Esoterica Tobacciana Margate

(3.31)
A classic English mixture done in the "old style" of many of the fine tobaccos that have now disappeared from the market place. Choice Orientals, matured Virginias, and generous quantities of premium Cyprian latakia keynote this rich, full bodied blend. A well balanced, robust and eminently satisfying smoke.

Details

Brand Esoterica Tobacciana
Blended By J.F. Germain & Son
Manufactured By J.F. Germain & Son
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Shag
Packaging 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce bag
Country United Kingdom
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.31 / 4
117

55

22

15

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 208 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 05, 2013 Medium None Detected Full Pleasant to Tolerable
A TWIN REVIEW BY COMPARISON:

Margate is a maiden while Penzance is a matriarch. "Margate is to the morning, what Penzance is to the evening." These two are exotic, loving, sister-wives to be sure, but only "just." Both are lady-like in that neither will reward you with their secret dainties unless treated with dignity and respect. However, approached with gentle hands and patience, they will both yield their hidden delights and favor you with their mysterious and oriental treasures. I love both of these, my Macedonian wives. Esoterica has a harem of these ladies, and Penzance and Margate are the most favored women among them. Once you have been seduced by both, you cannot do without either. All others pale in comparison.

Upon opening, both have a fragrance that tantalize the senses with veiled promises of things to come. Upon lighting, wait for them to warm until they unfold with that soft, unique, slipstream fragrance that you long for. The lingering, haunting, room aroma is uniquely "Esoterica". From there, and until the end of the experience, there is nothing else that compares. It is Beulah Land!

So what then is the difference? Well it is subtle but real. Margate is a tad crisper, tangier, while Penzance is softer, more mature and deeper. The first is a tease, while the latter is a lover. Again, "Margate is to the morning, what Penzance is to the twilight, the evening, and the black and dark night." Like virtuous women, they are hard to come by, but well worth the wait. If you find them, keep them. They are faithful to their man. Four heavenly stars! Enjoli' !!!
65 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 01, 2014 Medium Extremely Mild Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
The Virginias are grassy, lightly earthy and woody in a supporting role. Much of the sweetness is citrus, but there is a little dark fruit. The Orientals lead the pack as the Cyprian Latakia offers strong support. The Latakia is lightly sweet, as well as woodsy, earthy, musty and very smoky. The Orientals provide some spice, floralness, earth, wood, smoke, leather, dry sourness, and a little buttery sweetness. There's a bit of fragrant incense which comes from the Orientals and Latakia, and a light sweet topping. The strength is medium, while the taste just crosses over that line by a step. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Won't bite, and has no harsh or dull moments. It's a little moist, but being a shag cut, that's not a bad thing as it will slow down the moderate burn rate. Burns very cool. Has a very rich, consistent, mildly complex sweet and savor flavor from start to finish. Leaves just a little moisture in the bowl, but no dottle. Needs a few relights if not dried. The after taste is pleasant, except for a slight wine note that I find a little distracting. People around you will think you started a campfire in your den. Not an all day smoke.

-JimInks
49 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 30, 2012 Medium to Strong Extremely Mild Very Full Very Strong
This is really nice stuff. This is the Guinness of the tobacco world. It is dark, and full, and creamy, and just good.

Margate is a really interesting blend. When first opening the tin I noticed the cut first. A very fine shag like cut. This presentation makes this blend very easy to pack and a breeze to keep lit. There are some interesting olive green strands in my tin. I am not sure what they are but they are tasty.

This is a true pipe smokers blend. Cherry aromatic lovers need not apply. This sucker is strong. It is so strong that even my dog leaves the room when I fire this one up. It has a deep rich latakia flavor and a slightly odd aftertaste. Not wholly unpleasant, just unidentifiable. This one will stink up the house so if you have a loverly significant other be ready for a fight.

As the bowl progresses a new and tasty flavor develops in the second half. Most blends I feel have their better days in the first half of the bowl, this is one of the few where I look forward to the last waning moments.

If you like latakia you must give this one a try. I find it is far and above what Dunhill MM 965 tries to be. Highly recommended.
32 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 12, 2014 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
Very, very well balanced. I wonder how long this blend is aged before it hits the market? I ask because the components seem to be melded together almost completely. It very nearly has just one flavor and I would call that flavor English. I can separate the Virginias though and it's because they have a very pronounced wine-like nuance. This blend is incredibly delicious. Medium in body and medium to full in flavor. I just love it.
Pipe Used: MM General, MM Country Gentleman
PurchasedFrom: pipesandcigars.com
Age When Smoked: fresh
31 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 21, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
Esoterica - Margate. Another blend I acquired in a trade with Gentleman Zombie; thankyou so much Franck, this is by far the best English I've smoked.

As there are so many good things said about this, it makes it a touch tricky to think of what to put! I'll start by saying it has a superb, well balanced English flavour. Out of the three, none of the tobaccos seem to outweigh the others, they all work together in perfect harmony! The smoke has no sharpness and nor is there any particular piquancy, it's actually a very smooth taste for an English.

The burn is absolutely fantastic: a great speed, brilliantly even and very independent.

The nicotine quantity is just below medium, for me it wouldn't qualify as mild, but I'd say without doubt it's below medium.

I love the room-note, it's not too much nor too little.

This has more than a balanced taste to it, I love it; thanks Franck!!

