Tobaccos Nat Sherman - 536 Empire English

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-06-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is one fine blend. Refined is the best word to describe it. Well fermented components that are married together to give a superb, delicious English flavor. The flavors start great and get better as the bowl progresses. Peaks at about the 3/4 mark. This is wonderful tobacco. Mildly smoky, a little spicy, a touch of earthiness, and a great underlying sweetness.

A little moist. I like it a little dryer. Mild to medium in body. Medium in flavor. Burns very well. This is real gem of a smoke.

Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman, MM Freehand

Age When Smoked: 2 months

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2006-03-10		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Hot dog! An English blend with a nicotine punch worthy of my pipes.

This masterfully made blend has Latakia and Turkish leaf that will burn easily, cleanly and cool. I tasted quite a spicy undertone at first light, but the blend settled down into a deep, rich smoke almost immediately.

I think this has become my favorite English blend.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-02-05		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I would not have tried it as generally I don't want any black Cavendish in an English mixture. As fate would have it, I needed to pick up some tobacco while traveling along the highway. I stopped at a modern "tobacco shop" meaning a lottery and cigarette shop. As luck would have it, 536 was the only tin/brand in the entire shop! I would imagine that the tin was fairly old. It packed well and was at the perfect moisture level. Fate dealt me a nice surprise. This is not an aromatic, but it does smoke a little on the sweet side of English. Smooth, with a light leather, smokey taste. If you like Latakia as your lead player, skip this blend. With that said, its not like the Latakia doesn't show up, its just in a supporting role. It does have its fair share of nicotine. If you happen to be in the NYC area, pick some up at the Nat Sherman store, it's a great traditional tobacco shop worth a visit. UPDATE: One other important note, I was in the store in NYC this weekend and they have told me that they are doing away with the 2 oz. tins and are looking for a new blender. This has caused some disruption at e-tailers. 2 oz. pouchs can be found at Nat's website and they have sold off all of their tins. UPDATE 3/2014: This has returned to production in tins, this review is based on the prior production.

Purchased From: Nat Sherman NYC

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3025)	2020-02-05		Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The earthy, woody, herbal, vegetative, mildly sour, spicy, floral Orientals are the lead component. The smokey, woody, earthy, musty, incense-like sweet Cyprian Latakia is a supporting player. The nutty, earthy, woody, mildly molasses sweet burleys are secondary stars. The grassy, tartly citrusy, lightly woody, earthy, dark fruit Virginias compete with the burleys for attention. I think there’s a few grains of sugar from a topping. The strength and taste levels are a couple of rungs past the center of mild to medium. The nic-hit is a step behind them. Won’t bite or get harsh, but does sport a few rough edges. Well balanced, it burns cool and clean at a moderate rate with a very consistent, mildly sweet, spicy, savory flavor that translates to the pleasantly lingering after taste and stronger room note. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran, and is repeatable for the less experienced.

-JimInks

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2006-03-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I'm updating my review based on the new blender for this re-released tobacco. This new version has become my go to, daytime English.

From memory, something has changed in the taste from the old version, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is. It's been so long since I had the old 536, though if I had to guess it seems that the kind of Orientals has changed.

Still, the essential character of 536 remains: mild-medium on the palate, a well integrated English that is creamy, sweet, with a surprising dose of Vitamin N. Surprising because it smokes so smoothly, without harshness or edginess.

The flavor of the Latakia and Orientals are somewhat distant, but intensify by dedicating a pipe to this blend. This is the key to getting the most out of 536: use an untainted pipe, dedicate it to 536, or you're not really going to taste it.

The overall impression is of a very premium product, no rough edges, no misbehavior, except in punch, which I welcome.

It should be noted that this comes in a 2 ounce tin, not 1.75 ounces, so the price is not as much as it seems.

This would be a high quality alternative to those not satisfied by EMP, London Mixture, Standard Mixture, and other light-medium Englishes.

I just want to emphasize that this blend oozes quality in all aspects, it's well worth trying.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Young Piper (304)	2015-05-31		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I had my family that lives in NY send me 536 after trying the aromatic tins Sherman offers at my local B&M, interestingly the most flavorful blend (536) was not offered at that B&M. This actually tuned out to be a very tasty American Style English Blend. Much sweeter than what I am used to in a Latakia blend and I really enjoyed it. As I have stated before Nat Sherman really prides themselves on using the very best leaf and toppings and 536 was no exception. Sweet, Smokey and lightly briny, the Cavendish and Latakia really play off one another much like sweet duck sauce adds to the flavor of a salty egg roll. I loved the aroma in the tin, the room note was approved of by my family and the flavors were ever evolving throughout the bowl. I will come back to this blend after I finish the tin, it's really that good (if you like sweet English Mixtures)

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bigdadz (39)	2014-07-08		Mild	Very Mild	Mild	Pleasant

An english mixture à l'américaine. It is a mild slightly cased offering that would serve as a good introduction to english mixtures for the aromatic smoker. I prefer my english mixtures to be more stout and leathery.

Similar Blends: Maiden Lane.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2020-01-21		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Nat Sherman - 536 Empire English.

