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The incomparable aroma of this fine tobacco is due to the superfine pure Havana leaf which has been skilfully added to give the flavour of a fine Cuban cigar.
Favorite Of 2 Users
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipestud (1829) |  |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
Very few blends were as wonderfully put together (IMO), than the original Ireland made The Bankers. Deeply rich Orientals, Virginias and Latakia combined with dark and oily Cuban cigar wrapper leaf to produce a bold, heavy flavor that embraced the palate with TLC. The Burley element was in the background but provided support by lending more strength. Just marvelous!
Pipestud
9 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JimInks (3020) |  |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
The Cyprian Latakia is smokey, woodsy, earthy, and mildly sweet. It's noticeable in every puff as it dominates some, but not all of the other components. It’s not a lat-bomb. The burley is toasted, woody, earthy and a little nutty in a supporting role. The same role is played by the Virginia, which is grassy with a little earth, and some citrus. There’s an occasional dry sour note that comes from the Oriental/Turkish, along with some wood, earth, floralness, and a pinch of spice. The herbal, vegetative, earthy, woody, tea-like lightly citrusy, spicy and floral, cigar leaf is a little sweet, and not always obvious, but it plays on your tongue from time to time during the proceedings. It may be a minor addition, but it adds an extra hit of flavor that I’d miss if it wasn’t there. The strength is a couple of steps shy of the medium mark, while the taste is medium. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Won't bite or get harsh, but it does sport a few rough edges. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a fairly consistent smooth, mildly sweet and savory flavor, though for some reason, lacks a little depth even though it has a little richness. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl and requires an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, short lived after taste. Two and a half stars only because the lack of depth, though it still makes a decent all day smoke. Though none of the components really stand up to grab your attention, the tobaccos are high quality. I wouldn’t argue against a three star rating.
-JimInks
8 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StevieB (2075) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
James Fox-The Banker's Mixture. Note: this was from a loose pouch not a sealed tin.
The smell coming from the blend isn't the best. It's slightly cedar/woodsy and also a little charcoal like. Bizarre.
The look of the blend isn't too spectacular; Browns, blacks, a few golden specks and a standard ribbon cut.
From the pouch the moisture's good. This makes for easy igniting.
Once lit I find it's the cigar leaf that takes the leading role. Bare in mind, I'm not a fan of cigar leaf so this is reflected in my rating but if you like your blends to have some I'm sure you'll like this.
After the cigar leaf the next in line is the Burley. I find after about ten minutes the cigar leaf tends to abate somewhat and allow the Burley to come through a little more.
Those are the only real flavours I get. I struggle highly to identify other tastes, it's mainly cigars and nuts!
I'd say the nicotine sits just above medium in this. Probably a little too much for a taste only piper.
The room note isn't suprising. Again it's like a cigar!
As I said, I'm not a fan of cigar leaf; If I want to taste a cigar I'll have a Montecristo or a Bolivar!
That said though I don't think it's worth only one star.
Somewhat recommended.
Pipe Used: Rattray's Six Freinds Oom Paul
Age When Smoked: New
Purchased From: James Fox website
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tabaco (112) | |
Mild | None Detected | Mild | Tolerable |
As per other reviews it's nice to see the Europeans and Scandinavians keep the "names" of these "days of yore" brands alive; however, these incarnations are not even a match-stick close to the former blends of the British Isles.
This stuff is bland, monochromatic and frankly an utter bore, far too much Burley in my view.
A fantastic cigar blend is Compton's Cuban Style, although it does not contain Latakia it's still wonderfully rich and more importantly interesting. And yes one can clearly see the cigar leaf.
4 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
> The incomparable aroma of this fine tobacco is due to the superfine pure Havana leaf which has been skilfully added to give the flavour of a fine Cuban cigar.<
Yes so was it a long time ago.
Now its a Planta. The oposite.
As i just reviewed Wingate Mixture (F&T - Panta) here almost the same tragedy.
Compared to F&T WM it was a more latakiaforward and less subtile.
But also a good smoke.
in the pasttime 3,8 stars, nowadays 1,2 stars
edit:
just remenber:
It was since alwaya a black tin
the step down from F&T to a danish producer was described om the tin with `made for F&T`
and instead of the packing with paper it gets a somewhat plastic ziplock inside the tin. that first change was round about in 1995 - 1997
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Mild | Very Mild | Very Mild | Pleasant |
I feel the other reviews don't quite give full expression to just how absolutely mediocre and tasteless the currently available (German) version of this tobacco is. It smells amazing in the tin, like rich chocolate cake, and I was excited when I opened it thinking I was in for something fantastic. But repeated smokes give absolutely nothing at all - forget Cuban cigar tobacco, there seems to be literally none here. Even crumbling 2% of decent cuban cigar into an English blend will give a far stronger sense of identity than can be found here: try it.
