this being too light. I think this might make for the perfect early day smoke. It has a light smoky quality, perfect to start the day with, then is amped up with a creaminess, and a delightful room note. Towards the end of the bowl, the latakia become a lot more present, leaving an above satisfactory experience. A solid 3.5 Stars. Perfect for someone looking for a lighter bodied English blend, that still gives a decent tobacco kick.

Pipe Used: Bewlay

Age When Smoked: Brand New. Air-dried out of the jar for 15 minutes

Purchased From: Turmeaus/ C.Gars London

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AJS2323 (32)	2020-09-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

After reading some of the review I am siding with the fact that this tobacco has been unstated and undermined! I can see that other reviewers agree. This is a nice and somewhat complex English blend. The Latakia is certainly there and you do get a mild to medium smokiness in the blend but it does not overpower at all. I got raisin flavours which was swiftly followed by marzipan/cherry kinda flavour with a little spice. A part from the raisin flavour all of the others are delicate and require some tuning of your taste buds, in my opinion of course.

The tin note in wonderful and very addictive! This is also a good starting English. I would say it is much much better that Squadron Leader and much more flavoursome and complex.

I’ve only had a few bowls it I will be smoking it a lot and I will be buying more.

Pipe Used: Mr Brog olive wood

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: My smoking shop

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Falliver (42)	2020-04-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

When I first had a whiff from a sampler bottle, question arose to whether this was truly an aromatic or not: with an aroma of cream and caramel, I had my doubts, but was reassured from the clerk and the internet, it was not.

What is is, however, is sweet. On the tongue, cinnamon is also present, alongside the notes of the aroma, and blend beautifully with a dry woodiness of sweet oak - contrary to most other blends containing Latakia, but it was a pleasant surprise. Reminiscent of Sørensen Mixture, but smokes like pure tobacco, leaving nothing but dry, white ash in the bowl. Quite enjoyable, and probably underappreciated, this makes for a truly fine smoke.

Pipe Used: GL Lillehammer 11

Age When Smoked: From the tin

Similar Blends: Sørensen - Sørensen Mixture.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Legion (25)	2020-01-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My first introduction to Latakia was a generous sample of Becks ol' Limey Bastard from 4noggins. The smell was uninviting but thinking 'Do people actually smoke this crap?' I had to try it. The taste, although too strong in Latakia, wasn't too bad. Mixing it 50/50 with Windsail Virginia it was much better for a newbie.

Which leads me to Consummate Gentleman; once my above concoction was finished, I missed that one bowl of this pungent smelling weed every night so I ordered a tin of CG. I'm glad that I did.

This is a very good introduction to Latakia for newbie pipe smokers & for the experienced who want an English blend with a not too heavy dose of Latakia.

My 50g tin did not last long. It's a shame that it can't be bought in bulk. A nicely balanced English blend. While the Latakia is obvious in every puff it does not dominate. Does not bite.

Just a touch over mild to medium in strength with mild to medium nicotine. Recommended. 3 stars.

Purchased From: 4noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Green Leaf (15)	2019-10-05		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I was disappointed with my first experience with this tobacco. However a week later with many bowls smoked Consummate Gentleman has grown on me. It has a wonderful nutty like flavor that leaves an after taste that really makes this tobacco memorable. A good way to start the day the flavors will stay with you until your next smoke. Highly recommend drinking a strong bitter coffee as the flavors will compliment each other and make the experience unforgettable.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HeavyTrees (70)	2019-09-20		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Finally received this tobacco I was eager to get it since I saw it first online.

Cold smell is warm and mellow, sweet but of natural tobaccos. Plenty of dark brown Burley leaf inside here. Moisture level was perfect so I packed it right away.

Taste is very Burley dominant which gives a warm chocolate like body taste. The VA is also adding some sweetness. On top of this there are some spices but subtle and just a little smoky Latakia taste only noticed when smoked nasal. No big ups and downs and Al the component tastes stay until the end.

Mellow english blend that fits great with a cup of coffee or tea. Could be a lot more spicy for my taste. The wife likes the room note a lot which also is an indicator for having just a pinch of Lata inside.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: ?

Purchased From: Friend

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Timmer (8)	2019-06-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Been smoking a pipe for about 6 months now. When I first smoked this, I thought it was quite tasty, but now it comes across as quite mild. I prefer the stablemate Artisan's Blend to this. 2.5 for me.

