Artisan's Blend

Ashton Artisan's Blend is a ribbon-cut English mixture. Latakia forms the blend's backbone; Virginia, Oriental, black Cavendish, Perique, and a small amount of fire-cured Kentucky are added alongside it. On opening the tin, a classic English blend scent is noticed; Latakia isn't dominant on its own, and the Perique announces itself as a distinct layer.

The smoke starts mild and smooth; toward the middle of the bowl, a light bitterness and tangy taste brought by the Perique come forward, and the ash stays medium gray. Nicotine sits between light and medium, while flavor intensity is high. It suits smokers wanting to try Latakia and Perique together, accustomed to unflavored English blends. The blend is produced for Ashton by Kohlhase & Kopp; records indicate it was produced by McClelland for the American market in earlier years.