Tobaccos Dunhill - Durbar

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TCody (15)	2014-09-06		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Full disclosure: I love everything Dunhill, including pipes, cigars, accessories, tobacco, and fountain pens. With 53 years of pipe smoking, I have smoked all versions of Dunhill tobaccos. IMHO, the Orlik versions are better than the Murray.

Visually, the tobacco is composed of the familiar Dunhill ribbon cut Virginias and Latakia, mixed with larger chunks of Latakia, Orientals, and some intact dark Virginia flake. Three (3) stems were removed from the tin. The name "Durbar" and the visual inspection promised an Oriental forward smoke.

The smoke reminded me of Balkan Sobranie White, but the Durbar had less edge. The Latakia played a supporting role. The first half of the bowl was surprisingly smooth, almost creamy.

The second half produced more nicotine and strength than I had expected, but not in an unpleasant way. Thankfully, the tobacco didn't taste like charcoal at the bottom of the bowl.

The current Durbar is composed of quality leaf, is thoughtfully blended, is Oriental forward, is different in different parts of the bowl, and will be favored by those who enjoy Balkans.

I reserve four stars for the very best. On a one (1) to ten (10) scale, this is a 9.

Pipe Used: Dunhill Cumberland Chimney

Age When Smoked: New tin.

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

Similar Blends: Balkan Sobranie White.

34 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tripjoker (65)	2014-12-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have to admit that I never smoked the previous incarnations of this blend before. I was always satisfied with Standard Mixture Medium and 965 with the occasional tin of London Mixture. I had tried all of the Dunhill blends in production and this was not one of them. Even Elizabethan was good.

I was in my local B&M here in Germany the other day and noticed that they had re-released Durbar. I did not hesitate in buying a tin to try. I am always on the lookout for Oriental/Turkish forward blends. I like Latakia, but prefer it to play second fiddle in a Balkan/English blend. And in the reviews of this blend, I was assured that this would be the case.

The tin presentation is pure Dunhill. High quality leaf in a somewhat fine to medium ribbon cut. The tin aroma was spectacular! The Turkish and Orientals sang to me. The moisture content is fine out of the tin, although I always decant the tobacco into a glass bail top jar and let it sit for a couple of days absorbing a little oxygen in the sealed jar. The aerobic organisms in the tobacco start to work their magic after being tin dumb on the shelf after production.

The packing is easy as with any Dunhill product. The light was one match after char. One relight due to my own negligence about halfway through the bowl. The flavor was as promised. Oriental/Turkish up front with the Virginia and Latakia playing a supporting role. The balance for me is almost perfect. Very nice dark coffee, bitter chocolate, fresh baked toasted bread, light floral, warm spices and smoked flavors. Not sweet in the true sense of the word, but gives the impression of sweetness in the nose. The bowl never burned hot and no bite was registered. The bowl burned to the bottom with no dampness noted. Nicotine was a solid medium, nothing dramatic. But I must say that I like heavier blends in that department. Lady N and I get along well!

This is a perfect last pipe of the evening before turning in. And my experience is that it pairs well with any good peat heavy Scotch Whisky or a good Cognac. The flavor profile of this blend will stand up to a beverage of strong character.

You can rest assured that I will be putting up many tins to enjoy later. I think this one will age well. The Virginia content is more than adequate to believe that to be the case. I hope that this review will encourage my experienced pipe brothers and sisters to give it a try if this kind of blend falls in your wheelhouse. I'm not sure if a novice would get much out of it.

Cheers!

Pipe Used: GBD Billiard and Aylesbury Canadian

Age When Smoked: One week after purchase

31 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3048)	2016-11-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The dry, floral, woody, herbal, earthy, lightly spicy and buttery sweet, and more sour Orientals takes the lead, though it doesn’t drown out the other components. The tangy ripe dark fruity, earthy, woody dark Virginia is the base of the blend. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty sweet Cyprian Latakia is mostly a background player, though there are times it does a little more than that. The yellow Virginia is in the background, and offers some tart citrus, a touch of spice, and a little grass. The strength and nic-hit are medium. The taste level is a step past that mark. Won’t bite, or get harsh even when pushed. Has no dull or weak spots, but there are a few rough notes. Burns cool and clean at a moderate pace with a mostly consistent, mildly sweet, floral, savory campfire flavor that translates to the pleasantly lingering after taste and stronger room note. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires an average number of relights. Not quite an all day smoke.

In comparison to the Murray’s version, I found this a little less potent with a little less spice.

-JimInks

24 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	O'Confrère (40)	2014-06-10		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

This has just been distributed in Germany, so I suppose it will be available in other countries soon. Was very excited to find this on the shelves again. Unfortunately, it is quite a disappointment. The 'old' Durbar was a distinctive broad cut blend with wonderful qualities. This is a mixed cut with finer ribbons that does not hold up in comparison. I guess it is hardly possible to produce enough tins for today's larger market with the high standard of leaf that was used 'back in the day.' When I have gotten over my initial disappointment I will try to post a review of it on its own merits. For now, smoke it if you've got it, but, if you remember Durbar of old, don't get your hopes up too high.

Pipe Used: Several, reserved for Latakia/Orientals/Va's

Age When Smoked: one month (just on the market)

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jevverrett (107)	2014-10-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I purchased this largely bc of the advertising campaign that accompanied the recent re-release of this blend after some years it has been unavailable. Also, I have come to enjoy dunhill English/ Scottish mixtures a great deal. I read some of the reviews written on the previously available mixture I never tried, which were largely raving. I read some of the reviews on the new release, which were raving of a different sort. I think in that way this site can be helpful. So, here goes a first timers try on this mixture.

The tin presentation is as always for dunhill, perfect. The tin aroma is very welcoming to my nose. Woody, smokey and with a good whiff of leather. The packing is easy, as the ribbons are fairly uniform. On the charring light it forms a nice white ash fairly quickly, with all the pieces burning together. The flavor is very much like the tin aroma. This flavor carries on steadfastly over the duration of the smoke. It picks up a bit toward the end, and rallies in strength a bit. Also, I notice that slight sourness I would normally describe as green olives. It burns very well and has no unpleasant changes in its draw throughout the course of the bowl.

