Tobaccos B&B Tobacconists, llc - Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-06-17		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Every long once and a while I come across a blend that defies my ability to properly describe it. Just can't come up with the right words. This is one of them. I look at the components and can't reconcile them with what I'm tasting. I can say that this blend is unique and has an excellent flavor profile. Tastes kinda like an English/Scottish/Balkan hybrid from heaven. Just a wonderful smoke in every regard. Can't really compare it to anything else I've smoked. It stands alone. Medium in body and taste. If you haven't tried this one you're cheating yourself.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman, MM Freehand

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: 4noggins

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-06-24		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The contents of this blend tell me what I want to know and what I hope to experience. The question is how well have the blenders succeeded in creating a smooth English blend that could be classified as a Scottish mixture. The burley and Cavendish tobaccos are the ingredients I'm referring to because when I pick up a tin of a Scottish mixture those are ingredients used along with Virginia and Latakia tobaccos. Without doing a step by step accounting I'll say this blend is a success. The flavor is very good and free of any harshness or bite. The cut is a ribbon making packing, lighting, and smoking very easy and problem free. In symphonic terms this blend does not blast you away, but the lush and smooth playing is a pleasure to experience. I can smoke Ol' Limey from first bowl in the morning to the last bowl at night and enjoy every draw on my pipe. I highly recommend this blend to any one who enjoyed Dunhill 965. They are not twins, but you will certainly recognize the family resemblance. For those who never had Dunhill 965 this is a fine blend and you owe it to yourself to give it a try. It's a great smoke any way you want to look at it.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-03-25		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This being touted as a replacement for Dunhill 965, and me being a lover of said tobacco, I just had to try it. As usual, I was at first disappointed but over time, I recall saying to myself "Hey, this really DOES smoke like 965! Well... kinda... uh, yeah, it does... or at least it's in that direction."

I think it's extremely difficult for one blending house to copy the recipe of another from scratch. That said, how important is it, really? If the blend stands on its own, isn't that what should matter? And this one does.

I taste less of the cavendish in this one than in 965, same as the previous reviewer mentioned. In that sense, OLB is a bit more robust tasting, yet it is smooth as well. Where it truly deviates from 965 is the lack of a sharp flavor burst. 965 isn't a strong tobacco, but like the original Sobranie, it had a flavor that demanded attention from the first puff. This OLB lacks that signature, which I prefer but that may not be preferred by others. This is a blend to try if you've enjoyed 965 in the past or if you're looking for a smooth but rich latakia flavor without being overpowered by it. I don't know these blenders but they've notched a winner here.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3047)	2014-07-30		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

When I smoked it, I wasn't aware it was supposed to more or less be like Dunhill 956, but I noticed some similarity. It doesn't have the tanginess of 956 and has less black cavendish, but it's smooth and the Cyprian latakia is richly smoky and woody sweet. The Virginia is smooth with a fruity sweetness and a little earthiness. The nic-hit is mild. No bite or harshness. Burns at a regular pace, cool and clean with a bit of smoothness, and a consistent flavor. Requires few relights and leaves little moisture in the bowl. While the latakia is the star flavor, and it's a good nearly all day smoke if you're used to English blends, it doesn't have enough complexity to stand out from the burgeoning crowd of English mixtures. Deserves two and a half stars, but not the quite three I gave to 956, so I reluctantly settled for two stars.

-JimInks

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2012-09-07		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

I am not going to get into comparing BO'LB to any venerable blends. To me it's really too complicated given the age of and variations that one can find in a blend like 965. However I will say this, for me Beck's Ol' Limey stands high up atop a mountain of Latakia blends and is firmly planted among my favorites.

There is a seamless integration of flavors that never has me thinking of the components comprising the whole, but only the whole itself. Beck's is very reminiscent to Penzance, not in flavor but in the characteristics inherent with that perfect melding of all the right flavors. Or better yet, “superbly balanced.” Any earthy or spicy tones are wonderfully supported by a subtle yet full sweetness that gently navigates the whole experience. The fragrant aroma is bewitching and for me sits just outside the realm of a good descriptor. Musky, acrid, sweet, musty, and uniquely pungent. All these descriptors can't really do the fragrance of Beck's any justice. One just needs to experience it. Altogether this is an expertly crafted Latakia mixture. Highly recommended.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	A Northern Breed (16)	2012-01-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is from my local tobacconist, here in Asheville, NC. Randy Beck, the namesake of this blend and one or two of their other "Beck" blends, has unfortunately passed on, but David Barnes (the other B in B&B), and one of the owners and proprietors of the shop, is a great guy and fun to talk with while you sit and smoke. He tells great stories. Anyhow, not sure if he had a hand in coming up with this blend, but the stuff is top notch. Just don't expect it to be Murray's 965 or anything ridiculous like that, because it's not. It's Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard, and that's all. So that is how I will rate and review it.

