Esoterica Tobacciana - Margate pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
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Demetri	09/09/2009	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
For me, this is one fine English blend. And I appreciate getting a 2 oz. tin vs. 50mg; it was priced right for a high quality import. As others have noted, it is in an extremely thin shag cut - thinner even than the original Sail offering before Orlik - and hence, care must be given to properly load it. Once lighted, a thoroughly enjoyable smoke especially if not stressed to overheated status. Another "thinker's" blend, one for the quiet times.
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SMOKETSES	07/04/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable to Strong
This is the worst tobacco I have smoked since the day I started smoking. Who ever suggests trying this one first and then Pembroke is right. If you taste this ghastly thing, you might spare yourself from trying Pembroke. It injured my throat and it took me three days to smoke. This was a first! When I do not like a tobacco I usually mix it with others so as not to waste it. This one went straight to the bin.
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Sinister Topiary	06/10/2009	Mild to Medium	None detected	Medium	Very Pleasant
Margate is a delightful English/Balkan blend in the same class as Squadron Leader and Artisan's Blend, what Nojoqui calls "High English", which is a great appellation for these kinds of blends, which I liken to single-malt scotches, each a quality blend with its own distinctive signature. It's the most finely cut ribbon I've yet seen, and it burns so easily that it can get hot if you puff hard, which you should definitely not do with this little beauty or you'll miss all its unique nuances, which gets more subtle and complex as you get down to the bottom, so sip it slow and you'll be amply rewarded. But though I very much like this delectable, dignified blend I prefer it's sister, that painted hussy Pembroke.
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hambone71	06/08/2009	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
I have been smoking this blend for a couple of months now and I must say that I really enjoy it. There is a taste that lingers on the roof of my mouth after each draw. I like that taste. Very earthy with a zing. It reminds me of how I drink a delicious vanilla milk shake, I tell myself to slow down and savor it but its so delicious I can't. Now, I'm only giving it 3 stars because I'm still in search of "The One" that knocks my socks off. Definitely glad I tried a tin but it may be a while before I pick up another. It'll find a way back in my rotation soon enough. Just need to try more.
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Wrangler	05/20/2009	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Although I smoked my first bowl full in a pipe I have been smoking 1Q in, it was rather nice. I don't think it has the complexity serious pipe smokers would want but then again I was fighting the mild ghost of the 1Q. We'll see what the future brings with Margate. I don't believe I'll be disappointed. Well, now I've had a chance to smoke numerous bowls of Margate most in a new pipe sans ghost. I have to say it is now one of my favorite tobaccos. It has a nice complexity and occasionally throws you a curve with a new teaser of flavor. I recommend it whole heartedly.
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wolfango	05/11/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
I have been smoking pipes for more than 40 years now, and I am part of the legion in search for 'those' English mixtures: the advertised "old style". I must say that Margate is one of the closest Moderate flavor, quite British, but nothing memorable. I would compare to the second line oldies, like Four Squares, for example. I would say it is OK for the current standards. However there is a big problem, in my experience, that prevents me to recommend Margate to my friends. This mixture burns extremely hot, to the point of putting the pipe and my fingers in danger. Only a Meer can be smoked safely. And I felt the consequences in my lips too. Now that summer is coming, smoking Margate may become hell.
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BriarPatch	04/17/2009	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable
Preface: I have been smoking Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium for near-on 30 years, believing that it has no equal anywhere on earth. But it is gone now, and so I begin a quest for my Holy Grail: A substitute to replace the standard on which all English tobaccos are based: Margate is an English from England. Reading the reviews here (ecstatic, mostly) I only wish they'd all gone on to try SMM. Because Margate is in the ballpark, but SMM is so much better. Phantom55 said: "Tried this based on the overwhelming positive reviews here. Smells good in the tin, like fermenting Virginia. Unfortunately, to me, does not smoke like it smells. I must be quite sensitive to whatever flavoring agent they use, and there definitely is one. The tobacco just has a very peculiar flavor that I can't readily identify." Well, that flavoring is definitely there. Almost like perfume, and I don't much care for it. Pipestud (who's reviews I generally respect) said: "I consider this to be a traditional English, yet not quite as plain as, say, the Dunhill English blends. This one packs more complexity. If you like Dunhill 965, take a step up in class and grab yourself a tin of Margate. You'll be glad you did." Well. Dunhill 965 had Cavendish so, yes, Margate is a step up from there. Of SMM Pipestud said: "If you want a smokey flavor lingering in your mouth for hours after you finish a bowl, grab a tin of this stuff" Precisely. Pipestud offered 3 stars for Margate and 1 for SMM. Margate lacks the complexity & smokiness of SMM, as well as the full body. The tin description bears no mention of Virginias, whose omission, if correct, may account for some of this. Tin was deliciously moist. perfect in my opinion, and it burned very well. But it DOES have that perfume smell and taste.