The tin contains a dark blend, more brown than black, and it's more of a ribbon cut than 'coarse'. It smells rich but not like a Lat Bomb. My moisture looked perfect; a touch damp but nowhere near being wet.

The smoke, that word again, Rich. Mellifluous, and rich! The Latakia/Orientals add flavour but aren't too headstrong; they season but don't govern. The Burley and Virginia make up the leading taste, with a luscious 'smoothing' and sweetness coming from the Black Cavendish; it's this that makes it quite inimitable. The smoke is very cool in temperature and doesn't bite. The burn's consistent and reliable.

Nicotine: just above medium. Room-note: I like it.

536 Empire English? Sure, everyone's idea of an All Day Smoke varies, but this would suit me as one; good nicotine hit, flavoursome, sweet, smooth, VERY enjoyable. So, an easy four stars:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Dagner Poker to type with

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2017-10-14		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Myself and three other "cigar smoking "friends were in Louisville Ky. touring Bourbon distillers when we discovered that just across the Ohio River in Jeffersonville Indiana was a great Cigar Bar ("Match"). We spent two afternoons there. The ONLY pipe tobacco they carried was Nat Sherman blends , so I picked up a tin of "536" and a glass of fine Bourbon. I was pleasantly surprised with both.

The blend is a light English ( although the tin says "Full") , it's very smooth , and has that "Dunhill like" ribbon/shag cut that I find so easy to work with. The blend could be an all day blend or a first in the morning. It's close to EMP with a touch less "lemon Pucker" and more latakia or maybe similar to Rattrays Black Malory. The blend needs a little more complexity and strength, but it's very smooth and I do find myself reaching for it when I don't know what I want.

Reading some of the previous reviews, I noticed some difference of opinions. I don't find this heavy in "N' nor Latakia, nor overly sweet. Steel Cowboy Indicates that there might be a new blender, interesting.

Pipe Used: cob &maple

Age When Smoked: new tin

Purchased From: Match Cigar Bar

Similar Blends: Rattrays Black Mallory & EMP.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2015-05-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

First of all, the setting. I was visiting NYC last week and managed to slip away from the LSW in order to explore what may now be described as a shrine to tobacco: Nat Sherman's store located on 42nd Street, off Fifth Avenue. A wonderful place that any one keen on pipes and cigars should vist.

I had tried some of NS's blends before but never their English type of mixtures. I sniffed through an ample selection of jars (i bought this in bulk) and decided on 536. The aroma, texture and density of this tobacco are incredible. Your typical English mixture, but the added Cavendish gives it just that edge of natural sweetness that makes it intriguing and inviting.

Don't be fooled. It may seem a tamed English, but its smoothness belies its strength. This is a rich, complex and perfectly balanced English of meduim strength. It was rather moist from the jar, but had no trouble lightinig it and keeping it going. It somkes slowly, leisurly. Really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

NB: tobacco taxes in NYC are criminal. When the LSW found out how much I payed for this and a couple other tobaccos I felt guilty enough to take her out for lunch to Grand Central's Oyster Bar. So my 536 Empire English came out really expensive!

Pipe Used: Parker and Big Ben

Age When Smoked: N/A

Purchased From: Nat Sherman, NYC

Similar Blends: Crown Achievement, Old Dublin, My Mixture 965.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-12-15		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I don't see why this one is liked so much by the other reviewers on here. It didn't impress me at all. Its not bad but its not good either. It is a flavorful tobacco but seemed like something that could have came in a box from the drug store to me. Nothing special.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-12-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Nat Sherman's No. 536 is worthy indeed. The flavour is delicate yet it packs a whopping nicotine punch. The tin states that 536 is 'Full Bodied with Natural Bouquet' and that description certainly is fitting. In fact the nicotine level may be a bit much for me, but how I enjoy the velvety flavour and the splendid room note. No. 536 is what I have always imagined a top Dunhill blend should be. This being my 50th review here at TobaccoReviews.com, I am overjoyed to give a glowing report for this gold-tinned beauty. This is a classic that should be more widely available and recognised.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	docsol (2)	2019-09-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I was in NYC for a fountain pen show. I had to stop at Nat Sherman's. This is a tobacco shop like no other. Suited experts to cater to you. Cigars are big business here but pipes are front and center as well. Beautiful pipes. Tinned tobaccos. House blends. This was their only latakia blend. I bought 2oz. My oh my. I was so pleasantly surprised. A wonderful smokle.Burns and packs well and easily. The latakia is simply delicious. Not overbearing but wonderfully spicy. A bit more than a little nic hit and pleasant. Underlying sweetness from the Virginia's. This has gone to the top of my rotation. Often smoking several bowls a day. I should have bought more. Guess I will just have to visit again. Soon.

Pipe Used: Peterson Bent Briar, MM cob, Savinelli Oscar

Age When Smoked: New in bulk

Purchased From: Nat Sherman's NYC

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScienceSmoker (60)	2022-01-25		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is a review of "Metropolitan Tabac 536", which is what Nat Sherman's 536 Empire English was renamed to recently. I've had (quite a lot of) the original Nat Sherman Empire English... and it tastes exactly the same to me.

