Tobaccos Robert Lewis - Orcilla Mixture

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3050)	2014-03-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The star component is the woody, smoky, spicy, dry, and slightly buttery sweet Orientals, but they don't overwhelm the senses. The grass and hay-like Virginias also sport a very mild tart and tangy citrus, earth and wood in a support role. A whisper of spicy, raisiny plumy perique is just detectable, as is pinch or two of smoky, woody, earthy, leathery Cyprian Latakia. I also observe a slight dark/black cavendish sweetness. The strength is just past mild, and the taste falls a little short of the center of mild to medium. The nic-hit is just past the mild level. Burns clean, but rather fast, and doesn't scorch your tongue, though you'll get better results by sipping the smoke because it tends to get just a little harsh near the bottom of the bowl. The flavor is consistent all the way. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires few relights. Has a weak, but pleasant after taste and stronger room note. Though I give it a three star rating, it just barely reaches that level. Can be an all day smoke.

-JimInks

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2013-12-04		Very Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant

Initial rush of tin nose upon opening made me think this might be a dead ringer for G. Smith and Sons Old London Mixture that I've been unsuccessful in finding more of. Very rich, deep aroma. Mostly tan in the tin and a fine ribbon cut. It smoked very quickly due to the cut and, as with most blends, slow sipping helps.

Taste-wise, this was nowhere near OLM. It was very subtle and wispy, but with good flavor and a fair slice of complexity. This is purported to be just oriental but there is naturally a base of virginia and with a bit of latakia as well. I've found that if you think there's latakia in a blend, there probably is, Fox' Provost Mixture being a notable exception. Some smokers find perique in here as well, but I did not. There may be some dark cavendish, however, as there is a bit of sweetness that I don't associate with straight virginia.

While I was disappointed that this didn't live up to my original hope, this is a very nice blend with a mildly spicy Turkish overtone. It won't bite if overpuffed but it will become a touch harsh. Unfortunately, it's light flavor will cause some to overpuff, so just keep in mind that patience is required to bring out the flavors. This is a little lighter than I prefer and I probably won't buy this again, but it was worth the time I spent with it.

Pipe Used: Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Less than 1 year

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (220)	2013-07-21		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

For those who like Oriental tobacco, Orcilla is a rare bird, an Old School blend that offers just what it says it offers, full, rich Turkish tobacco that scratches that particular itch and satisfies well on that particular level. The tin note has some cocoa over the tobacco, but I don't get this in the smoke. Otherwise, the fragrant Orientals are forward, Latakia is faint, and the VAs nearly AWOL. As for the Cav, I wouldn't have known had I not read the K&K blurb, but now I think I smell it and taste it, too, just a little... Preparation is simply loading the shag rather loosely in the pipe. I suggest a big bowl and very careful - or no - tamping. Better, only judicious poking. Loosely loaded, it lights fairly easily and burns fast. The initial tobacco aromas and flavors start out mild, rich and fragrant rather than strong and peppery, in a distinctive way, sort of loam-y, with all the best, most exotic Turkish spices. Low key, but subtly complex. Flavors tighten up and concentrate some as the tobacco is smoked down, becoming more focused and sour. There is just a little sharpness and sweetness offsetting the sour taste, and now that I know there are VAs and Cavendish in the mix, I suppose that explains it. Some anise and cardamom appear down the bowl, in the taste and in the wonderful blue-purple smoke, and it's over too soon for the aficionado. The aftertaste is - once again - a good representation of the genre, smoky, loam-y, spicy/sour tobacco that is probably "an acquired taste". To my taste, Orcilla is anything but "dry" or "dusty" at any point. YMMV, likely based on your love or hate of the Turkish leaf or the shag cut. As for room note, my first though is always to spare others from Turkish tobacco, although I love the smell. I have been surprised by how well Orcilla ages, becoming even softer and still more fragrant.

3.4 stars all day, based on its being consummately - itself.

Pipe Used: various briars

Age When Smoked: young to 2 years

Purchased From: Liberty Tobacco

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-05-22		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

One of the very last classic English orientals (i.e. orientals excluding Latakia) in existance. This is my favourite light oriental/virginia mixtures and it has been around since 1904 or thereabouts.

Robert Lewis (Est. 1787) was one of the oldest UK blenders and was incorporated by James J. Fox in 1992. The four remaining Robert Lewis blends are the only tobaccos now handled by James J. Fox that have not been handed over to Kohlhase & Kopt blending - as yet.

Shag cut and predominently virginia with only a very light oriental background, it provides a easy fill, easy light (usually only one) and burns to a fine light ash. Its medium sweet and drives you to draw on it with intensity - avoid this as it has its own burn rate. Moisture content is ALWAYS perfect straight from the tin and I smoke this from morning to night with complete satisfaction.

