Upon opening the can, there is a very distinct, strong "smoked wood" scent to this tobacco. Nice mix of medium brown and dark tobaccos. Nicely cut ribbons, with no need to rub out.

Moisture content was perfect with my fresh 2 oz tin, with little pipe moisture and little need to relight. Smoked very well down to the bottom of the pipe. Probably one of the better smoking experiences I have had in awhile, with very little caretaking needed while smoking.

No bite, and yet very distinct, complex flavors last the entire smoke; more mellow and "earthy" in the bottom half of the bowl, but never becoming bland or boring. The Oriental flavors can definitely be tasted and are a little overpowering at first, but after a couple minutes, the other flavors start to balance out; you can then taste the VA and Latakia more. A very nice balance of tobaccos resulting in complex flavors.

I have little patience for tobaccos like this, having only been smoking pipes for a few years. perhaps I will "grow into it" but I doubt it.

I'll stick with my sweet delicious smokes that taste nothing like tobacco, if this is an example of what is the "best" tobaccos are like.

Ironically enough, I wanted to use the name of a famous dog show in this review and would you believe what the number one hit is when you google “famous dog show?” WESTMINSTER. Apparantly, the storied district of London is home to more than an Abbey.

Westminster is dry in the tin. A mix of broken flake and ribbon, each piece of tobacco could have snapped like a twig. For me that's not a problem as I care about how it smokes much more. Easy to load (just tumble in) and I found it to burn very well as it crunches beneath your tamper. The VA’s are luscious and sweet, the orientals are toasty and high, and the cyprian is top notch smoke and spice.

The tin I’m sampling was made a mere 3 months ago, so this has zero age on it. I liked it from the start, but as I’m at the bottom of the tin, I have experienced some really special smokes where the flavors of the blend’s components were so well integrated, that the result was something different altogether – a symphonic representation of , what to me, might be absolutely classic. There is nothing unusual or surprising about this English blend other than it’s unapologetically snooty supremacy over every other english I’ve tried (and I have not tried them all). In the world of English blends, Westminster is the Bentley-driving Guru.

I will DEFINITELY be buying more of this!

I started with aromatics and quickly progressed to the remarkable English blends. The wonderful aroma and taste of Latakia, orientals and virginias overtook my senses and I have fallen in love with the blends. The smell and taste of pine reminds me of a campfire in the fall.

I just recieved my tin of Westminster and finished my first bowl - and my second! This blend is fantastic. NO tongue bite whatsoever, burned cool and dry. I love this tobacco and will always have it in my rotation.

Three cheers to Mr. Pease.

Westminster is a perfect symphony of tobacco's !!!

I understand the trouble Mr. Pease went through in making Westminster. I too read his account of combing though 20 year old tins of London Mixture with forceps, isolating the components to identify the leaf and proportions. I appreciate the effort, and if I had more time with the London Mixture of old, then maybe I could advance a better review comparing the two. I admit being puzzled how he was able to distinguish between Turkish and Virginia leaf by eye, as similar as they might appear. But who is to question a man with passion? I'd honestly have given up after a few minutes.

My tin was dated 9/14/09, and I began smoking the contents about a month after the production date. The cut is varied, with long and short ribbons, including pieces of rubbed out Virginia flake. There are a few errant stems of Latakia, which represents a good 50% by my account, maybe a bit less. The tin is filled to the brim, though loosely packed, unlike the classic Dunhill, which is almost pressed together. The tobacco is dry, drier than I've ever seen a Pease blend, and drier than I remember London Mixture, so I wonder how the lack of moisture will affect aging. In the short term, it works well. It's ready to go as you crack the tin, no need for airing out the tobacco.

This is a classic English mixture, with Virginias and Latakia playing the lead roles. I have a difficult time detecting the Turkish, but I don't doubt that it's in there. Westminster is rich and full, suggesting the strength derives from heady Virginias. To me, I put the nicotine at something just over medium. In part due to the dryness of the leaf, Westminster burns rather quickly if packed loosely, while the smoke billows in great magnitude. I enjoy this in a bigger pipe, and have mostly smoked it in a large Meerschaum, packed tight. The crispy tobacco will crackle a bit as tamped.

Westminster embodies tradition, which is interesting as an English tobacco blended by an American. Sure, we'll churn out monstrosities like Fox & Hound, but we know our stuff, when it matters. Westminster is tasty, damn tasty, and that's what counts.

Five of Five.

This stuff is quite good, I've never had a number of the "classic" tobaccos (3 Nuns, Sobranie 759, etc.), so perhaps I have nothing to compare against, but other than a cellared tin of Westminister, I don't know if I can think of a better english tobacco. This is my favorite late night smoke.

Craving for a good English, I tried Westminster once more. The only thing I changed is the pipe. Now, in a group 3 Dunhill or a similar billiard from Stanwell, I really love it. What remains true, however, is that the taste evolve all through the bowl, and I would prefer more matured tobaccos. I upgrade to 4 stars anyways and will re-order some more soon.

Have you ever put vinegar on chips? We'll about 1/2 a bowel down, that is what I get - very lightly. I like this tobacco. It calls my attention, but without being in any way "needy."

I think this is one of those I might keep renewing. Right now the only ones I am relatively sure about restocking are Balkan Supreme or Saseini (sp?) and Butternut Barley.

What a great gift this one is!

This review is based on a year-old tin; I may revisit this review later when I will have some at the three year mark.

Moisture level was dry on this one, there was an audible rustling when running my fingers through. Flakes did not stick together at all. Fearing the worst, I loaded up my favorite Peterson bent apple anyway, and was pleasantly surprised. The smoke was pleasantly cool throughout the bowl, beginning with a nice VA sweetness and deepening through the end. Very predictable and consistent in all my pipes. I may add a humidifier coin, but for now (after about 1/2 the tin) I haven't felt the need. Other tins have been more moist and did smoke slower and a little creamier.

So why not four stars? Westminster may be a victim of its own success. It is so perfectly balanced, so predictable, that it can be almost boring at times. Still, I can hardly think of a better all-day tobacco than this one, and will always have a tin around.