Upon opening the tin... there's a creamy thick, smokey sweetness, somewhat reminiscent of SPC's Plum Pudding. First few puffs... velvety smooth English flavors. An almost Balkan-like spice and sour-ness. It's sweet, smokey, and delicious. Empire English was a favorite of mine for a long time. It's what convinced me that Cavendish can be a great addition to an English blend. It really is one of the most velvety smooth, creamiest English blends I know of. It has all the best traits of a good English blend... sweetly sour, floral Oriental flavors, tangy fruit of Virginias, the smokey incense of the Latakia, all tied together with this sweet Cavendish and firm nutty Burley. I've heard people compare it to Early Morning Pipe... but they're very different blends. Empire English is creamier, richer, and more substantial, while EMP is much lighter and a bit brighter. I love EMP, but they're just very different blends.

Nat Sherman has, unfortunately, gone out of business. I'm not sure if this blend will continue being produced as "Metropolitan Tabac 536" or not. I can only hope it will.

Bottom line: Velvety smooth English blend with a rich added sweetness. A premium blend.

Pipe Used: Peterson System Standard

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (140)	2021-07-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The 50-gram tin didn't have a production date. But the excise stamp on it indicated 2008, so I was holding tobacco that was clearly over 10 years old. The tin was very tightly closed, and I had to make some effort to open it. The aroma from the open tin was calm and smooth, but very complex. Certainly, the main note was high quality latakia - but so softened by the oriental spicy musk scent and a slight woody note of cedar and sandalwood that I doubted its Cyprus origin. In Addition to this, there was a noticeable milky acidity, and to these notes there was a bit of breadiness from the ripe Virginia with a barely noticeable citrus tinge. All of this was smoothed out by a cautious wine note of cavendish. The smell of burley, though, was not even detectable. The full bouquet of tobacco, despite the significant difference in composition, resembled a smoother version of Robert McConnell's Boutique Blend flavor - and not a bit of chemistry.

The tobacco was coarsely cut and well-mixed, but the different varieties were easy to guess at, with colors ranging from light brown Virginia and slightly darker burley to almost black cavendish. Despite its age, the tobacco had perfect moisture, but it was slightly compressed. It needed a little kneading and was ready to be smoked.

The smoked mixture brought such a pleasant taste of latakia mixed with orientals and burley that I was willing to believe the description was wrong. It felt like an almost forgotten taste of latakia from Syria. Also present were white pepper, sun-dried fruit with a slight nutty flavor, and of course, the bread note of Virginia. Sour note disappeared immediately after lighting it, and I frankly enjoyed a luxurious English blend. It tasted a little different from the Boutique Blend, but could be called its "big sister" - denser, more substantial, and at the same time softer. As I smoked it, the softness increased, and the tobacco tasted very pleasant. The strength of tobacco was also slightly higher, it didn't change when you smoke, but you can get a nicotine kick if you inhale intensively. The tobacco is not hot and evenly smoked, it doesn't go out and has almost no moisture. The ash is fine, even gray in color, there is little of it.

The smoke from the tobacco repeats its smell, having smokiness latakia main, but a light note. It is not pleasant to everyone, but it does not hang in a carpet, but quickly disperses.

Bottom line: one word - "perfection". And it's amazing how different tobacco combinations can all result in a very similar flavor. I might call Nat Sherman #536 my personal benchmark among English blends, if it weren't for its complex composition and the fact that it is no longer in production. The latter particularly saddens me. But I have another closed tin, and I'll put this one in storage and smoke it on big holidays and as a kind of "tuning fork" for English blends.

Pipe Used: Peterson 106

Age When Smoked: 2008

Purchased From: Online

Similar Blends: Robert McConnell - Boutique Blend (Heritage).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tschenyinkoh (51)	2018-01-26		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Rather than call this blend an English blend, I would like to call it traditional American blend. As a long tradition, New York pipe tobacco blender used to add burley and unsweetened Cavendish to English mixture.

For this 536 Empire English, the burley is not like the Old Joe Krantz - strong, straightforward, nutty and dry, but like GLP blend - very reserved, bolstering the mixture with some body. The unsweetened Cavendish is not smooth the rough edge like Dunhill 965, but to avoid 536 Empire English overwhelming or overly full. And the black Cavendish does not make 536 overly sweet or sugary, like Seattle Pipe Club - like old Dublin. The Latakia is a dressing to add some smoky aroma.

So combining fermented Virginia in the star lead, rich Burley in the supporting role, a little of warm Cavendish for sweetness and neutralizing strength, a touch of Latakia for smoky aroma, 536 Empire English is smooth, balanced medium body, easily approachable American mixture.

However, although overall it is a top-notch American house Blend, it is not as good as some other modern classic (GLP old london series) or old classic (Dunhill standard mixture, Rattray - Red Rapparee and Robert McConnell - Original Oriental ).

Nice try but won't buy again.

Two and a half stars.