You must give this tobacco time to grow on you, and when it does, it just gets better and better; if however, you're looking for a positive nicotine kick - its probably not the one for you.

The day I can no longer get this tobacco from JJ Fox in St James's Street, will probably be the day I stop smoking because there is nothing comparable left in the UK Market. The only tobacco to come close, but not surpass was Fox's 'Campinile', which since taken into Kohlhase, Kopt has substantially lost its way.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2082)	2017-11-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Robert Lewis - Orcilla Mixture.

Note: a blend I first reviewed years back but thought it read a bit inanely so deleted to re-post.

The blend itself is mostly medium and light brown ribbons but there are a few black spots. It smells wonderful, slightly toasty.

The smoke: ahhhh, delicious. This is a Turkish-forward smoke but it doesn't taste like usual Turkish/Orientals: it has a wonderful spiciness up-front, followed by a woody, floral flavour, and a touch of butter. The Virginia adds a lesser flavour in comparison: it's more of a mild/calm hay note rather than dark, or citrusy, fruit. The Perique gives an exorbitantly light flavour, it needs a search party to find it! Orcilla burns well but performs better under a gentle technique: not due to bite, but it can go quite fast when smoked hard.

Nicotine: mild to medium. Room-note: pleasant.

Orcilla? Great. Highly recommended:

Four stars.

Pipe Used: Various

Age When Smoked: Various

Purchased From: Various

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jonno51 (11)	2020-07-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A ribbon cut, much lighter in appearance than it's sister Tree Mixture. The tin note is pleasant to those who love oriental tobaccos. Moisture level was about right straight from the tin, it lights well and smokes coolly and steadily right to the end. This is an oriental forward blend, on a virginia base. There is little perique in there, and even less latakia. It is mild/mellow without ever being bland, yet I noticed more of a nic hit than I did with Tree Mixture. It is an above average blend, sufficiently different to stand out from the crowd, and one that aromatic and virginia smokers might find ideal for that first journey to the Balkans and the Levant. I recommend it to pipers who don't like latakia and perique used as blunt instruments, but it won't find it's way onto my rotation from where Old Dublin and Tree Mixture are currently repelling all boarders.

Pipe Used: medium bowl, bent briar with 9mm filter

Age When Smoked: straight from tin

Purchased From: Blakemar Briars, Northampton, UK

Similar Blends: I have never smoked an blend with this balance of tobaccos before i.e. lots of Orientals and Va, and very small amounts of Perique and Latakia..

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	GabrielCRT (115)	2020-05-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

2020 update: this is no longer a shag cut. It is mostly comprised of ribbon-cut Virginia with small oriental leaf (Yenidje?), a few ribbons of Latakia, and granulated perique. I was disappointed when I received my tin because I’ve been enjoying shag cuts recently but this has quickly become an all time favorite oriental blend.

The Virginia’s are smooth with hay notes. The oriental tobacco, I believe Yenidje, has a distinct buttery lemon taste. There is not much Latakia, but it’s smoky woody aroma compliments the other components. There is a bold black pepper note throughout the entire bowl which must be from the perique. The blend is savory, very peppery, and expertly balanced. Very highly recommended.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Aether (9)	2014-12-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

C’est un tabac que je classerais dans la catégorie des anglais, puisque d’une part il n’est pas aromatisé, et parce que l’Oriental est une composante principale de ce type de mélange même si l’Orcilla ne contient pas de Latakia.

A l’ouverture le la boite la couleur des brins coupés fins est d’une couleur beige homogène. Cela sent le tabac oriental (ce qui est plutôt normal vous me direz) avec une petite note épicée qui lui est caractéristique. C’est un tabac qui, avec son odeur et sa couleur, respire le soleil d’où il provient, de même que sont taux d’humidité plutôt restreint qu’il le rend propre à être fumé dès l'ouverture, vous rappelant au passage les contrées arides et pierreuses de la Turquie. Le bourrage est aisé d’autant plus que la coupe est fine et le tabac peu humide, il s’en suivra donc un allumage facile ainsi qu’une combustion des plus homogènes, offrant une cendre relativement compacte.

En cours de fumage le tabac se corse volontiers à mesure que l’on tend vers la fin du bol. La fumée est riche en saveurs épicées, quelque peu sèche, où l’Oriental développe tout son arôme. J’ai eu l’occasion de percevoir des notes de figues et de raisins secs très légères, venant çà et là tempérer et adoucir ce tabac. Semblant relativement fort de prime abord, il mérite cependant, au cours de fumages successifs, d’être apprivoisé pour en apprécier pleinement les saveurs et la finesse, surtout pour un débutant dans cette catégorie de tabac. Il faut néanmoins, à mon sens, être un amateur éclairé d’Oriental et/ou d’anglais, pour apprécier l’Orcilla à sa juste mesure, amateur dont, je vous l’avoue, je ne fais pas parti.

