G. L. Pease - Mephisto pipe tobacco reviews

Review

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Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Beer	02/17/2008	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Tolerable
My first experience with GLPease tobaccos! The craftmanship involved in this blend is evident: it does not look like a mass-produced, impersonal mixture. From the first look at the cut of the tobacco, you see bits of different sizes and shapes with the occasional broken flake, and the first tin smell is very subtle: an overall impression of a very natural blend. The latakia presence seems clear, but not overwhelming: the aroma is more of a unique, rounded, tone rather than a contribution from various elements. Only a slight hint of rum makes its alcoholic presence felt, but not too much. I packed it lightly (I found that this blend smokes much better if this trick is adopted), and lighted it: wow! Sweet, deep, full and perfectly rounded at the same time! The rum is barely perceived in the smoke, too, but adds an extra touch of sweetness and roundness. This is not an aromatic, but a medium english blend: traditional in spite of the alcoholic beverage added. I usually don't like medium english blends (if there is Latakia, make its presence strong and felt!) because I find them boring: as a matter of fact, I don't like stuff like Celebrated Sovereign at all. Mephisto has a Latakia rate which is the minimum acceptable for me in an english mixture, and this does not put it in my all-time favorites. Nonetheless, it is great under all other points of view (and certainly better and tastier than Frog Morton). Burns well, rather dry and cool, and perfectly satisfies when you are in need for a medium strenght, smooth, tobacco that is fulfilling and rich at the same time. I even like to inhale some puffs! 2008 Update: smoking a 2002 tin right now... Smooth, smooth, smooth!!!! A wonderful smoky sweetness, creamy and thick! The stoving of the leaf is wonderful. I appreciate this tobacco even more today, and I sorely miss its departure. Latakia content seems perfect now, not light at all: simply perfect, without being overpowering. A very welcome change of taste, absolutely unique... at least until my cellar reserve will last!
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thedstnguishdgntlmn	06/15/2007	Medium	Very Mild	Medium to Full	Tolerable
This was a very pleasant surprise. I thought this would be another full English with no particularly distinguishing characteristics about it. I was completely wrong. It has a peculiar depth and richness to it. An English mixture with very little spice due to only an iota of Orientals present yet still strangely intriguing. I would say this would be akin to perhaps Gawith's Commonwealth mixture with an added splash of rum.The Oriental component is just barely there. It adds a little tang to the blend. The rum is almost impossible to detect but for a slightly sweet after taste. The backbone of this blend are the wonderful Virginias that are used. They are heavily stoved and work well with the copious portion of Latakia allotted to this blend. All in all, a fantastic steady, smooth, and rich smoke. It is a shame it is no longer made but alas, all good things seem to be fleeting these days. If you can't procure any for your consumption try either Gawith's Commonwealth Mixture or Navy Flake and you'll get the general idea. 3 of 4 stars.
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sounds7	05/30/2007	Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
Now this is an unusual tobacco. And I am favoring it more and more with every bowl. The Rum is right there on top of the smokey Latakia and the two marry well. I like it as a change of pace English and It is about as close to a cased tobacco that I am going to get. I will be seeking more of this out whenever I am lucky enough to come across it.
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VAman	08/05/2006	Medium	Medium	Full	Tolerable
Should i sing oh danny boy or the minstrelboy. I still pine for this long lost blend and am aging(weeping over) my last tin and wishing that i had not greedilly puffed so many of its ancesters. Really if they needed a fire exstinguish at the warehouse why didn't someone say so? alas the world goes on, and i like cyprian latakia very much. so i'll sit on this tin until i can smoke it with a clear consciance, and just enjoy the memories and smoke.
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Collezionista	10/07/2005	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Mephisto is the only GLP blend I can't, as hard as I may try, get into. The rum topping seems to disagree with the other components, perhaps the Latakia. There is a lingering sourness to the blend that detracts a bit from my overall enjoyment. Also, I find the sweetness to be a bit cloying in this blend. Like all of Greg's offerings, Mephisto a well made blend of exquisite subtlety, but it simply doesn't agree with my palate.
