Hearth & Home Ten to Midnight

This blend was just a bit too much for me at this stage in my pipe smoking career On the whole I am not a huge Latakia fan and it seems that is the dominant flavor. I won't fault the tobacco... it is that I haven't graduated to the level where I appreciate blends of this ilk. Like strong spirits and black coffee ... it is best appreciated by a fully educated palate.

I really liked this a lot. It is an extremely "pressed cake". Much harder than Pirate Cake by C&D yet amazingly dry after dismantled. Please do not compare this to Pirate Cake. The only thing in common is the fact they are both Crumble Cakes. This is a very heavy Latakia mixture. It is Deliciously one dimensional.It contains burley and orientals,but in very small amounts.It must be broken down into small cubes before being smoked.Allow the dust to be the top layer as to facilitate easier lighting. This is very similar in flavor to C&D's DaVinci- only better.1st light - LATAKIA. Mid bowl- LATAKIA. Bottom 3rd- Latakia. I think you get the picture. This is not complex at all but it is very tasty for the LATAKIAPHILE.I really enjoy this before or after a meal. It will not coat your mouth like Old ironsides or Pirate Cake. Those blends have a bit more flavor,but truth be told this really is very good. NO BITE! A bowl will last you at least 90 minutes. Worth trying. 3.0 of 4 Latakia stars.

Oh boy, a full krumble kake. Loved the way it smells, both in the pouch and aflame. Tastes fine, although sorta one-dimensional. But it was so fussy to pack, light, and ESPECIALLY keep lit, that I gave up. (I tried rubbed out, not rubbed out, moist, dried out, all the permutations.) It kinda turns into a block of concrete in the pipe and each re-light is less and less productive. To me, Penzance and Pirate Kake are more interesting and easier to maintain.

Ten to Midnight is an average light to medium English blend. There is nothing terribly striking about this weed. It is well-blended and has some nice flavour. Russ Ouellette at Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe (PipesandCigars.com) uses high quality tobacco and those that prefer lighter English blends will like this. Certainly, I recognise this blend as the forerunner for Larry's Blend. With that said, I completely understand why Larry Loerzel, after smoking this, asked for 'something a little fuller and different.' Ten to Midnight is not full, is more English than Balkan, and is certainly nothing different from the many quality choices out there at present (including blends from Russ). I will not be purchasing this again, but note that it is fine for what it is--a light to medium English blend (as stated).

I love the name of this one. This is a milder pressed Latakia that lacks the complex depth of C & D's Pirate Kake or the mouthwatering, brinyness of Germain's Penzance. The bars are beautifully pressed and are a delight to the eye, though a little hard to break up considering it's a krumble kake. The taste, though, leaves me a bit flat. It starts out very mild, but progresses into a huge mouthful of monochromatic smoke. Smoke this in a small bowl. A large one is too overwhelming and because it burns incredibly slow, you might wish for the ending to come sooner rather than later. A good effort, though I feel it lacks the profundity to make it truly special.

Two and a half of five stars

Excellent, robust blend. The Latakia and orientals steal the show here shine here, but the other tobaccos are definitely there and help to provide a little balance and round out the flavors. For me, it is a belting smoke to light up outside on a cold night. My pet peeve is when a blend doesn’t taste like it smells, but this blend truly does. It also has a full body to it - none of that hot air that you get with lighter or aromatic blends. Highly recommend this underrated blend.

Krumble Kake my butt!! lol This kake is pressed harder than my luck in high school.

Extremely dense, evenly cut kake, that smells of glorious smoky Latakia. The exterior of this kake is glossy and smooth, showing this had been pressed heavily. It does require a bit of exertion to rub this out completely, and it leaves a wonderful black smoky powder on your fingers.

Packs very well due to the uniform cut and perfect moisture. Initial lighting takes no time at all. The flavor of the woody and smoky Latakia are married to the Virginia and Turkish very well. The Turkish stands behind the Latakia floral and bright. Very well balanced! I smoked through this 2oz fairly quickly this winter. I see this being another fall favorite!

A dark, rich, smokey, and spicy Balkan

This is a Balkan blend through and through. The cedar-like smokiness of the Latakia melds perfectly with the spicy and slightly sour oriental leaf. There seems to be a couple varietals here, which add a complexity to the smoke. The Carolina leaf, which I assume to be Red Virginia tobacco, is on the earthy sweet side of the spectrum. It adds a richness to the smoke in a similar manner to Plum Pudding. Overall, Ten to Midnight is a perfect blend in regards to flavor profile, but it does not quite agree with the chemistry of my tongue.

*This is the last review made while pilfering my brother-in-law’s cellar while on vacation.

Russ is a master blender but even pros have an off day. That isn't to say this is bad, it's just not great. If I ran out of tobacco if be happy to find a stash of this but it would never be my first choice. The orientals shine but become monochromatic. The Latakia rarely push to the front. They claim it's a crumble cake but it's nothing like others. It's in consistent. Some crumbles,some are hard chunks. My hope is that will make a good blend to make a nice cross over blend.