Tobaccos Esoterica Tobacciana - Margate

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Theodore Moore (14)	2013-11-05		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' !!!

63 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2014-01-01		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

47 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	musicman (131)	2012-01-30		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.

31 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2014-04-12		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

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

30 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2016-04-21		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

Purchased From: Traded with Gentleman Zombie

20 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-02-13		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.

20 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-04-21		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.

20 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-11		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.

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2004-11-16		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.

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipeologist (27)	2015-11-21		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

Age When Smoked: Still 63

Purchased From: A shop

Similar Blends: Chateau Lafite 1982.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	balkan_boy (49)	2014-10-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I don't recall how Margate used to be back then when Esoterica tobaccos were widely available, I smoked mostly Penzance then. What I'm reviewing, is the new batches coming every now and then from Germains workshop. Although there are a lot of orientals, this isn't a classic Balkan, more of an English. Very easy going smoke. Pack it loosely, and a bit on the wet side if possible. Awesome smoke. Not wild, not rural, not kicking, perfectly tamed and balanced smoke as a whole. It doesn't distract you from everything else and doesn't keep all your attention to the smoke like Penzance. Not anywhere near Penzance, but it's Esoterica's second best choice. Cheers!

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: 9 months

Purchased From: 4noggins

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TorontoSmoker (19)	2014-10-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

There's nothing I can say about this blend that hasn't already been said. English blend perfection! The tin I procured was already aged quite a bit, and it's fantastic. What a great smoke! All the components blend together seamlessly to form an English smoker's dream. I love the shag cut. I like it better than it's cousin, Pembroke. If there will be pipe tobacco in heaven, this would be it.

Age When Smoked: 4 - 7 years(?)

Purchased From: eBay seller

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2012-01-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This was the first latakia blend that I ever smoked. I purchased it in bulk from my local tobacco shop who is kind enough to break up the 8oz bags into smaller increments for their customers. My sample was a bit on the dry side but altogether smoked well.

This blend can be fiery and a little heady if I pushed it too hard, but its redeeming qualities are bundled tightly in its intricate illusory flavors. I say this because Margate has an undeniably dry flavor kick with very little sweetness to hang on to. Enjoying Margate is on par to enjoying a really dry & oaky red wine in that its flavors are presented in a much narrower spectrum. That said, most of these flavors are tough to pin down or compare to some of the obvious food related references that are often tied to sweeter mixtures. Perhaps it's best to say that this mixture just tastes like well blended, high quality no-frills tobacco.

If anything, Margate has made more of an impact on me through my sense of smell. Its pungent incense like aroma is a thing of beauty and keeps me coming back for more, where its flavor ebbs and flows between full round and spicy, to subdued and at times somewhat flat. The real magic with Margate is this dance it does with my olfactory senses. Perhaps I spent too many nights as a kid in front of the camp fire with my friends and family but if I could rate Margate's rich wood fire like aroma on a nostalgia scale of 1-10, it would easily rate a high 9 for me. There is something that I crave with this one yet flavor is only one component of the craving.

For me this mixture took some time to fully appreciate. Sometimes when something is so simple it's easy to overlook what it does well. And what Margate does is satisfies my desire for a rich dry latakia laced smoke.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2014-07-08		Mild	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

There's a pungent smell from the 8 oz. bag, a smoky incense aroma that will also be found in the smoke. A cool, dry and smooth smoke that I smoked slowly as I didn't feel the need to puff hard. There's a sweet, cloying casing that's quite present, with some smoky/incense flavoring. This was my first Esoterica Tobacciana mixture.

Update: After trying Penzance, I revisited Margate to make a comparison between them. I get the same cloying sweet/incense casing but lighter in Margate. The mouth and breath are not as heavy after a pipe bowl but still. It's in fact a Penzance light, because of a lighter chemical enhancement. Esoterica Tobacciana, you have tested positive for chemical enhancement in all the tobaccos I have tried and no hype or gimmick will save you. You are dismissed with no regrets.

Virginia lover

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2018-02-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Margate is another 1st class blend from the Esoterica line from the Germain family. The tin note is very similar to the current version of Balkan Sobranie (also made by Germain). This is an Oriental/Turkish forward blend that is in a bed of wonderful Virginia's and top shelf Cyprian Latakia. The VA sweetness with the woody, spicy and sour orientals supported by smokey and incense like Latakia is heavenly. The flavor of this tobacco is also the stuff of legend (this will be one of those blends that will be whispered about if it ever goes away like the old BS tobacco's). This is blend that will taste different in different pipes, it will vary with smoking cadence and even the shape of the bowl. It is complexity defined. I will say that this blend sings in meerschaum pipes. I have tried to nail this one down prior to reviewing, it is so good and it has such a range I wanted to make sure I had a good relationship with her so that I could review it effectively and maybe help someone with their introduction, it is an elusive blend and our hard earned cash deserves to be spent well.

So if you have a meer, smoke that one first. If you have deep wide bowled briar, I found them to be the best. If you have a bog oak / morta pipe that is also a temple for this blend. This blend smokes best dry (IMHO). The base of Virginia's is what I get first. Sweet, bready, hay loft old hay. Grassy flavors with earth and a hint of citrus (I am not sure if what I get is citrus from the VA or a hint of sour from the Orient). The Orientals are wonderful. I wish I knew what VA's were included but I am fairly sure there is yenidje and smyrna present in meaningful quantities. There is a "fizzy" or seltzer like taste I get on the retrohale and the nuances from the orientals come out even clearer in a morta or meer. They are spicy and woody: cedar, balsa wood and hickory come to mind. The latakia is a support condiment. It is sweet and smokey. The malty flavors get richer and richer as you smoke through the bowl. When dried you can smoke this to a white ash with 2 matches. Light on nicotine but big on flavor. The rarity of this blend makes it an occasional smoke but it could be a "desert island" blend, one to smoke often and forever. For those of you that also have a tin of Pembroke, this is Pembroke sans cognac. I have never had a blend of this caliber and complexity aided by a topping. Pembroke actually takes the flavor of this wonderful blend to another level, it actually makes it better. (a review for another...review). I wouldn't want to replace Margate with Pembroke but it is truly amazing what Germain did with adding a topping to a base blend: I highly recommend trying both.

Pipe Used: briar's, cob's and meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 1 year +

Purchased From: B&M

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	the_dalai_lama_himself (43)	2017-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Dark full flavored, balanced and earthy.. Esoterica does wonders with Latakia. Not as robust as Penzance and without the topping/ sweetness of ...And So To Bed.. and without the bite of Pelican which I find similar.. it's a nice happy medium. Margate is a refined possible all day smoking English with some beefiness to it.. if you can find enough of it.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2017-02-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Mottled in color, this is almost a shag cut of very thin ribbons. In fact, I'm not sure I know where that line is drawn, but I would still call this a ribbon. Classic English blend tin nose. I've had this in my cellar for almost three years but for some reason never felt like opening it until now.

Classic English blend flavor as well. The latakia is front and center but not overpowering. I distinguish English blends from Balkan blends by the power and flavor of the orientals used, and this one is classic English, as the orientals are very subservient to the latakia and somewhat to the Virginias. The latakia is powerful and sweet, with all the campfire essences noted. The Virginias are very lightly tangy with the barest hint of citrus. However, they aren't just a base for the latakia and orientals - they have quite the personality. The orientals are smooth and mellow with a hint of sour and spice. Two things of personal note on this blend - first, it grew on me. Two or three bowls of this does not tell the story - it requires a full tin to take this one's measure. It's not just a lat bomb. Second, the name "Esoterica" means to a lot of smokers something very special. To me, it means Stonehaven and a host of fairly ordinary blends. Nothing wrong with this one - in fact, if you enjoy a lat blend on the heavier side, you could do a lot worse than this one. My point is you could also do a lot better IMHO.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BriarWoody (33)	2017-01-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've smoked Margate for years and just tried an aged sample. (You need to stock up on this if you like it, because it's difficult to procure.) Maybe my tastes are changing, but I think this and other Germain offerings are just too finicky.

The shag cut is annoying to pack, and even after you let it dry, it is nearly impossible to keep lit. Then once it gets going, the show's over, because it burns so quickly. Also, some of my tins weren't air sealed when purchased new.

The flavors are good and the tobaccos are pressed and aged to the point that everything melds into one common core of smoky and earthy flavor. The nicotine level is low.

To me, there are many other choices in this crowded category that are far better in temperament, presentation and taste.

I feel the same about Germain's re-release of Balkan Sobranie.

Age When Smoked: Aged and Fresh Tins

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bigdadz (39)	2014-07-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

This is amazing stuff! It you are looking for that signature old world English taste, this is it! Leathery, nutty, well balanced, smooth and full flavoured. The tobacco is of very high quality and is a fine ribbon cut which I prefer. I like this one more than penzance. Shame that it isn't very easy to find.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FilipPruncu (89)	2020-06-07		Medium	Very Mild	Full	Very Pleasant

Another great experience!

I know how difficult it is to get your hands on Esoterica blends, and I know how expensive they are if you try to buy them from those who try to make a business of their own, buying lots of tins then selling them at high prices. So many probably ask themselves: “Is it worth giving that money on eBay or should I still wait my chance to buy it when it’s available on official stores?” I hope my review will answer your question.

So, lets get to it!

First experience:

1st Tin note:

Well.... sniffs ... oh God, this is a strong, strong smell! sniffs ... smells a bit like the American version of Nightcap, it has that strange sting, mostly like an oriental but not leathery, more like vinegar mostly. sniffs The latakia doesn’t smell very strong.

I think it’s quite an old tin because the wrapper has a lot of nicotine on it, but even so the tobacco is quite moist.

There’s some black leaf in it which is the oriental and latakia, it also has a lot of yellow to dark yellow virginia. They seem to be very well balanced. The cut is not really a shag, it’s a peeble cut I think, something between very small ribbon and tiny bits.

The first match was horrible and that was my mistake because I didn’t puff correctly, but the second smoke was good. It lights up very well, it really reminds me of Frog Morton.

Few puffs later: Yeah, this definitely tastes like Frog Morton, it has that strange taste of barbeque sauce, vinegar, Warchestershire Sauce. It’s not very smoky either. It’s a good and pleasant smoke, but it’s definitely not full bodied, it’s actually a blend that you have to sip slowly, like an old wine, and enjoy it, because it’s complex, it’s not a straightforward latakia bomb or something simple, it’s actually complex in a very interesting and pleasant way. It burns very, very well.

I’ve let it cool down for like 5 minutes or 10 minutes at most and after I lit it the strange taste of vinegar went away. It’s a very buttery (like butter) and silky, smooth and a little leathery and a little smoky. It’s interesting because it has many aromas but none of them are pronounced, they dance together beautifully.

It’s actually quite sweet, it’s not what you would expect from an english. I don’t sense that smoky characteristic, or the leathery characteristic or the spicy characteristic. It’s hard to describe exactly because it’s crazy how many flavors and aromas are in this, which makes it a very good, interesting and complex smoke.

Middle experience:

Yes, it has that taste of Frog Morton on the Log at the first two lights but after that it gets very silky and buttery. It’s sweet and smoky. Definitely some very good latakia. It’s not super smoky, but it has that latakia sweetness. It’s not the sweetness of the virginia which has some citrus notes.

A few puffs later: Boy this is good! I’m just trying to think of a tobacco that I could compare it with but nothing comes to my mind. There could be... it has something from all the great blends like Early Morning Pipe, My Mixture 965 and a bit from Frog Morton at the beginning, but this is unique from all I’ve smoked so far, this is quite different, in a good way. It’s complex, it’s delicious!

As you smoke, the smokiness gets more pronounced. There is the leathery taste as well but both tastes are much much better and smoother and delicate than in other blends. The room note is overwhelming in a very good way, I mean this is powerful! It really smells powerful but also very good in my opinion. It’s... WOW! It’s like an incense of some very secret plant that you would imagine being used in the ancient temples in secret mystery schools.

One more thing I’ve noticed is that no matter how much you puff, how much and how strong you puff, this one doesn’t get hot at all. Not even the pipe doesn’t get too hot. It’s clear that the virginia used here is not in a big amount, at least that’s my opinion, even though the blend smokes great.

I think this is the perfect blend for a very cold winter night when you sit by the fireplace and you light up your pipe and you drink some cognac or brandy or whatever fine drink.

It is very powerful in terms of smell. So it will absolutely fill the room with its amazing smell. It delivers a very thick smoke both in the air and in your mouth. It fills your mouth with soft smoke, like a cloud. Even when you retrohale you feel a very smooth sensation of the smoke, it doesn’t feel any spice.

After you go halfway the bowl the aromas that I mentioned, like vinegar or whatever, they go away and they start to deliver natural aromas of a very fine tobacco and very well cured and very well blended.

The latakia is rich in flavor but it’s not that super smoky latakia, it’s more like a sweet soft latakia with a bit of smokiness.

I’m now super interested in Penzance which is actually what I’ve been after for a long time, but since I couldn’t get my hands on Penzance I’m very very very happy that I managed to get my hands on Margate.

I don’t usually finish a review before I smoke at least one full tin, or even two tins, but in this case I will only smoke about half of the tin and the rest I will leave it for the winter because this is in my opinion the perfect winter blend, like I said, imagining sitting in front of the fireplace where the smell of the burning logs are getting together with the smell of this fine blend, and the winter and the silent nights of winter, because this should be enjoyed at night, in silence, maybe along with a classic book and a fine drink.

Another good thing for me is that nicotine wise this is not mellow, because I like and I need nicotine and this one delivers enough nicotine so that I don’t have to light up those horrible cigarettes.

This goes on my favorites list!

Similar Blends: Dunhill - My Mixture 965, Dunhill - Early Morning Pipe, Frog Morton on the Log (a bit).

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2013-03-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I typically don't like full latakia blends, but didn't mind this one at all. The blender boldly states that the blend is indeed a full english mixture. It smokes very cool and the orientals used are much to my liking. While the lat is strong, I don't find it overpowering at all. I was surprised to discover there was no Va in this blend.

This is definitely a once in a while treat. Successive bowls will not be a joy. My two ounces lasted better than a year. It shines in Cold weather in a contemplative setting. I prefer it in my briar bent acorn Sav DC, but also enjoyed it in my meer.

I will likely buy more because the flavor, to me, is unique enough that I think it will be good to have on hand. The hard part, like all germain blends, is waiting for the stars to align where you can actually find it.

12/6/2021 update

I was puffing on this and reading my reviews and some of the other reviews. One thing I did notice is that someone has changed the contents above to now include Virginia. When I reviewed this 8 years ago, they simply listed the contents as Latakia and Oriental. I was surprised at the time that Virginia was lacking as there is present in this blend a light sweetness that I have never encountered from Latakia or any oriental leaf.

With that said, I highly doubt the contents above either now or before were written by someone in Germain. Germain is very secretive about everything they do, so this information is all speculation anyway as the most you will get from the blender is the description which says nothing about Virginia leaf. In any case, it makes sense that this does include Virginia. Carry on. :)

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2012-12-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I am of the opinion that J.F. Germain makes their best blends under their Esoterica label. Margate is another winner and it is no surprise that it is sometimes difficult to obtain. The tin scent offers a musty, smoky smell that I find very inviting. Like many of the Germain blends, the cut of the tobacco is very thin. It is important to “pack with care” to get the most out of Margate. There is a generous helping of Latakia in Margate, but for me, the Orientals are the star of the show. I have smoked many tins of Margate, and it is wonderful just out of a fresh tin as well as a tin with several years of age on it. The Oriental tobacco(s) in Margate do offer a bit of sweetness, but it is mainly with age and more subtle than one would find in Virginias. Margate has a flavor profile that is somewhat unique among English blends. Some have referred to it as having incense like flavor and I would have to agree as I think it is the best adjective to describe Margate's taste. It certainly has its own niche in a world filled with countless English blends. I can't quite go to four stars with Margate only because it doesn't quite hold my interest as long as some other English blends and it seems to be in and out of my regular rotation. By the same token, it always seems to find its way back. LOL!

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wolfango (3)	2009-05-11		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I have been smoking pipes for more than 40 years now, and I am part of the legion in search for 'those' English mixtures: the advertised "old style". I must say that Margate is one of the closest Moderate flavor, quite British, but nothing memorable. I would compare to the second line oldies, like Four Squares, for example. I would say it is OK for the current standards. However there is a big problem, in my experience, that prevents me to recommend Margate to my friends. This mixture burns extremely hot, to the point of putting the pipe and my fingers in danger. Only a Meer can be smoked safely. And I felt the consequences in my lips too. Now that summer is coming, smoking Margate may become hell.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SiriusAmory (25)	2019-02-13		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

It is very easy to see why Esoterica tobacco is so highly prized. While the aroma directly from the bag is pretty much the same as any other English blend I've smelled, the taste is far superior. The tobacco is shag cut and easy to pack, and could do with a few minutes of drying before you start smoking.

The typical salty, peated flavor from the Latakia is at just the right level for my liking. I also get notes of toast, baking spice, earth, and a slight hint of pepper. The flavors meld so well together that it is almost difficult to separate them.

Margate burns very well and only required a few relights. The fine shag cut seems to keep the tobacco burning for much longer than more coarsely cut tobacco, which leads to a very long, enjoyable smoke. Margate can easily be smoked at any time of day and the mild to medium flavor won't overpower most other non-aromatic blends.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nkulk8r (90)	2019-02-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

"Happy mortal he who knows the pleasure that a pipe bestows."

Before I weigh-in on Margate, can I just say how glad I am that the finer, retro, off-the-grid charms, recondite rituals and artisanal pleasures associated with pipes and pipe tobacco remain such an obscure, undiscovered, underground undertaking that only we, the fortunate members of such a seemingly secret society, are currently enjoying(?)

I walked into to my local B&M tobacconist (Mission Pipe Shop in San José, CA) to pick some 6mm filters for a $53 Rossi Rubino I recently bought (without noticing it was filtered – my one and only filtered pipe). While there, I was also going to grab a tin or two of Margate that has been collecting dust on their shelves for the past two years (at least, since the last time I was there to pick up a pound each of Stonehaven and Penzance). Sure enough, when I walked in, there were half-a-dozen tins of Margate on the shelf, as well as some Dunbar and Pembroke. I picked up two tins of Margate, a tin of Dunbar, and then helped myself to their last 8-ounce bag of Penzance ($51, for 8-ounces of Penzance).

Can you imagine? In downtown San Jose – in the middle of Silicon Valley – I nonchalantly amble into my local pipe shop and casually pick up some Esoterica off the shelf, including an 8-ounce bag of Penzance (for $51). If pipe smoking ever hit fad status the way man-buns, vaping and Juuling had, can you imagine the calamitous effects it would have on the rest of us? The demand would so far outstrip the existing supply for everything pipe-related that the price of everything pipe-related would skyrocket to such astronomical levels as to utterly destroy this precious pastime for all but the obscenely wealthy.

The Margate is good . . .

