Tobaccos Dunhill - Durbar

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2013-04-26		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong

Murray tin, tobacco in perfect condition for smoking right away. Sublime, pungent and incense like smell off the tin, broad and fine ribbon cut on the dark side tobacco.

Slow burning and to a white ash, you're in for an old school, luxurious pipe smoking experience. The smoke reminds me more of church incense than tobacco. As if smoking a full bodied cigar instead of a cigarette. A pure expression of what a "Balkan" mixture would have been then, according to my limited knowledge.

The Orientals dominate, the Latakia is of quality and the Virginias balance the whole act. I get a leathery, nutty, slightly sweet, incense like "did I just say incense in my description for the third time?", flavor that is superbly blended into Nirvana.

A mixture suited for special occasions since it's produced no more but hey, smoking this "Balkan" is a special occasion, so do you see my dilemma?

Virginia lover

22 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3046)	2014-04-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a review of the Murray's version. The Cyprian latakia was the usual smokey, woodsy type, but plays a supporting role, as do the Virginias. The dark and light Virginias were ripe fruit and tart citrus sweet, with some earth and hay/grass, and basically laid a foundation for the other components. The major player was the Orientals, which were mildly spicy, a little floral, dry and sour with some buttery sweetness, and fairly woodsy. I also got a cigar note or two along the way. Had a mild to medium nic-hit. Always burned cool and dry at a moderate pace, though sometimes, it seemed spicier near the finish, which is not a complaint. Needed few relights, and left little moisture in the bowl. No bite, no harsh or dull spots. Had a pleasant after taste. Certainly not an all day smoke. It was very filling, more of an after dinner evening smoke.

-JimInks

19 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2002-04-21		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is indeed one of Alfred's best lighter English blends with layers of flavor that can't be beat. It is very smooth and has a complexity of flavors I enjoy. I am not much of a heavy latakia fan, and was rewarded nicely by the delicate use of that leaf in this tobacco while allowing the steep and ripe Virginias and the multitude of exotic Orientals to take front and center.

If you want an evening of luxury, please put this in your pipe.

17 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	82piper (8)	2013-11-17		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

God I miss Durbar! I didn't realize how good my pipesmoking life was when this was available and in my ignorance I took it for granted. A ten minute drive from home and it was there for the taking. I bought it one tin at a time not understanding that the world was changing and it would not always be around. My memory is it was RICH, RICH, RICH in flavor! To me more so than Nightcap or 965. To me those two did not keep their flavor to the bottom of the bowl, but Durbar did. They would start out with a spicy, salty bang then they would quickly fade, but Durbar didn't. It along with The Aperritif (sp?) were the only dunhill mixtures I really loved. This all took place in the late 90's early 2000's. Had I known then like I know now, I would have taken out a second mortgage and bought a lifetime supply. Ooh the regrets!!!!!!

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Calamiti (86)	2017-09-18		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

Dunhill's Durbar is aptly named after the durbars of old, the solemn assemblies of British authorities and native nobility held in British India and marked with unimaginable Oriental exuberance and grandeur (think of the Imperial Durbar of 1911, which George V, the King of Great Britain and the Emperor of India, was attending in person). If that was the picture Dunhill wanted to convey in this choice of the name, they managed to do so just perfectly.

Durbar is a rare bouquet of fragrant, mysterious, exquisite Orientals. It packs a lot of incense and fragrant exotic wood aromas. Even the Latakia itself, sparsely measured, behaves here more like a flavoursome Oriental (I just imagine what a delight would this have been if Latakia in Durbar was of the Syrian variety!). I know no better Orientals than in Durbar. Other Dunhill's popular mild Balkans (like London Mixture f. ex.) are IMHO way behind Durbar with their simpler and harsher Orientals.

Generally, I'm not a big fan of light Englishes and Balkans as I find most of them a bit too sour and harsh. But this one is a masterpiece.

Truly, a Grand Smoke. Highly Recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Bent Billard 221

Age When Smoked: 2

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2002-01-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Appearance: A slighly broad ribbon cut, about equal parts medium and dark colors. Ribbons are quite uniform, typical Dunhill attention to detail

Aroma: Good Virginia base with lots of Latakia and Turkish evident. Promises to be rich and smooth.

Packing: Packs easily in most pipes, group 3 and up.

Lighting: Typical lighting procedure, not too quick or too slow.

Initial flavor: All the components kick in right away. Its almost overwhelming in intensity. Calms down by the time you?ve gotten a good burn going, but it is RICH in flavor.

Mid-bowl: A very complex blend with good layering of the components. My tongue thought it had died and gone to heaven. No heat and no gurgle present.

Finish: Well behaved right to the end, leaves a gray ash and nothing else.

Summary: A wonderfully rich and complex mixture, perfect for relaxing moments. Not at all suited for an all day smoke, as it will grab your attention from any task you try to perform. Not that you need to be passive, just able to concentrate on the smoke

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Eulenburg (193)	2001-12-06		Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

Dunhill's Grand Oriental Mix, one of the great classic English blends.

I have always preferred it to My Mixture 965, probably because there is no cavendish leaf in Durbar. (I find the creamy ghost of cavendish filler somewhat disconcerting, in an English blend. Danish blenders like to throw some cavendish frou-frou into an English blend, and call it a Scottish blend. I say, stick to pastry and butter cookies.)

There is quite a bit of Latakia here, and I find the taste of this mélange unquestionably full?an evening smoke for me. Not so enormous in taste as Nightcap, this belongs to the same school, carefully "married" to a grand full finish, not bloated, like the old Balkan Sobranie, but far, far from macrobiotic.

A fine gift for the true Latakia lover.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2080)	2014-07-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Dunhill Durbar.

The first thing I'll comment on is the sensational pre-light aroma of the mix, a sort of smoky and leathery combination that is very intriguing. The ribbons are mainly medium brown in colour, all about 3 quarters of a centimeter in length with a superb moisture amount.

It takes to the flame brilliantly , not necessitating many re-lights and giving an even burn which is steady in its speed, leaving a white ash. The tobacco flavours are nicely balanced without any being too prominent in the mix or un-noticeable . The Virginia provides a good base flavour with the Smokiness from the Latakia and the sourness of the Orientals being equally discernible. The nicotine level is also a good one, enough to satisfy yet not unrecognizable. The room note is fairly pleasant with this one as it is very classic but not one you would call heavy so it's a smoke that can be enjoyed without impeding upon other people too much.

This one would be a great tobacco to keep in stock for regular use!

Pipe Used: Commoys

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Smoke King

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-06-29		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I guess this review is just to relate what a good tobacco this was, for one cannot find this again. The tobacco I smoked was from 2000. I have had it sealed and resting in a mason jar since that time. The only way I can describe this old friend is, slightly burned toast with lots of real butter spread on it. Durbar really does remind me of that. It's smokey and buttery,not sweet at all but slightly savory. A real tobacco of yore.

7 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DoomDealer (9)	2014-07-07		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Wow, this stuff certainly sorts the men from the boys.

I wanted to try an English mixture (coming from an aro background), and saw this at my local tobacconist. Knowing that Dunhill produce some of the best pipe tobacco on the planet, I thought I'd give this a go.

This is very good tobacco; lovely rich, oaky, smokey and leathery flavour from the tin. Smoking it, I imagined that this is the sort of stuff people used to smoke in Georgian times. It's strong ... pretty strong! You can tell this has been expertly blended and is of high quality, so no TB or any of that nonsense. However, personally it's not my cup of tea.

Tobacco (as many other things as well) is a matter of taste and personal preference: either you like it or you don't, and I'm not all that keen on this one. I find it difficult to enjoy it, largely because of its strength. Nonetheless, it's very good tobacco and therefore most definitely recommended!

Pipe Used: Aldo Morelli, Ermanno Elite, Peterson Churchwarden

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Brucciani Ltd

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Reviewer (25)	2020-05-19		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This was my favorite pipe tobacco at one time. Load up a bowl and sit down in a chair and before I knew it it felt like I was melting into the chair and in the zone. You all know exactly what I'm talking about I hope. When you find your perfect pipe tobacco. Everyting about this stuff was amazing.

Pipe Used: Brigham

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Swiss-smoker (87)	2015-12-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Overwhelmingly well balanced, honest English-Oriental mixture! A very pleasant buttery sweetness from the Virginias underlines the incredibly well chosen Orientals. After the first third of the bowl a nice oak note comes along. The added Latakia does not cover up this blend at all. No flavour peaks, just marvellously balanced. DURBAR’S sibling, the LONDON MIXTURE, emphasises on spicy Orientals. Since I bought this tin a fortnight ago, it must be the new release of Dunhill by the Scandinavian Tobacco Group. I am not familiar with the former one by Murray.

Pipe Used: Pot by Erik Nording, Denmark.

Age When Smoked: New, out of the tin.

Purchased From: Local tobacconist.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Gentleman Zombie (729)	2015-05-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is for the newest version.

I love this blend. The components are well married giving, very nearly, just an "English" flavor, and a very good one at that. I don't find it to be terribly complex, just smoky, buttery, sour & sweet. I do find it to be truly delicious.

It's not a perfect blend. Other than the sweetness, there's not a lot of flavor from the Virginias. Also, due to the cut, it burns quickly leaving me wishing it would last longer. Fixing the latter problem is easy, it's called "re-loading". I'm not concerned with the first. Even with the small contribution from the Virginias this tastes so good it reaches 4 star status for me.

Medium in body. Medium to full in flavor. Burns a little too well, but never hot.

EDIT: Forgot to mention just how smooth this is. Smooth as glass.

