So, if you are a Pepsi guy there is no way you'll ever call Coke a suitable repli-cola. I am a Coke guy and, if it isn't around, I'd rather drink root beer, water, unsweetened tea or orange juice than Pepsi.
Same for me with the vanished tobaccos. It's hard to get a taste of the old Balkan Sobranie or Momoyama, like it, and know you can't go back. Better to move on rather than getting invested in hunting replica smoke. No Coke? I think I'll try Iron Beer instead.
There are some stunning current classics that could vanish tomorrow. Lets get todays greats while we can! Lay your faves into the categories below then we'll line them up in another thread for a vote on the best of breed.
Whatever you list should be commercially available in North America and/or UK/Europe. Please list by a) maker; and b) blend. Don't include sold-but-not-made ebay stuff (Balkan Sobranie, Momoyama, Momoyama II, etc.) and no LEGITIMATELY discontinued blends or brands. Now, just because some lying dipstick with an ebay account and a cellar full of Royal Yacht calls Dunhill products "discontinued" don't make it so.
We can split hairs later about if this-or-that is actually oriental or english or burley dominant (let alone "what is an Aromatic and what isn't?") but, for now, I'd say
www.tobaccoreviews.com or your informed guess is the guide.
VA dominant:
1. AC Peterson Escudo
2.
3.
Latakia/english:
1. Esoterica Penzance
2.
3.
Latakia/Oriental dominant:
1. Rattrays Red Rapparee
2.
3.
Burley dominant:
1. C&D Old Joe Krantz
2.
3.
Aromatic/heavily flavored, topped or cased:
1. MacBaren Plumcake
2.
3.