Westminster certainly has the credentials by its birth to the House of Pease. I feel great efforts were afforded it at its inception, yet this homage to London Mixture pales, as well as, individually standing by itself. No quality corners were cut in its components or construction. Whereas Odyssey's depth and sweetness I covet, Wes' appears unnecessarily dry and harsh as if some austere measure to casing and topping had been employed in its manufacture. Mind you the Raspberry Cocoa Cavendish overload isn't acceptable either, but by gum those early blenders had an innate sense when culling and curing tobaccos. My best indicator in judging a new tobacco blend is how quickly a tin lasts. Westminster is lying about my house whereas Odyssey instantly disappeared.

Comes in 2 ounce and 8 ounce tins, mine being an 8 ouncer dating from February 2007.

Stripping aside the marketing hype..'gentle caress of bright leaf'...this is a reasonable, pleasant enough smoke. Worth a try but don't be swayed by the silly nonsense written on the label or the adulation of the fans.

Well thank heavens we can 'Addendum' our errors :-)

Original written some time ago and updated July 2009.

I am still working my way through the original 2007 can, but I have come to like it more now...I think it's better than 2 stars and have upped to 3. My main problem with GLP is that the blends are so raw (draws particular attention to Filmore) and I am still not enamoured of the flowery prose...probably cos we tend to understate everything we like here lol. Apart from my remaining supply of Balkan Sobranie and EMP, this is my main Latakia blend.

The smoke is one of the most harmonious I have ever enjoyed. Fairly strong yet full of subtle flavours. It epitomises the Balkan style, with Oriental and Latakia taking an equal role up front, with a little Virginia detected in the background to "fill in the gaps" with sweetness and body. A mere Latakia hit it is not. There is much more fragrance, more elegance, more subtlety.

This is an offering of superb quality leaf. It fully satisfied the pallet with a range of flavours, yet nothing is forced or out of balance. There are no bland spots, nothing that gets tiring after a while.

If you are looking for a sweet tobacco, or are not used to smoking stronger English-style mixtures, then this is not for you. And that is ok. We don't start to read with Shakespeare, and we shouldn't start to smoke with Westminster. But for those who miss the premium quality, strength and subtlety of Dunhill's sundry offerings, give this a try.

So a huge well done for Westminster. This could well become the standard by which all Balkan tobaccos are measured.

That said, I must say that if I were to smoke an english all day, this would not be it. At least not a tin under 3 years of age. Which are all that I have had.

The quality is very high. But the emphasis on too much Latakia is disconcerting in the younger tin. I will age a pound of this for at least 5 years before trying again. Hopefully that time will smooth out the Lat and increase the Va to a level to it's equal. It would be perfect then. The orientals are superb, but muscled by the Lat.

After proper drying, this i at most a three star blend for me. Maybe the fourth will appear in about 3 years.

In an email from Mr. Pease about his possible substitutes he suggested that I start with Westminster. Well, I haven't much good to say about the stuff, though I had eagerly anticipated it. Westminster is long on the strong/harsh aspects and short on the rich/creamy/smoky/complex aspects. When you first light up a bowl of SMM and breath it in through your nose and swirl the smoke in your mouth, it is a true thing of wonder, fine enough to want to eat, and good enough to forego desert in lieu of a pipe every time (well, except Thanksgiving...). Not so with Westminster. This is just a ho-hum smoke, nothing that would develop anticipation for the next bowl. And certainly nothing like the magic of SMM that kept me anticipating for 3 decades...

Moisture content is slightly dry (right out of a fresh tin) and burn rate a tad fast, though neither is egregious.

This is the 4th Pease blend I have tried (Caravan, DaVinci, & Maltese Falcon being the others), none having been to my liking. In my drawer and coming up are Odyssey, Kensington, & Blackpoint. We'll see...

If you like (or would like to try) English blends without rich smokiness (and why you'd enjoy that is beyond me) perhaps you'll find something here.

I, in order to make use of this tin, will mix it 50/50 with Pirate Kake, the one being clean and a bit harsh, the other richly smoky, boring and mild. I think it will result in my being able to finish off both with good flavor!

Update after smoking this in my morta pipe I have to bump this up to 4 stars

22 May 2009 Update:

I finished off my tin of Westminster & I'm tightening up on my ratings and only give 4 stars to my top 5 blends that are in my core rotation of tobaccos. Those at this date are Escudo, Penzance, University Flake, Churchill & still deciding what the 5th will be.

I now rate this as a very solid 3.5

Seriously, this blend is nothing if compared to the legendary SG Squadron Leader (if there is any comparison?), and for twice the price I don?t see why should I buy this "MADE IN USA" English blend, as long as I can buy the original, the TRUE English-Lakeland made blend Squadron Leader from SG MADE IS U.K. THE MOTHERLAND!

When I buys red wine, I prefer the wine from France, and when I buys English blend I also prefer when it is from England.

T-H-E B-E-S-T Latakia blend available in the market.

When I started smoking this blend I was treated to a great smoke. Still being a new pipe smoker I drew too hard and too often, but I soon learned to slow down and savor the smoke. As I get to the bottom of my can, I can say this is a very good tobacco blend (I have tried others with which to compare it). It has a slight peppery taste to it that slows you down and allows you to savor the bowl all the way to the bottom.

It starts out a bit wet and hard to keep lit, but it ages well and really comes into its own as it has aged a bit. I am getting ready to order more! I certainly recommend Westminster for you English blend fans.

I also must say that the Silver Spigot's review is absurd, and I agree that if one is getting bitten from this blend, that one is doing something really, really wrong and insipidly inept. That one should not waste his and our time with his inane inferences.

Westminster is a great Blend.

With a market full of just okay blends we thank you Mr. Pease for standing out with Westminster. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

So I really have learned to love this blend on it's own. The more I get involved online the more and more I tend to sway away from aromatics and more into blends like these. I think that this stuff is a wonderfull smoke and if you ask me in many years this will be touted as the best english of it's time. very good flavor, well balanced and it provides a cool smoke if you don't puff to hard. I like this more and more as I smoke it. I bet this stuff will be great down the road.

Original Review:

Good stuff. Sometimes I mix in some aromatic the blend takes it well. Burns cool and easy. Easy to puff a bit too much but that is alright because it does not bite a whole lot. I'm usually a virginia flake smoker but I do keep a jar of this around.

