| Author | Message | ||
     Todd Bannard Member Username: Sasquatch Post Number: 201 Registered: 05-2006 |
I have no problems loading or smoking Penzance. But I can't see what everyone loves about it. As one of the "holy grail" four-star uber-tobaccos, I guess I expected a bit much. I've been dallying with it for some time now, but just can't get into it. I don't see it as particularly complex... it's kind of like a cup of coffee with cream. Smoking, it reminds me a bit of Commonwealth (minus the floral element), which nobody seems too excited about. So what should I be looking for? What is it the Penzance fans like so much? Or rather, what distinguishes it from other smooth latakia laden blends? | ||
| Joe Patterson Member Username: Zerovektor Post Number: 254 Registered: 01-2005 |
With all tobaccos, YMMV (Your mileage may vary). Do you like other english blends? If not, then odds are you'll not care too much for this one. Are you smoking it too fast? Flavor drops off quick with most blends if smoked too fast. Are you smokign it too wet -- see smoking too fast for what happens there. Have you smoked cruble cakes before? If not, perhaps you aren't packing it very well -- ribbons pack differently than flakes differntly than shag cut differently from cruble cake... Tell us more abotu you smoking experience(s) and maybe wel can shed some light on your ills. And hey, if not, maybe you could work out a trade with what you have left for something that you could get in to better! I for one love Penzance and try to keep 5+ lbs in storage plus a dozen or so tins for the occasional long term aging. Love it, can't find much else that fits the bill for a latakia bombwith a healthy smattering of orientals and Va's in one blend that melds so well in one bowl. Good luck and happy puffing! Joe P | ||
| Todd Bannard Member Username: Sasquatch Post Number: 202 Registered: 05-2006 |
I smoke English blends primarily, Joe. I really like Presbyterian, I like Rattray's Red Rapparee a lot too. I've gotten along with all the Sam Gawith Latakias, and I'm still hung on 1792. I like Old Dublin, and don't mind 965, though it's not a fave. I pack the crumble cake according to a method I think Matt Lowery posted here... putting in the big chunks at the bottom, and the little stuff at the top. I have no trouble lighting or smoking. Perhaps it is such a perfect melding that I am unable to detect certain flavours - it's all just kind of a creamy bore to me. I tend to like orientals and a bit of spice, with a good "tobacco" undercurrent. My suspicion is the Penzance is just too mild-mannered and a bit passive in flavour for me... | ||
| Matthew Hallworth Member Username: Blueorb Post Number: 28 Registered: 12-2005 |
Most people rave about Dunhill 965, but to my tastes it is bloody awful stuff. In fact the last time I tried it (Old tin at the back of my cupboard) it was like smoking a bar of savory soap!! Uggh! I love the sweet tasting Virinia tobaccos, but others I am sure detest them. So I guess its "Horses for courses" Tastes are very individual. Some folks can even completely disagree on a tobacco that fits into a genre both reviewers generally like. Just smoke what you enjoy! | ||
| Gary R. Thomason Member Username: Phantom55 Post Number: 250 Registered: 11-2004 |
Todd, I also am one who does not see the great attaction of Penzance, but tastes vary. I perceive it to have a mild milky sort of taste, and by taste alone would not guess it to be an English, as it certainly does not taste like any of the others I have smoked. Supect it has a very high Latakia content, which is a pungent, but mild tobacco. | ||
| Michael Kimmerly Member Username: Mikek Post Number: 15 Registered: 08-2006 |
Todd, I can share your curiousity and maybe frustration about Penzance. While a wonderfully high quality tobacco, I have not been able to extract the same level of complexity and taste from it as reported or as I do from some of my other English blends. I have smoked quite a bit of Penzance over the past few weeks, devoting an entire week to it when I purchased my first tin. I don't find the Latakia all that powerful, and the sweetness of the Virginia is almost hidden in the background. You really have to devote all your attention to this tobacco in order to get anything other than a one-dimensonal experience. I am going to keep it in my rotation, likely when my little tin runs out I will order 8oz or 1lb bulk to ferret away a while and taste it over time. | ||
| Tim Ryan Member Username: Typan Post Number: 2 Registered: 10-2006 |
After hearing much hype, when I first tried Penaznce, I was very underwhelmed. So I jarred the rest of the 8 oz. bag and then went back to it a few weeks later. This second time it was fantastic. I am not sure why. Maybe it dried up a bit, maybe it was my body chemistry, maybe it was my mood or maybe it was the pipe. I do know that this second time I smoked it that I rubbed it out almost to a ribbon cut. It is a very complex blend and it isn't very good for absent minded puffing or for smoking when I've clogged up my palate with a cigar or some other heavy tobacco. I tend to lean towards Stonehaven more, but Penzance has become a favorite. So, maybe you should just go back to it down the road and see if you still feel the same way. | ||
| Jon Davis Member Username: Gnossos Post Number: 35 Registered: 07-2006 |