Funny that people compare Quiet Nights to Penzance, but no one compares Penzance to Quiet Nights (I never made the connection myself, either way). While Margate and Penzance are clearly and closely related (one can both see and taste the resemblance), quite curiously, Quiet Nights is what came to my mind as I pondered over Margate. Margate has a spicy, smokey , incense-like perfume coupled with marvelous essence of Latakia flavoring, and a petite piquancy by way the Orientals and Turkish. Needs some dry time, as it also needs to be sipped. Methinks a wee more Virginia would have perhaps improved the overall experience, but with that said, Margate is both well-balanced and well-blended, a very fine English indeed. 4-stars.

Purchased From: Mission Pipe Shop, San Jose, CA

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2017-09-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Recently I purchased a small hoard of 5 to 20 year old tins of various pipe blends. As per the statement of the seller, a small number of them were unsealed and my tin of Margate was one of them. Dated 2004, it did not appear sealed and I went straight to opening it. Surprise, as the mixture was found smokeable with some moisture intact. It had been a long time since I had smoked Margate and, as I puffed, I dredged up my memories of it from twenty-five years ago. When Esoterica blends hit the local market, we all smoked the majority of them and a ranking of their English blends formed in my mind: Penzance first, Pembroke second and Margate a distant third. Why? I just didn't feel it was distinctive enough to rank with the other two and was lukewarm in competition with the likes of Dunhill 965. Now, to the present tense. Thirteen years of aging in someone's basement had melded all components into a smooth, but narrow ranged smoke that was neither outstanding nor mediocre. The tin appearance had changed to a very darkish hue of some umber brown and some nearly black particles. The smoking experience was, likewise, very smooth and confined to a narrower range that lodged it right smack at the top of the bell-shaped curve of medium English blends. This is my main bone of contention with this blend, in that, it lacks competitiveness with other English mixtures I have available today and had available in the past. I don't have anything bad to say about Margate but, on the converse, there is a limit on what I can say about what is good about it-three stars.

Pipe Used: Ashton and Roush Lovats

Age When Smoked: 13 years old

Purchased From: another pipe smoker

Similar Blends: although not in appearance, in smoking strength and taste levels it would be Early Morning Pipe with a little more Latakia and somewhat deeper stoving on the other leaves..

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Chr1st0sm1t (4)	2016-10-10		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Finally managed to get my hands on some of these due to the generosity of a friend visiting the States. This was the second smoke out of a brand new Savinelli and man! What a great smoke! My tastes have recently gravitated to oriental heavy English blends and this just fits that bill perfectly. Out of the tin rich, moldy, deep like freshly ground coffee with some sweetness added. A fine ribbon cut that needs a fair amount of drying time though, but once done packs sweetly into the bowl. First light is where the action begins and immediately the that first indicator of an oriental for me comes racing to the fore: a sweet, rose like flavour that pleasantly fills your mouth quickly followed by the rich chocolaty/coffee/woodfire taste of quality latakia. Heavenly. Normally I keep myself busy while smoking a pipe...reading, watching a video, whatever...but this held all of my attention. Right to the end where many other tobaccos tend to fade, that floral sweetness and smoky richness stayed. Absolutely delicious. Two downsides though: during the bowl it did seem as if the pipe got exceptionally hot every now and again. Even putting it down only alleviated it for a short time. This is probably due to the pipe being new, but cannot recall it getting this hot during its first smoke. And then towards the end of the bowl my tongue was definitely taking a bit of strain. Not so much proper tongue bite as with some Virginias, but almost a gradual drying out like when you've had a couple of bites too many of spicy food. But not enough to deter from four starts for me, definitely a top notch tobacco.

Pipe Used: Savinelli

Age When Smoked: 1 month out of tin

Purchased From: Friend

Similar Blends: Dunhill London Mixture, Gawith Hoggarth Balkan Mix.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Swiss-smoker (87)	2016-06-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

A fantastic, traditional, old style English blend, indeed. Evokes good old memories. Very balanced and skilfully selected Orientals, kind of warm, creamy, full body aroma, no beak pecking spiciness. Scrumptious Latakia. Rich palette of flavours. Natural tobacco sweetness accompanies you throughout the smoke. A gorgeous blend for all lovers of the old style English mixtures that have gradually disappeared from the market. Thanks to Esoterica, MARGATE fills the gap. It’s on my favourites list now.

Age When Smoked: About one year.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (220)	2013-07-21		Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Margate is another high-quality blend from ET. Tin note and light are well-tempered Latakia, and the light and the initial aroma and taste include the incense that Margate shares with ET's And So To Bed. Nice, and "sophisticated", indeed, but not my first choice for an everyday smoke. Like some other ET blends, the (shag in this case) tobacco loads, lights and smokes well when still "damp", needing only tapping (as opposed to poking or tamping) to keep it lit. The Oriental ("Turkish") tobaccos come up as the shag is (quickly) smoked down, and the blue-gray smoke and the taste take on a sharper, sourer note that I quite like. IMO, the best of this blend is the last of it. While I don't especially care for the immediate "smoky" aftertaste, this soon evens out to and lingers as the best of the final smoking notes.

All in all, an "impressive", fairly satisfying, Lat-forward blend that I hesitate to call a true English. Today I smoked Margate after a bowl of Orcilla Mixture (and after clearing my palate), and IMO Margate is "less" in the way of tobacco, per se, while being "more" in the way of component parts and "effects".

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	zulujerk (146)	2012-01-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I bought a tin of Margate in my search for the perfect Latakia mix. I've sampled so many in the past few years, and there are few that I return to on a regular basis. Nightcap, 965, and London Mixture have hit the heavy rotation with Dunhill's return to the American market, and I was looking for a strong Oriental counterpart to London Mixture for the sake of comparison.

Esoterica makes excellent tobacco, and in the esteem for Penzance, there are several in the line that have become sleeper blends for me. Margate fits that description. It is heavy on the Orientals and quite full, whereas most in that category are somewhat wimpy.

Browsing the reviews some time ago I came upon the astonishing claim that the blend is entirely composed of Oriental leaf and its smokier variety, Latakia. I just couldn't believe it--a Latakia heavy blend without any Virginias? I immediately pulled out my tin and began smoking away, curious whether this could be true. When evaluating the Oriental component, I make it a habit to pull the smoke through the nasal cavity to check for spiciness. In return, I was rewarded with a full onslaught of peppery spice. My appreciation for Margate hit a new high, and I dutifully consumed my remaining tin in short time.

Margate is an excellent counterpart to both London Mixture and Sam Gawith's Skiff Mixture, blends big on the Orientals. It lacks some of the sweetness that both exhibit due to the apparent lack of Virginia leaf, but it never feels light, or overwhelming. If you're mourning the inability to score a tin of Penzance, check this out...I think you'll find it a novel substitute, held to the same high standards of the entire Esoterica line.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sinister Topiary (84)	2009-06-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Margate is a delightful English/Balkan blend in the same class as Squadron Leader and Artisan's Blend, what Nojoqui calls "High English", which is a great appellation for these kinds of blends, which I liken to single-malt scotches, each a quality blend with its own distinctive signature.

It's the most finely cut ribbon I've yet seen, and it burns so easily that it can get hot if you puff hard, which you should definitely not do with this little beauty or you'll miss all its unique nuances, which gets more subtle and complex as you get down to the bottom, so sip it slow and you'll be amply rewarded.

But though I very much like this delectable, dignified blend I prefer it's sister, that painted hussy Pembroke.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-04-09		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable

I received from Mr. Ed Mitchell a can of Margate, as a result of an inquiry a few days ago (ask and ye shall receive!). Margate is from Esoterica, and promises "Best Full English" on it's label. Appearance: Nice oily wrapper, inside a bit more monochromatic than I expected. Checked the date... AH HA! Mr. mitchell is a connoisseur, who cellars his weed. The can had been aging a couple of years, diminishing the gold on brown contrasts that I'm used to seeing on most Latakia blends. The tobacco, unfluffed, has an almost "gelled" appearance, with a mirror flat surface and a slight sheen. Fluffing the same reveals a gorgeous, soft, yet wiry tobacco with just the right amount of moisture. Packs wonderfully. Lets take 'er for a spin.... Test Drive: Butane hits weed releasing a wonderfully complex smoke, with earthy undertones similar to an Imperial Grade Pu-Erh tea. Virginias more than hold their own in this blend, lending multilayered complexity to the whole. In the tradition of the very best Englishes, each puff reveals a little more of one aspect, and withdraws another. Slightly sweet, overtly "Va", segueing into rich Latakia perfume, shifting to hints of a garden after a light spring shower. Overall, I'd have to judge the strength as a med-full rather than a full. I deliberately let the smoke go out, and fired it again, 1/2 hour later. Still great, slightly less complex, but more intriguing than the majority of Latakia blends you are likely to run in to. She's a winnah! Overall, highly recommended. 9 out of 10 Bear claws

Bear

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (192)	2022-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The wax paper that covers the tin appears soaked in tobacco oils, as is often the case with Esoterica Tobacciana tobaccos, although in this case it is also justified because a few years have passed since the packaging date. The crystallization of the sugar can be seen in all the strands of the different ingredients that make it up, including the latakia. In the pipe it performs like a good quality tobacco: it burns very well, it does not generate moisture, it does not bite at all and the general flavor of the whole is very rich. As you can see, I find no fault with Margate. That said, I would like to clarify that given the enormous difficulty in Europe to acquire Esoteric tobaccos, I will not suffer as much for not obtaining this one as with other tobaccos. Just as I consider Dorchester, Dunbar or Tilbury, of the same brand, irreplaceable, I can find other English blends on the market that replace Margate. But this may also be because, although I like latakiada blends, my favorite tobaccos are virginias and va/per. As always I recommend, try it and decide for yourself. What is certain is that you will not go wrong...

Age When Smoked: 11 years

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr.James (39)	2017-12-13		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Margate reminds me of Bach’s Goldberg variations in the way the tobaccos interplay as the flavors are consistent yet dynamic. The Virginias are grassy sweet and citrus exuding quince and plum notes and are in the background. The premium Cypran latakia is dry, silky smooth and redolent of hickory smoke. The select Orientals are spicy, slightly floral sweet and nutty. There is a light topping, perhaps plum, which has a harmonizing effect on the blend. Slightly moist and may need dry time, the ribbon cut is easy to pack and keep lit requiring few relights as it burns evenly to a salt and pepper ash. No harsh or dull spots and won’t bite your tounge. A must try Oriental forward English blend.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CherchezLaghost (52)	2017-08-06		Very Mild	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another sumptuous treat from the Esoterica line. This is a full flavored English mixture that distinguishes itself from a field of strong competitors. A most unique blend. Firstly, i must say that the oriental component here imparts a very exotic, pungent, and lush element to the flavor. My guess is that this is augmented by a top note, but if so it is deftly done, and its possible that the varietals themselves are solely responsible for the piquancy. Latakia is employed perfectly, it is rich and cool and woody. There is an anise/licorice note throughout that melds softly with the latakia in an incense-like way. The lack of virginia sweetness results in a dry, fragrant, muted smoky depth that is unique in its class. I have 2 pipes dedicated to the blend, both small bowled. Try this if you favor unique English blends driven by oriental bases. It is a wonderful smoke. Light on nicotine, this is one i savour for its scent and flavor alone. A deep, lovely well crafted mixture for contemplative moods, one that i keep an 8oz stock of and smoke only very rarely. I have a tin of its relation pembroke that has been in my cellar for nearly 3 years and have yet to open it...i find it hard to imagine margate being better with added cognac, but one of these days i will give it a spin and find out!

Pipe Used: Briars

Age When Smoked: New to 2 yrs

Purchased From: Smokers Haven

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cold Comfort (14)	2017-05-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Like Penzance, this is good tobacco. Due to the difficulty in getting these blends, I think the mythology built around them is overrated and not deserved. There are many other blends as good or better, and that are in ample supply.

Pipe Used: Peterson Kinsale XL17

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: Gifted

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TheAdversary (4)	2014-08-30		Overwhelming	Very Strong	Overwhelming	Extra Strong

Got this in my pipe tobacco of the month club offering and am wondering who I angered to get sent this vile substance. I now know why esoterica is so hard to get, as superfund sites are cleaned up and closed down the toxic soil needed to grow the tobacco used in making this horrid blend becomes more scarce by the day.

Ok that may have been a bit of an overstatement, but i have never had a worse tasting tobacco, and I have sampled many dozens in my pipe smoking odyssey. Starting from first light my entire mouth felt like it was on fire, and the most peculiar bitterness settled on the back of my tongue. I tried to persevere, thinking it would pass, but this strange bitter oily smoke only got worse, to cool things off I tried sipping on some iced tea and it was like throwing gasoline on a fire, I was literally gasping in pain.

I gave up. Emptied the bowl, threw out the bag, and it was almost two days before I could smoke anything again. Thankfully it did not ghost my pipe, and I am not one of those drugstore aro smokers, I like a strong English blend as much as the next guy. But there was just something about that blend that my body chemistry rebelled against. Good on ya if you can get along with it. But be warned, for some folks out there it'll blister your tongue and peel the lining from the inside of your mouth.

Pipe Used: Dunhill bruyere pot

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: Battery acid.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-09-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

The tin I smoked had nearly a year on it before it was opened. Absolutley amazing flavours, smooth, soft and 'buttery'. The taste is similar to 965, but without the ciggie notes, delicate but full, enough nicotine for me, only just..

I have smoked a lot of nice tasting stuff, but this takes the cake. It could only be improved by making it a touch stronger. I'm gonna stock up.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	quantumboy (130)	2010-12-15		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I think this is a sleeper blend that gets lost in the limelight of its siblings Penzance and Stonehaven. I really like this as a medium-strength english blend with lots of flavor. Apparently it has no Virginia leaf, but it does not suffer in the arenas of sweetness or strength. A very tasty blend, it's one that I want to cellar, and it's actually readily obtainable!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-10-05		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

Vapid - a waist of money and worthless. I cant believe people actually PAY for this stuff!! I did...I have thrown it in the garden!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-07-04		Medium	Extremely Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Tolerable to Strong

This is the worst tobacco I have smoked since the day I started smoking.

Who ever suggests trying this one first and then Pembroke is right. If you taste this ghastly thing, you might spare yourself from trying Pembroke. It injured my throat and it took me three days to smoke.

This was a first! When I do not like a tobacco I usually mix it with others so as not to waste it. This one went straight to the bin.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-17		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Preface: I have been smoking Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium for near-on 30 years, believing that it has no equal anywhere on earth. But it is gone now, and so I begin a quest for my Holy Grail: A substitute to replace the standard on which all English tobaccos are based:

Margate is an English from England. Reading the reviews here (ecstatic, mostly) I only wish they'd all gone on to try SMM. Because Margate is in the ballpark, but SMM is so much better.

Phantom55 said: "Tried this based on the overwhelming positive reviews here. Smells good in the tin, like fermenting Virginia. Unfortunately, to me, does not smoke like it smells. I must be quite sensitive to whatever flavoring agent they use, and there definitely is one. The tobacco just has a very peculiar flavor that I can't readily identify."

Well, that flavoring is definitely there. Almost like perfume, and I don't much care for it.

Pipestud (who's reviews I generally respect) said: "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."

Well. Dunhill 965 had Cavendish so, yes, Margate is a step up from there.

Of SMM Pipestud said: "If you want a smokey flavor lingering in your mouth for hours after you finish a bowl, grab a tin of this stuff"

Precisely. Pipestud offered 3 stars for Margate and 1 for SMM.

Margate lacks the complexity & smokiness of SMM, as well as the full body. The tin description bears no mention of Virginias, whose omission, if correct, may account for some of this.

Tin was deliciously moist. perfect in my opinion, and it burned very well. But it DOES have that perfume smell and taste.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-10-19		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Probably my favorite of the Esoterica latakia mixtures (or the one I tolerate most): a classic English blend, with the typical mustiness and rich smell of good aged leaf.

It's dark, bittersweet, rich and spicy, but overall very rounded. Not as punchy as some Dunhills, although it reminds me a bit of the old Nightcap (when it was still a good tobacco), without its extreme strength. After a few days (the tobacco in the tin comes very moist), it becomes more balanced and subdued.

For me, not memorable or anything special compared to the "drier" and cleaner tastes of GLPease mixtures, but a good blend anyway.

If you like this, you might want to try And So to Bed, too.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mijnnif (130)	2023-04-01		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Tin note is sweet and musky Latakia. I was fortunate to receive a aged sample from a friend. 11 years of age makes this quite smooth. A mild English with some sweetness. Burns very even. It has a sweet topping of some sort that has stayed in the tobacco flavor. Personally I find the room note pleasant. For a mild English its very complex . The Latakia is second to the Orientals the Orientals add some mild spice (not the cooking type) along with the Turkish . The Virginias gives it fullness. Outstanding blend if you can find it at a reasonable price.

Pipe Used: small bowl briar

Age When Smoked: 11 years

Purchased From: friend gift

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr.Pink (4)	2020-12-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I have been smoking a pipe for around 15yrs, when it wasn’t cool, the in thing to do , frowned upon. My experience means nothing, but I have smoked quite a few blends, probably wasted my money on hundreds of blends that still sit in my cellar, unsmoked. I never write reviews, our palates are too diverse for anyone to even to attempt at a recommendation. Make all the excuses/Justifications you want , but this blend and others of this Blender , everything sells out in minutes. Hype/small batch...BS. Piper’s pay triple the price to acquire these blends when not in stock? Brick and Mortar, limits? one per customer? Smoke this blend ,and your other , so called “English” Tabaco's will sit in the cellar like mine. Sorry , I am not going to give you a wonted review of this blend as It will not do the blend justice, and that would be thoughtless of my fellow pipers. Once you smoke this English blend, you will compare it with every other English ,and be disappointed. A Legendary experience to say the least.

Pipe Used: Jess Chonowitsch Sandblasted Canadian

Age When Smoked: 2019

Similar Blends: Nothing.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tomcat (221)	2020-10-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Unnoticeable

Opening up this Bag of Margate it looked like almost all the tobacco was black Latakia . I was a little afraid I had made a mistake buying this . I did not ! Fairly wet The Tobacco was I loaded up immediately . Latakia blends and shag cuts for me smoke better moist . The Latakia is forward in this blend but the Orientals are right there with them . The Virginias are on the light side but do contribute to this overall nicely balanced blend . Very rich smokey and salty. . A little spice , sour and buttery , creamy flavor . floral and incense Aromas . Just a tad bit of sweetness and citrus . A nice aftertaste lingers pleasantly. 3 1/2 stars . Now maybe the Tobacco Gods will bless me with some Penzance and Stonehaven !

