Contents: Virginia, Oriental, Latakia
Cut: Coarse
Strength: mild to medium
Flavoring: none
Taste: medium
Recommendation: ****
Maltese Falcon is one of the most elegant English mixtures I've smoked. The overall flavor is not dominated by the Latakia addition, which have been added in this blend just to catch a distinctive English taste.
The sweetness of fine Virginia mixed up with a great spicy sweet oriental makes this blend very special for my taste. As I said, Latakia is present only for a cool delicious smoke, which does not mask the sweet exotic mixture of Virginia-Oriental.
The Orientals in this mixture are loaded with sugar and a silky, oily, spicy taste. I am not sure but they may be Yenidje or Izmir (or both) leaf. I don't remember when I've tasted last time this well some Orientals and Virginias in a English mixture. IMO the English mixtures of the market are generally loaded with much Latakia, again IMO, mainly for masking the unsuccesful Va-Oriental mixtures. Well Maltese Falcon is not one of those blends. It is sweet, exotic, flavorful and extremely nicely balanced. The Latakia power suits very well for a mild to medium strength Smokes cool and slow, leaving a long lasting delightful taste on my palat and tongue.