It comes in bulk form from B&B only, although I believe 4noggins keeps it on hand as well, in case you aren't fortunate enough to live in this part of the country. Anyway, it's a ribbon cut, pretty easy to deal with, and it packs well, takes a light well, and burns evenly without much effort on my part. That's a good thing.

The experience may not be what some people expect, but it's usually because they think they're getting a 965 clone when that's really not the case. It's a pretty mild English, not one that blasts you with nicotine like, say, Nightcap (which is my overall favorite tobacco). It's probably more like Early Morning Pipe than anything if you have to compare it to something, but try not to do that and just try to judge it independently. The individual tobaccos all work together quite nicely and peacefully, creating a nice, tasty smoke that is good for right when you wake up or right before bed. It's just great stuff, very high quality.

I generally only give four stars to my personal favorite tobaccos, and I believe this is one of them. I always keep it on hand now, because it's such a versatile smoke and because English is mostly all I smoke. I like a good VaPer occasionally, but I prefer English, and if you prefer English, this is great stuff. It is NOT a Latakia bomb, it's very well balanced. Do yourself a favor and try it out.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2010-04-06		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I smoked a bowl of that Limey Bastid this afternoon. Tasted really fresh. The flavor was good but I kept getting strong hints of very fresh oriental leaf. I think this one will perk up with some age. The Latakia was very subdued. Congrats to Beck and Barnes for putting together a nice smoke!

Pipestud

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Country Doc (20)	2013-04-28		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Soft, smooth and big. Elegant and complex. Smoky, tangy, sweet notes. Many subtle flavors, note of dried apricots, leather and faint chocolate. High quality and delicious.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	strongirish (249)	2010-09-20		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Felt like Latakia today and decided to try this blend. I fell in love with it right off the bat! First off it is a B and M store blend and is available at B and B and 4 Noggins only. In the pouch, it smells very sweet and fresh, the latakia coming through to the nose but also some of the spicy perique and Va. It is multi colored from khaki to dark black in a rough cut ribbon and for me it came at the perfect moisture level to just dig my pipe in and load up. It lights extremely easy, first flame and it stays lit well. Upon my first puff, I was greeted with a rich, spicy, creamy smoke and the room note was sweet and arogant and just made my mouth water more. This blend is a real dream smoke for an English type, very multi dimentional, wafting through from a sweet latakia, then to a perique spice, then a sweet VA and now and then the cavendish would say hi but then soon be gone. Just like my first bowl of this stuff, gone fast. I proceeded to smoke two more bowls and could not get enough of it. Just seemed to push all my buttons. The tobacco burns down the pipe at a faster pace than some English blends I smoke but never bites and never turns bitter or overwhelming. It also smokes all the way down to a dry medium grey ash with no dottle just dust at the end of the bowl. I can find no flaws in this blend, and I highly recommend it. This blender knew what he was doing and does it quite well!

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geir Danielsen (5)	2018-03-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Given to me as a gift, and wow...what a taste ! I ordinary smoke vapers or plain virginias.(stronger types) Never been a fan to Latakia.But this,Limey Bastard smells and taste like a good meal ..Creamy blue smokes,a little bit sweetnes,and a perfect amount of latakia, its never to much of that.Spicy notes as well and just a little bit of that latakia ..campfire ..smell. Cyrian Latakia or Balkan...i don't know but this one hit my palate like a ...i don't know...Love it !

Pipe Used: Molina Poker

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2017-03-09		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

B&B Tobacconists - Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard.

The blend's presented as well rubbed ribbons, has a great moistness, appears to be an equal dissemination of black and brown tobaccos, with nothing untoward about the aroma.

It lights easily and I enjoy the smoke for the first few puffs: a touch of Lat'-smokiness, some clean Virginia traits, and a tiny amount of Cavendish. I even note a mild toastiness, it's quite a savoury smoke. But then, I begin to get a strange sort of bitterness coming through. I'm guessing this is subjective as no flavourings are listed; either way, it doesn't suit me. Assuming it's just a personal issue, I'll return to the more pragmatic things! It burns well, and doesn't get warm unless I really stress my pipe; and then it's just 'warm', not hot. It's a medium weight smoke, and doesn't bite me, at any point.

I don't like the room-note, and the nicotine's about medium.

I'll give this the benefit of the doubt and put the bitterness down to my palate. That said, two stars not one.

Somewhat recommended.

Pipe Used: Brebbia Fat Bob

Age When Smoked: Six weeks

Purchased From: 4noggins

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tabaco (112)	2013-12-19		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Although I did smoke tins upon tins and bulk pounds of Dunhill 965 (Murray's incarnation and the original Dunhill) that was sometime ago. Beck's does harken back to the Murray days, although things did change in their last decade or so. Although Beck's is not a dead-ringer it's far superior in my view to the current 965 incarnation which I do not care for whatsoever. Comparisons aside this is very good stuff on it's own.

I do enjoy this considerably, it smokes and combusts well in all of my pipes; very tasty. Full, but not too much and quite satisfying any time of the day, indoors/outdoors, yet still has enough flavour to be enjoyed after cigars and Scotch late in the evening.