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kokinhenik (93)	2020-02-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Nice mellow well blendid smoke. Latakia forward. The nose of the tin was a bit strange as it was Oriental forward. Very woody and just a hint of Latakia. I was surprised how smokey it was when lit. It really gave me a spicy bite around the edges of my tongue. That must have been a combination of Oriental and Virginia that ganged up. Honestly I grabbed the tin looking for Perique in the blend, it was that spicy. Regrettably didn't like this one much.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Tobacco store

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HauntedMyst (22)	2019-11-08		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

As of this writing there are 182 reviews giving it a 3.3 average so I'll keep this short. If you can find it buy it! This is a luxurious blend in the traditional English style. Wonderful complexity and depth with all the tobaccos playing together nicely. As much as I like Pembroke (Margate with cognac topping), from time to time I like this - the untopped version. It's in my top 3 English blends and it is most enjoyable.

Pipe Used: Dunhill 6103

Age When Smoked: New and Aged

Purchased From: Updown Tobacco

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Green Leaf (15)	2019-10-12		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant

I have to say with all the hype surrounding this tobacco I’m a bit disappointed. Not say this is a bad blend far from it but with the price ($17 for 2oz) I expected a lot more. The taste I found to be almost non existent lacking any type of complexity. Maybe the problem lies with me, lacking a refined palette. Nothing in particular grabbed my attention and left me wanting. I did put some of it away to smoke at a future date in hopes that age will bring those flavors out. But in the mean time ⭐️ ⭐️. I will be posting an update on my final thoughts.

Pipe Used: Corn Cob, Briar

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-08-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

Update 2020-09-03

Here it is two years later and I just opened a tin of 2017 Margate. The number of blends I've had the chance to enjoy has increased along with my appreciation of English style blends.

Margate is still one of the "forgotten" it seems of the Esoterica lineup. Everyone scrambles for Penzance (even if just to flip it) but many times Margate and Pembroke are available for the asking.

Comparing Margate to other English blends now I find that main point that is offers is a creamy/buttery feeling to the rich smoke it produces. When sipped, it combines a nice sweetness, with a touch of sour and smokiness through the bowl. It's a very cool smoke with enough nicotine to know it is there without being overwhelming. I can honestly say that it is my favorite traditional English blend now and I work to keep it in the rotation. Pembroke is a great treat, being Margate with a Cognac topping added for extra sweetness.. making it a great desert where Margate can be a day long main course.

2018-08-28

Pembroke is my favorite Esoterica blend but I also find myself reaching for Margate quite frequently. Funny when I found out this is Pembroke minus the Cognac topping.

I find that I enjoy Margate the best when it is a little on the dry side. I find myself comparing most other English style blends to this one. Nice sweetness from the Virginias complimented with the spice of the orientals. The smokiness of the Latakia is not overwhelming.

This might be one of the more "underrated" Esotericas as I find it easier to find in drop shipments. I also use it sometimes to "stretch" my Pembroke by adding 10-15% to that favorite of mine.

Pipe Used: various

Age When Smoked: new to 5+ years

Purchased From: Smittys Cigars - Gainesville GA

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (401)	2017-06-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

I am finishing the last of my Margate that I bought in 2011. This is a really excellent tobacco. I have not smoked much of this because I kept buying new blends over the years. It is fairly spicy and smokes well with the ribbon cut but it does not last very long in the pipe. Not sure if I will buy it again but a really good blend to try.

Pipe Used: Savanelli Autograph #4 Free Style

Age When Smoked: 6 years

Purchased From: Liberty Tobacco, Kearny Mesa, CA

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DeathMetal.org (231)	2015-11-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Summary: A mild English with plenty of flavor, strong internal sweetness and nicely balanced extremes.

Esoterica blends remind me of the death metal band Immolation. When listening to it, most people like it, but then forget about it when it is not there. Similarly, I can appreciate these blends at the time, but then turn toward something with more personality. "Margate" offers a mix of Virginias that spans the range from sweet to bready, then adds in a fair dose of Latakia and Orientals. Somewhere in here the extremes of the Latakias have been muted and the bitterness of the Orientals tamed, with the Virginia present but mostly absorbing those flavors into its own. This smokes exceptionally well good burn and a mild, gentle flavor, but beyond that offers nothing to distinguish itself from other medium Englishes.

Similar Blends: Dunhill - Standard Mixture Mellow, Dunhill - Baby's Bottom (My Mixture BB1938).

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NobbyR (79)	2015-04-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

So this is the original blend that's being flavored with Cognac for Esotericas's Pembroke.

The dark tobacco is also a fine ribbon cut (almost a shag) and contains a generous share of Latakia. The tin note is rich and peaty with just a touch of sweetness. In a fresh tin it tends to be on the moist side with the tobacco strands clinging together, which can make packing and lighting a little difficult.

The taste is also rich as well as creamy and nutty with hints of dark chocolate from the Latakia and a subtle natural, tangy sweetness from the Virginia grades. It's a full bodied, satisfying smoke that goes along well with a cup of fragrant cappuccino, all this time being mild on your tongue when enjoyed with leisure. I find it a great tobacco to start the day with. It burns down to some powdery greying ash.

The room note is equally heavy and smoky.

Pipe Used: Rattray's 110th Anniversary

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: www.cupojoes.com

Similar Blends: Dunhill Early Morning Pipe.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Autumn joy (47)	2015-03-29		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Esoterica Margate is a very good English oriental blend. The Latakia in this blend is very good and the orientals work well with that. The virginia provides a sweetness and as with all esoterica blends there is that little something something I haven't been able to put my finger on. The tobacco comes in a shag cut and is really easy to pack and smoke. I purchased a 8oz bag and the dampness was for me just right. I know others would probably give this some drying time before smoking. I did enjoy this blend and I would reccomend this blend but the hype on all the esoterica blends isn't anything I would pay more then the base price for. There are a lot of other great blends out there. However if you do see this one I would pick it up for sure. Overall simply put this is a very enjoyable English blend.

Pipe Used: Rusticated Tomato

Age When Smoked: Unknown

Purchased From: Allegheny Smokeworks Blawnox,Pa

Similar Blends: Butera Pelican.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fr_tom (393)	2014-10-18		Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I would call this a narrow ribbon and not a shag. Mine was in a bag of uncertain vintage recieved as a gift from a friend. When I jarred it, the bag had small holes in the creases where you could see the light. It was slightly dry. I would recommend not waiting to jar once you get a bag. I have been smoking it as came out of the bag, but I might try hydrating it a little. If that produces a significantly different smoke, I will edit the review.

The blend is a very smooth, and presents as a mellow aged smoke. Initial impression was oriental with a medium smoky latakia. The oriental spiciness diminished as the bowl progressed and I picked up some dark Virginia notes. This leads me to suspect that some of the spice is a mild topping.

This was a good smoke, but it did not knock my socks off. I found it to be a medium Balkan that easy to recommend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stutter818 (51)	2014-06-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Spicy, latakia with a sweet undertone. Very clean smoke - got a hint of a slight potential bite since I was puffing on it for a while consistently. Very high quality tobacco - perfect moisture, not dry tasting or feeling. Very fine ribbon cut.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Estate Pot Sitter

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Straus Tobacconist

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-11-26		Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a tobacco grown, cured and packaged in the British Isles. So I suppose it should come as no surprise to find the overall aroma and taste is one of dried grass clippings. Upon further investigation I was able to pinpoint the aroma to Lucerne Grass, which is used in the manufacture of Rabbit pellets (by the makers and the rabbits). This tobacco rates alongside a good Welch Claret, or a fine Scottish cigar. I don't know what the other reviewers have been smoking but my tin has already been assigned to the city dump. Strictly a one bowl smoke, who can be bothered to persevere when it's made out of grass?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Peppino (74)	2010-08-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Very similar to 965 as I remember. Stays lit, burns evenly and smokes dry, leaves a clean gray ash. The flavor gets richer at the 1/2 way point with a nice finish. Great tobacco! As I have said on other reviews this is aged between 7-8 yrs. My next tins will not have that issue now that I'm back to my pipes!:) :Update the bulk version is a little moist and needs some dry time. However that said, this is still a great tobacco that I know now ages well. A great smoke that everyone should try at some point.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-04-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

First off I would like to say hello to my fellow puffers, for this is my first review on your wonderful forum. After spending six months or so lurking, and using these recommendations in my tobacco purchases, I have chosen to add my two cents into the mix. Thank you all for the words of wisdom.

I consider myself to be a novice pipe smoker whom has dabbled in the hobby for quite some time, but just in the last couple of years really took the time to learn about the different types of tobacco available to us. I began with the drug store tobaccos, and then moved into the boutique aromatics. I quickly grew tired of that avenue, and found myself asking my tobacconist for something a little more mature and grown up. Thus I have entered the world of English and VA/Per. I still have a place in my heart for a well crafted aromatic, but rarely does one find its way into my bowl.

With that said, when I first entered the wide world of English mixtures, I was greeted with a 2oz sample of Dunhill's 965. It was love at first puff. From there I found myself indulging in tin after tin of Early Morning Pipe. Now those are the two which I hold the standard of English tobaccos.

When I read the review a few months ago that this was a 965 replacement, I had to try it. For most of you know, EMP and 965 are all but extinct.

I bought an eight ounce bulk sample, and a few weeks later I was opening the vacuum sealed bag. The aroma was terrific. I could not detect any type of casing. I got a whole lot of latikia in the forefront with a subtle VA sweetness.

I loaded up a medium sized bowl Peterson system pipe, and set out to the front porch. Upon first light, I was greeted with a very pleasant earthy note. Not too much sweetness in the beginning of this bowl. As I progressed through this mixture, I was very surprised. For one thing, I had never received a bulk English that I ever enjoyed. Also anything in the past that had been compared to 965 was an utter let down.

I continued to smoke this, and as it progressed to he bottom of the bowl I noticed a little bit of an ashy flavour. This may have been purely the fault of smoking a bit too quickly.

I really enjoyed this blend, and I would classify it as a light to medium English. I could not really compare it to 965, nor should it be compared to any Dunhill blend in my opinion. Both are great tobaccos for their own reasons, but I feel they are completely different blends.

I am rating this as a well balanced English, and a pretty high quality mixture. This has found a place in my rotation usually on the weekends in the early evening.

Being a homebrewer and a beer judge, I often times pair tobacco with beer. This goes very well with a light IPA, or hoppy American Pale Ale.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-02-24		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant

Margate smells much like a Cabernet out of the tin. The aroma seems to be pleasent to others, even if a little strong. No need for an airfreshner to cover up nasty smells with this around. Maybe my neighbor needs to smoke some it might help him out.

Enough about my world back to the tobacco. It is very pleasent most of the time, however smoking this to much it gives me a mild headache. It's the flavor, even though similar to Pembroke, I don't know, I can't describe. But for a bowl now and then it is quite nice.

Margate I imagine would be great to smoke on the beach with a nice Cabernet Sauveignon at hand. I live in the deserts of Washington State so a beach setting I can only dream. I give this tobacco from my personal notes a 8.6 I'd buy it again but its a give or take.

A bit of a change here, no longer on a beach thats for sure, I just smoked some of this outside and yuck, It burnt my mouth like I was trying to inhale the sun, then A sour taste started around the back of my throat, after that severe thirst set in, and then a bitter taste preceeded by the sourness, it was total ick. On top it was burning really fast. It was gone in about five minutes for a 3/4 inch diameter bowl by about 1.5 inch depth. My new rating 4.1 I won't be buying this again since I wish to try so much.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-10-04		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

On the plus side, it doesn´t offend upon the match, it is clearly complex developing and alternating various flavors through out the smoking experience, it burns well, unlike Penzance it has some body that however at times wanes considerably, and it smokes cool without threat of tongue bite. On the minus side, it doesn´t taste good.

Additionally this product is clearly cased, which offends my sensibilities when considering an english blend. So many other companies can concoct a pleasurable smoking mixture in this genre without any apparent extra sauces. Tobacco smoke suposedly has enough noxious chenicals, why add more unless you have to? ¨Different¨ isn´t necessarily better, and after one gets over the initial intrigue, it can in many cases prove tiring. Such is the case with this tobacco starting at about a third of the way through the bowl.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Satc001 (67)	2006-07-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Overall, this is a pretty decent tobacco. I felt like there wasn't a whole lot of Latakia in it, but many orientals. It burns well, it smells good, but in my opinion, the flavor leaves something to desire. Margates flavor seems to have a smoked meat flavor to it, and just doesn't work for me. The quality is there, but the flavor isn't.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-01-12		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable

Tried this based on the overwhelming positive reviews here. Smells good in the tin, like fermenting Virginia. Unfortunately, to me, does not smoke like it smells. I must be quite sensitive to whatever flavoring agent they use, and there definitely is one. The tobacco just has a very peculiar flavor that I can't readily identify.

Can see why it is popular though. Don't think it would bite if you tried to get it to. Very cool and smooth smoking.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-04-19		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I did this backwards, and by that I mean I tried Pembroke first, which was a big disappointment. (See my review on that if you wish.) Apparently, Margate is Pembroke without the gimmicky cognac thrown in to spoil whatever tobacco taste there is. Margate is definitely better, but with or without spirits, it doesn?t do a whole lot for me. I can see why this tobacco would have its fans, but I guess you have to be a loyal Esoterica aficionado to appreciate it. Other than in Stella Doro biscuits, I?m not crazy about anise. Except for Penzance, none of their blends do much for me. I will be trying the Stonehaven, which I hear is beyond words, though I probably won?t like that one either. There?s simply too much good full English out there to waste any time with Margate.

Two of five stars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-10-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Greg Pease for President. Greg Pease wins Nobel prize. Pease to release 37 new latakia blends, world waits with baited breath. Man sacrifices children to Greg Pease. Greg Pease elected Pope.

Now, certainly, GLP is one of the preeminent purveyors of English blends, and his status is well deserved. The hyperbole bandied about his blends is as legendary as the blends themselves, but he is by no means the only game in town.

Margate is a magnificent blend in its own right, and the equal of several of the GLPs. It is subtle and complex, not unlike Renaissance, and more interesting than either London Mixture or 965, which have been round forever. Versus the GLP offerings, it has a head start of several years, and an aged tin of Margate is charming. If nothing else, it's just the ticket to tide one over while the Samarra, Raven's Wing, Charing Cross, et al matures.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-04-02		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Extra Full	Strong

Perhaps it's just me, but I had a bad experience with this particular blend. This was the first full English blend I ever smoked...I was entirely unprepared! The first time, I smoked it on an empty stomach and a few cups of coffee: big mistake! I'll leave the rest to your imagination!

It is quite strong, packs a hell of kick, and is quite tasty: once you get used to it.

A bit too expensive for my taste, though: Dunhill crafts an equally superb product for much less money.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Albion1956 (42)	2002-01-21		Very Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This is a tobacco that has a well balanced nose, in that the Oriental's, Latakia, perhaps South American Virginia, and Cavendish do a smart performance of impersonating the other. A medium brown in color, and not to moist. The tobacco packs well, like most ribbon cut, and the charring light post no aversion. Most of the journey down the bowl remains constant, without anybody getting upset. A good entry to the world of full English blend's, without recourse. Burns to a medium grey ash, little dottle. A good blend, but not one that is pronounced enough for my taste.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-17		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant

Awesome . I just love this stuff . heavy , rich , fragrant , full bodied , opulent . Latakia lovers will enjoy this one for sure .

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tillmanj (73)	2001-04-26		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin Aroma: dark and musky, obviously a goodly portion of Latakia in here. However, the Latakia is not overpowering. I enjoy the aroma of this blend quite a bit. It is a comforting smell, one I associate with good smokes and good friends, but Your Mileage May Vary, or course.
Physical Characteristics: Overall, this is a bit lighter in color than I usually expect an english type blend to be. A ribbon cut, with mostly light brown pieces, and the rest a dark brown. Clumps easily, and can be hard to 'trickle' into a pipe. Each tin of this that I get seems to have a higher percentage of 'shake' or 'dust' in the bottom than other blends, but that is merely an observation, not a complaint. A bit moist for my tastes right out of the tin, but a couple of days with the tin opened fixes it right up. Produces fluffy off-white ash.
First Light: Charring light is easy as pie, thought DGT doesn't really seem to add much to this blend. The initial puffs have a vaguely confectionary flavor to them that is very pleasant, and makes me wonder if anything is used as a top dressing in this blend. This flavor dissipates pretty quickly, and the real 'english' magic takes over. I have taken to using two charring lights with this blend, due to it's moisture content. I char the top, let it sit for a few minutes, then do another charring light, let it go out and then light it for real.
Notes: Morning smoking is best for me and this blend. I relish the Sundays when I get to take a tin of Margate, a couple of pipes, and a huge mug of steaming coffee out on the porch and watch the dew dry on the grass. Very heavy coffees will wash out some of the better notes of this blend, but something light, like a guatamalan is just about perfect here. This is one of the few blends that I do regularly smoke all day, and with the exception of a couple of pipes dedicated to Virgina blends, it has been through every pipe in my collection. Tall, straight bowls tend to work best with Margate, though I have no complaints about any bowl shape/size I have smoked it in. I can easily smoke 6-8 bowls of this in a day with only the faintest hint of tongue discomfort, and that only if I get distracted and puff too hard. The room note is fairly heavy, but this is the blend that has elicited the most 'my grandfather used to smoke a pipe' comments of anything I have smoked. I for one thouroughly enjoy the aroma of it, and have been known to smoke a bowl in the office with the door closes just so I can leave the room for a bit and come back to that wonderful aroma.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-04-08		Medium	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable

This is a "different" but very good tobacco. In fact, if not for Pembroke, I may even call this my favorite Esoterica blend. There is an extra component I can't identify that adds to the normal English flavor in an interesting but not unpleasant way. The aroma in the sample bag is mild and musty, with the smell of Latakia clearly present. The tobacco itself is rather dark, black dark browns making up most of the blend with an occasional lighter brown piece visible. The cut is medium and the tobacco is dry, though not as dry as C&D blends. It takes a flame easily and burns very well, needing a lower than normal number of relights. In the first third of the bowl, the storngest flavor is Latakia, smooth, rich, and fairly full. The other tobaccos are less important, though I do detect a hint of spice in the background. There is a strange taste coming through toward the end, an almost sour/bitter note that I can't place. Moving into the second third, the strange taste has faded a bit, as has the spice note. The Latakia is nice; it's not as full as many of the blends I like, but it still blends nicely with the other flavors present. The smoke is smooth, though not as much so as with Pembroke, and there is no bite. The odd taste seems to vary in intensity, weaker and stronger, as the bowl continues; it's especially intense on relights, and at times a little too strident. In the final third of the bowl, the odd flavor has merged more with the normal English flavor, and is much more enjoyable that way. The smoke is smooth and fairly full, and there have been no problems with bite or moisture for the entire bowl. It is nice blown out through the nose. It smokes cleanly right down to the ashes, and the finish is the best part by far. Overall, this is one of the most unique English blends I've yet smoked. The only thing that I don't like about it is the middle past when the odd flavor becomes a little too intense. Still, I would recommend this to others who like English blends, and I plan to smoke it as a change of pace from time to time.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-03-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Margate is a wonderful full flavored English blend. The tin aroma is quite tempting, and the dark shades of leaf mottled with a reddish/brownish character look as luxurious as they taste. Upon first light the sweetness of the Virginias really stand out. Soon after the blend begins to meld together quite nicely but despite the heavy dose of Latakia, the Virginias never get overwhelmed as they often do in some English blends. This blend is very well balanced and is certainly among my favorites of it's type -it burns quite cool and dry down to a beautiful whitish/grey ash. It's sister blend, Pembroke (Margate w/cognac topping) is even more luxurious and I tend to reach for that prior to Margate. Both are top notch tobaccos and highly recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Anthony Caridi (30)	2022-11-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This tin is 23 years old. I taste truffles and sweet balsamic vinegar. There is gentle smokiness here and an unusual incense. Very earthy in a delicate sense but persistently so. Somewhat buttery with a very light pinch of salt. The WOW factor is here!