Update: 2019-07-04. Continuing to smoke the remainder of the tin, I do find this to be nuanced. If I take the advice of more seasoned commenters here and slow down to achieve a cooler smoke, I may find a point midway between mild and tasty.

Pipe Used: Brigham Falcon

Age When Smoked: new from tin

Purchased From: 4noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pillliwinx (2)	2015-09-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I like this tobacco. I ordered a few samples and this was one of them and so far, it has been the best. It was a joy to smoke and the taste and smell were both good. It is late just now, but I will definitely be having another bowl tomorrow and am looking forward to it already. In my very naive opinion......buy some ;-)

Pipe Used: Falcon

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke-King

Similar Blends: Not sure yet......I'm too new at all this!!.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Plantpartaker (7)	2015-05-17		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I had to rewrite this! This blend is a very well balanced blend. Great introduction into Latakia as there's is only a pinch in this blend. I found this tin after a year and decided to try to smoke it again but this time I smoked it in an unfiltered cob pipe and I was blown away! Why didn't I pick up on these flavors before? Is this really the same blend I smoked ? This proper English is worth the time and effort to get to know!!

As someone who's first english was comparable to a proper english from peter stokkebye, This blend isn't something I would smoke or desire to smoke. I prefer Balkans over proper english. What I mean is an oriental forward over a virginia. I find the oriental adds flavor to the latakia mixtures. This blend as no oriental tobaccos which doesnt mean itsa bad blend, but it just isnt my thing. With that being said, I find that this blend has a stifled flavor. There really isnt a lot of taste to this blend. All I am really picking up is burley and a hint of latakia.

Pipe Used: Unfiltered cob

Age When Smoked: 1year

Purchased From: Stag tobacconists Phoenix az

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gam86 (49)	2014-12-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I would say a good english mixture but nothing over the top, it didn't shake me at all. I would recommend it to the newcomer of the gender

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Plihopliheri (13)	2014-08-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

With Artisan's Blend being my favorite for heavier English blends, I wanted to try a milder Ashton, hoping to find something similar to SG Squadron Leader. Well, CG was a disappointment, as I found it to be rather bland. Not enough Latakia for my taste, and too little distinct flavor or taste in general. Mild, yes, and easy smoking, but nothing special.

I realize my high expectations may have influenced my judgement, and therefore, I will give it another chance in a few months' time. If necessary, I shall update my review then.

Pipe Used: BC

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	meanska (11)	2014-06-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Very pleasant English blend, not too heavy on the Lat. easy packing, lighting, and doesn't require babysitting. I could smoke this all day. My favorite Ashton to date.

Pipe Used: Peterson

Purchased From: Cigar.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DEN-C1956 (35)	2014-02-26		Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild	Very Pleasant

this is my first 50g tin of this pipe tobacco..and i like it alot easy to light and very easy to smoke, a sort of tobacco to relax with, quite sweet, and nothing harsh about it, very nice room note.im going to try somemore of ASHTON pipe tobaccos...very nice indeed.

Pipe Used: peterson

Purchased From: thoroughgoods basildon essex.(newsagent and tobacconist)

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mesh (51)	2012-04-22		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Not bad at all. Burley doesn't seem to be nearly as common an ingredient in Latakia blends here in the UK as it is in the US, so this was a fairly novel experience. The nutty and somewhat chocolatey characteristics of the Burley leaf are particularly evident in the first half of the bowl. A slight sweet topping is probably also included. Pretty mild in nicotine.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bence (34)	2011-04-15		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

My first english mix, which i like a lot. Spunky stuff, with perfect burning properties. I need to try other english mixtures as well, then i'll come back to complete my review.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	renwardhoop (177)	2010-12-07		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

A thoroughly evil blend from Ashton's.

I was thoroughly spoiled with their aromatics. None of the subetlties of Rainy Day or winding Road are present here. This is a leathery punch in the gob, no messing about.

It seems a very respected blend in here, but it's quite clearly not my cup of tea. Reminiscent of Squadron Leader (which also disliked).

I was very surprised Mrs RW even sanctioned the smoking of this in the house as the this room note hangs around the room like a musty dank fog.

It's obvious therefore, that I am an aromatics smoker and this blend is not for me.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-12-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Disclaimer This is my first review and it comes after an extended (3+ year) break from the briar. I am a novice pipester and still developing my palate. /Disclaimer

Consummate Gentleman, as many other reviewers noted, is a middle-of-the-road English style blend. While I like it, no single part of it stands out. It smokes well, leaving a fine ash, though it is a little moist straight out of the tin. I tend to reach for it when I'm not sure what I want to smoke.

