Peretti Tashkent

I have been on a bit of a Peretti binge lately. Truth be told, I think they blend some of the finest English mixtures that I have ever had the pleasure of smoking. The first time I smoked this one, I felt like jumping for joy over what I had just experienced. By default, I gravitate towards naturally sweet tasting mixtures. The problem for me has been finding a blend with that perfect elusive combination of sweetness, spice, complexity and latakia flavor. When it comes to latakia, I prefer blends that are fairly complex but not so much that it's impossible for me to pick out some of the individual flavors involved. A blend with good balance in flavor, tilting just a bit towards the sweet side of the spectrum is what I prefer, and let me tell you, this one delivers the goods.

Tashkent has a lively mouthfeel and it literally sparkles on the palate. The flavors are clean, fresh tasting, balanced and distinctly Oriental. There's a spicy quality to the smoke which adds both complexity and mouthfeel. At the core of Tashkent's flavor is a curious sweet note, and by "sweet" I don't mean aroma, but rather a distinct light sugary taste that it leaves on the tongue. Tashkent burns well with very few relights and in my humble opinion, smokes sweeter and with more clarity in a narrower bowl. I mention this only because I typically smoke more complex mixtures in pipes with a wider, shorter bowl (Pots, Princes, etc).

Once in a blue moon I will run into a blend that will almost redefine the way I look at other mixtures in a particular class. This is a superb example of such a blend.

An easy four stars. I'd give it five if I could.

The dry, woody, earthy, floral, herbal, spice and sourness from the Izmir is not as potent as it is in some other blends, which is an observation and not a complaint. It’s perfectly used here and plays well with the rich spicy, tangy, woody, earthy, floral, vegetative, dry and lightly buttery sweet, herbal Orientals, which is the star component. The Cyprian Latakia provides smokey, woodsy, earthy, musty sweet bass notes, ably complimenting the mixture without taking over. I rate it as medium in strength and taste mainly because of the spice content. The nic-hit is medium. Won't bite or get harsh. Burns at a moderate pace, cool and clean from start to finish with very consistent flavor from start to finish. Leaves little moisture in the bowl, and needs an average number of relights. Has a slightly lingering, pleasant after taste and stronger room note. It’s not quite an all day smoke, but you may find you’ll want it more than once a day.

-JimInks

Standard looking for an English, but cut on the chunky side. Typical musty smell in the 8 oz paintcan. I smoked about 2 oz so far. Loads and lights easily and stays lit quite admirably.

An oriental with latakia and no Virginia or other base tobacco seems counter-intuitive. But indeed I did not taste any Virginia, at least not the kind with which I'm familiar. There may be some Indian Mysore-type Virginia in this blend but I'll go with what the blender states. The flavor of this one shows little in the way of Virginia-type sweetness but there is some oriental perfume-like wisps of sugar among the spice. The orientals are front and center, showing a piquant sour note that was quite prevalent along with a sidecar of spiciness. The latakia was present but fell to the rear as the bowl progressed. Still it lent its spicy, smoky character throughout the smoke.

I was curious to experiment with this one and indeed I preferred it when I mixed it 3:1 with McClellands Rich Virginia Ribbon. The latters sweet spiciness merged quite nicely with the sour tang of Tashkent and created something more in my wheelhouse. However, smoked straight up, this is an interesting and unique blend that I will smoke on occasion. Try it if you're bored with typical Balkans - it'll definitely show you something new.

About a year or so ago fellow reviewer OSR gifted me a couple of bowls of Tashkent. After smoking it I tried to steal the rest - but, being a decade younger than me, he ran faster and got away.

I enjoyed the taste of this Peretti offering, which reminded me to some extent of Sullivan Powell's Gentleman's Mixture, except this one was milder in strength. In fact, Tashkent is REALLY mild. It also burns cool and has a hint of sweetness from the Izmir that I found to be delightful. Puff as fast as you want because this one won't bite a bit.

Extraordinary. A masterpiece of Oriental blending.

Peretti's Tashkent presents as a roughly cut ribbon of light to dark brown with a deliciously distinct nose of floral & spicy Orientals, and a touch of Latakia smokiness. Tashkent arrives quite dry, seemingly absent any artificial humectants, and is ready for immediate smoking. The charring light brings a hint of sweetness that is soon overshadowed by the true light's exquisite array of exotic spice and herb, black & white pepper, and soft, easy smokiness. The tobacco has a hand-rubbed texture, and expect to find the odd bit of pressed flake or even a crumpled leaf.