This said, the Burley and Virginia that are here are smooth and bland enough to make this blend quite good for mixing, for example toning down a latakia heavy mixture like Huber's English Balkan when you are not quite in the mood for the full assault, because they impart a certain mellowness without adding any of their own identity.
So although I have found a purpose for it I can't help thinking this is a void of a tobacco which - though I never tried the original - must surely be shadow of what it once was? So I give 1 star, not because it is horrible, it doesn't have the balls to be horrible, but because I think it is an absolute failure of a blend of which the blenders really should be thoroughly ashamed.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beer (345) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
When I first tried some of this tobacco 2 years ago, it was still Irish-made: sweet, round, full bodied but not overly strong or aggressive. It had a delicious balance between the Virginias, the Latakia and a marvelous cigariness (withouth the harsh or heavy overtones of bad cigars). It was simply unique.
Then some months ago I had a tin of the "new version", which is German-made by Kolhase & Kopp (makers of the Rattray line)... It definitely had changed, in worse... The cigar aroma was less rich and delicious, and the whole blend seemed lighter in taste, more undistinguished. It was still fresh, absolutely not bitey, and quite enjoyable... but the magic had gone! It still is probably the most balanced of all the Cuban leaf blends (GLPease Robust is equally good, but as the name says it can be robust and spicy), athough I also feel that the nicotine content has increased: not untolerable, but I have to smoke it in a bowl which is no more than medium sized or the room starts spinning...
UPDATE: I have just opened a tin of the K&K version which I had let age for 5 years since buying it... not bad at all! It has become smoother, rounder and tastier than my previous experience with a fresh tin. The Cuban leaf has gone to the background even further, leaving a very rich, sweet and thick Latakia-heavy flavour. I am definitely enjoying this! Not as great as the first version I had tried, but certainly recommendable.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| pencils (57) | |
Mild to Medium | Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
This is simply superb. Opening my first tin of this, I wondered at first whether I had loaded it in one of the few pipes that I keep for aromatic mixtures, as it has a sweetness that is extremely pronounced. I have now swapped it into several latakia-only pipes that I own, and find the same tasty, biteless complexity every time. It may be a little more expensive than most pipe tobaccos available in the UK, but it is a real winner and worth the extra few pounds. It is smooth, low on nicotine, and wonderfully flavourful. This is gentle on the tongue, rich, and unusual - I can only suggest that the addition of cigar leaf brings the interplay of orientals to the fore in a way that gloriously complements the creamy latakia and the solid virginia base.
I prefer this in a smaller bowl, as it tends to lose some of the sweetness when smoked in a larger pipe - strange, as I would much prefer to enjoy this for far longer than the 30-40 minutes that a smaller chamber gives. The trade-off is acceptable however, as the reward for a more compact bowl is an intensified flavour that is not marred in any way. It is no hardship to reload more into subsequent bowls, however, as each new first light returns a real reward. I love the consistency in quality that this blend delivers - no woody stems, no monochromatic lumps of one type of tobacco, just a melange of blacks and browns that carries the same experience from pipe to pipe. It is musty and pleasant in the tin, and translates similarly to the room note - my wife rarely comments negatively upon any blends, thankfully, but she endorses my positive description of the way this smells. It lingers in aftertaste in the same way that the room is improved by the burning.
It is also worth noting that the gentleman who served me in the Piccadilly shop was knowledgeable and extremely patient as I browsed through the various tins on offer, and was willing to direct me to other local B&M outlets that might carry further tobaccos to my taste. It may not impact the blend itself, but his emphasis on customer service and warm offer of adjourning to the onsite, indoor smoking area made this purchase to be remembered and recommended.
Delightful mixture that burns slowly and without any hint of bitterness or boredom.
Pipe Used: Several
Age When Smoked: New
Purchased From: James Fox, London
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Pipepundit (168) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Apart from The Bankers the only other mixture containing cigar leaf that I have smoked was the Balkan Sobranie Virginia No 10, and that only occasionally. I have from time to time mixed the wrapper from the snipped-off end of a Cohiba to enliven an insipid tobacco, but I do not, as a rule, turn to cigar leaf in pipe tobaccos.