Pipe Used: MM Country Gentleman, Diplomat Apple, Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bigdadz (39)	2003-01-05		Medium	None Detected	Extra Full	Very Strong

I would have to say that this is the Rolls Royce of the Dunhill line, extremely refined and very luxurious. I love the pungent herbal smell of the Latakia and enjoy sniffing it from the bowl. If you appreciate rich complex flavours, such as those provided from a fine gourmet medium roast coffee blend, an islay scotch or even a smelly yet delicious cheese (Gorgonzola or my favorite, Oka!) then you will most likely enjoy this mixture. As the ingredients indicate, this is mainly a dark leaf tobacco with a fine ribbon cut. The burning rate is quite slow and regular, which means that you get almost an hour's worth of smoking pleasure with a medium sized bowl, not bad! The taste is robust, possessing a round nuttiness accentuated with hints of incense like spice. Unfortunately the room note may be unpleasant to non-smokers and can be compared to the smell of burning leaves. This in my opinion is an ideal evening smoke, perfect for those quiet solitary moments:)

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DEN-C1956 (35)	2016-03-11		Medium	Medium to Strong	Medium	Very Pleasant

i have just bought a 50g tin of this tobacco and i have had a couple of bowls and wow..its just up my street,cool smoking and a great aroma smashing tin aroma as well,great to relax to and letting the world go by wonderful tobacco and i will be buying more of this for sure.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	krg1000 (183)	2014-10-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

After liking Aperitif so much, I decided to give this blend a whirl. Mayhaps I should have just passed on this one. Although the tobaccos used look to be good quality, there seems to be much lacking in the nicotine department. I see there are many reviewers who says it knocked them for a loop nicotine wise, but I would say this is a best a middle of the road strength in nicotine. YMMV (obviously on this one it seems). Back to the tobaccos, they seem to marry quite nicely and this blend smokes easy enough with little effort to get it lit. Maybe I have been smoking too many Balkan type blends of late to get the taste of this one correctly. YMMV here too. If you are looking for a lot of Latakia here, you would do well to look elsewhere without the bother of purchasing this one. I would definitely recommend it to those who are into English blends.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2013-11-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

First I must admit that I have a love of Dunhill tobaccos. I love the musty smell of a freshly opened tin. Durbar, one of the mass produced Dunhill blends, was an Oriental forward English blend that was briefly attempted by Orlik before being discontinued several years ago. I recently opened one of my last six tins of Durbar (Murray's) and filled one of my best smoking pipes with a generous bowl. Even with ten years of age, the blend still tastes more savory than sweet. Although through a somewhat clouded memory, I think Orlik's version may have been a little sweeter. Like many blends, it is best sipped slowly to get the full flavor of this creamy blend. As I puffed away my stash, I realized that I like it, but don't love it. If given the choice of seeing Durbar or Aperitif return to the market, my vote would go to Aperitif. Being a quality tobacco, I would recommend paying the auction price for those that have never tried it and for those that really loved it. For me, I can't see paying the ever rising price for another tin once my stash is gone as there are a lot of great Oriental blends on the market today.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Diyavol (8)	2017-12-02		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Well I really like oriental based tobaccos, kind of feeling the natural touch, leathery notes etc. durbar is one of my favorites. the first few sips grabs you and you can not leave it untill the bowl finishes. great one really.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Napping Puppy (25)	2017-05-28		Medium	Medium to Strong	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have initially underestimated this fantastic blend. After thoroughly experiencing several tins of this, I came to a conclusion that, when aged, this produces a bitter sweetness rivaling even Sobranie.

The Latakia in Durbar is never offensive, yet appropriately complements the very delicate harmony between the Virginias and the Orientals. Better enjoyed in big-sized bowls of briar pipes.

This blend I came to really enjoy till the very last ash. A Dunhill masterpiece. Stock up before it is too late.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Davidguaita (1)	2017-03-26		Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I really enjoy this Durbar. For Latakia lovers, this tobacco has a very fulfilling smoke. The smoke is quite thick, from the beginning, and the taste is very rich. At the middle of the smoke, I realized some flavours that remind me of a cigar. This tobacco is easy to smoke, and you will smoke the entire bowl without getting saturated of it. I use to smoke EMP and NightCap, but I find this more satisfying. Definitively it's worth a try.

Age When Smoked: 46

Purchased From: Kikusui,Ginza ,Tokyo

Similar Blends: NightCap.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	T.J. Partridge (1)	2016-11-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Sunday morning sitting on the quarterdeck of the Black Pearl here on the South Texas Gulf coast I am enjoying my coffee and several bowls of Dunhill Durbar in my old M/M cob....the breeze rustling the palm trees reminds me of how young girls pettie coat's sounded when thy walked by...that was a way back in the day...back to tha Durbar...I have smoked most all of the Dunhills, Pease, Lane, and a multitude of the other luxury tobaccos...but Durbar is at the top of the list in my rotation....jUS sAIN....!!!

Pipe Used: Missouri Mercham

Age When Smoked: 30 days

Purchased From: Flake

Similar Blends: Dunhill My Mixture 965.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Old German puffer (106)	2015-08-26		Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Today I sat in my barbershop with 4 buddies that were pipe smokers. Today I opened 2 tins of Dunbar. One old and one new remake. This is what followed: As the original tin was opened everyone was hooting and hollering for the tobacco code to be enforced. The smell of Dunbar was still strong. God I love that smell. I stood enough to load my pipe and passed it on. Each person followed and smell commented and loaded up as well. I was the first to light and a short quite moment followed. Smoke was strong. Taste was still the same. Just as it was in days of old. Thank god for having a great cellar of tobacco. As we smoked we swapped stories of blends past. With over 200 years of pipe smoking in the room it was deep. Taste a flavor lasted to the end. Room note was strong. Very strong with for all loaded up. Coffee was reloaded and the new tin was then opened up. On first opening you really could smell a different type of tobacco. Orders were different. The blend was different. The smell was different. All agreed the smell was not even close. New tin was loaded and lit. Char came quick. Smoke was lighter as was the flavor. Not as strong. Felt the smoke was more harsh in a odd way. Settling into the middle of the bowl the flavor changed to more of the real Dunbar. After sampling both side by side I still prefer the old. The rest felt the new was milder and more smokeable. I was encouraged to bring more but it was left that I was out voted 3 to 1.

Pipe Used: KBB, Kopp,

Age When Smoked: fresh tin old tin

Purchased From: Low Country Pipe and Cigar South Carolina B&M

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CPT/VSG (72)	2011-04-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

What a shame that Durbar is discontinued. In short, Durbar is one of my all-time favorite Oriental blends. I do not find it to be particularly strong, just balanced between the Orientals, Virginias and Latakia, and quite "smooth." Durbar's the rare tobacco that never fails to please me and doesn't depend upon a particular pipe to excel, although large bowls probably bring out its best qualities. Just a terrific blend to me. 4 stars. The foregoing review was of the Murray version.

Update: I also recently finished an Orlik tin before it was discontinued. Pretty close, to my taste buds, to the Murray version, perhaps just a little less rich. Good, nonethless.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kilmarnock Piper (251)	2009-10-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Balkan/English isn't my favorite, but this was pretty interesting. There were some intense smoky flavors. I would recommend it to those who like this style. As for me, I will save what I have left for a change of pace. That is what I usually use Balkans and Englishes for.

1-1-10 update: Well, dragged this out after a year or so, and have decided to upgrade. I smoked a bowl in a Marxman Jumbo for all of 50 minutes, accompanied by a tot of dark rum (Cruzan Black Strap). Made it taste a bit like Gawith Navy Flake! Maybe I am starting to appreciate the Englishes more. I'm sure my tin is the Orlik version-maybe I'll get to try the Murray's some day...

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	tacoeatingzebra (37)	2006-10-25		Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This stuff is manna as far as I am concerned. Along with Balkan Sasieni, this one has upped my appreciation for Orientals. By appreciation, I mean I understand a little more their role in making a good blend whole. In a lot of English blends the latakia walks all over the Orientals, and that's not to say that I dislike Latakia, for I would eat it if it were feasible and it remains my single favorite leaf. In Durbar, however, the Oriental leaf really gets its chance to solo at certain points.

Durbar is also one of the coolest burning smokes I've encountered, though it seems to burn rather quickly, which is something I've noticed consistantly over the course of several tins.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-02-18		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

The can of Durbar I cracked opened today is over a year old and an original UK can.

Tin Aroma: I have yet to develop a taste for really supreme tobacco tin aromas. They all still smell like medicated lubricant, ketchup, soil and mulch etc. However, I have come to realize that usually means I am in for a pleasant ride. Wonderfully, such is the case with this tin of Durbar.

Start: Upon lighting, the first taste from this blend had me thinking that this could rise to be my favorite blend, which is a really rare and good feeling upon strike. As I progressed through the bowl I was enraptured with the full-bodied taste and aroma.

Mid-Bowl: I'm gone! I am seduced by this smoky treat and am in the wonderful hazy tobacco trance. Durbar has, at this point, encased my thoughts and I can do nothing but puff as I am in a smoky comma. Delightful!

Finish: Durbar smokes clean from start to finish. By the time I have set my pipe down my eyelids are pleasantly droopy but not overpowering. I am in full relaxing mode and pay my dues to the Durbar. Thank you Dunhill once again.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2004-08-31		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

As a fan of London Mixture and My Mixture 965, this was an obvious choice when I decided to order some tobaccos from abroad! Many of the considerations made in my reviews for those two blends (and for Standard Mixture Medium) still apply, especially about the care of the leaves choice, the long ribbon cutting (rougher than in the above mentioned blends, though) and the burning qualities. In comparison to other Dunhill's English mixtures, this has a clearly lesser amount of Latakia. Think of it as a cross between the three I mentioned above, but with a higher percentage of spicy Orientals and a less-intense smokiness, and also some cigar-like hints. The result is a blend with less body, but brisk and pungent, rather overwhelming to the palate: the typical impression of (huge) shock effect vs. real meat (little, given the reduced presence of Latakia) that I get from other Oriental/Latakia blends which are geared towards the orientals. A good smoke, nice for a change of pace and full of subtle nuances that require dedication for being fully savored, but not as completely memorable (for me, at least) and "filling" as London Mixture or 965, and sometimes a bit "empty" (meaning that the lack of deep Virginia notes is sorely missed, in comparison to London Mixture). Probably I am not a fan of tobaccos with a dominating "oriental" presence. Room note is rather weird and unpleasant: some times I see people wondering what the smell is, until they realise that it's my pipe! ADDITION December 2003: This new tin has an emptier, more undefined, taste. It has become "heavy" in mouthfeel (not "tasty", just "heavy") like almost all the other Dunhill latakia blends have become in the last months. Strong in nicotine and a bit nauseating, but weak in taste: same thing happened to Nightcap in particular. A sign of a decreasing quality, or my tastebuds are changing?

