I've tried this MANY times over the past 6 years. Each time saying to myself, now I'll get it.

This has a very bitter taste to it. It may, it must, be me because of the huge following it has. It smells as though it has been topped with something- not a perfume, flowery scent or fruit, just something.

This is probably my sixth tin tried and can't reach the middle of the tin, again. I really don't believe it's the Oriental/Turkish turning me off, and I love Latakia. Whatever it is I can't put my finger on, again.

I do recommend you to try, because I am in the minority, but in a word- bitter. Not a good bitter some Turkish leaves have, but a something is in this bitter.

Addendum 6/7/2011: well, I didn't give up! Getting used to this, found for me it worked in a Dunhill group 3 prince. Dark, Still somewhat bitter, but getting towards a good bitter. Have let this sit in a jar past 6 months and to me it has helped. Upgrading from ** to ***.

This is magnificent stuff. Tin aroma: superb; packing and lighting qualities: superb; smoking characteristics: superb. There’s probably no point in adding to what previous reviewers have said about this exemplary English flake, other than to say that, if it were available here, I’d probably smoke nothing else. There just aren’t enough superlatives to describe it adequately.

I intend to write to Germain’s and ask them (a) why Penzance isn’t sold in the UK, and (b) whether anything can be done to remedy this lack. I understand that, to some extent, scarcity is one of the things that makes a good thing stay good; but complete unavailability is ridiculous.

Update: I wrote to Germain's. They told me that Penzance is not available in the UK, which I knew already; that's why I wrote to them. They didn't explain why it isn't available, and suggested that I try their Latakia Flake instead. It seems very strange that they don't want to market such a big seller in the UK, but they obviously have no intention of doing so. It seems perfectly ridiculous to me. I tried their Latakia Flake. It's comparable and all right; that's about all you can say, really.

Over the course of a couple weeks (the time it took to smoke the entire tin) I have continued my love affair. The Latakia is noticeable but does not overwhelm. The same can be said of the orientals and the VA. Overall this is just a beautifully melded mixture of tobacco. It can be complicated but also plays well as a second fiddle if need be.

I did find it a bit moist for me and required some drying time. I also found it a bit tempermental, especially near the bottom of the bowl, but with some slow puffing and some care it all worked out just fine. The major down side to this tobacco is the difficulty in obtaining it on a regular basis, fortunately I have a tin in the cellar. This is a blend that all English smokers should give a whirl.

Update, 23 September 2011: Over the past year this has become my number one. I smoke it more than any other, and I keep a pound or more on hand at all times. I crave its flavor, adore its ease of smoking, and love the aftertaste that lingers for hours. Never bites. Never disappoints. I could alternate this with Escudo and never need anything else.

Penzance is different. Taste on the palate may well still be 'just another English'(definetely good, though...) to me(my apologies to it's many fans), but that's not where Penzance shines. It's the smell. Opening the tin was a revelation of sorts...I remember the first time I smelled Latakia, and the second, the third....wonderfully unique stuff. This here just bumped the expectation up a notch. There is a decadent creaminess to it's Lat base aroma...a church incense/holy attar type scent that just blows me away! I even tend to open the jar daily, or more, just to get re-aquainted with it...doesn't matter if I have plans to smoke it, or not. Damn!

That smell also shines in the after smoke, of all places. (I would love the room note as well, I suspect, but I can't tell that for sure). The aroma lingers in my beard and clothes...making me look like a 4 year old, his nose stuffed into his sleeve. Normally I could care less, but this one...

The fact it's a flake garners it brownie points with me...as does the small, pocketable tin. Now if only Penzance, and Squadron Leader, would make regular stops on the B&M railroad, I could rest assured of always having some on hand. Alas, I must conserve...(and luckily, prefer my daily VA's).

As a final note, the generous forum friend who sent me this tin, suggested making an after shave of it...just kidding, no doubt, but I'm starting to wonder...Hmm.

4 stars for when it's available.

I expected this to be difficult to crumble and/or load based on my experience with Bracken Flake. I was really suprised - it almost crumbles by itself! I decided to go really loose with the bottom of the bowl and then to roll a flake up for the top. It crumbles so easily I could not roll a flake.

I went really slow during the lite up stage and this seemed to work to get the top of the tobacco evenly lit. Slight tamping and quick relite and it was off to the races!

Good rich smoke and burned well. Changed complexity as went though the stages of the bowl - but all were pleasant to me. Burned to a nice fine ash and was very enjoyable. This tobacco is maybe a little milder than Bracken Flake and much milder that Petersons Irish Flake.

A great tobacco!

i had some fun and mixed penzance 50/50 with anniversary kake and it was pretty damned good.

[edit] 2011 batch is crap. smells like beef jerky in the tin. smokes terrible and the note is that of burning trash. they really screwed up.

When I first tried it, I had just started pipe smoking and having begun with Kendall's Sweet Peach, this English blend was a bit of a shock I wasn't ready for. I hated it. I even gave away 10 of them to a friend!

I moved on to my Grandad's favourite Erinmore Flake which I enjoyed and then to Erinmore's Balkan Mixture which has some really interesting flavours and aromas with the Latakia and Orientals. I was subsequently seduced by English blends and was led back to trying Penzance.

I now rate Penzance very highly. It has gorgeous crumbly flakes and despite the pungent smell ( like that of a farmyard I'm told), it burns very well with a rather pleasant room note. It is best sipped and savoured to draw the best from the subtle flavours of the tobacco. If you rush it, it burns too hot and like most the experience diminishes. This is certainly very top draw, best smoked after mid morning in my opinion.

The cans I have are aged I reckon because they have dried out a little. So much so that I needed to rehydrate them.

Like a lot of English blends I can understand it's not to everyone's taste. A fellow pipe-smoker friend of mine detests it but then he likes Petersen Aromatics such as Connoisseur's Choice which I find a touch shallow.

If you can find it and you enjoy English blends, you won't be disappointed.

Someone wrote this reminded him or her of beef jerky. It reminds me of church incense. After all, incense almost rhymes with Penzance. Rich, very creamy, citrusy and with a perfect body of taste and a dark, smoky energy. The elements - Virginia, latakia and the other orientals - meld together perfectly to my taste. After a year in the jar, it needed just a little rubbing out and fairly jumped into the bowl by itself, it was that easy to fill.

I like many English blends, but this one, along with Chelsea Morning, Margate and Park-Lane's Knightsbridge, makes me salivate and enter a state of sedate delirium. The epitome of an English blend, Penzance and CM are my personal top favorites among those four.

Nicely balanced flavors--everything plays a great role, so it never gets boring. Love the flake format. A must try!