En ce qui me concerne ce fut une bonne expérience ; simplement parce que je me suis aperçu que ce qui m’écœurait dans un mélange anglais, n’était pas le Latakia mais bien l’Oriental. Cela m’a permis donc de revenir sur un préjugé a propos des anglais d’une part, ainsi de savoir que l’Oriental n’est pas fait pour moi d’autre part car j’ai été le plus souvent écœuré en le fumant. Il est clair que je ne rachèterai pas ce tabac, parce qu’après avoir été persévérant, je n’y trouve au final aucune satisfaction. Il raviva sans doute d’autres fumeurs que moi, et je vous invite d’ailleurs à partager cette expérience, soit pour être fumé tel quel soit pour dans l’optique de la mélanger à un autre tabac.

Et pour conclure, l’image que je perçois de ce tabac aurait pu me la Turquie, cependant ce sont plutôt ces maisons blanchies à la chaux et aux toits en dômes de l’archipel des iles Grecques, bâties sur les contreforts rocailleux et se détachant sur l’azur de la mer Egée, qui me viennent à l’esprit, peut être est-ce du à ces odeurs de figues et de raisins secs …

Pipe Used: Butz Choquin 1286

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: France

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wibblefishofdoom (139)	2014-12-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

I was pleasantly surprised to see this stuff at my local B&M as a previous inquiry with the proprietor revealed that Robert Lewis's offerings were far from his biggest sellers, giving me the impression that, at the time, he was unlikely to stock any more after the few tins of the bland Wingfield Mixture he had in had sold. I have been humming and harring for a while as to whether I should take the plunge on this one as the idea of a Turkish blend interested me but my experiences of RL's other offerings have left me with mixed feelings. Their Tree Mixture is an absolutely superb smoke while the Wingfield left me feeling a little underwhelmed. But actually seeing a tin of this stuff on the shelf made my mind up for me.

The smell upon opening the tin gave me both sweet and slightly sharp hints of lemon, giving faint reminiscences of the one time I've smoked pure Turkish. The cut of the stuff is a little fine so does require a little separating and fluffing out, a fond reminder of some of Germain's tobaccos such as Plum Cake or Perique Mixture, though this isn't as fine as either of those. The packing is easy enough once that's done. The smoke itself is a peculiar one, the taste of medicated lemon is strong, as one mind find in a sore throat lozenge or cough syrup, that is occasionally interrupted by a mild dose of toffee, that could possibly be the virginia in there. The two also combine from time to time to provide a strange kind of medicated, lemony marzipan flavour, though that may be a sign I've eaten too much christmas cake. There's no sign of Latakia or any form of Cavendish that others have picked up that I can tell. That might just be me but I'm usually pretty good at picking up these things.

On the whole then, quite a queer flavour to this one but not an unpleasant one. This is certainly worth smoking and no doubt worth another tin from time to time. Three stars is probably about right as it doesn't thrill or set itself apart from other smokes. The only real downside to it, as some others have noted, is that it does smoke a little too quickly, though that's probably down to the fine cut.

Pipe Used: Peterson Killarney 65

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin

Purchased From: The Cuban Cigar Club

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-10-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Side by Side Comparison of Orcilla Mixture, Campanile and Original Oriental mixtures

I usually do not open multiple tins of tobacco at the same time of the exact same genre. But with the advent of Embarcadero, Yenidje Supreme and HH Vintage Virginia, all containing Virginia and Oriental leaf without latakia, I wanted to see how three ?classic? blends compared. Each has at least five years aging in the tin unopened. I do not have a tin of aged Cairo, or I would add it to the present review.

I laid out three mounds of leaf from each tin, equivalent to what would fill a very large pipe bowl and then some. As always for me, this is a test for the eyes, the nose, the fingers, the ears and mouth.

Orcilla Mixture: Color-wise, Orcilla is the overall lightest of the three. Mostly light browns and tans, with a few suspicious specks of dark leaf. Moisture content is just right, but there were more stems here than in the two others. There is a fermented nose in the tin and something very faintly smoky when I cup my hands around the tin and inhale through my nose very deeply. I am suspicious of Latakia, but am not confident.

Campanile: Darkest of the three and the reverse of Orcilla. The specks are the lighter leaf, while the remaining are medium browns to black. There are a few stems. There is something definitely smoky in the tin aroma, as with Original Oriental. This was noticeably moister of the three.