Three stars if you're looking for an undemanding smoke that is still somewhat satisfying, two stars because it lacks complexity and at times tastes...dry?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	p4p4 (59)	2009-11-21		Medium	Mild	Medium	Strong

Reccomended for latakia lovers. It is a very dark blend, with dark aromas. The latakia is in front place. If you like it... Maybe not a complex mixture, but well done with quality leafs.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-06-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Consummate Gentleman is, IMHO, a medium mixture. This contains Burley, so I don't know if it could be called a true English, but it can be called a very tasty blend. This loaded and lit easily in any size bowl. A minimum of attention was needed to keep it burning. CG smoked cool, left a salt and pepper ash and a dry pipe. While it may be a bit too strong for the new pipester, the veteran pipester should try this, if only to say they have. CG earns a spot in my tobacco rotation.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2009-05-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Ashton's Consummate Gentleman is a good middle-of-the-road English mixture. There's a pleasant interplay of flavors among the component tobaccos; none is especially dominant in C.G. You won't get a big Latakia blast from C.G., but there's enough Latakia in this mixture so you won't forget it's there. The Burley adds a nice undertone of nuttiness to the flavor. I am usually wary of English mixtures that contain Burley-- low-quality Burley can spoil an otherwise tasty blend, and sometimes imparts an almost bitter, cigarette-like taste, but this is first-rate tobacco here, and it only enhances the overall flavor and aroma. I'm amused by the illustration on the label: the lady at the lower right almost seems to be frowning over the scent of the nearby pipe-smoker's C.G., and she appears to be waving away the smoke (which I doubt was the illustrator's intention). In truth, the room note of Consummate Gentleman isn't terribly strong, and has been well-tolerated by my non-smoking friends. C.G. is a little moist when the tin is freshly opened; a few hours' worth of drying time with the lid off helps quite a lot. C.G. lights readily and doesn't require frequent relights-- and I've never been tongue-bit by it. A good choice for a medium English-- definitely worth a try.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-05-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is my first pure english blend and I like it. While this is as mild as I'd ever like to go, there is flavour here -subtle, creamy and interesting after months of VAs and VA/Pers. The word that keeps coming to mind is "vanilla", or maybe butterscotch- zero harshness with enough to keep the palate stimulated, this is good stuff. In comparison I found the Artisan's Blend a bit 'shouty'. Think of this as cool, slightly overdriven blues while the Artisan's more Steve Vai.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-03-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

As a new reviewer I hate to "ding" a blend but this one I will not buy again. It just does not impress me, strange taste, expensive and a bore to smoke. SG Squadron Leader is more to my liking for an English Blend, has a better taste, smokes cooler and is just more economical. I smoke it daily, but I have yet to find an Ashton to impress me. Sorry Ashton fans, I see many folks really like this one but I guess thats why we have so many choices.....Not so bad that I didn't finish the tin but, as I said, I won't be buying another.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PipePaladin (78)	2008-02-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A good English blend!

Good quality leaf here that will not let you down! Although I am not a Latakia person I liked that one much..

Not for the aromatic fan though..

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-01-30		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