I got a sample of this as part of a large trade and I thought, what the hey, maybe it's not as bad as I remember it. The good news is, it's not. Whatever oddball flavor I got before was apparently in that tin, which must have been bad somehow. This one smoked cool and smooth... and unmemorable. The sender noted that it was two years old. I still can't recommend it but this time it didn't have that terrible funky taste from my previous tin. It just seems to have that annoying GLP virtue of the various tobaccos either doing too much or not enough. But that's a personal observation, not an absolute. It wasn't to my tastes but it might be to yours.

ORIGINAL REVIEW 12/25/08

I came into this blend with extremely high expectations - and that may be the problem. I smoked 4 bowls of this, both in briar and meerschaum pipes, and each time I noticed a very odd taste that I couldn't put my finger on. The recipe seems standard and I should have really liked the blend, but the taste was just too objectionable. It seemed like each of the ingredient tobaccos were fighting with each other for the forefront - it just didn't marry well. It's obviously a high quality tobacco and I've added a star based on that. I suppose I could have gotten a bad batch but I don't care to try again. 4 bowls and I threw the rest in the trash.

This blend shows the different chemical balances in people, as so many appear to really like this stuff. I wish I could have enjoyed it! I did enjoy the room note, however. When I left the room and re-entered, it smelled heavenly!

This is absoulately a different smoke, which I know since 2001 from a nice fellow, who worked in CH-Bern at www.tabakgourmet.ch, and now rests in peace - It reminded me all of Balcany, they are both in appearance, taste and smoking qualities, absolutely at the same level. The only difference: Balcany is 20 percent cheaper than Westminster and doesn't come in a nice tin.

Wesminster contains like Balcany full of Oriental spice, a heavy quantity of Latakia and smokes perfectly well from the top to the end without relightning. Probaly the only smoke in the world which remains the same, untill the the last leaf of the bowl is smoked off.

The taste is just amazing, earthy and very smokey, a perfectly well harmonized tabacco, which makes you smoke it over and over again. Just your fellow non-smokers might think that the roof is on fire.

Matches perfectly well with a glass of water or a single malt.

Best aromas and smoking qualities in a very large bowl.

I'm just enjoying it in a xl mario grandi pipe and get a nice nicotine load and an incredible aromatic experience.

With this wonderful tabacco, Balcany is not only available in Switzerland - Be surprised you will never really get away from it.....

UPDATE 5-16-09: I just can't get into this one. It's not nearly as flavorful or smooth as Abingdon and it just doesn't push my buttons. I may have to try another tin to be sure mine didn't get skanked somehow, but other Pease blends are far superior. Downgrading to two stars.

ORIGINAL REVIEW 11-06-08: This one fell a bit short of my expectations, especially after all the rave reviews. It just seems rather one-dimensional to me. Perhaps the Latakia and Orientals overpower the Virginia. Yeah, I think that's it...

Tonight I tried mixing in a little Black Cavendish for some flavor. It added a little more complexity, but didn't really help. I think instead I should have added some sweet Virginia flake because when I very carefully coaxed it, I could pull out a tiny remnant of the Virginia. And I liked that part of it.

I would rather give two and a half stars but it gets three, not for flavor but for cut, pack and burn. Humidity was perfect from the tin and it burned flawlessly and effortlessly with copious smoke. Don't get me wrong, it's a good tobacco, but not great. I prefer Stokkebye's Balkan Supreme.

It's good but this little tin I bought will probably last me a while.

I give it 3 stars only because I reserve the 4th for that tobacco I haven't found yet.

Seriously, it is. I do not often heed the heavy handed call of Latakia, but from now on this one will answer the door when I knock. Most Latakia blends are long on flavor and low on strength. But, Westminister provides a very nice balance between the two.

If a scrumptious Latakia flavor in a moderate presentation mixed with a nicotine hit rings your bell, this Pease will please.

Now, seriously, it´s a pity there is no 10 star option. This one would deserve it. Next time I go to England I will visit Westminster Abbey and take a flower offering, not in honor of the British Monarchs buried there, but to this blend, which is destined to reign as well.

There´s nothing to add to the reviews below. Just read them. If they have 4 stars believe them. If not, they´re lying.

Many times I find the english blends borings and flats, this is a different breed, interesting texture.

The impression as the same on morta, briar and meerschaum pipes. The defects, maybe the humidity is too excesive on the tin (this is better tha too dry), and a little "overheat the pipe".

Nice experience, I never tried the London Mixture, but Westminter is a "top ten" , different of others GL Pease blends that I like (Bohemian Scandal, Oddisey, Mephisto and Renaissance).

More spicy tah Bohemian or Renaissance, best when you have to religth than Odissey and not so complex as Mephisto.

Perfect for every day, not necessary have a big meal before smoke it (like Odissey), match fine with a red wine or just a cup of coffe.

My complements to Mr. Pease, well I give this blend a four star.

GLP Westminster. A bloody triumph of the blender's art. Fabulous, rich, easy to lock and load. A two Vesta affair. I like to smoke half a bowl, go outside, then return to the lair to smell the aroma of what has to be the best English blend ever. I then destroy the last half with boyish glee.

Mr. Pease, now that this review is done, please make the check out to BriarChef. I also accept PayPal and cash (with two pieces of ID.)

Unlike Penzance, which has such a strong flavour that it will still smoke well in a mediocre pipe, Westminster should be saved for your best pipes, as otherwise you'll miss a lot of what's going on here.

I also note that after two weeks in the jar the orientals fade, making the blend taste flat. I noticed this with Squadron Leader too -- after a couple of weeks it becomes unsmokeable as the orientals start to taste like dust. Plan on smoking this stuff fast, and order only the 2oz tins, or plan on smoking a diminished blend.

Best tobacco I've ever smoked.

When the tin is first opened, you definitely should let this blend air out a bit. It is a little too moist to smoke out of the tin. Better yet, open a tin and leave it alone for a few weeks with the plastic cover on and then start smoking it.

The flavor is absolutely delicious. It is in the "English" flavor profile, but there is a decidedly unique spiciness that I have not found in other "English" style blends. It burns well all the way to the bottom of the bowl with the usual build up of strength as you get there. It is also not so heavy as to keep you from filling up and starting another bowl.

Another fine blend by Mr. Pease. Highly Recommended......

