Tobaccos Hearth & Home - Ambassador's Blend (Signature Series)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2012-08-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Having as many offerings as Pipes and Cigars it can be easy for a blend to get overlooked. With only seven other reviews here, I think that must be the case with the very good Ambassador. Russ tends too offer his tobaccos on the dry side so this is ready for the pipe without the need to dry it out. Other than they both contain Orientals, I don't taste the same flavors as Dunhill's London Mixture or Skiff as someone else mentioned. I taste an "earthy" English blend with a touch of sweetness. Either way, it is a very tasty blend with a good amount of body and a great flavor throughout the bowl. Great stuff!

13 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Geronimo Von Klaus (76)	2014-09-09		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Russ' best sleeper blend in my take.

Smoky and woody Latakia which is easy to detect and has something about it that is a little different from others. It has a dry but sweet little tinge to it.

Luxury. This is similar to Davidoff Royalty in that it just smells like luxury from start to finish. Once the wood is warm and the furnace is glowing (which is so easy you wonder why you ever bother with touchy and difficult blends), each component raises its hand in very nice order, and each time you think "wow, those [insert component] are top shelf".

The resulting cocktail is a triumph of how to do the basics well. Its not as exotic as the Marquee Series, but it just says class and refinement from start to finish.

They could easily put this in the Marquee Series and charge a bomb for it, alas, thank heavens they don't and I order 8oz jars every Christmas during the sale for pennies.

Pipe Used: Peterson Killarney

Similar Blends: Davidoff Royalty.

12 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	King Weed (228)	2013-10-25		Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Full	Very Pleasant

In keeping with the narrative in the tin description, this tobacco does remind me, somewhat, of Dunhill blends I have smoked. When I first lit up I thought of Standard Mixture Full - very english and somewhat spicey. I agree with reviewer Kyohan that, if you didn't know better, about halfway down you would swear you were smoking 965. Then, in the bottom half, it began to approach Durbar. A very talented blend, I must say!

The cut is a tad rough compared to my memory of Dunhill blends from the past but nothing to be concerned about. The tin aroma is wonderfully english and hints at the possibility of a mild topping, although I'm not sure that its actually there. It arrives in a somewhat dry but immediately smokeable condition.

Now, let's light this blend up. Somewhat spicey in the top quarter, but this doesn't last long. It settles down to a beautiful medium english smoke that is very gratifying in the middle realm. But, the best comes last in the bottom half of the bowl - warm, creamy, luxurious and friendly. One of the best finishes, if not the best finish, of any english blend I have ever smoked. I highly recommend this blend to all english smokers and invite any smoker to try it. Another outstanding blend by Russ Oulette and a very solid four stars.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kremlin (4)	2013-02-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend can be fairly used as a paradigm of what English mixture does mean.

Out of the pouch, it smells so good that you'll grab immediately one of your more capient pipes (i chose Ardor Maigret to start with).

When you smoke it, all the components play their (right) role throughout the bowl, so that you will experience: earthiness as well as sweetness, smokiness as well as some pepperiness.

I would define it as the "Larry's blend went to Oxford" mixture...

Highly Recommended

LK

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Trumpetboy (19)	2011-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is how I remember Dunhill Standard Mixture Medium of old. Not exactly the same, but the key word here is balance. This blend has just the right amount of smokiness perfecly balanced by some brighter notes. I think this is a "brighter" overall mixture than say, Larry's blend, kind of like turning the tone control knob on an amplifier from the bass end to direct center. You get a bit more sweetness here, as opposed to the buttery creaminess of LB. Great on a quiet afternoon with a nice, hoppy beer! To my palate, this mixture stays together beautifully thoughout the bowl and doesn't start to taste like a used ashtray like some of the newer D mixtures. I'm really starting to develop a great appreciation for Russ' blending skill. I'm not sure cellaring this one would result in any noticible improvement-- seems like a blend to be smoked in the here and now and enjoyed!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mhulsey (36)	2015-12-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

First impressions are what tend to make or break you, and all I can say is that Ambassador’s Blend truly impresses me more than most. I almost decided against posting the review as I wanted to keep this a secret so that it would always be available whenever I needed it, but it is so good that it must be shared. I have been smoking this blend from tins and in bulk for a while now, and have really enjoyed each and every smoke. The tin note of the tobacco shows that this is definitely a Latakia forward blend and smells, woodsy, smoky, leathery, and slightly spicy. The tobacco is of high quality and the cut is a fine ribbon of Virginia mixed with smaller or shorter ribbons of the Latakia that does not contain any twiggy or woody bits in it. The moisture level of the tobacco was spot on perfect when I received it and due to the moisture level and cut, the tobacco was easy to pack and took a light with minimal effort. In my opinion, the taste of the tobacco at first light showcased the Latakia. The Latakia lends a thick creaminess to the blend that is there from the start of the smoke to the finish. This is one of the smoothest smoking English blends that I have had. The flavors of each of the tobaccos in the blend meld together seamlessly. The Virginias in this blend, to me at least, were harder to detect amongst the other bold flavors, but is definitely there giving a slightly sweet undertone to the blend. The room note of this blend as should be expected is bold and smoky, although unlike that of cigarette smoke, this one tends to smell like a campfire which is tolerated moderately well by the wife. The tobacco required no relights and burned down to a fine white and gray ash that made for easy cleaning of the pipe when I was finished with the bowl. Overall, I have been quite impressed with this blend From Russ and will keep it in my rotation. I recommend this blend to anyone who enjoys smooth Latakia forward English blends.