It is not overly strong insofar as nicotine. It is perhaps a bit less than the 965 mixture, and definitely far less than the nightcap in overall power. However, what it lacks in nic hit it makes up in flavor. It is a very tasty mixture. I would say that this may become one of my favorites and have a place with the night cap and the 965 that are staples of my daily rotation. It may not be what it was in the past but, I wouldn't know that without trying a vintage tin that would most likely be well past its prime in age.

Pipe Used: Peterson 606

Age When Smoked: Fresh tin

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Dunhill My Mixture 965.

16 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lochinvar (78)	2014-11-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

The new Durbar is very nice, I raced through a tin of it, and have stockpiled a good supply. It is my new, go to all day Oriental. In fact, I found myself reaching for Durbar to the exclusion of all my other blends. Durbar starts out piquant and creamy, with the Orientals and darker Virginia flavors dominating, taste changing from sweet and sour to spicy. The Latakia, peeks in now and again, but stays reserved. Through the bowl, the Orientals stay in the main, and the flavor warms with some almost ginger/clove tastes. It seems to have a little more nicotine than other blends of this type, but it is by no means a heavy hitter. The comparisons to Sobranie White are close, this is a good Balkan, much better than the Balkan Sobranie rerelease.

Pipe Used: GBD Rhodesian, Dunhill Dublin

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Hearth & Home White Knight, Balkan Sobranie, McConnell Oriental.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Jorge Soler (203)	2014-11-25		Medium	Very Mild	Full	Strong

As I was commenting onto to a friend my new purchase, he replied "...and yet, another Balkan mixture." They don't tell you what's in the tin-it just reads "blended for the more experienced and mature pipe tobacco smoker," but I can tell this is blend of Turkish and Virginia tobaccos-not to mention the Latakia bit in it. As I went past the first quarter of the bowl, a hint of perique hit me, if ever so more slightly, so perhaps this is due to the pipe I am smoking it in (I am a regular with VaPers) and not so more because of the blend itself. Very nutty and leathery, indeed. As I opened the tin I was surprised by the gold and black ribbons, finely cut (I guess I was expecting something somewhat coarser) and the lack of that pungent Latakia aroma which is so overwhelmingly present in other blends of this sort, but once I lit up my first bowl all my doubts dissipated. You cannot smoke this mixture straight out of the tin. Instead, open it up and let it dry for 24 hours inside of a wooden cabinet (a drawer will do the trick too). Just make sure it is not too dry before filling up your pipe.

This mixture really builds up in strength and aroma as you go past every quarter of the bowl, but it does not get sour in the end. It hasn't got the nicotine kick of, let's say Royal Yacht, but it is a late afternoon blend anyway. Balkan Sobranie is still my favourite in this range, but I'll choose it any time over Standard Mixture or The Early Morning Pipe. I don't know anything about the former Durbar as I have only tried the 2014 remake, but this mixture does it for me. I am not sure this tobacco will only satisfy the more mature and experienced smoker, for it is a very easy smoke. I guess this blend will smoke best outdoors because of its room note, but I have only tried it indoors so far. It does not seem to condensate that much, so you can smoke it in any regular pipe (with or without a filter).

Pipe Used: Peterson

Age When Smoked: 1 year, perhaps

Purchased From: John Hollingsworth's

Similar Blends: Early Morning pipe, Standard Mixture, Balkan Sobranie, etc..

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Greekpipesmoker (201)	2017-03-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Another masterpiece from Dunhill!when you crack the tin you smell the fruity and citrusy virginias combining with the woodsy,spicy orientals and latakias.the moisture level is perfect,lights easy and some relights are needed.while burning the flavours are great.sourness,dark fruits,citruses from the virginias are combined with spices ,woods and deep flavours from the orientals.the latakias also offer some flavours in the backround.the flavours are mostly from the orientals and the virginias.burns cool,never bit me even if i went hard on that.the nicotine level is medium.leaves no moisture at the end of the bowl.not an all day smoke though it is perfect to end your day after a nice dinner.definitelly a must try blend!

Age When Smoked: Straight from the tin

12 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.

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Fubber (14)	2015-07-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

A long time fan of the re-released Dunhill blends I am thoroughly enjoying the latest offerings from our Scandinavian friends. I must admit that I was not sure where Durbar would fit in to the Dunhill range having done my research into the blend, particularly given London mixture's more oriental forward's offering. I must admit that this is absolutely stunning. Distinctly more oriental/Turkish forward, this is a typically sophisticated nuanced blend from Dunhill, with perfect moisture content out of the tin. Brilliant from fresh; decanted into a sealed jar for a few weeks it is absolutely sublime. Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Mario Grandi giant egg.

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: GQ Tobaccos

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2015-03-14		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Close to the original in presentation, now the blend is more of a ribbon than broad cut and a lot more Virginia and less Oriental and Latakia. And, of course, the leaf employed is still quite pleasant.

Pipestud

9 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2015-06-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Kind of a darker mix overall, and nicely ribboned for easy packing. One of the things I enjoy about Dunhill oriental blends is their tin aroma. This was like EMP in that the orientals are some of the juiciest, most pungent around and emit a kind of sour but tantalizing aroma. Unlike EMP, this delivered more in the taste department. This blend wasn't around when I first started smoking. Apparently, Murrays hadn't picked it up or The Aperatif, either. In their places were Gold Blend and Golden Hours, two pseudo-aromatic affronts to a pipesmokers sensibilities. Glad those are gone and these are back!

Probably a mid-point blend between EMP and Nightcap. The orientals were front and center with the Virginia and latakia to the rear. Sounds like a recipe for success to my tastebuds, and it mostly was. The orientals had a nice incense quality but were more robust than wispy and aromatic. The Virginias were sweet but not so sweet as to upset the balance, and the latakia lent its usual smokiness and color. All good so far. Except there was a strange bitter quality that came along somewhere around mid-bowl. Now, bitter isn't always a bad thing - some of my favorite Balkans have bitter and even sour notes. But in this one, I found it just a bit offputting. Not sure what caused it but it appeared consistently throughout the tin. Still, I find this a better blend than EMP, which is too wimpy and Nightcap which is too inelegant. But as with most Dunhill blends not named 965 these days, they fall short of the best available in their respective genres. Worth a try for anyone interested in oriental-forward blends, but definitely not destined for another spin in my bowl.