Overall an excellent value which makes it Four Stars at least for me, since I've had a number of well known even so called 'famous' tinned blends which did not even make the grade of 'would I buy them again'.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-02-15		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I don't think that B&B is marketing this as a Dunhill 965 match blend, however, if their not, they should be! To my knowledge it is only being distributed at 4 Noggins and it is being sold as a match blend there. Now with all that said, this is a very good tobacco. I was fortunate to be able to taste this, McClelland 965 match blend (925)and the real deal, Murray's 965 side by side. This comes far closer than McClelland's to 965. I find this to be very similar to 965. In some ways more full and a bit less sweet. It comes at the right moisture level and burns cleanly. I give this 3 1/2 stars instead of 4 because of a very slight soap taste. I actually think it tastes better than the Orlik 965. If you are looking for a replacement for Murray's 965, I suggest giving this a try. Recommended.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (220)	2019-03-12		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Just a few puffs in, Beck’s Ol’ Limey Bastard actually surprised me by being the best contemporary throw-back match blend I’ve tried to date, at least according to olfactory cues. The bag note sets it up with “archaic” Latakia over piquant, earthy red Va, along with sour loam and moldering Middle Eastern spices that “could only come” from Orientals, which – oddly enough – are not listed in the blend’s header, above, as this review is posted. Perhaps the ghost of Orientals survives in the Latakia? As for the Cav, not sure I get this in the bag note, but it apparently does its job when BOLB is smoked, smoothing, melding, and providing significant sweet molasses and sour notes that help define this blend. Whether we are talking “original” Dunhill’s or early Murray’s, 965 was itself, and not something else. Though it featured a pronounced sort of sour soda or quinine also sported by The Balkan Sobranie, it was never rank and gamey like early TBS was, and it was in this way more civilized, like all of the Dunhill blends, way back when this particular quality was Dunhill’s verifiable claim to fame (and high prices!), along with stuff-and-puff ease of smoking. Despite I don’t smoke much light English anymore, my remaining BOLB is doomed. I am thankful that there’s only a trace of the sandalwood I have grown ever so tired of, and I detect no Liquid Smoke at all. Strength is mild. Tastes are quite smooth, also distinct, also just past medium. Room note won’t win friends. Aftertaste is terrific, and it lingers a while, starting sour and adding sweetness over time.

IMO, Beck’s Ol’ Limey Bastard is a good enough reminder of early 965 that it’s worth trying on this basis. You can’t lose if you like this sort of smooth, Balkan-y blend, and you will at least get an idea of what its iconic target blend was like. 4 stars.

Pipe Used: 4 - 5 English briars

Age When Smoked: rested in bag

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: 965?.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Otis56 (31)	2015-01-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is an unbelievable tobacco mixture. Easy to rub out. Packs perfectly. Holds a light very well. Smokes nice and creamy and mild. First half of bowl taste and smells of smoky coffee with dark chocolate overtones. Second half is smoky with a Lakeland floral aroma. Just an amazing smoke. I will add this to my daily rotation. I am always so excited when I find a blend this good. You need to try this mixture you won't be dissapointed. Peace.

Pipe Used: Tripis large bowl bent billiard

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: 4 noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2014-07-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This blend did not blow me away in the way it has many others below. I found it to be well balanced, good tasting and easy to smoke. In this respect, I do recommend the blend as there was certainly nothing unpleasant about the smoking experience.

For me, however, what separates it is that it fails to excite me in the way that some other similar blends do. I would opt for some Rattray offerings (jock's in particular) and 965, orlik or Murray.

My personal experience is from a sample sent from a forum friend. It probably comprised of about five bowls. Admittedly, this is less than I would normally care to smoke to form a proper opinion, but usually on blends I really like I would have had some memorable moments in those first few bowls. It is for this reason and out of respect for several reviewers below whose opinions I respect, that I have added the third star.

Speaking of other reviews, I would most closely side with that of DK below. His words echo my experience in a much better way than I am able to convey.

Age When Smoked: two years

Purchased From: sample from forum friend

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmokeDawg (82)	2014-04-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This limey bastard is a personal fav but Ive put off the review because properly describing this one proves quite difficult as well as intimidating. Its an English that would make an english gent proud. You want to say its easily driven by a very smooth latakia, but that is only the beginning. This is a blend of balanced Virginias burley and cavendish. I think I taste oriental in it as well, but I could be wrong. Ol' Limey Bastard wont bite no matter how hard you puff. Its perfectly balanced. One tobacco does not override the other. Its harmonious like the way nightcap works. It pimps a gentle smoky smell and taste that transfers to the fire without giving you that heavy bbq smell like some latakia blends. This blend is starting to blow up as they are now getting orders from all over the world. Pipers are discovering this great blend being pumped out by the pound from the local tobacconist in Asheville NC. I highly recommend you fill your pipe and give it a go. Just save some for me.