Pipe Used: Mastro Beraldi

Age When Smoked: 23years

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Henry Davis (5)	2022-10-09		Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Wow! Practically Perfect in every way (Just like Mary Poppins)

This is the baccy I've been searching for since I started smoking a pipe way back in the early 1970s when I lived on t'other side of T'Pond. I used to smoke TBSOSM when I lived in Abingdon, and TBSOSM along with their 759 mixture were my favourites! Margate was recommended this afternoon by a good friend, and my goodness was he right on the money, or what?

Pipe Used: Peterson Copper Spigot (brand new)

Age When Smoked: 72 (last birthday)

Purchased From: Twins (Londonderry)

Similar Blends: The Balkan Sobranie Original Smoking Mixture..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gripsholm (43)	2021-12-16		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A while back I read a review somewhere, not sure if it was on here or on some other site, where the reviewer said he couldn’t tell the difference between Esoterica’s Margate and J.F. Germains Balkan Sobraine.

That particular review always stuck in the back of my mind, so about a week ago I opened a tin of each. I must say I totally agree. As I sit here looking at them and in turn smoking them I literally cannot tell the difference between either of these two tobaccos. Everything about them is exactly the same.

Margate is a shag cut tobacco. The color is mahogany with black. The tin note is a salty smoky aroma. While smoking, for me, what stands out most about Margate relative to other English style tobaccos is its creaminess. I’m not sure if it’s the way the Virginias are matured or the type of Orientals used but there is certainly a creaminess component to this tobacco. The Latakia is mild to medium, not too heavy handed, and provides a smoky incense like component. The smooth creaminess and smoky incense work together complimenting each other to create a very enjoyable smoking experience. It’s sad that the Esoterica and J.F. Germain tobaccos aren’t more readily available but it is what it is. I say enjoy ‘em when you can find ‘em and there are plenty of other worthwhile tobaccos out there when you can’t.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Similar Blends: Balkan Sobraine.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JKOD (30)	2021-05-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A great blend and I’m a fan of the shag cut. It burns well and stays lit with minimal relights.

It’s got a slightly different taste about it being an English (an edge most others don’t have, but a good edge) and I can’t quite put my finger on it. It does benefit from dry time and I find it to be a little more mellow with some drying. So, I go back and forth between straight from tin and drying a little.

Plenty of reviews on here to give you a glimpse of the flavor profile, some finding way more then I - so, cheers to those palates. At the end of the day, it’s a great smoke and one I certainly enjoy. I don’t smoke it too often because of availability, but I will pick up a sack or two of this when I have the opportunity and don’t have to break the bank or fight 20 people for it. It’s not worth that to me.

Esoterica has quite a bit of hype surrounding it, so who would’t want to try it. I don’t think it’s worth paying double/triple the cost though. That being said, if you happen across it sometime I do strongly recommend it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dbl-bbl (45)	2021-03-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a quintessential English blend and most of the savory descriptions that others before me have proclaimed are true .... so I'll leave those eloquent notations to suffice. However, in my experience this is a finicky blend. That means straight out of a fresh bag or tin … I found it tough to light & keep lit. IMHO, it’s tastier when fresh ... but it’s still difficult to light and keep lit even when it's permitted to dry appropriately. I didn't expect this from a shag/ribbon cut blend which I normally find quite easy to light & stay lit ... but such was not the case for me (and I tried several packing methods with little difference). IMHO, the mystique and limited availability of this blend has gone overboard. Don't get me wrong, I do like it but I'm not inclined to pay a premium (again) when me thinks there are other noteworthy English blends readily available & just as good. 4 stars for taste & aroma and a 2 points off for being so finicky = 2 stars.

Pipe Used: Briars, Meerschaum, Cobs

Age When Smoked: Fresh & Aged Several Months

Purchased From: www.pipestud.com

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PiperMunky (2)	2020-12-04		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

December 4th, 2020

The cut of this tobacco is a fine shag cut with very long ribbons that tend to tangle themselves in each other. Pulling from the jar and packing felt a bit like eating a plate of spaghetti. I kept finding more strands connected to each other as I pulled it up. It is definitely wet, but not goopy, so I dried it for about half an hour. In the blend you'll find a lot of black latakia supported by chestnut Orientals, and just a bit of bright Virginias that give the blend's look a sparkle.

The tin note is very smoky from the latakia with a slight, sweet ketchupy smell from the Orientals and Virginias. None of the smells are overpowering or sharp, in fact, they're very round and soft.

The wetness of the tobacco still left made lighting a bit difficult, but after a couple charring lights, the shag cut left a nice ash on top that lit well. I probably could have let it dry a bit longer as I found I was lighting 2 or 3 times at the start, and a few times at the end, but overall not too difficult mechanically. The tobacco burns a little on the warm side, but nothing that paying a little attention to your cadence can't handle. I also found toward the bottom of the bowl it burnt a little hotter than a normal bottom of a bowl, so keep strong with your cadence discipline to not lose all the goodness and get your tongue bitten.

The start of the bowl was definitely the base of the smoke. The Orientals and Virginias lend a a sweet floral note to the soft leathery and smoky latakia that makes for a light, but full flavor profile that I find in most of the esoterica blends.

Halfway through the bowl, a bread quality came out, with a salty, earthy finish almost how burnt grill charcoal smells. The retrohale has a beef jerky quality to it that finishes with more of the floral qualities.

The last third of the bowl smoked a little hotter as mentioned, and the charcoal flavor evolved into a sweet, chalkiness akin to smarties.

The bottom of the bowl had a vanilla oak flavor like from a nice bourbon, and I also got draws that had a maraschino cherry flavor that went from mild to wild depending on what was burning at that moment. Throughout the entire bowl, the latakia was the base that the other flavors played around on.

I gave this a mild to medium strength, not too much of a nic hit, but I felt a little whiff.

The flavor profile is full. I don't get any real casings but there's definitely sweet, floral and smoky, slightly leathery notes that prevail but are very well rounded. You're not going to stretch to find the flavors in this blend.

I smoke outside, so the room note is difficult to really comment on, but I'd say this isn't your usual nasty smelling latakia blend.

At the time of this review, this tobacco has been sitting in a Mason jar for about a month.

If you're in the Denver area, there are a few tins/bags at Edward's Pipe and Tobacco as of 12/4/20.

I gave it a 3 of 4. Not on my list of absolutely must haves, but definitely enjoyed it, and will buy it again when I can find it.

Pipe Used: BC Livre w/bent churchwarden stem

Age When Smoked: 1 Month, stored in mason jar

Purchased From: Edward's Pipe and Tobacco Denver, CO

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	EscapetheFam (1)	2020-10-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

One of my all time favorite blends though relatively new to pipes compared to many of you. I have about 80 jars of opened tobacco at the moment I wanted to try it all; find what I love. About 25 of those jars are English blends. I actually go to this more than Penzance, more than Quiet Nights, more than 965. I love this along with Squadron Leader as my 2 favorites. plum pudding s.r., saseini, Sobranie are also there. It’s the only tobacco my wife has commented on, that she really likes the “aroma of whatever that is.”

As far as commenting on the flavors etc., I’m confident with cigars and wine but not quite there yet with pipe tobacco being in a little over a year. Though I have 4-5 bowls a day. I’ll leave that to the rest of the reviewers for now. I can say it’s well balanced. Not a lat bomb. It has a unique aroma I can’t quite pin to it. It’s not a casing or anything. Maybe the type or Latakia or orientals. While I have 3-4 tins, the next time Esoterica is in stock, I’m getting enough to make this a daily smoker.

I just wanted to add another thumbs up for this blend and try it if you haven’t.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 320, Viprati, others

Age When Smoked: A month or two.

Purchased From: Various sites. Smokingpipes, CDMcigars etc.

Similar Blends: Penzance, Balkan Saseini, Squadron Leader, Balkan Sobranie.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RonR (85)	2020-10-21		Very Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

3rdguy

Just finished a full tin, 3 years of age on it. Appearance is a lot of latakia but this blend is so nicely balanced it is never overpowering. There is a lot already written here about this blend but it is a must try if you are a fan of English blends. Another plus is that it seems Margate is one of the easy Esoterica’s to obtain. At least I have never had difficulty finding this one.

Worthy of your pipe and cellar.

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: 2017 tin date

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	porshcigar (44)	2020-10-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Beautiful smoke. Loads well into pipe and lights perfectly. Smoke is cool, dry and tastes great to the bottom of the bowl. This is a favorite blend to smoke after blends with a heavier load of Latakia.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc pipes (110)	2020-08-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I smoked my way through a single precious tin that I was Able to acquire back in 2012. As noted by previous reviewers, the cut is a shag/extremely skinny ribbon cut. It is dark in color and I cannot easily identify any of the constituent tobaccos. The tin note is pure Latakia. I could not discern or taste any of the promised orientals. The Virginia, if there is any, is largely smothered by the heavier smokier leaf. I would agree with many of the older reviews that this comes sopping wet as many traditional British blends do. While I am a fan of several other blends hailing from the Channel Islands, this one just isn’t for me. Smokers who enjoy a stiff dose of Latakia and whose taste buds aren’t fried by the dark smoky leaf may get much more mileage from this concoction. I’m just not sure it is worth the hunt...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScullyDoogan (12)	2020-01-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Update: One year on: Meh. Having just finished the jar, I must downgrade it "only ok". It's perfectly fine and polite, but offers nothing more than a lot of good English tobaccos out there. Definitely not worth the hype. Three stars.

Like smoking a pint of Guinness from draught. Creamy, leathery, well melded, not complex. If that's what you are looking for, there's none better. There's a tiny bit of fruit to distinguish it. Smooth aftertaste, and my tongue felt fresh.

A bit too wet right out of the tin. Highly recommend a bit of drying, especially if you're smoking it in a straight pipe.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Apple Group Size 2

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: McClelland - Frog Morton on the Town (Craftsbury Series).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FulwarSkipwith (1)	2020-01-01		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

One of a couple of "four star" reviews I have to give despite having a serious problem with it. Let's start with the problem.

This is a "workhorse" tobacco, meaning it is obviously the kind of thing meant to be smoked day in and day out all day. This is normally a wonderful thing, but unless you're a violent shopper or very well connected, you will have a hard time keeping it in stock.

Now, the tobacco itself. It comes in the characteristic esoterica ribbon cut. Easy to load, easy to keep lit, also a bit easy to burn through a bowl with a couple of minutes of heavy puffing so watch out!

You wanna smoke this one slow and let it play out.

Esoterica must source their latakia differently from other blenders, because the smokey, piney stuff they use is a bit more subdued and "vintage" tasting than some others. If you're near the bottom of your jar or bag, the latakia seems to settle there and it will become more pronounced as the jar wears on.

In terms of flavors, if you stuff it in the pipe and go to town, this one may come off as a classic, but boring "English" style tobacco. If you are sitting down, and letting it come to you slowly, the flavors erupt. Hints of hay from the Virginias will intersperse themselves with whiffs of vanilla, but by far the coolest aspect comes, I think, from the orientals. The old Balkan Sobranie is said to have had an "unflavored soda" component to its flavor profile, and folks-- it's here.

After having tried all of Esoterica's major blends-- this one, I think, is the best. It is usually one of the easier ones to find, so I think it is probably their marquis or showcase blend. Snap this one up if you get a chance, preferably by the bag and not the tin. Keep it around, enjoy it, hope it doesn't go away.

Pipe Used: cobs, couple of old briars

Age When Smoked: hard to say

Purchased From: Mayan Imports, Metairie LA

Similar Blends: Early Morning Pipe, Squadron Leader.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gerry P (39)	2019-01-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This was my first time trying an Esoterica product. My nose thinks the tin aroma is mostly Latakia. The cut is very fine, and it took a couple tries for me to pack it properly. after that it burned very nicely.

The only thing I want to add to the flavor descriptions submitted by others is that I get a little "soda" flavor in Margate. I've read Jiminks mention this in his Balkan Sobranie review as a characteristic of yenidje leaf. When I read this I couldn't imagine what that flavor would be like in tobacco, but when I smoke Margate it pops out enough for my not-the-most-refined palate to recognize it. So, maybe Margate has some yenidje in it and I like it.

Overall this is a fine blend with top-notch components, but I personally don't understand the Esoterica hype if Margate is a fair representation of their products. I'm on the fence about the cut. The flavor is somewhat complex, but very subtle. Maybe some aging will deepen the flavor.

Pipe Used: Pete Donegal Rocky 01

Age When Smoked: Unknown, but probably a few months old.

Purchased From: Mayan Import Co., Metairie, LA

Similar Blends: Maybe kinda sorta similar in spirit to Early Morning Pipe, but doesn't really taste similar..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OhioTony76 (59)	2019-01-01		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

After a few bowls, my pallet was telling me there is a very mild fruit topping here. When I dry it correctly, it’s almost unnoticeable, but if it’s a bit wet still, that fruit will come through. Margate starts sweet and mild. As the bowl burns, the Latakia kicks the body up a couple notches and keeps it interesting, but it never overwhelms. The sweetness never fades, and the taste just improves the longer you smoke it. I almost detect a mild perique. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a touch of it in here. Approaches full flavored, but doesn’t quite get there in my opinion. Margate is sweet, tangy, rich, a bit spicy and slightly smoky. Burns great, enough nicotine to satisfy me, and the room note for an English is exceptional. This might be one of my favorite blends. Better than Penzance in every way. Not that Penzance is terrible. I just think this blend is more suited for experienced, seasoned smokers than Penzance.

Similar Blends: Penzance.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	toddsmith7378 (41)	2018-12-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Margate.......

First, I usually prefer oriental forward English blends, or Balkans, as I've come to think of them, but this has me not so certain, at least when it pertains specifically to Margate. This is some great stuff.

I pretty much agree with a lot of the previous reviews. I suppose 965 is pretty close to this, or BB1938. But, I'd never say I prefer them to my favorite Balkan's. This one.......is better than those.

I wouldn't say the orientals in this are forward as much as what i would call a Balkan, but they are right there. I taste them along with this flavor from the Virginia's and the Latakia that all combines into something of a perfect melding of them all, without any one being "dominant". I actually like it quite a lot. This is by a decent margin the best English I've ever had. The orientals add enough to this melding of flavor that I do know they are there every puff, just never enough to dominate the other flavors. Wow, this is really, really nice. This is definitely now in the top of my rotation for English/Balkan type blends. I'm glad I got the 8 ounce bag.

The tobacco itself is the most perfect cut of some high quality looking stuff. It smells really nice and loads like a dream. It's a fine ribbon cut. As fine as I've ever encountered. I still recommend a bit of loosening it up a bit before packing as the ribbons are long and winding and might stick together otherwise a bit. It burns perfectly in the bowl.

Every puff tastes the same, but I can really notice each player in the mix contributing. I've never had a better English blend. I have the Balkan Sobranie by Germain which does have the oriental slightly more forward and normally, I'd think I'd prefer that, but I don't.

I've never had an english that was as perfectly mixed of its constituents as good as this as I can taste the orientals for sure, but everything else too. If that sounds like something you'd like, I'd say get your hands on some Margate. I sure am glad I did.

Pipe Used: Turkish Meer, Savinelli

Age When Smoked: New

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PiedPiper1010 (16)	2018-11-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

Like one other gentleman said in his review, "what else can be said that hasn't already been said. Unaware of the popularity of Esoterica, and how difficult it is to get a tin or bag of any of their blends, I first bought a tin of Dunbar over the summer. Which at first did not really get me too exited. Then I allowed it to dry just a bit and it was one fine tobacco. The shop on Long Beach Island N.J. where the owner had several blends, is where I purchased Dunbar, and shortly after learned about it's elusiveness. I needed to return to the Island for a court date for a traffic ticket. I planned to stop at the shop immediately after I saw the Judge. Court ended and I headed to the south end of the island praying they still had something left, any blend was fine with me. I enter the store and the women who works there said they were closing early for a funeral. I told her no problem, I am after one item that I hope you may still have. Surely enough, my prayers were answered, an 8oz bag of Margate sat nestled in with the rest of the tins of tobaccos. It was the one and only bag left in their shop, I asked if they had anymore in the stock area and she said that was the last of it, completely unaware of what a gem this was to have on the shelf. For 45.99 I walked out of the shop with a big ol' smile on my face anxious to get home to smoke this highly sought after tobacco. ==REVIEW== (Just in case you don't care about the little side story) I have a Peterson system pipe hanging out of my mouth now filled with this amazing blend of tobacco. I must say that this tobacco needs to dry, I smoked it straight out of the bag and it is just too moist. I wasted a bowl by doing this, I allowed it to dry over night and all I can say is WOW!! This is an English blend that truly puts many others to shame. It has such a consistent flavor, the lat and Orientals put out a balanced flavors of smoky, spicy, and woodsy while the VA's add a sweetness and a richness that is just abundant from start to finish. After the bowl got going, I was able to smoke it down to basically nothing but a fine white ash, with a couple of relights and a few tamps. This would not have been possible without drying it out, literally overnight. In my opinion, if you really want all this tobacco has to offer and not waste it, give it time to dry and you'll experience all it has to offer. I have been smoking Peter Stockebye, Balkan Supreme which I have grown to really love. This is not as powerful with regard to the heaviness of the latakia. By way of comparison, to give readers an idea of what to expect, it has more of a mellow feel to it. If you are a English lover or looking for something where the latakia is not too, too heavy, this is the one. Is it just well rounded, with steady promising flavor that will not disappoint; well, until there is no more left-that is.

=UPDATE: I do have to say that I have a small issue with this blend. As I stated above the blend comes in the bag very moist, so it needs to dry out to fully enjoy it. However, the latakia or at least I believe that is what it is, is cut very fine like a confetti cut or a fine cut. Not like a shag, but small, slightly thicker pieces. The problem is, once it dries out a bit it falls to the bottom of what ever you have it in. So the other tobaccos are a much longer cut ribbon cut, and then you have the short cut of the others that do not mix well when it dries out. Even when it is moist, I found the problem still occurs, but not as badly. This is probably something that I should inform the company on, but I figured I would include it here as well.

Pipe Used: Peterson

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Old Tyme smoke shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2018-06-04		Mild	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I could live with this mixture if it was the only one available; great tobacco, it ages well also. Superior fresh or aged, top quality leaf...