Developing from a sweet English to a smoky almost-Balkan through the bowl, this masterpiece has joined my permanent rotation along with Penzance and My Mixture 965. Only drawback is the difficulty to keep it lit, partially due to the irregular cut.

After it had been allowed to sit for three weeks there was no issue with relighting. The tobacco stayed light well but for the first quarter bowl I was disappointed with the flavor. The flavors didn?t mix with each other at all. I thought ?oh great, another blend that sounded fantastic but didn?t live up to the description?. Then it happened. The various tobaccos came together all at once, sweet, spicy, smooth and smoky with every puff. By the time I had smoked half the bowl I was in heaven; by the time I was finished there were mental plans in place to devote an entire room for storage and the house was refinanced to purchase this blend by the ton. Yeah, it?s that good!

This blend shot up to the top of my favorites list and I?m sure it will be there for quite some time. Don?t give up on this one if you have problems keeping it lit. Do what ever is necessary to get past it and you will definitely be rewarded.

I'm an unabashed fan of GL Pease concoctions (I'm one of those guys who's actually willing to shell out the big bucks on E-bay for some his stuff), but this one has got some problems that didn't become apparent until I'd opened a couple of additional tins. First of all, it's terribly difficult to keep lit. This didn't seem to be a problem with the first batch I tried, but the second and third tins (both with different production dates) shared this characteristic. I don't expect tobaccos to burn all the way to the bottom without relights, but I also don't like having to relight every 60 seconds. I'm not embellishing here -- this has gone from annoying to ridiculous and then to infuriating. Unlike most other Pease mixtures (which often come moist in the tin), drying it out didn't seem to help at all. Second, this stuff ended up scorching my tongue in a scary way, as in "blood- welling-up-from-a-red-spot-on-my-tongue-before-I-realized-what-was-happening" scary. The only other blends to have done this to me were Cairo, MacBaren's Va. No.1 and a couple of particularly hot-burning aromatics. I believe that tongue bite is to some degree a matter of personal chemistry, but IMHO few blends are this rough on the mouth, even when young.

I've heard a couple of other guys complain about these issues, as well, so I know this isn't limited to just me (although I seem to have had the worst tongue bite problems). These are both "technical" considerations and are probably subjective to some degree, but they are also important ones because they can completely destroy my enjoyment of a smoke when they are pronounced (and BOY, are they pronounced here!). Perhaps I just haven't figured out the right technique to use with this one, but I've tried everything I know (and many different pipes) with no success. I don't know how many others have had these problems -- again, I know of only a couple -- but my experience has left me feeling like I needed to completely rewrite my review.

Of course, experience has taught me that GLP blends usually do much better with some age under their belts and Pease has said that he blends with aging in mind. I absolutely despise Haddo's Delight until it reaches the one-year mark, at which point it becomes the closest thing I have to a "favorite" tobacco. Another "favorite" -- Odyssey -- needs close to two years to really become transcendent. Even Barbary Coast, which IMHO is even harder to keep lit than Westminster, shows signs of improvement after a year for some unexplained reason. I have no idea why burning characteristics might change with tin time, but tongue bite in particular is often ameliorated by age. Maybe all this blend needs is to lose some of its youth in order to serve as the "all day" English that I'd hoped for ...

In any case, the flavor of Westminster is superb, and if it weren't for the aforementioned "technical" problems I'd rank it as the best medium English I've ever smoked. The way the latakia and orientals interact is particularly noteworthy and evokes a layer of complexity I normally expect from only the most well-crafted Balkans, but this latakia/oriental effect is in turn perfectly balanced out by the robust Virginias -- it's sublime. At this point, though, I'm going to knock off a star (I'd normally take off two, but this stuff tastes so damn good I can't bring myself to do it)and then wait awhile before revisiting it. Besides, I think it would be unfair of me to give this only two stars in light of the overwhelmingly positive consensus of others, as I believe that reviewers should always strike a balance between their own subjective judgements and the informed opinions of their peers. I've still got quite a few tins left, so I should be able to crack one open every year or two to see how it's coming along. If time smooths out the rough edges, Westminster's going to be one for the ages.

Original review 05/20/2007: I think I might end up downgrading both Odyssey and Penzance after smoking a tin of this stuff. As other reviewers have pointed out, this might be the best English blend available today. It's certainly much better than anything I've tried by Dunhill, although I'll add that I never had the chance to try the London Mixture that Mr. Pease was trying to re-create. It's a shade less complex than Odyssey but far easier to keep lit and therefore not as rough on the tongue. The taste of Westminster isn't as full as that of Penzance but I find it to be far more enjoyable (and with a much better nicotine kick, too). I just wish I had the descriptive abilities to do this blend justice - it's by far the best blend that Pease has released, and that's a high compliment, indeed. I'm looking forward to aging several tins of this.

Whether this is a recreation of LM, or whether is closer to Standard Mixture, I can't really tell. It's a hell of a good, very good English mixture. It's tasty, balanced and properly dark (profound, some might say). I like it very much. I find it a stronger, fuller version of another GLP classic: Renaissance.

It lacks the mineral, earthy tones of Balkans, but since it doesn't claim to be one, it is indeed a perfect English. Great tobacco, and closer to any former Dunhill than the current Orlik renderings. But the fact is this tobacco--like most of GLP--stands perfectly well on its own terms. Kudos.

The moisture level tends toward dry, the tobacco falling quickly apart when mashed between the fingers. Date on bottom of tin: 01 23 07 (23JAN07).

Packing & Lighting: Packed reasonably well but is a bit difficult to get lit, but once it is, it tends to stay that way. The bowl stays cool, with no moisture.

Aroma & Taste: Soft and smooth as velvet; smokey from the Latakia, but not harsh or sharp, with a perfumy spice scent from the oriental. After sampling the lightweight Piccadilly, from the Classic Series, I decided Westminster deserved to be upgraded a little stronger in the Taste category.

Nicotine: mild to medium, closer to mild.

Room Note: Moderate English aroma lasting for a little while.

Overall: As soft and smooth as a mild English could be; not quite the full-bodied flavor I was expecting, but still tasty and a nice aroma; easily an all day smoke. 3.9 stars.