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Tudval	04/17/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
After some disappointments with blends from Davidoff, Peasse and C&D, I am happy to have found one that I will actually enjoy smoking! Somehow I was under the impression that this tobacco is second rate when compared with Penzance, so I never tried it. But the two are so different that they both appeal in different ways. The cut is an unusually fine ribbon and it comes pretty moist, so care must be taken not to pack it too tight. The tin aroma is pungent, barnyard and earth, very natural and rustic, just lovely. The smoke is mild , with no tongue bite, but because of the moisture level is high, it can be a bit hot. A little fluffing before packing should take care of any excess moisture. This is a fine blend that yields a great smoke, albeit of subtle character. Esoterica seems to hit the right notes with me, so I will have to try some of their other blends as well. So far, this is my favorite.
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jackal	04/13/2009	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
I find Margate a little dry for my taste, none the less, it is a typical English blend. The Orientals in it are more acrid and musty than I like and the Latakia is a bit too smoky; like burning brush in the backyard. I think it could stand a lot more GOOD Latakia. I would rather smoke Margate than I would Sir Walter Raleigh, but that covers a lot of ground.
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calboy8686	04/04/2009	Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
A great smoke for those of us that like the taste of Latakia being prominent. The orientals round it out a little, but have some sweet undertones. If I smoke more than one bowl before putting this down for a different day it will give me a headache. While when smoked it smells almost identical to how the tobacco is in the tin. Robust, but not overpowering. It's defiantly in my rotation, but rotated out more than in right now. I'm waiting on another tin to arrive. It seems to smoke much better in my higher-end pipes, and makes it very easy to build a little bit of cake in your pipe because of the perfect ash it leaves behind for building the carbon cake. If I wasn't on the last bowl of the day I would have one of Margate.
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Harpua0077	02/24/2009	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant
Margate smells much like a Cabernet out of the tin. The aroma seems to be pleasent to others, even if a little strong. No need for an airfreshner to cover up nasty smells with this around. Maybe my neighbor needs to smoke some it might help him out. Enough about my world back to the tobacco. It is very pleasent most of the time, however smoking this to much it gives me a mild headache. It's the flavor, even though similar to Pembroke, I don't know, I can't describe. But for a bowl now and then it is quite nice. Margate I imagine would be great to smoke on the beach with a nice Cabernet Sauveignon at hand. I live in the deserts of Washington State so a beach setting I can only dream. I give this tobacco from my personal notes a 8.6 I'd buy it again but its a give or take. A bit of a change here, no longer on a beach thats for sure, I just smoked some of this outside and yuck, It burnt my mouth like I was trying to inhale the sun, then A sour taste started around the back of my throat, after that severe thirst set in, and then a bitter taste preceeded by the sourness, it was total ick. On top it was burning really fast. It was gone in about five minutes for a 3/4 inch diameter bowl by about 1.5 inch depth. My new rating 4.1 I won't be buying this again since I wish to try so much.
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strongirish	01/14/2009	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
Smoking a blend like this and with this much Latakia, the latakia is going to dominate everything. Now, with a morning cup of caffeine, this is not as bad thing and I like the taste in limited amounts. However, the orientals did keep their head just above the smokiness of the latakia and provided a sweet note on the tongue. It lit well and burned at just the right pace for me. In short I liked it a lot, it was consistent from start to finish, and left no moisture on my bowl. I like the aroma, but my neighbor did come over to my patio and said it smelled like my house burning on a rainy day. So the aroma is very strong. But tasteful it is and is a very good example of the English blend it is. If I could tweak it just a little with some perique, it could become the perfect English blend. Try it all Latakia lovers as it does not fall short of this leaf.
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arpie55	01/12/2009	Strong	None detected	Full	Strong
i guess with this one i go against the grain, i did not like it it all. i found the flavor to be latakia overkill without much more going for it. since my son is a pipe smoker as well (he thought it was fair but not great) i had ample opportunity to catch the room note, it was bad! the smell of this one sticks in your clothes and follows you around everywhere you go. about the only way to smoke this is in the evenings just before shower and to bed, just remember to shower before going to bed or your spouse may run you off. i rate this "don't bother".
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Country Gentleman	01/06/2009	Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is a medium english. Nice pouch aroma. A little on the flat side. Every bowl has been consistent so far. An acceptable smoke, but nothing to get too excited about.
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flaminbill'	12/22/2008	Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
This is pretty good stuff. It packs well and burns very well (always a bonus). Margate is a very flavorful latakia blend. My only complaint is that it produces a noticeable tongue bite.