Pipe Used: Plenty of different ones

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 3 years

Purchased From: Various

Similar Blends: Balkan Sasieni.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	The Sunday Evening Pipe Smoker (54)	2017-09-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I often feel as though these smaller blends take on a status that is perhaps disproportionate from their relative merits, driven in part by their 'exotic' quality, and particularly because of the scarcity of their availability -- which thus makes them seem somehow more desireable.

Margate is certainly in that category for me. It's and English, period; a sort of "meat and potatoes" type blend.

Is it worth the hype? I don't personally think so. You'd be as well off to just focus on easier to get Englishes like Plum Pudding or GL Pease Westminster.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kppeterson (19)	2016-11-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Quintessentially english. This and Murray's era London Mixture set the bar when I started smoking non-aromatics. The perfect balance of latakia, virginias and orientals. Here's the rub (at least for me); all Germain made tobacco's I have smoked leave me with the worst, ashy aftertaste. Margate, Penzance, Best Blend, Exotique, Krumble Kake, Cognac, it doesn't matter, they make me feel like I just ate an ashtray. I can smoke things like Westminster. Smyrna or Squadron Leader and get the "quintessentially english" vibe and with a great aftertaste. That said this is probably my favorite Germain tobacco and while it might be sacrilege I'd take this over Penzance given the choice.

Pipe Used: Ashton, Savinelli Bing & Corallo, Charatan

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: Westminster, Penzance, Our Best Blend, Krumble Kake, Solani Blend 779.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2016-08-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is as English as they come. Good full latakia taste which is well balanced by the orientals and underlying virginia. A full smoke which is sure to please most. The two word review: well balanced.

As an aside Peter Stokkebye's Proper English has a very similar taste profile but is lacking in the refinement that Margate has but is a lot cheaper and is always available, which is not the case for Esoterica products.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JustinCarcerated (99)	2016-06-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Been patient to not open this tin till 2 years of age, smoked a jar of Penzance directly prior thinking I might find semblances of similarities.

The most positive note I can give about this blend relates to the cut-a super fine shag that lends itself well to packing...I so wish now that I've experienced this cut that I would see it again, and again. It fluffy and yet compresses fantastically bowl after bowl.

The doily itself was thoroughly saturated and still moist upon opening; the note a muted English where peat latakia and high quality orientals ruled the senses.

But alas, for me-it remained muted throughout the smoke, yes some sweetness early on, but inevitably that turned bitey, bowl upon bowl of a near insidious bite. This may have been influenced by operator error on my part-trying to best pack that angel hair like cut might have promoted it somewhat. Still it seemed a trait from Virginia.

Very Squadron Leader - like to me, which leads me to consider the (for me at least) Turkish components' influence in both blends,-which to my palate subdues the overall flavor profile.

I would smoke again though, and was pleased to try an English in the 'old style '...whatever that entails.

Pipe Used: Briars & Meers

Age When Smoked: 2 years

Purchased From: Pipes&Cigars

Similar Blends: Squadron Leader.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TSchiraldi (5)	2016-04-14		Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Strong

Strong, full, well balanced, creamy smoke! Top ten in my rotation. This is not for the faint of heart! Margate's Latakia and Orientals play off each other as you progress through the bowl. First hit is Latakia forward. Smoky and deep. Half way through the bowl, the other Orientals take center stage with a spicy sweetness. Bottom third is a very nice balance of the two. The shag cut burns easily and evenly. Keep a firm tamp on it and you won't have many re-lights and the flavors will stay in balance. Very nice mid-day smoke!

Pipe Used: Savinelli Nonpareil, Caminetto Business

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Tinder Box

Similar Blends: Peterson's Balkan Delight.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ASmithee (20)	2016-03-23		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

I enjoy this tobacco blend very much and highly recommend it. The tin note is similar to Penzance, a blend I prize. The moisture level, in my opinion, is just right. Some might find this too moist but I do not; I have no problem lighting a well packed pipe full of Margate and maintaining a consistent burn. The shag cut of the tobacco makes for long strands that pack easily. The smoke is flavorful and leaves the familiar creamy after taste that I get with Penzance. Margate is light in nicotine which is probably it's only drawback but I find this allows for a pleasant mid-day smoke.

I am not sure why this is not as popular as Penzance. Because Margate does not typically experience the short supply one finds with Penzance, I recommend trying this blend.

Pipe Used: Chenod

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Iwan Ries

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wags888 (11)	2015-04-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Strong

I love this tobacco. It's less smooth and creamy than Penzance. The latakia is more campground campfire vs. deck built-in campfire. I'm new to pipe smoking, so I'm looking forward to Margate with some age on it in the next few years.

Pipe Used: Stanwell 37

Age When Smoked: 6 mos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bruck (27)	2014-12-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

Bought this at a B&M based on a nice canister aroma. Very smooth and balanced English, with my friend Latakia present but not obtrusive. Burns well, some vitamin N, no tongue bite, very nice overall smoke. Definitely on my get-more-of list.

Pipe Used: Altinok Meer

Age When Smoked: 6 mo.

Purchased From: B&M

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Llewellyn (9)	2014-10-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Amazing tobacco with similar flavour to Penzance, but not as full flavoured and a little sharper on the tongue. Enjoyed in standard and large bowls alike.

Pipe Used: Large

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Purchased From: Cupojoes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	drdave (17)	2013-03-11		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Fresh from the tin Latakia just overpowers the other Orientals. With a long, long, long drying time the other tobaccos finally show up and the smoke becomes more complex in taste. The finish is dominated by the Lat. To each his own, and I won't be owning more of this.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-07-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I don't know what it was but I just couldn't get into this one. I just found it flat and boring. Sometimes some nice flavors would come through but not often enough to keep my attention. I am hoping that I just got a bum tin. I will give this another try in the future as many of you seem to love this blend.

Soli Deo gloria!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-03-14		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Legend has it, that this mixture contains only Latakia and Orientals , no Virginia , no Burley , no Cavendish. My tobacco guru fron the 1970,s would explain that this is not possible due to the poor burning qualities of the components used. Yet, this blend burns cool and full due to its shag like cut. Margate is superb, I love it. But, it is not an all day smoke. It's like eating too many pretzels, taste buds become fatigued. I now understand that the addition of other components in an English blend keep the taste buds refreshed. Like a fine beverage,enjoy in moderation. Excellent !

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-08-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

(Another review's not going to make any difference now ... but I want to belong.)

Lovely tin design with an old-fashioned looking sticker. "entirely made, blended and aged in the British Isles", although you can't buy it there. (Note to British residents: it works out cheaper to buy online from the States anyway, even when shipping is added, because they won't stand for UK-style taxes there.)

Well all I can say is this makes me proud to be British. they claim it's based on the old-fashioned way of blending, and I'll believe them although I wasn't around in them days.

The cut is more shag than ribbon (I think), and very easy to pack - although it must be mentioned that this tobacco comes verrry moist right out of the tin; I've heard of 'goopy aromatics', but a fresh bowl of this might be called a 'goopy Latakia'. It's wet and sticky. If you've got the patience, dry it out before packing every time.

For someone like me who's not especially used to latakia blends, the lat. content in this seems quite high, and the tin note is all camp fires and burned tires. The tin note, room note and actual smoking taste are all about identical for me, except that the room note (and ghost in pipe) has a sort of cigar-ish aroma, which was quite a surprise. The actual smoke is smooth, creamy, slightly salty latakia tempered by the orientals, and no VA sweetness to speak of (I'll believe them when they say it contains no virginia.) Latakia becomes more prominent towards the end, and there's a little bit of bite if you smoke it moist.

All in all this is just wonderful, and satisfying enough that I'm not going to bother trying many more latakia blends, since I've found something close enough to perfection to justify calling off the hunt. I've got my eye on some Germain's Special Latakia Flake as well, but unless the mythical Penzance makes a reappearance I'll be happy to stick with this for the foreseeable future.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Cochon74 (29)	2011-08-14		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

As a lover of English Blends, Balkans and pretty much anything with Latakia in it, I was intrigued by Margate... a blend without Va? Wow? Really? Also, having chanced upon several tins of Penzance several months ago and LOVING it, I was curious to try another Esoterica blend.

A couple of initial thoughts... I've read comparisons between Margate and its sibling Penzance. There is simply no point in comparing them. They are apples and oranges. The second thing to address. According to the literature, there is not a shred of Virginia leaf in Margate. Judging from the taste, I believe it.

Margate is high on flavor with the enormous amounts of Latakia and Orientals involved. Everything is pretty straightforward to my palate. No surprises here. The absence of Virginias strikes me most in the depth/structure department. When I puff, I get all the smoky goodness of the lat and the more exotic notes from the Orientals... which I love so much that I don't miss the sweetness some VA would lend to this. But without the grounding leaf, the flavors have nothing to cling to and are fleeting.

This is not a bad thing, necessarily. In fact, I find this superb blend to be perfect for the warm days of summer, as it has that "airy," unstructured quality which gives me big flavor without too much complexity or weight. Moreover, the simplicity of the flavor profile makes it a nice smoke for those more casual smoking expreriences. Sometimes I don't want to think about what I'm smoking, but still enjoy it.

Margate is a pretty shaggy cut, but I found it just right for packing and lighting in terms of moisture and cut. It can burn a little hot, especially if you puff too hard. It also gets very acrid and harsh... more so and more easily than other tobaccos when smoked too hard.

All in all, I like this smoke. I'll come back to it when my tin is finished, but probably not cellar any, as I've read that time is not good to Latakia in the absence of Virginia leaf. It appears to be in ample supply and I'll look forward to buying my next tin.

Update 8/29/11: Ok... just smoked a rather large bowl of Margate outside on the patio... possibly the coolest night I've felt in 2 months or more. This blend is rather magical. The latakia is a dark, oily canvas on which the Orientals in Margate positively danced. Again, I'll say that this blend is not subtle. It doesn't work like, say, Squadron Leader - where everything is perfectly integrated and balanced. Margate sets you down a smoky path with densely swirling exotic notes Dried herbs, church incense without the cloying perfume - all moving across the charred, woodsy landscape of the Cyprian weed. The lack of sweetness is completely un-missed. I really like this stuff. I'll keep it at three stars, but much more assuredly.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	fireball (36)	2011-05-06		Mild	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

A very nice, slightly sweet medium English with a fine ribbon cut. The sugary taste it leaves on my lips marks it out, similar in some ways to Solani's Luxury English, which I also like very much. Defintely a repeat and possibly bulk purchase candidate.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-02-06		Mild	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Oh my goodness. This is a sublime smoke, because it must have been formulated and blended by a tobacco virtuoso! As I understand, this mixture has not a shred of Virgina present, but it does have copious amounts of various orientals. I am extremely pleased by the cool and pleasant smoke that this tobacco offers to the smoker. I will smoke the hell out of this blend. You know what? I don't even prefer Latakia blends. I am a dedicated Virginia smoker! At the time of this review, I am deep in February, so that probably influences my smoking as I do tend to go for more Latakia blends during colder weather. It's just what I do. Moreover, the flavor is the typical, smokey Latakia interlaced with the spiciness of the orientals. I can only speculate, but I think there is a good amount of Yenidje in this mixture. This will not disappoint the smoker. Please treat yourself to this eminently clean blend. By the way, I have tried to get a bit of tongue bite off of these leafs, but so far it has been impossible.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-07-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A good straight ahead English. Another reviewer liked it to Squadron Leader or Artisan's Blend - right on! The cut is however, very different and may put some off. It is a stringy shag, you have to be real carefull not to over pack this blend. To do so leads to a hot non-enjoyable unflavored smoke. Give it some room and you will be rewarded. For me it is also way too wet from the tin. Dried and fluffed out some it become a wonderful full english smoke. This blend develops as it goes down the bowl, strength increases a little. This is mature aged leaf - you can celler it but its ready now. A savory smoke - take your time with this. No harshness, no bite, takes to the light. If you are having problems finding SL this is a good sub. you might just find you like it better. I find this a much better overall smoke than the other crumbly one. A "change" you might believe in - ha!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-06-08		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant

One very important note about this blend is its apparent total lack of any humectant such as glycerol / glycerine. Rather unusual as most pipe tobaccos do indeed have humectant - yes, even most English blends. I think this is a major plus as the tobacco is in a more natural state.

Margate dries VERY fast and will turn "crunchy" if you air it out too long. Because the cut is stringy, it does have a tendency to burn slightly hot. On the other hand, said cut also makes it easy burning with few relights.

Margate use to have an interesting salty / briny flavor that seems to have disappeared as of late. What a shame, as the saltiness really made this blend stand out - very tasty indeed. It was also somewhat "sour" but not in a bad way. It may be possible that the flavor profile diminishes as it dries. I suspect that it would be best to smoke it somewhat moist if you want to experience the aforementioned flavors.

Even so, Margate is still a world class tobacco. I would have given this blend 4 stars if it were more consistent. As it is - a solid 3 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	arpie55 (77)	2009-01-12		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

i guess with this one i go against the grain, i did not like it it all. i found the flavor to be latakia overkill without much more going for it. since my son is a pipe smoker as well (he thought it was fair but not great) i had ample opportunity to catch the room note, it was bad! the smell of this one sticks in your clothes and follows you around everywhere you go. about the only way to smoke this is in the evenings just before shower and to bed, just remember to shower before going to bed or your spouse may run you off. i rate this "don't bother".

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-01-17		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

No point repeating what other reviewers said here. Sweet, spicy, smoky, complex, never boring, always satisfying. My all time favorite blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-01-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I "moved up" to this tobacco from Dunhill's Standard Medium. I really like the Dunhill's and bought two tins of Margate to expand my English choices - one to smoke, one to cellar.

The aroma from the tin is fantastic. I load a pipe using the three pack method. I initially really enjoyed the smoke, it was very full and rich and does have more "body" (not sure what that really means) than the Dunhill Medium.

After finishing off the tin, I must say that I prefer the Dunhill's. Not to say that Margate isn't great, I think it is. However at this point in the development of my tastes, the Latakia level may just be a bit too much for me. The only "complaint" I have is that as packaged, the tobacco is a bit to moist for me and I have trouble finishing a bowl without a relight. To those of you just trying it you might want to let it sit a bit before packing.

For you Latakia lovers this may be just what you're looking for. I will sample a few more Orientals and then give this another try. It's very good, perhaps too good for me at this time. For every day use I prefer the Dunhill Medium.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-01-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Hi there. I'm writing because you want to read yet another Esoterica review. I'm not going to waste your time with this read. You've got better things to do. Like turn off the pc, get down to the pipe shop and get some Margate in your pipe. This is damn good stuff. May you never again long for Balkan Sobraine. I don't.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fife&Drum (34)	2006-12-01		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

Um...let's see... Penzance, Margate, Pembroke...Or is it Margate, Penzance, Pembroke...Or is it Pembroke, Margate, Penzance. Ah forget it. You get the picture. Excellent Englishes all! You can't go wrong with these IMO!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-09-25		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The label on the Margate tin says "Best Full English." I would argue with the "full" part; to me, this is more of a medium English. That's not a bad thing. Margate is a flavorful blend indeed; there's a pleasing interplay of flavors from the Orientals and the Latakia. Some smokers find Latakia overpowering in many English mixtures, but that can't be said of Margate, while those of us who love the stuff won't be disappointed. The tin aroma is that deliciously smoky one typical of a good English mixture, as is the room note of Margate. It's not quite as potent as Dunhill's Nightcap, so even smokers new to English mixtures shouldn't find it too overwhelming. I like Margate a lot, and would recommend it without reservation to anyone in search of a flavorful medium English.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-08-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Margate is the benchmark by which all English blends are to be judged. I cannot say enough about the fantastic wonderfulness of this blend, it complexity and balance. You could get lost in every bowl: Latakia predominates, especially at the outset, but there are all kinds of undercurrents swirling around in there. There?s a bit of nuttiness, a bit of dry fruit, deep dark flavors that don?t have analogues outside pipe- smoking. Not quite a Balkan, but almost. Lighter and subtler than Odyssey, it?s earthier than Squadron Leader, better in every way than Nightcap, more complex than Old Ironsides or Commonwealth Mixture ? nothing short of miraculous in its combination of huge Latakia flavor with Virginia and Oriental complexities. It is milder than Penzance, but by easing up a bit it makes the complexities more apparent. So, to me, it's more interesting overall. There is simply nothing better.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tacoeatingzebra (37)	2006-08-09		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

now... margate is good, there's no doubt... powerful latakia booming in stereo with spicy/sour/sweet orientals that kick in toward the bottom of the bowl. it is undoubtedly the same basic stuff as the great king of all english blends -- penzance-- but it think the fact that it's already rubbed out or cut or whatever kind of makes it about a quarter of a notch milder. the cut of margate is interesting; it almost looks like you could roll cigarettes out of it. i do love it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-06-10		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Margate, what more can be said about this tobak! Though a fan of GLP brands, this is my most often smoked tobacco. As with Pembroke, it takes you well above the clouds but, this reaches new levels after the after-burners kick in! A very rich but, medium english that is truly satisfying. The orientals along with a generous amount of latakia seem to work well at high altitudes. As it reaches new heights, it start to push the outside limits of the envelope. As it falls, you soon realize, you have reached the limits and are left with only fine grey ash for your most gratifying flight! Very highly recommended for those who seek the ultimate flight. Tinned version is slightly richer in taste.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-06-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

All together, a very nice medium English blend. For me, Margate tends to be a little too heavy in the oriental category; a little too spicey. I noticed myself going for different blends when I grabbed my pipe, until I tried it in a Nording freehand which tended to mute the spicey ovetones.

All good English smokers should give Margate a try.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	OSR (78)	2006-01-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant

For those of you who wonder what Balkan Sobranie 759 was like, buy a tin of this. My opinion is that this blend is the best of the best and I prefer it over the old Balkan 759.

Margate is the "ribbon form" of Penzance. I love both, but Penzance in that horrid "crumbled" form is a messy tobacco that leaves ashes everywhere.

A classic full English. No bite, full, round and satisfying. Top notch tobaccos, carefully blended and very consistent.

For a change of pace, mix in a little perique with Margate.