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2003-07-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Well, I finally came round this much talked about blend. I am glad I did. To begin with it lives up to the Dunhill name or, if you so wish, Dunhill seems to have kept the quality of the blend (something that lately, as the esteemed Eulenburg points out, has not been entirely the case with other Dunhill tobaccos). Secondly it is a wonderful, rich, deeply Oriental mixture, that smokes very well and has a long lasting flavor. I wouldn't compare it to My Mixture 965. For me this is more a Balkan type of smoke than an English (i.e. London Mixture, Standard Mixture) or Scottish type (965). In this context I am more inclined to draw a comparison with Balkan Sobranie or some of Rattray's Orientals. IMO Durbar surpasses both. It has that "mystical" depth that leads to a long, silent, contemplative smoke.

Medium to full, the tobacco is not as pungent in the tin as, say, London Mixture. After the first light, the peculiar flavors present in Oriental mixtures settle down to play their particular roles to perfection. I don't get too much of the Turkish taste. Rather, a bit like Black Mallory, I get the bitter sweet incense like richness of Latakia, a touch of Macedonian leaf (?) and the structural stability of the matured, unsweetened Virginias. It burns quite cool and produces a sense of density and plenitude that satisfies without becoming overwhelming or heady.

Though this is a type of tobacco I don't smoke constantly fro persona reasons, Durbar undoubtedly is a 5 star tobacco that should be smoked with care and attention to fully perceive all its wealth and dimension.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BostonPipe (84)	2003-01-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

A Classic English Blend. Having tried this blend before, I was excited to receive several tins of this blend from the Dunhill store in London. My friend swears' that the blend that Dunhill ships to us here in the states is smoother, and theirs', a little rough around the edges. I had to disagree with him on that. The cut is long/stringy English style. The tin aroma lets one know that latakia is present, however in a non-overpowering manner. There is a subtle hint of sweetness also. I found it easy to light, one false-light, tamp, then off to some excellent "down-time." Usually I enjoy a higher percentage of oriental over virginia-not in this blend though. The virginia, what do they use? Maybe lemon-virginia? Maybe red-virginia? Maybe both. All I can tell you is, Delicious! A subtle sweetness the whole way through the bowl. I find the latakia to play a superb background supporting role; the orientals interplaying to a great overall effect. This is a true blend in the definition of the term. This is a blend that tells me I should be trying more Virginia types. A sophisticated latakia blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-02-16		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This is a beautiful tobacco. The delicate interplay of the Virginias and Orientals is evident from the first light and continues throughout the bowl. The Latakia makes itself known as well, but it is never overwhelming. Overall, this is such a delicate and flavorful blend, it is a must for the English tobacco lover. Very highly recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-31		Medium	None Detected	Mild	Strong

Durbar is a nicely-cut thin ribbon that seems to contain every possible shade of brown. It comes from the tin at a perfect moisture for me and so lights and burns well. Upon first lighting this blend, I taste a muted, almost subtle Latakia, then some Virginia sharpness, and afterwards an exceptionally cool, slightly acrid smoke with just a bare undertone of nuttiness and sweetness. Despite other taster's impressions, I find this to be a subtler blend than many full-bore Englishes and like the interplay of the Virginias, Orientals, and Latakia as the bowl progresses. Like the perfect butler, this is an exceptionally well-behaved smoke, never strident or bothersome, but always elegant, subtle, and cool. I like it much more than 965. Burns to a fine dry grey ash. Recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SmileyOrb (17)	2018-07-31		Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Strong

Initial tin note is pungent strong smokey liquorice.

Lights and smokes smoothly. Very full taste, woody, spicy and peppers, quite oriental in leaf. I enjoyed but not my usual and not really my favourite. Room odour was not enjoyed by some describing it as burning leaves, fish nets!? Nicotine is high but bearable. It's a quality smoke though, as all Dunghill tobaccos are. Recommended as a evening smoke, perhaps in Autumn to a warm flavours...with perique I think too. It's quite basic in taste, and consistent.

Pipe Used: Straight billiard by James J Fox

Age When Smoked: 5 months old tin

Purchased From: Local newsagents, SE London

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stefanos (222)	2017-09-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I find that many tobacco brands have a signature flavor in most of their blends and this goes for Duhilll as well. As for Durbar specifically, I find that although it has this Dunhill typicity it either lacks character or I do not get it. I explain. On the one hand it does not have enough Latakia to satisfy the Latakia-phile and on the other the Orientals, at least to me, are not really exciting or even discernible and the Virginia is less than exciting.

Tin note is the classic Dunhill English mixture, creosoty, smoky although Latakia is not as prominent as in other blends. Taste is also very Dunhill, though here again Latakia is measured. There are some sharp Virginia notes but the Orientals are neither particularly sour nor tangy, rather neutral. At times it seems to me spicy, peppery but still not really exciting. It is smoky but lacks the depth of, say, London Mixture or its sweetness. It’s a rather dry-tasting smoke for me. Not bad in any way, but I still fail to see its point.

Burns rather quick, as many Dunhills do, but it does not get hot. But towards the end of the smoke I feel a “twitch” in my tongue, not a bite but something unpleasant still, and the flavours get a little bit ashy and bitter.

To conclude, I do not find Durbar terribly exciting, yet it has full body and is quite satiating with having only just medium strength, so it seems good for a morning smoke (at least for me), but I find I could smoke much better tobaccos even from the Dunhill portfolio instead of Durbar. I have no experience with the old version for a comparison.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MickPiper (6)	2017-07-15		Strong	Extra Strong	Overwhelming	Overwhelming

50 gram tin, which was slightly damaged as was the tin of Irish Flake I got. The Durbar had a incredibly strong lakeland smell and taste. the Irish flake was contaminated but not nearly as bad (just in tin note, not in taste)

It was slightly moist just above perfect moisture surprisingly considering the amount of lakeland contamination? I let some dry a bit more for 45 minutes and loaded a bowl. Couldn't take more than 3 hits before I emptied it out of my bowl and immediately cleaned it and purged with Peterson Irish Flake which didn't help...the damage was done

-Before opening the can, it smelled very strong. It's a strong smell that wasn't pleasant at all. The taste was just like the smell-a perfumey, chemically, soapy, sour smell that was so strong I could taste it just from the smell, revolting.

This was my first english/balkan blend, and I'm quite sure this was a fluke because it's horribly bad and lakeland essence is not supposed to be in this blend I thought. I could still taste it after brushing/mouthwash, and eating a meal. Pipe went in the garbage ghosted to hell from just a few hits.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum

Age When Smoked: 2-3 years

Purchased From: Famous Smoke shop

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leeboy (20)	2015-10-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

This is a nice smooth smoke. I found myself wanting more Latakia and reaching for some nightcap. I preferred this to 965 as less harsh however for me it could get a little bland and lacking in flavor. Its a quality tobacco that is expected from Dunhill and a must to try as it could be the one that hits the spot out of their vast range.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crazy owl (74)	2015-10-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

After four tins of the new Orlik edition I only can repeat the words of the review from Virginia lover.It´s subtle and deep,simply splendid.I only rest a little doubtful about ageing because the high proportion of the wonderful oriental leaf.I say oriental instead of turkish because I suspect some Macedonia together with Izmir.We can describe like a more oriental than London Mixture.Latakia component could be Syrian,pure silkness.

Pipe Used: Little Dunhills

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: local tobacconist

Similar Blends: Mayhaps London Mixture.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gam86 (49)	2015-09-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

The first puffs are amazing a good balance between the ingredients gives you a mouth full of hope but and the end there is no really evolution. I fund that the taste remain flat and continues to remain the same from the beging. Still a good tobacco but not a must buy for me

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MDP (39)	2015-08-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I have really missed Durbar, and this re-release matches both my memory of Murray's version and my present predilection. It reminds me of 965 without all the rough edges and heaviness.

It has it all: smokey, sweet, rich, a touch of spice, smooth, interesting, and smooth. Really satisfying any time of the day, any pipe.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Tinder Box

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2015-07-26		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A pleasant English that features a decent serve of Turkish to give it that distinctive Dunhill taste. To me this is like sibling of 965 and a nice change of pace. Quaility tobacco but not significantly interesting to entice me to buy more. I was much more impressed with Aperitif which was re-released at the same time.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hottgunn (19)	2014-11-18		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a review of the current Durbar, 2014. I have never had the previous version. A fuller, more flavorful version of EMP. Very smooth and rich. I like EMP a great deal but it's flavor on some days is so subtle that I don't taste it. This tobacco comes on stronger and the flavor is right there, right now. Another great Dunhill tobacco. Just outstanding. Well done Dunhill, well done.

Pipe Used: Dunhill's

Similar Blends: Early Morning Pipe.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-11-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I LIKE THIS!

I'm a big fan of cigars also, and it almost seems as if there is some cigar leaf stuffed in here.

Rich heavy flavors and a high nicotine level.

This ought to keep the motor running. Had it with some fine French wine and absolutely loved it. I had the murrays tin (obviously as this stuff is not made anymore) and still have a dunhill store tin left, this is said to be even more spicy.

