Room note is quite nice and even my mother, who abhors tobacco, commented that it smells pretty good.

The smoking experience itself demands that one takes their time when enjoying it. For the best experience, make sure you rub out the cakes. Then lightly fill your pipe with just a slight amount of tamping, but not too much! It does take a little bit of effort to light as it is somewhat moist, and I usually have to do one or two relights while I'm smoking the bowl, but all and all, it's worth it. I actually like how my fingers smell after rubbing it out.

Penzance brings back a lot of memories for me. I don't know if my grandfather ever smoked it, but it's aroma always reminds me of him. That in itself is a compliment as he passed away when I was six.

The one regret that I have with this tobacco is that it seems to be lacking in the vitamin N department. As such, this is not an every day smoke for me, and only one that I smoke on special occasions. Thus, even though I really enjoy the experience Penzance provides, I'm forced to rate it three stars. However on my scale, it scores a 7.

I do highly recommend this blend and will be purchasing another tin or two when I finish with this one.

I opened up the tin and took a smell and thought "hell no" there is no way im filling a pipe with this but this morning I tried it. I used one flake which gave me almost half a bowl. I can say it wasnt as bad as it smelled, a different flavor than what im used to maybe alittle soapiness but it wasnt an unpleasent experiance. It needed a relight but left the pipe dry. Despite the liking of something different I think im gonna give this back to him, however this makes me want to try the Boswell mild english blend if anything just for something different.

By the way, I have recently started grabbing the tins without looking at their labels. I rub as needed, and load the pipe without looking. Very interesting, when you then look at the label. It's a very good discipline as it cuts out some of the hype. Try it!!

Added 8/3/09: I'm bumping this one up a star, sometimes its the pipe that makes the difference. I had been smoking this in a Peterson Aran Bent Apple with the P-Lip system (of which I am not a fan). Switched up to a Brigham Poker and wow what a difference! All the flavours now hit me in the right place and I can slowly puff on a bowl of this for an hour and not get bored. I guess I'm still learning the ins and outs of pipe smoking.

Original Review: I decided to try this one out because of the almost universal praise in the reviews here. I must say I was dissapointed. Not that it's a bad tobacco, but first foray into English balkan blends was Squadron Leader and I am quite taken by that tobacco.

My tin of Penzance arrived unbearably wet, like it was salvaged from the Titanic. I dried it for 3 days in my cigar box and it was closer to smokable. Tin aroma is predominantly Latakia with an oriental undertone. Lighting takes 3-4 matches before I can get a good burn, and I have frequent relights because I try not to overpuff this tobacco. It really needs to be sipped to bring out the flavour nuances. The taste is light to medium... a bit to light for my enjoyment. I really wanted to enjoy this tobacco as much a SL but the flavour just never really developed for me. Penzance has a place in my cellar but as a diversion not one for my daily rotation.

No artificial flavoring detected, but it definitely tastes like a full bodied, smokey grade A tobacco!

Opening my tin I definitely noticed the almost smokey.. beef jerky smell.. not in a bad, store-bought kind of way, but the kind of smokey goodness you'd find at your local farm, or out up in the mountains to the west.

Almost takes you back to simpler times.. and it is, so far, one of the most "tasty" tobaccos I've ever had, after smoking it, I don't feel like brushing my teeth, instead I want to savor how good it is!

Highly recommended!

Awesome blend gentlemen puff friends.

Highly recommended 10 of 10.

If you like Penzance young, wait until you try it with some age on it. I bought a fair amount of this stuff ten years ago, and it is really fine now.

I find the crosscut form kind of fun. Crumbling it out into those tiny cubes adds to the ceremony of pipe smoking.

If you like Penzance, you might also like McClelland's #14. It's the same idea: a medium-to-full, well-balanced, slightly sweet English, loaded with natural Oriental flavor.

A lot of old guys like me like to moan about the demise of the great old tobaccos that are no longer available. But the truth is, some of the blends made today by Esoterica, McClelland, Pease and a couple others are every bit as good as, or better than, anything available back in the day. Penzance is one of them.

It begins upon opening the tin. At first the note is boldly phenolic, reminding me very much of an islay scotch, particularly laphroaig. Underneath some complexity is revealed, some coniferous/pine pitch notes that I assume come from the cyprian latakia. The tin is packed with flakes which *just* stay together until you no longer wish that they do so, then nothing more than a slight trembling of the fingers is required to break the flake and load one's bowl. Certainly, there is an art to loading even krumble kake, but really just about anything will do with this tobacco, is is very tolerant of lazy pipe loading.

This tobacco lights easily and (provided it is dried somewhat as virtually all pipe tobaccos should be) smokes quite coolly. It is actually quite a bit more subdued than its tin aroma would suggest, but it is also more nuanced. It can be reminiscent of dried stonefruit if smoked delicately. This is a tobacco that provides a rugged but varied sensory landscape to explore, and even when you become familiar with the territory subsequent journeys always seem to pick up just a little something new.

This tobacco is quite simply iconoclast.

The tin nose is strong, yet inviting; dominated by a pungent, musty, slightly sweet and smoky aroma which translates largely intact into the bowl.

Although quite moist in the tin, being of a delicate sort the crumble cake presentation requires due diligence in handling. In those cases when the extraction of a slice or two has not already resulted in the production of small chunks which can be dropped into the pipe straight away, a very gentle rubbing does the trick. In most instances a simple gravity feed followed by a light tamp or two is more than enough to prepare a bowl, although one should pay close attention going in as strips and chunks can quickly swell and seize up after lighting should the initial pack be too ambitious. Properly prepared, however, one is sure to be rewarded with a lovely smolder. When possible, this reviewer prefers to load a mix of strips, chunks, and odd bits together into the same bowl. However prepared, topping the bowl with a bit of kindling is strongly recommended for a quick and even light.

In the pipe Penzance presents a savory Oriental-forward smoke. Rich with a marked creaminess, on the high side it offers sweet wood smoke, dried fruit, and camphor, while its lower register harbors notes of aged Assam tea, salted meat, and peat. Clearly the dominant player in the blend, the Oriental components are truly sublime: musty, just a tad sour, with a dark, savory quality reminiscent of morel mushrooms. Not to be outdone, the Virginia(s) are soft and sweet and the Latakia neither heavy nor cloying. There is a depth here which in this reviewer's experience is as apt to inspire as it is to confound, with each bowl revealing yet another layer. Towards the heavy side of medium bodied, the finish is dry, musty, and deliciously pungent. As one might expect, tongue bite is never an issue. While it can leave behind a rather tenacious ghost, and while it will do reasonably well just about anywhere, for those who wish to really explore its depths it is well worth the time and effort to audition a number of pipes until just the right one is found. When this happens, all cannot but be right with the world.

As savory an English/Balkan cake as one is likely to get, there is nothing quite like Penzance, and there is good reason that it has attracted so much attention over the years. Although it is probably not an everyday smoke for most (I like it best late at night, particularly when there is a full moon), barring glitches in availability there is little reason that at least a few tins should not be found in the cellar of every serious piper. While quite moist in the tin, in this reviewer's experience Penzance has a tendency to dry rather quickly when left alone, so unless one favors crumbs and dust, the foil pack version should be tightly sealed or jarred soon after opening and the contents of the rectangular 2oz. tin consumed within a reasonable amount of time after popping, even when insulated with a baggy or such like.

I would add to stay away from the bulk form of this tobacco as it is almost a totally different taste and should be renamed.

Penzance & Nightcap are the number 1 and number 2 most-reviewed tobaccos on this board. Not the highest rated, mind you (that would be #1 Full Virginia Flake, #2 Westminster, & Hal O The Wind at #3), but the most reviewed.

Uhmmm...

What do these two Tobaccos have in common that could account for this? Well, I know what youre thinking,: Latakia right? Incorrect.

It can't be the Latakia, because as we see above, of the top 3 rated tobaccos two haven't any Latakia at all, and the other hasn't enough to write home about. In fact not until #7 do we encounter a tobacco with a notable Latakia presence. So if Latakia isn't that popular why are so many smokers purchasing and reviewing Penzance & Nightcap?

Hype.

These tobaccos (the hype tells us) are the biggest, badest, most overwhelming tobaccos of all time. Opening a tin will cause your dog to howl, your wife to leave you, and in the end it might likely kill you. And knowing all this, like a car wreck, we've got to go out and see for our selves. Several reviewers wrote that these are the most overrated tobaccos in history. I dont know about that, but I'll bet they take the award for the highest ratio of tobacco sold to tobacco left unsmoked!

Given all this, we've first got to cut through the hype in order to give a proper review. It seems to me that all kinds of people pick up a can of one of these two tobaccos that wouldn't otherwise get near a good English or Balkan if it flew into their cellar. And (surprise?) these folks find these two blends overwhelmingly strong! But, compared to your average medium - full English or Balkan, are they?

Nope.

Filled with Latakia, they are very much medium-bodied tobaccos. To put a finer point on it they are almost delicate, and would be, were it not for the touches of Perique. I am reminded of the Dunhill brand Aperitif. Not for the similarity, but for the slogan that Aperitif was perfect for a before-dinner smoke. Well, Penzanze could well utilize the same motto. It's subtleties are lost on the after-dinner pallet, and this I fear has been its downfall. For it cannot stand up to its own hype. Try it instead as an Apertif, or in the middle of the morning, where its gentle intricacies may be appreciated.

But never after dark. Never after a meal, and never with Scotch.