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: 2oz bulk from Nat Sherman Townhouse in NYC

Similar Blends: Barclay-Rex - Vincent's.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bruck (27)	2017-07-04		Mild	Very Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

Appearance - your basic coarse ribbon cut, mix of lights and darks including Cavendish. Tin note: good - the Latakia is evident. I used a gravity fill with light tamping. Pipe is a cheap briar with thin walls but a nice big bowl. Initial light: could really taste the latakia and burleys, but it also had a sweet licorice note, even though it's not an aro. Mid bowl: flavors melded pretty well, a very clean English, and the licorice abated but was still there. Bottom of the bowl - about the same as mid bowl, getting slightly damp, required a couple relights.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Nat Sherman store

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JackalMike (7)	2016-06-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was my first tin of "high-end" tobacco. And my first foray into English blends, albeit an American-style English blend.

I wasn't sure what to think the first few times I loaded it. But now it tops my list of go-to 'baccys. After my first few times of smoking it I can only assume must have dried just a tad. This only made it better to my palate.

I have a Lucienne Walnut ( cheap pipe but smokes well for me ) with a fairly large capacity bowl. This pipe will accept quite a bit of tobacco. I pack the bowl a hair tighter than usual and light up. I can often get an hour or more of sheer pleasure using this pipe/method.

This tobacco produces prodigious amounts of cool, wonderful smoke and gives a good nic hit. There is a leather note to the taste, but nothing bitter or offensive to assault your mouth.

My wife is a non-smoker and says the room note is not offensive. But it is far from her favorite.

I will definitely purchase this tobacco again. And while I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to someone as their first pipe tobacco... I would recommend it to them when they are ready to step up to the next level.

I find this blend to be very similar to Dunhill EMP. But in my opinion is better. EMP tends to have a somewhat harsh pepper note that irritates my throat.

Happy Puffing,

Mike

Pipe Used: Cob, Briar, Hardwood

Age When Smoked: Unknown. 2 oz. tin

Purchased From: Tobacco Lane, Arlington TX USA

Similar Blends: Dunhill EMP.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rattdogg99 (52)	2015-11-03		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild	Pleasant

A mild English that is my favorite as a morning smoke. Not a powerhouse blend by any means but great for rousing the tastebuds by the dawns early light. Much more mellow then Dunhill EMP. Very high quality tobaccos are used for blending. Good stuff!

.

Pipe Used: variety

Age When Smoked: 6 mo.

Purchased From: pipes and cigars

Similar Blends: Dunhill EMP.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-11-18		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

The only thing I regret is that I will not be able to smoke after I finish my reserve. As one can only buy it from Nat Sherman NY, so that being said I am going to miss it. It is something to smoke daily, excellently balanced.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-02-04		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I agree with CAMUS whole heartedly. I visited the store last May and regrettably only purchased one tin as a trial; not realising it would be my only opportunity to purchase it, (importing to Canada has become a fascist nightmare!). Moments ago I reviewed some syrian tobaccos and believe the sweetness in this is partly from this form of latakia. New to NY I happened by the store on Fifth Ave. by chance while exploring after a trade show. A real treat! If I'm ever in NYC again I'll be back for sure.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-12-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A good smoke, down to my last two tins, Ill buy it agan if I can find it. think Ill save my unopened tins for a while. smoked in a cob last year on a fishing trip, And liked it.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-12-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As other reviewers noted, this isn't available in tinned form except at Nat's NY store. It is available in bulk through their web site, but then you miss out on the beautiful tin. This tatstes and smokes fantastic. The latakia is in the background, and the orientals are superb. It's medium-moist direct from the tin, but burns dry and with lots of smoke. Usually only one relight, even for the large pipes that I usually smoke. Along with McClellands Oriental #8 and Peretti's English 110, one of the best of the genre.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-07-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Honestly, I bought this tobacco the first time because of the tin! It's so nice, one of the best around. The tobacco is one of the best around too. It's a perfectly balanced English mixture, the components are all of extreme quality and are blended to give a smoothness seldom seen nowadays. It reminds me a little of Butera Pelican, but the Virginias here add that sweetness missed in the Butera one.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-05-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This blend is very pleasant. Why do these companies quit selling a product right after I purchase them for the first time? Example: Edgeworth Slices, A&C Petersens' 421 Blend, Erinmore Flake. Well maybe Erinmore Flake was not a huge loss... This blend is a little like Skiff Mixture(Samuel Gawith)or Squadron Leader with less Latakia. The Turkish comes to the fore in this tobac and I enjoyed the quality of the ingredients as well. But these Nat Sherman tins are really tough to open. If you get too ham-fisted you'll bend it all up. I finally stuck a knife up under the lip and released enough vacuum to get it open. Well recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-04-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Warning! This really is a great tobacco! I shall try to give a perfectly objective review as I would not want it tainted by any"Provincial Smugness"that might come into play. I have always enjoyed Nat Sherman Products since I started smoking them in the 80's.The pipe tobaccos are some of their finest offerings.Blend #536 offers a true Turkish taste.It is very smoky,buttery, and rich. The Latakia plays off this and gives a slightly sweet edge to the blend.The feel of the smoke is rather creamy with a sweet&sour flavor in the background.It is a much more refined version of a Stokebeye English blend.The burn is cool,yet it packs a punch.The only drawback is it burns rather quickly due to the cut.It is very satisfying during the day or after a nice and spicy meal. Unfortunately,this is out of production in the tinned form.My experience has been that it can only be procured on the east coast.If you find a tin buy it!3.5 of 4 stars!