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smoker390	08/03/2005	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This may be premature, but I am giving this a review halfway through the tin. I plan to stop there and break out only for special occasions since Mephisto is no more. It's been a couple years since I've last smoked this particular GLP offering, but I'm going to work from memory and from this most recent lucky acquisition. I have to say, it's every bit as good as I remember. Pease can add subtle flavoring to a quality Balkan blend like no other. Any other way would ruin a perfectly good medley of tobaccos. To start, the rum is dominant right out of the tin, peaking curiosity. To the touch, the tobacco feels just right with moisture and packs easily. Upon lighting, the senses are flooded with the smokey sweet floral spice of the finest exotic Oriental tobaccos, with a good healthy dose of Latakia. The aroma is of the typical campfire Balkan scent, with the added hint gingerbread. I attribute the gingerbread like aroma to the rum presence. Aside from the tin and burning aromatic effect, the rum is virtually absent in the taste. I think the Jamaican rum provides a quorum to bring the tobaccos into fine agreement and produce a unique taste, but nothing more. I believe those who are disturbed by the rum topping, may be thrown off by the psychological effects of the tin and smoke aroma. Hey, that's just my opinion, but try some if you can find it - you won't regret!
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Mephisto	07/23/2005	Medium	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable
Much has already been said. I like the burning proporties and the taste. It is smooth and provides a thick smoke that dances around in front of you. A unique english blend worth giving a try. I think this joins the ranks of my favorite englishis (others are penzance and squadron leader).** Has now become my everyday blend and a most favorite for sure. Very complex but not too powerfull and great burning properties. Gladd I got about 10 tins on a trip out of town to a store that had got this in but never moved any because the locals didnt want the stuff in the strange not so flashy looking can. I dont think you can get fresh anymore as production has been stopped. Maybe it will pick up again some time soon. Airing out and ageing help the smothness of this blend. Truyly great.
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Simenon	04/08/2005	Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
Mephisto combines the qualities of a fine english blend (on the smoky side) with the pleasure associated with a nice aromatic. The tin aroma is splendid: sweet tangy, barbecue, orange marmelade, clementines. At the match, the first puff is the best. If by chance, you have just popped the tin open, then you will feel the sweetness and the rum and the latakia litteraly mixing in your pipe and coating your mouth. Few other blends can produce such sensations. The only dissapointment is that -- as usual in virtually all the Pease blends -- the virginias burn hot. This is unpleasant. It is too bad that a blender of the reputation of Pease has to work with such raw virginias --or doesn't care enough to remedy the situation. It is true that the older tins from a few years back don't burn as hot, I wonder: have we really reached the satge were we consumers have to "cellar" tobaccos for 4 to 5 years before smoking them. I would say that this is a little much to ask the consumer, to put it mildly! Despite this nagging issue, and considering the quality level of available blends, I would have to say that this is of the best light aromatic english tobaccos today. Strangely, this blend is currently suffering its second shortage in four years due to a lack of Syrian Latakia, and according to the manufacturers (the good and unheralded folks at Cornell and Diehl), it will never be available again. Time will tell.
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pagansmurf	02/12/2005	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant
On smoking this I feel like I am in a log cabin, no electricity, relaxing by the fire, taking my ease. Can certainly taste the rum, it makes me wish for some. I regret not being able to get this any more. I do indeed think of this as the devil's weed, I could easily think of him smoking such a blend. 8/10.
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Ranger	01/24/2005	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
One of the first Pease tobaccos I ever tried and one of my favorites (does he ever produce a sub-par blend?). A robust blend of Virginias, Latakia and Turkish with that dash of rum that made for a delicious combination. A perfect cold weather smoke. I was saddened indeed when I read a fire had consumed the fine Latakia for this blend. Alas, as I have none stashed in the cellar, I only have memories. If you were wise enough to cellar a few ounces of this, I bid you a fine future smoking experience.
