G. L. Pease Penny Farthing

This is the first shag cut I can ever recall trying. I opened the tin to find what looked like pencil sharpener shavings. Nice tin note though, dark and spicy fruit. Was very dry; packed and lit easily. I had no trouble keeping it lit either. The smoke was good, with a nice Virginia, dark fruit and some exotic, plummy perique. Not really on the peppery side of perique but the tin was over 4 years old when I finally opened it. The negatives are that it smokes fast and hot; no matter how slowly I sipped, it seems to heat up the pipe beyond what I consider normal.

Not bad and I consider it a somewhat recommended blend, but having to set the pipe down multiple times due to it heating up too much took away from the enjoyment.

Tin note of smoky, musty vegetation and pungent sour. Tobacco is a shag cut of reddish brown. Moisture content is great. Burns fast with few relights. The strength is medium and nic is mild. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium and moderately consistent, with notes of tart plums, spices, herbal floral, tangy citrus, sour fermented vegetation, toast, wood, mild barbecue smoke, rich earth, sugar, savory, zesty, orange peel, dry, spicy, a semi-sweet lemon grassy background note, and a peppery retro. Virginia is leading with Perique and Kentucky supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.

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.