Bennington Tobacconist No. 10, Bahia Apooke

No. 10, Bahia Apooke is one of the oldest among the shop blends Bennington has kept since 1965. Golden Virginia ribbon from the Old Belt region is hand-mixed with a considerable amount of Cyprus Latakia; long-cut St. James Perique is added along with a small amount of Kentucky white Burley for mellowness. The structure follows a classic English mixture line, but the addition of Perique moves the blend beyond the ordinary Latakia-Virginia equation: alongside the soot and leather note comes a layer of fermented fruit and pepper. The Burley share softens the smoke and thickens the body.