I'm taking it easy as my supply of old Dunhill tins is shrinking every day, but how can one leave a blend like this alone.

I simply must smoke it again. and soon.....

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	colt25314 (42)	2009-11-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Contact British American Tobaco (BAT) and demand that they either manufacture all of Dunhill Pipe Tobaccos or sell the rights to someone who will. It is insanity to let this and other Dunhill pipe tobacco blends die out. Shame on BAT!!!!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-08-05		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Strong

A blustery night it was, and the storm seemed to wage war on the high coast line. The waves crashing into the rocky shore. That is where this tobacco belongs, with a good book on a long stormy night. It be not for the faint of heart. Sad indeed that we'll never see the sails of this great ship again.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-08-04		Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

This is a pretty plain, no-bullshit, in your face, earthy, one dimensional smoke. Puff too hard and you won't be able to stand up. There's a slight harshness to it and leaves my throat a bit on a dry side. Smokes beautifully, I wish other blends smoked as easy and smooth as this one, almost no relights are necessary and it burns evenly all the way down leaving nice powdery gray ash. Beware that after smoking a few bowls, your wife may file for divorce.

Probably not an all day smoke, recommended as a change of pace, if you want a simple, strong, good tobacco with a kick.

FYI, this review is based on a tin labeled "Made in the UK with association with Dunhill" -- whether it's Murray's or Orlik's I don't really care.

UPDATE: after smoking it in a few different pipes, I now find it more appealing and interesting. To the point that I'm looking forward to the next bowl! There's a certain earthy, musky sweetness that comes to life by mid bowl that I can't quite explain but enjoy it very much. Upgraded to 3 starts.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipepundit (168)	2007-05-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I have been conserving my stocks of Durbar. I have not tasted all the Dunhill blends listed, but of the ones that I have tasted, Nightcap and Durbar are absolutely the best, in their different traditions.

Davidoff`s Royalty and Red Rapparee are two other favourite oriental blends. Royalty and Durbar have similarities, but RR is totally distinct. What a pity that Durbar will no longer be available: a great loss to lovers of oriental blends.

As favourite blends continue to disappear more and more requiems will need to be composed.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-02-15		Extremely Strong	None Detected	Extra Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Durbar is quite brilliant! Here is the lead: It was a rainy night in New York. The cold dripping water begged for a rich mixture to take some chill out of the air (and the bones). England may have rain, but never the bitter cold that is a New York winter--it makes icicles wish for warm Scottish wool mufflers. It was time to try Dunhill?s Durbar indeed. It took a moment to open the tin (struggling first to open then frantically looking for a screwdriver to pry the top off). After opening, my hands were almost too numb to pack my pipe after the struggle with the impregnable metal casing, but I managed (with a now slight carpal tunnel feeling). Perhaps I should have found a coin instead. My straight Stanwell was easily filled and lit with this pleasant ribbon tobacco (dark with spots of tan--lovely). And the flavour was splendid. And curiously sweet. Although, it was preceded with a piece of dark chocolate that certainly enhanced the nuances of this prime tobacco. This is the kind of mixture that makes you feel good to be alive. In fact, it makes you want to live longer and begs that one quits smoking to lengthen life for the very reason of adding a few more years to enjoy more of this weed. Catch 22 there if there ever was one. Like another reviewer, the only problem that I found was that Durbar caused harshness in my throat and that will prevent it from becoming as regular as I would like. The tobacco burned extremely well and warmed the pipe's bowl to the perfect temperature. It did pack a nicotine punch that reminded me of the days of smoking great Dominican cigars too quickly. I will keep this on hand for special occasions. It was followed with scotch and water (a sherry matured version of The Glendronach). I recommend this with the reservation that is be saved for special occasions due to that harsh side affect that prevents it from becoming an all-day regular. More to come.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-02-24		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Essentially this is 965 without the brown cavendish.It's the dictionary definition of what an English tobacco is.Rich and full with a nutty undertone.It's never left a bad taste in my mouth as was suggested above.latakia fans rejoice and enjoy this classic blend.=Highly Recomended= prep

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-11-18		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

You know, I thought I was crazy until I read the description of this blend. I kept smoking it and all I could taste, well the most significant thing I could tast was orientals. I kept looking in my jar and seeing what I thought was bunches of dark latakia.

Whew! I was really beginning to question whether I had any business posting here.

Well I'm about half-way through my tin, and think its about time I chimed in. Very yummy stuff. The orientals really jump out at you. Occasionally I get a nice taste of Virgina or a bit of latakia.

Smokes well all the way down the bowl. I puff fast, and have never had even a hint of bite.

Good stuff.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-09-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Durbar has been reviewed to death here, so I will just make a few comments.

Durbar is one of the best-behaved blends I smoke with frequency. It burns well to the bottom of the bowl, with little relighting (unless I get distracted). It is similar to 695 but more flavorful due, I think, to the greater Virginia content.

Durbar is a little light on the latakia, IMHO, which is why I do not smoke it more. The Orientals shine well in this blend, but give a little bitterness near the end. Truly worthy of of the Dunhill name.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-05-08		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I never met a Dunhill I didn't like, so with that said, I profess with stern conviction that Durbar is the undeniable king of the heap.

I recall opening my first tin of this stuff some time back and was absolutely mesmerized with the tin aroma. One pipeful later, and I was hooked for life.

Listen up folks....Turkish blends just don't get any better than this. There's a whole lotta flavor packed in every tin of this stuff. It totally amazes me that Dunhill took this off the market for a period of time. What the heck were they thinking ???

A medium fine ribbon cut blend that has a fair amount of nicotine. Definitely not and all day smoke...but one that can be savored at least once or twice a day. Like a fine expensive wine, this is a classic smoke that deserves only our highest praise and recognition.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-04-02		Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

I really enjoy this blend. It is robust in taste and packs a good kick, but not harsh. It smokes evenly and has a pleasant, lingering taste.

This is always my second choice in regards to Dunhill blends.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-05-08		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Strong

A wonderful light english blend. This flavor is slightly sweet and spicy, and the latakia comes across more in the aroma than the taste. The aroma, btw, is extremely pungent -- you're not going to make friends with this one. Smoking it slowly and coolly brings out the latakia, smoking it quicker enhances the orientals.

For some reason, this blend falls into the same personal category as I place Pelican, in that it is a blend that is widely hailed a stout english blend, that I nonetheless find to be extremely mild with a strange sweetness. OTOH, many "medium" blends like Bombay Court and Balkan Sobranie absolutely knock my socks off with their richness and flavor. Somehow my taste buds just aren't wired to taste orientals, I guess. But while I find Pelican nearly tasteless, this blend has just enough in it that while I find it somewhat mild, it nonetheless possesses a delightful flavor that brings me back again and again.

Highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JaWiBr (558)	2023-02-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Tin note of stewed fruit, spices, and very mild smoke. Tobacco is color brown, tan ribbon cut with a little black mixed in. Moisture content is great. Burns moderate with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and mostly consistent, with notes of floral, very dry, herbal peaty vegetation, musty earth, wood, spicy, hay, bready, very mild incense, spices, sour citrus, mildly acidic, zesty orange peel, a savory sweet background note, and a mostly smooth/mild peppery retro. Oriental/Turkish is leading with strong support from the Virginias and minimal support from the Latakia. Room note is 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
	Carolus (29)	2022-08-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I found that this tobacco often needs relights. It is consistent of taste, with the mild orientals at the foreground, and a soft and natural smoke, but I found it a bit bland. Since I only smoke outside, I cannot really catch the room note, but I got the sense it was not too strong.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Deckard Cain (39)	2022-05-22		Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

Some tobacco are easy to forget about, but when you revisit them they kind of blow your mind. For me this is one of those. I find this tobacco to be very gentle on your tongue. It smokes cool, and is as smooth as butter. But it's flavor is magical. If you enjoy the delegate interplay of orientals and Latakia, this is your bag baby. I don't smoke English blends indoors. And I hate sitting outside during the winter. So for the most part the spring summer and early fall are my English smoking seasons. This was my first of the season. What a reward for a long winter. This is wonderful stuff. You can't help but imagine the Glory Days of the British empire. Dusty market places in far off lands, where they sell beautiful handmade rugs. Tobacco smoking is about Discovery and personal growth. And this tobacco is one of the best I've discovered. I've heard people talk about its strength in the nicotine department, but I don't really notice it. I don't really notice much nicotine in any pipe tobacco.

Some reviewers on here say that it is a little too strong for them or insinuate that it is pretty hardcore. I say give it another chance. You've got to learn to love English to love this tobacco. English tobacco is not a love it or hate it proposition. It isn't for anybody. Literally everyone has to learn how to smoke it and enjoy it. It requires a learned pallet, and you only get that through practice. Smoke more, smoke more, and smoke even more. You will begin to understand complexity and love for English blends. Doing that is one of the biggest achievements any pipe smoker will ever have.

Pipe Used: Cobs

Age When Smoked: 4 years

Purchased From: Pipes and cigars

Similar Blends: 965, apparatif, nightcap, gaslight, White Knight, maybe medal of valor.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	PyrateMate (6)	2019-01-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

On poppin the tin and lettin the bouquet waft from the baccy givin it plenty o time to settle in, a pleasant aroma comes forth from the latakia and virginia's. The charrin light is cool and tasty. After a "let's get acquainted relight" it 'as a nice warm room note. Burns down to a fine ash. Vitamin "N" is stronger in this than some o Mr Dunhill's other offerings. All in all it might be best after eve victuals along the lines o Aperitif. Should partner nicely wit a fine dram o the Capt's rum, or other adult libation...

Pipe Used: Soborg Briar

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: PIPES & CIGARS

Similar Blends: Aperitif, Villager 1888 After Dinner..