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Plihopliheri (13)	2014-08-29		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Let me start by saying: I did not know the "real" Durbar, so I cannot compare to memories of yesteryear. Saw Durbar on the shelf and bought it, tried it the same afternoon fresh out of the newly opened tin. While it did not blow me away, it was certainly not really bad, either. The Latakia could be more noticeable, the Virginias dominated too much for my taste. Yet, midway through the bowl the balance seemed to shift towards my preferences. Still I do not think I will add this to the tobaccos I store regularly, but if you crave light English tobaccos with just a tiny note of Latakia, you should definitely give this new release a chance.

Update: Smoked a couple more bowls 2 or 3 weeks after I opened the tin. It did feel more rounded, but no reason (yet) for a third star.

Pipe Used: Brebbia

Age When Smoked: fresh - 3 wks old

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DenizBeck (323)	2017-12-27		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Fields of flowers, essential oils of etherealness... Durbar is an unique and delicious Oriental blend. I get virtually no Latakia aroma out of it at all, but a lot, a lot(!) of fine Oriental aroma. To me this is an Oriental-Blend!

In the classy tin there are mostly ribbons of yellow and brown colors, few black spots and some dark brown flake pieces. The tin-note is very flowery, slightly sweet and somewhat woodsy and nutty.

Having Durbar in the pipe is magical. It's like a journey through exotic fields of trees, flowers and herbs, whilst absorbing all the bewitching, natural aromas surrounding you. The very exotic, rich and spicy Oriental is very dry, somewhat woodsy (cedarwood comes to my mind f.e.) and ethereal-flowery, whilst the Virginias sport some mild sweetness. The spicy, tangy aroma dominates though! Very rarely I pick up a hint of Latakia. The Orientals are clearly prevailing in this blend and this is what I love about it.

One of the very few with such a high amount of Oriental/Turkish, and I admire its simply unique an exotic aroma! The only other blends thats so rich in Orientals I know of is Motzeks Highland Balls, yet Highlad Balls have more sweetness and a distinctive fruitiness to them, which sets them apart from the very spicy and dry Oriental varietals use in here. They are like soul mates though!

A must-try for Oriental-Lovers. Gonna stock up on this as long as Dunhill is still around, 4/4 stars! Wicked blend!

Pipe Used: Clays, Cobs, Briars

Similar Blends: Motzek - Highland Balls.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ducksbreath (125)	2016-03-12		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I've been on a Orlick made Durbar binge (2016) lately, smoking up a tin in nearly record time.

This is not the first time I've encountered this blend, but it's the first time it's really clicked with me and it's my go to English now. Possibly before I did not give it a fair shake (letting the tin breathe for a while, and being patient for the smoke to develop).

I find it the smoothest of all the Dunhill Englishes, while still retaining the flavor depth and pungency that Dunhill does so well. And it has a good enough N kick for me.

It is so well balanced and smooth that I can see...how it could fly under the radar for some. Latakia does not dominate but is definitely present and the Orientals are rich and less "zingy" than in LM, but still slightly to the fore.

I would say it is overall as rich a blend as 965 (not in Latakia but in overall body) but of course without the Cavendish, and without ANY harshness.

The lack of harshness, balance, and rich Orientals push it to the top of the heap for me.

It is, overall, better than earlier iterations (Murray's and early Orlick) imo, which were both "too much".

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Silent Soliloquy (17)	2016-04-23		Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Very Full	Tolerable

Summary: sublime :) Balanced English mixture with no specific front-end. Tin smell: dry plum. When smoked cycles through: cream/butter (casing?), herby (virginia), sweety (oriental), nutty/burnt malt (burley? latakia?), a bit of bitter think dark ale. No dominant note, but all come and go through smoke. Nicotine: medium to strong (builds up). Toungue bite: zero. Burn: cool, even, slow. Room note - good pipe tobacco, but not a crowd pleaser. Aftertaste - herby, buttery, light sugar. Ash - white-grey. Need to relight - 2-3 times if your pipe is on the large side and you're not focusing on it. Goop zero. Leaves the pipe pretty clean. Repurchase value - 100%.

Pipe Used: neerup briar, sahin briar

Age When Smoked: new, a month later

Purchased From: some tobacco shop in Russia

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2081)	2016-03-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

Dunhill - Durbar.

I think it's pretty hard to get something anymore satisfying than a good English and that is exactly what this is; a rich tasting, satisfying smoke.

Just the aroma from the un-lit blend fills me with alacrity. It's English (obviously), smoky, and slightly tangy. Although it's listed as a mixture it's more like a straight ribbon; there aren't any pieces of flake or plug in there, it's prominently medium ribbons.

This was from a loose pouch so any reduction in moisture that's occurred (if any) has benefited the lighting. Once it's lit it takes me straight back onto my first point: satisfying. It just ticks every box that's required for contentment (to me). It's smoky enough to identify the Latakia but nowhere near enough to take over. The Virginia and Oriental's are well balanced with one another; the both of them are much stronger than the Latakia giving the blend a lighter taste instead of the MASSIVE amount of smokiness that can often come from an English. On the 'not so good' side it does burn a bit fast. Very even, very steady, but quick if pressured; take this easy! The nicotine's a little below medium, not leagues below but mild to medium nonetheless. Room note; English and great!

Four stars for this great blend.

Pipe Used: Barling Meer'

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: GQ Tobacco's

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sir Pipealot (8)	2015-09-13		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Foie-gras like texture- exotic, creamy, textures but balanced.

No one thing sticks out, no one chord out of place.

Not an over-the top oriental, but that even new pipe smokers or aromatic smokers can get into. Give it a try.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Demetri (113)	2015-06-22		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I am afraid that I am with CoolPilot on this one. After being blown away by the re-introduced Aperitif I anticipated a stellar blend. The best I got out of this was the charring light; after that it goes downhill quickly for me. Repeatedly I found myself digging out the last half or two-thirds bowl and dumping the load.

What is wrong for me? The blend fights itself: too sweet, a tang approaching bitterness, and a taste which mimics some cavendish or treatment of the Virginias, perhaps. I sometimes smoke straight Izmir and rather enjoy it. I have smoked many of the McClellend Grand Orientals which showcase many Oriental varieties on a Virgina base and enjoyed them all, but not this.

Those who enjoy it may rejoice that I will not be competing with them to get Durbar.

