At first it feels like a full taste, cool and good burning tobacco. Usually I really enjoy the first half of the bowl. No bite at all.

With the second half of the bowl, I start feeling something bad at the back of my throat and even the taste seems a bit boring.

I find it to be like the ragged version of the early morning pipe blend

I prefer the Murrays' version, which seemed a little more complex than this incarnation, but don't let that stop you from buying this. If you want a little less in your English, and don't want to suck air, but want a nice taste, this could be your blend.

Now before anyone accuses me of writing advertising copy to entice 10-year- olds to part with their pocket money, I must say that the core of 965 is dark and leathery. At the same time, I find this a fairly easy going smoke that easily accompany everyday tasks, and should appeal to the novice as much as to those who seem to have dedicated their smoking lives to it.

The smoke is a tad warm and fairly creamy.

Taste reminds one of the leather more than anything else, I guess. Extremely one dimensional. Too simple. Like getting a bag of m&ms and finding no chocolate beneath the candy coating; which is not to say that this tobacco is sweet--just that it offers sort of a "surfacey" flavor.

It's not terrible, but I just don't think it's worth spending money on.

The tin aroma is strange mix of smoke and cream, a strange mix. Packing is easy enough though, strangely for a ribbon, I found myself having to relight a couple of times on each smoke. As for the flavour, I had some strange experiences, the first few smokes gave out strong wafts of smokey tar flavour akin to EMP and Squadron Leader, but with the volume turned up to eleven. This would eventually tail off and I'd just about manage to pick up hints of cream and a little sweetness. The last couple of smokes I had were a pleasanter surprised, just a nice mix of smoke, tar (neither too strong) and cream, I kind of thinking this is how it's supposed to taste. The room note isn't the best but does give nice strong wafts of tar every so often. There is a bit of tonguebite but doesn't hinder the smoke any.

On the whole then a decent enough smoke, a bit more intricate than EMP but doesn't have the gravitas of Squadron Leader. While I think a full tin will be need to properly get to grips with this, this sample is certainly enough to get me interested in one.

I am a new pipe smoker, but due to some extremely fortunate circumstances I find myself in possesion of just under 6oz. of the original Dunhill 965 mixture (pre murray.) I will not divulge as there is more where this came from. Thus I have had the unique opportunity of trying the two side by side. I will not commit blasphemy and sugget the new stuff is better. Its not. That said, it is still good.

The original is a fuller tasting blend and the taste above would rate a solid medium if i were reviewing the original, but I am reviewing what is available at present. And I feel the newer does have the same taste, just lighter. In color and taste. More like a 965 mellow mixture if you will.

So if I am reviewing the new and not the old and have admitted the old is much better, than why 4 stars? As this has 340 reviews and is constantly compared to several other tobaccos within these reviews, I think every pipe smoker owes to themselves to try it. As for you older guys who smoked this religiously 30 to 40years ago, I can certainly understand your antipathy.

Will I buy more? I finished my 2oz tin at approx 8am and purchased another tin at 10am this morning. I plan on always having it on hand so I am not tempted to deplete my 6 oz of the better stuff on anything but the most special occasions like after dropping a buck each fall.

Very english in taste, burns well like all dunhill's, but a little bit off what I am after in an english. I prefer London mixture a lot more than this, but I can understand why 965 has such a following. This is a good strong, solid blend, and one that needs to be tried if you are on a quest for YOUR english tobacco.

Probably won't buy more of this, but glad I gave it a shot.