G.L. Pease Westminster

Brand:	GLPease
Blender:	GL Pease
Tin Description:	Westminster: The very essence of the traditional English mixture; rich, elegant, refined, and exquisitely balanced. New World red Virginias are enhanced with a gentle caress of bright leaf, then lavishly seasoned with rich oriental tobaccos and generous measures of noble Cyprus mountain Latakia. Westminster is a satisfying blend, presenting layers of flavor to delight the senses and develop in the bowl. A perfect everyday English mixture. Full-bodied.
Country of Origin:	USA
Curing Group:	Fire Cured
Contents:	Virginia Latakia
Cut:	Ribbon
Packaging:	tin G.L. Pease Westminster is one of those rare blends that come along that have your jaw dropping and your mouth watering from the first bowl on. This blend is nothing short of being bloody brilliant. With the new year just getting off to a start I now can say, "bring it on!" The red virginias will have your mouth watering and will proceed to be soaked up nicely by the rich Cyprus mountain Latakia. This smoke leaves you in the tranquil and peaceful zone. This stuff is consistently yummy down to the bare bottom of the bowl leaving white ash. For those of you who do not smoke a bowl back to back...that will all change here! With a market full of just okay blends we thank you Mr. Pease for standing out with Westminster. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

Samuel Gawith: Squadron Leader

The following is a review I did of Samuel Gawith's Squadron Leader on 3/12/06.

Brand:	Samuel Gawith
Blender:	Samuel Gawith
Tin Description:	Bright and Dark Virginias blended together with Latakia and Turkish leaf to make this a cool medium bodied smoke.
Country of Origin:	UK
Curing Group:	Air Cured
Contents:	Virginia Latakia Turkish
Cut:	Ribbon
Packaging:	50g Tin Squadron Leader is one of my top favorite smokes! I just love this stuff. Its not the best but its definetly my all day and go to smoke. With a tin price of just over $5 you can't beat it. The various leafs in this blend all mary well and play their parts, not one gets too out of hand when I smoke it. Just a perfect symphony of flavor! Must have! Commonwealth Mix is also very delightful.

Esoterica: Penzance

The following is a review of Esoterica's Penzance I did on 2/24/06

rand:	Esoterica Tobacciana
Blender:	UNKNOWN
Tin Description:	A wonderful complex secret recipe of the finest Virginia, choice Turkish and Orientals and Cyprian Latakia, all hand blended together, hard pressed and broad cut into thick flakes. Long matured and easily crumbled to facilitate pipe filling.
Country of Origin:	UNKNOWN Penzance, Penzance thou casteth that lovely nicotine trance. Boy am I glad I found this early on! This stuff is just beautifully yummy. Packed into this tin are small sheet cakes of English smoothness. This is a rich creamy smoke no matter how you puff it...simply put its divine! Penzance is like VISA...don't leave home without it nor be without it in your supply. This is truly a darn near perfect smoke. Simply yummy! Another Review from a Reformed Church member: This unique crumble cake is what I like to take to work with me. The small tin makes it very convenient and is also a good conversation piece. The tobacco itself is very delicious. It is not as spicy or sweet as McClelland's British Woods but is on the good-bitter end of the spectrum. I never found it a "hot" smoke which my tongue appreciates very much. The slices are at the perfect moisture and I usually stuff two and crumble the third before lighting. I rarely have to relight after the initial re-light. Highly recommended... Update: Since I have discovered so many other good blends lately, I have neglected this one for a while. Today I took my trusty tin to work and was reminded of the delicious flavor of this high quality blend. You must really try this one.It is also a good "deal" in spite of the cost per tin, because it smokes slow and usually lasts an hour and a half in my group 6 poker. (2-1/2 slices) Update 12-11-03 I have not been able to locate tins of this blend locally so I broke down and purchased a 8 oz. bulk package. The package is uniquely filled with overwhelming amounts of slices (but they won't last, heh, heh, heh...) About the only difference that I noticed is that in the bulk package the slices are a lot more moist and needed airing out before packing into your pipe. I air out a few slices at a time in order to keep the rest fresh. This is still one of my favorite tobacs. It is highly recommended. Rating 5 out of 5 points. A true Reformer Blend. Enjoy.