Classic!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-12-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is the first Esoterica blend that I have tried. I am almost finished with the tin and I have to report that I find this tobacco to be marvelous. On first opening the tin, I thought that the moisture content was right and I was pleased by the aroma. After lighting up my first bowl, however, I was a little disappointed. The flavors seemed muddled and indistinct--a lack of character was my first impression. Not wanting to be hasty in my judgement, I set the tin aside and allowed the tobacco to age a bit after having been exposed to the air. Well, two weeks have passed and the flavor has become much more defined. I am enamoured of its complexity and strength, but also equally amazed at the smoothness of the smoke on my palate. In fact, I am now smoking Margate at all times of the day. My test tin is nearly gone and I will be making a trip to the local tobacconist for more in the morning. I plan to put this blend at the top of my rotation--a "staple" to be sure. Please try Margate. It is one of the finest blends I have ever smoked.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-12-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Margate is what I would call a "high English". It tilts toward the Balkans, but doesn't quite go there. Plain and simply, I love this stuff! I love my Balkans, but usually only in the evening. I enjoy Margate anytime of day. It sets the scene on a cold foggy morning here where I live by the ocean, but is just as exciting on a pleasant warm afternoon as a soft breeze. It sings "Latakia, Latakia, Latakia" to me in the evening as a lullaby luring me toward happy dreams of remembering all of the pleasant experiences I've had smoking Margate. I prefer to let Margate dry out a bit before loading my pipe. It appears to be perfect humiditywise out of the can, but I feel it smokes just a little better if allowed to dry out for about an hour, or so. From top to bottom I am presented with wave after wave of dancing Virginias, Orientals, and Latakia. These tobaccos make their presence as a tight trio. It is a trio that makes me feel like I am listening to a live Jazz performance. Who will take the solo spotlight? It's a thrill to be part of this presentation! The tobaccos light the way and lead me on an avant-garde blast. You never know what might happen next. But, you are excited about the guesses that come forth to enlighten your experience. When that performance is over, you sit back and say..."Can I do that again?" Yes, you can. Just store a good supply of Margate aside. Some of these groups just get better with age. Margate does. Store it and adore it! A lovely performance by a world class blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-12-18		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Definitely one of the best English mixtures on the market today, very near to what those blends used to be years ago. Not so far from Penzance of the same brand, though more edgy and latakia-oriented, and from the classic Dunhill blends. I think the best of this tobacco is in the balance, absolutely perfect, which makes it never tiresome. A winner.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-10-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

No topping, nor casing, just a classic full bodied, medium strength english that is actually an ENGLISH! A very well done offering that I will always have on hand. Highly recomended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-09-01		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Update: 9/01/05: The first English blend I smoked. I thought that it would be my holy grail and none could top or even match it. But I know myself, and waited nearly 2 years before popping a fresh tin and revisiting it. With many more tobacco experiences under my belt I am pleased to say that for straight forward English blends - this is still at the top of my heap. The oriental and virginia play in such a way that i have not quite found in any other smoke. Leathery camp smoke, a faint sourness like very good mustard, and almost dry frutiness like a well made white wine. While I have since come to love dreamy experiences like Odyssey - and crave the peppery dose of a strong perique mix, Margate is still the blend by which I measure all other English tobaccco mixtures. Esoterica manages to evoke polished antiquity and dignity. I feel their weeds are the kings of the Old World style English blends.

--

Another blend that I have been smoking for quite a while, and wanted to let "settle" a bit before offering a review. Also another of the few blends to which I dedicate a pipe to (actually this and Highland Targe share a bowl). The first full English I had the pleasure to pop a tin of and savor. And like many fine aromas that mark freshly opened pleasures, it is rich and lingers long after the initial experience.

Margate lives up to the description: it is definitely full flavored and loaded with spice tobacco, as well as having a solid VA backbone to give substance and hint of sharp sweetness. The nicotine strength is just right for me, as are the levels of orientals and latakia...that is when I'm not in the moood for the opiate like experience of the "latakia powerhouse" blends. The aroma in the tin and on the nose is incredibly warm and smokey...even more so than many "more latakia" mixes and a bit more textured and varied. I've enjoyed this most on chill and rainy nights.

Unless abused this leaf smokes clean and cool. The smoke produced is copious and hangs in white clouds. I concur with the bill of this as a "luxury" mix which is not only full-bodied, but downright pleasant to experience(I've found a few of the "full english" blends downright unpleasant to smoke). All ending in a very clean beach sand like ash.

When I reach for a full English, to date it tends to most often be Margate. So far it remains one of my 3 most highly recommended weeds...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-06-09		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Margate is a full flavored latakia blend but somehow falls short as far as having the full body that a balkan should. I have to say this is more of a English blend, however that is not a negative in any way, Margate is indeed a fine smoke. I enjoyed this blend, but G.L. Peace Odyssey suites my tastes better. If you find Balkans just a bit to much, then Margate should please you!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-05-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Don't know how any Balkan smoker could rate this at one star. This is the best bargain on the market today. A fine consistent blend.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-03-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Much has already been said about this blend,so allow mr to say just this 1 thing - PUT THIS IN YOUR ROTATION! 4 OF 4 ENGLISH STARS.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2005-03-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Natually sweet and spicy. I do not smoke it as often as I do some of the Dunhill English blends, but when I come back to it I marvel at how uniquely good it is. My habit is to smoke it for four or five days, seal it up and return to it in a few weeks. I will sometimes smoke it as a first pipe in the morning so as to get the full effect of all its elements. It is a tobacco I will always have on hand. In my opinion, it is one of the top truly English blends. Very highly recommended. Paddy.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-02-15		Extremely Mild	None Detected	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Unnoticeable

Esoterica Tobacciana's Margate, by all previous accounts, should have been splendid. Like this review, affirmatively uncharacteristic of my writing, it was bland and boring. And, with the 8oz bag that I bought, I have decidedly too much of it left. It might be a good fertilizer (and that is where is will probably end up).

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-01-19		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

This, along with Squadron Leader and Renaissance, is what I view as the benchmark or definitive English mixture. I can't say enough good things about this blend, nor can I get enough for my tobacco cellar/linen closet. A must-try for any fan of English blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

I've finally gotten the chance to give Margate its due attention. The number of tobaccos in my rotation had gotten way out of hand, and I never had the opportunity to really sit down with the stuff.

Margate is a top-tier English. One of the best of the best, if not the apex of the style. It's based on the classic "Our Best Blend" recipe from Smokers' Haven (Germain also produces SH's Import Blends). Premium-grade leaf, excellence in blending, lovely presenation ... it's all there.

The body is full and rich, each leaf plays its role well, and the depth of flavor is unstoppable. Margate is smokey, nutty, earthy, leathery, savory, and delicious. A little hint of spiciness creeps out now and then to keep things interesting.

Margate is easy to smoke and is quite approachable as an all-day mixture for those who enjoy a more bold and stout English. Choice stuff.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-11-25		Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable

A great tobacco... I frequently smoke Balkan Sasieni...and Margate is a simular experience. It's an honest flavorful English blend. It lights easily, burns well, has a cool smoothness, and a multi-dimensional flavor that makes you appreciate its naturalness. It's 'room note' - like most of the tobacco I truely enjoy - is a bit harsh(I find it wonderful) Whether one enjoys it in the comfort of a posh library or in the rustic coziness of one-room shack...it's a great smoke! Margate is one of the best!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-11-01		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

If I could remain interested in the Latakias (and I can't), I'd have difficulty finding a reason to smoke anything but this blend. If your tastes run toward the English, this is surely one of the very best blends available. As it is, Margate is for me an occasional treat after dinner, and a nice break from my Virginia mania.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Delicious Orientals, including high-quality Latakia stand out here. The floral-spice Turkish tobaccos remind me somewhat of Red Rapparee, but the Latakia is heavier in Margate. RR is also sweeter than Margate. Margate is overall heavier than RR and burns with less bite.

Margate is certainly rounded by its Virginia-type leaf more than say Mississippi Mud, but you would not call Margate a Virginia-forward blend. Margate only has hints of flue-cured leaf at times. This is very flavorful, complex, rich and cool- the head of its class.

The first half of the bowl is dominated by Turkish flavors, with subtle smokiness and Virginia profiles. The last half of the bowl sees the Latakia pressing its influence to a greater degree, with occasional medium range notes from the American leaf.

Even dried to a proper consistency, Margate was a little wet at the end despite the fact that it stayed lit. The ash is white and grey.

Margate is definitely a full-English as stated on the tin description and is a "last pipe of the day" unless you do not plan on having another blend. This does not imply an abused palate or tongue whatsoever. You are just not going to find much else more flavorful and lighter flavors will be less appreciated.

Comparing Margate to 965, it should establish in one's thinking that 965 is really a medium-bodied blend. Margate deserves a try from the fuller-flavor seeking folks.

Udate September 2004: This is now one of my all-time favorites. It is so remarkably good, that even if given the opportunity, I would not change it a bit.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

September 2004

I liked this Latakia blend, but it didn't seem to me to have the complexity of some of the Pease Latakia blends, nor did it have the punch of a Nightcap or even a 965. To my mind, it wasn't the top shelf Esoterica tobacco that Penzance is. I liked it, but it seemed to me to be a regular, straightforward Latakia, with the Orientals kind of in the background. Some of the other reviewers have said it took them some time to come to appreciate Margate, so I will sally forth and report any changes as they come along.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RCUSElder (244)	2004-06-23		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Esoterica has another winner in this blend, it is truly delicious. Upon opening the tin you are greeted with a dark ribbon cut blend that smells sooo gooood that you almost want to forego the pipe and just start cheweing it. the odor is sweet, musty,smoky and packs relatively easy except for a few long ribbons that don't want to cooperate. Lighting is fairly easy, but a little airing of the tin might help before you pack. Initial light brings you thick white clouds and after about three relights settles into a wonderful journey of flavor. This blends complexity is amazing, with the different tobacs coming in and out of a scene much like one of Bach's fugues. The flavor has it all! Bright, sweet,smoky, bitter(in a good way!), etc...This blend is definitely world class. It definitely gives Rennaisance a run for its money. Margate gets my highest rating: 5 out of 5 points, truly a "TULIP" blend, Enjoy! Update: 06-23-04 I just opened a 3 yr. old tin and I have to say that this is the best English blend IMO. It is smooth, silky, complex within its genre, and always satisfies. It has edged out Renn. as my fav. straight English blend. This stuff ages marvelously, so stuff those cellars for future enjoyment. Not as full as a Balkan, but still delightful. (grinning widely!)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-05-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I will not go over what others have said above, but my first smoke of my first tin of this, and I was hooked. Next day, I went and purchased it in bulk. IMO, one of the truly great English blends ever put together. This is an absolutely delicious, flavorful tobacco, the best I have ever experienced. Tastes are so well-balanced here throughout the entire bowl, producing a cool never-ending pleasurable experience. If you smoke an English blend, you must try this. It is my favorite after dinner treat. I find this much more flavorful than any of the Dunhill offerings.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-03-11		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Margate Is one of the GREAT English blends!This has been In my top five for a little over a year.I have set aside seven pipes that are Margate only.This blend is so well balanced. If you like English Blends you will love this one! Cool and luxurious. Highly recommended! =

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-02-22		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Strong

Having been a strict Virginia only smoker for several years now, my palete matured enough to allow me the ability to enjoy latakia in smaller quantities. Margate seems to be that tobacco that tastes great and is not overloaded with latakia.

I recommend this to other VA smokers wanting to branch out into the English/latakia tobaccos.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-12-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Since I discovered this website I have sampled about twenty different tobaccos mostly latakia blends.Throughout my sampling experience I have kept some Margate on the side and it has served as the most dependable and steady tobacco in my rotation.Some tobaccos have more complexity some have less but Margate has that "just right" quality that I think many of us are looking for and like most of the reviewers above I give it my strongest recommendation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-11-23		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable

November-2003.Margate. WOW!! Margate,is even better than Balkan Sobranie!! 'YES' That's right,I said 'better' I can not help,but compare it to good old B/Sobranie.It has all the same perfect qualities as that wonderful legendary B/S,except Margate taste's & smoke's even better in everyway.No kidding here folk's! It's completely full & rich as you would expect with the superb fullness & greatness,without any rough edge's at all. Light's very easily & smoke's perfectly all the way to the bottom of the bowl,leaving a very clean white ash & no goop at all.So if your looking for a replacement for Balkan Sobranie,or love balkan's,then the hunt is over! There's only one word to describe Margate "PERFECTION"

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Danno (106)	2003-10-09		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant

As evidenced from the plethora of positive reviews, Margate is well taken by the latakia set. I have been holding off in my review, taking much time to smoke this tabak and get to know its habits. Here we go... Initially, I was disappointed. The tin is very clear that Margate is a full english mixture. I did not find this to be so. It hasn't the latakia whallop of Old Ironsides, nor the peppery slap of Nightcap. In fact, I found the orientals would rise to a crescendo, then promptly fall away. I did however, persevere. I smoked the whole tin slowly, in a very comtemplative space, trying(in my limited way)to suss out any nuance I could. The smoke is rich, dense and almost dove white. The ash burns to a crisp grey and this blend does not bite. As my pipes began to acclimatize, the peakiness of the orientals gave way to a steady build with a gentle denouement. The viginias play a very conservative role here and the latakia is quiet in its presentation. Margate's strong points are its smooth delivery and ease of smoking. Its downfalls are a cetain fussiness in a new pipe and its lack of strength. Irrespectively, I will purchase more to further probe its character, and I do recommend it be tried for its integration of parts, leading to a very stable whole. My apologies for the lengthy review;)

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pounder 5000 (178)	2003-10-02		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Esoterica can seriously kick some butt. This blend is magnificent. While penzance is treat at the end of the day, Margate is the perfect companion throughout. This blend delivers a good size hit of Latakia and is complex enough to fight it out with any similiar blend from Dunhill or G.L. Pease. The Virginias are sweet and the perfect back drop for the Latakia. This blend will simply not bite! I don't care what you do, it is one of the coolest smokes on the market. The closest thing to it is Nightcap, and although I won't detract from that wonderful blend, this is similiar to it minus the perique, and perhaps a little smoother. This will always remain a member of my rotation. By the way, it smokes like a champ outdoors on a brisk day, which is where you may be required to smoke it as the room note is a little strong.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-08-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I already like Pembroke so I thought I'd give the un-topped version a try. Guess what it's better than Pembroke. It arrives at a perfect moisture level. Lights easily and burns cleanly.

On first light the dominant flavor is Latakia, but as the bowl continues the Virginias take over the dominant position with the Latakia acting as an excotic spice tobacco.

Margate is mild enough to be an all day smoke for the English lover and will appeal, I think, to the Virginia lover as well. First class.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-09-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

First impressions are that this is an incredible smoke. I thought at first that it would be an overwhelming Latakia, but not true. I don?t usually review after a single bowl, but that is usually because of some level of disappointment that I want to confirm or clear prior to reviewing. In this case, it was just plain incredible.

Appearance is a thin ribbon cut similar to Dorchester. My tin, obtained from a local B&M who received it only a week or so earlier, showed a tremendous amount of crystalization and was detinned into a storage jar for a day?s airing out before lighting.

Packing was very easy and good, as might be expected from a thin ribbon. A nice light and a 10 minute char smoke was followed with a DGT of several hours. The result was spectacular, smoked following a bowl of H.V. Great latakia sense with tremendous sweetness from the virginias. All around spectacular. As fine as I recall Balkan Sobranie in terms of the sweetness, but without the intense early sourness of the B.S.

Very nice.

September, 2002

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-08-05		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

As I have written in my other reviews, I have tried roughly 30 english blends in the last year. Margate has a middle of the road strength of flavor and about average latakia for an English blend. Of all the English blends I have tried I would rate Margate as one of the best. It burns quite well and builds up flavor near the bottom, without becoming too powerful. While this blend certainly is strong in latakia, the latakia lets the other tobaccos come through. In other words, it is very well balanced. I just smoked a bowl in a truly huge Ser Jacopo and never got lightheaded like I would with some of my stronger latakia blends. While Margate may never be my favorite, it will always be in my cabinet for the occasional change of pace. I recommend it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-04-22		Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Here we go again. Another Esoterica winner. This one is outstanding and is a traditional English blend that is well balanced and wonderfully flavorful and easy to smoke. Packs and lights well, but needs to be relit several times initially. It has a warm woodsy side to it that distinguishes it amongst other English blends. I think can be smoked all day and I agree with the stud, is very different from Pembroke. If you like English/latakia blends this is a winner and should not be missed. Four and a half stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-04-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

A classic blend true to its English roots. Full latakia, dark and musty. Delicious taste. Highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-03-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Margate is a wonderful full flavored English blend. The tin aroma is quite tempting, and the dark shades of leaf mottled with a reddish/brownish character look as luxurious as they taste. Upon first light the sweetness of the Virginias really stand out. Son after the blend begins to meld together quite nicely but despite the heavy dose of Latakia, the Virginias never get overwhelmed as they often do in some English blends. This blend is very well balanced and is certainly among my favorite of it's type -it burns quite cool and dry down to a beautiful whitish/grey ash. It's sister blend, Pembroke (Margate w/cognac) is even more luxurious and I tend to reach for that prior to Margate. Both are top notch tobaccos and highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-03-02		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

Margate is a delicious blend! It was a great deal of the "white stuff" and an incredibly wonderful smell in the tin.

Most smokers seem to really enjoy the room note, most non-smokers seem largely indifferent or tend to dislike it (latakia).

It smokes very well, and is of suberb quality. I would describe the flavor of Margate as being somewhat musty, fairly rich, and full. The Virginias (?) domainte and the fine latakia plays a supporting role. It has a good backbone and smooth, very pretty "highs" kept from soaring away (like Balkan Sasieni, for example) by the weight of the latakia.

This is becoming one of my favorite tobaccos, it's delicious.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noah (8)	2022-12-29		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I'm not sure why people would pay in excess of $200.00 dollars for this. It's smooth, well balanced, very smokey, but so is Northwoods, Angry Cornish man, Frog Morton Cellar.

Pipe Used: Cob

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars.

Similar Blends: Frog Morton Cellar, Northwoods, The Angry Cornish man.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SpiralOut (16)	2022-12-29		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Tangy, sour, pungent and musty. A fresh rolled cuban cigar comes to mind. Spicy molasses mid bowl with a rich floral finish. Some anise deep into the bowl. A truly superb blend.

Pipe Used: Molina squat tomato

Age When Smoked: 2022

Purchased From: Tobacco Junction, Tyler, TX

Similar Blends: Penzance, 965 mixture.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Peterson314 (43)	2022-09-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The shag cut is super easy to pack and it smokes beautifully. It smoked to the bottom of the bowl without any re-lights. It never got hot, it never got stale. The nicotine is not very strong, but I would slot the fullness of the flavor between Peter Stokkebye's Proper English No. 52 and GL Pease Westminster. This is a fantastic English with so much complexity and nuance going on that it is thoroughly enjoyable from the top to the bottom of the bowl. Not that I have any experience with true old-style tobacco, but this blend paired perfectly with an evening on the porch and a book from the Master and Commander series during the age of sail. This is easily the best 3-star tobacco that I've ever put in my pipe.

This would be one of my favorite tobaccos in my cellar except for one major flaw that makes me skip over this jar almost every time: Soap. Soaaaap. Whatever Oriental or Lakatia that Esoterica uses in this blend is the soapiest soaplike soap that I've ever encountered in a blend. The soap starts with the first puff and stays on my tongue until well past the next evening. It's like I squirted a bottle of Dawn in my mouth with every puff, meal, and breath I take for the next 24 hours at least.

Margate without soap would be one of the best Englishes I could imagine. Alas, it's not.

