Pease and C&D make the best new Balkans on the market. In this category, I have smoked all but Blackpoint in the Classic Collection -- and awarded each four stars. In my opinion, these blends represents the best that Pease (or any other contemporary blender) has to offer.

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

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

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

Very much worth a try.

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

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

In my original review, I gave this blend plenty of respect. A year later, I'm ready to give it some more love.

Abingdon has not grown on me. Rather, I've forced my own will upon it! After perceiving it as a bold statement in the English/latakia market, I was determined to try and marry my heart and head. I'm getting there, by sheer force of will! :) Once again, the layering of various flavors is sheer genius. I find this to be one of the most complex tobacco blends anywhere, something I find extraordinary in a "dark" and full tobacco. Most simply powerhouse their way through but this one shows a sense of quiet strength. Perhaps age has been properly kind to this, but I now find the orientals and the virginias a lot more evident, as well as playful. This isn't just a latakia powerhouse, and I've smoked enough of those to taste the difference. One more year with this and it may become a 4 star blend. Mr Pease does suggest that aging does nice things to his work, and this one would seem to lend credence to such a statement. As I said a year ago, this is something that all latakia lovers should try, as well as those who want a hard lesson in what it takes to become a master blender.

ORIGINAL REVIEW 9/24/09

First of all, I rated this on how well I liked it, in order to maintain consistency with my other reviews. Is it something I'll smoke regularly? No. Is it something everyone that loves latakia blends should try? Absolutely. Could this be one of those "genius blends" as I like to refer to the ones that seem above the crowd? I think so!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aroma: Smoky, but a bit more austere than Odyssey – not as rich and campfire- smoky. It just seems a bit more reluctant to release its odors, but this could be because it’s a drier tin than the Odyssey I tried recently. Odyssey is a much blacker blend, which to me would mean more Latakia, but Pease’s description of Odyssey tells us that Odyssey is “A huge Latakia blend, second only to Abingdon in forcefulness.” Not sure if that means it is second to Abingdon in its quantity of Latakia. Seems to me that Abingdon has less.

Appearance: The cut is quite coarse, with some large chunks of Latakia that really needed a little additional rubbing-out. For small chamber pipes, this coarse blend might be a little challenging. I think it works better in a large chamber pipe. The photo clearly shows that this blend does not have a lot of Latakia (I’m assuming the Latakia is the black bits). The tin description lists “Latakia,” “red and lemon yellow Virginias,” and “rich oriental leaf.” I believe all four are clearly visible in the mix. It looks like it could have been mixed up a bit better, as there were little pockets or gobs of one type of leaf here and there. It’s visually quite beautiful!

Pipe 1: Stanwell Vario Billiard Pipe 2: Savinelli 320KS Author Pipe 3: Dane Craft S Freehand

Flavor: The last time I tasted Abingdon is when I reviewed it on TR in May 2009, and in all three pipes it’s much more oriental-forward than I remembered. I think the balance is impeccable. I consider the definition of English vs. Balkan as a continuum, one blending into the other on a linear scale, which is consistent with Pease’s comments about some blends blurring the lines between the two. Abingdon seems to emphasize the orientals while maintaining a very significant Latakia presence.

I puffed as hard as I pleased and it didn’t bite, but of course that causes the flavors to become too burnt. As with every tobacco, this one should be respected, nurtured and contemplated, and Abingdon, due to its rich complexity and changing character, is a very special and delicious treat when smoked carefully. I think some of the change in flavors I experienced throughout a given bowl is due to the not-so-even mixture of the components themselves, along with the quite large chunks of a given tobacco. When one of those big pieces catches fire, it seems to emphasize that particular leaf during that part of the smoke. To me, this makes it interesting. But there is also a gradual change during the smoke toward a more smoky, richer flavor that just gets better and better right to the bottom.

The aftertaste lasts for a long time, a quarter to a half-hour or longer if you don’t eat or drink, and it emphasizes the orientals. This blend reminds me of the McClelland Three Oaks series. I would love to try this with Syrian Latakia just to explore the difference, but I understand Greg lost his stash of Syrian in a fire. Bummer!

It burned well with no problems. Pease suggest a lighter than normal pack, but while loading my pipes I had to pack it in with greater than average force because my tin was quite dry upon opening and the leaves were stiff. A typical gentle pack did not provide nearly enough density to get a good burn. This was not true with the Odyssey I opened last week (next week’s review). It was moister with a much finer cut.

Overall, this is an easy four star blend for me. I love the flavors and I love the complexity. The coarse cut, while it may alter your normal packing methods (or not, if your tin is moist), provides a visually interesting experience and allows you to clearly see exactly what you’re smoking. An excellent blend with which to start our pilgrimage! Please let us know your opinions!

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

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

P.S. In a review below XYZZY said:

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

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

Nonsense.

1.) Dry tobaccos burn hot.

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

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

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

IMHO.

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

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

THIS IS ONE GREAT TOBACCO!

Another hit by the King of English