Tin aroma:Mildly earthy,almost no aromatic properties whatsoever other than natural tobacco,,,could be roll up tobacco almost.

Appearance:Medium tan brown overall(tan/brown/dark equal mix)thin short cut ribbons,perfect moisture level.

Pipe:An unknown brand nylon system pipe made in france(http://www.smokingmetal.co.uk/pipe.php?page=332),with a 3mm draught smoke tube(amplifies lighter virginias)and a stinger on the mouthpeice which tightens the draw again to concentrate taste and create a slower backdraught(keeps the burn slower and cooler).

Ignition:Using matches(gas lighters can melt nylon stem pipes if drawing too hard!)I basically got a basic no-nonsence,unsweetened,natural virginia,yet naturally sweet.

For nearest comparisons it tasted generally between a non-aged 'Peterson-Irish Oak'(although this tastes like a good aged mild virginia),'Samuel Gawith-Best Brown Flake','Players-Navy Cut'flake...Sweeter than the last.. It lights quite easy i might add and stays lit.

It had a slight woody tang factor ala red virginia,or like 'Peterson-Sherlock Holmes' minus the blueberry aromatic properties.

Initially i couldn't say i was blown away with a new undiscovered novelty here;-but this is the outcome of having tried quite a few archetypes now,that things start tasting between already discovered pillars of taste,tastes that are between other brands of simular construction that i am already familier.That said though,i can say that it makes an ok candidate for when i am in the mood for something like it.

Just revisiting the jar here 2 weeks later for a smoke as i type is proving a better impression because i havent smoked any other stronger pipes before hand to spoil my taste.

On the first light its slightly winey/apple cider-ish,then settles into a darker mid pencil wood-ish,yeasty,toasty white bread virginia.

Smooth as butter but not buttery - more of a sunflower spread factor or unsalted green olives - starchy like new sweet potato's /potato mash.

This might be too plain for some people,but i myself like these 'grey area' tobacco's actually..Like the current pouch 'Three Nuns' and certain old english blends - its a very mid 20th century smoke..I like their atmosphere,i get a simular feeling smoking these as when discoving an old newspaper under the floorboards from 1928 or something,its nice to have some black and white to get away from the technicolour sometimes.

A light easy cruise of a smoke,it swings (in my mouth),cool but a fastish burner(may suit a larger capacity bowl).

Gently breezy,no soap and no bite,slightly like old english brand cigarettes like 'Parkdrive','Woodbines','Capstan Full Strength' minus the typical cigarettish salt peter stale ammoniac piss factor.

Post pipe aftertaste is ok - like a feeling of having eaten some golden un-salted potato crisps,(or maybe peanuts).

Quality baccy and well behaved,smokes down to a fine white ash.Light-Medium nicotine strength.Mild buttery toasty ,woody room note.

This has grown on me in the fortnight i have had this beyond my first underwealmed impressions;it suits this dark rainy moonlight night as a quiet comfort(i like plain baccies on rainy dreary days),,this melts in the mouth like creamy mashed potato.

I'm going to give it 3 stars for cheering me up and feel i would purchase again.Its the lighter non-latakia brother of 'PunchBowle' as well i am sure,it tastes like a familier friend anyway;an english with no latakia or oriental,yet it tastes english in its way.

As mentioned, this is the baby of the Parson's Pleasure/Barney's/Punchbowle trio. This one contains no latakia, whereas the middle brother (Barney's) contains a light amount and the Punchbowle is rather heavier. A bit of latakia or blending orientals or perique would probably do this no harm and I might experiment further. Similar to Gold Block, this one might add some body to a wispy mix or improve the burning qualities of another blend. Smoked on its own, it really offers little to endear itself over the long term. Try it if you like very mild virginias.

I have noticed a slight honey scent when my friends have been smoking it, I am inclined to think that this is a natural feature of the tobaccos used, as there is no taste of it that I would expect if it was a flavouring. The room note soon fades after smoking to a faint tobacco smell, not at all offensive.

It lights and burns fairly easily, with only a little drip, probably because it is so moist.

Its nothing to get excited about unless you only like the mildest virginias, but I can happily finish the tin while reading, as it isnt going to distract my attention the way some of the bolder blends I enjoy could.

Room note: Very mild general tobacco aroma and virtually unnoticable. Only the slight sweetness makes it stand out as pipe tobacco.

Packing: A ribbon cut which is very easy to pack.

Moisture content: A bit too dry for my liking.

Lighting: Very easy; one charring light, one tamper and a re-light is all that's required. Smoulders well and evenly with minimum maintenance.

Appearance: Quite attractive natural tobacco in ribbon cut form; brights and mediums. Maybe a little one dimensional. Couldn't see or smell any evidence of Latakia or any other leaf; this seems pretty much a straight virginia.

Smoking: Smoked a bit dry and hot. Burned a bit quickly and the taste, although a little sweet was very one dimensional bordering on the dull and boring. Burned very evenly to a light grey ash but tended to bite. Very mild indeed; I couldn't detect the nicotine at all. A little bit straw-like and harsh but not in the same league as Troost! Might benefit from ageing to mellow it a tad. To sum up a so-so straight virginia blend that would bore me rigid after a few bowls.

Pros: Smells OK in the tin and in the room, burns well and is easy to pack and light. Can be pleasantly sweet before decending into blandness.

Cons: Burns a bit hot and tends to bite. The tobacco is a bit too dry in the tin. A little acrid and harsh. Very one dimensional; too mild and bland in the taste department to hold my interest. Pretty boring- I could never finish a whole tin!

Score: Two out of five; some might find this mild mannered (if a little unrefined) mixture a treat but it's not for me.

It is a straightforward tobacco, more on the mild than wild side -- which, I suppose fits the bill for a blend named Parson's Pleasure.

My tins were quite aged, and the roughness tantric spoke of did not exist, perhaps due to the aging. There was just enough sweetness and nicotine strength to keep me interested. But, I need more power in my leaf for regular consumption.

I don't believe the quality of the leaf in PP is particularly good. Compared with similar tobaccos (Orlik's Golden Sliced or Radford's Sunrise Flake, both of which are smooth and creamy, perhaps even soapy) the leaf here seems rather raw and unprocessed. The lack of depth induces one to puff hard and fast in order to catch some flavour; consequently the blend tends to burn hot, producing, IMO, an unpleasant sharpness.

This could easily be the British equivalent of Prince Albert, albeit PP is more of a Virgnia than a Burley blend. However, if forced to choose, I would rather stay with the Prince, not the Parson.