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2021-06-28		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Meh. This was not a bad smoke, but not very good either; nor will it be memorable. Other than that it does pack and smoke well, and is nicely presented.

My biggest problem with this is that it does not go far enough as an American English blend yet is too boring in comparison to traditional English blends. Personally, I would like more burley in this one and I think I would have enjoyed it more. It is just a time passing smoke rather than a treat, but I did have a few decent bowls.

If it wasn't for so many superior C&D blends in the same vein this would be a 3 star blend, but there are just too many better options out there, so I am leaving it with 2 stars.

Age When Smoked: 4 yrs 5 mths

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PiedPiper1010 (16)	2018-10-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am about half way through my second tin of this fine tobacco. I smoked my first tin so quickly I could have sworn I had some more in a pouch somewhere. I am not completely partial to any one blend/type of tobacco. However, for many years into pipe smoking I prefer English-English style blend and different VA blends. That said, this is a blend perfect for those aromatic smokers looking to venture into the world of English blends. It will not murder you with latakia, which is certainly present at first but does balance out with the help of the black cavendish and the burleys that have been added. This is a rich, smooth blend, refined as it says and well worth a try for beginners and experienced smokers alike. It burns well and needs a few relights, which I believe is all relative to how you smoke your pipe. It is on the moist side, and will leave a bit of moisture in the bowl. Dry it out before smoking and it will burn wonderfully. IMO, it is similar to, Dunhill MM 965 as they are both English style blends with black cavendish in the mix. If you like the 965 this is worth a try. Nat Sherman is out of NYC, hence the name Empire English. Needless to say, people who live there have very discerning tastes and seek only the finest of things, and this will appeal to those of you reading this who do the same. Years ago I worked at 500 5th Avenue, which is the building next door. This is where my pipe smoking began. Go online and just view a couple of photos of the inside of the store, and that alone should show you the quality that they stand for. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Pipe Used: Peterson and Meershaum

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Havana 2 Beachwood N.J.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2018-10-01		Mild	Mild	Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

A tin with some age on it and I'm glad I didn't wait longer. This topped American English had everything for it, tin art, Nat Sherman tradition and even an elegant presentation. The smell off the tin is a bit sweet for a supposedly uncased/untopped mixture. The smoke is an ok experience but this sweet topping is really distracting me from it. The worse thing to do is to wait a few hours and relight your pipe. An horrible ashy and bitter taste, à la synthetic topping, takes over and there's no coming back. There's way too many good American/English mixtures out there to waste my time with this.

Virginia lover

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lord M (4)	2018-09-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

its a mild/medium english blend, is it great? no, is it smokable? absolutely, slightly more oriental forward, if your go to tobaccos are unavailable, and this is on the shelf, you will find an acceptable english blend in the tin

Pipe Used: yes

Age When Smoked: ?????

Purchased From: local b&M

Similar Blends: every other mild/medium english.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CraigInTheCorn (11)	2018-05-11		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

While visiting NYC, I popped into Nat Sherman to check the place out. Very nice shop with more than a touch of elegance. After deciding to buy a cool Castello Sea Rock Dublin with a silver band which unfolds to become a stand, I was provided a small quantity of the only non-aromatic bulk tobacco that they sold -- 536. I nearly turned it down, expecting the worst. To my surprise and delight, I really enjoyed it and bought some to take home.

I would call this a crossover blend. Too sweet to be a classic English, it is superbly balanced with neither the latakia, orientals, nor the Virginias dominating. Although mild, the flavor is consistent throughout the bowl and never gets bitter. Burns well to white-gray ash with few relights, despite seeming a bit too damp straight from the counter jar. Plenty of cool, soft smoke. If there's a topping, it's done sparingly and would be a spirit, like Cognac, perhaps.

Can be a all-day smoke for me and has moved into my top English blends, along with Esoterica Pembroke and Penzance, SG Perfection, Squadron Leader and Skiff Mixture, GL Pease Quiet Nights, and PS English Oriental Supreme.

Pipe Used: Castello Sea Rock Dublin KKKK

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Nat Sherman, Manhattan

Similar Blends: Esoterica Pembroke and SG Perfection. Many have compared to EMP, but it's been too long since I've tasted that blend for me to make that comparison..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	canvas (337)	2018-04-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've had this tin collecting dust in my cabinet for awhile now. I bought it since I recalled enjoying the occasional Nat Shermans cigarette back in the day. Having no expectations I popped the tin to a wonderful English bouquet. It certainly had all that Latakia gunpowder, but also a twister of other juicy smells. My nose was drooling for what my tongue thought was a bloody steak.

When the torch grazed it, I was immediately impressed. It rivaled many of the Dunhill blends I associate with what an English blend ought to be, but it took it one step forward by being more sublime. Other flavors made it past the charcoal wall. Notably the Virginia and other sweet hay notes.

It certainly fired the nicotine in slugs, but I was able to smoke several successive bowls without much fatigue. It was a fantastic mixture to the end of the bowl and tin! Another curiosity was the tin housed 2 oz vs the usual 1.75.

