Charatan FC 1863 Mixture

Although this blend is claimed by the manufacturer to be original, those who have smoked it note its close resemblance to a rather controversial, in my opinion, tobacco from Dunhill, My Mixture BB 1938. "BB" meaning here is "Baby's Bottom," which hints this blend as exceptionally mild. I wasn't, personally, impressed with the Dunhill original, though - I found it a bit harsh compared to other Virginia-latakia blends I've tried.

Appearance: the 50 gram tin was released in early 2022, hitting our shelves only a year later, so the total tin ageing amounted to two years. The aged well-processed bright Virginia has acquired an orange tint. In addition to it, there is some dark virginia and a relatively small amount of latakia. The cut is a short ribbon. Moisture is perfect, as for the consistency, there are occasionally some fine tobacco leaf stalks in the blend, but I note this is more of a nit-pick than the real problem.

Flavor: quite bright, but mild. A sour herbal bouquet prevails, in which it is difficult to recognize individual notes. It is supported by soft notes of peat and tar, with a touch of leather, which makes the citrus of bright Virginias slightly spicy. In the background there are notes of dough and baked fruit and a faint odor of rotten wood. After weathering in the open air for half an hour, the excessive acidic note goes away and the overall bouquet becomes even more mild.

Taste: initially a little harsh, but quickly comes to a balance. Moderate smokiness and meat juice, lightly seasoned with soft "mushroom" earthiness, tannin and spicy herbs, which are especially noticeable on the retrohale, and may surprise those who have not read the composition list - it seems that some orientals are present in the blend. There is some dough and a very slight fruity sweetness present, which almost completely disappears as you smoke. The blend becomes "dry" in terms of taste. The tobacco does not bite, smokes extremely cool, slow, dry, burns out into dark gray ash without lumps and moisture. The strength is very close to medium. Aftertaste is practically absent.

The smoke is light, unstable and has a woody odor.

What's the bottom line? A good everyday blend for someone who likes a small amount of latakia. It's hard to add anything to that definition. I have smoked more interesting tobaccos made of only two components (for example, 1865 Mixture from Peterson's Founder's Collection series), but Charatan FC1863 is quite worthy in comparison.