Pipe Used: Various Dunhills

Age When Smoked: New from tin and bulk

Purchased From: PipesandCigars.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PhillyB (70)	2014-06-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This stuff is truly wonderful. I got one of the "Vintage" series tins and waited about half a year before opening it, simply because I had so many other tins open already and wanted to thin the crowd a little. It may have also been because I hadn't been really blown away by any of the H&H blends I tried before so I wasn't really in a hurry. Out of the tin it is pretty much just smoky Latakia and not much else. When I first lit my pipe that was also the flavor I got, but as I continued to smoke it subsided and was joined by a mildly sweet Virginia taste. The Orientals are not terribly pronounced but add a bit of smooth and savory to it. I have never smoked any of the Dunhill blends this alludes to, so any similarities are lost on me. No bite at all and smokes cool and dry. The room note to non-smokers is not prize winning but is not altogether unbearable. After smoking my first bowl in a Legend cob I immediately loaded another bowl (unusual for me) into a larger briar because I liked the blend so much. I will definitely be buying more of this in the future!

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Legend

Age When Smoked: 4 years

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kyohan (13)	2012-12-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I was pleasantly surprised by this blend. I am skeptical of any blend that claims to be "in the same vein as some of the richer Dunhill tobaccos" as every one that I have tried has fallen short. But not this one - if I hadn't packed my pipe myself I would swear that I was smoking 965. Smokey, creamy, wonderful. If you like English tobaccos, you must try this blend.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	kppeterson (20)	2016-11-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This is a tobacco that always starts of great but smokes hot and declines as it goes down the bowl. I had a tin of AB a few years ago that reminded me of some of the Murray's Dunhills and I really enjoyed it. This summer I purchased a couple ounces of bulk AB and no matter how I packed it or how slow I puffed it would smoke really hot. I will look to Larry's Blend, White Knight or Magnum Opus instead.

Pipe Used: Radice, Ashton, Stanwell, Savinelli Corallo

Age When Smoked: New bulk

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	manno (50)	2013-04-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

What a great surprise. Not because P&C/H&H has no great blends (too many to name, in fact) but that this one gets no fanfare at all. "Larry's goes to Oxford" as a prior reviewer said. Damn, wish I had written that first! Nice cut, nice note, nice balance, nice burn, yada yada yada. Satisfying in the true sense of the word. I, too, share skepticism of products (not just tobaccos) that state that they are similar to [fill in iconic name here]. After many years of tobacco sampling, however, and given the vast array of products, it is perhaps excusable with pipe tobacco as it is a very good initial guidepost. That said, this is every bit as good as the Dunhill products mentioned. And while I often say price and a review should be separated as we do church and state, thank God this is not an H&H "Marquee" product at a full two times the price. I've recently bought a lot of 8-oz. tins and look forward to Ambassador as a morning, noon and night staple.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2012-11-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Updated 2016-7-29- I keep trying to like this blend (4 1/2 years of cellar time) but it is still harsh ( but flavorful), it gives me a bite. Removed another star AGAIN and think that I'll give remainder away.

Update 2013-12-20 - I've had an 8 oz. tin of this blend cellared for about a year and I just retried it and was disappointed. This blend just isn't smooth, it's rough around the edges. The flavor is very one dimensional, latakia forward with some Oriental support. My biggest dislike is this just doesn't have any sweetness, if that's what you like , than this is for you. I personally like "Black House better. I won't buy this again , too many better blends.

Original review- Creamy Latakia and Orientals with bold flavor. Nice bulk price.I find the flavors very similar to "Larry's Blend", same Orientals I believe, but maybe diffrent blending proportions (less Smyrna)but not as smooth. More latakia and some bitterness, I would like more sweetness or it would be 4 star, I do like this better than LB.

Have to agree with most said by reviewer "SteelCowboy 08/19/2012 "

Oh, Bulk, very hard to rub out (update 12/26/12-New 8oz tin was already rubbed ???)

Pipe Used: cob/briar

Age When Smoked: 1 year 4 12 years

Similar Blends: An attempt at Dunhill's Nightcap, just not smooth.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-08-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I got a complimentary sample from pipesandcigars.com. I admit I didn't have high expectations. Tried some, and all I can say is "Wow". This is a very pleasant, well- balanced, English blend. A versatile, every day smoke. Some people say it came "dry". If that means immediately-smokeable, then I agree. And this is a good thing. There is certainly no harshness in my sample. They've definitely gained a customer for this blend.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gripsholm (43)	2016-07-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A visual inspection reveals dark yellow, brown, and black ribbon cut tobaccos. The moisture level is fluffy dry, not crispy, just right for smoking. The pouch note is an interesting mild to medium sweet Orientals and smoky Latakia. Not overly rich, nor offensive.

