Dunhill Durbar

A wonderful light english blend. This flavor is slightly sweet and spicy, and the latakia comes across more in the aroma than the taste. The aroma, btw, is extremely pungent -- you're not going to make friends with this one. Smoking it slowly and coolly brings out the latakia, smoking it quicker enhances the orientals.



For some reason, this blend falls into the same personal category as I place Pelican, in that it is a blend that is widely hailed a stout english blend, that I nonetheless find to be extremely mild with a strange sweetness. OTOH, many "medium" blends like Bombay Court and Balkan Sobranie absolutely knock my socks off with their richness and flavor. Somehow my taste buds just aren't wired to taste orientals, I guess. But while I find Pelican nearly tasteless, this blend has just enough in it that while I find it somewhat mild, it nonetheless possesses a delightful flavor that brings me back again and again.



Highly recommended.

Tin note of stewed fruit, spices, and very mild smoke. Tobacco is color brown, tan ribbon cut with a little black mixed in. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of floral, very dry, herbal peaty vegetation, musty earth, wood, spicy, hay, bready, very mild incense, spices, sour citrus, mildly acidic, zesty orange peel, a savory sweet background note, and a mostly smooth/mild peppery retro. Oriental/Turkish is leading with strong support from the Virginias and minimal support from the Latakia. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

I found that this tobacco often needs relights. It is consistent of taste, with the mild orientals at the foreground, and a soft and natural smoke, but I found it a bit bland. Since I only smoke outside, I cannot really catch the room note, but I got the sense it was not too strong.

Some tobacco are easy to forget about, but when you revisit them they kind of blow your mind. For me this is one of those. I find this tobacco to be very gentle on your tongue. It smokes cool, and is as smooth as butter. But it's flavor is magical. If you enjoy the delegate interplay of orientals and Latakia, this is your bag baby. I don't smoke English blends indoors. And I hate sitting outside during the winter. So for the most part the spring summer and early fall are my English smoking seasons. This was my first of the season. What a reward for a long winter. This is wonderful stuff. You can't help but imagine the Glory Days of the British empire. Dusty market places in far off lands, where they sell beautiful handmade rugs. Tobacco smoking is about Discovery and personal growth. And this tobacco is one of the best I've discovered. I've heard people talk about its strength in the nicotine department, but I don't really notice it. I don't really notice much nicotine in any pipe tobacco.

Some reviewers on here say that it is a little too strong for them or insinuate that it is pretty hardcore. I say give it another chance. You've got to learn to love English to love this tobacco. English tobacco is not a love it or hate it proposition. It isn't for anybody. Literally everyone has to learn how to smoke it and enjoy it. It requires a learned pallet, and you only get that through practice. Smoke more, smoke more, and smoke even more. You will begin to understand complexity and love for English blends. Doing that is one of the biggest achievements any pipe smoker will ever have.

On poppin the tin and lettin the bouquet waft from the baccy givin it plenty o time to settle in, a pleasant aroma comes forth from the latakia and virginia's. The charrin light is cool and tasty. After a "let's get acquainted relight" it 'as a nice warm room note. Burns down to a fine ash. Vitamin "N" is stronger in this than some o Mr Dunhill's other offerings. All in all it might be best after eve victuals along the lines o Aperitif. Should partner nicely wit a fine dram o the Capt's rum, or other adult libation...

too strong for my taste. struggle to finish a each bowl. got to pass, no looking back keras sangat.. rasa gatal dalam kerongkong tiap kali sedut dalam

The tin that I'm smoking from is several years old and was blended by Murray. It is no longer produced and hasn't been for some time. The orientals play a significant part of this smoke while the latakia and other tobaccos stay well in the background. It has a buttery, sweet flavor with a touch of spice. Not my preferred Balkan blend but pretty tasty if you can find some.

Another mixture that deserves its place in todays market. Rich, smokey, with a little spiciness to it. Certainly get the cigar undertones and nice little dance from lady 'N'. Not sure why Orlik would not make this available but my guess is that they are clearly missing a rich nitch of sales in our world.

Sorry to see this one gone.(again) Hope it comes back someday. A real staple and benchmark balkan. If you ever see this one on a pipeshow table, and your a balkan fan who has never tried it, drop the coin and enjoy!