Paper products and pulps with surface enhanced pulp fibers and increased absorbency, and methods of making same

A method of manufacturing tissue, the method comprising:

• mixing at least a first pulp and a second pulp to generate a furnish, wherein:
• the first pulp comprises surface enhanced pulp fibers having a length weighted average fiber length of at least 0.3 millimeters (mm) and an average hydrodynamic specific surface area of at least 10 square meters per gram (m2/g);
• the second pulp comprises softwood fibers;
• and
• mixing is performed such that the furnish comprises from 10% to 25% surface enhanced pulp fibers by dry weight of fiber in the furnish;
• and
• beating, with a refiner, the furnish such that the furnish has a freeness less than or equal to 650 milliliters Canadian Standard Freeness (ml CSF).