I find it ironic that I discovered another blend I very much enjoy, to only find it out of stock everyplace. I did a little digging and it turns out the company was bought out last year. If my bad luck is any indicator, I can only assume it was/will be discontinued.

Pipe Used: Tilshead tanker

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cherry picker 1779 (51)	2017-07-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

This was a long shot as I went for it at a cigar shop knowing nothing about it except that it was An English blend tobacco. I got a 2 ounce tin. I took a chance at the 8 oz tin of HH ten to midnight also (which I think is a hit for me so far!) . Anyway, Back to the nat Sherman.... I Lit it up on my way out of the store. Nothing to write home about. Was a little hot because of the high moisture in tin and no drying time. I'm only on the third bowl right now. I let it dry this time for 15 to 20 minutes and it's smoking very nice and cool this time around. Smoking in a small full bent briar, it's doing justice to the baccy. I get the same sort of essence smoking this as I do Presbyterian mixture. I usuallly use this particular pipe for Presbyterian mixture so that could be part of the reason. It's nice in my opinion. It's not complex. I could get used to this for those times you want a simple mild Latakia smoke. I'd say there is a decent nic hit to it also! I'm halfway through the bowl and it's smoking wonderfully with no delights yet. I think it grows on you just like Presbyterian mixture does.i would have to compare this side by side to Presbyterian mix to see how similar they actually are. I'll give this a good rating as I think it's a balanced blend that smokes good, has good lat flavor and I find it pretty relaxing.im getting lost in the pleasure of smoking this now. It's very calming. I normally smoke a bold robust blend at night such as nightcap, artisans blend, or my newly found ten to midnight, however I really think this could be a milder blend for a fulfilling night time smoke especially considering the nic hit is better than most mild blends of this caliber. When I run out of this tin I'll either just keep smoking my Presbyterian mixture or I'll long for this and the nice nicotine content and have to buy more. The only downfall is I see this online for 12 bucks a tin but I paid 24 bucks at the cigar shop. But I'm glad I picked up the forgotten dusty tins at the cigar shop. I'm really enjoying this more and more as I puff away! Because I chose my smallest bowl here I may just pack up another for a double header!! It's a good smoke in my book!!

Update, 7/27/ /17 still a great smoke I want to revisit a lot, however smoking Presbyterian mixture now I see a huge difference. Presbyterian has very mild body and a high nutty burley flavor. It's very good but not as full or strong as nat sherman.... I don't know why I compared the two together .... nat Sherman is stronger and harder by far. Presbyterian mixture is a mild pleasant well smoking and way more laid back than the empire English, but at the same time I yearn for a hearty fulfilling English/ Balkan type blend with a good lat content. just what you get with nat Sherman empire English 536.

Update 8/4/2017 This is one fine fine fine blend!!! I really feel like it is a rare gem. This is what I'm looking for in an English pipe tobacco. It's better and better every smoke. I've got about 20 bowls of it now and I must say the only reason I reach for anything else is because I like to switch things up a bit from time too time. But every time I do I just wanna pack some of this in my pipe after. It's that good and fulfilling to me like no other blend. This makes me want to take other blends and take a star away. I am absolutely in a perfect late night pipe right now. That sweet spot is here from start to about the half way mark now. It gets a bit spicy when you puff hard and when you progress through the bowl. the drying time helps this blend tremendously. If your smoking this now I hope you realize what you've got. I always wanted to try penzance but honestly I don't think it could be as good as this.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2017-06-24		Very Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Although everybody feels this blend resembles EMP, I thought it looked a lot like a tin of 965 on opening. However, one whiff and I knew it was not of the strength of 965. One light and I knew it for sure. It does smoke at the strength level of EMP, but with a lower register that I attribute to it's black Cavendish component. What struck me the most, though, was just how light an English 536 is. I couldn't get much out of it in the top third of the bowl and the middle third faired only slightly better. Strangely, and running contrary to the norm for pipe blends, 536 came on strong in the bottom third and finished with a much better than descent and strongly satisfying English smoke. Now, this unexpected turn of events made me rethink my initial rating of two stars. Then I began to micro blend with it as a base tobacco and this has worked out very positively, with all micro blends I've mixed to date performing better than the 536 alone; in some cases much better. All-in-all, a compromise rating of three stars.

Pipe Used: Rich Lewis Billiard-2017 NASPC pipe

Age When Smoked: about one year old

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: I agree with most reviewers that it resembles Dunhill EMP..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rhapsody Baccy (16)	2015-07-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The first several times I smoked this I was not a big fan... I found it brawny and smoky; I had also just started my journey in the Pipe Smoking world.

Ergo, IMHO, this is not a newbie blend- instead it took a tour of a variety of brand-name and celebrated English mixtures (and a few months) for this tobacco to really speak to me.

In the tin the sweetness of the Cavendish/VA shines through the mesquite-cedarness of the Latakia... and theres more than a dram in this.

Complex, thick-smoke, 'classic' English with a gorgeous sweetness that is just below the surface. A contemplative smoke in the evening, call it "Your after-work 'unwinding' pipe..."