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UncleGar	12/19/2004	Medium	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable
I hesitated at writing this review for fear of sounding like another well-known contributor: præternaturally pompous and pretentious. (I really do like his reviews, though.) Greg characterized this eerily all too well on the can: this blend is evocative of temptation herself: sweet, velvety, rich and seductive. The kind of combination that leads to trouble and you damn well know it, yet you allow yourself. This blend has the appeal of another man?s flirtatious wife. You discreetly take big puffs hoping you don?t get bit, savor them and slowly release them. When you think you can sneak another, you do, but it?s different somehow, urging you on deeper to more fully explore the range of possibility. I just cannot do anything else when I smoke this. It?s not the rum; it has to be an opiate casing. Indulge, fools, and rationalize! ?I know someday I?ll walk out of here again, but now I?m trapped ? ooh yeah!? (J. Cliff)
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CaptainMcPipey	10/27/2004	Medium	Very Strong	Medium	Tolerable
Don't get me wrong-- I like this blend. I have bought a tin and will finish it sooner than later. However, as I am not really an aromatic enthusiasist, I find the rum casing in this to be too much. The idea of a "semi-aromatic" tobacco appealed to me greatly-- more flavors to enjoy, with all the complexity of an English! Well, I've been somewhat sorely disappointed after about six bowls. Perhaps I need to smoke more of this and pay more attention, but the rum flavoring overpowers everything in scent and smoke. I am considering jarring this one, to let the mixture marry a bit. One good idea: If you have a friend who only smokes aromatics, and want them to try an English, this would be just the blend to start with for an easy transition. I must reiterate though, if you like latakia, there's a lot of other blends out there.
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Lbarraa	10/10/2004	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
This is my fourth experience with GL Pease`s blends, Mephisto is great and different in many ways to the others. The Latakia, the turkish and the virginias are enhanced by the note of rum, this is not a classic english mixture or a classic aromatic blend... may be is a semi-english or semi-aromatic? Any way, this kind of blend really works. I'm cursed by the flavor and taste of this blend. Lucho Barra
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CaptnDan	03/28/2004	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Very Pleasant
I have to admit, I was drawn to this tobacco for a silly reason: One of my favorite computer games is Diablo II - Lord Of Destruction. Mephisto is one of the 'Prime Evils' in the game. I was intrigued. The Devil's weed and the Daemon Rum. OK, you have my attention. There is nothing evil about this tobacco, that's for sure. I would smoke it all day, except for the fact that I would run the risk of getting tired of it - and that's not something I want to do. Mephisto, typical of Pease blends looks wonderful in the tin (can, whatever). It's an attractive tobacco. Good mixture of dark leaf, with just enough light brown to make it interesting. The aroma was a mixture of Latakia and rum. Packing is a breeze. So is lighting. The rum pops up to say 'hello' right at the start, then the Latakia joins the party. Also typical of Pease blends is the amazing complexity. The flavors intermingle in a way that never gets boring. Not quite English, not quite aromatic - it's in a class all it's own. The flavor stays with you in it's ever-changing way, all the way to the end of the bowl, and leaves you wishing you had put it in a bigger pipe - you won't want the ride to end. My only complaints are two: 1-The tin is a bit small in diameter; and 2-Mr Pease, yuo are really messing with my pipe rotation here! I find that I want to dedicate a pipe to every one of your blends that I try. I guess I'm going to have to buy more pipes - not that this is a BAD thing! Another winner from GL Pease.
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badsneaker	03/09/2004	Medium	Medium	Medium
Just finished my third tin of this today. Mephisto (great name) is the tobacco I tend to reach for when I want something a bit more extraordinary to tease my olfactory nerves. Dark, sweet Jamaican rum and spicy Latakia do a seductive tango somewhere in the clouds of thick smoke swirling about my head. The more I smoke Mephisto, the more I find to love. The highest of kudos to GLP...
