Hermit Tobacco Works Co. Captain Earle's - Ten Russians

I had always been told by a long time pipe smoker that Ten Russians has the highest Latakia content of any blend. I don’t know if that’s true, but it is in fact a Latakia bomb. This is not a tobacco to be feared. It is expertly blended to produce one of the finest smoking experiences ever for those who enjoy Latakia. It’s smooth, doesn’t bite and is very flavorful without being harsh. It leaves a taste in the mouth that is quite enjoyable and reminds me of a fine steak.

This is a strong candidate for my all time favorite pipe tobacco. Definitely at the top of the English blend category including Penzance, Old Ironsides, Nightcap, etc.

Ten Russians offers an injection of Latakia straight into the veins. It is smoky, woodsy, and sweet. It is always the first thing you taste throughout the entire bowl. However, the Orientals, Virginia, and Cavendish all play important supporting roles. The Orientals add some depth and complexity, the Virginia adds some sweetness, and the cavendish smooths everything out.

This is a strong, full-bodied tobacco but I don't think it is the monster everybody makes it out to be. I regularly enjoy it in the morning after a big breakfast. It has a nicotine kick to it but it is no 1792 Flake, Gawith Rope, or Royal Yacht.

The room note is rather pleasant for an English blend. Never bitey or harsh and the DGT is the best I've encountered. Several hours after putting the bowl down the blend still shines.

There are a lot of really nice full Latakia mixtures on the market and there's no doubt that this is one of them. It comes in a nicely pressed tobacco cake and gives off a rich deep smoky aroma from the tin. Once I have broken off a chunk from the cake and roughed it up a bit, I do find that it needs a bit of dry time, perhaps 30 minutes on average. Overall the presentation is a bit more moist than a lot of the other latakia mixtures I smoke. I would imagine that the pressed cake form has a bit to do with that.

The first half of a bowl of Ten Russians provides a densely layered smoke quite reminiscent of mixtures like Pease's Odyssey and Dunhill's Nightcap. However as far as nicotine goes, Ten Russians sits a bit more firmly on the Nightcap side of the spectrum. My only knock on Ten Russians is that unlike Odyssey and Nightcap, the back half of the bowl gains a somewhat aggressive acridity. Too much information for my feeble minded tongue to unravel? Perhaps. Nonetheless, I prefer the end game of the other two aforementioned blends over this one.

Altogether this blend is still quite satisfying. It's spicy, rich, and nicely balanced. However I doubt I will stock up on it as I have plenty of blends on hand in the same realm that I enjoy more, but I am very happy to have tried it.

3rdguy

This is some good stuff! Did not notice the nic hit at all. The retrohale on this for me is Nightcap taste minus the nic hit. Crumbled easily for me and burns great. Puts out some fairly serious room note & smoke so the War Department doesn't like it when I smoke it in the house. I control this home so I smoke it whenever I want....as long as she is gone 🙂 I air it out before she gets home. OK....she is the 10 Russians but you get the idea.

A latakia lovers choice. I really like this blend and don't notice the nicotine as others have stated. Superb flavors blend nicely and at at times can be single dimensional, but not the norm. I think that depends on how the puffer rubbed it out. Recommended if you enjoy a good lat bomb.

Ten Russians is top 5 in my rotation. This is a full, strong, Latakia forward blend. It is a complex and tasty crumble cake. Pungent, yet soothing. The Latakia plays well with the Orientals - a perfect balance! The smoke is sweetened by the Virginias and mellowed by the Cavendish. The magic happens during the last third of the bowl. The tobacco tightens and a sweet pungency hits you full on, and you have to force yourself not to start puffing like a freight train! Treat it gently at this point and you will be rewarded! This is my favorite evening smoke. Think Gas Light with a touch of Cavendish.

This is a latakia lover's delight and the vitamin N hit is incredible, but not overwhelming in my opinion. But, take that with a grain of salt, as I enjoy mainly very full english and lat bombs on a regular basis. When I am feeling my oats on a weekend night, I might enjoy 5 to 7 pipes (oversized) packed with very strong baccy. This one is a smooth, strong, real mans man no BS lat bomb with excellent flavor and strength. It is a bit one dimensional, and some of the other Captain Earls line offer more complexity, but this one is always satisfying to me. Have not had the opportunity to age any yet, but that is on my list. It rubs out very easily, packs nicely, but do not go overboard. I dry it out slightly, then light up and go to town. It will give you a nice buzz, but do not shy away from it on strength alone. It is not an all day smoke obviously, but also not something to only dip into once a month. You will be tasting it for sometime on your tongue, and your SO will most likely not approve of the room note. I have the pleasure of having a shop to retire to for smoking, so I do not have to worry about disturbing the household with my intolerable weed choices. You will not be able to get away with sneaking this one in. It lingers, which is a good thing for me, but be prepared to drop your clothes in the laundry after imbibing. And respect it, or it can bite if you get greedy. Otherwise, it is a leathery, salty, chewy old time sailor kick you in the arse and head full bodied Russian bad ass round house to your salivary glands. Im in the process of exploring every single offering in the CE lineup and this one is an early favorite, but I compare this to trying to smoke your way through the entire Pease English lineup. It takes time. Its a nice journey and you will be rewarded. Will be penning reviews on the CE lineup as time allows, as I am really thoroughly enjoying them all. As funds allow, I will be cellaring the best of the line up for aging and sampling. Will try to update as time goes by. This one is 4 stars all the way.

Tin note is mostly Latakia with some sweet caramel notes. The kake is dark and variegated and easily crumbles between thumb and forefinger to produce tobacco of a perfect consistency and moisture for burning. Leaves a fair amount of oil on the hands so something to clean up with is recommended.

I like Lat so I liked this baccy because it has a fair chunk of it. However, I found I preferred it less than Pirate Kake and other bombs because it feels a little rough and monotonous. It is also a bit lightweight in the nic department, as any baccy with a majority of Lat is likely to be unless it is supported with some robust Burleys, so it doesn't work as a kick starter for me either. Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars for me, but since I am unlikely to repurchase, I'm marking it as a 2.

It's fun to open the box and see this "brick" of tobacco – it is called Kramble Cake – which will later give you a very strong and delicious dose of Latakia. It feels like a punch in the stomach, especially if you smoke in the morning before breakfast along with your coffee. So, just be careful. On the other hand it is a good tobacco cut in such a way that it helps you smoke it really slow. It does not cause any tonque bite ofcourse, no matter how nervously you might smoke it. It leaves a very nice (to me) bittersweet aftertaste in the mouth. What else is there apart from latakia?? Virginia, Oriental and there must also be some Perique in it. One of the most powerful (if not the strongest) tobaccos I've tried. I strongly suggest sparse filling.