G. L. Pease Renaissance Reserve

(3.67)
True to the original formula, Renaissance Reserve is a blend of Cyprian and Syrian Latakias, several matured Virginias, and Balkan Orientals blended in just the right measure for many months to provide a rich, complex, and sophisticated smoking experience.
Notes: Only 500 tins of this exquisite blend were produced.

Details

Brand G. L. Pease
Blended By Gregory Pease
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 oz Tin
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

Strength
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.67 / 4
5

0

1

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Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 01, 2016 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Having very recently smoked the original Renaissance, whose formula was duplicated for this limited revival, I find few differences between the two. The very smokey, woody Syrian latakia has a light dryness, and is a little more noticeable than the Cyprian, which has a little sweetness along with the smoke and wood. The rich Orientals are woody with some earth, a touch of sour, and a mild to medium spiciness that playfully tingles the tongue. As with the original, the Orientals compete with and complement the latakias. The red Virginia is tangy, dark fruit sweet and earthy with a bare spice note. It takes a lead over the other Virginias, though the aged version is mildly tangier. The matured Virginias have a gentle fermented stewed dark fruitiness, and vies with the red for attention. Third place in the Virginia line is the gold Virginia which offers light grass and citrus. The nic-hit is mild to medium. The strength is medium, and the taste is just past that. There’s no chance of bite, and no harsh or dullness to be found. A slow puffing cadence and a wide bowl is recommended to fully capture the complexities of this mixture.

It is just a little more latakia forward than the original, as well as tad less earthy, but that’s because I was smoking an aged 2004 version where the matured sweetness and earth of the Virginias came forward just a tad more, and the latakias had lightly mellowed. The nuance of taste in the Renaissance Reserve is a little more obvious and fresher because aging rounded off a few characteristics of the varietals. However this is very close to that aged product, and the differences are minor. Well balanced, complex, and a little dry in the tin, it burns at a reasonable pace with a very smooth, cool, clean consistent deep flavor. There is a mild creaminess here that’s just a hair more conspicuous than in the original. Requires few relights, and leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. The smokey, woody, sweet, slightly sour and moderately spicy after taste pleasantly lingers. The campfire room note will linger, too. It’s not quite an all day smoke unless you are an experienced smoker, but is certainly repeatable if you are not.

-JimInks
18 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 20, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
This is undoubtedly the most balanced English blend I've had. Renessaince Reserve first showcases the bright Virginia that I think has some age on it. Grassy and very smooth. There is a very minor sweetness that I would suspect comes from red Virginias. The Cyprian Latakia is bold, dry, and smokey while the Syrian is subtle with a mild spice. There is some woody/sour/spicy orientals likely Izmir leaf. No component seems to drown out anything else here which is an accomplishment for an English. Highly recommended!
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jul 28, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
I enjoy a number of Pease English blends, but none in regular rotation. But based on just a few bowls thus far, Renaissance Reserve could have easily been an everyday blend for me had more been available. The tin scent alone was heavenly. It’s a bit sour and moderately smoky. RR is a medium English that is full of flavor. The Cyprian Latakia was added in such a way as to not overpower the Syrian, leaving room for both to shine through in a very balanced way. In fact, the entire blend is masterfully balanced and complex. The Oriental component is fairly prominent and the portions of the three Virginia’s are about as perfect as can be. The addition of the matured Virginia adds a level of depth to the trio (which is what really makes it for me) with the red offering the usual tanginess, and the golden playing more of a backing role. I can’t quite pick out the Perique although there is a minor spice note, but I not sure if it is coming from that or the Oriental. RR is one of the finest new medium English blends that I have smoked in a long time, and for me it is the best Pease English, (including Bo Scandal and the original Renaissance) that I have smoked.
3 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Oct 30, 2016 Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant to Tolerable
Renaissance Reserve

The tin note is one of sweet, smokey, charcoal, and leather. The first light was reminiscent of leather again, but with a hint of sandalwood. Shortly thereafter the spice amped up with strong notes of clove. Then I took my first sip of bourbon, so the tasting notes quieted down for a bit. It continues to deliver a nice spice/leather with a hint of sweet, easily retrohaled for a nice smooth smell of Syrian Latakia and again that hint of clove. As plumes of smoke continue to rise at about mid bowl, the clove becomes prominent with a sweet applewood smokiness as the backdrop, the smoke is getting more woody which is curious since it's a meerschaum pipe that I'm smoking tonight. Another sip of whiskey. I should also comment that I have had zero relights and the smoke has remained quite smooth. I am now crossing over into the tail end of the smoke, we shall se if the heal stays good. Finally a relight was needed and the Cyprian made a bold appearance with a more bitey, campfirey note almost like sharp cheese. More bourbon. The clove is gone now and it tastes a lot like Westminster in this final stretch. Smoked down nicely right to the end, can't see the ash but it I were a betting man I would say it's a muttled dark grey and white. A fantastic smoke overall.
Pipe Used: AND Meerschaum Bent Billiard
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 1 Month
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
JB
Jul 21, 2016 Medium None Detected Medium Very Pleasant
Realizing that the tins that I was able to get are the only ones that I'll ever get, I cracked the tin open reluctantly. My curiosity got the better of me, and I'm glad that it did. Renaissance Reserve is the perfect medium English blend to my palate. No one element dominates the smell, the flavor or the smoking experience. The two different latakias play their roles perfectly. I have missed Syrian latakia greatly over the past decade, so it's like tasting a vintage wine that you remember well. The smell in the tin almost has a wine cask quality to it, as a matter of fact. The blend is ready to smoke as soon as the tin is opened. The balance is immediately evident...all components are awake and singing in harmony. The inhale portion of the smoke presented wonderful leather and cedar impressions. And that bit of wine-like character is noticeable throughout the smoke. My first bowl burned down to white ash and it was all I could do to keep from packing another bowl and going for round two. Extraordinary. I appreciate English blends that are milder and stronger than Renaissance Reserve, but the balance and harmony of this blend really hit the mark for me.
Pipe Used: Talbert OSC Poker
PurchasedFrom: P&C
Age When Smoked: Just opened
2 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 01, 2016 Medium None Detected Mild Tolerable
I'll have to be the dissenting opinion on this one, as I just don't think this blend is much more than a mid-level medium English. The Virginias are very dominant throughout the bowl with the Syrian playing a backup role. The Latakia comes across as smoky and a bit spicy, but not in a memorable way. The result is kind of muddy to my taste buds, I thought that the Syrian would shine and that the Virginias would support the bottom and provide a good base for the Latakia to shine from, but instead the Virginias are competing with the Latakia and the result is a Syrian flavored Virginia blend.

As limited and precious as this tobacco is, I would have thought that it had an equally rare and delicious taste. I've tried this in about five different pipes now, all of them English only pipes. The pipes were all clean and I'm confident that they gave this blend the best possible chance to shine. In any event seeing as I have popped one of the 500 tins, the other 499 have become a little more precious to those who, unlike me, were able to grasp what my palate just cannot.
Pipe Used: Various briars
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: New
1 person found this review helpful.
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