Age When Smoked: 8 months

Purchased From: B&B tobacconist asheville nc

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WillBrown (137)	2013-12-09		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

I really like this tobacco. It's a fairly straightforward English blend with a good honest taste. Not much else to say about it, though, I do prefer Chipman Hill over it (it hits my palate right on). Both Beck's and Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme are in my bullpen. That's a great rotation! I recommend this tobacco.

Cheers!

Pipe Used: Favorit straight billiard

Age When Smoked: ?

Purchased From: 4noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-09-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My first latakia blend was 965, and it was a favorite for quite a while. I moved on a few years ago when I could no longer get the bulk version in the shops. Tried the tin version when Dunhill came back out with it, but just couldn't get a good smoke out of it. Don't know if it was the tobacco or my tastes that changed. Anyway, I live in Asheville, and frequent B&B. I was given a sample of this blend when they found out I had been a 965 fan.

Excellent smoke in every way, and truly does remind me of my original experiences with 965. The latakia seems especially leathery (best word I can think of to describe what I'm trying to say) in this blend, a characteristic I happen to like. There is also a good deal more sweetness than I find in most of the other latakia blends I smoke. If you're in the mood for this kind of sweetness, and just enough latakia goodness, try this one out. Highly recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	quantumboy (130)	2011-04-20		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Your quintessential low-maintenance tasty English blend for all day every day. To give a fair comparison to 965 I would have to taste them side by side, which I plan to do, but for now it will suffice to say this is an excellent blend for the back porch. My cousin and smoking buddy, who is more into cigars than pipes, really enjoys this one too!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fumatore (49)	2010-05-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Let me preface my remarks by saying that I smoked Murray's 965 for nearly 15 years, it was my "go to" smoke and I smoked it 90% of the time. I literally smoked hundreds of pounds of it (preferring the tins) and indeed I found it to be the perfect tobacco. Sadly, I have been on a 5 year search for something/anything that satisfied like that blend did. Further, and pardon my strong opinion here, but I am a little disgusted with those who have smoked the Murray blend and now smoke the Orlik junk, and dare mention the two in the same breath. While I am sure some might enjoy Ice Milk, please leave Haagen-Dazs out of the discussion!

That being said, I wish to offer my opinion as to the differences and similarities between Becks new contribution and Murray's 965. First, Murrays had a sweeter taste that I believe might have been captured, in part, by the unique use of a high quality Cyprian Latakia (I seem to recall 965's description always mentioning the use of a young or small Latakia plant). Becks I assume, uses standard Latakia (and precious little of it), and what sweetness there is in the blend is from the Virginias. Too, Murrays had a smoothness and nuttiness about the smoke. Again another assumption is that the feature came from a distinctive use of some Burley tobacco in that Cavendish mix. I believe Beck's to be the more typical Virginia Cavendish (and a cheaper tobacco too). None of this would matter if Beck's could have captured the overall taste of the Murray blend since that is what we seek/desire. Those of us who loved the Murray blend were appreciative of the lack of Orientals in the blend, as I believe that is part of what made 965 quite distinctive from many other English types. Beck's seems to use very little oriental tobacco (perhaps none) which should make it an appealing choice for many. However, Beck's uses precious little Latakia too. Overall, there is no rich creamy smoke to the Beck blend. I find a little stringent flavor too. Further I consider OLB to be more akin to "Early Morning Pipe", rather than "965" - and some of you may indeed like it for that quality. While I am not saying this is bad tobacco, it tastes like cheaper tobacco is used, and it's just not worthy for this 965 lover to keep around. However I will attempt to add some age to this blend and together with a little more Latakia, will see if I can improve it. My rating gives the Beck version a half star bump just for the admirable attempt at recreating such a superlative lost blend.

Footnote: I don't hold much hope of ever finding anything I enjoyed like 965 and it is said that Sir Alfred Dunhill himself preferred the older version of this classic (pre Murray). I find that I only smoke a bowl or so a day now (mostly Pease tobaccos) and rotate between several mixtures. In one pipe smoker's forum, I practically begged Greg Pease to turn his attention to recreating 965, and although he mentioned that it had indeed crossed his mind, he had many projects he wished to pusue as well being conflicted as to which 965 might garner the most appeal, the original Dunhill or the Murray blend. Lord how I wish he would just pick either one!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'll add my kudos to the others posted here. I can only compare Beck's 'Ol Limey Bastard to the Orlik version of Dunhill MM 965, but the smell from the bag is very different. Orlik's 965 has a stronger Cavendish smell to it, whereas Beck's has a dominant Latakia scent. I don't smell Cavendish at all.

The real issue, however, is how it smokes and while it's not exactly the same as the Orlik 965 I know and love, it's similar and a great blend in its own right. Beck's helps fill the 965 void for me and I recommend it to people looking for a replacement or to those who are simply looking for a very smooth medium English tobacco.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TotoPipeDreams (44)	2021-03-11		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant

Wow. This is great stuff. Never having tried the new Peterson 965, this only makes me more excited to try the “original” blend. But based on its own merit, Becks OLB is a wonderfully blended smoke.