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	wandyhee (16)	2015-10-09		Strong	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

too strong for my taste. struggle to finish a each bowl. got to pass, no looking back keras sangat.. rasa gatal dalam kerongkong tiap kali sedut dalam

Pipe Used: Golden Gate Bent Apple

Age When Smoked: New in pack

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2013-01-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The tin that I'm smoking from is several years old and was blended by Murray. It is no longer produced and hasn't been for some time. The orientals play a significant part of this smoke while the latakia and other tobaccos stay well in the background. It has a buttery, sweet flavor with a touch of spice. Not my preferred Balkan blend but pretty tasty if you can find some.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cgar (37)	2012-05-10		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Another mixture that deserves its place in todays market. Rich, smokey, with a little spiciness to it. Certainly get the cigar undertones and nice little dance from lady 'N'. Not sure why Orlik would not make this available but my guess is that they are clearly missing a rich nitch of sales in our world.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2011-06-25		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Sorry to see this one gone.(again) Hope it comes back someday. A real staple and benchmark balkan. If you ever see this one on a pipeshow table, and your a balkan fan who has never tried it, drop the coin and enjoy!

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2010-07-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Durbar was definitively on the strong side.

A nice coarse cut, lots of Latakia.

I find the overall strenght of it prevented any real enjoyment.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RMBittner (66)	2009-05-18		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

My first experience with Durbar was this 1999 tin (so, Murray's), opened in 2009.

This is a delicious, full-strength oriental blend, with occasional cigar overtones and an enveloping richness. At moments, it veers into harshness, given the strength of its oriental tobaccos and its fairly high nicotine level (for an oriental/English).

At 10 years old, this stuff doesn't show any signs of fading.

Highly recommended if you prefer stronger blends; for those who prefer something a bit less forceful, it is still recommended.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2009-04-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I've only smoked the Murray's edition in the early 2000's. It had what I liked about 965 (rich, creamy Virginias, tangy Orientals and a drop dead killer aroma burning), but not 965's detractions (tongue-battering heat, added sweetness). While I consider 965 a Scottish-style Latakia blend, no so with Durbar, which is more a Balkan.

Durbar was tied with London Mixture as my favorite Dunhill tinned blend. I have but one tin left. Hopefully, one day, I'll see an Orlik version to try once Dunhill tobacco starts shipping to the US again.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-10-26		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Rest in peace I will never try to fill your shoes!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-10-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is (was) a very fine blend; tangy, with a hint of sweetness...very smooth. Sadly, it's no longer available. This is very close to 965...perhaps a touch sweeter.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-07-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Side by side comparison of Murray's and Orlik. Age difference aside, this is pretty dang close. Either Orlik didn't screw this one up or they inherited some bulk inventory along with the rest of the deal.

Very good Virginia base and quality Orientals. Latakia a bit light, but that's what the blend is aiming for, IMHO. Something to smoke in the tropical heat and humidity. I wonder if Kipling was smoking this when he wrote Gunga Din?

The Orientals do dry the palate somewhat, so care must be exercised during beverage selection, and time of day factored in as well. On a hot afternoon, something sweet and citrusy does it for me. On a sultry evening, something Speyside with a wee drop o' water to open up the pores so-to-speak.

For me a large, wide bowl works best, and at one sitting. DGT brought out some unpleasant sourness and an ashy, burnt toast bitterness that had to be smoked through to reach the pleasant Virginias underneath.

Dang glad I have 20 tins in the cellar.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-03-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I got 1 of the last tins available and loved it! A very classic mixture relying heavily on orientals. slightly bitter and very bold. I will be sad when I finish the last of this. 3 of 4 stars.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This review is for a tin of Murray-blended Durbar that is badly dinted.

Tin: smoky smell; brown, light brown and black rough ribbon cut, with some olive. In this dinted Murray tin, the tobacco is barely moist.

Not surprisingly, it stays lit with one match.

Aroma: This is like 965 without brown cavendish, or SM Medium without the VA signature. Durbar smokes like quality stuff, but bland, nothing standing out. It doesn't display much complexity, but again, a mellow, quality tobacco.

Another reviewer described Durbar as flat, insipid, not complex, merely hot and smoky. Again, I was smoking the version blended by Murray, but likewise did not notice any difference between tins of Orlik and Murray-blended Elizabethan that I recently came across.

Taste: Not sweet, but also not harsh, spicey, or tangy either. With absolutely no bite, it has hallmarks of a quality, very smooth smoke. Towards the end of the bowl, a vague hint of a oriental and nutty, woodsy aroma, with no taste.Having recently sampled Rattray's RR, RRR has much more taste and flavor. No latakia blast, less latakia than other Dunhills. Durbar is not full-flavored.

No gurgle, but a slight condensate was left in the stem of the almost dry tobacco from, as of April 2007, an at least 3-year-old tin. Subsequent bowls did produce more moisture.

Nicotine: The tobacconist warned about Durbar being strong stuff. After a bowl, I didn't find it stronger than any other Dunhill, less strong than Elizabethan or Rattray's RR.

Room Note: Light English that soon dissipates.

Overall: Durbar is a very smooth, with no bite, quality tobacco, tending towards bland, with little taste.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2008-03-03		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This review is for a tin of Murray-blended Durbar that is badly dinted.

Tin: smoky smell; brown, light brown and black rough ribbon cut, with some olive. In this dinted Murray tin, the tobacco is barely moist.

Not surprisingly, it stays lit with one match.

Aroma: This is like 965 without brown cavendish, or SM Medium without the VA signature. Durbar smokes like quality stuff, but bland, nothing standing out. It doesn't display much complexity, but again, a mellow, quality tobacco.

Another reviewer described Durbar as flat, insipid, not complex, merely hot and smoky. Again, I was smoking the version blended by Murray, but likewise did not notice any difference between tins of Orlik and Murray-blended Elizabethan that I recently came across.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-09-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Another Dunhill variant. If you like Dunhill in general, you will like it.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-08-24		Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I don't know about this one...

Quite strong in taste, almost tongue biting because of the strength, despite the fact that there was not that much Latakia. Huge nicotine kick.

Very high quality leaf, of course - it's Dunhill!

Just felt like there was a shitload of Périque in there, cause I can't see where the strength would come from.

If you like very strong English mixtures, knock yourself out!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-07-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Because I favor VA/Oriental blends that are more oriental and less latakia, e.g. Old Perth, Red Rapparee, Aperitif, I gave this a whirl. The tin was made in the U.K. without EU markings, so I believe this to be the original, non-Orlik blend.

Tin notes are rich with orientals and supporting latakia. First 1/3 bowl is mostly medium-bodied virginia, with hints of the orientals and latakia. By mid-bowl the orientals and lat become much more prominent, but never drown the virginia. Bottom of the bowl is mildly sweet and smoky with a fine, powdery grey ash.

The orientals in these blends can be either herbal/woody in or cigar-like in character. Durbar takes the latter route.

The smoke is rich in body with well-integrated flavors and smooth, maybe too much so for my tastes. I like a little spice and texture. None of the varietals stand out in character. It is a good smoke and tasty, but not one which requires a lot of attention to nuances. It's like a meal at a fancy, but staid restaurant. the ingredients are top-notch,the food excellently prepared and tasty, but you can get others like it elsewhere.

I would consider including this in my rotation as a very competent alternative. Too bad it has gone the way of the dodo. I'll have to pick up a few more tins for later smoking or trade.

Smoked out of an Ardor Ninfea briar calabash and an Andreas Bauer gourd calabash.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2007-02-26		Very Strong	None Detected	Very Full	Tolerable

As with my review of Elizabethan Mix, I'm not old enough to have experienced any older versions of Durbar. Regardless, this is a tobacco that is not for the faint of heart. If you are an aromatic smoker who is thinking of making the transition to English blends, don't go for this one for some time. It has a great deal of flavor, and the Latakia does most of the talking. This is a very heady blend that punches fast and hard, sometimes too fast and too hard, which is why I'm only giving it 2 stars. It has very smoky, woodsy, musty sort of flavor; I seem to reach for it nights in the dead of January when it is cold, dark, and stormy. Durbar is a blend that belongs with a fire and smoking jacket.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	constantsmoker (65)	2007-01-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

A so-so blend that was discontinued by Dunhill very recently. If you are a devotee of this blend, I recommend that you start stocking up, if you can find it. Alternatively, try Dunhill's excellent Mixture 965 or London Mixture. While neither of the aforementioned contain Oriental, IMHO I never noticed the presence in Durbar.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-10-26		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

VERY TYPICAL TO ALL DUNHILLS, LEATHER, SOUR, SOMEWHAT SWEET

Dunhill is quality, not my favorite, with skill and/or imagination this can have a sweet side. I still prefer EMP.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-09-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I really thought I wouldn't add to the already mile-high pile of Dunhill reviews,(even though I've tried some of the usual blends, with the usual results). But I do partially enjoy this pipeful, only because it IS cut with Orientals. It allows changes and mellowness throughout the smoke, keeping some of the hide-tanning solution in the distance. It does finish rather rough, but some folks go for that kinda ride. I still have yet to find better than Pres. Mix. for my Brit fix.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-08-20		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

It's been a while since I've lit this one up, but I remember it well. One of the best Dunhill blends. Stronger than Nightcap or Royal Yacht in nicotine. That may have been a fluke since I only smoked 50 grams of it and there's no telling who the blender was.