Original Oriental: Bright, black and brown in near equal proportions. The most visually interesting of three, but it is also the hardest to anticipate what it will be like smoking. Only a tiny stem. Moisture content is fine, but I smell something smoky, just like in Campanile. These are not supposed to have latakia, hmmm.

Cut: All three are a medium long ribbon cut, with Orcilla being much finer, followed by Campanile and then Original Oriental. All three are nice blends to handle, but will require care when loading due to the long leaf.

I decided on three of my best Virginia pipes for the test run, then one more whiff of Campanile and Original Oriental made me think better of it. I think they have latakia. I will not put noticeable latakia or aromatized leaf in a pipe reserved for Virginia blends. I switched out two pipes for pipes used with very light English blends that had very little noticeable residual smell in the bowl. Orcilla loaded with ease, followed by Campanile. Original Oriental took more care. I used the Frank Method with each blend.

My notes on each blend as follows:

Orcilla.

First Bowl Impressions: Not a light-weight by any means, and deep, earthy, spicy flavors betray the lighter appearance of the unburned leaf. I do detect brighter leaf at times. There?s a definite tingle in mouth and nose, but no Latakia, which is a good thing in this case. The burn is exceptionally even, white and rapid. My experience says, ?Respect this or your tongue will get slapped.? That said, it was easy keeping this cool. There is flavor aplenty. ?Sipping? this carefully avoids the need for aggressive puffing. Since this develops somewhat down the bowl, I?ll give my impressions on the middle and last third of the bowl.

The second third of the bowl is when the flavor intensifies. It does not vary from one flavor to the other, except when a little ?something? arrives. This ?something? might be Perique. If you do not generally like blends with Orientals or Turkish leaf because they are harsh, sour or oppressively acrid, Orcilla will change your mind. The Turkish in Orcilla are as good as any I have smoked in any blend and better than most others.

Last half is about the same as the middle third, but a bit more intense. I also sense more Perique. Overall, a solid blend with no arias, but Orcilla is surprisingly fuller than I anticipated without being overwhelming in flavor or strength.

Ongoing Impressions with Orcilla: I keep reaching for this of the three being reviewed here. It gets better each time I smoke it. The balance is perfect, highlighting the Virginias by off-setting them with the mild Turkish. The blender has a palate for subtle, rich flavors that anyone could enjoy who likes flue-cured leaf or Oriental leaf. This is World-class blending indeed.

Campanile: First Bowl Impressions: Subtle, but definite Latakia at the match and throughout, with a surprise taste of non-descript topping. Campanile is a nice, refined mild-medium English, but not an Oriental blend or a ?spiced? Virginia. It really does not develop much down the bowl, but does burn beautifully, cleanly, coolly, and to a dry, slightly mottled white ash. If J.J. Fox were a tobacconist in my neighborhood, I would feel quite blessed with access to such quality (and to think of the blending houses the residents of Edinburgh, Dublin and London had access to, without forgetting Kendal or Jersey, is to sigh that a great era has passed). With the price per tin and solid competition readily available, I am not likely to purchase more. I can still recommend it because it is well crafted, just not a niche that needed filling in my rotation.

Ongoing Impressions: Truly a clean pipe, clean palate blend. The Virginia leaf is top-notch and just gets creamier the more I smoked it in the same pipe on repeated occasions. This is far more refined than my staple lighter English, EMP. If I could get this more reasonably priced, I would enjoy a tin now and then.

Original Oriental:

Initial Impressions: This is more in the genre of Orcilla, but darker still, with that acrid taste for which Turkish leaf is renowned. Thankfully, it is not sour, bitter or bitey. Compared to Orcilla, this starts off strong, like an amusement park ride launched by catapult. Orcilla starts more like the walk before the jog before the run. Despite the instant ?pow,? Original Oriental is smooth enough. The thought occurs to me that Original Oriental borders balkanic. There might be a smidge of Latakia here, but much in the way it appears ghostly in Pease?s Fillmore. If there is perique, it is quite enigmatic. I think Original Oriental is more like McClelland?s Yenidje Supreme, just fuller-flavored, but not as refined.

Ongoing Impressions: This has merit by itself, and I really do enjoy its complexity and richness. If I smoke it back to back with Orcilla and Campanile, it is ?odd man out.? I think that this is because Original Oriental demands my attention, and I do not always want to think too much about the ?act of smoking.?

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	UncleGar (110)	2005-04-20		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Orcilla? it sounds like an obese prissy female from a Dickens novel. I purchased this because I am particularly fond of oriental tobaccos. While this tobacco certainly contains them, I am put off by a more than subtle perique mouth-feel and taste, though it is not listed as a component. I cannot smoke blends with more than a percent or so of perique. Many would welcome it, however, particularly with the light Virginias this blend has. I suppose Orcilla could be compared with GLP?s Cairo, though the latter has more depth and lacks the sharpness of this.