On opening the tin The Bankers exudes an aroma reminiscent of Durbar or Royalty, but in a much more muted way. The cigar leaf makes its presence felt in the mildest, subtlest, weakest form.It certainly adds something to the mixture, and I suppose it is an introduction to this type of tobacco. The usual virtues of Fox - impeccable cut, perfect moisture etc - obtain. My tin had some indeterminate age on it. It said made in the EEC: so it was probably made in Ireland.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
This is the third blend I've tried from Fox. All three are excellent. Bankers is described as a medium blend and I will agree with this statement from the tin's label. The tobacco has a wonderfull aroma in the tin. Very English reminding me of a Dunhill blend,but Havana leaf added for a cigar like flavor. The cut is a very nice ribbon without stems or odd cuts like I recently encountered with a tin of Pease's Westminster. Moisture was more than I like, but not wet like most first opened tins. Lighting was very easy and only one relight was needed after the charring light. The draw from my Castello medium size billiard was effortless. The tobacco smoked down to the bottom of the bowl leaving just a small amount of light colored ash. The flavor throughout the smoking was very nice..rich, balanced, sweetness just right..in all more than I expected. The cigar leaf is at the top of the flavor, latakia follows with the orientals and Virginias serving as the base. I would say the blend reminds me of Pease's Robusto, another fine cigar leaf English blend. This is by any standard a top notch blend worthy of a try by all those who enjoy tobaccos of this type.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The Cuban cigar leaf is not as noticeable in this blend as in, say, G.L. Pease's Robusto - which makes sense because Pease uses Maduro cigar leaf and Fox uses what seems to be something similar to what makes a Romeo & Julieta no 2.
The cigar leaf stays in the background except every once in a while you get the great taste of Cuban cigar (I am fortunate in that I live outside the embargo where Cuban cigars are widely available). The blend is a medium English similar to a medium Dunhill blend and is of high quality - which you would excpect for the price. The cigar leafs mostly adds what I will call "mouth feel" to the blend. It seems fuller and richer than a regular English, albeit not sweeter.
From the tin the tobacco is a bit moist. The nicotine content seems only medium to me (not requiring I eat a full meal before I smoke). Having said that, I smoke mostly strong tobaccos like Dark Birdseye and ropes.
A great after dinner blend. Wonderful room note - only gave it a "pleasant to tolerable" because the wife says tolerable where I say pleasant.
I have dedicated a Peterson Antique for this blend.
Cheers,
Tim
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| sasha (228) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant |
Exactly the same as my review of Robert Lewis 123 Mixture, this isn't the legendary tobacco it used to be when made by JJ Fox. The guys at Kohlase&Kopp do a good job in keeping alive some historical brands, but fail in recreating the real taste of the blends. If your goal is a fine English mixture with Havana leaf added go for Schurch Mogano instead.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Noorrmm (192) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Mfg: James Fox Blend: Bankers
Preface: I didn't know what to expect when I opened the can. I Anticipated a blend similar to Sobranie #10, or GLP Robusto, but was pleasantly surprised. This one stands on it's own, and is a treasure.
Appearance: Dark ribbon cut, with some lighter leaf evident. Perhaps a bit finer than average for an English, but not a shag cut.
Aroma: Smells like an English blend with some maduro cigar leaf. Very nice indeed, you could enjoy this without a pipe.
Packing: Packs easily into medium and large pipes. Would probably do well in a smaller pipe, but this blend seems to want a larger bowl.
Lighting: Lights easily, just a tamp and a relight and it?s going.
Initial flavor: Wow, there is some Latakia which is in perfect harmony with the cigar leaf, and together they form a dark, sweet, smokey melange which is captivating. Burns cool, but stays lit well.
Mid-bowl: The Virginia peeks out regularly, but is usually a supporting player. There is an interplay of the three main components, which adds a nice compexity to the smoke. One of the best behaved blends I?ve smoked, rarely needs a relight.
Finish: Finishes just a bit too soon. Not that it burns quickly, just that I wish the pipe werer bigger
Summary: This is a nice medium to full blend, excellent after dinner. Would also be great in the afternoon with any beverage of your choice, if you can give it your full attention. Probably too full flavored for an eye opener. This also did not draw any hostile fire from the LSW, despite the cigar leaf.