This mixture is delightfully balanced between the smoky, earthy Latakia and the sweet, full-mouthfeel cavendish in a supporting role. It’s perfect for early morning or late night smokes and will become a part of my regular rotation.

Burns clean through with very little to no moisture left in the bowl, consistent taste throughout.

I would recommend this blend to those who want to explore Latakia and need a little sweetness to help along the way. Or those who enjoy English blends that are not Oriental forward.

The strength of this blend is certainly its price point and availability (since I live in Asheville)

The only weak point may be the cut. Big chunks of latakia in the mix sometimes require a bit of crumbling to get into the chamber. Besides that, no complaints here!

Pipe Used: Kaywoodie Fineline Prince, MM Devil Anse

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: B & B Tobacconists Asheville

Similar Blends: Ashton’s Artisan Blend, Peterson/Dunhill 965.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2018-03-26		Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I bought this Bulk from 4Noggins about 6 months ago, the price was right. Upon reading many of the other reviews , there seems to be a consensus that this is a match for Dunhill's 965. I've never been a fan of D's 965, find it harsh, this is smooth and mild. Do I really like it enough to buy again ? No, it's got a top note of mild Vanilla , that's not for me. I think it reminds me of one of the "Frogs" . I really think many would like this if you're looking for a mild English.

Pipe Used: Maple

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: 4 noggins

Similar Blends: one of the McC Frogs.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	EvetsNC (5)	2018-03-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

First of all, let me state that I am very happy to have been turned on to this tobacco by others. I do not feel that this is a direct substitute for Dunhill's MM 965; of course, it is said to be a good remake of the "earlier" 965, so perhaps that's why I feel so, as I have never smoked the early version. This blend reminds me more of the modern BS 759 version(s), from its "tin note" (bag note, actually, since it's sold in bulk only) and how it tastes as it's smoked. Two of my favorite blends are Dunhill 965 and BS 759 (modern versions), BTW. I can't wait to age some of this a bit and see what happens.

Age When Smoked: <1 yo

Purchased From: 4Noggins

Similar Blends: BS 759 (modern versions).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	arpie55 (77)	2018-01-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Many have compared this to Dunhill 965 but I did not think this to be nearly as smooth. As a matter of fact, I would say that Sutliff match 965 is a much smoother smoke and closer to Dunhill. Overall I thought that it was just Latakia overkill. I purchased the minimum of 2 ounces and may smoke it gone but will not go out of my way to obtain more. Recognizing that there are many who "seek" Latakia bombs I am going to rate it as Recommended.

Pipe Used: Briar- Radice and Savinelli and Ascorti

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: B&B

Similar Blends: Dunhill 965?.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pinko (52)	2016-07-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A top shelf all-day smoke in a bulk bag? Heresy. (See Arango Balkan Supreme for more of this heresy.) There’s a nice nutty sweetness coming off the Cavendish, and some perfumed, not overwhelmingly smokey flavor from the Latakia. The Virginias are deep and earthy, not too bright, but there’s plenty of balance between tangy and rich flavors.

It’s been blended with an eye toward smoothness, and that comes through in style. It is sheet-of-glass smooth, makes Baby’s Bottom feel like 40-grit sandpaper. It is approved by the members of the Pipe Club of London because it is very good pipe tobacco. I shudder to think how much it would sell for if it came in a fancy tin.

It is almost a 4-star blend. There are better blends in this category but OLB will never disappoint.

Age When Smoked: fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2015-06-13		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

When I bought this from 4-noggings for the first time I was attractive to it's name. Back then I did not even know there are so many differences among English blends. It tastes wonderful and flavorful. Definitely better than present MM965. Great English blend!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Boswell (12)	2015-06-04		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I started pipe smoking with 965, and this excellent blend reminds me much more of 965 from 15 years ago than the current Orlik version. Irrespective of Dunhill comparisons, though, it's a great smoke in its own right. By turns creamy, spicy, chocolately, leathery, smoky, it burns cool and is really very pleasant. Full marks to the blenders!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Renar (9)	2015-01-23		Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It was recommended by fellow pipe smokers as perfect Latakia blend. So I gave it a try. OK, it's not perfect. Ok, it's not straight latakia blend at all. But it's good, full of flawor and has its own unique taste. Can not say if this mixture is the same as old 965, because I don't actually like 965. But it has own character and deep taste. If you able to smoke cool and slowly - you will have a good bowl definitely.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2014-07-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I like this old style pipe tobacco. Like the new Dunhill 965 for the flavors but more subdued, less sweet and more balanced. The Cavendish and Latakia are less pronounced, the flavors while mild appeal to the palate in a indescribable way.