Dunhill: Nightcap

The following is a review of Dunhill's Nightcap I did on 2/21/2006. My very first encounter with Nightcap was in 1999 while living in Slovakia...back then it used to make me sick from the nicotine kick. Those were the days.

**Update** NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Brand:	Dunhill
Blender:	UNKNOWN
Tin Description:	A rich blend for late in the day. It is a slow, lasting smoke. Just prior to packing, expensive Perique tobacco is added to enhance to bouquet.
Country of Origin:	UK
Curing Group:	Air Cured
Contents:	Virginia Latakia Perique
Cut:	Ribbon
Packaging:	50g. Tin Nightcap - indeed my favorite and the most creamiest nicotine rendezvous I have had. Each puff reveals a perfect mix of the various weeds that go into this rich blend, you can taste all three each puff very nicely and evenly. Eventually, the creamy billows of nicotine cast a droopy gaze upon my face which whispers that I arrived at the threshold of relaxation...my goodness this is good stuff! Don't be put off by the reputation of Nightcap, this is one of the first pipe tobakys I ever tried...respect it for what it is and the Cap will shower its treasures upon you...one of the best cans one could open. Nightcap will always be in my daily fill. Nightcap is also good to blend with other milder favorites of yours if they are just missing a little punch. I find some of the Frogs could use a little kick and Nightcap blends with them well and stays in the background but supplies the extra punch I look for, if blended carefully. P.S. The variance of the nice nicotine punch will vary from smoker to smoker and eventually become near non-existant eventually. I'm thinking you can liven this up again with Samuel Gawith's Black Rope XX =) An additional review: What an interesting experience. I picked up 2 oz out of the bulk jar at the local independent proprieter. I sat out on the deck and the bastard sucker punched me. Talk about being blindsided by the nicotine. After getting over the initial power, subsequent experiences have been wonderful. This blend is rich indeed. I enjoy the full flavor and have learned to turn to this blend only on occasions where I want to really settle in for the next few hours or so. An apt name. I picked up 2 tins and found that the flavor out of the can was bit more developed - more rounded and not so harsh - than in bulk. I have one tin aging and another open for occasional use. We'll see about the aged stuff, as this one only comes out to play if me and the boys are making a night of smoking. If you're going to smoke more than one bowl a day, save this for last as it tends to overpower anything else.

McCleland: Frog Morton on the Town

The following is a review of McClelland's Frog Morton on the Town I did on 2/18/2006.

Brand:	McClelland
Blender:	McClelland Tobacco Company
Tin Description:	Exceptionally mellow blend fragrant with the finest Basma, smooth and rich with Latakia.
Country of Origin:	US
Curing Group:	Air Cured
Contents:	Latakia Oriental Turkish
Cut:	Ribbon
Packaging:	50g or 100g Tin Waiting for my can of Frog Morton to arrive I picked up a few of the related blends in this series, Frog Morton on the Town being the first in my adventures into the Frog. Tin Aroma: Before even opening this can, I noted the beauty of the can, very lovely indeed. Cracking the can revealed a rasiny ketchup smell. Start: Yum. Mid-Bowl: Yummy. Finish: After smoking three bowls: This is some yummy weed...period. A mild smoking pleasure that could easily become an all day smoke for me. No special details to note here, for me, but just an over arching theme of yummy goodness. A pleasure to meet the Frog. It would seem that this might be a good smoke to introduce my aromatic friends to. Overall, a pleasurable smoke and one I am going to keep in rotation and in full supply.

Samuel Gawith: Commonwealth Mixture

The following is a review of Samuel Gawith's Commonwealth Mixture I did on 03/07/2006.

Brand:	Samuel Gawith
Tin Description:	50% heavily steamed Virginia & 50% Cyprus Latakia, gives honor to the Tobacco Lords of Glasgow & the Commonwealth of Virginia. Made in England.
Country of Origin:	UK
Curing Group:	Air Cured
Contents:	Virginia Latakia
Cut:	Broken Flake
Packaging:	50g Tin

Commonwealth - 50% heavily steamed Virginia & 50% Cyprus Latakia is an interesting blend and these blenders pulled this off well...darn well! I love this stuff. If your a Latakia lover you must fill a pipe full of this. Commonwealth and Squadron Leader are in constant battle for my pallet for first place...I give the slight nudge to Commonwealth...um um I love this sticky weed. Very delcious to the last drop!