My brother actually had a tin of this lying around and I was surprised by how well it smokes. It is has a nice traditional flavor and surprisingly pleasant room note. It didn't blow me away and I didn't find to flavor to be all that complex or interesting, but maybe I just don't know what I am talking about. Seeing as I didn't pay for the tin, I can't complain about the price but looking at retailers online, it definitely seems a bit overpriced for what you are getting. If you don't mind that, I would pick up a tin.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2005-11-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This "ASHTON" is the european version,not the McClelland version.I really taste Kohlhasse&Kopf in this blend. The tin says "MADE IN EU" The best way to describe this shag/ribbon cut mixture is a "EUROPEAN CORNELL&DIEHL English blend. I say that because it has that distinct Virginia/Latakia flavor common to Euro blends,but the Burley in this gives it a very unique and quirky type of flavor.This has an almost toasty/nitty quality to it.I like Latakia,and although the tin says"a pinch of Latakia" trust me,there is more than a pinch.It is a medium English with a nice burley flavor to it.The blend never gets hot,although it was a little dry for my taste when I opened the tin.I "shpritzed" it with distilled water like I do with my C&D blends. A good all day English.This I would classify as a very high quality "BULK BLEND" in a tin.A great characteristic of this tobacco is the room note-it dissipates very quickly -within seconds. It will not offend anyone around you.This may not be earth shattering,but it really is very good.A nice adventure into THE ENGLISH BLEND FROM EUROPE THAT TASTES LIKE AN AMERICAN ENGLISH BLEND! A little expensive $9.75 per tin,but I did not feel I overpaid. Give it a try if you like Cornell&Diehl products.This one has a european twist to it. 3 of 4 English stars.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (125)	2022-12-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This will be another of my reviews comparing current stock versus cellared stock. But this time the differences are mostly attributable to changes in ingredients, rather than effects of aging. This brings up an important talking point, and why, whenever I’m doing research on a new blend I may interested in trying, I always use the “newest” sorting option on TR rather than looking at the default setting based on “most helpful.” Doesn’t matter if a review has a hundred “most helpful” votes if the product reviewed bears little resemblance to the product you might be buying. I’m not sure the best way to get around this problem other than what I just suggested because the older reviews may still serve a purpose if somebody comes across on older supply. I encourage reviewers to update their submissions when significant changes occur, but in the meantime I consider these older and out-of-date reviews a net negative to the value of the TR database and rating system.

I’ll say upfront that I prefer the production with Syrian Latakia, but that isn’t to say that somebody with a discerning palate might actually prefer the Cyprian. However, it is important to know the differences, and I don’t see any discussion of this going on. Besides the issue of Latakia, there may be some other minor changes that have occurred at Kohlhase and Kopp with regards to the Virginias used. These last few years since the Covid pandemic have found manufacturers scrambling for new suppliers as quality Virginia in the U.S. has greatly diminished, and African sources are prone to political strife.

My older tin from 2014 was one of the last to use Syrian Latakia. Any reviews you see posted up till about 2018 may have been from lingering supply of this older production. My tin had almost seven years aging in tin + two years in Mason jar, and is now down to just a few remaining bowls. The new tin I purchased during the recent Black Friday sales has been open about a month now. Oddly, and this could (but won’t) be another huge tangential detour, when I compared a bowl fresh from the new tin against the older jar I was relieved that the differences didn’t seem that significant and that overall continuity of character had been achieved with this transition.

Now, in preparation for this review, I conducted three direct A-B sessions, one using meers, the others using my two best briars, rested a week, then reversed to insure the impression were based on the tobacco and not the pipes. In all pipes the differences were obvious from first light until the end of the bowl.

The older version has flavors that sometimes mimic characteristics of Turkish tobaccos, has more overtones, more subtle nuances of a distinctive nuttiness that I enjoy (pine nuts, sunflower seeds), and some subtle baking spices that remind me of German Lebkuchen (molasses, ginger, brown sugar). It is this distinctive baking spice note that I attribute to the Syrian, and looking at my old notes, these flavors were apparent when I first popped the seven year old tin. There is also an underlying sweetness to the Virginias which is lacking in the new version. Some of this may be age, but I suspect more Maryland and golden Virginia was used in the older version, possibly aged longer in-house, and maybe less Burley was used. Lots of possibilities for the cause, but the end result is obvious.

The new tin has a quick hit of soapiness which then subsides. The first part of the bowl has flavors of chargrilled meat and burnt almonds which gives a slightly acrid note now and then. I found the best results to smoke for a few minutes then let it sit for another a few minutes before relighting, at which point everything seems smoother and the acrid note gone. At its best this lacks the overtones and nuance of the earlier production but has instead greater weight and creaminess of texture on the palate (which may in fact act as a dampening blanket to those more delicate nuances). Some smokers may actually prefer this. This new Cyprian blend is clearly more Latakia dominant, and puts this clearly in the after dinner camp, whereas the earlier version was a gentler, more contemplative afternoon sipper for me.

Verdict: the Syrian version is a 3.5+ blend for me which I would have rounded up to four stars. The newer version has more mid-palate weight and seems a better choice for an after-dinner session. It lacks that distinctive spice that makes the Syrian version come to life for me, but further aging to soften the more prominent Latakia may help to reveal hidden nuances. For now this is now more of a three star experience for me.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darwin (5)	2021-12-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Just the perfect blend. Not too mild, not too strong. Once again, Ashton did not disappoint. Tried it with different pipes and was amazing every time. Will definitely be in my top five.