Virginia lover

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bigterr (21)	2014-01-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Yes, as many reviewers have said this is a fine English blend. Latakia is lightly loaded in the mix so if you are a Bill Bailey fan you will find this unsatisfying. If you are new to English mixtures or tired of heavy latakia offerings, this is a fine place to be as the mix is very well balanced with no single component dominant. The cavendish is a nice sweetner without erasing the natural virginias. The ribbon cut is just right holding some moisture but easy to pack and easy to light. Smokes cleanly to an almost white ash with only a few black bits (not wet ones) at the bottom of the bowl. I have not yet tried the Orlick 965 but this blend is a least as satisfying as the Murray 965 incarnation although a tad less sweet. The price point puts it ahead of Squadron Leader for the frugal pipester and the fact that no tongue bite occurred in my unfiltered ser jacopo puts it ahead of Mac's Plumcake. I give it a solid 4 stars and if you cannot go to Ashville you can order it from 4Noggins. Order some NOW! You will not regret doing so.

Pipe Used: Ascorti billiard 9mm filter ser jaqcopo dublin cdn

Age When Smoked: 6 mo

Purchased From: B&B tobaconists Ashville NC

Similar Blends: Dunhill 965, Macbaren Plumcake (minus the rum casing), Squadron Leader.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	corncobcolombiano (9)	2013-08-25		Mild	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

One of my go-to, all-day smokes at this point...beautifully balanced, very mild latakia blend, somewhat complex to my taste... Not sure what casing may be added?... regardless a wonderful smoking experience, a lot to taste, a mild and soothing companion. Can get "limey" (chalky, acidic tasting?) after the second half sometimes, especially in certain pipes I have. Maybe that's the bastard coming out. Nevertheless still a great smoke in my book. I can barely pick up the burley in it, definitely used more as a condiment in this blend I think, a good call in this case.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ven (16)	2013-08-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

This was recommended to me while I was feeling my way around some various staple tobaccos, and I wish that I had found this first! Simply marvelous. I cannot rave about this one enough, and cannot recommend it enough. Highest, highest possible rating. You will be blown away. Rich, complex, tasty, adult, masculine and outdoorsy - but deeply philosophical and imaginative in character. If you're reading reviews that say smooth and creamy - they're dead on. Really, just a thing of beauty, and absolute perfection. Anyone looking for that one true love to keep in your pouch for all times - this is it. Absolute highest rating. From someone who had it recommended to them, I am doing the same - and you'll want to share this too. Pass this along and spread the word!! A+

Pipe Used: Laxey Meerschaum, Orlik "Captain Black"

Age When Smoked: New

Similar Blends: Peter Stokkebye English Oriental Supreme.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Phonomet (44)	2012-12-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I got a couple ounces of this and it didn't take me long to finish them. Very satisfying balance of the virginias and latakia. The cavendish didn't show up on my radar as it does in 965, but in some ways that's why I enjoyed this more than Dunhill's flagship! Milder in the nicotine department but still satisfying.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-11-29		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The blender of this blend needs an award, Fantastic in every way,Very smooth & you could smoke this all day no probs. just the right latakia strength for me, with a little sweetness.4++++

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Markd1920 (1)	2011-06-12		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Admittedly, I am not the most experienced of smokers when it comes to trying new things. I found MM965 while in college, or shortly there after, and thought it was horrid. I stuck with aromatics for years, and then, doing some part time work at the local "mall" tobacconist, I re-discovered 965. I assume my tastes had changed because it became my regular smoke for years. When it changed/disappeared/reappeared/changed again I kept smoking it. By the end I was simply tired of it, the constant inconsistency. I admit I have not even tried the newest reincarnation. But I did read the reviews of OLB and decided to give it a try.

Beautiful appearance, great feel, good moisture. Packed a bowl full, lit it and waited to find something to complaint about. I still haven't. No, it's not MM965, but it is excellent. Has, to me at least, what the old 965 did. A comfortable and willing feel. It simply tastes like pipe tobacco should. It may not be a pipe tobacco you look forward to smoking on special occasions, but it feels like I have found a long lost old friend. It has become my daily/almost only tobacco. Guess I should stock up on a few pounds, my Dunhill paranoia is starting to kick in.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-02-17		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

I am one of the "newer" pipe smokers who was not fortunate enough to have enjoyed a bowl of the previous 965's. That being said, I was told about this blend from a pipe forum. The guys on there told me that I'd like it, and I do. This blend is in my top 5 of the blends in my cellar

Jon wx5nco

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeadMensPipes (38)	2010-05-11		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

After searching for a replacement for Dunhill MyMixture 965, and reading elsewhere that 'Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard' was a suitable replacement, I decided to order a few ounces and give it a try. The tin note says it is "very similar to 965 of old." Well, maybe by a stretch it is "similar", but not "very". While Beck's is certainly a decent blend on its own, it did not fulfill my expectation of being a suitable replacement for 965. If that is your basis of reviewing Beck's OLB, then you will be disappointed.

While Beck's OLB has a nice pouch note, it is not the same olfactory delight as 965. Not as strong or rich. Beck's OLB comes a little overmoist in the pouch, but with a few minutes of drying before loading, it smokes well with few relights. It is smooth. No bite. And it has a fairly flat taste, some licorice notes which I like, but there's something else - a slight whiff of pine needles burning.