Now some conditions: smoke it in a beautiful vintage very clean billiard pipe of fairly large but not excessive size as Dunhill 127 (up to LB), an old Comoy, a Barling Billiard or canadian or similar. I believe it adds consistently to the smoking pleasure. Second, let Westminster dry out a little, it will reward you with grey ashes and a smoke down to the very bottom. The cake build up is perfect. Last but not least have some good pipes dedicated to it, you will not regret it. A down side of Westminster is the irregularity of its cut, but see the bright side of it and take a little more time to fill your bowl. How long shall I import it from US? EU Distributors what are you doing?

IMO, this is what London Mixture and the other original Dunhill mixtures smelled and tasted like. It reminds me of when I used to go the orginal Dunhill store in Chicago over 40 years ago, and started to smoke really fine tobacco. These were the days when Dunhill sold pipes, tobacco and cigars, not shirts, luggage, jockey shorts, etc. This tobacco takes me back to those past glory days of Dunhill.

Highly Recommended

Does it succeed in the task? Well, probably not. I don't think it is as nutty, thick or "chewy" like the Dunhill blend when it was good. Its flavour is IMHO quite different. But the good news is that Westminster, while different, is probably just as good, and most importantly just as ideal as a "whole day" English mixture, quite full of flavour but not heavy or cloying (which, if I remember correctly from the Dunhill brochure, was the description of London Mixture).

The tobacco in the tin is a bit moister than I'd expect from Pease, and more irregularly cut than the fine ribbons of the Dunhill. The color is also darker, with less bright specks. Another difference from London Mixture is that in the Dunhill blend the smell was more leathery, sweeter and more "putrid" (that almost rotten note that was always a sign of a great English blend in times past!). The higher than usual moisture level also shows in a slightly more difficult than usual lighting, especially if you have overpacked your bowl. I recommend a lighter hand especially when the tin has been opened for only a few days.

The flavour buildup of Westminster is very interesting: it starts slow and quiet, and then grows into a crescendo of fragrance and aromas. By the end of the bowl it has grown very rich and flavorful, and it ends simply delightful, without bad aftertastes and leaving you wanting for more (exactly like London Mixture did).

The Virginia base is rich but not overwhelming (a little bitey, maybe), neither it is particularly sweet like in the Classic Collection blends: as a whole, Westminster stays quite on a "dry" palette. The real showstealers are the Orientals and the Latakia: fragrant, spicy, perfmuy, incense-like. While the Latakia is from Cyprus, it truly is rich, winey, fragrant, woody, leathery: somehow this tobacco is reminiscent (though lighter and more delicate) of Bohemian Scandal. Yes, while Scandal was based on Syrian leaf, Westminster actually manages to evoke some of its aromas in spite of being entirely Cyprus Latakia based!

Do I like it better than the incredibly flavorful, chewy and thick Caravan, Odyssey, Blackpoint, Abingdon? Probably not... but of course the comparison is silly as these are more on the Balkan side and not a medium English like Westminster is meant to be.

What I can say for certain, is that I like it better than the departed Renaissance: yes, I think that Westminster suits much better my idea of a medium strength classic English mixture, it is much more satisfying and rewarding.

I am almost tempted to give a "Highly recommended" rating, and maybe I will revise my score in the future...

UPDATE: I have been smoking Westminster as my one and only English Mixture for the past two months. While in a couple of my pipes it tastes slightly flatter, it is a wonderfully reliable, consistent tobacco. I really find it excellent for continued smoking, I never grow tired of it. The fact that it burns slower than usual is excellent for those long evening smoking sessions. Rating upgraded to "Highly recommended".

Let it be known that the pipe I was using on the last tin was brand new. Hopefully, when I try this blend again, my appreciation will increase.

It is difficult deconstruct this blend into parts, as each component is remarkably balanced against the rest. Whatever casing is used never seems to rise to the conscious level; it remains just beyond reach.

A remarkable accomplishment, this is one outstanding mixture. It is balanced, round, and mellow; no more, no less. Aging is highly advised. This works well in a chamber of any gauge.

Westminster is tasty, contemplative, cool burning, and the end of each bowl is a huge disappointment. I find myself wanting to refill and relight far more often than is probably good for me when smoking this.

If you have shied away from English blends previously, then buy this and prepare to be converted.

Subjective? I guess so. I don't care to be honest, because I have yet to be sorry I applied a flame to a single bowl of this masterful blend. It is to be savoured.

When I opened up the second tin, I thought I had learned my lesson and dried the entire contents out before loading up a bowl. To my surprise it was good but nothing special. I thought I'd just lost my taste for it. This happens to me sometimes. My taste is somewhat fickle. So, for a second time, I threw the tin in the back of the cabinet. Again, about a month later, I decided to try it again. And once again, WOW!!!

So the entire point of the review is to say that I'm starting to believe that perhaps this blend needs to be opened a while before it can be truly enjoyed. I don't have any scientific data to back that up, nor any explanation for why it might be. But since it happened to me twice, I thought it might be worth passing along. So if it doesn't seem like anything special to you, try leaving it alone for a while and see what happens.

My tin of Westminster is from the first tinning on January 2, 2007, so I let it age just under 6 months. My first impressions were not good; the tobacco was so wet it was unsmokable. I have since dried it, but I can imagine there were 2-3 grams of water in my tin. I would prefer to have the 2-3 grams of tobacco instead. My first bowl was not a good experience. So I spread the entire tin contents out for about 2 days until it was dried to my satisfaction.

Once the tobacco dried I loved this blend. The Virginias that form the base are excellent and support the rich, smokey latakia very well. I'm not sure how to describe the role and taste of the Orientals, but I love the flavor and what I think they do to the blend as a whole. Rather than dissect Westminster I'd rather say the overall taste is rich, slightly tart and smokey, just delicious. I love the flavor it leaves on my tongue after the smoke is through, kind of like a good cigar. The aroma is exceptional; I have been trying to smell as much of it as I can as it leaves my bowl. Unfortunately, my wife doesn't feel the same way.

I had been looking for an English that I could smoke everyday, or perhaps even all day if I felt like it. Westminster is that blend for me. I don't see any need for further exploration within this genre. If my next tin, from a different tinning date, is drier, then I will give this 4 stars. Until then, Westminster has to lose a star for being dripping wet.

