G. L. Pease The Virginia Cream

I am not an aromatic smoker and probably never will be. This poses a problem for me as my girlfriend hates the smell of all of the tobaccos I smoke but loves the smell of every aromatic my father smokes. I bought this with the hope of finding a tobacco that smells like an aromatic but doesn't taste like one. I have seen many reviews claiming that this was the tobacco to finally achieve this. Unfortunately, at least for my girlfriend this was not the case. She said it smells like everything else I smoke...with a touch of sweetness. All is not lost however as this is a pretty good blend. It doesn't really taste like an aromatic to me. I would put it in more of a navy blend category. You taste all the natural tobacco but with a slight alcohol topping. Most people say bourbon but it smells more like a scotch to me. No chemical aftertaste. Just tobacco. The kentucky and perique really show up to me. Much spicier than I anticipated. Can smoke hot and will bite if not careful. A little too much going on for an everyday smoke for me but still pretty good.

I found some Tobacco powder left at the bottom of Tin and I am smoking it in Kiseru. when Tin was opened, it had a rich creamy aroma. When I opened the Tin, it had a rich creamy aroma, but since it has been several years since I opened the Tin, the aroma seems to have disappeared a bit or most of it, just like in other aromatic blends. The overall taste of the blend is slightly citrusy, spicy barbecue, and sweet without being too strong. When the Black Cavendish is burned, it becomes a little milder in aroma and taste, but still spicy overall. Fresh Tin adds a creamy aroma to it, but when I remember the taste of the blend when it was fresh, it was still spicy and barbecue-like.

Prep: It was in a bag from a trade. About perfect. If anything, on the dry side

Notes: The Vanilla is quality, unlike other blends. Tastes like Vanilla bean. As someone else mentioned, I do taste nutmeg as well. That might be the bourbon addition. A "bourbon" flavor doesnt appear for me. The flavoring itself isnt overbearing at all but compliments the natural tobacco flavors. The Virginia’s sweetness is at the forefront, more darker fruit than hay notes for me. The perique and Kentucky are always evident but never overbearing. A backdrop of woodiness is evident from the Kentucky but little more than that. Nic strength for me is about low medium. I can have back to back bowls with this. With proper breathing, it stays quite cool.

Definfitely a quality aro blend, which quality is what you should expect from Pease. 7/10

https://youtu.be/r1ojhOiAweI

Tin note is bourbon and vanilla, or maybe bourbon/vanilla since bourbon contains the compound vanillin. Moisture is good. The Virginias form the base, the Kentucky adds a bit of depth, and the perique adds a bit of fruitiness along with an occasional tingle of the tongue. Cavendish adds a little sweetness, I guess. The bourbon and vanilla are added in perfect amounts, so that you enjoy the flavors without smoking sticky goop. I'd put the prominence of the toppings between English and American aros, and it's just right. This one smokes fairly cool, but will burn a little hot if pushed. I've experienced 0 tongue bite, which is something I can't always say with aromatics. I'm a big fan of this blend. The bourbon/vanilla is delicious and compliments the tobaccos. Its "less is more" approach to the toppings makes the blend more subtle and complex compared to some my other favorite aros, Rattray's summer blends and their Exotic Passion (formerly Exotic Orange). They are a lot more heavy-handed with the toppings and need some dry time. The Rattray's I mentioned are an occasional treat, but this can be an all day, every day smoke

After smoking aromatics and finding the flavor lacking in most of them I wanted to try something different. I found this lightly flavored aromatic from G. L. Pease and thought I would give it a try as sort of a transition into other tobaccos. The Virginia Cream is perfect for someone who wants to experience something other than aromatics. The tin note is a nice soft sweetness. The flavoring is a very light Bourbon/Vanilla that I can pick up as a light after taste. No strong chemical taste as all. It is spicy, peppery and a little smokey with some faint fruity sweetness. The flavor is complex when compared to most aromatics. You can taste the tobaccos in this blend and it really seems to be a good introduction to what a good blend should taste like. The Virginia Cream smoked cool, dry and is definitely going to be a regular choice for me. If you are an aromatic smoker and want to try something a bit different then give this blend a try.

I have never enjoyed products made by Cornell & Diehl, so when finding out they are the culprits behind G.L. Pease, my lackluster reaction to Virginia Cream was of no surprise. As an aromatic, this is not. For I expect them to to deliver the advertised flavor (in this case Vanilla). This tin however, opened to what was certainly something sour/rank (not to be insulted, it's what I expect from some Virginia based blends), but nothing in the way of sweet Vanilla sugar.

I was shocked by how brutally dry this mix was, considering the manufacturing date was less than 4 months old. It was shredded quite thin, with a few dark chunks floating on a sea of tan Virginia. The bouncy cut that takes some quantity to pack (and once lit compress to half). The tinder erupts on contact with an unexpected nicotine wave that recedes back when things are rolling. Again no Vanilla to speak of, just a light sweetness that I would expect from a Virginia product.

Ultimately it reminded me of a shag cut (American blend?) that one could roll a cigarette with. The tin shape is also pleasing, but not great for an air seal. If you simply want a less barnyard smelling Virginia, and ignore the Aromatic labeling, I guess it might be a smoke for you.

The tobacco itself is a short medium ribbon that appears to be about 20% black cavendish. The "nose" in the tin is a mild vanilla.

A friend gave me most of a tin that he had tried a couple of years ago and did not like. It is possible that my sample is aged in some way, or the topping has flashed off a little.

I found this a very pleasant smoke. I am not typically much of a fan of either black cavendish or vaniilla toppings, but this one works very well for me. It tastes like Virginia tobacco - slightly earthy and a little grassy There is a hint of fruit in the flavor. it is not especially sweet and is a very smooth smoke. There is a hint of vanilla in all this. The bourbon may be there or the power of suggestion has me finding it when I look. It is not dominant at all.

Anyone who would like a tobacco-flavored semi-aro would be happy with Vanilla Cream. I could easily make this my goto smoke but given tin prices and my cheap nature, it is likely to sit on a wish list and be the occasional present.

This one is easy to recommend. I would think most people would like it.

I like this one, I'll probably buy again. Tin aroma is wonderful, almost makes you want to mix it with milk and eat. I'm not an aromatic lover but I like the smell and taste of vanilla so I ordered this one and finished the tin very soon. This is an aromatic but still tobacco. Very nice smoking experience, with sweet morning coffee, not too black. Nice and sweet with some perique to wake you up...

Time to review another GL Pease blend. The Virginia Cream blend by GL Pease is memorable in that it is one of the few straight Virginia blends that gets cased with a vanilla flavoring. Often times aromatic tobaccos use the casing to hide inferior quality tea tobacco. In the case of the Virginia Cream, this is not the case. The quality of the Virginia tobacco's used is very good. The vanilla and bourbon topping is good, but not overwhelming. On the other hand, there is some bite to this blend. I would prefer this blend to added a little more vanilla and a little less bourbon. Perhaps age might help. While a reasonable variation on a vanilla aromatic, there are better choices available in this genre.