The tobacco?s shag cut is easily packed. One must use a light finger to avoid overpacking, especially with its very soft and moist texture. I suggest drying to decrease the steam, though it stays lit admirably.

Bottom line: a little too lightly monotone and spicy for me. It lacks at least one variety of oriental leaf I crave but cannot name (there are many). The balance of my tin will likely be used for blending: it needs more of some things (dark virginias and syrian latakia come to mind) and less of others. Not for me, but if perique is your thing, give it a try.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	denholrl (22)	2017-11-15		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Incendio sent me a couple of bowlsful to sample, which I did in a small egg and in an Oom Paul. Orcilla ranks among the SMOOTHEST blends I have tried; not a hint of harshness. Wonderfully aged Virginias and a hint of Latakia. Sweet and slightly grassy. Smoked easily to the bottom of both bowls. Not one puff was distasteful. I'm going out and buying some as soon as I finish this review.

The reviews and the header description suggest there is some confusion about the component tobaccos used in this mixture.

Pipe Used: Rolando egg, Connoisseur Oom Paul

Age When Smoked: a few months

Purchased From: sample from a friend

Similar Blends: don't know.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Psmith (3)	2016-09-30		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

After an exhausting morning spent shopping for brass collar stiffeners on Jermyn St, and in need of some restoration I bobbed around the corner to James Fox, one of the finest examples of a Tobacconists one can ever hope to encounter within these glorious isles.

Looking for something oriental, the Wise Old Sage recommended Orcilla Mixture, a long-standing best seller, and seeing no reason to argue, I handed over the necessary doubloons and followed the well-worn rabbit trail to Green Park to enjoy the horticulture.

There is nothing quite like popping a fresh tin of tobacco. The satisfying rush of air as the seal is broken, the unveiling of the stained paper, the careful lifting of the card, followed by the plunging of the head deep into the leaf, like a pig snuffling for truffles. I know how Howard Carter must have felt when he opened Tutankhamun's tomb.

I didn't detect any latakia in the tin note, although I wouldn't have objected if I had. It's about as fine a smell as nature has to offer. The cut is more shag than ribbon, and maybe a little damp so would benefit from a few minutes drying and loose packing to avoid steam.

It does have a tendency to burn quickly, so not one to smoke outdoors on a windy day, but for my park bench in a green oasis in the metrop on a still early-autumn day, it was the snake's eyebrows.

Purchased From: James Fox, London.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jacinto Cupboard (209)	2015-09-24		Very Mild	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A mostly golden shag tobacco. The tin note has an aroma that I have never properly identified, but is common enough: a vanilla and malt scent that I think is supposed to be whisky. This topping fooled me into thinking that Orcilla Mixture was a straight Va, since there is little Oriental on the tin nose.

This deception is immediately ripped away at first light and the oriental aromas, spicy and sour and somewhat peppery, burst into life. This is a very bright and lively tobacco and wonderfully refreshing.

No latakia that I could detect either by sight or smell.

Burns beautifully and completely, but is finished in a trice. A winner for me.

Pipe Used: Lepeltier

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PeterD (91)	2013-08-27		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

...as stated, this mixture is "old school" in nature and has been around over 100 years...My first introduction to this mixture was in the early 1960's and was primarily responsible for my developing taste of Oriental tobaccos.

While there has been changes in how this mixture is processed, it still has very strong ties to what I smoked from the 60's to the late 80's.

I find the overall aroma and taste of this mixture mild and yet tasty...and while not overly complex, flavor variations throughout the bowl are wonderful. Recently re-kindling my interest in finding some of the "old" tobaccos I smoked, it has been a pleasure to find a few of those I am fond of.

This wouldn't be an all-day smoke for many but for those of us who truly enjoy Oriental tobaccos, this fits the bill nicely.

I normally smoke this in a group 4-5 size pipe and keep it moist as it controls burn rate better. It is shag cut but not a fine or "eye lash" cut. If you favor Oriental mixtures...Orcilla may be a good choice.

...a pipe is to be savored...

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2009-11-15		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A mixed shag cut which is predominantly of a rich milk chocolate brown color with a smattering of dirty tan and black ribbons. Not very well sorted, stems and rough cut chucks can be found throughout. The tin nose is fragrant and sweet with a very slight woody smokiness in the background. Packed moist and laden with sticky humectants, once sufficiently dried the fine cut allows for easy packing and lighting although it can grow hot rather quickly if puffed too aggressively.