Pipe Used: Peterson Mycroft

Age When Smoked: 3 Years

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dave A (23)	2022-07-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Like this, but as of yet don't have a lot to compare it to. Lots of different tobacco which all play their role at times. The blend is well balanced, depending on the puff can be spicy, smoky or a little sweet. Those taste remain consistent throughout the smoke with smoky gaining traction towards the end of the bowl. May someday gain a spot in my rotation but want to find some comparisons first. May be hard to beat, but half the fun is looking. An update after multiple bowls....this is a very pleasant smoke that won't disappoint. All the tobacco is well proportioned and while the taste evolves as you get through the bowl it is always good. My favorite English blend of all I have tried. If you like well blended English tobacco that is not dominated by any one of the components, this is for you.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Laguna

Age When Smoked: 1 to 2 years

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ScienceSmoker (60)	2021-03-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Esoterica Tobacciana's Margate is the finest English blend I've ever had. There isn't much else I can say that other's haven't already. But I'll try... It can be smoked right out of the tin, but it's fairly moist, so it benefits from a little bit of drying. And as a finely cut shag, it really only takes about 10 minutes to get to a good level of dryness if you spread out a bowl's worth.

I really have no idea why there aren't more shag cut English blends out there. I guess it's the added cost. Still, I love shag cut blends... the few of them that still exist (Kendal #7, Kendal Kentucky, King Charles, etc). And I've been looking for a readily available, truly shag-cut English for a while - to no avail. There are literally none out there aside from the few (usually impossible to find) Esoterica/Germain's blends, which is a shame because, IMO, a fine cut makes for a far superior smoke since the flavors all blend together so perfectly.

As for how it smokes... Margate is so perfectly blended, and then so finely cut, that it's actually very difficult to pick apart individual flavors.

There's a smokiness; a sweetness; a spiciness; a leather aroma; an "oldness" to it... sort of a pleasant mustiness; a mysterious "Oriental-ness"; etc etc. There are so many flavors and aromas, so much complexity, but they all swim around each other constantly. They're all such subtle flavors all melded together so tightly that it's nearly impossible to catch any individual one... it all just comes across as one unified, silky smooth "English flavor".

Bottom line: Margate is the Platonic archetype, the pure form, of an "English blend". It's the blend that all other English blend's are aspiring to be. It's really an astonishingly good smoke.

Pipe Used: French-made pre-war "selected for Peterson LTD"

Age When Smoked: ~1 year

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crosscountry (23)	2020-08-22		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Update. After more than a month of aging and overnight drying, this tobacco becomes smokeable. In fact, it has a very nice latakia note that isn't over powering. One might say it's a good mix.

This definitely fits in the English category and has an overall good flavor that will appeal to lots of people. That said, it's not as good as Balkan Sasieni, and the shag cut detracts from the tactile experience. Since it's essentially the same price as Balkan Sasieni and much harder to find, I can't see giving it the 4* rating I gave the other. Additionally, it come so wet that with 2 oz, you're losing at least the extra 7 grams to water weight.

Of course, I have the rest of the tin to smoke, and my opinion might change. Right now, though, there are better options in this category at this price point.

-------------

This review is for a new tin, just opened.

This tobacco is unsmokeable. It's so wet that it stained the paper packaging shades of brown and back. The black looks like mold.

My tobacconist said Margate is highly prized and sells out quickly. Brand new, I cannot see why. It is so wet that it becomes hard to pack, exacerbated by the shag cut. Drawing through a wad of wet tobacco is as difficult as it sounds. Constant re-lights and the very early gurgling make it impossible to finish a single pipe.

On first blush, this is unsmokeable. I've moved it from the tin to a canning jar and cellared it. Maybe it can be smokeable in the future, but for now I don't want to ruin my pipes with this.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Bings Favorite

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: Edwards Pipe & Tobacco Shop, Denver

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rayzor (16)	2020-05-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I put pipe smoking on hold during the lockdown and only re-started recently with an aromatic. I was saving this one and it was worth the wait. Margate is truly an old school tobacco. The latakia is distinct but not overpowering. It's perfectly blended.

The smell from the pouch is a yeasty, bready, woody with hints of cedar type of aroma. But what makes this my favorite tobacco is the distinctive taste and mouthfeel. It has a distinct taste. Compared to the aromatics I had been smoking which were like air, Margate has a woody, herbal almost savoury smokey taste that lingers after.

If you enjoy distinctive flavours this is perfectly blended and because of its rarity is like drinking a vintage whisky.

Because of the price I paid for 1 ounce I wouldn't smoke this everyday but if you're in the mood for something special this tobacco is the cure.

Pipe Used: Savinelli Nonpareil 9111 vintage

Age When Smoked: 1 year +

Purchased From: kingsmoking

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	WillBrown (137)	2015-10-07		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is a really good English blend. It's somewhat Latakia forward and has some pep, but remains relatively smooth. It's a tad too round for me (I'd prefer something a bit lighter). I'd choose this blend over My Mixture, for instance, but would rather smoke Chipman Hill or Beck's or something more along those lines. Margate's a good effort though.

Keep on Piping!

Pipe Used: Molina bent

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rade19 (7)	2015-08-31		Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Very Pleasant

Superb blend! You will remember the old days, an extraordinary blend of high quality tobaccos. It needs to be smoked very slow, because tends to burn intensely if you neglect the action, some times is better to put the pipe aside for a while, until the bowl is cold again and when you catch the way, it will be one of your better moments.

Pipe Used: charatan

Age When Smoked: 10 years

Purchased From: smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Scottish blend from Compton's of Galashield.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	From Etten (22)	2014-10-01		Medium	Medium	Medium	Tolerable

8-Pleasure, satisfaction; 9-Top note, slip stream aroma, sipping the embers; 8- Delivery, balance, burn; 9-Blend composition, quality, flavor profile; 7-Pack, relight, develop, room note. Too much for me in the nic which transfered over into a lower score for me, otherwise it is really a quality smoke (for some). 2 1/2 Star

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: Pouch fresh

Purchased From: Pipes & Cigars

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ERader (5)	2014-08-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not much more I can say than what other esteemed pipe lovers had already stated.... I am a fan of Esotericas blends. High quality tobaccos as they seem to pay attention to every detail. If you want a high quality English blend this is for you! One of the best regarding balance and flavor.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Amsteracqua (24)	2014-05-08		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Oh my Lord... How i say this without offend anybody here...? First: this is a good English Blend, but is far away of is the best English blend of the Esoterica... this taste is smooth, at same time are complex (this is a trait for esoterica's tobacco, no doubt about this) I have smoked this mixture for these days and I've seen this smoke bites a lot, generally in the half to the final, and I smoke so slow... i really never seen this in one English blend. This is a only negative point in this tobacco. And I cant leave to say about your flavor is so rich and complex at same time smooth (regarding the power of nicotine). In the portion bulk the smell is amazing. I have about 20gr, more or less, and for to evaluate best I will change all pipes, who I have used in these days. If change my opinion, I edit this review.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	samcoffeeman (33)	2012-10-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

I'm a new pipe smoker. I have recently tried some mcclellands, some of the middle earth blends from justforhim, and a pipe of afternoon delight. This was my first latakia blend. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it to be the most flavorful tobacco I had smoked yet. It was smooth and left a really nice lingering flavor on the pallette. The gentlemen around me in the smoking lounge at my local shop noted that the aroma was very nice. There was a gentleman next to me smoking some afternoon delight. I had heard of that and we decided to share a bowl with each other. I do not think he enjoyed the margate as much as I did. I got the feeling it was too strong for his tastes. If I was going to try to make a comparison, if you like strong coffee and fancy beers, you will love and appreciate the flavor of this blend. If you are more of a lite beer guy, stick with afternoon delight. I give this tobacco a rating of very enjoyable. Not an everyday smoke, this flavor will stay on your palate for quite some time afterward.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Wellpipe (66)	2012-07-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I wanted to like this blend more than I do. I find it to be almost identical to SG Squadron Leader- easy on the tongue, generous on the Latakia, ribbon cut easy to pack with an easy burn, and volumes of creamy smoke. Unfortunately (like SL) it did not impress me in the flavor department. Just not a lot there, and it leaves me with an ashy taste in my mouth. I will try again in a few months, but for now I can only give it two stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-05-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

For all you puffers who suffer from ADD as well as PAD and TAD, I put this one in bullet points.

This blend has:

1. A highly fragrant, incense-like aroma.

2. A cool-smoking, easy-to-pack, very thin ribbon cut.

3. The flavor of saddle leather combined with incense (and just the slightest touch of creosote).

Conclusion: Cool, leathery, smokey = delicious.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	juvat (36)	2012-04-20		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Good, solid, medium-bodied English blend. Very reminiscent of Squadron Leader or Sutliffe's Blend No.5. I prefer the shag cut of Margate out of the three and of course the quality of the tobacco used is superb, as can be expected from Esoterica.

If your looking for a nice, classic English blend, look no further.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2012-02-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have mixed feelings about this blend. I love Latakia blends, so I was excited to try this. After a week or so of evaluation, I'm still somewhat undecided, but leaning towards a no-go.

First, on the positive side, I love the cut. It comes really moist in the tin, but after a day or so of drying it burns really nicely. Minimal relights and absolutely no dottle. A really pleasant burn. No bite whatsoever.

I would place the nicotine level on the upper end of medium. Does not put me on the floor, but after an hour or so, I'm definitely feeling it.

The flavor is where things begin to break down. When I first started with this blend, I was impressed right out of the gate by what I usually find myself seeking in a Lat blend...good, rich Lat flavor with a pronounced spicy, oriental component, both in the drawn smoke, but even moreso in the nose from the bowl(which for me is the coup de grace). However, inexplicably, the more of this blend that I smoke, the more dominant I'm finding the orientals. The last 3-4 bowls of this have found the orientals completely overpowering the Lat...it becomes almost undetectable. I occasionally coax moments of perfect harmony, usually when gently sipping, but these are becoming increasingly rare and fleeting. I find this unusual since I usually feel that swelling the ember every so often and coasting it brings out Lat characteristics best. Doing so with this blend only produces a muddled mess.

I also cannot seem to avoid a bitter, acrid taste throughout the burn.

All-in-all, I had high hopes for this blend, but I'm disappointed with the Oriental dominance.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	deepbass9 (7)	2011-09-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I'm all about variety, I'm all about quality and my palate is wider than many. Tobacco moisture, tongue bite, mood, smoking circumstances and other controllable variables won't be covered. This review is based on multiple bowls over time.

Margate delivers great taste in a very unassuming package. The Orientals have the smallest bit of tang, but plenty of sweetness as well. They balance the Lat easily. Not the fullest smoke, the most complex flavor, or the biggest body...but I'm not always looking for those things.

This a very good tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-08-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is my first "English" without (supposedly) any Virginia in the blend. It amazes me how many former reviewers refer to "virginias" in their reviews. Frankly, if there are, in truth, no virginias in Margate then, to my taste and mind there is some very nice (albeit sneaky) oriental weed masquerading as an eastern US species. I REALLY do like this stuff. And if there really is no VA in here, I could care less. I really can't call it a "full" English (more like medium +). Plenty of latakia without going overboard and all sorts of oriental flavors with some subtle sweetness dancing around in the smoke.

Pop the tin and there is a firmly pressed puck of very narrow cut ribbons (damn near shag). I actually took a pair of tweezers and counted 7 distinct shades of tobaccos (besides black) ranging from lemon yellow to olive drab, pea green, tan, etc. Geez, what a rainbow of tobacco! Tin note is strictly smokey Lat. Burns great, no bite, lots of different flavors as you travel down the bowl, fantastic latakia hits.What's not to like ? Right now this is my favorite lat blend, hands down. And I have 4 or 5 more open on the shelf to choose from. Ya gotta give it a try. Next stop for me....Pembroke...Margate with a touch of adult beverage. Could be interesting.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-07-27		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

First class English that is a bit too potent for me currently. I suspect that I will grow in to it.

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	gladi8tor96 (143)	2011-06-09		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have found that I am an oriental fan, when it comes to the different pipe weed leaves. This blend reminds me a bit of the P.S. English Luxury, but with a bit more of a kick and lot more complexity. I'd have to say it's heavier in Latakia and would be a 'medium-full' lat. blend in my H.O. Very rich and creamy. Definitely has a strong N-kick to it. I will get more of this in the future. I really enjoyed this tobacco.

Pipe Used: Bent Billard, Dublin, Egg, Acorn

Age When Smoked: New from store - 1-2 years

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

Similar Blends: G. L. Pease - Gaslight (Old London Series).

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-05-29		Medium	None Detected	Very Mild	Tolerable

Definitely needs some drying time and aging out of the 8 oz package. I like the fine ribbon cut that behaves on the pack. Makes it very easy to pack, if not over pack. I appreciate what a little burley can do for a blend, so I miss that a bit here, just a personal preference. Not a lot of taste, so it lends to spiciness. If you can get this one to keep producing smoke, the flavors increase after the first third. I really had to work at it indoors with my Stanwell Canadian dedicated for latakia. Not real complex, but a good quality. It did compliment my morning coffee nicely, but didn't shine standing alone. We will see how it improves to make the rotation. 2.8

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	Xeneize (275)	2011-05-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A classic English mixture, and one of current bests. The cut is pretty unique, something between shag and ribbon. I didn't like it at first, but then I've found it very easy to pack, allowing a regular burn with very few relights needed. This is more of a "Balkan" than Penzance, relying more on Orientals. Both are top notch Englishes, and I'll have around for as long as they and I exist.

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	Mr. Big (321)	2011-03-17		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

This is Dunhills EMP with a touch more Latakia. Both have that lemon background, probably from the orientals. I love EMP as my first of the day rotation and I could see myself substituting Margate on occasion.Both EMP and Margate have that ribbon (hair texture) cut that I find very easy to pack and sometimes over pack. Margate's Latakia comes through a little stronger, but this does not overpower the orientals. I find EMP to be a short smoke, just when your getting into it, the pipe is done. On the other hand, Margate, seems to burn slower, has less smoke (but a slightly hotter smoke?)and you get more satisfaction from the overall pipe full. This will be my mid-morning tobacco.

Highly recommended

UPDATED 5/6/11 I have found some problems with this tobacco,it bites because it comes a little too damp to smoke and needs some drying. Second, it doesn't burn evenly in the bowl and actually becomes difficult to tamp.There are two diffrent cuts of tobacco a shag ( hair) and a broken flake, these have two diffrent burn rates and are difficult to control. I've reduced my rating to SR

Update 7/6/11 After letting this breath and dry some, this has improved and most of the bite is gone. You must smoke this slow. Doesn't produce a lot of smoke, best smoked at a smolder. Bumped back up to "recommended". This would be a 4 star if it wasn't so hard to deal with the diffrent cuts of tobacco in the blend.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-06-30		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

At first, I wanna say that this site is my reference to buy new stuff. I live in Brasil, and we don't have most of the tobaccos people talk here, and when yoo find some, you better buy it or somebody else will do. It is very expensive too, so you need to search for the right thing to buy. About Margate: for me, the best English I've tried. The right amount of Latakia makes it good after a hard working day. I smoke it outside, because my wife hates the smell. Ithink it fits really well with the outside, since the smell is a bit strong. It burns well. Tends to be hot if you smoke it fast. Perfect moisture (I think). Beautiful color in the tin. One of my favorites now.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-06-18		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Full	Tolerable

Here is my first review. Keep in mind that I have only been smoking a pipe for about 6 months, and have only tried a few different tobaccos. I just recieved a sample of Margate from the local shop, and only have smoked it once. To me the Tin Note is that of Bug Spray. The fist third of the bowl made me laugh because all I could think of is that it tasted, and smelled like a Nursing Home on fire. I pictured depends Diapers burning. The perfume taste, and smell was overwelming. By half way through it started to mellow somewhat, and was a bit more enjoyable. To my amazement the aftertaste has none of the aforementioned qualitys, and is really quite pleasant. The aftertaste is what I would describe as "Ginger, and Honey", and there is no after-bite. The aftertaste is so good that I may be willing to re-enter the Nursing Home.

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	tedswearingen (3)	2010-06-01		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I've read every review on this blend and I find most of the reviews on Margate in the last year or so not true of my opinion.

I'm on my 16th ounce of Margate and 10th ounce of Pembroke, so I feel very comfortable with my thoughts on this. I think both are fantastic, but Margate, being less rich than Pembroke makes for a better traveling companion, which is something I think most of us consider on occasion.

I think POUNDER 5000's review is very true to my opinion of this tobacco and worth reading again.

"Esoterica can seriously kick some butt. This blend is magnificent. While penzance is treat at the end of the day, Margate is the perfect companion throughout. This blend delivers a good size hit of Latakia and is complex enough to fight it out with any similiar blend from Dunhill or G.L. Pease. The Virginias are sweet and the perfect back drop for the Latakia. This blend will simply not bite! I don't care what you do, it is one of the coolest smokes on the market. The closest thing to it is Nightcap, and although I won't detract from that wonderful blend, this is similiar to it minus the perique, and perhaps a little smoother. This will always remain a member of my rotation. By the way, it smokes like a champ outdoors on a brisk day, which is where you may be required to smoke it as the room note is a little strong."

I've not done hardly any reviews of pipe tobacco in the public domain. Obviously, we should all investigate every tobacco and decide for ourselves. If it's good enough, we should speak out.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-05-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

As a previous reviewer stated, compared to Odyssey, this might taste like air.

Unfortunately, I tried Odyssey before I tried this, and because it said "Full English" on the tin, I was expecting something quite, well, full. I know that an english shouldn't bowl you over with latakia, but I was having difficulty trying to pinpoint the subtleties of this blend with any proficiency. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing inherently bad about the blend: it is pleasantly full and luxurious, burns nicely to an ivory ash, and has all of the characteristics of a quality enlgish. But my thinking is it needs good cellar time to fully appreciate. I hate to say it, but I probably won't buy this one again. Pembroke, on the other hand, is a different story, and if I can ever get a hold of Penzance, I'll keep you posted.

For now, Margate failed to astound me. I really wanted to love it, and I do appreciate it, but there just wasn't enough of a wow factor to really dazzle me and make me want to smoke repeat bowls. Perhaps my palate is still developing. Still, three solid stars for quality -- it does embody a well rounded, straightforward english.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-03-20		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

For not having smoked a pipe for a long period of time, it's curious to me why I would be so willing to call this a very straight forward, "old school" English blend. I mean, come on, I don't really know what Old School is. I guess you'll have to trust me on that prognosis. The tin is positively PACKED with very thin ribbon-cut, lighter va's and a good amount of smoky latakia. I bet if you let this age for a few years, you'd see a solid cake once you opened the tin -- that's how densely it's packed. The thinness of the cut is something I really like about it because it burns very consistently if you are careful not to pack it too densely in the pipe -- which is the pitfall of this style of cut. It seems like it's on the lighter side of English fare. Something like Odyssey will make Margate taste like pure air in comparison. But Margate is still a very good blend in it's own right. Perfect morning or warm weather english. Not too exotic, just Va and Latakia predominately (to my palate anyway). I think a lover of English blends could find room in his or her rotation for this fine blend.

Very much in the neighborhood of a 3 to 4 star blend depending on individual preferences. There are others I like more, but this one is just fine.