Anyway, this stuff is quite remarkable. I remember the hype ten years ago when I was smoking my pipes more, but never really got into the Penzance mode. This is very high quality shite, to say the least. I am amazed at the thought that goes into Stonehaven and this cake to make them the most appealing of products, piquing all senses. I enjoy this on occasion, but not as an office smoke. I won't go into specific sensations, but suffice to say it is quite wonderful.

On a side note. The tin is very small and since it is a broken flake tobacco, if you are using a bigger sized pipe, you will need several flakes to fill the bowl. One flake for me barely filled half in my Philip Trypis Freehand pipe, and it is medium size.

* Bad ** Good *** Excellent **** Exceptional

Update: After my fine experience with the first tin, I bought the 8oz pack. I have to agree with other reviewers that something is missing. Not quite the same punch as the tobacco that comes in the tin. Milder and less fragrant. All IMHO of course. The presentation is very nice, same as in the tin, just that it comes in a plastic box, but the flakes are intact, they look exactly like the ones in the tin box. I suppose this is different that what some reviewers refer to as 'bulk'. Maybe those who found the tin overwhelming might even like the bags better. A nice smoke, but one that I would only rate 3 stars.

So in a sense, my 3 star rating is more for how it suited ME rather than a recommendation to others. I give it a 4 star recommendation for lovers of hearty english/balkan blends.

I have recently begun indoctrinating a friend into the fellowship of the leaf. Not knowing his tastes I gave him a sample of a solid aromatic, a non-aromatic virginia blend, and Penzance. I thuroughly expected him to enjoy the aromatic to start but he ended up loving the Penzance!! Now I'm having trouble getting him to try other blends to broaden his palette!!

Beats the Colonel's secret recipe by miles. A need say no more than I have many dozens of tins in storage, far more than any other tobacco, ever. Four stars, only because it is the max I can give it.

It comes in crumble-cake, which is an annoyance if you carry / travel your pipes, but is really the right packaging for this style of tobacco. The tight-packed flakes turn into straight little spikes pretty much on their own, and then they descend into the pipe in a neatly organized and helpful manner. Almost packs itself (if you have a table on which to break up the crumble). I found the tin itself to be insufficiently sealed -- closing the remaining tobacco back up in the tin wasn't tight enough, and it dried out soon. I decided to ziplock the inner tobacco AND the while tin itself. Maybe I just need to smoke faster so that it runs out before it dries out. :)

It has just the right amount of zippy Latakia tang, without being overbearing, for me. It's like the perfect sweet-and-sour sauce. It's easy to light, it stays lit well, it smokes cool and slow or wet and fast, it makes a fine nice white ash. It tends to smoke through the center of the barrel of the bole (does that make sense?) rather than across the whole body of the pot. In other words, the fire drills a core down the middle of the pot-ful, and I found that I had to use a tool several times to bring the sides of the bowl down, in order to gather a lot of unsmoked tobacco down into the belly of the bowl to smoke it.

I would give it top marks but, it's just not "special" enough. Something's missing for the top grade. But it's still excellent work, now one of my main go-to tobaccos.

I like the ritual of flakes. I like to handle tobacco, and this one is delightful. It is not dense like most flakes I play with, but it felt good. I thought it might be overly moist, but it burned very cool and dry with copious amounts of smoke. The tobacco disappeared quickly. Maybe I packed it too lightly, maybe I didn't take enough time?

I don't know much about English blends. Here is what I detected in no particular order. Leather. Durian fruit. A tangy, heart shaped herbal leaf my wife adds to her spring rolls (I don't know what it is, but she calls it hootenany and it does very well in the garden). A spicy something. Incense, very faint. A very slight medicinal mecurachrome, and lots of sweet, sweet tobacco. All very pleasant, very interesting. Nothing to complain about here.

As the bowl progresses, it gets richer, toastier and stronger. I have to slow down a bit near the end to keep it cool and to keep the flavors balanced. I get a tiny bit of gurgle but that's inconsequential to me because the reward is a powerful, creamy, and memorable grand finale.

I call this a complex smoke, I call it wonderful, I ordered a bunch in bulk for aging, and I can't wait to try some after it's been resting a year or two. I can't imagine that it can get better than it is, but other reviewers assure me it will!

Overall, this is a very respectable English Tobacco, Highly recommended for English smokers.

Hmmm.. it seems others have adjusted their ratings too, and not upwards...

(Original 2005 review) Yup, yup, yup... Scroll thru the list and count the 4-stars. There's good reason. Excellent quality latakia showcase tobacco. I don't do Dunhill any more, Esoterica does anything they do better, more consistently and without declining quality. Enough said already here; I have little to add. Love the crumble-able flakes and the small efficient tin easily pocketable. A classic for the ages, legendary stuff in our own time.

My first impressions of Penzance were less than favorable and although it didn't meet my initial expectations, there was something about it that kept bringing me back. The crumble cake flake is a very nice texture and humidity. Packs perfectly and burns cool. I don't know if this is a complex smoke, however it is full and satisfying. I prefer this over Odyssey, but Old Ironsides was better than both.

Sadly, this will not make it into my rotation for now. However much I love it, I love Pease's Westminster even more. And while Stokkebyes Balkan Supreme is not quite as sophisticated, it is oh so much cheaper.

Nevertheless, if you lean even slightly toward the balkan-English-blur-the-lines blends, you owe yourself at least one tin of Penzance.

But tonight, swamped under a pile of work so big I can't even dream my way through, I reached to the back of the drawer looking for the drug I needed to help me through. And I found her and rescued her from the darkness. She's tiny for one who's been with so many.

The upshot?

Ladies and Gentlemen...I'd like to introduce you to Mrs. Penzance Beaupipe.

Exquisite.

Either this tobacco has changed or my taste buds have. This is monotonous and overpowering, with no subtlety. Abingdon is better than this, but I prefer Westminster -- there is just more going on.

--

Quite possibly the world's most perfect tobacco.

It gives me that almost indefinable quality of smoking 'satisfaction' - that fulfillment feeling - right from the start. It is a very well-behaved smoke; never weak or biting. It is very consistent across tins - you can rely on it.

The taste is deep; you know that it's there without it having anything much that strikes you as easily identifiable in the flavour - so there's nothing to get bored with! I would contrast it with many of the other luxury 'English' (as Americans seem to call them - I'm English) blends containing Latakia, in that some of these have very little weight at all - you puff them in and out and there's nothing there but the dry, ashy, smokiness. Penzance adds a full bottom note to that, balancing it and making it complete.

Interesting that some people report soapiness to the taste - I have never noticed that. Also, it seems that bulk lots often receive unfavourable comments - that is why I only ever buy small, airtight tins of anything.

I have noticed that good tobaccos can some times receive bad reviews - can it be that the local, seasonal climate where people live can effect the taste of their tobacco? Humid conditions at certain times of the year here in Queensland (Australia) certainly seem to put me off some tobaccos that I usually like. can anyone tell me more about this aspect of climate & tobacco taste?

PS I notice that several reviewers say that they rub out the flakes fully - I don't do this. Instead (as I was taught years ago) I merely tease them a little as I fold them and load directly into the bowl, and add some crumbs to the top to help lighting. If there are no crumbs around, I just fluff the very top of the flake a little. Does this make it taste better, I wonder.

I had bought two 2 ounce tins and loved the stuff so stinkin' much that I went ahead and bought two 8 oz. bags. Now I'm stuck with one pound of compost.

This bulk stuff is like comparing a corncob to a Dunhill. It finishes soapy where it used to finish clean. It burns when it used to roll by like a cool summer breeze. It gives little smoke when it used to yield smoke like the Denver skyline. You get the picture?

Is this just the bulk that's gone bad or is it the little guys too? Somebody's gots some 'splainin to do.

If you see a tin that was made in 2007 or earlier GET IT!! If not, remove your hat, say, "I'd love to Penny but you've changed," put your hat back on, then walk off into the sunset. -Z

I filled my Stanwell bulldog with the finely broken up pieces after some drying time (6 hours. It still had that odd feel to it) Penzance filled and lit very well. It took off with a great volume of smoke and no relights were needed.

This is a well behaved tobacco offering only a little bite when over-puffed. The taste was very dominantly that of Latakia, and the aroma was the same. The Orientals winked at me, but not very often and the VAs seemed to be lost. I like a well balanced English and this simply was not...I found it to be very singular in its taste and aroma. It was boring and I found myself longing for a bowl of Squadron Leader (my favorite English).

After cleansing my palate with a gulp of water there was a strange soapy like taste that remained for hours.

I'm glad I finally got to try this blend, but it certainly was not as great as other's here thought. Oh well, there's no accounting for taste and to a lover of full blown Latakia blends this would be great, especially due to the great burning characteristics.

Packing & Lighting: If one is careful, each slice can be pulled out of the tin. The slices are easily rubbed out. No residue is left on the fingers. Just gravity-feed into the bowl, then tamp as it is smoked; no problems or concerns, easy. Done in this manner, two slices easily fill a bowl. It takes two matches and a strong effort to keep it lit, with puffing. Took two relights down the bowl, in very humid weather.

Taste & Aroma: Soft, smooth, silghtly creamy, and spicy, a Balkan blend, in that the emphasis is on the orientals. There is not much taste or aroma to it. Burns a little hot on the tongue and multiple bowls wear the mouth out, the effects lingering into the next day. Further down the bowl, a mild smoky Latakia aroma evolves.

Nicotine: mild to medium, closer to medium.