I smoked three tins straight of this stuff and loved every minute of it now. My fourth has been sitting on the shelf for a couple months now and I only pull it out every once in awhile... and it's gotten quite dry and harsh. I don't know, the more I smoke it the less excited I am I find, but I'll always have it kicking around. | ||
| Matt Member Username: Talonr1701 Post Number: 3 Registered: 05-2006 |
Todd, I don't believe your missing much. Tastes very with all people. Personally it didn't excite me much either. Its Latakia is a bit overpowering IMHO, and the oils used leave an odd taste in my mouth. Esot. is a great company however, with high grade leaf and blending style. Don't always go by whats popular. My advise is try a little of each of the many styles. Virginia Burley, Va/Per, Balkan..and see which of these you find more joy in. If you want a suggestion, TRy Sammarra by GL Pease. I like english blends, but can't handle a lot of Latakia. While technically a Balkan, Sammarra has a great flavor profile where latakia isn't quite so main stage. Good luck on your quest! Matt | ||
| Bill Morris Member Username: Bluewind95356 Post Number: 48 Registered: 11-2005 |
Perhaps it is because the weather or humidity is a hidden variable or factor. I love English and Balkans; however, when the weather is cool.... not during the dog days of summer! blue | ||
| Joe Patterson Member Username: Zerovektor Post Number: 255 Registered: 01-2005 |
Todd, It is interesting that I too like RRR but I do not like Presbyterian Mixture – I actually find the latter quite harsh and mostly flavorless. Clearly we are giving these tobaccos more than the “one-bowl-pass” before making our judgments and if we find we just don’t like a blend, then so be it. There are numerous tobaccos available (esp in the US) for us to try, try again, decide on if/how much we like it and stock up if we are so inclined. If it doesn’t float your boat, that’s good for me since that means there’s more available for me. If you find you like Pease’s offerings, be happy with the knowledge that I’ll never try to undercut you – I don’t think I could like his blends less. Good sampling and good smoking, Joe P | ||
| Larry W. Loring Member Username: Larry626 Post Number: 2 Registered: 07-2006 |
Todd, et al, I'm new to the forum (though I've been lurking around for a year or two), and I thought I'd toss in my two cents FWTW. I recently took up the pipe again after a lengthy hiatus. In a previous life I smoked exclusively aromatics and drugstore brands. After reading so much about it in this forum, I decided to give Penzance a try. Oh ... my ... goodness! If I weren't a guy, I would have cried. All those years wasted! Why didn't anyone ever tell me before about this stuff? The aroma of the tobacco, the subtle taste of the complex flavors, the smell of the smoke as you stand in the fresh autumn air ... all HEAVENLY. I genuinely don't know if I can ever smoke anything else again! (Although I will, of course, now that I've been introduced to the better tobaccos.) ;^D Larry A former Middleton Cherry Blend smoker | ||
| Todd Bannard Member Username: Sasquatch Post Number: 223 Registered: 05-2006 |
Larry, that's happened to all of us at some point, I think. You find some English blend that rocks you and you just think "God, how many bags of Captain Black did I smoke before I found this stuff??" Oddly enough, I had an absolutley stunning bowl of Penzance today. A longish rainy drive so I lit up a Sav 614 full of biggish chunks of Penzane, and just kind of sipped it for a half hour or so. It was really soothing, and the pipe didn't even warm up at all in my hand it burned so good. So for all my worries, I've now seen the light. This won't be a daily thing for me at all, but I can now see where this stuff does shine. Thanks all. | ||
| Jeff Avery Member Username: Jeffya2 Post Number: 18 Registered: 08-2006 |
I bought it & tried it but despised it Due to its popularity I just "shut up" afraid to be run out of town on a rail. I stuck it in a Mason jar for 1 Month & BAM HEAVENLY It went from worst of my top 15 to best in 1 Pipeful After many more bowls I found that some of the terrific improvement was a Month of Drying but almost as much was my change to a New Meers pipe My # 1 combo is now Penzance in a Meers | ||
| George Simpson Member Username: Simp Post Number: 98 Registered: 11-2005 |
Jeff, I had the similar expeirence with Penzance that you did. I have to let it age for about 4 weeks. If nothing else, it dries out enough to smoke. But once it dries out, WOW! It has become my weekend smoke. | ||
| Robert Bittner Member Username: Rmbittner Post Number: 173 Registered: 01-2005 |
Way late to this thread. . . But I just wanted to add that Penzance is my "Arcadia" blend, the one blend I keep coming back to time after time. From the very first puff, I had the same epiphany Larry had when he tried it. I've definitely noticed that the flavor benefits from some time in the tin, though. For me, the magic time is 6 months to 1 year. If that waxed paper is brown and stained when I open a tin, I know I'm going to be in for something really good. Bob | ||
| John F. King Member Username: Kerryman71 Post Number: 22 Registered: 12-2006 |
Robert, I just tried Penzance for the first time and am completely in love with it as is. I couldn't age it if I wanted to, that's how much I am smoking it. Good luck with your aging. John |