Light in body and rather subtle in overall effect, Orcilla Mixture offers pleasant though somewhat airy notes of lemonade, white wine, roasted pumpkin seed, and black pepper. The Virginias are mildly sweet and slightly tart with the Oriental component(s) adding a bit of sour spice. Apt to bite the impatient, the finish is lightly spicy and lingering.

A mild Oriental mixture in a solid Virginia base, the version of Orcilla Mixture on which this review is based is certainly not the best of class. At the same time, however, one could do worse. Even so, in this reviewer's opinion it is not worth cellaring given the superiority of several available alternatives. This review is based on the German produced version coming from a tin which dates to approximately 2006.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (156)	2023-02-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

The Robert Lewis mixtures are a recent discovery of mine, and I'm happy to have found them having lost several of my favourite Dunhill mixtures. Orcilla is a lovely light blend with Orientals taking centre stage and the merest hint of Latakia. The Perique is barely detectable.

On opening the tin a lovely Marzipan sweet smell rises to greet you - entirely natural, there's no topping. There's spice, yeast fresh bread, malt, horse food, and some oriental funk. The tobacco is a fine ribbon cut, mostly bright and light browns, with a few flecks of black leaf. It's on the drier side, and packs and lights perfectly.

The flavour has from the first light a delicate sweetness, with a light oriental spice. It's bready, lightly toasty at times and slightly astringent. If you search, you'll detect a hint of smoke, like the hint of a faraway campfire over the hills, but that's all the latakia offers. Centre stage are the glorious orientals, at times slightly sour and always astringent like a cup of black tea. Think of a cup of Turkish style black tea with sugar, and that'll give you an idea, I think the sweetness is provided here by the Virginias. The Perique seems to contribute to the subtle sour character of the Turkish, but it's the merest hint of a seasoning here.

It'll burn fairly completely, doesn't need an excessive number of relights, and responds well to "breath smoking" really gently to bring out the best flavour. If you puff a little harder it produces magnificent plumes of smoke but the flavour suffers a little.

This is a fine morning pipe, ideally on a lazy morning with time to appreciate it fully. It's not very strong, so feel free to load up a large pipe and really take some time over it. You can have it ticking over in the background while doing something else, but it deserves your attention from time to time.

This tobacco really is splendid, I've already bought more in fear of it too disappearing. It's not a substitute for my dear Durbar, it's different and unique, as have all the Robert Lewis mixtures been that I've tried so far. It's comparable to Early Morning Pipe in strength and light character, perhaps just a shade richer but with considerably more Oriental flavour.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScienceSmoker (60)	2021-12-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm currently smoking some roughly 3.5 year old Orcilla Mixture, so I'm basing this review mostly on that... with some memories of fresh Orcilla.

I've always really liked Orcilla Mixture, but I haven't bought a tin in almost a year. The tin I'm smoking from now was actually one from my cellar that I forgot about. And I have to admit, It ages beautifully. Fresh Orcilla has a tin note of very faint fruit/figs, Oriental sharpness, and a slight bit of hay. Tin note of this 3 year old batch is much sweeter and more raisiny/figgy. The Oriental tobacco scent is there, but it's less sharp and more subtle/complex. And the hay is gone, replaced with something that is more like vanilla. There isn't any real discernible latakia scent in either. First few puffs of the aged Orcilla... very smooth. So much smoother than I remember fresh Orcilla being. It's sweeter, less sharp, and more complex than fresh. The Oriental "dryness" in the fresh is replaced by a more complex buttery-ness in the aged. Both are quite rich. Orcilla has a unique flavor even when smoked fresh, which is a big part of why I like it so much. The Orientals have this really nice, lemony, almost floral note that I haven't tasted in any other blend. That flavor is still there in the aged version.

Bottom line: I really like Orcilla Mixture. When smoked fresh, I consider it a great blend, but aged at least a few years, it's phenomenal.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_german (43)	2021-09-15		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Opening the tin, the aroma is very much VA, with only a slight hint of Latakia and Orient. The leaf, accordingly, is mostly bright and red, with some black bits in there, being both Latakia and, it seems, sparingly applied Black Cavendish.

The cut makes stuffing and lighting easy, and the flavour starts out plain VA, building some depth throughout the bowl from the Orient and Latakia, ending in a bit of a crescendo that has me wanting more.

Cool-burning, no dottle at all, and the flavours are right down my alley. Full rating.