I finally had to deal with the half tin I had left by adding a good bit of perique and as much as 25% blending burley. At the least I can smoke that.

Pipe Used: Briars of many sizes, styles

Age When Smoked: New production

Purchased From: Cigar Express - McKees Rocks, PA

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	twaksak (54)	2015-06-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

In the tin, I was greeted with a clear cocoa (roasted) and woody aroma with some light floral notes.tobacco review of dunhill durbar

Lighting the bowl presented with a nice clean tobacco flavour on the tongue – well balanced. The flowery notes was present with woody notes from the Latakia. A really nice tobacco for an all-day smoke.

Pipe Used: Erik Nording

Age When Smoked: New

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2014-11-03		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

(This review moved from the other Dunhill Durbar listing to the new)

Please don't be scared away by my low rating , for me, this blend is just too mild in all categories ( I know , I don't match many of the other reviews, maybe a bad tin ?) . This just might be what you are looking for? I find Dunhill "ribbon" cuts very easy to work with . Easy to pack, light, stay lit and no problems with embers falling all over.

This particular blend is smooth, creamy, and maybe even on the slightly nutty side. I wouldn't say it has burley in it ,but, it does have that minor touch of nuttiness and is woodsy . I don't really know how to classify this one, probably more Balkan than English as the Orientals play the major role over the light latakia and with hardly any Virginia support or sweetness . The flavor seems to remind me of a milder Dunhill's London Mixture with less latakia.

You can smoke this all day and don't be afraid to stoke it up, as this doesn't bite , get bitter, isn't spicy and won't get hot or ashy. I can't say I would buy this again as I like my blends with more flavor and sweetness, this is a little bland for me . That said, it's still a good blend. 2 1/2 star.

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: 1month

Similar Blends: A mild London Mixture with less Latakia.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Virginia lover (218)	2014-09-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

It's not the Murray made Durbar, which was a Balkan to me. This version is a middle of the road English. They should have called it Alfred's Legacy no.1 or something. Now that being said, it's a quality mixture with the characteristics of an old school Dunhill, whatever that may mean to anybody else but me, a cool smoke with a balanced flavor along with some surprise nuance that intervenes once in a while. The smell in the tin is exotic and inviting, it lights easy and burns to a white ash. A no fuss Latakia mixture to be enjoyed at any time of the day.

Virginia lover

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (179)	2014-09-18		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I smoked Murray's version years ago and had some left recently. It was a little fuller and was oriental (other than Latakia) forward. This re-release is a different take on the oriental subject IMO. It is more Virginia forward.

It is creamier than before and has a mild but sweet fragrance and taste from the Virginia I presume. (I don't know of a Turkish leaf that is both creamy and sweeet as opposed to herbal.) The light spicy and added depth from the orientals (I taste just tendrils of Latakia) kicks in at the bottom half of the bowl, but the Virginia still holds its own to the end.

It's smooth and cool smoking.

So different from before but still very good and maybe better suited to a wider range of English and Virginia smokers. I smoked a full tin and have several in cellar aging (but good now).

Pipe Used: Upshall, Blatter

Age When Smoked: new tin

Purchased From: smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Some Germain Virginias but still fairly unique..

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CarolinaEsquire (13)	2018-03-24		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Without question, this is my favorite Dunhill. Durbar is different and delicious.

Upon opening the tin, you're greeted with an interesting aroma. The Orientals make their presence known, but there is just something different about Durbar when you first crack the tin. It gets your attention and you begin to wonder what it could be. Then, when you light up the bowl, Durbar really begins to shine. There really is an incense like quality to it like others have noted. It's that incense like quality that the Orientals deliver to the mix that elevates this blend to its lofty level. It's divine. I love the way the smoke lingers and perfumes the air. This is what pipe smoking is all about. The aftertaste is very nice and I like the scent it leaves in the room or outside and the scent in my beard. Odd, I know, but I like it.

The nicotine hit is a tad over a medium. Wonderful tasting blend with a nice nicotine hit. Not too strong, but enough to satisfy and provide that pleasant mellowing reward at the end.

Again, this is my favorite Dunhill, followed by London Mixture and then The Aperitif. I'm amazed that more haven't sung its praises yet, but that is OK because it allows me to buy more to cellar for later.

Enjoy!

Pipe Used: Savinelli

Age When Smoked: Smoked upon arrival and 6 months. Cellaring rest.

Purchased From: Pipesandcigars.com

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2017-12-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Durbar is an interesting tobacco. I smoked my first bowl and maybe I was just confused with what it was supposed to be. I then kicked nomenclature to the curb and just tried to enjoy it for what it is, and what it is, is a damn good blend. Others note how well Dunhill blends pack and light, this is no exception. Tin note is Oriental with a touch of Latakia. The smoke is woody, nutty and toasty. Like toasted hazlenuts. There is some smokiness from the Latakia and just enough sweetness from the Virginia to round out the experience. Moderate in nicotine, so not a pipe with coffee first thing in the a.m. for me. Burns to ash and if smoked with attention won't need a relight. If you are looking for an Oriental experience this is a good go to tobacco.

Pipe Used: cobs and briars

Age When Smoked: 1 year +

Purchased From: Pipes and Cigars

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2016-10-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The new incarnation of Durbar offers the sour scent in the tin that I love and almost always associate with Dunhill blends. Dunhill makes up the largest segment of my tobacco cellar and mainly out of curiosity; I try to smoke the Orlik blends side by side with Murray’s era tins whenever possible knowing full well that the previous era will have the benefit of time in the tin. The tin note of the newest version offers up more Latakia scent than the Murray’s although time may have muted the Murray’s era blend. The Orientals lead the way in both versions. In the pipe the Latakia component is more prominent in the Orlik version. The savory, sour flavor of the Orientals isn’t quite as dominate in the newer incarnation. The Orlik era offers up a full and somewhat complex taste. There isn’t any harshness or bite in this well done blend. The Virginia’s are only lightly sweet and seem to be in great proportion to the other components. I think that all but the most devout fans of the Murray’s era blend with be satisfied with the new Durbar. It will be interesting to see how this blend reacts to some time in the cellar and I suspect it will be quite favorable. Three and a half stars.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	NobbyR (79)	2015-03-13		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

To me, Durbar as part of the Vintage Blends series is Dunhill's Balkan mixture, if nothing else because the blend is dominated by its content of almost black Latakia and dark brown Oriental leaf. The lighter Virginias are dispersed evenly among those.