I ran across Westminster while smoking a boatload of trial tins looking for an all day English to replace my beloved 965. Yes, Westminster does remind one of London Mixture, but overall it is better than even the old Dunhill weed. Perhaps less Turkish in this mix make it better to me, but it just seems so much lighter on the tongue and in the mouth while still providing a flavor packed smoking experience. It is complex with each component playing a role from time to time. It smokes cool and dry and my tin had perfect moisture content. Just excellent tobacco.

Looks like I will smoking a lot of this blend until Mr. Pease decides to duplicate 965. I can only hope that he turns that master?s touch to every tobacco in the Dunhill line, and runs them right out of business.

Various blenders have attempted to re-produce classics such as Balkan Sobranie's 759 mixture with moderate success in my estimation. Greg has broken new ground in an attempt to re-create the long loved and often smoked London Mixture. To the best of my knowledge, he is singular in the attempt.

Dunhill is a much respected purveyor of Pipes and Tobacco products the world over. During the 28 years I have smoked pipes, many a bowl of Dunhill tobaccos have passed through my pipes. Several of Dunhill?s mixtures have been ?standards? of mine over the years; My Mixture 965, London Mixture, Nightcap, with several making the ?once in awhile? slot in my rotation; Dunbar, Standard Mixture.

Dunhill tobacco mixtures have suffered from what we might call ?outsourcing?. Other blenders have suffered similar fates, while others have ?been there, done that? and found satisfactory ?outsourcing blenders? to carry on a fine tradition. Murray's production has been the last of ?Dunhill mixtures? that I have smoked. I still maintain several tins of Nightcap for ?special occasion? pleasures and a couple of tins to open in my retirement years.

To my palate of the Dunhill mixtures that have suffered the greatest casualties; London Mixture and My Mixture 965 are the most gravely wounded.

With these things in mind, I will review GLP Westminster:

One should NOT approach this mixture expecting a ?typical GLP? mixture, it makes no such attempt. If you were looking for something similar to other GLP mixtures, please look elsewhere.

Appearance: A beautiful mixture of light and reddish./brownish Virginias, Latakia and Turkish leaf presented in ribbon cut form of nearly uniform cut. I can detect at least 6, and perhaps 8 different hues of leaf. Having read Greg's public notes about blending this mixture I know he spend hours pouring over various productions of Dunhill London Mixture learning what he could of the composition of this classic. This is very appealing to the eye of one looking for a ?typically English? tobacco mixture.

Tin aroma: Exactly what one would expect upon cracking open a tin of English tobacco, a nice blast of smoky Latakia, followed by the raisin/fig sweetness of Virginias and a musty leathery Turkish undertone. There is a deeply peaty quality which seemed absent from later samples of ?London Mixture? and very welcome here. The mouth-watering scents of an adult pleasure with anticipation of roughly an hour?s escape from ?modern life?.

For purposes of review, I?ve loaded a bowl (using the ?once like a baby, once like a lady, finally like a man? method of packing) into a Armellini rusticated Lovat of roughly Dunhill group 3/4 capacity. This pipe has been exclusively an English/Balkan smoker for several years, and should introduce no prejudice to the smoke. I have pre-smoked 4 non-reviewed bowls of Westminster with this pipe to assure what I'm tasting is actually Westminster. This mixture seems a bit moist to me upon cracking a fresh tin, I generally let a ?smoking portion? air for about 15-30 minutes prior to packing and smoking.

Upon lighting, I greeted with a blast of Latakia/Turkish smokiness with leathery/musty undertones, with the mild sweetness of Virginias just under the surface. Good so far, there seem to be no faults in proportions of the individual components thus far, everything seems where it should be, with a complexity and ?competition? for attention by each tobacco.

Mid Bowl: Approaching mid-bowl, the complexity and intensity as building nicely, the Virginias are a little more pronounced and assertive, while the Latakia and Turkish have settled into a nice middle palate place. The peaty quality noted in the tin aroma is very much there, though a subtle statement. When exhaled nasally the Turkish has a familiar ?drying effect? on the throat and dominates the soft palate areas of the mouth. This mixture (thankfully) has seeming little/none of the Cavendish confusion of My Mixture 965 or other ?later production? Dunhill mixtures, just a very cool and dry smoking one associates with a truly great English mixture of rather full body. The fine balance of leather/smoke/must/nuttiness and raisins builds slowly with each puff. Each component flavor remain distinct, yet blend together into what eventually becomes a truly outstanding finish. London Mixture has always had a roundness and softness absent in many other mixtures of this fullness, and Westminster captures this quality very well indeed.

Home Stretch: As end of the bowl approaches, each component tries to re-assert dominance which seems destined to ultimately fail, not in a ?bad way? however. The flavors are at their peak and cooperating with each other, yet somehow like gelatin the seem to eventually give up their ?individuality? to become a very rewarding ?whole flavor? which I remember fondly about Dunhill London Mixture of ?old? 1970's - 1980's . The volume of smoke from each puff is phenomenal, and the palate is intense and broad indeed. The flavors are in perfect cooperation at this point, a superlative effect. The complexity has faded a bit, joined slowly into one. An absolutely amazing finish, cool and dry with a muted, and melded complexity! One has the impression that IF tobacco could taste as velvet feels this would be the velvet in a truly royal gown.

Supplemental Notes: Now sadly that Dunhill have moved on to ?bigger and better things? like menswear (insert maniacal laughter here) Greg has taken up where they left off (years ago) and re-produced as closely as humanly possible a true Classic mixture. Absolutely an astonishing effort Greg! ***** FIVE (count them) HUGE stars

Yup, it's pie. It's an English blend. It's got some flavor and it stays pretty consistent. The somewhat sour and fruity Oriental aftertaste is pleasant as well. But it's not OMG-I'M-SMOKING-PRIME-RIB flavor. It's not small-animals-and-children-run-for-the-exits room note. It's just a nice medium blend when new and out of the tin.

This one's going for a 2-month visit in a mason jar at Hotel de Basement so it can learn to play better, and then we'll see if it's met its potential. I can see it maturing nicely, and as a Latakia lover's everyday all-day smoke, it's fine for that. But for an quite-similar fuller medium Latakia blend straight from the tin, I'm sticking with Habana Cigar's Strike Force, courtesy of Larry the Jedi blending master.