Room Note: medium.

Overall: For some odd reason, I'd reminded of Squadron leader, which is much better. I experience little of the strong effects or problems many have reported. Penzance is an interplay of smoky Latakia and creamy, soft orientals, the orientals making it a Balkan blend.

Only the very finest tobacco, whether pipe or cigar, has the ability to make you stop what you?re doing, sit down, and release your mind for a little while. Penzance is one of these.

I suppose most folks will find this blend on the heavy side, yet it falls on the mild side of my taste curve. I prefer as a summer smoke, letting the smooth creaminess, fill my taste buds. A nice but not too bold Latakia presence, takes turns with the Orientals to deliver some great variations through the Virginia's. Burns smooth and clean, the crumble cake may take some adjusting to learn to pack.

The blend age's well and worth putting up.

Recommend to all English blend enthusiasts, and the Va/Per smokers who like to kick it up a notch, on occasion. I doubt it will do much for aromatic fans.

This one has no bite and is a complex smooth smoke with a satisfying amount of Latakia. It burns well and leaves no after taste for me. A creamy wonderful tasting tobacco. I really like the crumbly texture and the way it goes into my pipe so easily. Highest recommendation and well worth the money.

Update: July 22, 2008: I am in total agreement with comments made by BriarChef in his review!

03/06/2009 Penzance is one of the finest blends I have ever tried. The tin aroma suggests fine tobacco, and the smoking of that tobacco confirms it. The crumble cake form is easy to load. My tin was a bit too moist, but about 45 minutes of airing rendered it ready for bowl and match. This amazing blend could could easily be an all day blend for me. Smooth flavor, no toungue bite, but rather a "coolness" on the tongue. The "coolness" is not the result of any flavoring or casing, but the result of tobacco components that work very well together. Highly recommended to any pipester.

The presentation is nice, however, the flakes crumble much too easily and once a few have been removed from the tin the remaining flakes become more or less rubbed out within the tin itself. The tobacco is also extremely moist and not in a good way; it is almost like it was sprayed or soaked in some sort of chemical prior to packaging. I will finish this tin because I do enjoy the latakia and the smoke is smooth, but I will not be ordering more.

Am I the only one who gets a chemical sensation from the taste and aroma of Penzance?

I keep coming back to this blend so I can give a non-bias review. Upon lighting this stuff up, it has a strong taste to it and remains that way all the way down. No doubt you can taste the Latakia & Orientals. The room aroma is strong and very harsh. Takes awhile to air out a room after smoking this stuff and will linger on your taste buds for a while and leave a pretty ?turd like? nasty after- taste?.IMO. NOT RECOMMENDED BEFORE A DATE! I must say, you have to have a taste for this. For me, I?m kinda sitting on the fence with this one. It surely won?t impress non-smokers and I only recommend this if you are by yourself?..almost the feeling of eating garlic?..tastes great but be prepared for the strong aftermath! I think a person has to try this one as this may be their favorite or?.worst.

The First Penzance 8oz Tobacco Pack We Recieved Was Good ~ Very Good ~BUT~ After That ~ Well Read on If U Dare

When It Was Time To Purchase Some More Penzance ~ They Were OUT of Stock From ALL Tobacco Online Shops

So We WAITED ~ When The Online Shop Got It in Stock We Purchase THREE Penzance 8oz Tobacco Packs

Another Thing ThIS WEB Site Will Not Let Us Say The Tobacco Shop That They Are In BED With ~ They Don't Want To Lose Any FKen Business

We Have NOW Tried ALL Three Packs ~N~ It's ALL Very BAD Tobacco

We Have Around a Dozen or So Pipes To Smoke From ~ We've Been Smoking Pipes For Around 14yrs ~ We Cleaned All Our Pipes Several Time Just To Make Sure It Wasn't Our Pipes

This Tobacco NOW Get's a 4 Star Review ~ For Being So Bad ~ So Very BAD ~ This Company Esoterica Tobacciana That Mix's Penzance Tobacco ~ Mix's Really Very BAD Tobacco

We Think That The Tobacco Company Esoterica Tobacciana USED Any OLD Tobacco They HAD In Stock ~ Just So They Could Ship That DAM Penzance 8oz Tobacco Out

It Had Be Out of Stock For a While ~N~ We Think They Saw They Were Losing To Much Money By Not Selling This Penzance Tobacco

We Will NEVER Purchase Any Thing From Esoterica Tobacciana Ever Again

Thx U ~ In Advance For Taking The Time To Read This Review of ONE BAD Tobacco Penzance ~N~ The Company That Mix's It Esoterica Tobacciana

Thx Again ~ The GRIM REAPER

Penzance handled and packed well. No relights after the initial char. This baccy has a lot going on in it. Lots of pleasant flavors, one of which oddly enough is of a brand new baseball glove! Very earthy in that kind of way. No bite at all. The latakia never gets overpowering or outstays it's welcome.

The room note gets different reviews depending on the company I'm keeping at the time. Other smokers don't find it objectionable, those who are sensitive don't much care for it.

I'll bring along a tin every once in a while when I wish I could get in a smoke at work. Just get it out and enjoy the aroma......... MMMMM........ nice!

Although this community seems remarkably civil I still fear to criticize this much-touted blend. In light of all of the overwhelming opinion of seasoned veterans of smoking, I find this tobacco to be...okay. The aroma of the unburnt tobacco has a moldy tang that is interesting--the latakia isn't heavyhanded or crude. But I'm finding this blend to burn hotter than I desire and no matter how I rub the flake I cannot achieve what I desire from a good bowl of tobacco. I think I may know what it is: as a former cigarette consumer I commonly made my own cigarettes, experimenting with dozens and dozens of tobaccos. And I always hated Turkish blends. They never tasted like anything good to me and I suspect my hatred of said leaf might be ruining my enjoyment of Penzance. I will keep the tin, however, and see how it tastes in 6 months or so. Sorry to be the voice of dissent--and I thank everyone who has been contributing to TobaccoReviews for so long. You've guided me (More often than not!) to great smoking and given me wonderful insight.

Am I just unlucky to have ordered 2 bags from different tobacco shops and both being almost unsmokable ? possible. Has this blend become so popular that trying to keep up with the demand that quality control has suffered ? probable.

If I had written this review after the first or second tin my rating would have been 4 stars. Considering only 4 of the 20 ounces were enjoyable bringing the cost to 21.27 per ounce of smokable tobacco, 2 stars here is very generous. The hopes that these two bags were an anomaly keeps this one out of the 1 star group.

UPDATE--I'm docking it one star because I found it fussy to work with and I started to detect an unpleasant soapy taste.

Original review, 11/11/2006: WOW! I believe this is probably the finest English blend on the market today. It's as close to a perfect tobacco as one can find. The presentation is flawless, the taste has to be experienced to be believed, and the cut/burning qualities are wonderful. It burns cool, it doesn't bite easily, and the flavors are perfectly balanced. It's a very smooth, creamy smoke, and IMO goes best with coffee or strong tea. My one complaint is that it seems to be extremely low in nicotine, a feature that might be a plus to others.

For a truly pure "English" tobacco with no added flavoring, I would recommend Asbury by Pease or Nightcap by Dunhill.

Now don't get me wrong, this is a quality blend and I liked it well enough, though it is very similar to Frogmorton and is more difficult to smoke. I would say I liked it more than I disliked it.

Monotone Latakia dominates the smoke with the VAs etc. being barely noticeable. If you want to taste latakia-spice flavoring and little else, this your magic mix.

Penzance is a flavored smoke with a moderate nicotine level, mild to medium strength, and more like the Frog than not. The flakes are too moist and must be babied for a decent smoke. And yes, it is a flake, as the description above says it is, and as anyone can see upon opening the tin.

Frogmorton has everything Penzance has and more. Frogmorton is easier to light and keep lit, and has much less gurgle. Penzance smokes wet every time, but I still enjoyed it somewhat.

Now,,, Penzance is not without its charm and being a flake tobacco will make some folks turn flips just because it is an "English Flake." I require more than that for the top rating however.

An unadulterated, unflavored "classic English flake" Penzance is not.

2 stars., good topping, taste and aroma but too much gurgle etc.

Get some Frogmorton and you'll have everything there is here without the hassle.

If I buy more Frog, I probably won't buy more Penzance. As for now, I find Penzance too pricey and too high maintenance.

Penzance is not cased in any way, just pure tobacco with an all tobacco taste and is more of an Oriental/Turkish blend. While there is a little Latakia leaf in Penzance, the presentation is very delicate, not at all heavy like, say, Frog Morton or Old Ironsides which are predominantly Latakia blends. Penzance, of course, is not.

Upon lighting, your palate will quickly be washed in the full, rich flavor of the mixture. While there is plenty of latakia, it is not overwhelming at all. The blender expertly combined all of the ingredients necessary to please just about anyone.

The smoke is thick, rich and creamy. There are a variety of flavors as you work your way down the bowl, all of them good. Although heavy in flavor, I could and have smoked this stuff all day and night without fatigue. It is best though after dinner. If, like me, you do not normally heed the call of latakia tobacco blends, this will make you whistle a different tune. The oriental leaf is subtle, refined and smooth. Just delightful!

Update (2/5/05) It has been about three years since I posted the above review, and my impressions of this tobacco have, if anything, improved. Because of the decent amount of Virginia leaf in Penzance, it ages especially well for an English style tobacco blend. Sublime stuff!