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Noorrmm	02/18/2004	Medium to Strong	Mild	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
Appearance: Fairly fine cut, mostly dark leaf. There are some medium to light flashes to give it some visual interest, but the overall impression is quite dark and rich. Aroma: There is a noticable aroma of Rum, underneath which can be detected substantial Latakia, and a stoved Virginia. The Orientals don?t contribute much to the aroma. Packing:. Packs easily into any pipe from group 3 through group 6. Seems to need a light hand to avoid overpacking.. Similar to Raven?s Wing in this regard. Lighting: Takes flame easily, but not overly fast. Usual charring light, tamp, relight to get started Initial flavor: The Rum and Latakia are in your face at once, really out there at the start. They settle down shortly to reveal some nice layers of dark Virginia and Orientals. Mid-bowl: The Va. component is rich, and combines nicely with the Rum to produce a slightly sweet Cavendish effect. The Latakia and Orientals provide layers of high and medium notes to harmonize with the Va. lows. This is always cool when enjoyed at a slow to medium puff rate, and delightful to the palate. Rich and tasty, and a dry smoker. Stays lit very well, down to the bottom of the bowl. Finish: Burns slowly to the end, less Rum and a bit more Latakia flavor at the bottom. Always leaves a fluffy gray ash, sometimes needs to be dumped for the last relight. Got some positive comments about the aroma, surprising when you consider the amount of Latakia present. Summary: I normally prefer booze in my glass, not in my pipe. However, this is the exception to my rule. A lovely blend, best enjoyed in the evening, when you can relax with it and savor the compexity.
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chaplikc	02/14/2004	Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
To me this is the perfect english crossover blend. It is wonderful and complex and very delicous. What I realy enjoy about this blend is that it seems to be very well blended with the idea of the rum being a twist or addition to the blend. I actually enjoyed the light backround flavor of the rum in this blend. I normally do not go for aromatics ( if this can even be classified as such ) but I felt that the rum was added in perfect proportion and flavor in this blend. Alot of english crossover blends I have had seem to be the other way around where the aromatic agent stands in the front or spotlight. This is very good and highly recomended for those who want to try an english blend with a litle bit of a twist in it.
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Devonshire	02/12/2004	Medium	Mild to Medium	Full	Tolerable
Although I am a fan of many of Mr. Pease's blends, Mephisto is my second favourite, after Haddo's Delight. Of course, comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges. Mephisto is a full yet smooth blend. The dark latakia give it a fullness like Ravenwing, but the Turkish and light rum casing mellow the blend. I should note that rum is my favourite liquor and it is used in artful moderation in this blend. Overall, I can heartily recommend Mephisto. I smoke it to relax after a 12 hour shift, but it does not leave you lethargic.
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Briarabbit	01/08/2004	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable to Strong
A great blend of tobaccos...RUINED BY LIQUOR! It tastes sweet and smoky and seems to want to break from the rum but can't. No thanks.
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David Cimino	10/18/2003	Medium	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable
I think it's a great thing when a blender successfully blurs the line between blend styles. Smokers of taditional English blend will usually turn their noses up at anything with added flavoring. In the past I have been one of them. Lately, I have been discovering a number of really good English-style blends that contain added flavoring or Cavendish. The "long stoving" and "steaming and toasting", described on the tin, certainly marries the tobaccos exquisitely. It is a testament to the skill at G.L. Pease that so many elements can be brought together in a blend and the result is a tobacco that smokes so smoothly and easily and yet still imparts a variety of nuances to the smoker's palate. As a side note, I've noticed that this tobacco smokes well out of new pipes which have not yet been broken in. I may have to use this as my standard "breaking-in" tobaccco.
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The Keeper	07/19/2003	Medium	Mild to Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
My first bowl of Mephisto left me dazzled and dreamy. I thought I had fallen in love with the great adversary himself. The blend struck me as more a potent and complex Frog Morton in overall taste and impact. I couldn't wait for another bowl. Several bowls and weeks later and I'm less enthusiastic. The blending is still creative and the tobacco quality is good. I love the latakia and the turkish dance that goes on under the aroma of rum. But I feel the taste becomes a bit blurred and muddied...not as interwoven as other Pease offerings I've sampled to date. The smokiness of latakia and tanginess of VA seem to contrast a bit too much through out the middle of the bowl...leaving the overall flavor a bit bland and sour at times? The rum is present only in the vapor for most of the bowl...less so in the taste of the smoke. The last third of the bowl picks up a bit with more Orientals coming to the forefront and the rum gathering strength on the palate, but not enough for me to give it high marks compared to some of the other English and Latakia blends I've tried. Bonuses for Mephisto: this stuff stays lit, produces nice smoke, and burns slow and even. Little to no bite. I've had it actually rejuvinate after only a tamp...getting through a large bowl with only one relight. I still will likely enjoy Mephisto every now and again, but probably not a blend I'll rush out to restock anytime soon. Perhaps some age would do a can well? We shall see...