The mouthfeel is extraordinarily creamy and full, yet the smoke is crisp without any superfluous weight or the dank, damp flavors that Latakia can produce when inexpertly paired with Virginia. The burn is slow, cool and very dry. Smooth smoking all the way down, with no mess or damp left in the pipe.

The natural sugars from the Orientals provide just a hint of sweetness in the background of this spicy, smokey blend. The Latakia makes its presence known without overwhelming the Orientals. And the Izmir shines in all its glorious flavor complexity without having to compete with Virginia. There is intense flavor here, and you'll be tempted to break out of your normal cadence into a puff. But there's no bite or burn to this blend. Indulge.

A truly world-class blend - an absolutely incredible smoke, and among the top of my top favorites.

Peretti, like Pipeworks & Wilke, is an American custom blending house that deserves the serious pipe smoker's attention: hand-blended, proprietary mixtures that are in a league of their own.

(As a side note, I don't see how this is described as an "English Blend", absent Virginia. From my perspective, this is a masterpiece of an Oriental blend.)

Umpteen Stars Rating; This is one of the finest blends you'll ever sink your teeth into!

Orientals galore are matched with latakia; no virginia to be found though with the mild and rich orientals, the VA's aren't missed at all.

I have no tobacco to compare this to. The oriental twinge here seems to remind me of Balkan Sobranie White yet there is no Virginia.

The smoke is cool, dry and minimally sweet with a roundness that you'd expect from a blend containing virginia. Pick up a big pipe and this is the one blend you'll find yourself attempting to light the dregs - it's that good.

Overall and oriental/latakia blend with plenty of "oomph" but could be smoked all day. Whomever came up with this one knew what they were doing. Smoked in large pipes, this is sublime.

This is a really unique blend...no Virginia, plenty of Orientals plus Latakia. Occasionally, some floral notes appear with the mildly spicy and smoky characteristics. Easy burning but not bitey. Has both "high" notes and depth of flavor.

This blend has a good amount of Izmir, but I like Tashkent far better than the Cornell & Diehl blends that also utilize Izmir. It is a little hard to describe, and because of its uniqueness and its emphasis on Oriental leaves, it is difficult to compare to other latakia mixtures.

This is my first experience with Peretti tobacco. I tried a sample at the Chicago show and just had to order some more along with a few other tobaccos from this blending house. Try some of this interesting blend for yourself!

Govern Yourself Accordingly!

Peretti Tashkent - I can’t say enough about this blend but I’ll try . Outstanding natural flavor bomb . This is what Oriental - Turkish tobaccos are all about . Sweet ,buttery and creamy . Nutty , herbal and floral . The spices are amazing. Curry and others I can’t identify but seem like I’ve tasted before . The Latakia backs up the Orientals perfectly. The Turkish and Orientals coat the whole palate and tongue. I will buy more of this blend for sure . The nicotine is very mild . No rough edges and after a large bowl my mouth is not even feeling dry. Burns as good as any tobacco I’ve ever smoked . Highly recommend. - 4

One of the interesting things I like about this hobby is looking up info on blends that I try. I have never heard of Tashkent but learned that it means Stone Village and is the capitol of Uzbekistan, which appears to lie north of Iran and Afghanistan. This blend was re-gifted to me from a good friend of mine at the pipe club. Can’t say he did not like it but it was not his cup of tea. The note out of the bag is an interesting sweet spicy smell and is a true Oriental/Turkish blend in the sense there is no Virginia added. I have noticed a lot of reviews mention this caveat but for me I find it a plus as it really enables you to focus on the Izmir aka Smyrna tobacco. According to pipesmagazine.com, “The primary difference between Smyrna and Izmir is that they're grown in different areas, but are essentially the same plant ….” Regardless this is an exceptionally smooth spicy smoke with the Latakia blended in as to where I could not really detect it but I am sure it added some body to the blend. As it was somewhat chilly outside where I smoke this was a nice pleasant winter blend but can be enjoyed obviously throughout the year. Not much more to add as I cannot really dissect this blend anymore other than it is a fantastic Oriental blend.

It isn't often that one finds and English blend without any Virginia's. (The TR contents line says that there is some at the time of this writing, but Peretti's says no). Lacking a Virginia component, the blending needs be done with skill and Tashkent is well done. Smokey, somewhat sour with a touch of sweetness is how I would describe Tashkent. The tobacco arrives with a moisture content that is ready to smoke. It's cut a little rough and I prefer to rub it out just a bit. I enjoy Tashkent most in a wider bowl.

It's nice to see one of America's few true pipe shops creating such interesting blends. It would be nice to be able to order on line rather than calling the order in. Recommended.