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| El Bara (2) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
A unique and perfect mixture with decently strong flavour evolving towards the end of the bowl. Recommended after lunch with a glass of ginger beer and in front of the sunset.
Pipe Used: Savinelli Oscar Aries
Age When Smoked: New
Purchased From: James J Fox London
Similar Blends: Presbyterian mixture, albeit stronger.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Gentleman Zombie (729) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The cigar leaf leads by just a touch lending woody leather and earth backed by the Burley/Virginia combo giving this smoke a very nice earthy, sweet fruitiness. Lastly the Latakia and Orientals provide a mild smoky woodiness. Overall it's a very nice and tasty smoke. Has a smoothness to it that's very pleasing. Has enough strength to satisfy. Better than 3 stars, but closer to 3 than 4.
Mild to medium in body. Medium in taste. No added flavoring. Burns very well.
Pipe Used: MM Little Devil Cutty, Little Devil Acorn, Marcus
Age When Smoked: fresh
Purchased From: smokingpipes.com
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Virginia lover (218) | |
Very Mild | Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Tolerable |
White label tin, fine cut, the casing is the only taste in this mixture. Very bland, flat and uninspired. There is no cigar leaf in this mixture. The Latakia is very light, maybe the casing is a flavor added to enhance it. A very ordinary tobacco, a wanna be luxury mixture, very disappointing.
Virginia lover
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The Robert Lewis offering '123 Mixture' is nearly identical to this offering--James Fox's 'The Bankers'. Both are cigar leaf products blended by Kohlhase & Kopp of Germany. 'The Bankers' is distinctly lighter in colour than '123', but beyond that I cannot see or taste much of a difference even if I like 'The Bankers' a bit more (I imagine that it was aged longer in the tin). With that said, I must point you to my review of '123 Mixture' as it is, for all good reasons, the same blend as 'The Bankers'.
1 person found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Antonius Blok (190) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Strong |
From what some reviewers here say, it looks like this mix had better days in the past. Although the Latakia is the main ingredient, the burley brings a fairly constant earthiness, while the cigar leaf is felt in a few puffs. In general, the interaction of all the ingredients produces a flavor that is not unpleasant to me but also does not excite me. Until I finished the tin I have been doubting about the qualification and finally, by comparison with other tobaccos, I am going to put two and a half rounded to two.
Age When Smoked: 1 year
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Aduana Taylor (29) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
La versión de Fox me parece muy buena. Soy fumador de estas mezclas y es una de mis favoritas. El burley le da a diferencia de otras, buena combustión y buen volumen de humo. La hoja de cigarro toda la calidad aromática de este tipo de tabaco y sobre todo personalidad. Es lo que muchos llaman una mezcla "inglesa/americana", en este caso con el agregado de hoja de cigarro, la cual hace de está mezcla inglesa algo diferente. Si bien me gustan las inglesas suaves llamadas también orientales, está me gusta mucho a pesar de ser más fuerte. Yo la ubicó junto a la Standard, la presbiteriana, la skiff y la accountants, en el ranking de mis predilectas. La otra versión no la fumé y por lo que leo parece no estar a la altura de esta.
Pipe Used: Whitehall
Age When Smoked: 58
Purchased From: 2014
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| 1979 (62) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
James Fox - The Bankers
A mulligan stew of leaves combine to create toasted carmel popcorn with campfire overtones. Hints and teases of cigar leaf. Neither bold nor spicy. An ok, run of the mill sort of blend. It's better if you can age the tin at least several months and then let it breathe some.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Rob73 (77) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable |
There is a certain complexity in this blend. Latakia is present but in very moderate quantity. Havana provides a full and satisfying taste but, to me, it remains a bit cigarette-like. 3,5/5 in my personal rating system.
Purchased From: Dubini, Chiasso (Switzerland)
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| SteelCowboy (685) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I have been smoking The Bankers Mixture on and off over the past 6 or 7 years. The tin scent is musty and reminds me of an old book store for some reason. It burns dry and smooth, with the cigar leaf making itself known from the beginning, although it isn’t too much. I don’t get the sweetness from Bankers like I do with other cigar blends like Lewis’ 123 Mixture or my favorite, Compton’s Cuban Style Cigar Blend. TBM is earthier in flavor with a moderate amount of smokiness too. Considering the number of component tobaccos in TBM, I don’t find it very complex. Bankers is a solid edition to lovers of cigar leaf blends, although it would be mid-way down my list.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Strichetto (21) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Bought in a classic round tin in Switzerland in 2013, at average price for a selected tobacco, surely not too expensive (half price respect a McLelland, I mean...). Medium ribbon cut, correct humidity, very typical scent of (good) latakia and (good) cigar leaves.