Anyway, the oriental tilt of this blend is great. It's got a lot going on as the bowl burns. This blend does require careful attention, just because, as far a Dunhill blends go, it's very active. (is there a better word than 'complex'?) good stuff.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-08-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

One thing?s for sure, Dunhill tobaccos provide that nicotine kick one usually counts on when taking a dip from this distinguished blender, and Durbar does not disappoint. This is without a doubt one of the most visually attractive blends produced by any manufacturer. There?s red leaf, orange peal, lemon yellow, dishwater blonde, and the occasional latakia black all neatly configured in a tightly packed tin. The aroma is a mix of fermented fig and citrus. I think of Squadron Leader when I smoke this blend only it?s cranked-up a few notches, and I LIKE THAT. The tin I opened 30 minutes ago has the perfect moisture content, and is burning evenly and completely as I?m currently reaching the bottom third of the bowl. No tongue bite here, definitely quality leaf. However, the latakia is subdued. I?ve tried two other Dunhill offerings; Night Cap (an evening disappointment) and Royal Yacht (another tin needs consuming before a conclusion is rendered). Durbar is in my rotation for good. I enjoy it after a jigger or two of Cognac or Straight Vodka.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	hoo-boy (26)	2006-07-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

A blend of orientals. virginias and latakia. If you like the taste of Latakias you will be disapointed as this in my opinion is one of the blends that should have more of a percentage. The more I smoke Alfreds blends the more I am disapointed in them. I guess I started pipeing too late to try the old blends that everone thought were great. One day maybe I will find an aged tin and I will sing its praises. Untill then I will look at the modern blends and say ho-hum! hoo-boy

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-06-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Strong

Very nice flavor. Room note is very strong, best to smoke this on hunting trips with Dick Cheyney.

smoking a dunhill grp three in an air tight room...

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	aadelma (67)	2006-05-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

A very nice change of pace smoke from Dunhill. As a long time fan of 965 and EMP, there are times when I want the Dunhill taste but a little different. Durbar fills the bill. There are lots of orientals to give it a pleasant bitterness. I enjoy the incense-like aroma of them, but I doubt a non-smoker would. It has the trademark Dunhill cut for easy packing and lighting and burns to a fine grey ash. It's nicotine content lies between 965 and Nightcap, so smoke it slowly and on a full stomach. I wouldn't want to smoke it every day, but again, when I want something different than usual, this is a great choice.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2006-04-03		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is definitely one of the better offerings from Dunhill.

If you like Nightcap, but want something a bit lighter, Durbar could be for you. That isn't to say it tastes like Nightcap Light - they're completely different. What I am saying here is that where Nightcap is a heavy flavor, Durbar is just a bit more reserved overall.

It's nice to see a Dunhill English blend that doesn't taste like cavendish. Good quality Orientals and a healthy dose of quality VA mingle ahd give complexity with a Latakia backdrop.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	caddad (53)	2006-03-14		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I purchased a tin of Durbar a week ago to get me by till my next shipment from C&D arrived in the mail. Oh boy have I enjoyed this! The latakia is very flavourfull and there are lots of other more discrete componants popping up throughout the bowl. It is very smooth and as yet has not overpowered my senses once. I'm quite sure that I will buy this again.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2005-10-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

Update It is now 2015. Re-released, this blend has changed.

Now, it is the most pleasant of the Dunhill Latakia mixtures. Pleasant means it smokes silky smooth, with no irritation, no harshness, an easy English. Not too much Latakia, and the orientals are very incense-like. Richer and smoother than EMP, London, or SMM, while at the same time the various tobaccos don't interplay so much as combine. Body has dropped down to medium. Perhaps some would find it unexciting, but I think it's delicious, almost an all day type of English. Nothing like the Balkan Bomb it once was, it is much more approachable. This is becoming one of my favorites.

Update Well I must agree the quality dropped on this both in the late tins from Murray and in the new stuff from Orlik. Both taste equally flat to me. It's still not bad, just not as described in most of these reviews (unless you get an older tin).

Fickle as I am, I've now dropped LM in favor of Durbar in my ever changing rotation. Durbar stands out in the Dunhill lineup as the only Dunhill English which actually tastes sweet to me, (must be the use of a different kind of VA), and the other reviewer is spot on in comparing this to Penzance in flavor profile. I find it smoother and more complex than LM, sweeter and less dark and bitter than Nightcap, and less dark, but richer, than 965. It does pack a wallop, but again this depends on how it is smoked. It can be very gentle and nutty ( roasted cashews) and often reminds me of a very good Dominican Cigar with a CT wrapper. Like a box of Davidoff Super Rs crammed in 8 dollar tin. A super rich and nutty experience, it does leave an odd mouth coating as has also been mentioned. (Citrus fruit seems to take this away).

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-10-08		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

[Review based on tins manufactured in 2004]

A stout, well-balanced blend with considerable nicotine punch. Durbar has deep rounded notes and for the most part of the bowl rolls along pleasantly enough with little variation, but becomes almost on the verge of being overpowering (like 965 is to me). While I enjoy this blend, there are too many other blends that do what Durbar does better, with less harshness. Though I believe, of the current Dunhill blends, Durbar is among the top of the class.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-08-11		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

I've tried both versions, the commercial one and the hand-blended in the London shop. The first is fuller, tastier, in the sense that after a bowl your tastebuds are really tired! But it's so good I'm glad they worked so much! It's really spicy, more turkish-oriented than any other Dunhill I've tried before. Excellent. The hand-blended version is slightly lighter in taste, but with a balance that verges on perfection. The great difference is into the Virginia used: Cavendish in the commercial version, straight VA in the hand blended one. This, together with the less amount of orientals, makes the second a sweeter and rounder tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-05-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

05/21/05 Update.

Bought another tin of Durbar .. must have had a bad tin. No pepper at all and smoother than the other tin. This tin has been a delight. Changing my rating to 8/10.

Also very fortunate to win an eBay auction for three 2 ounce tins of SUllivan & Powell "00" Oriental Mixture. Can't wait for it to arrive to see how it compares.

------------------------------------------------------

This tobacco would be the one for me if not for the peppery perique-like pop at about the middle of the bowl. I just don't like perique at all. I thought maybe I was having a bad day and the pop did not occur, so I waited a couple of days and packed a well broken in Savinelli Autograph with Durbar and again began to savor the wonderful taste and aroma. But mid-bowl, there it goes again, the perique pop. None of these reviews or the Dunhill blurb mentions perique, but it's got to be something grinding the pepper midbowl. Alas, I shall keep searching for a Sullivan's "00" replacment.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-04-19		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Pleasant

Cut/Appearance: Pressed, ribbon cut, moist Latakia, Orientals and strands of lovely yellow exotics.

Casing/Aromatics: very little if any detected. Pure tobacco pleasure for which Dunhill is justly famous.

Tin notes: Deep and rich. More aggressive and smoky than Aperitif. A latakia lover?s delight. Stronger than Aperitif, milder & more complex than Nightcap. Best sniffed a few inches away from the nose.

Room/Burn notes: A great English standby that fills the room with rich, spicy aromas quickly dissipating soon after smoking.

Taste: If Aperitif is the appetizer, this is the entrée. Taste is immense and powerful. High quality latakias are most pronounced, with hints of spicy Balkan. One of the greats. Best in a small bent briar or a meerschaum, which bring out the natural flavors and aromas.

Comments: This is an evening, after dinner or bedtime blend. It?s more complex and well rounded than Nightcap. The nicotine doesn?t knock me over like Elizabethan or Royal Yacht, which is a good thing. This shouldn?t be smoked all day due to its fullness, but rather, enjoyed after other tobaccos, such as Aperitif has been taken to prepare the palate. Musically speaking, Aperitif may serve as the crescendo to the fortissimo arrived at in this exuberant blend. After two to three weeks of the tin vacuum being broken, the flavors take on greater depth and complexity. The bowl is left clean and dry. Easy to smoke right down to the end until all that?s left is a fine, gray ash.

Four and a half of five stars ------------------------------------------------ update 4/19 - Sorry to say, but after the 3rd tin of this stuff, i'm downgrading, and big time. Dunhill has taken a turn for the worse. Durbar is largely flat, insipid and tar-laden. There's no complexity to the blend; it's merely hot and smokey. Were it not for the dunhill name on the tin, you probably wouldn't buy it. I heard that their factory has been relocated once again, and obviously, signs of decline are starkly evident. Nightcap and 957 are also big disappointments. I have an unopened tin of Apertif that I'm aging. If that turns out to be a bust, I'm finished with Dunhill. There's too many other wonderful products out there to waste time and money with what used to be the most venerable name in pipes & tobacciana. I hate dramatic changes, and I hate seeing great institutions fall by the wayside, but I suppose, as with all things, it's inevitable. too bad!

Two of five stars

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-01-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

To date, this is one of my favorite Dunhill tobaccos. Very different from 965, another favorite Dunhill blend. Durbar is very earthy, with a deep smokey flavor likened to that of your favorite pure malt scotch. Not as complex as 965, yet it has never disappointed. It's quite an enjoyable late night smoke, the kind where you park yourself in front of the fireplace and just relax. The taste doesn't take any real turns - the flavor stays relatively the same to the bottom of the bowl other than to deepen slightly at the halfway point. I like to sit back in the recliner with my favorite pipe, and a snort of Johnnie Walker Green Label and spend the next hour or two watching a great movie on the tube, or listen to Miles Davis playing "Kind of Blue". Pure relaxation, and easy to manage in the bowl. You just can't argue with this kind of quality, especially if rich full flavored taste is to your liking. Durbar is very satisfying - but smoke it slow like all of the Dunhill english blends and savor the flavor. Grab a tin of this one!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2005-01-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

Durbar sits at the very top of the Dunhill family tree. Very rich, complex, exotic and intoxicating with a lingering sweetness that stays to the very end of the bowl. Quite strong for all day smoking, but reserved for special moments can lead you to places that very few blends can.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-12-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Very Strong

Durbar is unique among Dunhill's English blends as a full-flavored, old-fashioned Balkan type tobacco--strong, satisfying and a little rough around the edges at first lightup. In fact, in many respects it reminds me a lot of the original (white tin) Balkan Sobranie, which I formerly smoked for many years and which regrettably is no longer available. Durbar has that complexity and fullness of flavor that is just a little bit lacking somehow from Balkan Sobranie's modern reincarnation, Balkan Sasieni. While I also like and regularly smoke Dunhill's other mid-to-full strength English blends (Standard Mixture Medium, London Mixture, My Mixture 965, and Nightcap), they are more refined and English in character than Durbar, which is more Balkan and exotic but yet can still be classified as an everyday, all-day smoke. To my jaded taste buds, Durbar strikes a delicious balance between the Latakia, Oriental, Turkish, and Virginia tobaccos that enables each to be savored without overpowering one another. It also packs just enough nicotine punch to provide satiety at the end of a bowl. Other reviewers have already commented on Durbar's room note, which is quite strong even for full-flavored non-aromatics and evokes memories of the smell of Russian and Eastern European cigarettes. There's no disguising the fact that this is a strong, uncased, all-tobacco blend, but that's fine by me. When I only have time to smoke one bowl and want to make the most of it, Durbar will always be on my short list of "go to" blends. Very satisfying & highly recommended!