Original Review - Well there isn't much to be said that hasn't been said but I'll still put in my two cents. This is a very easy smoke. I didn't have to dry or otherwise mess with it to get a perfect burn. This smoke is right on the cusp of my taste buds so sometimes I think it's mild and other times I think it has great taste. It seems to be better of late, so either my taste buds have perked up or this is better after sitting a while. I will definitely keep some on hand and will try the tin next time to see if that is better since I got this batch in a foil bag. Still this stuff is excellent!

It's not quite a latakia powerhouse, but it's close. It has a very good flavor, reminiscent of aromatic resins, peat, and a hint of pine, which are balanced by a high quality virginia and flavorful orientals. On reflection, I am betting that the latakia was smoked with peat that had frankincense, benzoin, myrrh, and perhaps bay leaves or juniper thrown on as well.

As with all latakia blends, I just can't seem to taste much else for ages after smoking it.

The tin aroma is a little strong and so is the room note, so smoke this one outside on the balcony or during a stroll through the woods.

I think I'll stick to dunhill's london mixture however, as it is a quite a bit stronger in the nicotine department, and the flavors blend together better. Plus, I can start to taste food again the next morning, instead of the following afternoon.

However, if you like latakia, give this one a try. It might become your favorite tobacco. I'll definitely be keeping a few tins of this for the occasional smoke.

*Update*

I am now buying this by the 8 ounce pack. I've discovered that if I leave a few flakes to dry overnight until bone dry and crumbly, the latakia aftertaste does not persist longer than 6-7 hours. If I could get the aftertaste down to 30-45 minutes, this tobacco would possibly be my holy grail. Penzance is definitely in my top 5 with best brown, club blend, vintage flake, and Kendal flake.

Update 18 November 07:

I came across a sealed Mason Jar of this stuff that has remained hidden in a dark closet for the past two years. As wonderful as Penzance was two years ago, I believe that this sample contains one of the best tobaccos I've ever enjoyed. There is simply none finer.

I just had a fleeting image in my mind of a future time when, perhaps, this becomes one of those revered blends (like BS 759) whose passing is mourned by smokers everywhere. Perish the thought!

I would rather choose GLP Odyssey over this when I am in the mood for a full English since that blend seems to change its taste more down the bowl. However, Penzance is VERY cool burning and works well in thin-walled pipes that otherwise are too hot to handle with most tobaccos. It smokes well outdoors and easily stays lit.

Highly Recommended

I find this tobacco to be extremely well balanced because the quality of the virginias matches the Latakia. Second, the crumble cake cut allows the smoker to rub it out to their liking.

My tins were just a little moist for my liking upon opening, but some air made it just right.

I tend to enjoy this tobacco best in a size 5 poker with a pretty deep bowl. I did not like it as much in a shallow size 4 or a pipe with a tapered bowl.

Upon initial lighting and the 1st few puffs I sensed the Latakia spice and the Va sweetness as seperate components. I find this stuff really starts to sing at mid-bowl, where the flavors harmonize to produce a very organic earthy flavor.

The burning qualities are excellent, if it is packed correctly. Using the air-pocket method, I twist a wad into the top portion of the bowl, with some sprinkles to get it lit. Usually a one match affair.

I find the room note extremely pleasant. Non-smokers disagree.

All in all one of the best pipe tobaccos out there!!!

My tin was old and very dry-ish. The flakes were crumbly and wonderful, resulting in an almost cube-like texture. The tabac loads easily and smokes amazingly cool. The flavor is so complex...there's no way to get my mind around it! I suspect I'll need to smoke pounds and pounds to figure it out! Suffice it to say, this may be the most wonderful latakia blend (perhaps the most wonderful of all blends) in the world. I pledge to never run out of this amazing mystery of tobacco blending technology. 5 out of 4 stars!

Get some!

A flavorful and rich smoking experience.

As a side note, I smoked Krumble Kake by Smoker's Haven once at the Chicago show this year, and I think I liked it better (in spite, you should note, of the moisture of that blend). Probably because of the syrian leaf instead of cyprian.

Everyone should try Penzance once, but it has not become a go-to blend for me yet.

I'm normally averse to blends heavily laden with latakia and based on the aroma was even more reluctant to smoke it. Do NOT be put off by ABSSiegel comment, "If you don't love latakia, stay away!" You'll taste the latakia for sure, but the way in which it is tempered by the virginias is amazing. This is a must try for anyone who enjoys English blends. I would recommend it even to those who smoke only Virgina blends.

On lighting up, I discovered what has become one of the top ten blends in my rotation. Penzance has a distinctive flavor unlike any other I had ever smoked. I've since tried Krumble Kake, a similar tobacco that just doesn't measure up to Penzance.

Creamy, nutty, pungent, and smoky are, at best,inadequate descriptions of this truly remarkable tobacco.

Packs and lights easily, and burns to the bottom of the bowl to a light grey ash. Smokes cool all the way down without a trace of bite.

Works well in any size briar or meerschaum.

Works very well with DGT.

If you do like this blend, buy some to age. I'm now smoking some from a four year old tin. It is even more mellow and flavorful than from a fresh tin.

Penzance and Stonehaven are, IMHO, the finest blends made by Esoterica.

Arguably, Penzance is the finest tobacco ever blended.

Update: when I wrote this, I had tried both this tobacco and it's sister; Margate. I found Margate to be cloying and strong. But a year later I find this to be almost reversed. Still one of the best ever Balkans though.

The concensus of this many reviewers and the accumulated highest rating is no accident. This is terrific stuff. Splurge. Get it.

5 starts out of 4.

This is one of, if not THE finest smokes on the planet.

*****

Eee-gads! I'm almost out! Time to stop reviewing and start ordering.

Basically, my whole reason for chiming in here is just to say that occasionally, you have to stop trying to analyze the technique and just sit back and allow yourself to be awed by the execution. By that, I mean to say that if a poem moves you, does it really matter to you whether it's in iambic pentameter or free verse? Probably not. In the same vein, I really couldn't tell you what it is that makes Penzance blend so special. Quality of leaf? Proportions of constituent tobaccos? That extra dose of Crackotine (tm) that they heap on at the end? Maybe. But, honestly, I don't know, and, to a certain degree, I really don't care. All I know is that whatever they're doing, it's working. I'm just glad this stuff exists and that I live in a time when I can enjoy it.

At the end of the performance, when the rest of the room is already giving a standing ovation, the performers will never notice whether or not you follow suit. But if you feel moved, the spirit will drive you to your feet.

So here I am. Standing. Applauding.

Four stars.

Only one word describes this tobacco and that word is DELICIOUS. This is very close, if not identical, to Smoker's Haven Krumble Kake and a whole lot easier to purchase as it is carried by Tobacconists nearly everywhere.

Rubs out easily, packs neatly and lights well. Smokes to a fine white ash.

Taste could be described as smoky with just a hint of natural sweetness in the background. Provides a full, creamy and tasty smoking experience for the latakia lover.

I always keep a tin on hand.

UPDATE: Ok, Ok. This was my first review so perhaps I was over zealous. I have smoked an entire tin of this stuff in the last couple of days and while it is still just as good as ever, it tends to stay on your taste buds quite a long time. I think Ill switch over to Frog Morton or 965 for a while until the craving for Penzance comes back.

Penzance is outstandingly rich, complex, and satisfying. This tobacco made a full-time pipe smoker out of me. A wife pleaser it ain't, but that doesn't matter that much because I only smoke in my den. It's unmatched and without peers. My tip: Go for the bulk, it'll save you some hard earned dough. Enjoy!

I first tried this in the spring of 2005, thinking it might be a good, strong blend to keep the bees away through the summer. After just a couple of puffs, I realized that I'd smoke Penzance even if it caused the bees to sit on the bowl of my pipe. Two years later, it remains just as revelatory, and it's the only "regular" in my constantly expanding tobacco lineup.

So I ordered a tin of Penzance from Pipesandcigars (who do carry it in bulk as well, currently 24 smackers for a half a pound). It came today; I loaded a family era Saseini bulldog and have been smoking this stuff most of the day such as it is.

The tin presentation is nice. Rows of black and brown flake stacked horizontally to give a ribbed effect like serrated fudge. The smell from the tin made me salivate. I rubbed out a few flakes just to see how it rubs, though it?s pliable enough to just fold into a pipe.

Given the reviews for some reason I was expecting something overpowering like Dunhill?s nightcap mixed with Chinese gunpowder (I like nightcap sans gunpowder Chinese or otherwise). Penzance is a lot more sublime than that. Nicotine wise it is not a lightweight, but flavor wise it?s a subtle and sublime, dark and mellow on the tongue, the taste equivalent of a bassoon, with hints of other reeds harmonizing in the background yet never a discordant sip.

I?m also very happy that this is not exactly like Germains as I am in awe of both blends for similar reasons, but as these tines go to the forefront of my tobaccos I can expect a different sublime experience from each. It?s a shame I can?t give more than just the four stars here.

This is a blend of Va.s, turkish , oriental and Latakias togeter they sing in harmoney, Upon opening the tin I first had a hard time defining what I smelled Not bad at all but different a somewhat Smokey Beef Jerky mixed with an old woodsey smell.

It being a crumble cake I prefer to just fold and stuff, It smokes cool with no bite just giving off oodles of creamy and delicious smoke.It burns clean and remains the same consistancy to the bottom.

No problem to get and keep lit, The after taste is a very pleasent soapy flavor, Leaving you with the urge to light up another bowl.

