J. F. Germain & Son - King Charles Mixture pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 34 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >
Sasquatch	05/01/2013	Mild	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
This is one of those sleepy blends that I guess has a loyal following. It's of Skiff/EMP/Jubilee school - light English, I suppose. Anyhow there's nothing exciting going on, just terrific marriage of the component tobaccos and the overall flavor profile really resonates with me. Fantastic stuff. Not strong enough to satisfy a nic-needy smoker.
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Arkie	02/01/2013	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I think it's unfair to compare this blend to Lat bombs. It obviously was not intended to smash you on the forehead with any one of its components. It is a balanced blend and, IMO, a very pleasant one. It it very similar to Squadron Leader exept it is shag cut which makes it easy to light and keep lit. I will likely keep some in my rotation and I can recommend it.
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SteelCowboy	10/17/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
King Charles is an English on the lighter side of things as the Latakia plays more of a supporting role. The thin ribbons come nearly at the right moisture level for me as I just dried it for a few short minutes. From a color standpoint it reminds me of Early Morning Pipe or Squadron Leader. I struggled to get through the entire tin. If I were looking for a blend that I could just toss in my pipe and forget about, then this might fill the bill, but while it’s balanced, I just find it lacking. I hesitate to use the word “boring” but for me it is just that. Unlike Early Morning Pipe, a blend that I would consider to be in the same realm, this just lacks the flavor that EMP offers. In fairness, EMP is topped, but I also think the underlying tobacco's are simply better. KC is OK, but with all of the light to medium English blends on the market today, there are just better choices out there.
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Dr. Scott	06/22/2012	Medium	None detected	Medium	Strong
This typical English blend comes with the perfect level of moisture, ready to smoke right out of the densely packed tin. It is mild enough for an early morning smoke, and interesting enough to puff all day long. The Latakia is applied with restraint, always present, but not overpowering. The sweetness is very subtle. Unfortunately, after about 40 grams, King Charles has been banned from my house after my wife pronounced the smell to be unbearable. She adores Presbyterian Mixture and various Virginia blends. But this one caused her to gag. No big loss for me, KCM was never going to make my regular rotation. It is not as interesting as Penzance, nor as enjoyable as a half dozen English and Oriental blends already in my cellar.
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Barling	03/19/2012	Strong	None detected	Extra Full	Strong
When I first opened a tin of this, it was a bit harsh on my throat. After letting it sit for a few weeks it mellowed out considerably, and I find it to be a great example of a full English blend. The Latakia really comes out in this, and it is a good choice if you want a true English blend with no non-tobacco flavors to spoil the experience.
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DrT999	02/17/2012	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
If you like big bold blends, Latakia mixtures that make folk check to see if there's a nearby forest fire, you will likely dislike this tobacco. The Latakia is in the forground, but it is a mild Latakia with supporting Virginias and just enough Orientals to make it interesting (to me at least) without really being quite identifiable. I find this a relaxing, pleasant experience. (correctly moved here instead of the Esoterica label)
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Scamp	12/05/2011	Medium to Strong	None detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I've tried a few latakia blends. Including Germain's Special Latakia Flake, which I enjoyed. As a latakia fan, I found this tobacco to be an excellent smoking experience, and at the moment, has taken the lead as my favourate latakia blend. The tobaccos used in this seem to be of very high quality, and are blended together to complement each other with extreme care. The tin aroma is full, but not over-powering, the tobacco packs and lights easily with very few relights and burns to a fine ash with little to no dottle. This stuff could well be one of my new favourate all round, and has strengthened my liking to Germain's as a blender. Excellent, 4 stars!
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Mr. Big	07/25/2011	Very Mild	None detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Try this and you may find your all day tobacco. My first impression was that this was far too mild and no flavor, but after the first 1/4 bowl it really starts to develop. A nice Virginia/ Oriental mixture with no bite and a constantly developing flavor. Allow the new tin to breath and the tobacco to dry a bit. I've been turning to this when I just don't know what I want. You can smoke this one bowl after another. I'll keep this around. A solid 3 stars. I have to agree with Zulujerk and Daniel reviews below with reference to EMP. I think that is a good comparison but this has a touch more Latakia and less "N" and might burn a little hotter.
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Claudius Stradivarius	12/26/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
This was probably the best mixture I have tried so far from Germain. Good descriptions have already been made, so I will not be long. i must say there is a unique taste to this one that I have yet to identify. Very pleasant smoking experience if you are seeking a gold english blend that is not too strong.
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SMOKETSES	10/30/2010	Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I bought this tobacco on a trip to Latvia. As usual I walked into a shop, where perhaps the only interesting tin was this one. I kept it in the closet for one more year, and when I opened it, I felt like a fool because I didn’t get all 5 tins from that shelf. The tin must have been there for quite a long time because the piece of paper inside was dark brown which means it had matured a lot. Great mix gives you a strong natural taste of tobacco. Includes Virginia, Oriental and Latakia. Thin cut, easily fills the bowl and also lights easily. Keeps the "sweetness" to the end of the bowl. I ordered more tins to see if the fact that it burns quickly, was because of the cutting or my "furious" smoking, because of my enthusiasm. First place in my preferences in latakia
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Fireside	10/25/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Tolerable
While contemplating a very low supply of Early Morning Pipe I stated searching through my cellar looking for something with a similar blend. My first pipeful was ok but a little uninspiring. There is something a little inadequate to the mixture even though it appeared to have a good blend of Virginia, Oriental, and Latakia. I am not a fan of the cut. On my second bowl I decided to use a Stanwell with a wide bowl. While waiting for it to dry for a bit I pondered the shag and decided to mix it with some Esoterica Tilbury, about 5-1 KC to T. What a nice smoke!