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-11-08		Overwhelming	Medium to Strong	Overwhelming	Overwhelming

The most prominent flavor here is nicotine. You'll get the smell on your fingers when packing your bowl and in your clothes when smoking this low-grade. The nicotine knocked me out, I got a serious head rush after smoking a bowl. It's clear Dunhill values additives over any sort of consideration of quality.

I bought this blend because I like mild mixes of mostly cavendish with some lighter flakes like latakia, but it's hard to tell one type of tabacco from another in this blend, it's almost like smoking reconstituted tobacco, which I would recommend over this abomination. I almost sure this toxic smoke has given me some sort of cancer. Contact a toxicologist before consuming.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Paddy (127)	2004-10-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is an long time favorite I smoke regularly but not daily. When I am in the mood for a blend with a judicious application of latakia and the distinctive flavor of what I take to be Turkish, Durbar is one of those I turn to. It is smooth, spicy, interesting and the orientals will not sting your lips or tongue. This is for a late night smoke in the big chair just before finishing up with Nightcap or 1792. Highly recommended to the Balkan lover.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Comparing the reviews of this blend points up the hugely divergent tastes of the folks who have smoked it. It is incredible to me that some find it harsh, unpalatable and nicotine-intensive, while others, like me, find it rich, smooth and complex. I should preface all this by saying that I am an accomplished cigar smoker and a former cigarette smoker of 20 years, so the fullness of the smoke is right up my alley and the nicotine does not bother me in the least (keeping in mind that I do not inhale either my pipies or cigars).

I enjoy both English and Virginia-based blends, so it is no surprise that I like this blend as well as I like 965, and even more than I like Nightcap and Early Morning, all of which IMHO are top-notch tobaccos. I can't help but wonder whether the English smokers who conferred unfavorable reviews were unfortunate enough to have purchased a bad tin. Given Dunhill's stringent quality control standards, this seems unlikely. Anyhow, this is my favorite Dunhill English blend, and I highly recommend it to those who like a full bodied smoke.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-25		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is good stuff. The orientals in this blend realy shine through. The leaf is of good quality as is most of the dunhill blends Ive tried. This is not my favorite dunhill blend but I do enjoy it on occasion. Others have mentioned how some people may be put off by the room note of this blend, I can personally testify to this in that one day I was smoking this outside on a lunch break and one of the employees who smokes cigarettes put out his cigarette and said , " That stuff smells horrible, I am getting a head ache from it. It smells like sh##!" I laughed after he went back inside. I recommend this blend to oriental lovers. It also may be a good repellant to clear an area of annoying or irritating people.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-09-11		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I love this blend. It's thick and rich, full flavored, and moderately strong. I prefer this one's strength over (most people's choice of) My Mixture 965 for an all day smoking blend from the Dunhill line. This one is a solid performer and one of my go-to blends. I rarely find this one boring and recommend it to everyone who likes thick, strong English blends.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2004-08-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Strong

Another fine English from Dunhill. I like it better than 965. Not a crowd pleaser however. Smoke it away from the non-smokers please. If you are a hyper-active puffer avoid this one.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-07-27		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

Update 7/27/04 One year later I got up the nerve to try this tough guy out again. I was drawn back to it, no matter how harsh my initial experience with it was. HOW TASTES CHANGE. It is still a manly man weed simmering with bold and musky tastes. But now it is quite smooth in taste compared to how I recall it. Of course I think my current tin is about 3 years old. And that could account for some differences. Or perhaps my palate has sufficiently matured and acclimated to the more astringent weeds.

The rating goes up. Next to Nightcap, my favorite Dunhill blend to date...

----

I rarely walk into shops that vend an interest of mine. I know my own impulsive streak too well. So when I walked into one of the first real-world smoke shops that I've managed to locate in my area, under the auspice of buying my girlfriend some clove cigarettes, I resigned myself to being in trouble.

Fortunately they had few pipe tobaccos. They did have some Dunhill though, and I had been meaning to sample this brand. One of which, highly recommended by the store owner, was Durbar.

My first bowl went unfinished and literally flung out of the pipe from my car window. I thought...boy... overly strong, smelly and tasteless. Who the $*&@ can I pawn this stuff off to? It had been a long day, I thought. Maybe it was me.

Subsequent bowls were much better. Still strong, and the tastes had improved. A sparkle of citrus-like orientals to begin with. I think of lightning bugs with little torches. This begins melding to an even, mellow nearly flat tasting, blend of VA and musty Latakia with a cigar overtone. Manly, musky, good at least for the smoker who enjoys this bent in their pipe. Towards the end of the bowl a nuttiness and some more fiery, fruity dances of yellow and red on the tastebuds. A nice pay off after a fairly challenging smoke (for me at least). The light Indo-Anglo Empire fusion of the pipe world? Such as the odd Indian fusion foods I sampled at trendy pubs while in England?

I've come to appreciate this blend and it could be a regular except for two things: it is still a bit strong for me nicotine wise, and the smell lingers to the point of bordering on stench. After a quarter bowl of this in an air-conditioned house, the place smelled like the dog had gotten into the Thai leftovers and was expressing his love of seasoned cuisine. As someone else said, you won't make any new friends smoking this leaf. On the positive note - very clean and good burning, top quality tobacco. Absolutely no trouble keeping this tough guy lit. It is also a very complex smoke which can keep you interested if you can withstand the few drawbacks. I've found after a couple of weeks open the blend definitely seems to "settle in" to a more palatable and relaxing smoke. I did experience the harshness on the tongue, throat, and nasal passages I've heard about resulting from Durbar. I can only take a bit of this leaf every now and again; I likely won't rush to reorder it.

On an off thought I decided to combine 1/4 of this with 3/4 of Frog Morton. The result was a fairly fun and exciting combination with Durbar adding the gusto and strength that F.M. tends to lack, and F.M. mellowing out the room note and adding some flavor to the mid portion of the bowl. The orientals still take over The Frog towards the bowl's end however and I still managed a fairly hearty nicotine kick even with this relatively small amount.

I have smoked this in a dedicated English briar and a briar I keep for light aromatic or mellower natural blends. No remaining ghost of Durbar, it seems to leave the pipe fairly clean and neutral.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-07-07		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

This high quality hand blended English tobacco is most satisfying in both taste and nicotene strength. A real mellowy savory smokey kind of taste. It's broad cut insures a slow burn,and an easy light. I well prefer Durbar over 965. Sorry to agree with another but I too believe this to be Dunhill's best pipe tobacco.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-06-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

This tobacco was a bit of a disappointment for me. I had high hopes after reading some of the reviews, and have been on a bit of a quest to find an English blend that I could work into a semi-regular rotation.

I will be brief. First half of bowl = boring and unimaginative. Second half = much more deep and flavorful. The virginia and oriental really didnt assert themselves until the latter parts of the bowl.

Yawn. Sigh. Shrug.

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	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pounder 5000 (178)	2004-03-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I found this to be a passable English, but not much else. This is comparable to 965, with more oriental and no frou frou. After trying London Blend and EMP recently, there is just no reason to buy more. But still, it is a Dunhill tobac, which means high quality.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2004-02-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I'll just ante up tuppence worth on this stuff by saying that this must be the best Dunhill tobac they offer, at least what us folks over here can get our hands on. Quality leaf, nice flavors in the lightly sweet & nutty categories with a subtle sharpness from the VA's. Just good woodsy, leathery, rich English flavor. A refined blend, I, too, prefer this to 965. I have a fondness for many of the Schurch English blends, but Durbar is most assuredly a "gotta keep a tin of this around" kinda tobacco. Personally, I think I could do this all day, but not every day. I like a bit o' variety. Works for me.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-11-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I have yet to try a Dunhill blend that was not satisfying and I find Durbar is my favorite. From cracking open the can to dumping out the ash this blend is a pleasure! I concur with my esteemed colleagues above in their most lavish praise.

However, Durbar is a challenge for those with a sweet tooth. If you love aromatics, but want to develop a taste for drier fare I suggest the following: Slice an apple in a few chunks and bite into a piece every once in a while while smoking. The sugar in the palate will take away some of the harshness without actually changing the tobacco's flavor. As you become more accustomed to the blend, fade out the apple. I also like the idea of mixing in a little Frog Morton as someone mentioned above.

A can of Durbar will always have a spot on my shelf!

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	Danno (106)	2003-08-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Pleasant

Durbar is a multi-faceted smoking mixture, full and vibrant, yet gentle, intriguing and intoxicating. I find Durbar has a cascade of flavors, from leathery woodiness to a tentative sweetness. More subtle than 965 and more complex than EMP, Durbar represents the most well rounded english I have tried to date. Dedicate a pipe to this and the puffing transcends cliches. This occupies a good portion of my cellared stock. Wholeheartedly encouraged to those who enjoy goodly amounts of latakia in a mixture.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-07-29		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

As a new pipe smoker who had before only tried aromatics, I wanted to sample a "proper" British tobacco and this one was reccomended by my tobacconist.

