Charatan Curzon Mixture

Another of these Charatan attempts to recreate Dunhill tobaccos, in this case Durbar was a favourite of mine, and what's worse it seems not to have been reintroduced as a "Peterson" version! To add insult to injury for me, this Charatan tobacco is a poor effort, a mere suggestion of my beloved Durbar spoiled like so many other of these by a pervasive "icing sugar" sweetness.

The tin contains a medley of somewhat damp ribbon cut of slightly uneven width, as well as some broken pressed leaf which Durbar did not. A mix of bright to dark leaf. The aroma in the tin is very mild, with latakia smoke, a hint of oriental spice and above all, icing sugar. Its easy to pack, and burning qualities are good.

The magic carpet ride of Durbar through an enchanted realm of incense, spice and mystery has been sadly replaced by a fitted carpet stuck in a room with magnolia walls and the faint after aroma of joss stick... A pale imitation. The latakia is more prominent in this blend, perhaps because the Orientals offer so little. I'm not an objective judge here though because a) I love Durbar and b) they told me this could replace it.

I will not buy this again. I am just glad I have one tin of Durbar left. I will smoke it, then bid it farewell and remember it as something glorious and past.