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	Laudante (29)	2009-12-08		Medium	None Detected	Full	Strong

I was perplexed and wondering, when I saw the sporadic bad comments, if they were speaking of the same blend. I know that tastes differ, but it is strange to understand how can someone say that this is the worst thing he´s ever smoked, and that his throat ached for three days. What does someone have to do to get to those levels with this mixture? The only thing I know is that the mixture inside of the tin I have with the name Margate written on the forefront is one good tobacco.

Burning qualities are perfect, due to the fine ribbon cut (all the bowls I´ve tried have been one-match-till-white-ash bowls), and the flavor is deep and nostalgic. It is very perfumed, yes, as someone notes, but it´s the natural perfume of good latakia, and nothing else.

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	k_pip_k (9)	2009-11-18		Mild to Medium	Medium	Medium	Pleasant

Good bye My Mixture 965, I don't need you anymore. I've got my new girlfriend Margate. :)

I call this blend Margret myself. It is a nice satisfying smoke. It is classic in the English sense, but it does not burn harsh, it is not dripping wet, perfect moisture content.

It burns nice and slow and did not bite in the least. The flavor was present all the way to the bottom of the bowl. Some English blends are too perfumy for me, some don't have enough flavor to last through out the smoke. This does not seem to be true for Margret. I like this blend.

Just a note. I put away a pound of this stuff in a jar to age. I noticed a few flakes here and there that looked suspicious like it could have mold, so that's why I popped the jar and began smoking right away. Keep a close eye on this stuff if aging long term.

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	Demetri (113)	2009-09-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

For me, this is one fine English blend. And I appreciate getting a 2 oz. tin vs. 50mg; it was priced right for a high quality import. As others have noted, it is in an extremely thin shag cut - thinner even than the original Sail offering before Orlik - and hence, care must be given to properly load it. Once lighted, a thoroughly enjoyable smoke especially if not stressed to overheated status. Another "thinker's" blend, one for the quiet times.

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	hambone71 (4)	2009-06-08		Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I have been smoking this blend for a couple of months now and I must say that I really enjoy it. There is a taste that lingers on the roof of my mouth after each draw. I like that taste. Very earthy with a zing. It reminds me of how I drink a delicious vanilla milk shake, I tell myself to slow down and savor it but its so delicious I can't. Now, I'm only giving it 3 stars because I'm still in search of "The One" that knocks my socks off. Definitely glad I tried a tin but it may be a while before I pick up another. It'll find a way back in my rotation soon enough. Just need to try more.

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	Wrangler (16)	2009-05-20		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Although I smoked my first bowl full in a pipe I have been smoking 1Q in, it was rather nice. I don't think it has the complexity serious pipe smokers would want but then again I was fighting the mild ghost of the 1Q. We'll see what the future brings with Margate. I don't believe I'll be disappointed.

Well, now I've had a chance to smoke numerous bowls of Margate most in a new pipe sans ghost. I have to say it is now one of my favorite tobaccos. It has a nice complexity and occasionally throws you a curve with a new teaser of flavor. I recommend it whole heartedly.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-17		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

After some disappointments with blends from Davidoff, Peasse and C&D, I am happy to have found one that I will actually enjoy smoking! Somehow I was under the impression that this tobacco is second rate when compared with Penzance, so I never tried it. But the two are so different that they both appeal in different ways. The cut is an unusually fine ribbon and it comes pretty moist, so care must be taken not to pack it too tight. The tin aroma is pungent, barnyard and earth, very natural and rustic, just lovely. The smoke is mild , with no tongue bite, but because of the moisture level is high, it can be a bit hot. A little fluffing before packing should take care of any excess moisture. This is a fine blend that yields a great smoke, albeit of subtle character. Esoterica seems to hit the right notes with me, so I will have to try some of their other blends as well. So far, this is my favorite.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-13		Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I find Margate a little dry for my taste, none the less, it is a typical English blend. The Orientals in it are more acrid and musty than I like and the Latakia is a bit too smoky; like burning brush in the backyard. I think it could stand a lot more GOOD Latakia. I would rather smoke Margate than I would Sir Walter Raleigh, but that covers a lot of ground.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-04		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

A great smoke for those of us that like the taste of Latakia being prominent. The orientals round it out a little, but have some sweet undertones. If I smoke more than one bowl before putting this down for a different day it will give me a headache. While when smoked it smells almost identical to how the tobacco is in the tin. Robust, but not overpowering. It's defiantly in my rotation, but rotated out more than in right now. I'm waiting on another tin to arrive. It seems to smoke much better in my higher-end pipes, and makes it very easy to build a little bit of cake in your pipe because of the perfect ash it leaves behind for building the carbon cake.

If I wasn't on the last bowl of the day I would have one of Margate.

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	strongirish (249)	2009-01-14		Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Smoking a blend like this and with this much Latakia, the latakia is going to dominate everything. Now, with a morning cup of caffeine, this is not as bad thing and I like the taste in limited amounts. However, the orientals did keep their head just above the smokiness of the latakia and provided a sweet note on the tongue. It lit well and burned at just the right pace for me. In short I liked it a lot, it was consistent from start to finish, and left no moisture on my bowl. I like the aroma, but my neighbor did come over to my patio and said it smelled like my house burning on a rainy day. So the aroma is very strong. But tasteful it is and is a very good example of the English blend it is. If I could tweak it just a little with some perique, it could become the perfect English blend. Try it all Latakia lovers as it does not fall short of this leaf.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-01-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is really for me one the best English tobaccos. I love it. It is quite strong though, and wife rating is not really high.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-01-06		Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a medium english. Nice pouch aroma. A little on the flat side. Every bowl has been consistent so far. An acceptable smoke, but nothing to get too excited about.

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	flaminbill' (57)	2008-12-22		Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable

This is pretty good stuff. It packs well and burns very well (always a bonus). Margate is a very flavorful latakia blend. My only complaint is that it produces a noticeable tongue bite.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-12-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

I may have gotten a bad bag! after all the raving reviews I had high expectations. Loving the other Esoterica blends and with great admiration to the many outstanding English blends, Margate was a total disapointement. It burned fine had an off taste I could not describe. I let it sit for a couple of weeks. Still tastes like crap! Even if this is due to an anomaly the inconsistancys give it a generous two star rating. And unfortunately (because I have loved all the other Esoterica blends) I bought 2-8 oz. bags! Maybe when I'm old and have Parkinsons it will taste better! **

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-11-01		Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am a relatively new pipe smoker. I smoked for years and quit when my kids were babies but lately have taken up pipe smoking as an enjoyable way to relax. A patron at the local tobacco store gave me a sample of Pembroke which I enjoyed pretty well. Not being a huge fan of aromatic tobaccos I read on this forum that the Margate was the same blend without the cognac flavoring. Having only smoked a few pipes of Margate I am finding it to be one of the most enjoyable smokes I have found to date. There are so many others to try but this one I will probably always keep a supply of on hand. I had no trouble keeping it lit after the second light and it gave none of the bite that I dislike so much with some of the other tobaccos I have sampled. I like the aroma and the taste is interesting. Not being a seasoned pipe smoker like many on this forum I think the extra flavor that I like so well is the latakia but haven't tried enough varities to claim this is true with certainty. Whatever it is I like it. It is not overpowering but a very nice taste. I would recommend this to everyone to at least try. I think you will agree that it is a fine tobacco.

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	Old Puffer (42)	2008-10-21		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

While all the favored Balkan named baccys like sobranie and sasieni seem like heavyweights, I find Margate to be a fine medium to lightweight Balkan.

After a lengthy session of picking out sticks, I packed it into an average size GBD and had a very delightful smoke. This stuff comes at just the right moisture, packs easily, lights easily and stays lit well. Does not smoke hot, no hint of a bite, no gurgles, no strong build-up near the bottom of the bowl and left a dry, light grey ash and left me feeling totally satisfied. The tobaccos seem to be of the highest grade and the blending is superb.

I find Margate to be one of the finest tobaccos I have ever smoked and recommend it for 5 stars right under my favorite Count Pulaski.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-09-04		Mild	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Tin: Lightly pungent and smoky aroma. Mixture of black and brown thin ribbon. Not terribly moist, the tobacco tending to stay clumped together when rolled into a ball.

Lighting: Took a strong effort to get it lit and keep it burning. Letting some of the tobacco dry for 20 minutes, it was quite dry.

Taste & Aroma: Using undried Margate, the beginning is disagreeable and nondescript.

Mid-bowl, a pleasant nutty and toasty taste developes from the VA and, or, turkish components.

The bottom of the bowl continues an interplay of VA and turkish, the VA being mildly sweet. Subsequent bowls give varying results.

Sometimes the bowl is good from top to bottom. The moisture level, humidity of the air, and, or, how tight it is packed seems to determine the quality of the smoke. Maximum flavor seems to be obtained with the tobacco dried about 20 minutes.

Nicotine: mild

Room Note: medium, like the taste

Overall: Margate burns a little hot trying to keep it lit, with a bit of moisture generated. Margate has a little more taste compared to Penzance. Margate has more of the classic toasty and nutty taste and aroma of an English blend. The moisture level of the tobacco seems to be the key factor. When dried out a little, 3.9, 4 stars; undried, 3.6, 3 stars.

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	Tripjoker (65)	2008-09-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is one tasty tobacco!

I was very impressed with the presentation and the burn characteristics. The flavor is sublime.

I know this is going to be considered heresy by many, but I prefer this to Westminster. The flavors are far more balanced and is subject to far fewer relights. Let's face it, working at smoking a bowl is not as satisfying as just kicking back after that initial char burn with a single match and being transported to another place and time. This blend does that.

I found my tin to be a little damp for my personal tastes and dried some to almost a crisp state (my preferred texture). Straight out of the tin, you could see the promise, but the humidity got in the way of the really big show.

After drying for about two hours, I loaded my corncob and we were off to the races. What a difference the drying time made! The latakia and orientals were absolutely fantastic. The virginia was there as well, but did exactly as it is supposed to do in an english blend. That is, to support the latakia and orientals, not try to overshadow them. It starts of a little light for me, but quickly picked up in strength and taste to a desirable med/full.

I can't say enough about this tobacco. It is surely one of the standards that all med/full english blends should be judged by. If only Dunhill still produced weed this wonderful.

If you like the genre, you should like this one alot.

UPDATE: After smoking this for several months on a faily regular basis, for me anyway, I have to reduce the rating to 3 stars.

Now, I do this because of my own initial enthusiasm with the blend. Occasionally, I will settle down to a little lower scoring profile for a partcular blend once I'm VERY familiar with it. (i.e. smoking 2-3 bowls a day for several months)

This is one of those blends. It is so close to 4 stars that when you first try it on for size, you fall in lust briefly. Then, it becomes a very good friend with benefits....LOL And to me that ain't 4 stars. Still a great blend though.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-06-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I enjoy this blend and when my favorite (Smokers' Haven "Our Best Blend") is un-available I smoke this in its place. Produced by J.F. Germain & Son Company from the Jersey Isles UK (not US as stated in above frontispiece) this is a wonderful English Mixture.

The tin aroma is a pleasant mix of Turkish, Virginias and Cyprian Latakia with the Latakia predominate. The mixture is a fine and fairly long string-cut of mostly dark brown and black leaf with a very few light blonde strands. When I look at, a side by side comparison, of three opened tins of Margate, Pembroke & And So To Bed the blends appear quite similar. The aromas of each are different with Margate being smokier, Pembroke of Cognac and ASTB of Ale.

The flavor is pleasant and builds nicely as the bowl is smoked down, its smoky, tangy and slightly sweet; a real keeper. The Nicotine level is mild to medium. 8-1/2 out of 10 stars.

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	tabaco (112)	2008-01-24		Mild	None Detected	Very Full	Very Pleasant

Salutations, permit me to begin by stating that in my view 'strength' refers to the nicotine content. I do not find this tobacco nor its sister blend Penzance to be very high in nicotine. That being said, I do not smoke for that reason, simply for the flavours. I also really enjoy the room aroma of Latakia infused tobacco, hence it is most pleasant in my books. I am sure others would beg to differ.

I find this blend to be quite similar to Penzance in some respects, yet different in others. It is a ribbon cut as opposed to pressed slice. I would say it is not quite as intense as Penzance, and for me it's a great early morning to early evening smoke; a quintessential all day smoke. Afterwards I would prefer to finish the evening with a bowl or two of Penzance. Unless of course it's forty below outside, that would be Penzance throughout the day and into the evening with a cigar or two, just for good measure. I should reiterate that I am a Latakia fiend and thus these two blends are the best I have ever put a match to. These Esoterica blends are the very peak of Mount Latakia for me.

- Tabaco

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-01-01		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This is a mostly dark brown shag blend with some lighter strands densely packed together. It takes a little effort to separate the shag since it is quite moist and needs to dry out, this is problematic while in clumps. This packs and burns very well once untangled. The latakia, orientals and virginias play nicely with each other. The virginias are not so much sweet but lend a nice dark nutty tone. This is a good medium English that should be applauded for its balance and nice volume of smoke (something I must have in a blend). There are other blends of this kind I like more, but this was a good one.

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	constantsmoker (65)	2007-11-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

A wonderfully full and satisfying English blend on a par with Penzance, its sister blend. Consistent interplay of spicey Orientals and Latakia makes this a 'must have' for your tobacco stash. Well-mixed ribbon cut lights easily and delivers a rich flavor for the entire bowl. Although some have descibed Margate as the ribbon-cut version of Penzance, Margate has a 'texture' of its own. A delight to smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-09-25		Medium	Medium	Medium	Very Pleasant

Margate is about as good as pipe tobacco gets. It is a masterpiece by any measure and one of the finest classic English blends available today.

I would describe Margate as medium rather than full. It has a beautiful aroma in the tin, and it packs and lights with ease. This blend has a delightful, all-natural latakia fragrance when smoked, and a delightful sweetness from the Virginia. It is exceptionally cool, too; your mouth won't even feel like you've been smoking, even after several consecutive bowls.

This is rich, delicious pipe tobacco of the very highest quality.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-08-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This Tobak has almost everything the flavor is amayzing but lighter than I expected, during these warm summer nights I could really care less. The burning is cool and consistent, however, I don't like to pack a pipe with ribbon cut tobacco. It might have to do with the pipe a W.O. Larson 7 straight grain Brandy in shape with a very narrow bowl. I would like to stress once I did have the pipe packed it smoked perfectly with an easy draw right down to the heal of the bowl.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jaybee (77)	2007-06-28		Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable

For me, Margate is the quintessential "English", offering both mildness and full flavor at the same time. Unlike a variety of similar tobaccos, the elements in Margate seem to compliment each other without really competing. I buy this in bulk form and get better results when I separate the strands before loading. The bulk seems a little moister than in the tin, but this affects only the burn qualities, not the flavor or richness. A contemplative smoke that somehow transports me to a different place and time, when relaxation and contemplation were just what the doctor ordered.. Most highly recommended.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-06-23		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

Love. Can you love a tobacco too much?

I'm just finishing up way too many Pease VA/Per blends and I told my tobacco guy I wanted a big smoke with NO deer tongue. He mentioned this one, and I jumped. Normally I go in for the Balkan Blends as a daily smoke, and this was recommended to me as a Balkan. Not in my book.

This is a big, dark, brooding English that tastes of Chocolate, Coffee, and old books. A beautiful Shag cut that burns great. Once in a while the VA's added some sweet, but overall it was sharp and a bit musty. The effect on the tongue was actually soothing, with no bite at all. It's not as spicy and rich as Westminster, but spice isn't what I'm looking for so often.

This is my go to English from hence forth. Awesome.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fumatore (49)	2007-06-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I just realized that I had not rated one of my favorites, one that I have been smoking for at least 10 years now. This blend is exceptional and I find no real comparison to Penzance except that both have lots of Latakia. Margate has a distinct musty or sour taste that is very pleasing. I am smoking some from my cellar that is at 3 years old and find it superb, but the new weed fresh is just about as delicious. If you like a stout English give it try. I am certain you won?t be disappointed.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RMBittner (66)	2007-02-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The aroma in the tin is rich with latakia, and that's the first flavor that the greets the match. Once the pipe is going, the latakia gives way to an occasional visit by the orientals and a more lingering stay by the Virginias. At the end, the latakia again comes to the fore.

For me, Margate is heavy beams, dark shadows, and the whiff of pungent incense. The orientals are dark and deliciously mellow, while still providing that distinct tang that I find so appealing. And the Virginias taste toasted to me, round and dark, not sweet or sharp or "bright/lively" in the bowl.

If thought of simply as a "full English," Margate is one among many. But it stands on its own, and I believe it's worth seeking out. It's nothing like London Mixture or 965; it's no standard-issue English. Its qualities are more in line with the dark, toasty characteristics of Presybterian Mixture. (I was trying Margate and Presbyterian during the same cycle and found that, surprisingly, they are far more similar than they are different -- despite a huge difference in latakia content.) Fire up a bowl when you have the time to give it your attention, and I think you'll be richly rewarded.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipepundit (168)	2007-02-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This winter I have been smoking Odyssey, Pembroke, Penzance, Red Rapparee and Margate. To my taste buds Margate is different from Penzance. I cannot say whether the virginias are different or the orientals are different. Penzance - and Odyssey - are creamy and buttery in mouth feel, whereas Margate has a sharper edge, and is slightly stronger in nicotine. I am also tempted to say that Margate is to Penzance as Red Rapparee is to Black Mallory, but that would not capture the distinction quite as the difference between the latter two is much greater.

Margate is a magnificent smoke, worthy of each of the accolades it has recieved. Recommended without any reservations to smokers of English mixtures.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	AL (26)	2007-02-13		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

An excellent blend in tin or by bulk. The bulk version is well mixed and appears to be identical to the tin, the bulk is a little dryer than the tinned in my experience. Aging does enhance this blend. I go through cycles with a lot of blends where I smoke it then get tired of the blend and switch to another. Not Margate, this is an everyday smoke for me. The Latakia is not overdone and the Orientals are in perfect proportion for my tastes. On its own merits I find this to be an excellent medium English.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-08-09		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

While the blender's description adquately describes what goes into Margate, I am just unimpressed with it. For me, it did not even remind me of any of those blends no longer in production. I don't find it full bodied at all, and not at all satifying. For whatever it's worth, my default Balkan Blend is GLPease' Kensington.

This was a disappointmnet from this otherwise fine blender.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SopwithCamel (255)	2006-06-10		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

With the demise of Dunhill, it is becoming more difficult to find true English blends. Germain blends are thus becoming more treasured around my home. This is a wonderful medium full blend. It has the characteristic Germain anise character, perhaps their trademark. Though a bit pricey, I find this to be a perfect evening smoke. It is smooth yet flavorful, without the wallop that the old Dunhill blends used to give me. It is consequently more soothing. It is a bit pricey. However it repays the investment in full, with interest. I love this now, and will especially enjoy it when the weather turns cool.

Also, make sure you have time to sit down and enjoy this. It is meant to be savored. Very satisfying.

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