Three stars for Greg though. Nice blend, honestly not a thing wrong with it, and the complexities are at the high levels we've come to expect from Pease. I just prefer a little more sock in my coffee, as it were.

It is better than any Dunhill Tobacco I have smoked and that includes Murrays version. Better than the Margate from esoterica tobacco that was my regular full english blend until trying this. This one has overtones of a tangy sweetness. A fruitiness but not one from flavorings mind you, but one of a balance of natural tobaccos intermingling between the outstanding orientals , bright and red Virginias. The Latakia is also there but doesn't overwhelm the the blend. I also find it pretty forgiving and had no trace of bite from smoking it a little faster than I probably should have been due to my excitement. 4 out of 4 stars. By far the best Pease blend I have tried.

Update: I set an opened can of this aside for a couple years and it has dried out somewhat but not too dry. It has gained a more uniform and even flavor between the components which to me tastes buttery, leathery and fruity all at the same time. It stays lit much better with some age on it.

My experience with Pease blends has been uneven. They haven't always provided the different-in-kind nirvana that the premium prices and rave reviews had led me to expect.

Westminster must've been what I was waiting for. If you like English blends, you will love this stuff. Deep, balanced, complex: It has the gravitas of a great cigar, but with a clean, woodsmoke edge, like you're actually smoking some oak-paneled library at Magdelen College, Oxford -- leather-bound volumes and all...

My only caveat would be to use a lighter with this blend, or have plenty of matches on hand. Unless you dry it out a bit first, it takes some fire to get it going, and it may require a relight or two. But once it goes: Mmm, mmm, good.

I like this so much that I've dedicated a pipe to it after half of a tin (an old estate Author with "Algerian Briar" stamped on the side). This weed seems to like larger bowls.

Nothing I can say will add any to these reviews. This is the high-water mark for any full English blend I've tried. I will be buying a few tins of this to put away. Just pray that this one doesn't disappear like so many of the great blends from the past.

First off, I feel I should state for the record that I am not a fan of Latakia in any way, shape, or form. Usually the smell of Latakia on a tin will push me to look for something different. However, as this was the TOTM I figured I should take a fair try at this tobacco.

Upon opening the tin I was greeted by the normal musty Latakia smell and some deeper spicy notes. All in all the bouquet is much more pleasant then I had expected. While this tobacco was a little too moist straight out of the tin, I found the leaves to have a very soft and ?plump? feel as I packed this blend into my testing pipe.

First char for this blend has been a bit difficult, and while smoking I have experienced some gurgling, but I suspect that could easily be corrected by leaving the tin open for an hour or two. On the upside once lit I have had not had too much issue keeping it lit, and it burns down to a nice ash fairly well.

The flavors that crop up while smoking this are amazing, often I will get a good taste of the Latakia, but it is tempered by sweet and spicy notes that really highlight the amazing quality of the tobacco in this blend. Also, the sweetness really begins to bloom farther down the bowl, and counterbalances the smokiness much better then I would expect.

I have seen many people regard this as a good ?all day smoke? choice, and I have to say that if I was a lover of English blends, I could definitely agree with this sentiment. Even so, I could see smoking a bowl of this every other or every few nights, particularly after a nice and hearty steak meal.

For me this blend is a solid 4 stars, and could definitely find a permanent home in my cellar.

Loaded into an LJ Heart, it lit without incident and stayed lit throughout the bowl. Unlike some Pease blends that can be harsh and unrefined, this one is truly a masterpiece. The perfect English blend reminiscent of so many of the Dunhill mixtures that are no more.

For you English lovers out there, this is one to stock up on. Incidently, it does smell rather leathery and only ugly women at bar closing time will want you when smoked in the company of females.

My tin (from 1/3/07) was unusually moist -- something that was quickly corrected by GLP in subsequent tinnings -- but it didn't take much time at all to get it dry enough to take and hold a light.

Westminster has the wildest cut of any Pease blend I've yet tried, with ribbons of latakia nestled beside great chunks of broken Virginia flake. That makes packing a little challenging. But any effort is worth it, for Westminster carries the complexity and depth of an old, mature blend that is a joy to smoke. This even occasionally strikes a deep, rich note that I'm used to experiencing only in blends featuring perique -- and there is no perique here.

I'm convinced that Westminster is going to be the blend that future generations look back on as an outstanding achievement, just as many now look back on the Craven Mixture or Balkan Sobranie. Stock up, my friends. Stock up.

Truthfully, the only Dunhill tobacco I ever liked was Aperitif and so I never expected to be crazy for this blend but had to try it because of the story behind it's creation. It's very smokey, very leathery (I wish I had a better way to describe that), and musty. It reminds me of opening the case of an old vintage guitar, although I doubt anyone else would have that association.

It's not something I'll smoke very much because there other blends which I enjoy more but this is really fine blending and every English blend lover should try it at least once and read the story about how it was created.

I don't know why his tin descriptions would be considered "pompous", really. They are well written and describe the type of tobacco in the tin with, some embellishment. Why not?

Three and a half of five stars

Latakia compliments but doesn't dominate. What makes this blend unique is the oriental amping going on here.

An excellent blend.

Images evoked include the symphony of muted hacksaws in strange unison wielded by undead lumberjacks on a beautiful spring day.

Haven't smoked anything this seemingly full yet refined for many a year. Not that heavy really but not a starter blend IMO. Classic English, balanced Latakia, Virginia, and Orientals. Latakia first up, then Virginias in layers, then spicy Orientals, then all together now. Wonderful aroma in the can.

Some aging and further marrying of leaf should enhance the refinement. A bit of drying right out of the tin is helpful.

I can say no more. Words fail me now. I am speechless.

Well.... If they gave an Oscar for blends, this would win for best direction and special effects.

Highly recommended.

UPDATE: When I first reviewed this, I did something I've never done, evaluating a tobacco after a few bowls. Now a few weeks have passed. I've smoked Westminster in 5-6 different pipes - a few older estate pipes, and a few newer ones; in mornings, in the afternoon, early evenings, and late at night. I've smoked it in Rhodesians, billiards, a large apple, bowls large and smaller. And after this variety, and after the first tin, everything that I loved about it at first stands. Westminster will undoubtedly be spoken of one day as the very best medium English blend there is. To think of what this will mature to causes me to lay in a really ridiculous amount of it.

