Well, it's obviously blended in the style of the classic Balkan blends. There are two: Sobranie Original Mixture and 759.

It certainly is reminiscent of those classic Balkan blends. It's a medium to full smoke which is fairly smooth. It does have the underlying sweetness and the slight chocolate notes that it should have.

So, the classic Balkan qualities are there. This is a good thing because the term "Balkan" blend is used too much. (Perique doesn't belong in a Balkan blend!)

Very much worth a try.

In it's youth, this is not a very enjoyable blend. It has all the nuance of a backwoods redneck at a bar-mitzvah. Given about 5 years in the cellar on the otherhand, this sings to you with great balance and power. The aged version will provide hours of layered goodness changing notes from oriental, to latakia, to virginia and then back again for another round.

Pease has a way with tobacco, but with most of his blends aging is essential. He says so himself, and I take him at his word. I cannot say enough about this fine blend if you have a few years to spare. I do.

The second line of the tin description above, while perhaps seemingly poetic in the extreme, precisely mirrors my thoughts on this blend. This is a powerful, brute of a blend that can also put on a tux and act civilized and refined. The room aroma made me swoon! I think the layering on this one is expertly done, as the overall darkness is interspersed with whisps of teasing high notes. I love "dark" flavored tobaccos such as McClellands Navy Cavendish and this reminded me of that one, even though they are worlds different. This is a blend I wanted to love. It's one of those things that seems a masterpiece and that I know is going to be an important blend, yet my heart can't seem to catch up to my head on this one. I'm going to buy more and cellar it for a few years and see what that does.

All this said, I raise my star rating to a solid 4 if you are a lover of heavy balkan blends and you appreciate blending genius.

My initial experiences of it out of the tin were not very pleasant. Indeed my first bowl was so off-putting I had to wait a month or two to try it again, though I knew I would get around to it someday because there was something special there, and I give every blend several smokes so that I get to know it on its own terms. So when I finally got around to it again I came to understand it more. I couldn't say I enjoyed it's complex, full flavor on the surface of it -- the whole in some ways seemed to exceed its parts, and not necessarily in a good way. But there was something in it I found irresistible, so even though I didn't necessarily enjoy it I kept going back to it. It was somehow simultaneously overpowering yet subtle.

There's no doubt it was a quality blend, even from the first. I mean, it was certainly very smooth and creamy and biteless, and yet somehow raw and strong. I just couldn't wrap my tastebuds around it. I figured each bowl was going to be my last since I was slightly repelled by it, and yet I looked forward to my next bowl.

It's flavor was uniquely alluring, and it cast a spell on me: strong, very full, with an oddly musty flavor. UncleGar used the word "creosotic", and [no name] used the word "corky", and they're both on to something. I would add that I taste something piquant, even bitter with hints of sweetness around it, like Angostura bitters. Indeed there's something elemental about this blend, something of the earth and dirt (and creosote and cork), salty, leathery, musty -- strong, raw, subtle, creamy and smooth all at once. I'm reminded of the way Lagavulin has that incredible essence of iodine to it. Abingdon's flavor is so unique that I found myself craving it even when I wasn't sure I liked it much.

I've finally decided that this blend is a masterpiece -- it just took me a long time to appreciate it for what it was on its own terms, much like Schoenberg's music for the classical music lover wading into the twelve tone waters for the first time. I suspect that with more aging this blend will be otherworldly.

Pretty women who aren't beautiful are fairly common. But beautiful women who aren't pretty are something special, each one uniquely mysterious. This is a beautiful, even exceptional blend -- it's just not a very pretty one.

Flavor: The flavor is full but not at all harsh. Like a good Balkan Latakia is the main player, closely followed by the Oriental and with the Virginias very present but still in the background. I'd say the amount of Latakia is perfect for a blend with a healthy portion of it since it makes it "kick" but does not overpower the other delicate flavors.

Complexity: Very complex blend, the flavors change as you smoke it and yeet it remains very consistent. At first light all you get is Latakia and a hint of the Oriental, but as you progress through the bowl the Orientals start building up and stand up to the Latakia beautifully.

Aroma: Very full and leathery, with the Orientals and Virginia giving a somewhat strong (or at least very noticeable) natural sweetness.

Tin aroma: Latakia with the sweet/spicy pungent Orientals being clearly present.

