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

I was looking for a good latakia blend since my usual Pirate Kake was out of stock. This one definitely delivered. I didn't catch the big nic buzz several people have talked about, but I did find it very calming after a long work day. The latakia is not as front and center as I was expecting it to be. This is my first time with any of the Hermit tobacco works brand, but if this is a good representation of their blends then I'm going to make my way through their stock. I wouldn't label this a latakia bomb, it's a completely different animal altogether. It's like listening to a 15 minute jazz quartet jam session where it's the same tune, but every member of the band has their solo to make it their own. In one word...symbiosis. The crumble kake is easy to break up and required little drying time. Smoking a bowl of this as I prepare for slumber. This may have to be my new nightly ritual. Next time I'll pair it with a nice bourbon.

Mostly black with a few brown flecks. I'd call it a plug, I think. It is softer and easier to cut than plugs I've had by Peterson and GL Pease, but I found it too dense and firm to easily crumble with my fingers, so I can't in good conscience call it a cake. Suffice it to say, I found it quite easy to prep as far as plugs go, but it does require a knife or some other sharp tool. It's just a hair on the moist side...surprising considering that it is manufactured by Cornell & Diehl, as their stuff always seems to me to be a tad on the dry side. I'll blame it on the plug, which always seems to hold more moisture than ready rubbed. Anyway - it smokes fine as is, but it wouldn't hurt to leave it out and let it dry a bit.

A bold latakia presence makes itself known right out of the gate. I don't believe this has quite the lat percentage as Pirate Kake, but it might be close. Ten Russians no doubt fits my definition of "lat bomb." There's a significant Oriental percentage, methinks, as I notice a sour tang next. Personally, I don't like an overwhelming Oriental presence...this is up front, but it isn't over-the-top. Mouthfeel is thick and spicy. A bit of pepper in the flavor, just enough. On retrohale, I get a nice peppery burn in the nose, but also a creamy sweetness comes into play that I previously didn't notice in the mouth. The latakia sledgehammer mellows a bit as I pass the halfway mark, and the overall flavor quiets down somewhat into a nice peppery smoothness for the remainder of the bowl.

Burn is good, requiring an average number of relights. Room note is somewhere between "foul" and "wretched." LOL Nicotine is perhaps a bit stronger than medium.

Rich, bold, spicy, and very complex in flavor. I've had four bowls so far, but I still feel like I haven't quite wrapped my brain around all of its intricacies; unfortunately, I've only got a small sample to review, so I had to go ahead and get my thoughts down. Ten Russians is by no means an all day smoke, but is wonderful in the evening on a full stomach paired with an after dinner black coffee. Highly recommended.

This is a great blend for the Latakia lovers. It comes in a plug that you can either tear apart or cut chuncks off with a knife. A very smokey blend that I like to have on cool winter nights. Has a good amount of nicotine i smoke cigarettes on occasion so may be overpowering to some. This really is one of the best English blends I've tried.

Well a lot of cyprian stuff and nothing more,perhaps a touch,only a touch,of cavendish.The last tins from C&D like this or Pease´s ones on the Va side are really rubbish.Luckily in this case the high proportion of Lat doesn´t lease the feeling so obvious.They can say that it was a bad batch but the bucks are of good batch.Anyway I counsel to smoke this blend if it comes from old stock or to wait they´ll finish with the present Va stock.Beside all this I perceive an undertone of cigar leaf,burley?.Sorry,but to be honest and not misleading other people I must give a lonely star,texans forgive me.

The question of “Strength” and “Taste” to me is often confused. I find Ten Russians to be medium in a strength department as in the level of Lady N. In the taste department, TR is definitely full. For lovers of Latakia, it will be on most pipers top five list. I enjoy it both aged and newly tinned. The other tobaccos merely show up as there is no doubt who the star of the show is in a fresh tin. Ten Russians with three years of age presents at least to me, a more balanced smoke. The Latakia softens a bit while the Virginias gain a bit of sweetness that I don't find in a newly minted tin. I find very little complexity in a newer tin and a greater degree of it in one with some age on it. I prefer to rub it out, being careful to not overdo it and being careful to not let it get too dry as it will turn to dust. Either way, if you are not a fan of Latakia forward tobaccos, than this is one to take a pass on. If you love well made, Latakia forward krumble cakes, it's hard not to recommend Ten Russians.

As expected, it tastes like latakia and has little to no development as the bowl progresses. I would prefer Odyssey over this, but this over DaVinci and Pirate Kake, although they are all in the same genre...that is, heavy latakia blends tempered only minimally by Orientals.

