G. L. Pease Caravan

Pease Pilgrimage Reviews (a tasting journey through every GLPease blend) Tin date: 5/12/09

Appearance: Hate to sound like a broken record but…GLP has this distinctive cut that's little wider and stiffer than a typical ribbon. In my opinion, it works great, because I tend to pack fine ribbons too tightly. These dry-ish flakes pack nicely and help to maintain good airflow, contributing to a more even burn. It's kind of rough, with some big chunks and stiff bits in there.

Aroma: The predominant aroma is the sour-ish note of the Orientals, that same essence found upon cracking a tin of Squadron Leader. The Latakia is obvious but not in the lead and by no means overwhelming. The dried grass-hay aroma from the Virginias lurks secretly in the background. Very nice.

Pipe 1: Peterson dublin Pipe 2: Nording Signature freehand Pipe 3: Danske Club volcano Pipe 4: Big Savinelli Canadian

Flavor: This is a delicious blend. The Orientals are definitely in the lead, with the smoky Latakia and everything else combined coming in second. Caravan is altogether as “complex” as Blackpoint, with the Orientals, Latakia and Virginias all adding to the mélange. The level of strength stays surprisingly consistent throughout the bowl even as the flavors continuously swirl and mix–the smokiness, toastiness, tang and sweetness.

At first light the Latakia seems dominant, but I think Greg is pulling a fast one on us here. The TR website description includes this statement: “Finally, just a touch of air cured leaf is added for body.” It seems to me that the air cured leaf and the Orientals conspire together to make this blend seem more Latakia heavy than it really is. There is some definite smokiness there, but from the visual appearance, there doesn't seem to be much of the black leaf in this blend. If you think about what you're tasting, I think you just might agree that other things are adding to the perception of the typical campfire smokiness that Latakia provides.

There is a very nice herbal-medicinal quality to these Orientals. I wish Mr. Pease would tell us more detail about exactly which of these leaves he's using because I am not yet expert on picking out the various species of Oriental leaves in a blend. But I really like these in Caravan, which leave a very long-lasting and distinctive aftertaste.

The Virginias really are there just for structure, although I am assuming that they are the source of the mild lingering sweetness. This blend is very forgiving of puffing cadence. The intensity of the flavors can change with big changes of temperature but it is always a delicious experience.

I have mentioned before that I sometimes have a mild reaction against Orientals tobaccos, and this one will give me a sharp little tingle in my mouth if puffed aggressively. This is not tongue bite, it's different. But that reaction is very mild in Caravan, and virtually non-existent in certain pipes. Certainly not something that will prevent me from keeping a few tins around. If we define a Balkan as a tobacco blend with predominantly “Balkan” or Mediterranean leaf, then this one certainly qualifies. This is not a Lat bomb, so if you've been averse to Greg's big Lat mixtures, you may very well appreciate Caravan. But it is an Oriental bomb. I find it a good competitor to Squadron Leader and Skiff Mixture, a couple of my favorites.

Four stars for excellent execution and perfect balance. If you're one to really think about what you're tasting in a high-quality interesting blend, this one will entertain you for hours. Maybe years.

This tobacco was a big hit with most of the puffers at my most recent pipe club meeting (10/29/02). While some folks think you must smoke a whole tin before being able to fairly evaluate a blend, I believe one bowl in a clean pipe is all it really takes. I had just a couple of bowls and was suitably impressed although not blown away as I have been with some of Greg's other fine offerings.

Caravan is subtle in its delivery. The Latakia, Orientals and Virginia combination certainly made for a palatable enough Balkan experience to satisfy.

Caravan is on the lighter side of heavy -- if that makes any sense, and was certainly never harsh or biting. It just didn't pack enough strength to deliver a knockout punch for this country boy.

The Cyprian latakia is smoky, woodsy with a touch of sweetness, openly competing with the dry wood and spice from the Orientals. Everything else here are supporting players. The burley is slightly nutty and earthy with a hint of toast, and no real sweet spots. The tart citrus from the lemon Virginia is barely noticeable. The red Virginia is a little more obvious, offering a mild tangy, earthy fruit and earth note. Without it acting as a base with its inherent properties, this would be a completely dry smoke. The nic-hit is mild. Won't bite or get harsh. It does burn slow, cool and fairly dry until the finish, where a little bitterness occurs, and the tobacco hardens a mite, losing what sweetness it had. Leaves a little moisture in the bowl, and requires some relights. The after taste is muddled. It's more of a two and half star product, but in comparison to others in this genre, it doesn't quite reach the three star mark, so I have to rate it at two stars, despite the high quality of tobaccos used in its manufacture.

-JimInks

The look of this upon cracking the tin (dated Aug 2011) belies its C&D production, with what appears to be shards of tobacco in a quasi-ribbon cut. Tin aroma as delectable as any latakia blend I've ever snooted. Latakia upfront and as the sniff continues, an underlying oriental mustiness.