Pipe Used: VAUEN Luxus, MM cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh from new tin

Purchased From: cigarworld.de

Similar Blends: Peterson - Early Morning Pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2013-07-16		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Strong

Not bad but nothing exciting. Cut remind me of Dunhill blends , Royal Yacht comes to mind for flavor. Wife did not care for this scent.

agree with reviewer "NEWMAN 10/23/2003 "

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gestalt (20)	2012-12-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin smells of fruit and good Virginia hay with subtle leathery notes. It's light and sweet at first when the virginias dominate, but the orientals quickly come into play and it gets quite spicy, almost peppery towards the end.

Nothing else like it on the market and deserves to be tried. It took me a while to get into this tobacco, and my tin has lasted me nearly a year, while countless other tin have been popped and smoked in the same time, but when I'm in the mood for it and it's subtleties, it's a damn fine blend and I'll revisiting it as long as it's available. And I have to agree with a previous reviewer and say that this is an excellent (fall) autumn tobacco. Try it!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	renwardhoop (177)	2011-08-29		Mild	Mild	Mild	Unnoticeable

I was looking for a tobacco that was different. This is certainly different.

Tin aroma is amazing figs/raisins. The cut is, as many have commented, more a shag cut than the usual ribbon cut of most tobaccos. Soft and nicely moist.

Therefore a light hand is required when filling, although I suspect you might get away with a good old stuff and see.

After the initial tin fragrance I thought, this is going to stink the house out. It didn't and (somewhat disappointingly, as my stepson has given up cigarettes) I have had no comment whatsoever.

The same is true of a pipe ; you'd think with that this tobacco would ghost your best, but it doesn't. It doesn't bite either.

Of course, being such a fine cut it likes a big pipe for maximum enjoyment and burns through very quickly. Demon puffers would be loading pipe after pipe with this one. So, as some reviewers have suggested, this would serve well as an all day smoke.

It's a easy, pleasant enough smoke with some of the nuances already noted. Ultimately I suspect, it could end up becoming bland and boring as the contents of the tin diminish.

Can't say I'd be busting a gut to land another tin in a hurry when this has gone but an interesting blend nonetheless and worth trying if you want something a little different.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2009-05-23		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Very remindful of Dunhill's Aperitif regards the presentation and smoking qualities. A little more spice perhaps, and more subtle in the overall presentation.

As per the remaining Robert Lewis blends, this one is long on quality and smokes cool and dry. A must try for fans of predominantly Oriental leaf.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NEWMAN (306)	2003-10-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I had some difficulty mastering the packing technique with this shag cut mix of yellow to red tobaccos especially with my larger bowled pipes. However, my hand is used to packing VA flakes so this blend, a much finer cut, was quite a change for me. My tin also had small amounts of jet black ribbons and a greenish/gray oriental add. The room aroma received no compliments from non-smokers but is rather typical of this type of blend or even turkish cigarettes. I thought that it smoked cool and found the taste uniform from start to finish. However, I feel that the orientals overpoweed the VAs and their normal sweetness and resulted in a rather spicey taste. Although I can enjoy this as a change of pace, I would not choose this blend as a steady smoke. This blend is accurately advertised as a "classical oriental blend". If that's your pleasure, you'll most likely enjoy the high quality tobaccos in this blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (166)	2023-01-24		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

My tin had ten years of age on it when opened, and then another year in jar as I’ve finally come to the last bowl. Supposedly this is comprised of Virginias and Turkish varietals that were already well aged when put in the tin, so this may have already been past peak when I opened the tin last year. There is a pervasive dullness to the Virginias that remind me a little of Tilbury; that soft-focus kind of bready Virginia without a lot of depth. I’m sure the Black Cavendish has gone mute. The Turkish provide some mellow nuttiness. There is also a subtle earthiness like loamy soil, and at times even mild cigar leaf (Soukham?).

There is a subtle “flavor steering” from the casing. Upon first light I get a hint of something like Tonquin, which I don’t really care for (and which puts me off wanting to try a newer tin where this might be more pronounced). This quasi-Lakeland note subsides fairly quickly and it its place a tickle of piquant spices of anisette, fennel and white pepper enliven the retrohale. Overall, a rather subdued blend (at least with this kind of age on it) best reserved for a slow, contemplative sipping session, perhaps in the morning with some Earl Grey tea.

I’m not sure about the “ages stunningly” sales pitch. If you have an old tin in your cellar I’d say it’s time to open it and enjoy before it quietly fades into oblivion.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	captain duff (13)	2013-08-04		Very Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Due to being a shag cut this burns very quickly, however it doesn't burn hot and I do not get any tongue bite. It is very mild in terms of nicotine, and therefore there can be a tendency to puff too hard and fast if you are not too careful and it goes quickly (it's good for a quick outside smoke when in work therefore!), however if you can puff slowly this is a very interesting blend.

