Nat Sherman 536 Empire English

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

.

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.