Room note: What you'd expect from a Balkan. I like the roomnote but my wife says it stings her nosetrills. It is a somewhat heavier note than other Balkan blends. Probably not something you'd want to smoke in teh company of non-smokers.

Burning characteristics: Burns very cool and dry to the bottom, there is absolutely no gunk at the bottom of the bowl. I have sometimes tempted it and puffed too fast and my pipe was still cool. Absolutely no tongue bite to speak of. It lights easlily depending on how you prepare it. If you layer it it lights up easily, if you use the air pocket method if will take some effort to light. I think the air pocket method makes blends taste a little fuller and while I favor it for some blends I prefer to layer this blend.

Cut/looks/moisture content: The cut is somewhat coarse and broad, which I find it to compliment the blend since it makes it burn at the perfect pace. Moisture content is perfect too, not to wet or sticky and actually somewhat on the dry side. I have to confess I was a little concerned about how dry it was but after a couple of bowls my concerns were gone.

Overall: One of my favorite blends, much closer to my tastes than any of the Dunhills. I actually think this stuff is of much better quality and, after smoking it, I don't think I'd want to go back to Dunhill blends. A little more expensive than most offerings out there but I don't think there's a better Balkan available today. Worth every penny.

Abingdon has a lighter touch, though. This provides more room for nuance. It's as good as any blend currently in my possession, and may very well be the best-burning blend I have. That's got to count for something.

I could see this easily remaining in my English/Balkan rotation indefinitely. While I tend to prefer a little more kick, this is a very, VERY nice middle-of-the-day smoke.

If GL Pease's other blends are at this level -- and the word is they are -- I look forward to sampling Mr. Pease's other offerings as I continue to explore the diverse and wonderful world of pipe tobacco.

This may very well be a four-star blend, but -- like my previous review -- I'll initially give it only three, for fear of over-reaching. I'd rather save the four-star designation for the truly transcendent blends. This may very well prove to be one. If so, I'll update my review.

In the meantime, it's still a very nice, not-too-powerful Balkan. Enjoy!

Abingdon is good, but lacks the strength and complexity of SMM. It is rich and creamy, nice & smoky, but very mild. No harshness at all, but mostly satisfying none-the- less, which is a bit oxymoronic and difficult to achieve, so kudos there. Wouldn't be my pick due to the mildness, but if you want a rich flavored smoke with more complexities than the average heavy Latakia blends (Nightcap, Pirate Kake) but without a hint of harshness you might want to give this one a go.

Moisture perfect right out of the tin, and burn rate is also perfect. The tobacco is good looking, high quality stuff, cut in fat ribbons.

P.S. In a review below XYZZY said:

"Any reports of this blend as a "tongue biter" are in my opinion entirely unwarranted. Steam and tongue bite are more a result of new tin moisture and smoking technique than anything else.

1. If the tobacco is too damp, you'll have a hot smoke. 2. If you pack it too tight, the last half of the bowl will likely smoke damp, rank and hot. 3. Balkan blends should be packed _slightly_ more loosely. 4. Many GLP blends are tinned a bit on the moist side. Let the tobacco air out for a bit before smoking."

Nonsense.

1.) Dry tobaccos burn hot.

2.) Tongue bite is EXCLUSIVELY due to a tongue not yet conditioned to regular pipe smoking.

3.) Tobaccos that are reputed to not burn well, burn well enough, and as intended. It's just that their owners either have tongue bite, and hence subconsciously resist smoking to spare their tongue, or they are too busy talking instead of listening. A good tobacco is moist, it resists burning and demands constant attention if one is to be rewarded. But with practice, the constant attention simply becomes habit. No longer a chore, instead a delight: The expert coaxing of the tobacco to reveal it's pungent creamy self.

4.) Moist tobaccos produce wonderfully rich cool smoky flavor. Dry tobaccos do not.

IMHO.

I simply cannot remember why I kept putting it off for so long.

I'll just add my comment to the fantastic reviews it has already accumulated.

THIS IS ONE GREAT TOBACCO!

Another hit by the King of English

07/27/09 UPDATE: I am revising some of my reviews. I have given out more 4 star ratings than anything else. That practice is probably not helping. So, I am reducing Abingdon to 3 stars, not because I like it less than I did before, but because I am limiting 4 stars to fewer than 25% of all my reviews. One day I may use the 4 star rating to designate my top five.

I wish I had one or two Balkans to focus when it comes to cellaring, so I would have 100 tins and feel safe for the rest of my life. Mr. Pease keeps spreading my attention and I end up with the fear of running outta many tobaccos.

