Peterson Special Reserve 2018

The 2018 packaging is a bit different than previous ones. The manufacturer drew conclusions about leaky jars-boxes and, wanting to keep some moisture in the tobacco, additionally packed the box of dark green color in a box of the same color and design. But it didn't help much - I had to keep the tobacco for a few more days before it could be smoked. And then the first difference from previous years awaited me. The tobacco was cut in neat "pennies," which were very similar to Mac Baren's roll cake. Very smooth, millimeter-thick, milk chocolate-colored, with a splash of light yellow Virginia.

That's where the second distinction comes in. The composition of the blend is Virginia and Burley. No Cavendish. And, as it immediately struck me, a minimum of flavoring. The tobacco smells like rye bread, figs, and bitter chocolate with salt. The honey stated in the flavoring had either weathered out in a couple or three years, or, more likely, was added in extremely small doses, as it was in the very background and was almost unnoticeable. I moistened it, and checked the flavor every day, but the flavoring hardly increased.

It became clear that an aromatic tobacco pipe would not work for this blend. I took a well-rested Virginia pipe, filled it with tobacco, kneaded the "pennies," and lit it. Rye bread, a bit of dried fruit, a slight earthiness, and some sweet grass. That was it. There was nothing in the tobacco that would allow you to consider it a flavor. There was almost no strength in the tobacco either, despite the claimed composition. The tobacco was a little harsh, but by the middle of the pipe it became softer, although the strength did not increase. The tobacco doesn't leave a bright aftertaste either. Smouldering is slow, even and cool, there's no moisture, the ash is even, light gray in color, it's not much - the tobacco burns well.

The smoke is light, sweet and breezy, and wears off almost immediately.

What is the result? A very strange tobacco. Fans of Virginia-Burley blends will probably find it lacking in strength, and lovers of flavors will find it lacking in Cavendish and aromatic flavors. It's hard to say who this blend was made for. Perhaps if it had been packaged hermetically - after five or even ten years, it would have been quite interesting. But the manufacturer didn't leave us a chance to find out.