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BriarLaw	05/27/2003	Mild to Medium	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Well . . . I hate to rain on the parade but this tobacco did not work for me. I know it comes from a very well-respected blender and is of high quality leaf. I normally love G.L. Pease blends. But not this one. Spicy Orientals and full Latakia accentuated by a sweet taste. Now I have smoked and like Navy flakes, so can handle that type of thing, but this blend went too far for me. Sort of like taking a fine smokey single malt scotch and mixing it with Grand Marnier. Both are high in quality, but sure don't mix well in my opinion. Sorry to be so harsh, but that is my impression. This review is by no means intended to indict the other G.L. Pease blends. They are excellent and I highly respect Mr. Pease. It's just that Memphisto did not work for me. Maybe it's because I hate rum . . .
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Pipestud	05/07/2003	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
I recently sampled a couple of bowls of this blend at my pipe club's "tobacco Bar." It was not a huge hit with the group. The description says this is the Devil's weed, and it sure bit like the Devil. Smoke very slowly or suffer the consequences. It was a little soggy when the tin was popped (perhaps that is why it nipped my tongue), and contained more stems than I care to have to pluck, but other than that, it packed decently. Mephisto was unusually sweet for a latakia laden blend. It also smoked dry considering how moist the leaf was before packing and smoking. I did indeed detect the discreet topping of rum, but only on occasion. The Virginia leaf also co-starred, and did an admirable job of keeping pace with the Latakia and other Turkish leaf which I could not begin to identify. Mephisto was light enough on the palate to warrant an immediate second bowl. I do not think I would smoke this in the mornings, but following dinner, it is quite good.
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Oliphaunt	04/30/2003	Mild to Medium	Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
This tobacco smells heavenly in the tin. Therefore, I suggest its use as a room freshener, as smoking it is no great treat compared to smelling it. I admire the concepts behind Mr. Pease's mixtures, but I have yet to try one that I felt was made with sufficiently high quality tobacco. Take, for instance, this blend. It lights with a vague latakia taste, but without a hint of the deep, strong latakia flavor from the tin. The sweet savoury notes of the rum topping are utterly absent in the smoke (Blasted! For once, a casing I actually wish to taste, but it refuses to show its face), and the predominant flavor throughout the bowl is something like unfiltered Camels with a touch of evasive, capricious latakia. This is work, not fun, and I cannot finish a bowl of this stuff. To clarify, I do not feel that this mixture is actually nearly so bad as some of the filthy mundungus available out there, but at this not inconsiderable pricepoint standards are rightfully high, and Mephisto does not meet them. Where is all this money going if not to buy the evidently absent high quality leaf? If you can afford the Pease pricetag, you can easily afford brands like Dunhill, McClelland, S. Gawith, etc., all of whom blend just as well as this and do so using...good tobacco! Do not confuse newness or trendiness with quality, and send your tobacco dollar elsewhere.
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RCUSElder	04/28/2003	Medium to Strong	Mild to Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
While I do not smoke this everyday, when in the mood for something different, this is a great choice. Upon opening the tin, you are greeted by the rum aroma and after a few minutes the tobac odors come out as well. I do recommend you leave the tin open for 5-10 mins. before packing your pipe. This seems to mellow the rum aroma and allows for a cooler smoke. Upon lighting, the rum sings strongly but after a few mins. the blend settles into a tasty symphony with syrian latakia as the conductor. This quality leaf mixes well wth the rum. The blend smokes evenly to the bottom of the bowl with not much change toward the end, but you do have to slow your puffing because the rum seems to make it easier to get it hot. The only drawback for me to this blend is that it does not work for me in the morning, the rum makes my stomach a little queasy. But after a hearty lunch or dinner, this blend is perfect. The room note is well liked by my kids and my "sweetheart", so that is a plus. Greg has to be commended fo his committment to making quality blends, a hearty AMEN!!