Highly recommended.
Pipe Used: Levent Meer' Claw
PurchasedFrom: Traded with Gentleman Zombie
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 13, 2013 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
The first and only bowl of Margate I've had so far, I smoked while taking a hike in the wooded areas of a nearby park. The weather was damp with a slight chill, and a thick fog hung in the air. Might sound strange, but boy, was it a nice experience. A leisurely stroll, absorbing the fresh brisk air and ambience, and sipping on some fine tobacco. And Margate is a fine tobacco indeed. The breadth of flavor covers almost everything I enjoy in balkan blends, but it's really the refinement and depth of flavor that really lends it what I can only describe as an extra dimension in taste. It's as if every aspect of the flavor has been honed to brilliant clarity. I'd imagine that's owed to the high-quality ingredients married together in just the right proportions. Plus this is one of the only tobaccos I've tried whose taste is comparable to a spice, in my opinion. In the end of my hike, I was relaxed, at peace with the world, and extremely satisfied.

On other notes, it comes somewhat moist and can use a brief drying. Nicotine levels aren't very high, I can't say I felt any sort of punch. Tin note is strong, with some slight tartness. Room note, from what I smelled drifting past my nose, is quite nice (for a pipe smoker). It burns quite slowly, over an hour and a half for me. Finally, it left a pleasant aftertaste in my mouth and a delicious aroma in my nose.

Currently, there's only one tobacco that I've tried that tops this, and that's Captain Earle's Private Stock, but its flavor profile is vastly different. It's just my preference though. I've only tried one other blend by Germain, their Balkan Sobranie re- release, and though I've only had one bowl of either, I would say I prefer Margate. My opinion may change once I give both more tastings, though both blends are so rare that I'm saving them for special occasions until I can obtain more. I wish I could compare this to the highly regarded Penzance, but I've yet to get my hands on any. Overall, Margate simply is an exceptional blend and gets my full recommendation.
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 21, 2002 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
Margate is not quite as elegant as Penzance, but is still quite aristocratic. I enjoy this blend tremendously. It is more "latakia tasting" than Penzance and not quite as rich and creamy. It is ready rubbed, so, you waste no time getting the stuff into your favorite briar.

I consider this to be a traditional English, yet not quite as plain as, say, the Dunhill English blends. This one packs more complexity. If you like Dunhill 965, take a step up in class and grab yourself a tin of Margate. You'll be glad you did.
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 11, 2002 Strong None Detected Very Full Strong
I'm reviewing three tobaccos today and this is the one I really wanted to tell you about. This is a classic English and reminds me years ago when I used to smoke Balkan Sobraie #759 on a regular basis. Since it has been many years since I last smoked the Sobranie it is difficult to compare them, but if my memory is correct, Margate is even better. When you open the tin the aroma is unmistable, it is latakia, perique, and Virginia in the perfect amounts. The ribbon cut packs without effort, the moisture is just right even from the opening of the tin. The slow even burn lasts and clouds of white smoke will take you away. The room is heavy with the smoke so if you have non latakia folks around they aren't going to like the smell, but you will. This blend does not burn cool and it will heat the tongue, but for an English of this strength it is surprisingly cool and non biting. Non latakia smokers beware however, because if you don't know strong latakia this could be too much of a good think. For those who love English, but you don't know Margate you owe it to yourself to try it. This is my current favorite English with a select few nipping at it's heels.
20 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 16, 2004 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable to Strong
Appearance: A mottled, variegated array of colors in this beautiful ribbon cut blend. Overall, it averages out as medium, so I assume not too heavy in Latakia, or in lemon Virginia.

Aroma: A gorgeous balanced English/Oriental aroma. All the players are well represented, the sweet Virginias, the spicy Orientals and the smoky Latakia (Cyprian).

Packing: Packs well in normal sized pipes, Just the usual care required.

Lighting: Lights with the usual two matches, tamp in between.

Initial flavor: Great mouth filling, well balanced flavor. I can taste all the ingredients in the right proportion. Burns slowly, but steadily.

Mid-bowl: Continues to burn nicely, cool and dry and very tasty. There is complexity in the flavor, but not much variance even at the slowest burning rate. Just a medium to full Oriental flavor with great mouth feel and presence. Doesn?t change much, but never boring.

Finish: A bit stronger at the end, not excessively so. Leaves a clean gray ash in a dry heel.

Summary: An excellent choice for the Oriental smoker looking for a blend in the medium to full range. If that?s you range, this could be an all-day smoke for you. Definitely a classic, and highly recommended.
14 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 21, 2015 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Very Pleasant
No way will I ever get my mitts on Penzance,my all time favourite,so have to settle for another not quite as desirable offering from Esoterica,ironically manufactured in my country of residence,shipped to the States and shipped back to the U.K.....what a jet setter of a backy.If this was wine,it would be in shock! By comparison to Olson's Blue Queen,just polished off,with similar elements,this is streaks ahead. With a bowl on the go,as most,if not all pipe tobacco contemplatives do when pen is put to paper,accounting for such a high level of epicurean literacy,I humbly offer this up. Margate,for over 250 years,was right up there as a vacation resort for the Brits ,especially popular with the Victorians,taking delight in the crystal clear sea,the most delightful sky,as Turner put it and the golden sanded beach,of course. Laterally,however,Margate has become a shithole! The saving grace is that this mediocre town's name has been linked,coupled,paired with one of the greatest pipe tobaccos ever manufactured. A bit like the Chateau Lafite of the backy world,it offers a sublime complexity of creamy smoking pleasure,equaled only by the top offerings on this website. Latakia,it seems,can be a tad overpowering,Virginia a bit boring and Orientals,well,just too Oriental,however,this blend,like the Lafite ,whether by freak accident or pure genius,has succeeded in providing something quite superlative for the discerning pipe smoker. Ah! Time for another bowl and a double espresso......what a tough life!
Pipe Used: A difficult to clean ,gurgling Peterson
PurchasedFrom: A shop
Age When Smoked: Still 63
13 people found this review helpful.
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