At the start of the bowl there is the right amount of refreshing Turkish in there (and a very nice tin smell), making it for me at least a good morning blend. But then things get very interesting as you get to the middle and then to the end of the bowl as a lovely spicey flavour comes to the fore. I would class it still as a mild flavour, but by no means a 'thin' one, and as others have said this would make a very good all day blend for those who smoke a lot of bowls.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	johnstaf (12)	2012-08-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This supremely elegant tobacco has a wonderfully delicate and understated quality. The sweet VA is beautifully tempered by the orientals, whilst the soft touch of cavendish has an almost wispy aromatic sweetness.

This is a very special blend, and I plan to stock up with a lifetime's worth.

The nicotine level is a little higher than the taste suggests.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2008-07-09		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Pleasant

It was brought to me for testing by my friend Dimitris or dm14 on the meeting of 20th February 2008. It is finely chopped.

Its color is orange and red. No black leaves. No artificial wrapping, only a little sweet Virginia aroma with a twist of Oriental. Virginia has probably matured nicely. Absolutely no taste or aroma of Latakia. It fills easily and evenly the bowl, leaving a white layer of ash in the end. If it had a little, only a little, smoked black Cavendish, it would reach perfection.

I will try it again, as well as the rest of the Robert Lewis series.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2007-11-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a very nice fall tobacco. Lots of Oriental, never bitter, nice mature Virginia. This is not a big smoke, not overwhelming, but pleasant with enough dimension to keep it interesting. Seems more rounded and a little less monochromatic compared to EMP. I also tried this along side of Campanile. It somehow just seems a bit more mature, a little more smooth. Smokes down to fine ash, pleasant all the way. An excellent fall walking trip tobacco.

Update June 2009. I found a can of this that had been opened but well kept for at least a year laying about. It is far more spicy and strong than I remember it being! Seems the orientals are reALLY coming out and there an almost perique like spiciness that takes over near the last third of the bowl. A little different than I remember it, but still a very good smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Satc001 (67)	2006-08-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This has become my Dunhill EMP. Its cut is almost shag and rather easy to pack in my opinion. It is a nice medium oriental blend. Its flavor is nutty, sweet, and slightly spicy, but never overbearing. It is somehow completely satisfying and incredibly modest. Its room note is a neutral, nutty aroma that I happen to like very much. It evolves little over the course of the bowl, but that is a quality I tend to like in this kind of tobacco. It is mild enough to be an all-day tobacco, but at the same time, its flavor is enough to be a great end to a good meal.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2006-02-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This light bodied blend is pleasing and somewhat wistful in temper. Complex yet soft spoken in nature, I would recommend smoking it indoors or you may miss some of the subtle nuances afforded the smoker. The presence of Perique tempers the bite of a Virginia that burns with a slightly acrid sweetness. The Oriental Leaf is in the background providing some moderation to what otherwise could be an unremarkable blend. The cut is fine and long, so you will have no trouble keeping it lit. If you pack it lightly, it will draw smoothly. As a diversion, I would recommend this blend as worthwhile in the assembly of light Oriental mixtures. This is a blend that can only improve with age as volatile Virginias often do.

Meerschaum Man Smoking a Yanik Daemon Skull

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2003-09-09		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Appearance: The cut is very fine and long, almost a shag cut. The color is mostly orange and red, with some lighter flashes. No dark leaf evident. Therefor, no Latakia visually present.

Aroma: No topping or casing here, just a sweet Virginia aroma with a little Oriental spiciness. The Va. seems to be well aged, but not fermented. No Latakia nose.

Packing: Packs easily in most pipes, although best in small and medium sizes. It tends to overpack in larger pipes, so some care is in order.

Lighting: Lights very easily, often on a single match. First thought is that it will burn hot owing to the fine cut.

Initial flavor: I would have to classify this a mild/medium tasting blend. There is some good sweet flavor from the Virginia, and some nutty/spicy taste from the Orientals, but always on the mild side. Good medium and high notes in the flavor spectrum, no low notes at all. Absolutely no Latakia detected in the taste. Burns freely, but cool and leaves a nice pale ash.

Mid-bowl: This is surprisingly cool when smoked at normal tempo, and even remains so outdoors in normal breezes. When puffed aggressively, it will get hot. There is some layering of the flavors, but it remains a mild tasting smoke. Does not require your undivided attention. A good choice for smoking while active or engaged with chores.

Finish: Burns easily right to the bottom with no real change in character. Leaves the cleanest pipe, usually no dottle at all. Does not build cake quickly.

Summary: An excellent high quality blend which will leave both Latakia lovers and matured Virginia lovers unsatisfied, but might serve as a change of pace for them. I would recommend it to those who like lighter Virginia and lighter Oriental mixtures

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