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Pounder 5000	03/11/2003	Mild	Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
This is a truly wonderful offering in the aromatic english category. The flavoring is never over the top and gives the blend a unique sweetnes. This is what I smoke when I want an english and have my wife right beside me. In fact I have received numerous compliments from people about how good my pipe smelled, something I have never encountered with an english blend. This blend is still a little too sweet for my normal tastes though, and did bite a little towards the end. I believe this may be caused by a lack of aging however, so others may find differently. All in all a tobacco I will keep on hand for whenever my sweet tooth is kicking in.
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RobAtHome	02/25/2003	Mild to Medium	Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable
Mephisto is an excellent introduction to English blends for smokers of either quality aromatics or Virginia tobaccos. It offers the classic flavor of a mild Latakia blend while providing a hint of aromatic flavoring and a excellent balance with the sweetness of its Virginia base. On opening, one sees a mixture of mostly darker tobaccos with light flecks of golden VA and greenish-gold Turkish tobacco. The dark brown stoved Virginia and blackish Latakia form the base of this wonderful blend. The tin aroma is pleasant, with the sweet tang of mature, stoved Virginias mingling nicely with the delicate herbal smokiness of Syrian Latakia. The rum is detectable only as a hint of fruity molasses sweetness lingering in the background. The tobacco can be a bit moist from a fresh tin, so you may desire to dry it out a bit. Once at the proper moisture, packing is a breeze and it smokes cool and dry. Greg's blends are admirable in their lack of tongue-bite even though they frequently use rather sugary Virginia leaf. The smoke is very flavorable and "aromatic" in the sense that it is pleasing to the nose in a classic pipe-tobacco way. The rum topping is barely noticable to me as anything other than a mellowing of the latakia aroma or a hint of molasses on the tongue. An excellent mild-medium English, Mephisto is one of my favorite Pease blends along with Barbary Coast. Alas, as of this writing (late February, 2003) production has been halted due to the non-availability of Syrian Latakia in the US. Thus, this blend will be increasingly difficult to come by until Greg resumes making it.
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CJ	12/12/2002	Medium to Strong	Extremely Mild	Full	Tolerable
This tin is dated January, 2001. I have kept this tin open for over a year, and I have kept the moisture content at my optimum level. At this point, the mixture is primarily dark in appearance. The tin aroma is that of a good classic English Latakia-Oriental blend. I don't notice the rum component in either the tin aroma or in the taste. It is possible that most of it has evaporated. Regardless, this is a deep, rich, creamy, smooth, sweet, and very fulfilling smoke. There are moments of a cigar like flavor. This should be appreciated by any fan of this type of English blend. Mr. Pease, not too surprising, has created another winner. For me, there is no bite at all. It burns clean and dry leaving a white to very light gray ash. Highly recommended for Latakia fans.
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mailman 5000	12/06/2002	Medium	Mild	Medium	Tolerable
I opened a tin of this after trying Blockade Runner from C and D. That blend does the rum thing to the max. This is a much subtler blend . At first I found it a little odd as its English base was quite complex but the rum seemed at odds with this. But as I worked my way through the tin it really started to grow on me.. Most of my all time favorites start this way and Mephisto could very easily fall into that catergory. Well worth a try.
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lustra	10/07/2002	Mild to Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Tolerable
Mephisto is another fine tobacco from Greg Pease. Superficially similar to Raven's Wing, it is a touch milder, sweeter, and not quite as soporific (Raven's Wing, for me, is the opium of pipe tobaccos--bringing on a sweet langour that makes me useless for any sort of modern rushing-about). Like Raven's Wing, this is a virtually biteless tobacco--smooth, slightly sweet, and subtle. As with all Pease blends, the cut, composition, and burn are always first-rate.
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pmonroeb	08/06/2002	Medium to Strong	Medium to Strong	Medium to Full	Tolerable to Strong
I applaud Mr Pease for this creation. This is a very good English mixture that has been laced with demon rum. Frankly, I could have done with a hint of the rum rather than the overt statement made by the rum. I usually mix this down with some Renaissance to lessen the rum flavor. Overall, this is an excellent English and different from any other I'm aware of. I have about 6 cans of this in my cabinet. Note to Mr Pease: Please change your cans. they are too difficult for load from because of the narrow width.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Paul Tatum	01/16/2002	Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium to Full	Pleasant
This is another of the GLP blends that I buy in quantity on a regular basis for the cellar . It's a wonderful all around smoke for me . I generally can't stand aromatic tobacco , but sometimes I want something just off center from the standard English latakia blend , and this fits the bill .