So gather round real close because I am going to whisper this very quietly..... "if you haven't tried it already do yourself a favor and do so. This is a blend I hope to never be without" Now I will Yell, "DO YOUR SELF THIS FAVOR AND TRY IT "

I Have only got four stars to give it, But I believe it deserves one more.

hoo-boy

The Latakia was noticable, but not in great quantity, as were the Orientals. I wanted to find what so many others have found in this tobacco, but it was not there for me. A very good middle English blend.

So, I will just go on the record as saying this is one of the finest tobaccos I have smoked.

The Krumble Kake format is, to me, a definite disadvantage, simply because I find ribbon cuts far easier to pack. Fold-and-stuff does not, in my experience, work so well with Penzance. Everything has to be just so for this blend to reveal its merits. You need to find the right pipe, and the right pack, and stick with it religiously. When it?s on, it?s about as good as it gets. But there are lots of blends just as good that aren?t so finicky.

If you like full Latakia blends, and haven't tried this, you really should. There aren't too many Krumble Kake blends out there either, so just learning to smoke this was fun for me.

How good is it? Well here is my prediction: In the fullness of time, all good things come to an end. We have all seen it happen, with the passing of Murrays for example. Well some day, when Germain finally fades into glory, old pipesters will wail and gnash their teeth, much like some of our compatriots do about Balkan Sobranie...so don't miss out!

[[[ UPDATE ]]] I changed my recommendation from ** to ***. When I first tried this smoke I thought it was disgusting, but now I guess the more I smoke it the more I grow to like it. This is a great tobacco. I will be purchasing more.

Images evoked include a psoriasis-stricken woman unexpectedly meeting a vampire with a red bloodcell affliction forcing him to solely dine on flakes of shedding skin.

Other latakia blends that I have smoked have been so strong that I could not enjoy them beyond a little taste at a time. Penzance is mild enough to smoke frequently. However, if you do not like the taste of a latakia, you probably will not appreciate this wonderful tobacco.

For the english smoker this is a must try.

Cheers!

Honest disclosure here- I bought a tin of Penzance because I'm a confirmed Anglophile and I love Gilbert & Sullivan. I know, silly reason. Fact is, brand name is a powerful advertising tool.

I opened the tin and, like many others here, was not optimistic. A couple of bowls, however, and I was in love. I can't give the details like the more experienced and knowledgable here. I just know I REALLY like it.

I have a couple of others in my rotation, but nothing yet can match (The Pirates of) Penzance!

I really wanted to like this blend, and tried really hard to do so. But it just didn't do it for me. The latakia was definitely present, but I couldn't quite discern anything else in the mixture. And it's not like the latakia was overpowering everything else. Just that I didn't find much enjoyable flavor to it. It wasn't bad, just not my kind of stuff. I like the orientals to come forth a little more in a blend like this; some spiciness to balance out the latakia.

Like many I was struck by the tin aroma when it arrived in the mail. I had heard latakia was smoky, and it indeed smelled like hickory or beef jerkey, but there was an added element I was not prepared for... something that smelled chemical-like (i still cannot pinpoint it). My friend claimed he had an allergic reaction to this stuff, and he is allergic to different sorts of plants. We speculated anise or fennel. Regardless, it did not affect me, so I cannot say the smell or taste were detrimental to this smoking experience. There is a good aftertaste that is left that dwindles into a kind of soapy aftertaste when some time has passed. Not good, not really bad. If anyone has any further suggestions as to a casing, etc. let me know, I am interested to find out now.

Upon lighting I was greeted with a very mellow smoky taste, very pleasant. I thought that maybe this taste would decline, but it only increased in its complexity. I thought the first bowl was great, yet each successive bowl of Penzance seems to get better and better. Relights occur sometimes but are not a nuisance because they are not harsh. Rubbing out in bigger pieces yields more relights but a longer smoke. I have a small briar, and Ive had it last an hour plus. Rubbing out into small pieces yields a more satisfying smoke for me, and I do not mind that a few pieces escape out of the mouthpiece on test draws.

I say that the room note is "Tolerable to Strong" based on what others (non-pipe-smokers) have said but, personally, I loved the smell when others have smoked it in my presence. I give Penzance 4 stars because it is my first experience with a full-bodied, complex smoke. I am quickly trying other english blends to see how they stack up. 965 seems to lack the complexity in flavor, but seems more crisp somehow and the effect is increased when smoke is let out the nose. Some say that Penzance lacks in the nicotine department, but I get the same kick from 965. I think people want this to be too perfect! My rating may one day decrease, but as it stands, 4 stars. A wonderful tobacco.

IMHO, Penzance tries to be too comprehensive of a smoke. Your senses are slapped with wave after wave of the aforementioned complexities. This is normally a good thing, but the problem I have with Penzance is that it drenches the lining of my mouth with an unpleasant essence that remains there long after I finish the smoke, possibly due to a casing. I wouldn?t call this a morning smoke, for me it works better after a grilled porterhouse steak and a baked potato topped with sour cream and chive, with plenty of Napa Valley Cabernet.

It may be evident that my review is biased by my fondness of VAPER. However, I do sprinkle in latakia and other exotics throughout the week. I hope this critique does not sound too harsh on Penzance. I wouldn?t discourage anyone from testing this blend. I intend to keep a small amount around for that occasion when nothing else fits the mood. Having said all this, I can only give Penzance 3 of 4 stars.

No bite. Burns well.

When my long anticipated tin of Penzance arrived in the mail, I could not open it fast enough. Upon opening the tin, I was greeted with the smell of used Band-Aids. My thought was that it may smell terrible, but it is going to taste great lit. I prepared my pipe and lit up. The smoke was very mild, and easily inhalable with no noticable nicotine. Everything was to like about this tobacco. It lit easily and stayed lit. It produced lots of smoke. It smoked dry with no tongue bite. The only problem was the taste, and the taste was putrid. I laid my half full pipe down, and went for another pipe and the other new (to me) brand that I had purchased.

I have smoked several bowls since, hoping it would grow on me, but with no better results. I think I am going to have to give this stuff away.

If you haven't tried this, go out now and do so. May this always be in production. People have said the room note isn't good... I tend to smoke alone and happen to love it. I love everything about this tobacco, the crumble cake it comes in, the smell before and after lighting, the flavor, the strength... amazing.

edit: this is still, by far, my favorite latakia. I don't take to Frog Morton very well after this stuff - it's like its watered-down brother that sort of approaches the wonderful goodness that is Penanze but falls far short.

I'm going to buy a 20oz bag soon-ish and keep it in a Mason jar. I imagine this will help the problem I'm about to describe. In the tin, after two or three weeks, this stuff dries out quite a bit. In my first tin, I didn't like it at all after this, in my second, the dull, musty flavor wasn't as evident but I was able to finish it off and enjoy it as well. But this is a tobacco that shines just after opening... after a week or two it does get a little iffy. This doesn't effect my rating as I don't usually have a tin around long enough to worry about it, or it's relegated to the last two bowls of the tin. I imagine keeping it in a Mason jar will keep it from drying out as quickly.

I'm going to downgrade this to three stars. I think it is a very good tobacco, I love the "incence" aroma but I have to agree it lacks a little in the nicotine stakes. Also when it dries out a bit it really loses complexity and becomes "soapy" - for this reason I would buy it in future in the small tin not the 8oz pack.

Gentlemen,

being new to pipe smoking I don't have the experience of others to bring to my reviews, although I am very much enjoying getting there! I can safely say though that this blend is the first where I can really taste the varying flavours and the changes throughout the bowl - as a novice I thought I was missing something but it was just that I was not smoking the right tobaccos! What wonderful stuff this is. Out of the packet it smells of damp musky autum leaves (it feels like a winter smoke to me) but hold a flame to it and a thick incence like tobacco aroma fills the room. The smell is so good that I enjoy nosing the trails of smoke from the bowl for a *very* gentle inhale. It is best when smoked *very* slowly so you must put aside a couple of hours for it. I have an Ed Burak bent apple with a large bowl which can be prone to smoking a bit wet but with a slow smoke of Penzance it was cool and dry. I agree with other reviewers that this tobacco should be kept for a treat and not an everyday smoke - you really need to devote time to gently coaxing the best from it. Afterward smell the ouside of the still warm bowl for a delicious hit of spicyness - ahhh isn't that what pipe smoking is all about?

The smoke is full bodied and delicious. It's very easy on the palate, always a cool & dry smoke that burns beautifully into a very tidy, fine grey ash. This also seems to lend itself to a smooth break-in of a pipe. Being a member of a very high Episcopal church, the aroma is reminiscent of church incense. Despite it's strong scent, it doesn't seem to linger, fortunately or unfortunately depending on your point of view.

For latakia fanatics, such as myself, this is a fabulous all day smoke too. Aside from the Donegal Rocky, I find that this blend smokes well in pipes generally devoted to Dunhill's Nightcap.

Great stuff. The -.5 star is for the format. Even though I love to play with crumble cake, I'm usually to busy working to worry about the tobacco density in my bowl- enjoy

I bought an ounce from a bulk container at my local B&M. I liked it so much that I went back and bought a 2-oz tin. Still enjoyed it. Then I bought an 8-oz pack. Big mistake.

No, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. But it's no longer part of my regular rotation. I don't know, maybe I've just smoked too much of it. I'll wait a few more weeks and give it another try. As I said, maybe I'm just burned out.

I had such high hopes for it, too, after reading the reviews here. As far as the room note, it was hard for me to put it into words until I smoked it at work and a couple of people told me it smelled like "incense at high mass." That's exactly it.