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Gordy	12/03/2008	Mild to Medium	None detected	Mild	Tolerable
I may have gotten a bad bag! after all the raving reviews I had high expectations. Loving the other Esoterica blends and with great admiration to the many outstanding English blends, Margate was a total disapointement. It burned fine had an off taste I could not describe. I let it sit for a couple of weeks. Still tastes like crap! Even if this is due to an anomaly the inconsistancys give it a generous two star rating. And unfortunately (because I have loved all the other Esoterica blends) I bought 2-8 oz. bags! Maybe when I'm old and have Parkinsons it will taste better! **
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JGeisler	11/01/2008	Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I am a relatively new pipe smoker. I smoked for years and quit when my kids were babies but lately have taken up pipe smoking as an enjoyable way to relax. A patron at the local tobacco store gave me a sample of Pembroke which I enjoyed pretty well. Not being a huge fan of aromatic tobaccos I read on this forum that the Margate was the same blend without the cognac flavoring. Having only smoked a few pipes of Margate I am finding it to be one of the most enjoyable smokes I have found to date. There are so many others to try but this one I will probably always keep a supply of on hand. I had no trouble keeping it lit after the second light and it gave none of the bite that I dislike so much with some of the other tobaccos I have sampled. I like the aroma and the taste is interesting. Not being a seasoned pipe smoker like many on this forum I think the extra flavor that I like so well is the latakia but haven't tried enough varities to claim this is true with certainty. Whatever it is I like it. It is not overpowering but a very nice taste. I would recommend this to everyone to at least try. I think you will agree that it is a fine tobacco.
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Old Puffer	10/21/2008	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
While all the favored Balkan named baccys like sobranie and sasieni seem like heavyweights, I find Margate to be a fine medium to lightweight Balkan. After a lengthy session of picking out sticks, I packed it into an average size GBD and had a very delightful smoke. This stuff comes at just the right moisture, packs easily, lights easily and stays lit well. Does not smoke hot, no hint of a bite, no gurgles, no strong build-up near the bottom of the bowl and left a dry, light grey ash and left me feeling totally satisfied. The tobaccos seem to be of the highest grade and the blending is superb. I find Margate to be one of the finest tobaccos I have ever smoked and recommend it for 5 stars right under my favorite Count Pulaski.
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SirLoirn	09/04/2008	Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Tin: Lightly pungent and smoky aroma. Mixture of black and brown thin ribbon. Not terribly moist, the tobacco tending to stay clumped together when rolled into a ball. Lighting: Took a strong effort to get it lit and keep it burning. Letting some of the tobacco dry for 20 minutes, it was quite dry. Taste & Aroma: Using undried Margate, the beginning is disagreeable and nondescript. Mid-bowl, a pleasant nutty and toasty taste developes from the VA and, or, turkish components. The bottom of the bowl continues an interplay of VA and turkish, the VA being mildly sweet. Subsequent bowls give varying results. Sometimes the bowl is good from top to bottom. The moisture level, humidity of the air, and, or, how tight it is packed seems to determine the quality of the smoke. Maximum flavor seems to be obtained with the tobacco dried about 20 minutes. Nicotine: mild Room Note: medium, like the taste Overall: Margate burns a little hot trying to keep it lit, with a bit of moisture generated. Margate has a little more taste compared to Penzance. Margate has more of the classic toasty and nutty taste and aroma of an English blend. The moisture level of the tobacco seems to be the key factor. When dried out a little, 3.9, 4 stars; undried, 3.6, 3 stars.
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Tripjoker	09/03/2008	Medium	None detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is one tasty tobacco! I was very impressed with the presentation and the burn characteristics. The flavor is sublime. I know this is going to be considered heresy by many, but I prefer this to Westminster. The flavors are far more balanced and is subject to far fewer relights. Let's face it, working at smoking a bowl is not as satisfying as just kicking back after that initial char burn with a single match and being transported to another place and time. This blend does that. I found my tin to be a little damp for my personal tastes and dried some to almost a crisp state (my preferred texture). Straight out of the tin, you could see the promise, but the humidity got in the way of the really big show. After drying for about two hours, I loaded my corncob and we were off to the races. What a difference the drying time made! The latakia and orientals were absolutely fantastic. The virginia was there as well, but did exactly as it is supposed to do in an english blend. That is, to support the latakia and orientals, not try to overshadow them. It starts of a little light for me, but quickly picked up in strength and taste to a desirable med/full. I can't say enough about this tobacco. It is surely one of the standards that all med/full english blends should be judged by. If only Dunhill still produced weed this wonderful. If you like the genre, you should like this one alot. UPDATE: After smoking this for several months on a faily regular basis, for me anyway, I have to reduce the rating to 3 stars. Now, I do this because of my own initial enthusiasm with the blend. Occasionally, I will settle down to a little lower scoring profile for a partcular blend once I'm VERY familiar with it. (i.e. smoking 2-3 bowls a day for several months) This is one of those blends. It is so close to 4 stars that when you first try it on for size, you fall in lust briefly. Then, it becomes a very good friend with benefits....LOL And to me that ain't 4 stars. Still a great blend though.
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