Following our review of the Davidoff Scottish Mixture pipe tobacco, it only makes sense follow-up with the Swiss house’s approach to an English blend. Altogether different from its Celtic counterpart, Davidoff’s English Mixture is a very neutral tobacco.
Consequently, this review will assess Davidoff’s Scottish Mixture pipe tobacco with a focus on the following topics:
Tobacco Blend Specifications
- Brand: Davidoff
- Blend Name: English Mixture
- Style: English
- Contents: Burley, Latakia, Virginia, Perique
- Cut: Ribbon
- Blended By: Orlik Tobacco Company, Denmark
- Packaging: 50g Tin
- Price: $14.79 USD [Buy From Davidoff]
Tightly packed in an airtight tin to retain moisture, the English Mixture is available in quantities of 50 grams. Although marketed as middle-cut tobacco, the English Mixture consists of quintessentially long and thin ribbons.
Composed of Burley, Latakia, Virginia and Perique tobaccos, Davidoff’s blend has been prepared by the Orlik Tobacco Company in Denmark. Surprisingly, the Latakia content is particularly low for an English blend while there is an absence of Oriental tobacco.
English Mixture Look & Feel
- Colour(s): Mid-to-Light With Dark Specks
- Cut Consistency: Generally Even
- Aromas: Dark Chocolate, Nutmeg, Cherry Wood, Blood Orange
With what appears to be red Virginia at the forefront, the English Mixture has an overtly yeasty and caramelised aroma profile. Meanwhile, dark Burley offers a combination of dark chocolate and nutmeg spice.
Although indeed present, the Latakia content is surprisingly low and only provides a faint smokiness. Featuring a touch of the elusive Perique tobacco, the blend benefits also from additional aromas of zesty spices.
Finally, the combination of Latakia and Perique creates what can be described as a fruity cherry wood note.
Although low in Latakia tobacco, the Royalty Mixture has a heady bouquet a spices when opened. Cinnamon dominates followed by charred oak notes from the Virginia.
Compared to the previous Davidoff mixtures reviewed, I was surprised to find a few more stems and thicker leaves in the tin. However, there still weren’t many and it wasn’t overly disconcerting.
Davidoff English Mixture Review
As with our previous pipe tobacco reviews, the English Mixure was smoked multiple times with a variety of different pipes. We also found that the thin ribbon cuts performed just as well in smaller bowls as larger ones.
Royalty Mixture Flavours
- Body: Mild
- Notes: Charred Pine, Cedar, Croissant
A surprisingly mild smoke for an English pipe tobacco blend, some could argue that the Davidoff’s approach is lacking in flavour. Indeed, the profile is very understated and doesn’t offer the characteristic punch of English blends.
The English Mixture opens on fresh woody notes of charred pine as well as some fragrant cedar. On the retrohale, you can pick out some sweet and yeasty notes that evoke fresh croissant.
Nevertheless, the aromas are quite linear and there’s no discernable development in flavour. However, some pipe smokers may prefer the comfort of a consistent palate throughout their bowl.
That said, the flavour profile is pleasant if lacking in variety. Furthermore, I had the distinct impression that the majority of flavours came from the blend’s Virginia and Burley tobaccos. As for the Perique, it very subtle while the Latakia seemed absent during the smoke itself.
Burn & Smoking Experience
- Moistness: Mild
- Combustion: Mostly Reliable
- Average Smoke Time: 25 Minutes
When first opened, the tightly-packed tin features a slightly moistness to the touch without being wet. The texture is somewhat oily and quite fresh. With regards to the combustion, it wasn’t as consistent as the other Davidoff blends that we tried and did need relighting on occasion.
However, when it did burn, it tended to burn quite quickly. I found that the smoking time with a typically-sized 1.24 x 0.74 inch (group 3) pipe came to between 25 to 30 minutes.
Ideal Pairings With Davidoff English Mixture Pipe Tobacco
Being a very subtle and linear tobacco, I found that I struggled to find suitable pairings with the English Mixture. In fact, I generally preferred to smoke it without an accompaniment at all.
However, its woodiness struck me as something that would pair best with red wine. Nevertheless, it would need to be a wine that isn’t too bold in flavour. That said, its woody profile would extend the tannin notes of a relatively young Bordeaux.
Still, I’d probably pair it with a Côtes de Rhône or even a fruity Pinot Noir from Bourgogne.
Overall Experience
Like the other Davidoff pipe tobaccos, the English Mixture is offered in its subtly designed 50 g (1.76 Oz) tin. This time, the colour is indigo and there is a little Union Jack at the top.
Overall, the tin performs very well and provides a good airtight seal. However, there is some leakage once opened like any tin so we use Boveda Humidor bags for long-term storage.
Pricing can vary with the English Mixture but it’s the same as the other Davidoff tobaccos. Their official site sells the tins for $14.95. However, there will likely be some taxes added to that after purchasing.
In terms of value for money, I’d say that this really depends on what you’re looking for. If you prefer very mild and subtle pipe tobaccos, it might be a good purchase. However, if you want a quintessentially English style blend, you’ll likely be disappointed.
Finally, I’d regard the English Mixture as a daily pipe tobacco to smoke in the late morning or early afternoon. This isn’t really something that you’d want to set aside and save for a special occasion per se. Yet, if you prefer to smoke mild blends in public, it might be one to test out.
Closing Thoughts
Although indeed an overall pleasant smoke, it’s difficult to recommend Davidoff’s English Mixture. As it isn’t a particularly authentic English blend, the very name is somewhat misleading and may lead to disappointment.
If you’re looking for a Davidoff blend that is much more evocative of English style pipe tobacco, then I would instead recommend their Royalty Mixture as reviewed by Paul Anthony.
With an addition of Oriental tobacco and a larger dose of Latakia, it’s would be alluring and rich blend and somewhat more satisfying.
However, if you’re instead looking for a mild and enjoyable daily pipe tobacco, the English Mixture I have described above maye be for you.
"A misleading name and linear flavours. Although not an authentic English blend, the Davidoff's pipe tobacco is still pleasant even if the experience is somewhat mild."Rating: 3.0 ★★★
Further Reading
Now that you have discovered the Davidoff English Mixture, take a look at some of our other related guides and reviews:
Hi CP!
I’m writing about the wine Bargylus which comes from Latakia in Syria. I’m looking for some pipe tobacco with original Syrian Latakia included in the blend. Does this Latakia come from Syria?
Cheers,
Filip
Hi Filip,
Great to hear from you! Most latakia is made in Cyprus these days, unfortunately. The Royalty mixture may contain Syrian Latakia, but I’m not sure. In fact, there’s a shortage of Syrian tobacco so most people use Cyprian varieties instead. I would recommend McLinktock Syrian Latakia Blend, which can be found in Europe and is worth trying.
Best,
CP
Thanks CP!
Will look for it. Unfortunately both are unavailable in Poland.
Have you tried pairing pipe tobacco with wine?
Hi Filip,
That’s a shame! I’m afraid not much else springs to mind.
I haven’t personally tried pairing them but I can imagine that a particularly full-bodied red with heavy tannins would work wonderfully with pipe tobacco that has a Balkan or Oriental emphasis.
Best,
CP