J. F. Germain & Son King Charles Smoking Mixture

My impressions of dear old King Charles run in the same direction as the above review by the Mailman. Really a bit hard to describe because the blend is quite unique.

My tin was about 4 years old, so, it was aged nicely. I enjoyed the subtle tones of the Latakia, which did not overwhelm my palate. The semi-sweet taste of the orientals came through as well, but it was the Virginia base that I tasted most.

If you like a very light English blend without casing, then pull King Charles out of the can. If, on the other hand, you prefer a stouter Latakia blend, leave the King in his coffin!

This is a very good but very different English blend. There is a strange, not unpleasant taste through most of the bowl, one that I have never tasted in a tobacco before. Regardless, it is a very relaxing and satisfying tobacco. The smell in the sample bag is that of an English blend, medium in strength and not apparently flavored. The tobacco is varied in color, black and medium brown and lighter brown, with medium brown the largest component. The cut is unusual: the sample came as a soft "brick", held together but not at all like a pressed flake, with some extra loose tobacco at the bottom. The cut is varied, most of it very long, but some medium length and rigid and some hair-fine; this makes packing properly rather tricky. It does light easily, though, and it burns well, needing the average number of relights. The moisture level is also roughly average. I chose a 1/4 bent Savinelli bulldog for the first bowl of this blend. For the first third, the taste is that of a good English blend: Latakia first, supported by other tobacco flavors. The Latakia is not overwhelming, this being a milder blend than Dunhill 965 or Raven's Wing. Still, it isn't *mild*, and it is very English, the smell of the smoke reflecting that. The taste is different, though, than I am used to. There is an element of spiciness here, and of sour sweetness (if that makes sense!), that I haven't noticed in English blends before. It doesn't taste like a casing, so it must be from the tobacco itself. It is especially noticeable when blown out through the nose. In the second third, the strange taste is still present, and there is a bit of bite as well. The basic tobacco taste hasn't changed much, though, with Latakia still clearly noticeable over the lesser tobacco flavors. The flavor overall is not very dark, but fairly full and complex, and even the weird taste isn't unpleasant, just different. In the last part of the bowl, the unusual taste has diminished somewhat, mingling more closely with the English flavor. It has settled into a very relaxing, pleasant smoke that is full and complex, but not overly dark. The minor tongue bite has ceased, and there are no problems with moisture in the bowl. Overall, this is a very good blend. I would not put it at the level of GLP Renaissance, but in the realm of medium-to-strong English blends, this is certainly worth noting. It is a very relaxing, unusual smoke, and I plan to buy one or more tins of this in the future.

This tobacco is a very fine ribbon / shag, and was very moist on arrival, much too moist for my tastes, so over the time it's taken me to smoke the tin I've dried it out a lot which really has improved it.

Aroma in the tin is delicate, woody, earthy, bready Virginias, with mild yeasty aroma. The smokiness of the Latakia is more than just a hint, but it's been used with masterful discretion.

As supplied I found it difficult to light, it needed a few relights and the smoke was disappointing, becoming somewhat tarry at the end as a result. It has a mild flavour with delicate sweetness, and in this wet condition it became very steamy and gurgled due to the moisture. It was clear that it was better than this, so I dried it out bit by bit and enjoyed it in a range of conditions.

When it dried out somewhat it came into it's own. I'm smoking the last bowl of it now in a Meerschaum, the leaf is bone dry as I forgot it for a while in a spring top tobacco tin which doesn't have any kind of seal. At the light the smoke is softly astringent, woody with a gentle cedarwood note and a very subtle hint of incense and spice. The Latakia smoke is a very delicate background condiment. As it progresses the astringency becomes a little more pronounced, the cedarwood and incense more pungent and

The drier it is smoked, the more the astringency of the Orientals overcomes the Virginia sweetness, which to be fair is delicate to begin with.

I have to say it rather reminds me of Dunhill Durbar mixture which I do miss. King Charles mixture is perhaps a little milder and in a finer cut, but it's the same holy trinity of Virginia, Oriental and Latakia with the emphasis on the Orientals: my favourite type of English Mixture.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

I find this to be a true classic among English Mixtures. The interplay between Orientals and Virginias is Wonderful. The expert use of Latakia makes this a wonderful and rewarding smoking experience. It is light, flavorful and leaves you wanting even more. Good as an all day English smoke. Try it.