Taste: full bodied, rich, maybe not delicate but really satisfying, no biting at all... in one only word, wonderful!
Room note: the only, little problem... quite strong and persistent, but I don't take care of this, maybe sometimes a good reason to take a walk and happily smoke outdoor.
Burning: perfect at first, not too slow or too fast, after some days it gets more dry and goes only a bit too fast. Easy lightning.
Best Briars: I prefer top-end thick-wall pipes, for this.
Wow, this is really good! Probably the best tobacco I tryed in the last years, medium strenght (my ideal) but not a fly-killer, strong latakia and cigarish aroma with a little orientals note, if you sometimes appreciate a good light havana cigar too, you'll love it. Highly recommended.
P.S.: reading some other reviews, I feel there are two different The Banker's Tobacco, one very good (dark label: http://www.google.it/imgres?sa=X&hl=it&rlz=1T4ADRA_itIT484IT484&biw=1229&bih=567&tbm=isch&tbnid=eb1-_kb79ei1UM%3A&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fluxurytobaccoreviews.com%2Fgo-%2Flatakia--english-tobacco&docid=B-LlvanUtX7_9M&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fluxurytobaccoreviews.com%2Fuploads%2F1292423903-James-J-Fox-Bankers.jpg&w=250&h=242&ei=xfXRUuXoD5CN4gTByIEQ&zoom=1&ved=0CFcQhBwwAQ&iact=rc&dur=840&page=1&start=0&ndsp=16) and another not so good (white label)... is it real?
Purchased From: Dubini, Switzerland
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Kilmarnock Piper (250) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I'm not sure I can distinguish the Havana in this medium-English mixture. I do have some McConnell's Havana in my collection, and have found that when I add it to blends, it simply blends in rather than creating a strong cigar taste. I am no expert in cigars, as I do not smoke them. That said, I myself rate this as a good middle-of-the-road English blend. This style is not my favorite: I like my Latakia either strong or just a touch, and the average English is something I can smoke and enjoy, but not buy a lot of. I have to rate this as recommended, though, as it is quality tobacco well-blended. My tin is definitely the new version.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Pleasant |
I am a sucker for tobaccos. I simply love all the different kinds. Browsing through my local tobacconist, I saw that this was on sale. Huzzah! I bought two 50g tins, for only a little over $16 together. Took them home, opened one, and smoked over a Jane Austin and my robe. Great stuff, great stuff. Smokes well, tastes like old-timey tobacco, and has a room note that smells like the cigars the old horse-handlers used to smoke back in Zimbabwe. I really enjoyed this English blend, and it has actually become my normal higher-end variety, me smoking a pipe or two full every few days. Once again, this one comes highly recommended.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Mild to Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I was afraid at first to try it in my favourite Latakia pipe, as I was afraid it will catch the Havana leaf smell, so I smoked it first from my test pipe and liked it (now I smoke it from my latakia pipe with greater pleasure and no "fear"). It is a very interesting blend and I will keep it in weekly rotation definetlly.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grundie (26) | |
Mild | Very Mild | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant |
I found this a very middle of the road blend. Definitely an English blend, not as obviously so as 965 or perhaps Provost.
The cigar leaf isn't all that noticeable and overall it's just a little bit bland.
An easy smoke with a light flavour.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Strong |
This blend surprized me with its elegant and smooth smoke. Besides the Latakia touch it has also a fine cigar taste.
Packs and lights well. It doesn't change its taste, gets a bit stronger after the first half of the bowl. It has a rich and ferm smoke with nice cigar flavor enriched with a hint of Latakia, offering a delightful English Mixture smoking experience.
It can't beat my favorite Virginia, Perique, Burley and Oriental blends but for sure it is a good English blend and would satisfy the fans of these blends.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| jankoez (69) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Pleasant |
My "version" of the tin is different from those pictured above - it is plain white label with black inscriptions and green Fox... and it is from Germany (blended by certain R. L. Will from Buende).
However, the blend itself is quite pleasant. Cigar leaf note is not dominant, so one may smoke it without fear that others will fall down because of heavy smoke. It burns easy and during smoking it does not change taste. Recommended even for Summer (evenings).
My rate: 4.0.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Contemplative (29) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The cigar aroma is noticeable from the outset, though not as strongly as with an actual cigar.