I've been a fan of Nat Sherman (via Cigars) for quite a bit and there mellow-but-true-to-form style of blending (i.e., in this case, a textbook English architecture with an everyman approachability and utter deliciousness) makes this a hit in my book.

Pipe Used: Var.

Purchased From: JR Cigars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tom Bombadill (120)	2014-11-26		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

A very nice, standard English blend. Great quality tabacky. The latakia was added with a light hand:it is always present but not overpowering. Slight nutty flavor from the burley or, perhaps, burnt Cavendish. I would happily buy and smoke it again. A very solid performer but not quite a superstar for me.

Pipe Used: Peterson, Kaywoodie,

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-03-07		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Great pre-light aroma that reminded me a bit of Dunhill's EMP. It lit with only one torch (which is rare for me; I usually require 2 good torches and 1 or 2 touch-ups to a new bowl) and burned cool and even. The flavor was slightly sweet with a bit of leather flitting around in the background. Nothing special, but a good solid smoke. And THEN...the second-third begins to burn and brings with it that familiar toastiness that I'd been longing for, and BANG! Damned if I'm not smoking EMP! This is a very close match, and I'll be trying to snatch up some more tins before they're gone (thanks to SteelCowboy for the heads up).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tabaco (112)	2008-02-07		Very Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I smoke Latakia-English tobaccos 99 percent of the time. This tobacco is very strong in the nicotine department. On the flavour side, it is a respectable morning or all-day English. The downside to being all-day is the nicotine content might be too much for many folks. A few bowls and you might be 'done' for quite sometime.

It is very well balanced and the tobacco is of high quality, alas not enough in the flavour department. Mind you I do prefer a full-on Latakia assault like Cornell & Diehl's Billy Budd. It might be suitable for aromatic pipers who wants to try a high quality English. Other than that I shall not buy it again, just not quite my cup of tea.

- Tabaco

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-09-22		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This review is of the tinned variety of this tobacco, which despite what some have written, is still available in brick and mortar stores - at least in NYC. The bulk variety can be bought online through the Nat Sherman website.

General impression: This is a mild English blend that has just the slightest hint of latakia in it. The tin smell is very pleasant and unusual in the sense that it smells both very sweet AND slightly smoky. The taste is not overwhelming nor bland and is best described as nutty and earthy. The latakia is not at all predominant and folds into the overall flavors well. Any sweetness is due to natural tobacco flavors, not casing, I think. It did not produce gurgle or bite for me, even when I tried to puff it fast, and burns nicely without too much relighting. Unlike a lot of English blends, this one is mild enough to allow you taste food afterwards and the room note gets compliments from non-smokers (I can't say this of all English-style blends).

Who should buy this stuff: You are looking for a mild, English-style blend that won't offend those around you and won't stay on your tastebuds all day. If you tend to puff fast or smoke outside this might be a good choice. I also think this would be a very good blend to introduce aromatic smokers (or even beginning pipe smokers) to the taste of English blends since it does not seem to have too much latakia in it. This would NOT be a good choice if your are looking for something heavy and ultra-smoky (e.g, Dunhill Nightcap).

Final notes: A good non-aromatic blend. It flavors won't have your waxing on and on with poetic lyrics, but it is very pleasant to smoke. Beverage recommendation: I would pair this with a gin or vodka martini.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-11-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

A good friend brought me a eight ounces from the New York store (I'm in New Zealand) and I decanted most of it into a jar to age for a bit. I liked this smoke right from the start and found it (as has been mentioned before) to be a sweeter English mixture. As I also like sweet VA's this tobacco really suited me.

Recently I dipped into the jar (after about four months aging) and it's just getting better and better. The virginias are even sweeter and the smoke has more body (however I do think it could do with a bit more Oriental leaf to round it out and make it a bit fuller). I know many will consider a tobacco like Squadron Leader to be a "truer" English but I recommend you to try 536, you may be pleasantly surprised.

If in New York a visit to the Nat Sherman store is a must - a wonderful "old style" tobacconist.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-09-16		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This tobacco is very sweet for an english blend. Outstanding quality, and smokes so smooth I can inhale with no problem. But to be called a "classic english" I think it needs a little more latakia and less sweet. Why do they bother to write "non-aromatic" when its supposed to be a classic english anyway? Like you can have an aromatic english? Well now that I think of it, thats almost how I would describe this. In any case, whatever you call it and whatever it's composed of, the quality is outstanding.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-04-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

On the pea green soupy tin: the elegance of the Manhattan panorama circa 1935. In the tin: the olfactory greeting is burnt wires ala elevated/subway 3rd rail and buttered popcorn; more Gotham reminders, perhaps? In the pipe: pure, creamy smoking enjoyment. This is a full English, Oriental-based blend with exotic touches that is surprisingly direct, reliable and true. My New Yorker friend tells me this is not available west of the Hudson; apparently Nat?s hording it for boroughs only consumption. (Incidentally, why are all New Yorkers imbued with that annoying provincial smugness of pointing out all the things the rest of the world supposedly doesn?t have, and as if it really mattered? ? Yes, we have opera, pastrami and proctologists out here, too). Nevertheless, this is a fine blend, no matter where it comes from. Apparently, like so many other good things in this world, it?s being discontinued. I plan to stock up on a couple of remaining tins if I can. I remember Nat?s excellent cigars before he irreparably changed those beyond recognition. If you can find 536 in or out of New York, treat yourself to a bowl of this excellent mainstay before it's gone forever, and nobody, not even gothamites, will be able to enjoy it.