Overall, it's not bad, but it's not 965 either. A start maybe. Adding some more latakia? Perhaps if they keep tinkering with it they'll come close.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sir Walter Smiley (24)	2010-04-22		Mild to Medium	Mild	Full	Tolerable

I was making a trip to the Saphire Valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains(NC), so I did my homework and came across B&B Tobacco in Ashville. Upon arrival at the little shop, there were 7 or 8 "old codgers" enjoying the afternoon in an extreme smokey haze. I was impressed..... As for this bastard of a blend; it was slightly sweet, rich, creme de la smokie, nicotiney smooth, amazing. The shopkeep, David I believe, likened it to old Dunhill 965. I personally don't like comparing blends to other blends as a replacement. There are always too many variables. This blend stands alone, above most latakia blends I have smoked; which covers enough for an objective opinion. I would give this a 9/10, the old Murrey's Dunhill 965 a 8/10 and Esoterica Tobacciana Penzance a 7/10. I am still searching for that 10/10 blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Budman (25)	2010-03-18		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Becks OLB is a very nice rounded English with a good bit of sweet Virginia's. The Virginia's do not allow the Latakia to dominate the blend but rather compliment it. I really can't compare it to the 965 of old because quite frankly the taste of those are just a memory. This is smooth,smokey and kind to your pipe. I've got some stashed and we will see what effect aging will have. This is one of those blends that goes well with a pint of good Lager. Recommended

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wdsmith (11)	2010-03-05		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've smoked some of the replacements or blends that were very similar to MM965 (York Full, etc.) as well as the Murray's and Orlik versions. This blend tops them all. I will stand firm that this is much more tasty than the Murrays and far beyond the Orlik disaster.

This blend progresses quite nicely througout the bowl but is best at about the half-way point. Smokey and slightly sweet, it is a great all day smoke.

In my very humble opinion, Dunhill was Dunhill only when it was blended by Dunhill. No use chasing an old ghost by paying through the nose for a tin of the Murrays/Orlik versions on eBay (Let's admit it, we've all been tempted or have fallen into that temptation).

Available at 4noggins.com, I purchased 4 ounces of Beck's for half of what I paid for roughly the same amount of Compton's York Full (a great 4 star tobacco as well but just too expensive for me to keep in rotation).

Bottom line: 4+ stars for Beck's Limey &^%$#@@.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-12-06		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is one of the blends recommended as a substitute for Dunhill 965... Of course we can argue which 965?... Murrays which is almost unavaliable or Orlik's which you can still find in Europe ... I haven't opened the Orlik's I bought yet but I sprang for and have smoked some of a 15 year old tin of Murray's and can compare the two.. Of course, each tobacco needs to stand on it's own and not have to imitate some long lost "idea of the perfect English tobacco"....( Would Plato agree that there is a perfect " Idea of an English Blend" that all aspire to?

Having said that Beck's is a wonderfully bright and alluring smoke.. There is enough Latakia to be noticable especially when the tin opens but it does not overwhelm... Instead the mid notes are full of the lovely Virginia. The burley is definately there, with a bit of bite that I did not notice with the MM 965....But how can you compare a tobacco that is 15 yo with a newly blended one, any way maybe in 15 years Becks will not bite either?

As you go along, the complexity of this mixture increases and changes with more and more subtle flavors coming to notice....

This mixture doesn't have to imitate anything... it can stand on its own as a lovely smooth English smoke with subtle and deep complexity expected of a great tobacco.... Now we have to compare it to the other great widely avaliable English blends...Squadron Leader Westminster and the like... WHat a job but someone has to do it!!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-26		Medium	Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

If, like me and our brother Danny below youve never tried Dunhills or Murray sons concoction of MM 965 its an awkward situation if youre doing a comparison. I have tried Orliks MM 965 though and I liked it a lot. But struth mate, this stuff stomps all over Orliks. It packs, lights and behaves perfectly because its not soaking wet like other bulks. It flavourful and zesty but no bite. Its not too heavy and not too light. Its just right. I still love Westminster, Greg, but I do love this new Yankee, ol bloody Limey bastard too. Smoke the GLP with a s/m scotch and a good book and the OLB with a frothy and darts. Sorted!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geoffrey (3)	2009-06-24		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was recommended to me as a 'mild' English. Being a relatively new pipe smoker my tastes haven't developed as much as the gurus who write most of the reviews so you might want to consider this as you read my review.

I've tried several English type blends in the past and found them too strong fro my tastes and the wife (who is my 'room note' expert) did not care for the odor. This was recommended to me by Bruce of Bruce's Pipe & tobacco in Asheville NC and I really like it. It has enough of the 'english' taste for you to know that's what it is but not so much as to be over powering. I rated the strength as mild to medium but in a few months I might re-grade it to mild as my tastes change.