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dndubins	10/04/2010	Strong	Strong	Medium to Full	Very Strong
This blend is described as “medium” without much flavour. I purchased this hoping for a mild English pipe tobacco. Upon opening the can I was taken aback and disappointed, the smoked fish smell was overwhelming. I was hoping that I wouldn't taste this when lighting it up, however the aftertaste of this tobacco was difficult to stomach and literally made me gag. "Mild" is not one of the words I would use to describe this tobacco, and the unpleasant aromas drowned out this blend. I am used to aromatic tobaccos, so this might just be my uneducated pallate talking. Maybe part of the problem is that I’ve mainly smoked Brigham blends up until now, which are rich, moist, and have lots of sweet caramel nuances, none of which remind me of snapper or halibut. Some reviewers compared this blend to "Early Morning Pipe", which I have smoked and found to be pleasant. This blend was revolting. Perhaps the tin I purchased had gone rancid. I will not be giving King Charles a second chance - off with his head.
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zulujerk	06/19/2010	Mild	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a perfectly serviceable blend, well balanced and tasty, every component registering on the palate. I picked it up at the local B&M, after a good half hour of compromises continually calculating in my head. I confess that I love the nostalgia of walking into the shop, but it's difficult to rationalize many purchases with the inflated prices and limited selection in comparison to our favorite online counterparts. It's that guilt that brings me to settle on blends I wouldn't normally go for, such as Germain's King Charles mixture. It's not a bad purchase, yet, with a wealth of highly potent English blends out there (and in my smoke drawer) King Charles will inevitably find lonely company. I do love the cut of Germain mixes--stringy, condensed bricks of tobacco that fire easily, burn well, and to fine ash. The presentation is top notch, the beautiful assortment of tobaccos ranging from light blondes, darker browns, to the black strands of finely cut Latakia. The Virginias play the dominant role in this mix, bright and sugary, with the smokey leaf always in the background but never hiding. This will appeal to those who enjoy light English's, no doubt...something akin to Early Morning Pipe. And to those who prefer something heavier...smoke this first, as moving down from a full bodied blend will dull your senses. But, in sum, King Charles is high class, all the way. Three and a half of Five.
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Rodrigo de Xerez	02/28/2010	Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
This mixture is good, but not good enough to repeat (IMHO) It is quite distinctive, mixing different and good tastes, but Latakia is not enough noticeable and Orientals can be more alluring than here. Best players: quality Virginias. Aftertaste is a little bit dry; a characteristic I find in EM and Balkans I like, but not enough. I just do prefer a chewing sensation in aftertaste. As I prefer the never ending aftertaste of a classy red wine or a superb whisky or cognac. Tobacco prones to dry out with tin opened. I do not like this (I am not for dry tobaccos) Good as a light English... but I am more for heavier ones. Rdx score (10 pipes): 87.80
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Virginia lover	02/11/2010	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Light Latakia mixture, ideal for a beginner or for someone who wants a lighter Latakia tobacco experience.
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Xeneize	01/13/2010	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable
A classic English mixture, and one of the best for sure. Exquisitely balanced Virginias, Orientals and Latakia with no tobacco dominances and a mellowness and sweetness seldom found on similar mixtures. Packing on the light side will prevent choking of the airway, a problem it oftens comes up with shag cuts.
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Monopod	10/04/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
Good ol' Charlie boy. If this was your baccy, then you got one thing right.I tried this on the "back" so to speak of other Latakias, the penultimate being "1820", ( which was itself good,) but for me started with promise, then dissolved into a stronger swirling mist of "partlies". King Charles starts, for me, with promises, then one by one they are fulfilled.Light-up reminds me of " Morris's Blue Book " cigarettes when I was a youth.They could only be bought at "Sylvesters" opposite Sheffield Town Hall, along with " Sullivan Powell " Turkish ..... ah those were the days. Then the Latakia, smoky and lascivious, not harsh or pungent, but a reunion with an old mistress who has aged very well, although adept and kindly when young. It may have been nostalgia, but I got hints of Egyptian as well. The tastes, introduced along the way meld into a well orchestrated Sonata ... "Exposition, Development " and then, "Recapitulation." Clean tastes, clean burn, clean pipe,white ash, smoked to exhaustion with no problems. No tongue-bite, no heavy aftertaste, clean your teeth with impunity.Economical in use, easy burn, and smoke then fill again. Parfait !! Definitely a tobacco worth losing your head for.(??)
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daniel	06/30/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
As a Dunhill E.M.P. refugee, I have been looking for something to fill-in the void until E.M.P. returns, supposedly in Autumn 09. King Charles is a mild english blend where the latakia is the first among equals with the virginia and oriental tobacco. It arrives wetter than you want to smoke it out of the tin. I am going to order more, as that gentle dose of latakia is very addictive. An interesting tobacco worth a try if you like light english mixtures.
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Flyboy	12/10/2006	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
King Charles Mixture, a very good all natural tobacco taste with Va`s leading the way in this squadron. The tin I had had a couple yrs on it and provided a pleasurable flight with no surprises. The latakia and orientals prove a nice balance as it works well and is very much hassle free. Having so much similar tobak in the hangar, will not cellar....but, will ride jumpseat if offered!
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Fife&Drum	12/01/2006	Medium	Extremely Mild	Full	Strong
This has more Virginia's in it, along the lines of Esoterica's "And So to Bed" but without the flavoring. I like it. Nice smokey English with the Latakia a bit more balanced in the mix. When I first opened the tin I could really smell the Virginia element as opposed to heavier Oriental/Latakia blends such as Pennzance. It was rather moist as well. A Germain characteristic. A little airing and it was good to go. Thin ribbon cut, tightly interwoven in the tin. Quick light. Nice change of pace now and then.
Showing reviews 1 through 20 of 34 reviews of this tobacco NEXT >