I found it to be very flavorful and very strong. From the first puff to the bottom of the bowl my mouth was filled with a very rich tobacco taste, hints of sweetness and spiciness abounded. It reminded me of a fine cigar and I could certainly see enjoying this with a hearty meal or a deep red wine. This is a very strong tobacco, however, and must be smoked slowly to avoid getting queasy. If you're looking for a strong, rich pure tobacco taste this is heaven in a bowl, just remember to take it easy! I found it a bit heavy on the latakia though, and would really have to be in the mood for something heavy to buy another tin.

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	Gae (46)	2003-07-12		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I liked Dubar straight away & really enjoyed the rich Latakia,Oriental & Virginia flavour's.I also love Night Cap & 965. It light's easily & usually doesn't require more than 2 light's & smokes superbly all the way down to the bottom of the bowl.If you like Night Cap,but wan't something dryer,then try this.I'll give it 4 out of 4 star's in it's class.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-07-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Unnoticeable

I think I must just be in the wrong mood or something. I should like this stuff more, but it just seems kind of average somehow. I been through a few of these rather full english blends, and I think I just prefer a little less latakia or oriental and a little more strength. I think I may try introducing various amounts of virginia into this to see if I can figure out what it is that I feel is missing from this. Maybe it has too much oriental for me and not enough latakia or something. Maybe I'm missing a little perique here.

As far as "full" english blends go, this is one of the better ones that I've tried. It burns rather cool, has plenty of flavor, and burns reasonably well (though I find that its a little moist when first opened and needs a slight bit of drying). I don't know what else to say... I'm just not too excited about this one for some reason.

ADDENDUM

I've noticed that smoking this after eating or drinking anything the least bit sweet (even something like rice) seems to really bring out that nasty bitter taste that some have observed. This seems to lessen as one continues to smoke.

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	JB (44)	2003-06-08		Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Very Strong

I have to agree with Briarlaw, I wanted to like Durbar, but I didn't. It has a funkiness about it that I can't put my finger on. And the taste it left in my mouth was foul.

There are plenty of other oriental blends that really ring a chord with me, but Durbar so far has not been kind to me.

Perhaps some aging on the tins would help. I'm willing to keep an open mind, as they may settle down with time.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-05-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

This may well be the great, unheralded blend of the Dunhill line.

It has a beautiful balance of sweetness, spice, and earthiness. I like my English blends heavy on the Orientals, and to this end Durbar delivers magnificently, similar to my beloved Caravan. Rich but not cloying, supple yet authoritative, it?s a strong, full flavored blend with great lineage.

As with their Light Flake, Dunhill once again slips a ringer into their portfolio. More satisfying than 965, more approachable than Nitecap, it suits a wide range of applications and ages like a properly made claret.

With its distinguished tin, unassailable Dunhill quality control, very reasonable price, impeccable manners, and money in the bank longevity, it?s a classic all the way.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-21		Overwhelming	Medium to Strong	Full	Unnoticeable

I read through the reviews of this tobacco and was surprised that some could say "medium" for strength. I guess that's how some people can eat red hot chile peppers while others scream for water.

I don't enjoy eating peppers and I'm not looking for a nicotine high when I smoke.

I'm not a fan of Nightcap either, but compared to Durbar it's a walk in the park.

I really wanted to give this a try but Holy Cow, Batman. The room was spinning. Actually it was the car, so I was anxious to stop smoking right away.

I didn't even want to smell it while it went out in the car ashtray so I put the bowl out the window. Yes I know what happens with forced air and burning, so tried to be careful but sparks flew onto my forearm.

I glanced out to see if I'd knocked the ash out by tamping it against the side of the car. There was a blast furnace going in the pipe. Finally knocked it out.

For days afterwards it tasted like Durbar, until I finally scraped it out carefully with my knife. Blechh.

If you're a light smoker, my advice is stay away from this stuff.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-16		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Durbar is one of my regulars along with My Mixture 965 and Nightcap.

Much stronger than My Mixture as for as nicotine is concerned but the smoke is also heavier which I enjoy. I like feeling the smoke in my mouth and the weight of it as I blow it out.

It starts (in my smoking) out as a mellow virginia with a little nutty-ness or spicy-ness and turns into a mellow spicy cigar taste. Not in a bad way, but in a very heavy relaxing way.

A great smoke, not an all-day smoke for me like 965 is, but a great treat. I guess that would be what it is, my "treat" smoke when I'm sitting down after a hard day or a hard job.

I'll warn you if you're not used to high nicotine smokes sit down. So times I regret this is the only tin in my jacket when I'm driving.

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	RCUSElder (244)	2003-04-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

While the quality of this blend is unquestionable, there are two factors that keep this off of my daily rotation. First, there is something in it that irritates my throat. Second, I find the nicotine kick too high for my taste, this is definitely a sit down, go nowhere for a while blend. Apart from these, this is definitely a tasty blend. It packs easily, it is at the right moisture level, is complex, and smokes to the bottom of the bowl with no fuss. Of the Dunhill blends that I smoke, I find this one to require more attention to keep the tongue-bite demons away.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Durbar- for years I'd heard about the dunhill blend but avoided it because of a bad experience with 3 year matured which was obviously heavily cased. I thought to myself, if that is how they make their tobacco then I want nothing of it! But time got the better of me and I ordered a few tins. I love this type of tin- the coin insert and that wonderful sound when you break the vaccuum. The initial smell was wonderful- very much like Peases Renaissance- definitely the same style here. I was initially facinated with the delicacy of the leaf employed. After working a small amount out of it's high pressured home, I noticed the light fluffiness that is to me unusual. I dropped the pieces- some stringly lengths other bit chopped, into my peterson churchwarden- did the gentle pat and continued till it was full to the brim. The tobacco burned very well- 2 relights. It was soft in my mouth and to me an exquisite balance of latakia- enough for me to appreciate it but not so much that the other leafs felt left out. the ash was a mottled grey and I felt- contrary to the previous taster- that the flavourness wasn't an ugly sort of stiffling experience afterwards. It seemed normal in that respect. Again the experience was a mellow and languid sort of affair and I thought- for the price who could go wrong? try it. not the three year matured.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-09		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I really wanted to like Durbar. Everyone else seems to love it and I love full English tobaccos (e.g, 965, Penzance, Nightcap). But I have to say this was not good. Tin aroma was promising and the appearance of the tobacco led me to believe I would like it. Not a chance. The phrases "rough hewn" and "raw" comes to mind. Nothing refined here.

The taste of Durbar lingered in my mouth for hours. It also left a strong smell in my pipe bowl for some time. Perhaps it is because this tobacco seems to be all Turkish and Latakia with nothing to round it out. Whatever the reason, I am not putting this in my pipe again.

Sorry but I can't give this high marks.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-04-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Dunhill's strength is their ability to blend tobaccos, and to my way of thinking a good blend is characterized by the difficulty in trying to separate the parts rather than how quickly they stand out.

That being said, this is a fine Dunhill English blend. The tobaccos compliment rather than overpower each other. The Latakia, Virginia and Oriental tobaccos are all represented in the smoke, but none jump out and scream at any particular time.

The blend packs easily and burns smoothly. Overall a nice cool smoke with enough of a unique taste to make me come back again.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2003-01-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Dunhill's Jan Brady. Sandwiched between the powerful Nightcap and the charismatic 965, the subtle and elegant middle child, Durbar, is a blend I have neglected far too long! Upon lighting, the Orientals are at the fore, doing a sweet and sour dance I won't soon forget. The smoke settles down to such a cool and silky smoothness, I was kicking myself for not trying this sooner. Durbar is refinement itself. Penzance junkies will find a close cousin here (imho) as far as the flavour profile goes. And it's a Dunhill, so you know what comes next: top-shelf leaf that smells and tastes great, packs easily, stays lit and doesn't bite. Definitely at the top of the class. Where English is concerned, I think I've found a new go-to blend!

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-10-29		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a medium to full flavor blend that is well behaved. It produces a dense and rich smoke immediately upon lighting (the type of which I favor). Tobacco burns clean with no noticable gurgle. My only problem with this blend is a very distinct bitterness. The bitterness is noticable immediately and continues throughout the bowl. I am unable to give four stars due to this bothersome trait. My lack of experience does not allow me to determine what should be removed for my taste.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-08-15		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

There have been plenty of reviews of this blend, so I'll be brief. While it is not described as such, I would call this a Balkan blend. The range of flavors as you go down the bowl indicate a balanced blend that is, IMHO, one of the better such blends available. Like most Dunhills, it is at the right humidity right out of the tin. Also, like most Dunhills, there are some longer ribbons that I usually break out somewhat. My only problem with Durbar, and I have this problem with most of the Dunhills I've tried, is that it is harsh on my throat, so while I smoke this regularly, I have to reserve it for my smaller pipes. An excellent player in the Balkan field.

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2002-01-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This is a tobacco that I cellar . It is tasty and satisfies my moods that require latakia but something different . I usually find myself in a dilemma as to whether to smoke this or Aperitif when I'm in the mood for a latakia change .

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	Emeritus Account (30167)	2001-08-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a Dunhill English blend that was recommended to me as a good beginning smoke. It has a very sweet aroma in the tin. It's definitely heavier on Virginia than Latakia. The color is very dark with just a scattering of lighter tobaccos.

The charring light brings out the sweetness of the full Virginias immediately and the taste is pretty consistent throughout the bowl. Only at the very bottom do you get to the Orientals and Latakia. It's strong enough for me but lighter than Nightcap due to the lesser amount of Latakia. It does seem to get a bit hot for me even after drying it out and trying to smoke it as carefully as possible. It's probably just my chemistry. And it's something I'm willing to deal with on this small scale, especially for a quality tobacco like this.

This is a great English blend I place up there with Nightcap and Early Morning Pipe of the Dunhill line.

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