G. L. Pease Penny Farthing

The cutting of this tobacco was a first for me. Coincidentally, a week later I opened a tin of Rimboché S.J., from D & R Tobacco, which came with a somewhat similar cut, although not as thin as this one. Penny Farthing's shag is so fine it looks like sawdust. This makes it burn noticeably faster, that if the smoke is hurried it can heat the pipe, and that in order not to lose the flavor it has to be smoked very slowly.

The cold aroma is, above all, vinegary, a product of the perique. The feel of the tobacco when loading the pipe is very pleasant. After lighting, the flavor is rich and the ingredients that make up the mixture are well appreciated, as long as the rule written above is followed. Kentucky comes and goes gaining prominence at times, and other times giving it to the perique and the virginias.

In short, it is an interesting mix as long as the smoker does his part, since you cannot smoke carelessly.

GLP
Penny Farthing

A VaPer with a condiment level addition of fire-cured dark Kentucky. The backbone are moderately sweet Virginias. The Perique is very present, spicy, plummy. The bit of KY adds sone nutty texture.

It’s not a VaPerKy like Royal Twist Deluxe or Doblone d’Oro. It’s more of a Perique star though the shag cut says, smoke me slowly and deliberately and suss out my flavor profile.

The taste and nic-hit are medium. The flavor is medium to strong. Creeps up on you if you puff hard. Slow it down! No detectable casing.

Lingering sweetness. On a par with Chenet’s Cake but stronger. Better than Orlik Golden Sliced. Much more interesting than Salty Dogs but equally as potent.

Stays lit easily. A good VaPer when you have the time to let it speak softly to you as you might reflect on the past month or so.

3.5 stars.

I nabbed this one because it sounded interesting and because I've been smoking more of the Gowaith and Hoggarth shag cuts recently and wanted to try it out. Coupled with the fact that I love VaPer's especially with a little condimental Kentucky in them I thought I'd like this too.

The tin is simple but interesting. When I open up the tin I see a fine shag cut that's just a hair coarser than the G&H blends I've been smoking. It smells of barnyard, fall leaves, and Perique mustiness with a touch of Dark Fired spice. The shag is relatively dry right out of the tin but in my experience with this type of cut that's pretty normal. I stuff this in my pipe a little firmer than I would normally. It takes a light really well, and as with most shag cuts once it is lit it will generally stay lit until you're done.

The first thing I notice is a little sweetness like the tin suggests. The flavor is slightly Perique heavy adding a slight plum to all the hay notes. The Dark Fired adds a little wood to everything else. As it is, this blend strikes me as pleasantly complex. It's a solid medium in terms of strength and taste for me, with the taste being slightly soft. Even dry this tobacco burns slow and it is hard to heat it up too much. It tastes good with a cup of black coffee in the morning. I like this and would buy it again if I saw it in a shop.

Unique blend with a beautiful tin art. Opening the tin and sticking my nose I get smoke, stout, fruity notes.

Smoking notes are similar to the tin note. Smoky and bit of sweet fruit comes through. Reminds me of many cigarettes I've smoked over the years. The Virginias are used as the base and taste likewise. They don't stand out so much. At the forefront is the Dark Fired Kentucky with its smokiness. However, it's not as pronounced as other DFK blends such as Old Dark Fired or Irish Flake. I would've believed if I was told that there is no Perique in this blend. However, knowing that it's there, I can taste some fermented dark fruit and just a whiff of mushroom. This special balance, where none of the ingredients really stands out and keeps it relatively mild, makes it as an easy-going smoke, which makes me hope that this blend would come in an 8oz tin.

Shag cut, burns quicker than most blends, but not as quick as some might think. It is a good choice for a short smoke, though. To get the most out of the flavor, however, it's recommended to smoke slow. The cut makes it very easy to smoke. Doesn't require relights or much thinking. Doesn't get hot, no tongue bite. Easy to pack. Good moisture from the tin. Flavor is fairly similar throughout the bowl.

Medium-full bodied, medium in strength

It is a very enjoyable blend which I return to from time to time. Great for someone transitioning from cigarettes and for anyone else who enjoys a balanced Virginia with a bit of a kick in an easy-going smoke. Fairly unique blend. Three stars.