Nat Sherman 536 Empire English

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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