Three and a half of five stars

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2004-11-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend (536) is called "EMPIRE ENGLISH" by Nat Sherman's. It is described as: "The quintessential British blend of exotic latakia, and Turkish Yenidje and Malhalla tobacco. Spicy, musky aroma and taste." To be frank, that's a fairly candid, straight-forward assessment. This is Nat Sherman's take on Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe or 965. Kind of somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, but not anywhere near venturing towards Nightcap territory. But, if you get the idea of what I'm trying to convey, then you might get the sense of what Nat Sherman might be trying to accomplish with this tobacco.

Honestly, they to do a dam* fine job of it. This is a very pleasing tobacco and one that I will continue to reach for time and time again. I only discovered it by virtue of the fact that a friend of mine recently sent me bushels of various Nat Sherman blends, this being amongst them. Aromatics and such aren't my cup of tea, and this being by far what I'm used to was certainly right up my alley. Very, very classic English and very tasty. A fine job indeed and for the price (less than $7.00 for a 2.0 oz bag), quite reasonably priced. Definitely would recommend picking this up if you are at all fond of the aforementioned Dunhill variations.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	atomicbuster (79)	2019-08-10		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

Some have described this blend as an American English. Does that mean a mild English with some sweet black cavendish added? I can't agree fully with that description. It is a mild tasting English for sure, but the description on the tin, "full bodied", is no joke. You may experience the mild Latakia flavor, but there is also a noticeable nicotine kick. I learned to take it very easy with this one. Because the taste is mild, one is tempted to puff more frequently and deeply. That's a mistake. Your head and stomach will let you know. But if smoked gently, it's really very good. It's cool and even burning and doesn't taste bad or leave a strong aftertaste. I prefer big taste to big nicotine kick, so I may not get this again, but if someone gifted this to me I wouldn't pass it up. Recommended.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Knightsmoker (217)	2019-04-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Empire English is black cavendish forward, and has that typical cavendish sweetness about it making the smoke very round and smooth. The Lat. trails this and is only slightly smokey with a faint note of leather. I will be honest, the Mexican burley is what caught my attention when looking at it to purchase. Cigar smokers know that Mexican Maudro wrappers are among the most sought after in the industry for there unique flavor. The burley is muted a little with all the cavendish but it is still very earthy but only slightly nutty. The VA's are sweet and there is a faint spice note that comes in on occasion that may (or may not) be from them. Overall, a nice offering that is a little sweeter than most English blends due to the cavendish. This is not a complex smoke compared to other English blends but there is some depth of flavors. The body of the smoke stayed at the mild to med. range, pushing to get more smoke did cause a slight bite. The nic was at the upper range of mild to med. for me. Recommended for those looking for a sweeter English than is typically offered, newer smokers might enjoy this one too after they have their first few more traditional English blends under their belt. Room note is fairly pleasant overall.

Age When Smoked: 18 months

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	balkan_boy (49)	2015-10-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Black Cavendish isn't really my kind of thing in English blends. It just isn't. Although it's a smooth and rounded as a smoke, and very enjoyable also, it kind of differs from the classic English blends that we're used to.

I'll give it 3 stars, just because in a genre of itself, it may be considered as a masterpiece. Taste is OK, smoke is creamy, satisfactory level of nicotine, and so on.

No orientals can be detected, at least I couldn't. Latakia is present but doesn't play the main role. VAs give a nice body to the smoke, but the distinctive VA flavors aren't much noticeable. Now, the main feature: Black Cavendish. It's there from the beginning to the end. It doesn't bother much, and if you like it, you'll enjoy it. There is a special note when Black Cavendish and Latakia combine that can be very tasteful, however I'm not used to it if there isn't enough oriental flavor to make it right. It's sweet, but in a different way than Virginias. Some fellow reviewers find flavoring in it, but I think that is the Cavendish they are catching.

So it really deserves 2 stars for my taste, but for those that like american style tobaccos it goes solid 4 stars. The judgement will be in the middle. If you like american blends (Epiphany, And So To Bed, Spillman Mixture e.t.c.) you'll love this. If you're predominantly Balkan style English smoker, you'll smoke a tin of it, but won't be your choice for go to tobacco.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: NY tobacconist

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Latakia (70)	2008-01-27		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

This is an excellent middle of the road English blend that is light on latakia but has a nice touch of orientals. Course cut and burns quite easily. Has a nice seet note given by excellent Virginanians in the blend with a mild smokiness but exceptionaly creamy. As some reviewers stated, the nicotine content is high but that does not take away from the fine blend that is integrated nicely. It reminds me of a stronger Early Morning Pipe by Dunhill. From what I can tell, has a nice room note and as the latakia is in the background, makes it a nice indoor smoke when around people that might not like the full frontal assult of a full latakia like Odessey.

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