The Latakia is also what you notice first, when you open the tin and take in the spicy scent, before you notice the smell of incense from the Orientals.

Filling your pipe is quite uncomplicated, just as lighting. You can even pack this tobacco a little more tightly in order to get a steady burning. From time to time you need to tamp and level out the ashes.

Durbar will give you a tart and tangy smoke dominated by the smooth Oriental leafs and the peaty Latakia, and topped off by the sweet Virginias. This is a full bodied, creamy, balanced smoke mellowed by a distinguished floral incense note. A re-light is seldom required. As long as you don't draw too eagerly on your pipe, it'll burn down coolly to some light gray ash.

The room note is rich and spicy, yet tolerable.

Pipe Used: Rattray's 110th Anniversary

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Local Tobacconist

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bigdadz (39)	2014-10-13		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

This Orlik version is very good, an oriental forward medium bodied English. Not the same as Murray's, but still a quality mixture with the signature leathery, spicy & buttery dunhill characteristics.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr blandings (1)	2014-09-06		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Had a good experience with this blend. Familiar with the Murray's version. Likely will improve with 2-3 years aging. I'll keep working through the tin, see if it opens up a bit.

Not that I am a 40 year veteran but I see nothing wrong with this tobacco

Pipe Used: JT Cooke, David McCarter

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	incendio (45)	2017-12-01		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Very Pleasant

As with some people, thinking of something nice to say can occasionally be a challenge. So it is with Durbar.

I have no idea what the intent of the blender was with this stuff. I smoke it and it tastes like tobacco. No subtle this, no nuanced that, no smokey Latakia, no papery nutty Orientals. It just tastes like dry, woody tobacco.

I have nothing else to say. This blend leaves me perplexed. And I love Oriental-forward blends. But this just tastes like cheap cigar filler.

I just can't find anything good to say about it.

[EDIT - April 2018]

I'm not sure what changed--my tastes, or perhaps the tobacco left to "aerate."

I love this stuff. Amazing. It's like Aperitif without the Cavendish. The Virginias are redolent of oats and hay with just the slightest hint of coconut on the nose. I wish I were joking, but I'm not. I feel somewhat guilty I gave it such a tepid review earlier.

Another thing--you can really "push" this tobacco. It has different flavor and aroma profiles to offer when sipped or smoked aggressively. And the "room note" (I waft the smoke from the bowl to my nose) is amazing too.

Great stuff!

Pipe Used: briars and a meerschaum

Age When Smoked: fresh

Similar Blends: Blairgowrie.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr.James (39)	2017-11-02		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Durbar reminds me of Mixture 965 with it's deep fruit and earth displayed by the dark Virginias. The light addition of yellow Virginia adds a bit of citrus and hay. The blend of fragrant Orientals add spicy tang and deliver a balancing quality that harmonizes with the moderate smokey touch of sweet woodsy Cyprian Latakia. Rich and smooth as it burns to a white ash I notice a violet-like floral note at times from the orientals. Medium in strength. Leaves little moisture in the bowl and may not need a relight. A pleasant room note and satisfying aftertaste. Improves well with jar time.

Age When Smoked: 1 Year

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (633)	2016-06-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Very Full	Strong

Let me start by saying that Dunhill (or Orlik) make some of my favorite blends in Flake and Elizabethan. And some great fall backs in DNR, 965 and Standard. That said, this blend is just terrible. lol

Maybe it is just me, but the essence I pick up from beginning to end of a bowl of Durbar is that of Burnt Rubber. IT is just a noxious odor and taste. I am not sure what exactly is causing this, but feel it is interplay between the latakia and orientals used. I bough a tin of this right when they announced they were rereleasing it and only now have finished it despite giving out numerous samples of the same.

I never really got any feedback from those samples either positive or negative, so I am not sure anyone is too crazy about this, but have encountered a few people that say they like it alright on the various forums. In any case, I can't ever see myself recommending this blend to anyone and have to keep true to the meaning of these ratings as a one star.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lazarus77 (91)	2016-06-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

I think its best to say that this is a great smoke.Smoked cleanly all the way to the bottom.When I emptied my pipe, all that was left was a fine gray as. Leaves your mouth tasting good later.Highly recommend this tobacco to those who enjoy English blends.

Pipe Used: Peterson standart system 314

Age When Smoked: Fresh to 3 month

Purchased From: Smoke King

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mike W. (9)	2015-12-23		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I got this as part of a multi tin sale from P@C. I tried it when I first got it and again 3 weeks later with the same results both times. The tin note was not bad however once I began smoking it all was not good. It packed and lit fine but as far as I could tell the only flavor was burning trash that left a nasty after taste. I didn't find it particularly strong or heavy on nicotine. I would not buy this again.

Pipe Used: Peterson oom paul, Sav Brunta

Age When Smoked: new

Purchased From: P@C

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mnadz (69)	2015-09-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

At this point, I have to say that Dunhill flat out gets english/balkan blends. Durbar does not disappoint from a flavor profile. Easy to pack, light and smoke throughout. What never amazes me about all Dunhill blends is how smooth they are! I would give this four stars, but I do think some of their others blends are bit more tastey. Nevertheless, any fan of Latakia will enjoy this.

Pipe Used: Ben Wades

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2015-03-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Just like The Apéritif, this recreation of a legendary blend is a huge succes. I have had the chance to try the Murray version in the '90s and, besides the cut being less coarse in Orlik's version, the composition and aroma look very similar. The ORs dominate completely; rich and spicy, almost sweet, they are creamy; the LA and VAs play in the background, contributing some smokiness and sweetness. Orlik's version burns much better than Murray's and Orlik's ORs, in my memory, seem to be better balanced than Murray's. The Vitamin N is just right. For those considering venturing into "English" blends dominated by ORs but are afraid of LAs, Durbar is a perfect introduction to the genre. Durbar is probably one of the top VA/OR I've smoked so far.

Pipe Used: Rattray; Stanwell: Dunhill; Chacom; meerschaum

Age When Smoked: Fresh

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	CoolPilot (69)	2015-01-06		Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Disappointing! Strong, full taste, but thats all about it. Like a bottle of second choice blended whiskey. Something not good in the orinetals, I would describe as "tobacco liefs where some rats did sleep for a night or more". Worst tin so far tasted from Dunhill. Cannot recommend it.