UPDATE: I am now into my second tin, and only one word can describe this blend: transcendent. Penzance produces a rich, velvety smoke in large volumes. It is filled with creamy spice and nuances, it cannot be compared. I have performed an exhaustive search to find something even close, I believe it doesn't exist. This is simply the smooth epic English blend that all of us are looking for. It is so good I cannot smoke it everyday, it's like a fine cigar, it requires a special occasion and the right mood.

I had trouble getting it to stay lit and the taste was very strong at first. The trick seems to be to crumble the flake into the bowl without mashing it too much, then keeping it fluffy. It does NOT need to be packed to burn well. This blend has a very low tolerance for man-handling. If you shove it in the bowl and cram it down it will burn unevenly and flash from one strong taste to another. But once you get it packed nice and loose it burns clean and its flavors mix perfectly. Because of the tricky nature of the leaf and the fact that you have to keep it fluffy, I don't consider this a great trail baccy. Frog Morton OTT is better in that department. But for a deep, rich smoke with just enough latakia to keep it rich without being overwhlemed by that "essence of damp campfire" found with so man many other modern English blends.

It's a pretty heavy tobacco, at least to my pallet. It's best smoked apart from lighter blends. I smoked some Arcadia after a pipe of it and the Penzance taste still in my mouth clashed badly. It's a good smoke with peaty single malts or after earthy food like mushrooms and grouse. I would not call it an all day smoke, at least not unless you're a very serious pipe smoker.

An interesting note is how the cakes are pressed together with a mildly floral sauce. I like this. Few and far between are mixtures that attempt any sort of fusion between Latakia and the classic Lakeland aromatics. I have attempted to produce such a blend a few times myself. Be assured, they were nowhere as good as Penzance.

Regards, A. Morley Jaques

The amazing Virginians of Rattray (Old Gowrie, Marlin Flake, HOW), the standards of Dunhill (965, EMP, NC), and the Balkan delight of Pease Odyssey all have qualities by which I measure all others. And then there is Penzance. Char then light and moderate attention allows a smoke without relight. The tastes, both complex and simple, all the way through the bowl are nothing short of amazing. Penzance follows your desire, no searching necessary. Smoke it fast or smoke it slow ? either way is fine. You lead this dance, not the other way around.

My exhaustive search for the perfect smoke still continues, but it is no longer as intense thanks to the placating qualities of Penzance.

The aging process creates a smooth creamy smoke but it is very complex as it's mottled appearance would suggest, not a homogenized mixture despite its appearance post handling. Its near impossible to just fold this as you would a more leathery slice. It virtually crumbles to a soil like form. I'll let you know when I'm actually able to smoke it as a flake.

I describe it as toasted Balkan. Wonderful stuff.

As with many tobaccos this requires a little time before you will master the technique that works for you. It took me a few bowls full before I understood that Penzance needed to be packed a bit more gently and tamping needed to be classic ... just the ash. If there is one characteristic of this tobacco that is fussy, its the fact that it doesn't react well to heavy hands and will only partially reward you if you don't treat it accordingly.

Cheers, VC

This is an excellently balanced composition, with all the flavours merging together to sing a fine chordal progression. The cut has its advantages - ease of packing - and disadvantages - dries too soon - but on the whole is an interesting alternative to ribbons and flakes. The relative lack of nicotine means it can be smoked all day if the tastebuds are upto the task. As fine an example of modern day blending as any.

I had heard about the flavor fading if the tobacco dried, so I took my 8 oz tray of flakes and put them all in a Mason jar when I first opened it. The flakes are very fragile, and crumble away to nothing if you are not very careful with them. It remains in good condition, but it is disappearing quickly because I like it.

The burning characteristics of this blend make me suspect that it has been treated with something. First, the flavor disappears if the tobacco is dried before smoking. This is not normal. Second, the flakes are quite damp in their normal state, but do not require any extraordinary measures to ignite and burn cleanly to a dry, white ash. It's a very dry smoke for me, and this makes me suspicious that there is more than just tobacco in here.

One more characteristic I did not see in other reviews is that this blend burns for a long time. Pipes that normally give me a 45 min smoke with other blends last for well over an hour with Penzance.

Everyone should try this. Suspicions aside, this has become a regular smoke for me.

Everything is great about this tobac except no Nicotine !!!

If packed and smoked slowly and carefully, Penzance has a wonderful and subtle complexity of sweet Virginias and orientals that weave in and out with the deep background of the latakia. This is an outstanding contemplative blend. Sweet, smokey, & spicy. Rush your smoking and you are left with merely a wonderful creamy and sweet latakia powerhouse.

This review is based on smoking pounds of this wonderful weed over 8 years. I really enjoy Virginia blends, VA/P blends as well as oriental and latakia blends.

Why another Penzance review? I think I can offer a few suggestions to really enjoying this tobacco. Just because I may be arrogant, doesn't mean that I'm not right (big grin). Also, because it is just that good.

Basically, there are two important factors that make this blend sing for me.

1. Pack it loosely and don't tamp it down much at all. When tamping, do it with a very light hand. I refer the reader to Mephisto's prior recommendations on packing. I still find that breaking it up into crumbles and gravity filling the bowl works best. I've also gently inserted the "slices" into the bowl and twisted lightly, rubbed up the top a bit and smoked.

I also like to let it air out for about 10 minutes max. This slight drying seems to help keep the tobacco from clumping in the bowl and I find I relight less often. Caution: the essential oils seem to evaporate quickly past 10 minutes and such will reduce the flavor.

2. Smoke this like a bitey Virginia, i.e., slowly. Enjoy the sidestream smoke as well. Pay attention to Penzance, and she will reward you with riches.

3. Penzance works best in a dedicated briar pipe of medium or smaller size. Billiards and slightly bent billiard/calabashes seems to work best for me. Pots and shallow bowled pipes don't do as well. Meers work well with it, conforming to these rough dimensions. Penzance, and other latakia or blends with a subtle complexity to them just suck in a corn cob IMO.

Now that I've got some, I can easily agree. Penzance is like smoking butter. I'm not exactly certain why I conjure up that notion, but it seems to fit for me. This reminds me of a rich, hearty breakfast. If you like a strong cup of coffee in the morning and a good smoke, this will be your best friend.

As for the texture, they're not kidding when they call this thing a crumble cake. It literally just melts away in your hands, into a soil like mixture that packs with such ease, I couldn't even imagine. There's absolutely no flaking involved here, you'd have to see and feel it to understand what I'm referring to. I'd kill to see more blends appear in this form; it's a truly unique experience set apart from the typical flake and ribbon cuts.

Some have commented that the taste is too intense and overbearing. I don't find that to be true. Compared to Nightcap, I would say this too has a rich taste, but the strength is a step down. A full dose of Latakia, in my experience, is not the same as a strong whop of nicotine. I can easily smoke this standing up, and this would be a perfect walking mixture to stroll about the neighborhood, especially on a winter evening. Cool smoke, consistent burn, and full of character.

This is the stuff.

Penzance is a slice of heaven! This is, along with Balkan Sasieni, the best Latakia offering I have ever tried in my 15 years as a pipe smoker. It is complex deep, sweet and heavy: well-rounded and spicy as fine Australian red wine. Penzance will never burn your tongue no matter how hard you puff.

The only downside -which really isn't a downside, is the lack of nicotine. I normally smoke potent blends such as St. Bruno and Marlin Flake, but the taste of Penzance is so heavenly refined, that the (absent) nicotine-level is not all important here.

Stout and delicate at the same time; Thoroughly recommended!

Jakob kiilerich, Denmark

I am a new pipe smoker (started about 4 months ago), longtime cigar smoker, ex-cigarette smoker and this stuff caught me off-guard. I opened the tin and almost fell out of my chair. What a pungent smell! This was my first full latakia blend and I knew right away it was going to be memorable. I liked the flakes (another first for me). I didn't like the orangy residue left in my palm after rubbing it out a little. I also learned that it takes like 3 days to smoke a bowl of this stuff. My wife hates it when I smoke this because she knows I'll be outside for like 2 hours instead of helping her in the house with the kids. That's not why I like this stuff, really!

But I do like this stuff. I don't even care that NOBODY will come around me when I smoke it. I don't care about the just-ate-an-old-shoe-smothered-in-tobasco-and-capers breath that it gives me. I don't care that the dog runs off when I crack the tin open or when...well, you get the idea. Suffice it to say, I like it. The taste is full-on latakia, it smokes slowly and evenly, is good and strong and just perfect in the evening after a meal. Great with Guiness! I now prefer Astley's #99 for an all-day, any day latakia (and ease of use cut), but I can't imagine being without a tin of Penzance stashed somewhere for those evenings when I want some quality time with myself!

I'm reviewing this from a tin that was opened about 5 months ago and that has sat in a jar since then. I recall when first opened, it was foul and ghastly, but not to this degree. Other reviewers have noted that age does not improve this blend and I'd agree. I threw out the rest of the jar, and did my best to remove the oily residue it left inside one of my better pipes reserved for Latakia blends.

Incredible stuff.

