G. L. Pease Samarra

(4.00)
One of the first blends Pease released in 2000, Samarra is a refinement of a blend Greg originally developed for Drucquer & Sons in the 1980s called Sublime Porte. For this special anniversary edition, Greg has elevated the mixture by incorporating a blend of vintage Basma, Samsun, and Black Sea Soukhoum Orientals into the original recipe. According to Greg, "the 20th-Anniversary edition offers deep additional layers of incense-like spice, a distinctive earthiness, and an almost Sherry-like creaminess." It possesses all the signature qualities that have made Samarra a cellar-worthy staple, but with more nuance and complexity courtesy of these rare varietals.
Notes: Limited to 2,500 tins.

Details

Brand G. L. Pease
Series 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
Blended By Gregory Pease
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type English
Contents Latakia, Maryland, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 ounce tin
Country United States
Production No longer in production

Profile

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

Average Rating

4.00 / 4
5

0

0

0

Reviews

Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 18, 2020 Medium to Strong None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
The vintage, fermented Basma, Samsun and Black Sea Soukhoum Orientals provide earth, wood, floralness, herbs, vegetation, some spice, mild buttery sweetness and a fair amount of sourness. They are the lead components, and are much more potent in this manufacture than the Orientals are in the original. The smoky, woody, earthy, musty, leathery, floral, moderately sweet Cyprian Latakia is a strong second lead. The red Virginia offers tangy dark fruit, earth, wood, bread, and light sugar in the third position. The lemon Virginia dishes out a lot of tart and tangy citrus, grass/hay, some sugar, mild floralness, toast, and light spice. It is just above being a noticeable condiment. The aspects of the earthy, woody perique include raisins, plums, figs, and some pepper in a condimental role. The strength, nic-hit and taste levels are a couple of steps past the medium mark. Won't bite or get harsh, but it does sport a few small rough edges, which is typical of blends in this genre. Well balanced, complex, and nuanced. Burns cool and clean at a reasonable pace with a mostly consistent, deeply rich, mildly creamy sweet and more savory, sour, spicy, zesty campfire flavor that extends to the pleasantly lingering after taste. The room note is a bit stronger. Barely leaves any dampness in the bowl. Requires an average number of relights. It’s not an all day smoke, but it’s repeatable during your smoking day. It’s a little stouter and more complex than the original. Four stars out of four.

-JimInks
10 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 01, 2020 Medium Mild to Medium Full Pleasant to Tolerable
Well the cat is out of the bag, GL Pease himself has confirmed that the orientals in this blend are indeed McClelland leftovers. And you can tell. This blend has a rich, spicy exotic oriental taste, with the Virginia’s being slightly sweet. It’s a velvety, fragrant blend, With peppery and herbal with incense-like notes. The latakia rides In the back seat and speaks up from time to Time. But the Virginia’s and glorious orientals are the leads here. If you were a fan of the Grand Orientals series from McClelland; you will enjoy this one. Just ordered a few more to cellar. I am very impressed with this one. Highly recommended.
Pipe Used: Peterson 302
PurchasedFrom: Smoking pipes
Age When Smoked: Fresh
8 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 20, 2020 Medium None Detected Full Very Pleasant
Maiden voyage here as it’s my first review.

This blend was forgettable, lol! I just had too.

Now the serious part. What I meant to relay was this special blend evokes a measure of forgetfulness.

What’s that mean? It didn’t tell me if tasted of dried fruits or what exact ratio the Latakia to Oriental ratio was. I’ll leave that to those who’s mind bend in that fashion.

I used the term “forgetfulness” intentionally as whilst I was smoking it I lost track of time. Sipping is a must to savor this sweet and sour wonder. I thoroughly enjoyed this blend.

It was a great way to relax on a day I learned of an old friends passing far too early in her young life. The feelings like the blend was sour and sweet. The smoke was fully and left a velvet like coat on my beard.

My wife happened by and gave the room note her approval. I found this blend to be a great companion this afternoon and I enjoyed our time together immensely. If you like tangy and sweet this will be hard to beat.

Enjoy, I know I did and will again soon.

SabertoothPiper
Pipe Used: Mike Couch Cutty
PurchasedFrom: Smoking Pipes
Age When Smoked: Brand New
3 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 25, 2021 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Tolerable
This is one of the better English blends that I have ever smoked. It leans more towards the Balkan style with the flavor profile centering on the interplay of Latakia and Turkish leaf. The varietals used offer a nice complexity of sour and floral notes. The other tobaccos add some sweetness and earthiness but the focus always remains on the Turkish leaf without becoming a Lat-bomb. Samarra is smooth as silk.
2 people found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 15, 2008 Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
During the past year, I have become a devoted fan of Mr. Pease's Samarra. So much so, in fact, that I considered stoping right there. I will always keep Samarra on hand. A friend is quite enthused about C&D blends. I thought I would give them a whirl. My goal was to find one similar to Samarra. My study of C&D blends led me to Plantation Evening. After reading the comments here; especially those of my esteemed reviewing colleague Beer this was the one to try. One of the charac- teristics of Samarra that really grabbed me is that at the last of the bowl the Perique kicks in. There is no other way to describe it but that ist smolders". When that happened with Samarra, I thought I was in heaven.

The first times I tried Plantation Evening it was in smaller gauge bowls. I notest the fuller taste and the sweetnes;. However the smoldering quality was not there. Several times I have tried it in my favorite large bowled, rusticated Savinelli. As with being at the top of a roller coaster, ZING! The Perique kicks in and WOW. The "smolder" factor is right there. No disrespect to Mr. Pease but Samarra is to Plantation Evening as "country mouse'is to 'city mouse". Both use good tobaccos and are fine blends in their own right. It is just that when one is looking for something refined you go to city mouse.
1 person found this review helpful.
Please login to upvote this review.

target="_blank"