SULLIVANS Special Mixture, Sullivan Powell Burlington Arcade London, Sealed UK 50g Tin, Early-Mid 1980s English Balkan

Relisted due to non-payment from previous winning bidder.

Sealed and unopened vintage tin of Sullivans Special Mixture, produced for Sullivan Powell of the Burlington Arcade, London, a tobacconist whose name was tied not to fashion or scale, but to place, continuity, and reputation. The Burlington Arcade itself appears on the lid, accompanied by the long-standing house claim Quality since 1880, a quiet declaration from a firm that had already earned its standing.

Sullivan Powell traces its origins to 1880, founded by Captain Jonathan J. Sullivan and his partner Powell. The shop became a fixture of the Burlington Arcade and its discreet luxury trade, with period accounts placing the house among tobacconists serving aristocratic and royal clientele. Over time, the name became woven into the broader British tobacco world, later intersecting with Sobranie and Gallaher, before the Burlington Arcade era finally came to a close around 1990. When that happened, the shop mixtures ended with it. There was no continuation and no modern substitute.

Special Mixture was among the house’s most respected pipe tobaccos, remembered as a true English Balkan-style mixture blended with restraint and intent. Contemporary smoker accounts consistently describe Oriental tobaccos in the lead, with Virginias providing structure and a measured but unmistakable Latakia presence. Smyrna is specifically referenced among the Orientals, lending the blend its defining tangy, floral, woody spice. Latakia contributes cool smoke and depth without ever dominating, while the Virginias quietly bind the mixture together rather than sweeten it outright.

Review notes speak of campfire-like smokiness, earthy depth, and a subtle buttery sweetness that develops through the bowl, delivering a cool, balanced smoke from top to bottom. Special Mixture is frequently compared to Sullivan Powell Gentleman’s Mixture, with the distinction that Special Mixture carries a firmer Latakia hand, and it is often mentioned in the same breath as Balkan Sobranie 759. Not a copy, but very much part of the same classic Balkan conversation, particularly for smokers who value Oriental complexity over sheer smokiness.

One telling historical detail comes from a long-time smoker who recalled that in 1982, a 50g tin of Sullivan’s sold for more than Dunhill 965, even then a benchmark English blend. It was a premium tobacco in its own time, priced and regarded accordingly.

This example is a sealed and unopened UK-made tin, preserved from the active Burlington Arcade period. It presents in exceptional condition, with only minimal, honest age visible on the exterior. Please rely on the photographs for exact condition.

Sullivan Powell tins surface only occasionally, and Special Mixture is among the most sought after of the line due to its reputation and the absence of anything truly comparable today. This is not simply a discontinued blend, but a surviving shop mixture tied to a vanished London address and a way of blending that no longer exists.

Details:
-Sealed and unopened vintage tin
-50g 1¾ oz format
-Made in the United Kingdom
-U.S. distributor label: James B. Russell Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
-Estimated production: early to mid 1980s, based on packaging format, distributor address, and period smoker accounts

This auction contains tobacco.  If you live in certain states, you will be unable to purchase this product.