Three of five stars

---------------------------------- update 3/05 - I take back the negative side of my review and provide a few revised thoughts. After trying this a second and third time, I find that this has now become one of my favorites. Either my tastebuds have changed for the better or the things I've generally loved (Dunhill) seem to be declining in quality. Whatever the case, Penzance is a complex mixture that develops wonderfully as you get down the bowl. It's peaty, toasty, herbal, muddy, and like a great Islay scotch, is full of smokey complexity. It folds and crumbles nicely in the bowl. The only flaws are frequent relights at the beginning due to the moisture levels and some gurgle. Beyond that, this is now one of my regulars, and is especially perfect after dinner. Due to its richness, I would not recommend this as an all day smoke. Smoke slowly, too, as this will nip the tongue. Hats off to Germain & Butera for another quality tobacco!

Four and a half of five stars

The tobacco arrived in the sealed foil pouch which had to be cut open with a pair of scissors. Inside was a styrene boat only sealed well enough to contain the sliced tobacco. Upon opening the boat the fines floated out everywhere. My solution was to get a quart size Ziplock freezer bag that I could slip the boat into and then turn the bag and boat over. Then I cut the label so to fit in the bag, slipped the now emptied boat out of the bag and sealed the bag shut. I discarded the remains of the container and policed up the spilled fines with a dust buster.

I had been prepared for a heady tobacco aroma but was puzzled to only experience a mild new aroma for me which I take it is due to the latakia. The sliced tobacco was fairly crumbled by now so I filled a revirginalized (Thank you Tom Wolfe) Savenelli billiard as I would usually with fore finger tamping until the pipe was full. The pipe was not tamped special, just merely with the same compaction as usual.

Now the test. The tobacco lighted easily with what seemed to me to be a great lot of smoke and without significant drawing on the pipe. I thought the taste mysterious and rather faint compared to my Virginia favorites. I don't like boiled broccoli either as it is not to my taste. Of note long long ago I also smoked London Dock and if the reader has shared that gloppy experience then the contrast to the faint flavor of Penzance is self explanatory IMHO. Notably there was no tongue bite for me as I smoke slowly and believe a pipe should have one's full attention other than the daydream of favor whilst having a pipe.

I am thinking that I may have waited too long to try an English blend such that a total appreciation of same was not my lot. Though while I was smoking I did think of our English friends that might have an overbite so as to suck air in over the teeth with gusto and if this their tobacco preference so be it. I smoked the entire pipe until all that remained was fine white ash that fell from the bowl easily without dottle. I might say also there didn't seem to be a nicotine hit of any consequence.

I haven't given up on Penzance yet though and could come back later to update the foregoing if so moved.

I am breaking my own rule and reviewing after just one bowl. In a virgin briar no less. The reason: according to some this blend stales and loses essence quickly. So I will attempt to keep my tin well preserved and update the review if I notice significant changes.

What can I say that hasn't been said before? Very little - but I will add my accolades for Penzance. Even if I do not smoke it regularly, it is truly *the* finest tasting English tobacco I've had to date. And I've tried to make my way through many of the "medium" and "full" English mixtures. Though it has been a while since I've had Margate (intentionally, to maintain varied points of comparision), I feel on initial taste the keen handling of the VA and Latakia component places Penzance above that blend. While Margate may have more variation and complexity, Penzance takes the kake in terms of "true" English blends I've tried (not only in terms of ingredients, but in terms of geography) in overall flavor quality.

The Krumble Kake format did not present significant problems for me. However out of the tin it is in fact very moist and pliable. There is a slight nip due to moisture, but I did not feel it so intrusive as to ruin the experience. A bit of drying in the pipe and slow puffing rectified the issue. For such a dense, moist flake it managed reasonable burning qualities. And a few extra matches are a small price to pay for Penzance.

Esoterica wins again.

Packing: This tobacco crumbles easily and packs easily into any size pipe.

Lighting: Lights easily.

First Impression: Where as this used to bowl me over with a Latakia punch, the first puffs are mellower and softer with the Latakia still present, just sitting in the background.

Mid Bowl: After a about 3 minutes into the bowl, it?s complexity shows with nutty and chocolate flavors merging with the lightly spicy Orientals coming through followed by the occasional slight smoky flavor of the Latakias. Over all, it remains restrained and smooth and creamy.

Finish: Finishes more heavily without being overwhelming. The flavors continue to mingle though more slowly and with less emphasis.

Over all: I thought Penzance was good when new, and it is, but it is absolutely wonderful when aged. In my 25 years of pipe smoking, I?ve only found 3 perfect blends, and they are all Esoterica and consider Penzance to be one of them!

Recommendation: Highly recommend it! I also recommend aging it.

This is a high-quality blend that deserves the praise it has earned. While I won't be smoking a lot of it, I will keep a small sample around for those cold winter days when this type of blend just calls to me.

I rate this tobacco 8.0 out of 10

Before beginning this review, please allow me to offer my thanks to the many people who have devoted their time and energy to offering so many excellent reviews on such a wide variety of pipe tobaccos. I am taking up the hobby again after a 10-year hiatus (once again, as a substitute for cigarettes), and websites like this one really enhance the experience. I live in Minnesota, USA, and in the summer and falltime I sit on my deck with my wirelessly-connected laptop and peruse the reviews as I try the various blends.

As for Penzance: I was impressed with the number of seasoned pipe smokers who rate this blend so highly. I recently purchased several new blends from smokingpipes.com, Penzance being one of them. To date, I had tried most of the Dunhill English blends, but had never smoked an English in a flake/crumble cake style. My first smoke was accomplished in a flame grain Ser Jacopo Picta Magritte (bent Dublin).

I really liked this tobac; I'd compare it favorably with the Dunhill 965, but the Penzance seems even smoother and more balanced. It has that great big creamy mouthfeel that I like so much (being a former cigar smoker), and the flavor changes slightly throughout the bowl but never becomes bitter or rancid. Also, I believe I used only two pipe cleaners throughout the entire (generously-sized) bowl, which for a mad puffer like me is truly amazing.

One other thing: I ordered this blend through the link on this page. The link takes you to the eight-ounce bulk package, without giving any indication that smokingpipes.com also offers it in the two-ounce tin (which it does). Not that I'm complaining, mind you--I foresee myslef smoking a lot more of this stuff.

It's a very fine smoke. It has it's complexities, and sweetness, and there's definitely an exotic tobacco in there that I haven't quite gotten the hang of identifying, but it's very nice. It provides a nice eucalyptus-esque flavor, and is not entirely unlike King Charles.

The only drawback to this tobacco is perhaps that it is a little wet, and smokes a little hot as a result. I don't think some drying would hurt this a bit. It intensifies quite a bit towards the end of the bowl, and there is something of a spiciness that I enjoy, but could see someone else being a little put-off by it.

All in all, good stuff. I give it a 8 out of 10. I think it's a great English blend, and deserves to be called a GREAT representative of english blends.

8 out of 10 for me is a VERY high score.

Cheers!

Daniel

The troubles arise from the cut. The crumble cake format, though novel and, at first, nifty, proves problematic. I know of no other blend that seems to lose its essential oils as quickly as Penzance. Even in tin form, I'll take the first few bowls, and you can have the rest. Bulk is far worse. Werner Heisenberg could have offered Penzance as proof of his uncertainty principle- just LOOKING at this stuff makes it fall apart. The lightest of hands are required to handle it, lest it crumble into oblivion. The ensuing increase in surface area only serves to accelerate the decline.

Penzance is like a flower that must be appreciated before it withers and dies. But what a flower it is.

An absolute must try.

The dark flakes break up easily, and being a flake, if it doesn't pack well, you goofed when you broke it up!

There isn't much to add to the many things that have already been said about this tobacco. Very stout, generous portions of Latakia. A dry smoke, leaves nothing but a fine ash in the pipe.

As strong as the Latakia is, I didn't expect it to change much, but it did. Latakia dominates, but the background interplay of the Oriental and Virginia hold my interest with no problem at all.

This is real pipe tobacco!

The other reviewers have stated the case for this blend beautifully and succinctly. I prefer to just add that this is one of those blends that confirms why I am a Pipe Smoker.

Wishing All, Happy Smoke Rings :)

Penzance tobacco is tinned in a charming golden colored rectangular tin. Upon opening and pulling back the oil stained wax paper lining, a tobacco in a dark pressed block form is revealed. The tobacco block itself measures about 3.5? x 2? x .75?, and is sliced widthwise. The aroma is distinctly full, musty, and smoky. Penzance is a very well matured mixture of Virginia, Turkish, Cyprian Latakia, and other Oriental Tobaccos.

This English tobacco is presented in a crumble cake form. Each slice literally crumbles effortlessly. The slices can be rubbed out from a rough consistency to a near powder. The moisture level is conducive to a great, smooth smoke and the tobacco tends to retain this moisture level due to its pressed flake cut. Packing of Penzance is very simple and three slices will fill a medium sized pipe.

This tobacco blend takes to lighting quickly. Penzance tobacco burns clean and completely without any dottle. The room note is full and musty and may not be overly appreciated by the nonsmoker.

At first, the flavor of Penzance is full in Latakia with a very slightly sweet background creating a well-rounded taste. A very enjoyable characteristic emerges about midway through the smoke that is probably due to the interplay between the sweet Virginias and the slightly bitter Oriental tobaccos. With all characteristics being considered, this tobacco blend?s flavor can be summarized as a rich leathery English taste with interplaying between sweet and bitter/nutty tastes. Penzance smokes cool and dry with an easy draw. A slight presence of gurgling emerges about halfway through the smoke but tends to disappear as the smoke continues. This tobacco mixture yields a thicker white smoke.

Penzance tobacco is a unique smoke and is very enjoyable. All though this blend can become slightly monotone, its smooth rich flavor and great smoking characteristics make it very much enjoyable. A true evening or rainy day smoke.