I would describe Ambassador’s blend as being silky smooth, refined, and very well behaved. While the Latakia is there from start to finish, the Virginias and Orientals keep the Latakia in balance and prevent it from becoming too overpowering. There is a very mild, almost undetectable, buttery sweetness underlying the smooth quiet smokiness of this expertly blended tobacco.

Ambassador’s blend is so unbelievably well balanced, that it’ll easily lull you into a quiet and relaxing smoking experience.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	dualkarnain (75)	2015-03-05		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

This is a smooth and flavorful English where the Latakia plays its part yet never overbears. Orientals add buttery citrus high note while the Virginias create a spinal base. There is a muted consistency of strength with a wealth of flavor.

Images evoked include a skeleton breakdancing to trip-hop while wearing a jade monocle.

Pipe Used: Straight Briar

Age When Smoked: 6 months

Purchased From: pipesandcigars

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3048)	2022-05-23		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The deeply rich Cyprian Latakia provides a wealth of earth, wood, smoke, some sweetness, mustiness, herbs, floralness, vegetation along with mild incense and spice as the lead component. The Orientals offer a lot of earth, wood, herbs, vegetation, floralness, some buttery sweetness, spice, and light sourness as a supporting player. The Virginia produces some tart and tangy citrus, grass, bread, sugar, mild floralness, vegetation, and a couple pinches of spice. I’m not sure all the creamy smooth sweetness comes from the varietals, and I suspect a very mild additive is the reason for it. The strength is a step past the medium mark. The nic-hit is a slot below medium. The taste is a rung past the strength level. Won’t bite or get harsh, and doesn’t have any roughness. Deeply rich and rather smooth, it burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a very consistent smoky sweet, floral, spicy flavor that extends to the lightly lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is a bit stronger. Barely leaves any dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Can be an all day smoke for the veteran, and repeatable for the less experienced. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2014-12-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Amazing mixture! First, it's a medium EM but smooth and mellow right out of new tins. Although it has some spiciness, it won't bite or numb your tongue even in heavy puff. It only took one bowl to make me order more. Finally, it's not in the relatively pricey Marquee series, and comes in 8oz tin and bulk. No need to age because it is already a 4 star in fresh tin. It's as perfect as a Balkan blend can get!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-05-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I do believe this is one of the best all around English blends out there. Easy to load and light and delivers a wonderful English flavor and room note. One small issue - it is eather too wet or too dry, mostly dry. This is not a big deal to me, but worth mentioning.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2010-04-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I was surprised at how dry this blend was right out of the pouch, regardless; This blend from Russ lights easily (it's a very dry ribbon cut). It stays lit and it burns cool. Fairly smokey, which I like, and it's taste seems to mellow toward the bottom of the bowl.. Pretty good smoke- I would not say that it's my favorite but English fans will appreciate it..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (566)	2023-01-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Tin note of mildly smoky, mildly vinegary, and spices, Tobacco is mostly black, dark brown and a little tan Ribbon cut. Moisture content is good. No drying/prep needed. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is mild to medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and mostly consistent, with complex notes of sugar, smoky, spice, smooth, rich leather, creamy, toasted bread, floral, tangy fruit, wood, hay, mildly dry, savory, mildly herbal vegetation, lemon zest, mildly bitter, a mild tart citrus background note, and a smooth retro. Latakia is barely beating Virginias for the lead with Oriental/Turkish supporting. Room note is pleasant to tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

Pipe Used: 1988 Castello Collection Great Line

Age When Smoked: 5 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Arkie (129)	2012-08-13		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This blend tastes exactly like Samuel Gawith's Skiff which has limited availability in the U.S.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2012-02-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have not smoked the Dunhill's London Mixture; I have a tin and am planning to open it when I finish the rest of this tobacco to compare the two.

But what a great English blend! Perfectly balanced. It is smoky, woodsy, earthy, and even has a slight buttery aftertaste. I can't decide whether this or Daybreak is the best English blend I've tried by Russ. Either way, you cannot go wrong with these blends. This is the type of robust tobacco flavor that you simply don't find in aromatics (and I like aromatics). I especially recommend them to novice pipe smokers who have not explored the world of English blends. Come and join us, boys!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fumatore (49)	2010-06-12		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is a little heavier English blend and will please many a Latakia fan. A lean to a more full bodied smoke here, that doesn't remind me of anything in the old Dunhill line (and I have smoked more than my share of those blends). That said, Ambassador it is far better than anything the new blenders have to offer. This one settles down to a rich smoke that will please many a smoker, but there are others of this type that I like more. Still I recommend you try it.

Oh and mine arrived a little dry also, which I assume is the way Russ prefers it to be smoked.

Nobody has rated this review yet.