Pipe Used: savinelli champagne

Age When Smoked: fresh

Purchased From: Dubini, CH

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MM (12)	2022-06-22		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable to Strong

I am reviewing Durbar here since I believe what I smoked was manufactured by STG. This tobacco is similar to London Mixture but creamier and fuller. It is also sweeter, delivers more incense notes, and more nicotine that satisfies but does not overwhelm. Burns clean to white ash and leaves a pleasant after taste.

A luxurious evening treat. Highly recommended if you manage to get your hand on a tin.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	HabaneroHardy (403)	2019-01-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Unnoticeable

I bought a brand-new estate Mauro Armellini that was a good 10 to 15 years old. I decided to break it in with Durbar. The tin had a very nice Oriental/Turkish fragrant smell with maybe a hint of Latakia. It smokes smooth and lights easily. To me it is more of a medium Balkan. If you like blends predominantly Oriental/Turkish this is a good smoke. Some of the bowls I smoked did lose a little flavor toward the end of the bowl but nothing out of the ordinary. I bought some because it is going to be discontinued again. Definitely worth a try.

Pipe Used: Mauro Armellini

Age When Smoked: New

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Steerpike (156)	2018-08-11		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I'm a fan of the Dunhill English mixtures, been smoking then on and off for over a decade now. I think what I like the best is the ones with that yeasty, leaf mouldy aroma when you crack a new tin open, Nightcap being the best example of this. Durbar does it a bit, so I know I'm in for a treat!

So, what have we here? A tin of relatively fine, even ribbon cut tobacco, in medium brown hues with some darker leaf. Tin aroma is the aforementioned yeasty leaf mould smell, with smells of rotting wood and a hint of campfire. smoke. Delicious! I'm drooling by the time I've filled my pipe...

It takes the flame easily, and when it's getting a bit dry toward the end of the tin, only one march is required. Orientals are the stars of this show, with their mysterious spicy, woody flavours. I keep smelling the smoke, getting nice toasty bready aromas with a hint of cedarwood. The flavour is a shade short of medium for an English, if I use EMP as the benchmark for light, and Nightcap for full. Very satisfying. Its a dry smoke, in the sense of no moisture and not much sweetness, and can have a slightly dusty quality when the leaf is getting dry. You can smoke it to the last morsel with perhaps a single relight. It doesn't really bite, although when it's getting a bit dry, it can get a little harsh towards the end in my eagles claw meer, which is a bit of a nose warmer. Slow sips are key here, or smoking it in a Calabash, as I am now with the last of a tin...

Summary: medium strength English mixture in which luxurious Orientals are the star of the show, supported by bready Virginias and a reasonable hint of Latakia in the background. An opulent smoke.

One quibble which applies to all Dunhill tobaccos now, why is it supplied loosely packed in giant tins? The tobacco dries out faster than I would like, and you need a rucksack to carry it around! Hope this isn't a permanent change.

Pipe Used: Peterson bulldog, Meer claw, and Calabash

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: Tobacconists in Bristol and Nottingham

Similar Blends: Peterson Balkan Delight.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	canvas (337)	2018-04-10		Strong	Very Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Upon hearing that Dunhill stopped production (on the re-release to?), I ordered up some of the blends I've yet to try. Durbar is the second Balkan I have ever smoked since tasting STG's Sasieni, and I would say they were each a 2 star for me, though for different reasons. Both command nicotine respect and will knock you down if not careful. Sasieni had more depth from the virginia coming through (there was more of that wet hay taste), while Durbar was more aligned with it's English sister blends (more of that charcoal taste).

I guess I'm not entirely sure what a Balkan blend is, but as far as my nose can tell, Durbar smelled something English with a peppery Oriental mixed in. Comprised of a thin cut with enough thickness and moisture to pack and fire hassle free.

The smoke became a bit one note as I soldiered on to the bottom of the heart-palpitating bowl, the act - reminding me of the addicting power of smoking.

I find it difficult to find much nuance between Dunhill products, as they all perform much the same. They are a great reminder of why a pipe can take you to heights a cigarette can never achieve, but lack the browsing excitement of an aromatic.

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Doctor Grabow (6)	2017-03-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

The Virginia's are medium in flavor adding a rich butter taste. The Latakia adds the expected smokiness. The Orientals are sweet and spicey with just a bit of sour. They show the smoker that this is indeed a Balkan as the name suggests. They are still very well balanced with the Virginia and the Latakia. This balanced taste seems a lot like the smokey sweet and spicey taste of Early Morning Pipe, only perhaps a bit more rich and buttery.

Pipe Used: Doctor Grabow Grand Duke

Age When Smoked: Fresh from tin (tin 2 years old)

Purchased From: 4noggins

Similar Blends: Early Morning Pipe.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Skando (203)	2015-05-07		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

I was pretty curious to taste this new incarnation of the Durbar, just come at the italian tobacconists at very premium price. Although I’ve never smoked the “old” one.

Nice tin aroma, Oriental forward I would say.

It comes in a ribbon cut on the slender side of the scale, in all similar to the other Dunhill’s blends. Easy lighting and burning maintenance without turning hot. No bite whatsoever.

The smoke is cool and solid. Oriental tobaccos are the main player, well back-boned by non-sweet Virginias and spiced up by the Latakia in perfect measure. Medium in strenght, full in body.

All in all a nice Balkan blend, which is only missing to hit me completely since it delivers a sort of “monolithic” experience from the beginning to the end. Seems to me it’s more similar to a Tashkent than a Skiff, which are the blends I would compare.

All the Best !