The highest compliment I can make of this tobacco is that, more often than not, it does not even seem like smoking . There is no sensation of smoke, just deep, rich, smooth flavor. Not as strong as Nightcap, btw, and easier to approach I think.

1. Try to keep the flakes intact as they crumble easily and will dry out as well as not smoke or keep fire as well.

2. Start by very jently breakig a small quantity suficient to fill about 1/3 of the pipe (big chunks but not just a folded flake.)Level it off but do not pack down just tap it level with care.

3. The flake when rubbed out will occupy greater volume so take a bit less than before and break it up just a little bit more than the first bit. Once again fill and level dont pack down.

4. Now a lesser amount will probably get you to the top of the bowl as you take the final bit and rub it out well. It will be flufy and take to fire quite well. This part fills the rest of the bowl and just tap flat with the top of the bowl.

5. Light and it should puff up over the top of the bowl. Light well and eavenly and pack flat w/ the bowl and relight. A nice slow and long relight getting everything lit and deep should hold you to at least the bottom third of the bowl without a relight.

6. enjoy for an hour or so and then tap flat never pack this stuff and religt for a surprisinly long lasting and slow burning last third with great soft and plentifull smoke.

I hope this helps someone to enjoy this great blend. And remember it can be had in large flat bricklike bulks and if stored in say one of those porcelain seal jars with a latch and rubber gasket it will keep quite well for extended periods of time. As to the potting soil someone made reference to...well I think its earthy tones and feel are part of its charm. I guess there is no accounting for tastes right. Good luck and many relaxing moments w/ Penzance.

I do, however, have a tin of Penzance and a wonderful Parker billiard.

All is not lost.

Good stuff, this.

But this blend is over the top. Good as it was, I could still taste the latakia two days later despite intervening meals and brushing of teeth.

Full delicious flavor, but I don't want it to last THAT long.

The pouch aroma is almost musty/earthy, and the room note, although strong, does not seem to be penetrating. I have smoked this in my truck and not been able to notice the smell the next morning.

Combined, the flavors and aromas remind me of mountain villiages in Central America; cooking fires, burning fields, blacksmith shop, diesel engines.....

It seems to work well in all size pipes by crumbling coarser-to-finer as you fill the bowl. There is always a bit of moisture buildup from the first third to half of the bowl, but this clears up after halfway. I still have yet to have it "bite" even with the moisture.

There is little if any change in flavor from start to finish. Overall, a great blend.

While I do not think non-smokers would share my enthusiasm for the aroma, I recommend it highly to lovers of english blends. I only smoke this on occasion, but would smoke it more often if it were a little bit closer to my budget. But it is worth the price, and when I do buy it, it is in the 8 oz bag, not the tins.

Fill up a nice oil-cured English briar with Penzance, give it some fire, settle back and relax. Life is so very good.

The first thing one will notice about Penzance is the form and appearance - a dark, oily flake with flecks of brown and gold. The flakes do not so much rub out into ribbons as crumble. Care must be taken not to rub this tobacco out too finely, and to load the pipe with a light touch. Otherwise, you end up with a densely-packed, wet hunk of steaming, smoldering evil in your pipe. Rough-rubbed and lightly packed is the way to go for a satisfying Penzance smoke.

Very shortly after taking the flakes in with your eyes, you'll experience them with your nose. This blend is heavy on the Latakia, so much so that I use Penzance as a condiment tobacco in its own right and blend it with straight VA's to create milder and medium-bodied English mixtures. A hint of Virginia tang comes through in the smell.

Upon lighting, it's the Latakia that thunders to the fore. Oriental and Virginia flavors take up supporting parts, but it's the Cyprian leaf that demands your attention. Room note reflects this, and my wife refers to this tobacco as "The Wife-Beater". It does have a tendancy to smoke very wet if over-rubbed and over-packed.

If you like strong English mixtures, you will love Penzance. Treat it gently, and it will reward you with a very gratifying smoke.

In the tin it smells like a nice leathery english blend. The flakes are almost solid black, very crumbly, and a bit more moist than I expected. In the pipe this stuff takes like almost pure latakia, which is great if thats what I'm in the mood for. It does seem to be lacking a little something that I usually crave in english blends, though I'm not sure what exactly.

One nice thing about this stuff is that I don't feel like I need to worry about it drying out. I've been smoking this tin slowly over about 3 months and it's still in pretty good shape even with no humidifiers.

Penzance is by far the worst tobacco I've ever encountered! The appearance is nauseating...the "pools of oil" on the wax paper look more like something I would find on the filthy floor of a garage. The "aroma" (read "STENCH") is enough to make you think that Granny's Depends are failing. This crap disintegrated in my hands as I went to fill a bowl, leaving me with what looked like dried-up contaminated potting soil. Filling my pipe (God rest it's soul) with this gunpowder-like wormdirt was quite unpleasant as it fifn't really "pack" so much as it just poured in like a landfill.

The initial lightup was pure trauma as hundreds of black particles shot through my mouth and into the back of my throat nearly choking me to death on the first puff! Once the pipe was properly lit the smoke tasted like dirt. After a third of a bowl I had to dump it out. The poor pipe may never recover. The only thing that helped fight that horrible taste was a nice bowl of Mac Baren Mixture!

This stuff sucks!

This is one of the better English slices I have tried and I'm sure I will always keep this on hand as a change of pace.

When I opened the tin the aroma was of a subdued English, with a mild latakia aroma predominating. The tobacco was in a small block of slices Chestnut colored with some lighter brown mottling.

This flake did not so much rub out as crumbled. In fact it initially gave me some problems. I put some effort into rubbing it out and got small crumbled pieces. I thought I would get some ribbon effect, but did not. I then proceeded to back the pipe to tightly and created a frustrating experience for myself. By my third attempt I realized that I needed to rub lightly, pack loosely, and tamp softly. This allowed for a good smoke.

The taste was a very married cool English flavor. The flavor was pretty consistent. I would describe it as nutty/smoky/ tobacco flavor. A hint of sweetness and perhaps salt. When blown through nose there was a musty leather effect that was also part of the room note. I liked it.

The mixture, once I learned how to rub and pack it, lit easily and stayed lit. The smoke was full but not hot. No tongue bite on this one (I like that too).

Overall I liked this blend, but did not see it as outstanding. It was not bold or complex. The flavor was uniform and consistent. It was understated English if anything and this I did find unusual. I will not smoke this regularly, but would consider it when I was looking for an English flavor that would be mild an more in the background.

Packing: Since it crumbles so well, it packs by gravity into any size pipe.

Lighting: Takes to burning easily, but does need a tamp or two before it settles down.

Initial flavor: The Latakia jumps right up and grabs me, a slightly sweet but very smokey flavor. There is a spicy, musty Turkish flavor in the background, and way down there is the Virginia. It mosly serves to hold the blend together, rather than to add much flavor. Could I be that there is some Burley in the blend? Craig Tarler?s Pirate Kake uses Burley, but I haven?t tried it yet.

Mid-bowl: Burns cool, yet stays lit well. I guess this is the result of the cut. The flavor is still heavy Latakia, lighter Turkish and not a not much else. No significant layering, but tasty enough not to be boring.

Finish: Does not get harsher at the bottom, smokes quite dry, and leaves a nice white ash.

Summary: A nice enough English blend, but lacking the complexities and subtleties I enjoy. There are many other blends I prefer to this one, but that?s just my tase. It is certainly of the highest quality, and is worth try if you like lots of Latakia

One of the downsides of having found your One True Blend is missing out on treats like this. Spurred out into the tobacco wilderness by my beloved Balkan Sobranie getting low, I thought I had discovered an acceptable replacement in Bengal Slices, only to discover that it too is no more. After trying a variety of blends that varied from disappointing (Pelican) to actually awful, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this blend, it is much spicier than Bengal Slices, although not as spicy as Sobranie, but definitely something that has moved to the top of the list of Blends I Could Be Happy With.

Opening the tin revealed a waxed paper lining dotted with oil from the leaves. The flakes appear to be mostly Latakia with a bit of virginia, as well as a moderate amount of orientals. They rub out easier than Bengal Slices while still offering the tunability of the slice form, so you can rub it more coarsely for smoking outdoors for example. This tobacco can be rubbed directly into the bowl instead of having to make multiple rubbing passes into the lid as with most Virginia flakes (and Bengal Slices). Upon rubbing, it appears that the "slices" are more of a crumble cake than a virginia-style slice, in that the fully rubbed-out form is more of a cube cut than ribbon cut. So you probably don't want to rub this stuff out all the way.

I crumbled two slices into a trusty Ashton XX Bent Bulldog, the first one extremely coarsely, and the second one increasingly fine as I reached the top. The tobacco lit up quickly, instantly showing its flavor and wonderful aroma. Within a few seconds of the second light it had settled down into a creamy smokiness similar to Bengal Slices. After a few minutes, the spicy flavor gradually intensified and the flavor stabilized into a nice balance of spicy, creamy smokiness that lasted all the way to the bottom. I found this to be a fairly dry-tasting tobacco, with a hint of saltiness, so I suspect at least some of the oriental is Yenidje. I found Penzance a slow-smoking tobacco, it lasted two hours while my other favorite blends generally last only about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. The first half of the bowl was a bit moist (although typical for slices imo), but it dried out during the second half.

According to the wife, the room aroma reminded her of vanilla.

Wonderful stuff.

Bear