I guess I had much higher expectations for this blend. In my opinion Maltese Falcon and Odyssey are better even though odyssey leaves me with terrible cotton mouth. I just don't find it that outstanding or complex. Mind you it is still an acceptable smoke. I also don't get that nic. kick like some explained. Maybe it the lemon virginia's or maybe it's just me. Possibly no little to no oriental and a little heavier on the Turkish would spruce it up.

This along with Maltese Falcon would be a good intro to the world of Balkans for those of you who haven't tried them yet.

Excellent taste -- almost every flavor I'd expect a Balkan to contain. Lots of latakia, flavorful Vas, and enough orientals to add complexity. This isn't quite as sweet or complex as Odyssey (which remains my favorite Balkan, flavor-wise), but it's hardly a slouch in either department.

What sets this apart from other blends of its type is the burning characteristics and mouthfeel. When dried out and packed a little on the loose side, it burns almost as well as a drugstore burley. This is a far cry from Odyssey or Westminster, both of which can be difficult to burn.

Of equal importance is the near-total lack of bite. Despite the full flavor and respectable nicotine hint, this is as gentle on the tongue as Frog Morton -- but Abingdon is as powerful as Nightcap.

The scary thing here is that I've yet to smoke a tin with more than 4 months of age on it. I can't even imagine what a few years in the cellar are going to do to it ...

As I said before, Odyssey (and possibly Westminster) taste slightly better and are a little more complex. But Abingdon more than makes up for it in other ways, and is easily a four star tobacco.

If you like Balkans, this is a must-have.

This one is a winner with me. Balkan fans will be delighted.

Very simillar to hearth and home Larry's blend but better presented in the cuts of leaf.

Highly reccomended to those not faint of heart.

As the latakia content in this blend is quite high, I pack this blend gravity/soft/medium instead of a typical soft/medium/hard packing.

-- The following is a simple cut+paste from my Charing Cross review (and IMHO applies equally well here) --

Between Charing Cross, Blackpoint and most of all Abingdon, I don't miss my old long lost favorite 759 quite so much. As for the specifics of the smoking experience, the tin description pretty much sums it up. Compliments from other reviews pretty much fill in the blanks.

Any reports of this blend as a "tongue biter" are in my opinion entirely unwarranted. Steam and tongue bite are more a result of new tin moisture and smoking technique than anything else.

1. If the tobacco is too damp, you'll have a hot smoke.

2. If you pack it too tight, the last half of the bowl will likely smoke damp, rank and hot.

3. Balkan blends should be packed _slightly_ more loosely.

4. Many GLP blends are tinned a bit on the moist side. Let the tobacco air out for a bit before smoking.

Tin date: 041307, meaning April 13, 2007(For info. on dating tinned tobaccos, link to: www.pipes.org---locate the Forums box--Topics--Tobacco Questions--scroll down, to bottom of page, to Archives Oct. 09, 2005, Oct. 18, 2005, and July 26, 2006.)

Packing and Lighting: Packing was disconcerting, the ribbon being a little stiff from some partly unrubbed flake in the mix. Decent moisture level, on the dry side, the tobacco springing back apart when pressed in the fingers. Lit readily.

Taste & Aroma: Soft, nice, smooth, smoky and herbal, almost buttery and creamy. Abingdon is full of these flavors. Rather complex interplay of tastes from the smoky Latakia, creamy orientals, and a nice VA oats undertone. Smokes cool and fairly dry.

Nicotine: medium

Room Note: Full but pleasant, like the aroma.

Overall: Soft and smooth, it keeps one busy trying to sense each individual component. Having just finished with Blackpoint, Abingdon is not harsh and peppery like Blackpoint. Where Blackpoint is harsh and destructive to the palate, Abingdon is soft and smooth, similar to Kensington, the only other blend in the GLP Classic Series I care much for. 4 stars.

As a fan of the latter two blends, I am astonished to find this almost too flavorful for my palate. After smoking Westminster everything seems second best.

I plan on buying this again and plan to smoke Da Vinci, Penzance and Abingdon in succession to see which I like best. Stay tuned.

I had moved on to other tobaccos for quite some time, but recently got out a Mason jar of this that had aged for at least 2 years. That extra aging really smooths out this tobacco. So if you found the orientals to be a little too overwhelming, try aging it and go for it again.