You can get the same smell by jamming your head into a fire pit the day after a campout, but it isn't as relaxing or socially acceptable.

This is good stuff. This review was from a fresh tin and smoked from a large cob ; you get an initial hit of nice smoky Latakia that quickly develops into a cheesy bacon Oriental flavor, very flavorful through the first half of the bowl with nice balance. I wouldn't say there was much sweetness and the Cavendish doesn't do much either. Unfortunately, half way through the pipe the flavors become mottled, Latakia totally taking over the Orientals and a spice bringing some heat, (Smoked at a sip). It seemed to stay lit very nicely and smoked for a long time. I really think this will be super blend with a little bit of cellar time, I don't like the harsh spice on the tongue. I'm doing my own comparison test against Engine 99 and Odyssey, I'll update with my conclusions , 3 stars now.

Update: Best ****- Odyssey ( 9 months cellaring),

Good ***- Ten Russians ( new tin),

OK **-Engine 99 ( new bulk)

I just noticed reviewer," Tom Servo 03/29/2011", I have to agree

Updated 7/29 2015- I just retried this blend after about 3 years in the in the cellar, very smooth and flavorful. This has definitely improved to a 4 star blend . If it only came this way as a fresh tin.

Perhaps my palate is jaded. I've almost finished a two ounce tin of Ten Russians and have enjoyed it thoroughly. My tin was dated 27 Jan. 2011; I opened it in mid- September of 2011 so perhaps the almost nine months of "aging" toned the latakia down somewhat.

I did not find it to be a latakia bomb nor even a nicotine bomb (though I do have a very high tolerance for nicotine).

What I did find it to be was an exceptional smoke. Not a whole lot of nuances but a very pleasant, somewhat sweet and somewhat heavy on rich smoky flavor. It crumbled very easily, loaded very easily (a light loading and a very light settling/tamping in the bowl) and "held fire" very well. Overall, a very very pleasant, easily-smoked mixture with enough flavor to hold my interest and enjoyment until almost the end.

I say "almost the end" because in some pipes, particularly those with a dublin shape, the mixture would get a little sour and a little harsh at the very end.

I tend to smoke my pipes down until there is nothing whatsoever left but ash; on this mixture I found myself sometimes dumping out the dottle... the leftover shreds of unsmoked tobacco at the very bottom of the bowl, mainly because I just didn't want to taste that bit of souring and harshness at the end.

Room note was not objectionable to anyone; my wife never once commented on it, as she might with some latakia blends (GLP Odyssey or Penzance for instance).

I also thoroughly enjoyed Ten Russians after somewhat lengthy DGT; many times I would load a pipe in the evening, smoke a third or half of it, and then relight in the morning with a cup of coffee... it always, after the first couple of puffs, blossomed into a good, rich morning accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee or a strong cup of Earl Gray tea stirred with brown sugar and just a hint of Half & Half.

I very much intend to purchase more of Ten Russians... I've enjoyed it in the morning, midday and in the evening. For me, at least, a very very pleasant and enjoyable mixture.

I had the pleasure of savoring this wonderful tobacco at our pipe club meeting this month. As an avid cigar smoker, I've always loved a full-bodied smoke. This holds true as well with my pipe tobacco. I've always searched for a tobacco that was strong, cool to smoke, and did not have any bite to it.

I was handed a small batch of tobacco in crumble cake form. I've heard of Hermit as a brand. I know they're made by C&D. I've heard a lot of good things about it; however I've never tried any of their tobaccos. From the beginning one can deduce that this would be one powerful smoke. It was dark and there is no mistaking the good amount of latakia in this blend. I have to admit I do love latakia and lots of it. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite tobaccos is C&D's daVinci. Unlike other krumble kakes, this tobacco broke apart easily, packed and smoked very well.

I used a Cavicchi Bent Brandy with a chamber depth of 1.89” and a chamber diameter of 0.90”. I will concur with everyone who reviewed this product. This is a POWERHOUSE of a smoke. I mean this in a good way, though. What is so surprising is that unlike other strong tobacco, it had such a cool smoke that I could hardly detect any bite to it. Again, be forewarned this is NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED SMOKER! C&D for the most part, have always put out a good product. Captain Earle's Ten Russians is an example of such product. Out of a possible 4 stars, I would give this 3 ¼. Although I love the strength and the coolness when smoked, it could do with a little more complexity in flavor. However, I still HIGHLY RECOMMEND it.

I am glad I was given the opportunity to smoke this fine tobacco. I wish this came in 1 lb. tins. I will definitely try other products from Hermit.