Pipe Used: Ashtons and Ferndown

Age When Smoked: fresh

Similar Blends: Tashkent, Skiff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	ATW (110)	2015-03-18		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Don't like this one at all. The tin smells like green olives....... And it tastes like them too. Nothing else here. Just a hot sour ashy smoke. If I want olives then I would just eat them and not smoke them.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gam86 (49)	2015-03-03		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Strong

I bought it after a smal taste from a friend of mine. And I was very impressed, it's an heavy smoky latakia english, and it really kick your nicotine level up. It's a little bit too strong for my taste but very pleasant.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	L'Italiano (233)	2020-03-04		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

DURBAR: certainly an excellent English blend, but not the best, and not the best among Dunhill’s blends. From a quality point of view Dunhill is always the top and therefore congratulations to STG. Great balance, excellent tobaccos, this is the classic English taste, never over the top, but always delicate and balanced. Suitable for those who love English blends, for those who love English taste, for those who love Dunhill. Not suitable for those who can't stand Latakia and for those who prefer flavored blends. So, in my opinion and in my personal rating system (from 1 to 10), my score is 7/8 and three stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Bruche (17)	2019-04-14		Very Strong	None Detected	Full	Strong

I don't see the attraction here unless you want a Latakia blast, which I think dominates the aroma profile. All its other tobacco components take a back seat.

Not a bad smoke, just a very one dimensional "Latakia heavy" blend.

Pipe Used: Various large bowl Danish & Italians

Age When Smoked: July 2018

Purchased From: Cup o Joes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	2piper (14)	2019-01-19		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another great Dunhill mixture.

Everything here melds together into a wonderful, bold collection of spicey, full flavored deliciousness. With just a touch of sweetness to keep you wanting the next puff.

Burns well and steadily without having to work at it.

A perfect companion to enjoy by the fire on a cold and snowy day.

Pipe Used: Savinelli

Age When Smoked: Fresh. Allowed to dry for 10 minutes

Purchased From: Iwan Ries

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2018-09-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable to Strong

Received a sample with my tinsociety.com box.

I'm a fan of Apertif and found Durbar an interesting smoke also.

The oriental shine in my opinion and are well supported by the Virginia's. More nicotine than I expected and the room note was not a winner with the wife.

Easy to pack and smoke and burned down to ash with no relights. Last 1/3 of the bowl seemed to have less flavor each time.

Pipe Used: Missouri Meerschaum Mark Twain

Age When Smoked: unknown

Purchased From: TinSociety.com Box

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Andrew Lipiansky (2)	2018-07-28		Medium	Medium	Full	Very Pleasant

Back when Andrew Lipiansky used to smoke, this was the finer tobacco he and his friends splurged on from time to time. He certainly didn't smoke it all the time, but that was, if anything, a trick to add to what a treat it was when he did buy it. Full flavored, tasteful, and tied to great memories and special occasions, anyone who appreciates tobacco should give this classic a shot.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pencils (60)	2017-12-21		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Dunhill Durbar. I have never really been a fan of the Dunhills in recent years - as a younger man, I enjoyed 965 a great deal but never got on with any of the re-releases. Thought I would take a punt on the Durbar, and a couple of bowls didn't change my mind much. It was only with some perseverance that I have been able to appreciate it more. Described as a fine Balkan, it can be a little flat and carries too much of an ashy quality at times. At others, it is a dry and flavoursome smoke.

It takes its place with BB, 965, London, Standard Mixture and Aperitif, EMP and Nightcap, and many will miss it if if it is discontinued.

Pipe Used: Several

Age When Smoked: New

Purchased From: GQ Tobaccos

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipesolitude (23)	2017-04-01		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

I'm surprised by the many 4 star-reviews, I tend to agree more with what I read in the 1 star reviews. The tobacco lights and burns fine, keeps dry, leaving a white ash. But IMHO, the taste of this blend is unbalanced and does not develop as it should. The first half of the bowl might be ok, but the second half tends to be too harsh with a bad aftertaste that irritates the throat. Ideally, this tobacco offers some enjoyable floral flavours of orientals in the foreground and latakia in the background. But for my taste, the virginia in this blend is too robust. And the more the bowl progresses the more it develops into a foul and acrid taste that overpowers all the flavours, leaving a bad aftertaste (like ashes in the mouth) which has a nauseating effect. Impossible to smoke without a glass of water or two by the side to clear the throut. For me, Durbar gives the promise of a full balkan that can be appetizing at first. But it does not deliver, which makes it overall a dissapointing smoking experience. If you like a strong and full balkan, this one would seem just right, but on the other hand, what value is there to a tobacco that start ok only to develop into an overwhelmingly harsch an nausiating smoking experience. Only reason I give this Janus-faced tobacco a week 2 star is because there is an alluring quality in the taste that I like, but unfortunately overpowered by its less sympathetic darker side.

Update: After experimenting with packing I learned that it smokes better if packed tight using the air-pocket method.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ahmad Othman (51)	2017-01-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

I had this recommended from a few friends. And in both of their recommendations they claimed two things, smoothness and tastefulness. One of them I can attest to, this tobacco is quite smooth in all the right ways. But on tastefulness I tend to disagree. As all Dunhill blends, this has a perfect ribbon cut and moisture content. Virtually packs itself up, lights easily and stays lit. The tin note is quite pleasant and has notes of plums and raisins. Sadly the taste or the room note do not share the same quality. This tobacco tastes like a mixture of sharp, high grassy bright virginias and perique. Though it doesn't contain any, but I presume this is due to the orientals. However, There are rare hints of the orientals or the latakia. I presume both are there to produce smoke and that smoothness. But both are not evident in the taste/aroma profile except for that spiceness. I found its taste and nic-hit to be medium but your mileage may vary on those. And the room note was pungent. However, the tobacco burns evenly, cool and well and leaves just pure white ash. If you enjoy citrusy, grassy Virginia mixed with spicy tobacco this will be your tobacco of choice, but it isn't my favourite ride.

Update: Changing the pipe and letting the tobacco dry a bit changes that grassy taste to a darker profile and allows the Latakia to shine quite a bit

Pipe Used: Erik Nording Group 2 Freehand

Age When Smoked: Fresh tin

Purchased From: Berlin B&M

Similar Blends: Dunhill - London Mixture, Dunhill - Standard Mixture.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	pinko (52)	2016-07-21		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Durbar in its latest incarnation is a definite Turkish-forward English blend, with a little bit of Latakia to round out the condiments and a Virginia base. There is a lot of yellow leaf in the mix, not much black, and plenty of lemon and red VA. It’s got the Orlik ketchup smell on opening, but it fades quickly. Durbar doesn’t have the same week-long “sick” period that current production 965 does, just air it out a bit and smoke it. It does improve the longer the tin has been open.

Construction is typical Dunhill quality - maybe I’ve had too many C&D-made tins lately, it’s super nice to get a good, clean cut at proper moisture, ready to burn.