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
MikeB	12/13/2001	Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Full	Very Pleasant
This is incredible. Everything about this tobacco is amazing. Right from the get go when you open the tin to the last puff on a bowl. There is nothing this tobacco is lacking (other than 10 more tins in my cellar). The casing is light and give a wonderful room note (the wife likes it). The fullness of the smoke and the ease of smoking are great. No tonge bite and a wonderful flavour. One of the best tobaccos I have ever tried!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
BobT	03/29/2001	Medium to Strong	Very Mild	Very Full	Tolerable to Strong
What can I say that hasn't been said? Another terrific, full flavored blend from Mr. Pease. Loads of flavor, with each draw bringing a different combination of flavors, yet none overwhelmes any other. The complexity of flavor that Greg achieves in his blends is amazing to me! Burns very cool with nary a gurgle. I love it!
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
pokrsmokr	03/27/2001	Medium	Medium	Medium to Full	Tolerable
The Dark Lord has created another wonderful blend, this time a English/aromatic hybrid of sorts. The tobacco has a very rich and distinct tin aroma, the rum is evident but not overwhelming. It is a beautiful mottle of varying shades of dark tobaccos with a small percentage of lighter tobacco which burns very nicely and relatively coolly (though it did begin to bite slightly toward the end... perhaps I smoked too fast). The rum topping is sublime, it adds just enough to the mixture to raise the eyebrow (ok, raise it frequently) but it doens't detract from the Virginia, oriental and latakia leaf inherent in the foundation blend. In fact, it somehow enhances each of the leafy components. From first light there is a strange tangy sensation accompanying the smoky and sweet flavors fo the tobaccos. It's not tart, per se, but it adds a dimension not often found in english blends. The tanginess dissipates as the bowl progresses, and the strength increases. The individual flavors which are easily detected seem to meld together more towards the end of the bowl -though perhaps that is a result of the slight bite I got about the same time. I have only smoked two pipes of Mephisto and I really owe it to both the tobacco and to myself to live with it a little longer...perhaps this review is premature. Like most of Pease's blends it is more complex than reading the back label would idicate. If you are a fan of english blends but are looking for something a bit different, a bt left of center, then I highly recommend an evening with Mephisto.
Reviewed By:	Date:	Strength:	Flavoring:	Taste:	Room Note:	Recommendation:
Sceny	03/26/2001	Medium	Medium to Strong	Very Full	Strong
Wow! Now THIS is what a semi-aromatic English blend should be! Only the second aromatic/English blend I've ever tried, this one has me eager to go search for more. Of course, that this blend is made by GL Pease, one of the best active blenders today, may have a lot to do with my enthusiasm. Opening the can, I'm struck by the strong aroma of Latakia, mixed with a stronger aroma of the casing used. The casing is supposed to be rum, and knowing that, I guess that's what I smell. I doubt I could have named it on my own, though. Regardless, the sweetish and "smoky" odors combine in an excellent synergy; already, I'm hoping this tastes as good as it smells! The tobacco itself appears to be mostly blackish, with flecks of lighter and medium browns present as well. It lights easily, but seems to take an above average number of relights as the bowl continues. For the first third of the bowl, I am very impressed. The Latakia is dominant, but not at all one-dimensional. The casing is a pleasant background note the merges with the excellent tobacco taste. As the second third of the bowl is reached, the flavor becomes even more complex, a dark and rich blend that is very enjoyable. I'm having no problems at all with bite or moisture. In the last third, the complexity and richness continue, though the casing's influence seems to decrease somewhat. There is a very little moisture is the bottom, nothing to worry about, and the bowl is excellent right down to the bottom. Overall, one of the best tobaccos I've ever tried. The casing merges with and supports the high-quality tobacco taste better then in any other blend I've come across. In fact, I'm not sure I'd even define this as "aromatic", since that term conjures up images of Captain Black to many. This is, quite simply, a very good Latakia blend, satisfying enough for the full English smoker and yet very accessible to the person used to lighter or aromatic blends. Highly recommended!