Original Review:

Well I'm still in a quandary about which is the best Balkan out there. Greg's two latest offerings in the Balkan field of Charing Cross and Abingdon are both outstanding, though Balkan Sasieni and VegasSmokes' Babylonia are also near the top. Charing Cross and Abingdon are spicier in the Oriental elements than Balkan Sasieni, much in the same way that Lane's old Crown Achievement was (NOT the new bulk version of CA).

Charing Cross is probably the most overtly Balkan of the group, sometimes tasting a little too spicy. Abingdon seems to me to be a little more refined. Like all of Greg's blends they are perfectly cut and packed, have few hard pieces or stems and is at just the right moisture level right out of the can.

Of my four favorite Balkans Charing Cross and Abingdon are less laden with latakia. Balkan Sasieni is less spicy and has stronger latakia and leaves a musty room odor. Babylonia is less overtly Balkan and has a hint of some naturally sweet Virginias.

I have had very good success mixing all of these in varying proportions as a change of pace and have found that the two Pease's complement Sasieni and Babylonia nicely in almost any proportions I have tried.

Greg- I hate your narrow cans!

The large percentage of turkish and latakia dominate the smoke. The relatively small percentage of virginias add a light touch of sweetness. It is rich, pungent, and dry on the palate.

This is very full and austere balkan which should satisfy the most jaded of tastes and which performed well in any gauge chamber.

This blend is absolutely worth exploring. I can see this becoming a regular smoke for me.

I have a few tins in the cellar and I believe it will only get better.

This another excellent offering from Mr. Pease.

"Tasty, tasty, very very tasty - they're very tasty!"

Time has passed, and I can no longer remember which product was being advertised - whatever it was, it could easily have been an advert for Abingdon. I love the mix of smokiness and relaxing qualities that this blend provides. Jet blacks, deep browns, light browns - all combining to produce a flavourful hour of pleasure.

I am coming to the end of yet another 2oz container, but thankfully another is ready at my side.

Go Pease!

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this blend 8.8 out of 10.

This blend is a masterpiece. The Virginian leaf compliments the Cyprian latakia perfectly, and the small amount of Turkish provides a top note that is almost etherical. Genius. Greg does it again! Buy some and store it away...if it improves with aging, it will attain mythological status.

Meerschaum Man\ Smoking a Gezer Flying Dragon

My flavor sensors do not normally meander in this direction. So, forgive me if I don't soak my keyboard with drool as I write my impressions.

Other reviewers, quite obviously smitten with this concoction have adequately described the fullness of this blend. It is rich and does have a "salty & leathery" type taste presentation. It is also quite spicy and did not offer even a smidgen of sweetness to me. If Abingdon were a symphony, it would be heavy on the tubas and light on the flutes.

This conductor is off to find some less formidable music...

The initial taste is a heavy Latakia introduction starting the bowl off with a big boom. As the bowl continues, flavors of dark leather, wood and some subtle tang of Virginia take turns at the front. Towards the very bottom of the bowl I detect something that I cannot really figure out. I am almost tempted to say "Butternut Squash" but that might sound like I am smoking something other than tobacco. My wife says that the room note is that of "Hickory wood and cedar chips burning in an old fireplace" (a very positive opinion!)

Smokey, winey tin aroma. Moistness just right.

Medium full body. The tin description is accurate: woodsmoke and leather flavors. Very nicely balanced and integrated. Cool smoking.

Room note is sharp and pleasant.

Overall: A very pleasant smoke. Full flavored but not at all overpowering. When in the mood for a straightforward Latakia smoke, with little distraction from Orientals, this would probably be my first choice.

Rating: ***/****

It packs easily and burns to a fine gray ash. This blend is subtle, complex and delicious with a perfect balance. Smoked slowly, it burns cool to the bottom of the bowl, is full of nuance, an interplay of flavor and is very rewarding. Being that it's available in bulk as well as tins, if you love Balkan blends, once you have smoked several ounces of Abingdon, you may never smoke any of the others again. If you plan to age some, order plenty to smoke as well, or you will raid your stash in very short order.

This blend is delicious, and by far the best offering in Pease?s Classic Series, in my opinion. If the Syrian shortage proves permanent, Abingdon may out of necessity surpass Renaissance and Raven?s Wing at the top of my list of Pease favorites.

If you like Latakia mixtures, you owe it to yourself to try this one.