Strength and flavor are light to midrange. It’s a step up from EMP in how punchy the Turkish leaf is, but the richness and body are lacking. Generally it needs better Virginias. The Latakia is fine, I’d take a little more personally but it’s been thoughtfully blended in. I suspect I’ll end up mixing 10% Full Virginia Flake in here at some point to see if it adds enough richness.

Age When Smoked: fresh

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2015-06-11		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Because I never have the older version of Durbar, I don't know what to expect before popping up a tin. Orient forward English blend; not as full and tasteful as Standard Blend. Worth trying, good smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Brunello (166)	2023-02-26		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

Well, it wasn’t a favorite, but it had an appealing distinctiveness, and I liked it better than the current MM 965. What I liked was the leathery aroma and the flavors of sesame paste and poppy seed from the Orientals. Orientals do take the lead here. On the negative side I occasionally got a taste of burnt chocolate which can only have been the Latakia interacting with some subtle ingredient in the pH tempering sauce, possible sweetened coffee (a common process for Latakia). My tin had two years on it, and then sampled over the next 18 months from the jar. Even at its best, without the distracting burnt chocolate note, there are plenty of other Balkans or Oriental-forward blends that I prefer, so I’m not losing any sleep crying about this no longer being available.

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (153)	2022-11-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

I used to smoke Durbar released in the 90's, and I remember very well the density and brightness that the taste and smell of the old release of this blend had. Perhaps for me it was even a little bit too much and I smoked it in smaller pipes. Durbar of the latest release has lost a little in density and brightness.

Appearance: The 50-gram tin had a release date of "February 2015." During that time, even the light Virginia has darkened to a milk chocolate color, and the rest of the tobacco has taken on the color of light roasted coffee. The tobacco was cut in a perfect ribbon, without any of the slivers from the latakia stems that are sometimes found in American-made blends. It turned out to be a little dry, but quite suitable for smoking out of a tin.

Flavor: a complex, almost monolithic, aroma consisting of notes of oak, sandalwood, tanned leather, a few spices (I recognized sweetish paprika, badjan, allspice and some cinnamon, but there are more), walnut, and a very slight hint of tar. If you let the tobacco sit in the air for a while, you can catch a note of sweet wildflowers, which, however, wears off quickly.

Taste: Oriental, with its complex spice bouquet, woody note, a light walnut flavor, and the same light acidity, definitely leads the taste. A nice blend of different Virginia varieties adds a slight fruity sweetness and an even lighter herbal note, staying in the shadow of the orientals. The latakia in the flavor bouquet is subdued to the point where it only brings in a bit of leather and wood smoke. The overall bouquet quickly merges into one complex flavor, quite dense and bright, dominated by spicy and woody notes. Nevertheless, this flavor is very mild, the blend has no sharp edges, doesn't bind or bite your tongue. The flavor of the blend has absolutely no rush, it smokes cool and dry, burning out into a light gray dust and leaving no moisture in the pipe. The strength of the tobacco is medium, in a very large pipe a slight nicotine hit is possible. The aftertaste is soft, woody, persistent.

The smoke from the tobacco has a woody-spicy aroma with a slight hint of sandalwood. It is not too thick, but fairly persistent.

What's the bottom line? Dunhill once again sets an almost unattainable height of standards, reminding all pipe-smokers what great blend recipes we've lost in the battle with globalization. So if you get a chance to buy a tin or two of this no doubt legendary blend, by all means try it. But knowing its current price,

Pipe Used: Peterson 69, 106, POTY 2007

Age When Smoked: 2015

Purchased From: Secondary market

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30194)	2020-09-28		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong

This is a wonderful oriental forward English Blend (I hesitate to call it Balkan, because I don't know if it actually contains Yenidze and Macedonian leaf).

The main character for me is "oily" in a good sense, like a good olive oil. The latakia plays it's role quite well and is the counterpart to the oily taste, which gives overall not only a smoky campfire but also a nice incence like aroma. In the background there is a Virginia orchestra from sweet to earthy, grassy to musky, which keeps the smoke always interesting.

The smoke is round and mellow, medium in strength, and more on the full side borderline medium in the aroma / taste profile.

This is just wonderful, and I am so sad, that I discovered it so late, It would have pushed the 965 from it's throne. Sadly, it is no longer produced.

Pipe Used: Briars, Meerschaum, Falcon

Age When Smoked: a few years under the belt

Purchased From: Paul Bugge

Nobody has rated this review yet.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	FilipPruncu (89)	2020-08-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am a Dunhill fan, but this one just didn’t do it for me. It’s a good blend, an all day smoke, but for me, certainly not one of my favorites and not one I would hunt for again.

So, my tin is from June 2017. Opened it this month, August 2020.

Tin note is decent, has some leathery smell but also some stingy notes, similar to those I found in Nightcap’s US version.

Presents itself in an interesting balance of colors with dark yellow, brown and black leaves.

The cut isn’t the perfect “Dunhill” cut we’re all used to. I guess it was not intended to be the case at this blend. This one seems to be irregular, and has smaller cuts. Of course, that’s not a problem at all.

Very good moisture.

Sweet and soft at times, spicy and harsh other times. Buttery sweetness like I found in Margate, but it doesn’t have the complexity of Margate, nor the taste strength of London Mixture (I will try Standard Mixture and Standard Mixture Mellow soon, though). At times, it has a nutty taste (hazelnut?) and a bit of a dark chocolate taste, but they are mild. I found that this blend goes great with the morning coffee, at least for me, but it goes well with just about anything, including beer, cognac, whisky.

The oriental is in front for sure, but there’s also room for some sweet latakia with little smoky notes. However, it is mild in taste, not very complex in flavors. Definitely an oriental blend, since I can mostly feel a leathery taste which I always associate with the oriental leaf, and it’s the first thing that comes to my mind when smoking a balkan/oriental blend.

To get the best out of it, requires small, short puffs, with patience. But there’s a downside to that, as it requires too many relights. Not a great burner, even if it’s dried more.

The room note is great, though! That elegant, classic pipe tobacco smell. I don’t know if this smell could “offend” anyone. Definitely better than a cigarette or cigar smoke, and better than other oriental or english blends.

Age When Smoked: 3 years

Nobody has rated this review yet.