Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding Special Reserve

I'll start this review by saying that I like most all types/styles of tobacco blends except English with the usual, heavy Latakia infusion. I also like straight Virginias, strong Burleys on occasion, VA/Pers, VA/Burs, etcetera... even a good aromatic like Stokkebye's Family Reserve which is exceptional. Doblone d'Oro is one of my favorite tobacco blends these days. This info is incorporated so other reviewers might have a better understanding of where I'm coming from. Starting off with the tin aroma: The best way I can define that is the aroma of spareribs cooking over an open grill basted with barbeque sauce & the plug is easily broken up & doesn't take long to dry.

This mixture is easy to overpack or pack too tight & my first attempt at sampling this blend was a complete failure but I endured & finished the first bowl but couldn't base my review on that mishap. The second time around turned out just right, so, here I go. As noted in other reviews, I'm unable to distinguish every single tobacco that is mixed together in a blend or offer any singular taste impression of the various tobaccos. Initially, I did notice the lightly apportioned Cyprian Latakia flavor was in the forefront but very soon thereafter, melded with the other varietals in this blend & stayed that way to the very end but was always feintly noticeable. It is a fairly strong blend that smokes mildly & produces plenty of smoke & I was really surprised at the delicious flavor this blend had to offer & how well I liked it, being tastier than anticipated & I liked the aroma very well... added that extra dimension.

About one third of the way through my sampling, a sweetness developed as one would expect in a good Balkan style mixture & overall, I thought this was a very tasty blend... no Latakia overload but an exceptionally, well balanced blend. I've craved a good Balkan blend ever since sampling a ten year old pouch of Gallaher's BSOM that was still fresh... that was back around 2012. There is some sweet, fruity taste in this blend from the Perique, sweetness from the VA & Cavendish & some slight, sour saltiness from the Orientals when certain taste receptors are hit. The Perique seems to have that "Chameleon" effect, ie., hiding in the background. Too much & it is like chili pepper. Just the right amount & you have a fruity sweetness & sometimes a mild peppery effect. This blend won't bite, smokes mildly but is closer to the strong end in the medium to strong spectrum. It has a long burning rate, requires some relights & one is able to produce some heavy duty smoke rings.

PPSR did not leave a burning campfire smell in my room but mostly an ordinary aroma of regular tobacco which indicates a lesser amount of Latakia. This mixture never became harsh & the flavor kept improving up to the very end. Depending on the type of pipe you're using, it might produce a little condensation. To make a long story short, Seattle Pipe Club's Plum Pudding, Special Reserve is an excellent Balkan style blend that I'll be smoking from time to time as long as I'm able to stay above ground. This rates very high in my Balkan blend rotation... probably in the top five range or thereabouts with Crystal Palace being my #1 favorite Balkan at present because I like the sweetness it possesses & I'm sure it will always remain my #1 & to me, it is so much like the BSOM that I smoked many years ago.

---

At the outset allow me to say I love Latakia. And also to mention I have not tried the SPC Plum Pudding. So far I’ve enjoyed this PP Special Reserve and the Bourbon cask version.

This is excellent. A bit more depth than some Balkans and arguably less Latakia. There is a taste of BBQ. Raisins. Sweet char. The taste profile is different from say Sasieni or Balkan Supreme or Tashkent.

Tasty. Chewy. Great.

Tin note of mildly tangy smoke, earth and sweet spices. Tobacco is a 3/4-inch wide marbled Krumble Kake of dark brown and black with a little brown. Moisture content is great. Krumble Kake breaks apart and rubs out with a little effort. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and very consistent, with notes of floral, smoky incense, orange zest, tart and tangy citrus, wood, stewed vinegary-sour dark fruit, herbal vegetation, spices, toasted bread, musty dry hay, earthy, a lemon grass background note, and a peppery retro. Latakia is leading with Cavendish, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia supporting. Room note is tolerable to strong, and aftertaste is great.

Plum Pudding being one of my English blend favorites, I got a tin of the Special Reserve. I was a little shocked that the price was almost double a normal PP tin. It is just as good as normal PP, and maybe a little bit on the sweeter side and slightly less of the floral from the orientals that normal PP has.

Given the extra price, I thought it would really be quite a bit better than normal PP, so in that I'm slightly disappointed, but only slightly. I may purchase this occasionally in the future, especially if I find it cheaper, but for regular purchases I'll stick with normal PP. Still, highly recommended.

I paired this with a dram of Macallan 12yr. I really enjoy the regular Plum Pudding but I have not smoked that in a while so I can't compare it to this. It was not to moist right out of a freshly opened tin and held quickly to a match. Goes very well with the Macallan , the flavors bounce nicely off each other. If you like English blends give it a try.