At first I thought that this mixture doesn't really work, because, as noted by others, cigar leaf is better experienced in a cigar, but its depth and richness does grow on you.
The mix doesn't seem to be burning quickly, but it finishes sooner than expected, and leaves a fine ash.
I'm glad to have tried this one, but it's a one-off experience for me, and I will be even more glad to return to what I now regard as my 'staple' mixture, from the same stable, the marvellous Provost.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Thirty-some years ago, I used to enjoy an occasional pipeful of Balkan Sobranie's Virginian No. 10. I set out to find a similar type tobacco that's currently available-- not necessarily a duplicate of the Sobranie offering of yore, but something that had the same components and character-- primarily Virginias flavored with some good cigar leaf. This was recommended to me, and, although it isn't exactly what I anticipated, Fox's "The Bankers" is quite good. Old No. 10, as I remember it, packed a lot more of a punch and the cigar flavor was much more pronounced. The Bankers has the character of a decent medium English mixture. The emphasis is on the slightly sweet Virginias, with a little Latakia for seasoning. The cigar leaf is well in the background, not at all assertive-- along with the Latakia, it's more of a seasoning. Nicotine level is in the middle range. Tin aroma is light English with a hint of cigar; the room note is much the same-- almost as if someone smoking a cigar walked quickly through a room where a pipeful of an English mixture was being smoked. If you're looking for a nicotine powerhouse, or a big blast of cigar flavor, this isn't it-- but it's nevertheless an enjoyable smoke, just different enough to be a change of pace from "regular" English mixtures.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild | Very Strong |
I allowed my tin of The Bankers to age nine months before I opened it for the first time. It is a very pleasant tobacco to look at and sniff while in the tin. I wonder what the original J. J. Fox blend was like, as I was not overly thrilled with the Kohlhass & Kopp version once I packed my pipe(s) and lit up. Don't get me wrong, The Bankers is a decent smoke, but I believe there are better blends for the price. I picked up very subtle, very occasional hints of Cuban leaf, but for the most part the smoke was a one-dimensional very very mild English. It smokes smoothly, doesn't bite and was quite mild from first light to the light fluffly ash left in the bottom of my pipe. My wife does not/did not care for the room note and remarked that it was quite acrid. (This is really the only tobacco which she has criticized; she generally enjoys the room notes of most of which I smoke.) I have tried The Bankers in a number of different sized pipes (from Petersons 317 to an Ardor Ninfea of about group 5 to a big big Cavicchi). It behaved about the same in all pipes. My other complaint was that while I am a pretty slow puffer, The Bankers sure seemed to burn quickly... I've noticed others have had the exact opposite experience and wonder again whether the original blend by Fox burned slower. I enjoyed my tin, but not enough to buy another as it is rather expensive.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Mr. Dottle (162) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I agree with others that this is a very subdued English blend in all respects: it is a most gentle, exceedingly smooth, sweet and mild English yet largely one-dimensional. Regardless, I found it different than many other English blends I have smoked that are all too similar. I will call The Bankers a ?unique? English blend. The Havana leaf in this blend must be in the most, minute proportion as there are several other 'cigar' blends that present more cigar notes than The Bankers. Although hard to detect, I have no doubt that the presence of the Havana leaf is what makes this English blend unique. I also swear that this blend actually ?soothes? the tongue making it an ideal end of the day smoke that will cure ?tongue weariness.' ?CHECK' it out! BANK a few tins of this in your tobacco VAULT!
A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.
I rate this blend 8.8 out of 10.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| wyrmis (7) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Considering this "cigar blend" is the most expensive blend in my current "pantry", I have to come down harsh on it just a little. It is a standard English at its core with just a hint of something more underneath. It lights well, burns moderately well once dried, and gives an ok room note. It has a pleasant complexity to it, nothing too suprising after the first few puffs. It smokes slow enough for a long and enjoyable session, only bites the tongue a little, and relaxes more than kicks.
The problem I have with it is the fact that the Havana blend-in is too subtle. Occasionally I would pick up a hint of it on the tongue throughout the longest portion of the smoke, but generally the flavor was dominated by what I would assume to be Perique but is possibly the Havana interacting with the Latakia. I could sort of pick it up in the room. Once, in the middle of the bowl, it intensified for a few puffs before dropping back down, and that was the best part of the experience.
