A Two Year (Old) Odyssey

19th November, 2003: Posted by glpease in Tobacco

This morning, I came across a twenty month old tin of Odyssey in a box. Might as well check it out, see how it’s doing, and what magic time has worked on this blend. Upon pulling the top, a wonderful rich, sweet, almost milk chocolate-like aroma instantly teased my senses, mingling with deeper notes of earth and smoke. Mouth watering! The overall appearance of the tobacco has changed quite a bit, the lighter tobaccos darkening to rich browns and chestnut hues, with just a hint of olive being displayed by some of the oriental strands. Like a kid in a sweets shop, I couldn’t wait to smoke a bit. Read more…»

Piccadilly - Eight Months Later

18th November, 2003: Posted by glpease in Tobacco

It was in March of 2003 that the Classic Collection was first introduced. The first four blends, Piccadilly, Kensington, Charing Cross and Blackpoint, were inspired by some of the wonderful tobaccos of London’s past. The blends were never intended to be paint-by-numbers copies of anything, living or dead, but rather were sort of impressionistic paintings of my own experiences with some of those great tobaccos of yesterday. Of the four, Piccadilly is the lightest, and possibly the most unusual. Its base of lovely, high-sugar bright and deep red Virginia leaf is peppered with a bit of perique, and enlivened with just enough Latakia to satisfy my own ceaseless craving for the smoky weed. That’s not to say that I can never get too much of the stuff. Some want to smoke it nearly straight, which deadens the senses too quickly, and makes for a very monotonous experience. That’s not for me. I do love Latakia, though, whether used as a delicate spice, or with a somewhat more assertive hand. Read more…»

Synergy

1st October, 2003: Posted by glpease in Tobacco

Every once in a while, a pipe and a tobacco come together in a way that transcends the usual experience of either. It’s a sort of alchemy that, when it happens, provides that elusive, sublime smoke, delivering far beyond usual expectations. For example, I have a particular pipe that has been a fantastic smoker from the first bowl. The flavors of the tobacco come through clearly, articulately, without even a hint of heat, gurgle or fussiness. Every time I smoke it, I am happy that I selected it. I’ve smoked mostly light to medium Latakia mixtures in it since I got it, and it’s never failed to deliver. Read more…»


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