I've packed it using the 1-2-3 method and the Frank method. It burns well and stays lit either way after in initial light, tamp and re-light. Smoke it slow and savor the flavor.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (166)	2023-01-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

What we have here is an attempt at not too light, not too heavy, meet in the middle blend that will satisfy, if not wow, most smokers. Unfortunately there are some negatives which turn the balance away from a potential three star MOR recommendation to a more tepid and cautionary two star “somewhat recommended” status.

First, the positives: Has a fairly pleasing sampling of nutty flavors (black walnut, roasted chestnut, pine nut, sunflower seed) and subtle suggestion of gingerbread. Latakia is not overbearing or sooty. Now for the negatives: Soapy flavor upon first light, an acrid bitter note of walnut shell with the slightest elevation of heat stress, and here and there an occasional bitter Bay Leaf herbal flavor. Meerschaums tended to emphasize the bitter herbal notes and grassy chlorophyll, a 9mm filtered briar tended to soften and mute the overall negative tastes. My favorite four-star blends don’t have any soapy Propyl during lights, my favorites are not so temperamental about puffing cadence, and my favorites don’t have unpleasant episodes of bitterness which detract from the overall enjoyment. So there's no way this gets four stars from me.

It’s been decades since I last had the original Dunhill 965, and I do recognize the positive attributes here that others have mentioned, but certainly don’t recall the negatives I’ve described here. I also wonder about the bitter herbal note and what the cause could be. My batch is from May 2021, and my best guess is a rogue batch of bright Virginias that escaped proper pH treatment. If that’s the case, then once that supply is used up subsequent batches may be better, and this could also explain why some older 4-star reviews from smokers I tend to trust may be essentially reviews of a product different than the one I got. Hard to say.

I did my usual due diligence in comparing this with six others of its genre, meaning non-Lat-bomb blends, but allowing for Turkish varietals. In that class, which did not include unobtanium favorites like Germain Eighteen-Twenty, Arango Balkan Supreme came in first, Bastard came in last. So that helps me know how this fits into the overall hierarchy of which blends I want to spend time with. But the only way that can help you is if you are fairly certain that our tasting chemistry is similar. So I’ll simply suggest that if you’ve tried Arango Balkan Supreme and like it, then out tastes may be fairly similar. If you tried it and didn’t like it, then you can probably disregard anything I have to say about English/ Balkan blends. But also keep in mind that if you have an older batch than mine that you like, we may not be talking about the same thing.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-03-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

My experience in latakiablends is somewhat limited. But I know when I come upon good tobacco. And this is really great. Perfect amount of latakia, a nice sweetness and very well blended. Quite similar to PS Balkan Blend.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2012-02-19		Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Sweet.Very sweet english blend.Sometimes i can't get enough.I read Burley, Cavendish, Virginia, Latakia however i also tasted Oriental.Oh maybe i am wrong, try it and let me know.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2011-10-02		Extremely Mild	Very Mild	Very Mild	Unnoticeable

This is a very mild english with a very mild taste. I would say that it would be a good choice for someone who is just starting to explore the english blends.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2010-10-08		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A bulk tobacco that I received from 4noggins, consisting of Virginia, Latakia, and a slice of cavendish. It is said that that it resembles Dunhill 965. Unfortunately I wasn't lucky enough (not the only one of course) to try Murrays blend, but this mixture thrilled me. Personally – being of course a Latakia fan – I am ecstatic with its special aroma, which may be due to the Cavendish. It contains very good and sweet Latakia which makes it a strong blend, sweet and easy to smoke. It fills the bowl very easily and it is lighted without much effort. It stays dry until the end. It also leaves a good and neutral scent to the bowl.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-12-03		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

My initial smokes with this were a solid 2 stars, but I've had a couple recently that were better.

Good overall English tobacco. I don't consider it anything special, but the elements are pretty harmonious.

My earlier smokes had some problems with tongue bite, and this blend tends to smoke wet for me, which is unusual for an English.

I prefer many other blends to this one including Squadron Leader and Westminster.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30171)	2009-06-15		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I started smoking a pipe after the transition of Dunhill tobaccos from Murray's to Orlik, so I cannot compare this blend to what 965 was before 2005 when that switch happened. However, being a fan of English blends, I can compare this to Orlik's 965 and also other blends that I have smoked as well. When I first loaded my pipe with this blend, I first noted the ease with I was able to do so. Many English blends I have tried tend to need a little bit of extra care while packing, but in the case of Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard it simply melts into the pipe perfectly. Then of course comes the light, which is just as easy as packing.

But we don't want to know so much about how easy it packs or how easy it is to light as much as we want to know how it smokes... and the basic fact is that it smokes wonderfully! As I said, I cannot compare this to pre-Orlik 965, but compared to the most recent incantation of 965 Beck's Ol' Limey Bastard has a fuller flavor without the harshness that 965 had. It is rich with Latakia, but balancing it out is a wonderful blend of both red and yellow Virginias with a hint of unflavored Cavendish.

Simply put, it is truly a remarkable blend that is thoroughly enjoyable from the first light all the way down to the last puff.

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