Without a stronger presence, it is not worth the (slightly) steeper price tag. It will cost you a good three to five dollars more than the tin sitting next to it, and will not distinguish itself enough to justify it.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Not sure about this one yet - pleasant but bit bland with a hint of bite - sounds contradictory I know. It could be that I haven't quite got it yet. Also am smoking in a pipe that is not yet fully broken in yet (in the same pipe Provost is superb). However, I don't get the feeling it is a cigar substitute. A nice if bland smoke - nothing special - unless it is dramatically different in one of my other pipes not one to repeat. Smokes cool with a slightly nutty flavour- burns to a fine ash. Would rate it 2.5 stars - nothing wrong with it but not enough to make me come back for more. Will update soon.
Well I think I get this tobacco now - rich and creamy with a slightly nutty or woody flavour - there is more to it than that but I can't quite describe what. There is the mildest of mild hints of a cigar but not a full blown havana. I smoked it in a properly broken in pipe and it was a different beast altogether from my intital reaction - nice and cool. So why not four stars, well I think it does not quite have the depth of the Dorisco and Provost and it is a bit high in nicotine for me although it tastes quite mild it packs a punch. Enjoyable - will definitely revisit it on occasion but not every day - more of an evening smoke with a bottle of beer.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Spike (296) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I must assume I bought the made in Germany version as it was not like I thought it would be. I like a good cigar. No where in this blend was there the suggestion of a good cigar. An O.K. medium English blend. Two and one-half stars.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| NEWMAN (305) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Although I normally smoke VA flakes, this was an enjoyable change for me. The tin aroma is strong and gives more than a hint of Latakia. This fades somewhat after the tin is opened and the tobacco dries some. I also obtained more consistent packing and therefore smoking after drying but this may be more a matter of personal taste. The nicely prepared wide ribbons range from light brown to deep black. Smaller amounts of greenish/grey Havana cigar leaf are also present but don't overpower the taste or room aroma. If you're seeking more of a cigar influence, go with Mogano. There is no question that you are smoking high quality pipe tobacco. Overall, the taste is rich but creamy, cool and smooth and the various components complement each other very well and were masterfully blended. Although the taste and nicotine content are greater than my choice for an all day smoke and I miss the natural sweetness of my favorite VAs, after a meal, this blend is fantastic. However, the room aroma is strong and was disliked by non-smoking family and friends. But they don't like cigar smoke either.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Ireally enjoy this blend. I liek the occasional cigar so I picked htis up to see if I could get some cigar influance. Good choice.
It did get a little flat near the end.IMO
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Ducksbreath (125) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
This is a wonderful blend which I've just recently discovered, devouring a tin in less than a week.
It is a medium English mixture, with a decent but not large amount of Latakia and a very nice VA base to which real Havana tobacco is added. I don't know for sure but all my taste detectors tell me this is the genunine thing, not chopped up White Owls or shredded Garcia Vegas; there is the unmistakable taste of the world's finest (cigar) leaf, albeit probably floor sweepings. I've had a Cuban cigarette before and it had the same taste component as I find here, but in an artfully made pipe tobacco it tastes much better of course.
It is not like smoking a Cohiba at all, not as heavy, though smoking in a larger diameter bowl will increase the body a bit and intensify the experience. Rather this is an incredibly smooth English mixture (one of the smoothest I've had) with an extra component of creaminess and strength from the cigar leaf. So this provides a good kick for those who look for such things.
I haven't had the orginal so I have nothing to complain about. I don't detect any humectant, my tin dried out nicely (drying is needed otherwise it does taste bland. The proper amount of drying will change the strength from med to med-full imho). The cons: it's expensive and not available everywhere.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Strong |
This is a truly excellent blend. I echo all above, adding only that The Bankers is very fine from match to dottle, developing nicely but not getting too acrid or sour near the bottom of the bowl. It is smooth, full but not at all overwhelming.
One curious detail is that I've had my current tin open for 3 months or so, and it shows absolutely no sign of drying out, leading me to wonder if there is some type of casing or humectant in there somewhere ... but no matter. And besides, I find it a bit annoying to rehydrate a tin, that's just a quirk of mine. Now granted, I do keep my tins (most of the time) sealed in relatively airtight sandwich baggies, but even with that treatment an opened tin will dry out over time.
