Charles Fairmorn Sundowner Mixture

This review is based upon a tin that has been hiding in my modest tobacco cellar since 2000. I have read that most tobacco's do not really benefit from aging much beyond 3 to 5 years. Regardless this one got 14 years and I've got to say NOTHING I've Smoked before has been so smooth and delicious. The aroma from the tin was heady with essence of plum/raisin and anise. Despite the years in the tin it was still moist enough that it needed some airing out. I left a pile sufficient to stuff my Brigham pot out to air for about 20 minutes before packing and firing up. At first flame the faint scent of anise that was present in the tin seemed to come to the forefront but faded back after about 7 to 10 minutes. Normally 30% Latakia would be pushing towards my tolerance level for the black weed of of the Mediterranean but in this case it was superb. The 5 parts Virginia no doubt reached the zenith of its aging some time before I opened this tin but still by 1/2 way through the bowl its sweetness, enhanced by that wee bit of Cavendish in the mix, became dominant lifting the smoking experience to a bright and refreshing level. Now approaching the end of this smoke the flavor has again shifted to the smokier and smoothness of the Latakia creating a full and creamy sensation in the mouth. Looking at the remnants I see white ash with some darker gray flecks and just a few unburnt bits with the bottom of the bowl as dry as when I loaded it up. I've been a pipe smoke since the early 70's and like most started with an aromatic (Borkum Riff whisky) moved to MacBarens Mixture, on to Mac's V#1, various VaPer's, Dunhill's Standard, My Mixture 965, and other English and Balkan mixtures. To sum up this experience (the fifth bowl since I opened the tin) I believe I have come as close to smoker's NIRVANA as I have every been. How I wish I had bought a couple of sleeves of this in 2000 and put them all away until now. I've just come to the realization this is going to disappear far to quickly but ooh what a treat each bowl will be! My conclusion has to be that for a basically English (a tad more Virginia here than most) aging is the route to go and despite the 5years limit essayed by others maybe 10 years (or more) may do the trick.