Pipe Used: Pocket Pipe Alexander J3SBR

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TotoPipeDreams (44)	2021-02-09		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Consummate Gentleman

English? Eeehh ... To me this is Carter Hall if it went off to Oxford and came back with a degree and an English accent. Unassuming, simple, while not lacking in depth. From packing to lighting and burning, it behaves well.

Smooth and slightly creamy thanks to the VA and pinch of Latakia, those qualities pair well with its rounded caramel sweetness and nutty, cocoa characteristics on the tail end of the tongue and into the retro hale.

Because of the absence of Oriental leaf and addition of Maryland and Burley, I wouldn’t say this is a characteristic English like Presbyterian or Squadron Leader. It’s more burley forward in its round taste and strength. I would recommend this blend to Burley-philes wanting to delve into English blends or to English lovers looking for a gentle entryway into Burley blends.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Shellbriar Pot, MM Country Gentleman

Purchased From: B&B Tobacconist Asheville

Similar Blends: Carter Hall.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old German puffer (106)	2015-07-08		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild	Pleasant

I bought 30 of these tins on clearance for $1.99. They have been in my cellar ever since. It comes in and out of my rotation in early spring. The tobacco is lite and very easy to pack. I like to roll this into my bowl just like my grandpa taught me. It lights very easy and burns to a very fine ash. It is a very light smoke and for whatever reason I always seem to smoke this faster than normal. Taste is light and I would not really call this a traditional English blend. It is more of an American remake lightened up to smoke pretty for the ladies.

Pipe Used: Stanwell

Age When Smoked: Tin - 2 years plus

Similar Blends: Stanwell melange.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kunsan (76)	2015-04-18		Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

I'm surprised this one has had some good reviews. My experience is that it has hardly any flavor, smokes very fast and hot, and bites. I smoked a couple of pipefuls then threw the tin away. Poor quality, bland, hot smoke. Not recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	leadtungstate (2)	2015-04-04		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an English mixture. Latakia can be definitely tasted. I couldn't guess any hint of burley. It is fast burning, it may also burn hot. It is highly recommended for someone who wants to taste Latakia in a quick smoke. I give to it 2 stars because I would prefer it to burn slower. Taste-wise it is ok-ish, but I find that compared to other latakia-based tobaccos its taste is not as good.

Pipe Used: Peterson's: Darwin, SH Mycroft, SH Hansom

Age When Smoked: new tin

Purchased From: Davidoff Geneva

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	natibo (169)	2014-08-08		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

As some of the other reviewers have stated, this blend just has nothing that jumps out at you. It's rather bland in my opinion. With so many great blends out there, I would skip this one.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2012-01-16		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Just finished my first tin of Consumate Gentleman. This is not my usual favored Latakia blend, but I did enjoy it. The tin note is a sweeter Latakia note, not the brush fire note that I've come to appreciate. Packs nicely, lights easily, and burns evenly. None of the individual elements overpower, and I found myself enjoying it more as I smoked my way through the tin. Still not my favorite Lat blend, but will work it into the rotation.

Now for some minor packaging nitpicking. This may sound silly, but I enjoy opening a new tin and seeing the pleated paper all folded up neatly, then opening the pleats and lifting out the paper disk to take that first whiff. Well the pleats were smashed up and the paper disk was thin and soggy. I know this has no effect on the quality of the tobacco but presentation is important too. I think they could shell out the extra 1/2 penny and use stiffer paper for the disk. Silly, I know, but hey, its my money.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2008-02-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Overwhelming

do not like this ashton blend. it was my first tin of the "high quality" tobacco i was very disapointed that i wasted money on this. not recommended

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30124)	2006-10-20		Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable

My local tobacco shop was out of Dunhill EMP so I decided to try this as a replacement. So far I am not impressed. I would describe it as an overpriced high quality blend that lacks any kind of flavor. Can I pretend I didn't open this and get my money back?

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	junehyeong (4)	2022-07-28		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

연한 라타키아 연초로 발칸보다는 밋밋하며 심심하고 미려한 풍미도 없는 편이다. 그러나 연초의 이름따라 젠틀맨에게 어울리는 단정된 향과 맛으로 가벼운 휴식을 선사한다. 그냥 무난하다는 평이 적당한 연초로 굳이 사라져도 상관없는 존재감의 연초라 생각된다.

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