It's big enough to supplant Nightcap or Red Raparee, yet soft and approachable enough to enjoy at any time- the elusive "iron fist in a velvet glove". A truly marvelous concoction of the highest order.

2009 Update: I am smoking a 2006 tin of Abingdon right now... I have smoked many so far, and they were all excellent. This one is a bit disappointing: slightly flatter, and with a hint of bite. Weird, it's the first time that Abingdon delivers less than a stellar smoke for me... Probably just a batch which came out "bad" (well, actually it's not exactly bad!).

Similar is my attitude toward latakia and oriental leaf. Foul! Ghastly! And yet I crave latakia blends. My interest in Abingdon was piqued by the promise of its full flavours.

When it arrived, (yet another sustaining shipment from the good people at Knoxcigar in Tennessee) I sampled it immediately. I was surprised by its mildness. It's quite good, very earthy, very natural, and very corky, but not as full as I was expecting. Very straight forward, it lacks the complexity of Penzance but has more subtlety than 965 or London Mixture.

Throughly enjoyable.

What makes a good Balkan Blend is the complexity of the Virginias against which the spicier ingredients play. What makes a great Balkan Blend, is the latter along with an Oriental leaf docile enough not to offend by mid-pipe, forceful enough to assert itself early on, and interesting enough to continue making its presence known until the soggy end.

Simple enough? As the French say: ?A soufflé is just eggs?, and we all know how easy that is to cook.

Well our friend Mr. Pease has created a soufflé with Abingdon. While the taste of Latakia is present from the first puff, its pungency continues to play off the complexly sweet (never sugary) Virginias until the end. For me the Oriental comes on from about puff three and plays off the other ingredients until the very end, when it takes the baton in the last few millimeters of the bowl and runs home with it.

Try Abingdon at your own risk. You may never smoke anything else. Likewise, if you plan to age some, play it safe and don?t open any tins before cellaring. You may find yousrelf raiding your stash in a month.

Smoked slowly, and carefully, Abingdon is full of nuance and interplay of flavor.

This is a big bold blend. It isn't shy, yet it has subtleties to hold your interest.

Smokes clean and dry - as you would expect from quality leaf. Very smooth, nice thick smoke. I think Abingdon will be in my rotation for the long haul.

Abingdon is quite possibly the best Balkan blend available, IMHO.

The description, "Dark flavours of wood and leather mingle with delicate undercurrents of sweetness, and deep earthy notes, while the oriental tobaccos provide hints of their verdant, sometimes herbaceous character," is about as accurate a description as can be given to a person who has yet to try this fine blend. However, it's merely an overview of what Abingdon has to offer.

This is a complex blend. It's not quite on the same level of complexity as Renaissance, but the latter really is a totally different blend with stunning characteristics all its own. Fortunately, Abingdon does let you taste everything, giving each part of the masterful recipe's ingredients a chance to shine. Sure, there's a fair share of Latakia in there, but it never enters a shoving match with any of the other types of leaf. Now that I've romanticized my way into packing another bowl of this stuff, let me get to the nitty gritty.

Appearance: Looks very good. A variety of colors and shades give the blend an attractive appearance.

Tin aroma: Smells great. Not as much tang as the Renaissance, likely due to Abingdon's lack of Syrian Latakia. But the earthy, vegetal, spicy, leathery, and woody notes that pour out of the can make my mouth water. It just smells wonderful.

Pack: Packs as well as can be expected. Packing with less force overall enhances the smoke. Too tight a pack will bog this one down for sure.

Light: Lights well and evenly, releasing the most inviting scents into the air and filling the tastebuds with more than enough flavor to stay busy for a long time.

Mouthfeel: Abingdon offers up a bold and solid mouthfeel, but it's not too overpowering. You know you're smoking it. The blend smokes cool and without bite. The smoke remains flavorful to the end.

Overall: This is my second blend from G.L. Pease. I like the way he thinks. He clearly has put lots of effort into his passion, and it shows with each and every puff I take. Abingdon is all it's cracked up to be -- and then some. I give it my highest rating and believe that anyone who already enjoys Balkan and English-style blends will get a lot of pleasure from Abindgon. I'm not sure it's the best blend for those just starting out, but my first bowl ever was filled to the rim with Dunhill 965 -- and I turned out just fine. Abingdon is not only worth buying in bulk and aging, it's also worth dedicating a pipe to its use.