Esoterica Tobacciana Margate

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.