About a year ago, I embarked on a search for a pipe blend containing cigar leaf. After a few duds (Dunhill's "Cuba" should probably remain in Cuba, or in London at the very least), I found and settled upon Fox's 'The Bankers'--perfect for those moments that cry out for the subtle orchestration of a fine English blend combined with the bold edge of cigar leaf--or just about anytime a bold-yet-smooth smoke is desired.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
This is one of those tobaccos that really grows on you.I've enjoyed every bowl of it more than I had the first.The cigar leaf sure is a nice change of pace away from the typical english I usually enjoy.It's full and rich without being over whelming to the senses.Recommended! Preppypipe
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Mild to Medium | None Detected | Full | Very Pleasant |
A classy pipe tobacco that really is part english,part good cigar. The aroma is nice and unique in that it does smell cigar-y but pipe-y too. The "Havana" leaf is really good along with the Latakia,and cavendish. It produces a really good silky smoke.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Blackhorse (96) | |
Medium | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
Life is good. This tobacco is incredible! There are certain milestones one encounters along the pathway of any endeavour. In my smoking experiences I might rate my first bowl of a newly opened tin of Penzance, the first time I matched the right pipe and the proper technique to understand a Virginia like Marlin Flake, the first half of nearly any bowl of Bob's Chocolate Flake, realizing that Dunhill's were cheap as well as astonishingly fine (well, MOST of 'em), knowing enough that when I once discovered six tins of 2000 Samarra at a small tobacco shop...I snatched 'em all! Well, the list would go on - and it would include this superb blend - The Bankers. Yes, it's deep...yes, it's wide...yes, it's delightful. The flavor, the aroma, the light, the main bowl, the denoument...etc. are best left to others of greater descriptive subtlety. I will simply supply you with a directive of hopefully sufficient strength to motivate you to act: If you know your bowl from a hole in the ground (ahem!) then you will immediately obtain and smoke this tobacco. You will then revaluate your past five years (or so) as wasted time and effort...lamenting that you can not relive them with this in your bowl at least once a day...but you will be bouyed up by the expectation that you have at least the next five years to make up for it (of course, I wish you far longer). You will then buy more...much more. Men will fear you...women will want you. You will find large pipes too small...and buy new pipes to dedicate...name children for it...grandchildren...well, you get the drift.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Tantric (321) | |
Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This is a fine tobacco. It is rich in taste, flavourful, yet smooth and elegant. Basically a straight matured Virginia with an added creaminess from the Havana cigar leaf (and probably with some unsweetened Black Cavendish), its overall structure is somewhat similar to the bygone Sobranie's Virginia Reserve. It smokes cool and easily, and once you let it air out overnight it should not be difficult to pack and light. Medium strength (though not advisable for beginners), this mixture can be enjoyed after a good, hearty meal (let's say after a juicy New York steak, washed down with a glass or two of Montepulciano D'Abruzzo) and should be a delight to both cigar and pipe smokers.
In the tin the tobacco comes rather moist for my taste (something that is common to the Fox's blends I've tried). Thin ribbon cut, it presents attractive hues of browns together with small, jet black strands. It has a strong yet inviting aroma, as if an entire tobacco shop was condensed in the tin. Because of its richness I don't find this a constant or an all day smoke (unless you have a strong Freudian-G.Marxian-Castrean complex, and smoke cigars all the time!), but as an after lunch-dinner companion it is absolutely splendid. Great stuff.
Nobody has rated this review yet.
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Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
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| Emeritus Account (30125) | |
Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The blender's notes say that this blend contains some Havana cigar leaf and my first thought was - why put cigar leaf in a pipe tobacco? If you want to taste cigars buy a King Edward. However in the search for the holy grail I decided to try this blend anyway, and I'm really glad I did. It might not be the holy grail, but this is a very tasty and satisfying blend indeed. On opening the tin the first aroma to tickle the old olfactory membranes is Latakia, but a wonderfully subdued and soft latakia that mingles with a winey fermented aroma reminiscent of Virginia/Perique. The latakia is not at all dominant, not at all in your face. The blend packs and lights easily, due I think to the fine ribbon cut. Again the initial taste is Latakia, and again it is a subdued and subtle Latakia. The smoke is rich and creamy, the taste medium, its the sort of tobacco that causes me to roll my tongue round my mouth to get more of it. The Havana mentioned at the start is barely noticeable. This is pipe tobacco of the finest sort. The havana is just about noticeable in the room note, but there is no doubt that a pipe is being smoked - not a cigar. If you want a good relaxing smoke try this one. Smooth, cool, no bite, just a rather sublime smoking experience. Recommended
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600 Perdue Ave
Richmond, VA 23224