The taste follows suit - latakia up front followed by darker oriental flavors. Sometimes the oriental takes center stage. I realize that there must be some sort of foundation with this blend but I can't discern the virginias. I would have guessed a light burley base, but I'd be wrong! I enjoy the smoky complexity, but a little more sweetness would be very welcome. Just as I was about to guiltily pronounce myself a hopeless GLP fanboy, along comes Caravan (or, along comes me, as this one has been out awhile!) and makes me yearn for my favorites. There's nothing wrong with this one in particular; in fact, it's quite good. Perhaps my expectations are more at fault here, but I just don't taste what this one brings to the party. If this were a later GLP offering, I'd wonder if Mr Pease had run out of magic. It's good but it just doesn't seem... Peasian, somehow. But it's probably me. Granted, I could more easily recommended a dozen other Pease latakia blends, but give this one a try if you enjoy a killer room note and a plethora of middle-eastern leaf.

I really like the smell of Caravan in the tin and I used to somewhat enjoy Caravan when a first became a pipe smoker a couple of years ago. But as I experienced different tobaccos, my interest in Caravan waned. I decided to revisit it this week and my interest is no longer there. At first light I get a sweet smokiness, but the smoke turns “dirty.” The level of spice was too much for my taste too. Unfortunately, Caravan is no longer a favorite of mine.

This was like a boxing match with Latakia in one corner and Oriental in the other. By the time it was over I called it a draw. Great competing flavors. I see several 8 oz tins in my future. An outstanding blend.

Caravan is wonderful. It is not an all day smoke for me,but it is delicious. It is rich in orientals and light in latikia and offers a delicate sweetness. I smoke predominately Virginias and Vaper's but like to dabble in the English/Balkan mixtures after dinner especially in the winter. Caravan is a great evening smoke for me and is truly unique. I am just finishing my second bowl of the evening (i have smoked multiple tins and have dozens in the cellar). I have noticed like a fine wine it rewards popping the tin days prior to smoking it, and in fact it gets better every day. I guess it needs breathing time like a fine wine to bring out all the flavors, I find this true with most of the GP Pease blends especially after several years in the tin (this tin is dated 2005). When I finish this tin I will be opening an 8oz bag of Abington dated 12-15-2003, that will be my after dinner smoke for the next month or so. Thank you Greg!...what a treat!

Updated 1/11/15 This blend has really grown on me over the past month and has improved with a little breathing and now doesn't seem to turn as "dirty". I find myself reaching for this blend from early morning to late evening or whenever I need an easy smoke with a little "N' kick. No one tobacco jumps out, but rather, you get a creamy "Goldilocks" smoke where everything is just right.

Greg has a special way of using Latakia as a condiment rather than as a sledge hammer in this one. This allows the Virginia sweetness and some Orientals to play in a well balanced Balkan. The description says "Zesty" but I find this more base notes

I kept trying to determine what blend this reminds me of, as its strength kept saying, "this must be from the Kentucky/ burley", but the lack of heat and it's creamy sweetness said it only has a touch of Burley. I've decided on a stronger "Chelsea Morning" with more base notes and less higher fruity notes or Charring Cross with only about a 1/3 of the latakia. This fills a giant hole in my rotation for those " I don't know what I want moments". Revised to 4 stars

Original review Fresh tin- First let me say that I like this blend , with a few reservations. It reminds me of some of GL Pease's other blends or should I say they remind me of this. All good but I'm starting to lose the subtle differences. In a blind taste test , I think I could put this blend , Gaslight, Charing Cross, and Lagonda in a pipe and not be able to identify which is which.

Because this has a Burley component , this might stand out except against " Gaslight" that I feel has Burley hidden in its background also. Since I'm not a burley fan, this blend would be my least favorite. Is this bad ? No , just not for me when I can get the same flavors from the other blends mentioned, without the Burley/ Kentucky. ( I agree with reviewer "SeoulSister 2014-02-16" that this blend turns "dirty" . I believe from the Burley) By my rating system, I would only give this a 2 star rating but I'm rating this 3 star just because I think most smokers would find this one tasty.

I always try to review tins that are within the year of purchase, but in this case the two tins that this review is based on are at least five years old so take it for what it's worth. The blend description is dead on. Caravan is a medium English/Balkan with a sizable dose of Orientals and some underlying sweetness. What I love most about Caravan is how well balanced it is. Every tobacco plays a noted role and no one tobacco steals the show. The flavors intermingle beautifully. It may be just my over-smoked tongue, but I do find it to leave “dryness” in my mouth. Medium, complex, smoky, and a little sweet, all winners in my book! Highly Recommended.

A friend of mine bought this one back in 2016 dated 072413 and opened the other day. I had two large bowls of this gem. My significant other upon smelling this from my sample was not happy with the tin note. I know once again that this one would be a winner. This tobacco smells like a leather shop that was opened in a horse barn. That good. Smokes full, and has an outstanding amount of Latakia.