Paul Olsen Kong Frederik Full (English Mixture)

A well balanced blend made from top quality tobacco. I experience it as being on the mild side of medium. There are a number of English blends of a similar nature: so while I certainly wouldn't turn down another tin of this, I wouldn't go to great lengths to get more.

Good tobacco, although not nearly as strong as the label suggests. It's a mild to medium mixture, with a good presence of latakia leaf and most of all really fine orientals. The Virginia sweetness is a constant presence too, and it gives a nice body. Nice tobacco to be smoked all day.

Obtaining this tobacco required me to order it from Denmark and to purchase a number of tins. So I can truthfully say I will smoke this on occasion for a while. The tin aroma is strong with the smokiness of latakia and the spiciness of orientals. I smoke this in a large bowled pipe as I do with most English Balkan mixtures. The smoke is smooth on the tongue with no bite, but I need to be careful with it or it will produce a stinging sensation on the lips; I suspect the orientals. The flavor is markedly different from other Balkan blends I have smoked, quite varied and interesting. There is plenty of latakia in the blend but for me the other orientals dominate. I usually only smoke latakia mixtures in the evening so I cannot imagine smoking this all day. I get latakia overload rather quickly. This blend requires me to sit and pay attention to how I smoke it and to the flavor spectrum. I have smoked a 100g tin of this and will continue to smoke it probably once a week until the supply is gone. I am not sure that in a year or two I will absolutely need to go to the trouble of keeping this on hand, but it is possible. Well recommended to the Balkan lover to try at least once. Paddy.

I bought a tin when we got a new king in Denmark. Funny, his name is the same as his paternal grandfather, after whom this tobacco is named.

He was a beloved sailor and king, and is also called the sailor king here in Denmark. I thought it was an appropriate tobacco that he chose to smoke. Everyone here in Denmark knows about his love for the sea and for the pipes. And that's why this tobacco must be tried.

There are many other English blends that I prefer to this one. But it is still strange to sit and smoke the same as our former king did. That is why it is always a special thing for me when I light a pipe with this tobacco.

OK, again I'm forced to do a bit of guesswork to decide where this review belongs. Mine's a My Own Blend, doesn't say anything about Paul Olsen (but does mention STG in the small print); doesn't say anything about Full or Mellow, just Kong Frederik Danish Mixture; comes in a 40 g (sorry, made a mistake there it was actually the 20 g "taster") pouch. Latakia is definitely in the forefront though, I don't think I can detect any Black Cavendish, and Mellow doesn't have any new reviews since 2017, so I'm guessing I smoked the Full version.

OK, on to the review. This is a middle of the road english blend in the most positive sense of the term. Interestingly, Latakia doesn't completely steal the show even in the pouch note which is simply that of very good, no-frills pipe tobacco. The clean cut ribbon is easy to pack and lights well, even straight from the pouch, and burns easily and consistently. A mild variety of Latakia is wonderfully balanced with the Orientals and Virginia to produce a smooth, mellow (not Full, in my book this really isn't), uncomplicated smoke. Of the few english blends I have sampled so far this comes closest to being an all day smoke that can be enjoyed straight from the pouch in small doses whenever desired. It does bite a bit if puffed too hard though, so don't drive it too hard. I find that this blend complements a mug of coffee wonderfully.

Three stars leaning on four, an instant favourite and will def be buying again - I think I'll get the 100 g tin next.

Well done, king Fredrik, well done!

I purchased this blend in Copenhagen at the danish pipe shop and the seller told me that King Frederik IX was used to smoke this mixture when he was sailing and not at home.. intact this mixture is a full and quite rude English that I enjoy very much. Rich and full but no bite and no nicotine bomb.