Generally, I avoid getting into the minutiae of a blend--favoring, instead, to focus on the overall effect of several bowlsful. No face is symmetrical, no beauty is flawless if examined bit-by-bit. Westminster, though, requires a linear--as opposed to lateral--analysis.

In his latest "Briar and Leaf Chronicles," Greg intimated that he had earlier versions of Dunhill's "London Blend" in mind as he wandered "The Road To Westminster." Twenty...Thirty-years on, it is difficult to recall the London Blend of the Dunhill era. I laid back no tins then, assuming, as most did, that it would always be around in its delighful original form. Foresight is not my forte.

Therefore, I cannot say whether Westminster hits or misses THAT particular mark. It will, however, have veterans and novices alike singing, "Give me that oldtime tobacco...give me that oldtime tobacco..."

This stuff is just plain good. The tin I bought is all of three-weeks-old...but already interesting; owing, I suspect, to a special treatment for the Virginias. Give it 2-3 years in an unopened can--to let the excellent (but too-assertive) Cyprian Latakia tone down, and the Virginias sweeten...and the Orientals work their magic--and 'twill be very Heaven. It hits notes familiar to all of us old guys...Dunhill London Mixture, Sullivan's Original, John Coton Medium. It is, simply-put, what a great, tinned English Mixture used to be.

Being an unreconstructed geek...I took three years of Latin in high school and one year in college..NOTE BENE!!! (note well) the admonishments about this tobacco being too moist when first-opened. It is (Westminster shares that misfortune with Barbary Coast) and one is advised to dump the entire contents of the can onto a clean, flat surface for several hours--spread-out--to dry. Otherwise, the moisture level, combined with the cut, will conspire to give you and your butane a fit!

Westminster is THE MOST UNUSUAL PEASE TOBACCO I HAVE SMOKED. It is a mainstream, albeit exemplary, English. Most of Greg's blends are a bit (or more than a bit) esoteric (sorry, Mike...but you did not invent the word.) Westminster will be recognized and cosseted by anyone who loves a classic English blend.

A worthy successor to all the gone-on, not-to-be-forgotten tobaccos of yore.

The pouch aroma is wonderfully Latakia-dominated, a big plus for me. The stuff loads easily, lights easily, and burns cleanly down to a grey ash with nary a drop of moisture in the heal. The mechanics of this mixture are first-rate. I think an every-day smoke would not require my undivided attention to enjoy and this tobacco is very friendly in that respect. It does have complexity in the way Vanilla Bean Gelato has complexity. Really great flavour from top to bottom. I think the characteristic that dominates this mixture is the superb balance of the flavour components. Not too much or too little of any one flavour.

I believe this mixture will surely age very well, but right out of the tin, it is an exceptional English mixture that can be enjoyed all day long.

I picked a Pete system 303. Packed using the frank method.

On char light- LATAKIA...big and bold....Determined, once I got lit, I rinsed with warm to hot peppermint tea. Then trudged on.

From Start to cruising speed I am growing encouraged. I despise cyprian latakia dominated blends. I find them of a singular dimension- Mouth drying, and basically disgusting.

Here, there is a sweet, exotic spice that takes main stage. No mouth drying. The mouth does get that latakia coating- but its not unpleasant. I allowed it to go out while I chased my boxer from the trash can. After beating him with a shoe....I relight....

Sweet....a nice smoky sweet. The kind of smoke I fantasize wanting on cold foggy days. When Zen and Pipe smoker maintenance takes over and all there is for the day is the long dark tea time of the soul.....When Bills are left behind and its just you, a friend of Briar, and a sweet smoky libation that can carry you away from the hear and now, and into the halcyon dreams of spiritual peace.

Oh I like this.....For those that care, this is my 91st review. As far as I'm concerned there will never be a latakia or English blend to match this.

I am at mid bowl now, and the taste and flavor has remained solid. no change. a wonderful mixture of latakia, Orientals, and a balanced sweetness of red virginias. It is a magnificent blend- and I do mean blend. There is no transition of flavors, but one continuous flavor which is extraordinary.

Had to tamp and relight. Here's a note. too much heat and a bitterness does come in for a second- not unexpected, I got it too hot. Once it got back to regular puffing...Flavor went right back to the above mentioned.

Past midbowl now. Still no detrimental effects from latakia. ***Ok, My Wife just came in and said WHOA!!!! Stinky one!!!! Not normal Friendly".....I guess nicotine has kicked in cause I am laughing hysterically......***

Last 1/3rd of the bowl. Flavor is stil the same. Nothing is fighting for center stage.

Mouth is still fine. no dryness. Cat has decided something I'm smoking is fascinating.....So has wifes dog......Both are practically in my lap.

Burn is perfect. Stays lit. no fuss. Ash is a lovely white.

If I had to draw some comparison to my London Mix? I would say the Orlick London Mix is like watching Casablanca on an old TV, on AMC.

This is like seeing the same Movie on HDTV on DVD. Its fresher (literally), more intense, There's more clarity in taste- Like taking a picture of a sunflower with an old brownie camera, then another of the same flower with a digital. The quality of leaf is lightyears ahead of the Orlick blend.

All in all- I give this my highest recommendation. There IS NO English blend but this in my opinion. Try it. You won't regret it.

Opening the tin revealed a dark and rich English mixture with plenty of red virginias and Latakia. The aroma was the smoky savor of Latakia and fragrance of ripened virginias. It smelled wonderful! The cut was short ribbons, and it seemed to have a broken flake cut sparsely included, which reminded me of GL Pease?s Fillmore. The mildly most ribbons packed perfectly.

I loaded my Peter Heeschen Bent P carefully and set the match to it. The inital light tasted great! It took a charring light and a second for a consistent burn. The first third of the bowl tasted delicious. The sum is greater than the parts! This is not a Latakia dump, but every part is in harmony. There is a balanced smoky sweetness that tickles the tongue. The second third continues in a constant gratification of the same delicious smoke. Perhaps the oriental tobacco becomes more noticeable here. The last third required me to relight. It was heavy virginias bathed in Latakia smokiness. The bowl was finished before I realized it. The finished bowl consisted of nothing but a beautiful white ash, and I was hungry for more!

I thoroughly enjoyed this blend presented to us by Mr. Pease. I will definitely buy more tins.