G. L. Pease Windjammer

This stuff is bold, very good! I’m only on my second bowl, but this is one for the Perique lover! Key elements in this blend, Perique, rum, and I think the black cavendish did wonders here to unify and spread out the peppery Perique, I think without it, it may have been too much. First light presents you with a cigar like flavor of melded burley and Perique, later in the bowl the darker VA notes step up, reds if I had to guess. If you do a light retrohale be careful because the Perique can burn your nostrils, but there are pleasant rum notes to be found. Lots of complexity in this one, it is a bit of a powerhouse, but inviting and interesting at the same time. Pease did it again! Looking forward to seeing what some age will do!

Windjammer is rich, creamy, and very smooth, with notes of stewed fruits, nuts, cocoa, and figs. There is a noticeable piquant kick in the retro, and the finish is a smooth dark sweetness with notes of raisins. Medium to medium + in body, and medium in strength. If VAper or Navy Flakes are your thing, this is definitely a blend to try.

Tin note is dried fruits, stone fruit, sweetness, nuts, and a slight rum. Extremely pleasant. Tin note does not necessarily translate to smoke taste. This isn’t a bad thing because the taste of this is very good none the less. This is a very good vapor with a big twist. I would say that the perique is almost on equal footing as the Virginias. I get earthy and spicy goodness. Also Burley nuttiness and even some mild coco dodging in and out as I smoke. I only get an ever so slight rum hit. This is a relatively stout blend that is simultaneously mellow with no bite. Sweetness level is just right for my taste. Sweetness is there but not at all in the forefront. I prefer a good nic hit and this fits the bill. Lots of complex nuanced flavors going on with this blend as one would expect and well worth the try. I’ll be adding this to my spring/fall rotation for sure as it feels right for a seasonal transition smoke for me.

Tin note: You essentially opened a bag of Fig Newtons Prep: Came perfect, moisture wise.

A comment was made that this blend sounded like a Haddo's delight blend in flake form. Fortunately that isnt the case. The Virginias are bready yet mostly stew fruit-like. The burley must be a dark variety is a nutty, woody, almost coming off as kentucky. The perique is noticeable throughout the bowl and accentuates the Virginias. The black cavendish offers hints of brown sugar near the end of the pallent and the rum topping adds a pleasant extra.

Top notch blend from Pease once again. 8.5/10

https://youtu.be/GCAVbBBg2Sk

G.L. Pease swings big with his attempt at a Navy blend, and hits it out of the park. Windjammer promises adherence to tradition without being staid, and that is a line it manages to toe exceptionally well.

Upon opening, the tin note hits with the sweet and sour smell of dark rum and perique. Other scents eventually pierce through the pungent rum, hinting at toasted breads and dried fruits. The tin note on this is somewhat deceptive, however, with the rum not being overpowering or sweet.

The flake cut is packed nicely in long strands that yield easily, and despite the tin I received being nearly a year old, the moisture content was right on point. (Speaking of age, this is a blend with stellar aging potential.) The tobacco takes to a light readily enough, with only moderate relights necessary. This tobacco has a lot of different blends at play, but provided one does not puff recklessly, it is surprisingly gentle; the smoke itself has a medium body and lingers with a fairly strong room note, but not intolerable.

But where many Navy blends find themselves being overshadowed by old favorites (e.g. Escudo) or bungling the balance of flavors necessary to make this a worthwhile smoke (typically with poor choice in rum or brandy topping or being too conservative with the perique), Windjammer sticks the landing. The rum is sweet and present, but never overbearing the taste buds, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. The virginias add a brightness that pairs well with the naturally dark and fruity flavors of the perique and rum, with the perique being generous and bold, but never overwhelming. The burley helps bring some body, as well as just a hint of natural nuttiness that really compliments the entire profile, whereas the cavendish does its job as being a foundational leaf, providing the necessary stage for the bolder tobaccos to strut and play.

When it comes to Navy blends, tobacco fans have no shortage of options, but Windjammer is easily one of the best. It is balanced and hews to tradition while still carving out some identity for itself. That both the blend and tobaccos are top notch also doesn't hurt. Another winner from Mr. Pease!

Perique. Fragrant, spicy, flavorful… Perique.

I normally spend about ten days or so to get into a blend. That seems to be how long it takes for me to experience the contents of a particular tin across different pipes, at different times of the day, etc.

I finished this tin of Windjammer in six days.

I just kept reaching for it, and enjoying it.

Based on the tin description and the reviews I have read, I was expecting a smell of rum upon opening this tin. But, I got red wine (vinegar) and fermented dark fruit instead. If the tin note had a color, it would be deep, dark, rich red, like maroon, with a hint of burgundy. Mr. Pease was generous with the Perique in making this blend. You’ll know it as soon as you open the tin. The fragrant Perique combines with the added rum topping to produce a wine-like scent; savory and inviting.

The broken flake may not offer the packing options of a true flake, but this tobacco was easily pinchable into a wad suitable for rolling and stuffing into any size bowl. The tobacco readily accepted a flame, and so began a journey; as this blend seemed to take on different characters as I smoked my way through each bowl. Windjammer is one of the gifts that keep on giving, with a flavorful, savory start and a sweet finish. This blend had enough character and complexity to hold my interest until the very end.

The nic hit was noticeable, but never uncomfortable. I did not have to look hard to find the telltale signs of the Virginias with their sweet, grassy and bready notes. The supporting burley brought nutty and earthy to the mix, but was never center-stage. And always, there was the Perique; that interesting Perique that you find in C&D and G.L. Pease blends. This is rich and deep, dark and fruity. The liberal portion of Perique was very enjoyable, and very memorable. It will make itself known at first light. It will make itself known on retrohale. It will remain a consistent spicy element all the way to the bottom of the bowl. If you like Virginia with your Perique, this is the tin for you.

The aftertaste had that sweet lingering note easily recognizable as Virginia. I commonly chose to pair this blend with cold water or a weak iced tea; opting for a neutral drink to allow the full flavor of this tobacco to linger as long as possible. The tin I purchased had eighteen months of age on it when it arrived. And I did not delay its opening. Although a few years in the cellar may bring this blend to the level of sublime, I found it to be very flavorful and rewarding, even when young.

3.5 out of 4.

Presentation: The tin art for this was a great choice and by far a really great name. Broken flake. Came a bit moist but I didn't dry it out at all. Bright leaf with some darker specks in between.

Palette: Someone had mentioned Fig Newtons and they are spot on. I can't put it any other way. I will forever come to know this as that smell and nothing else. Initial light up I was met with a lovely burley flavor and the toasted cavendish really comes through. Both are great compliments to eachother with flavors of roasted nuts,oatmeal, a touch of wood, brown sugar and very mild chocolate. The rum topping is more noticeable in the first few minutes but tapers off slightly towards mid bowl and just a slight hint if you search for it at the end. The perique comes in through the retrohale mostly, and offers a little bit of strength in flavor. Towards the midbowl the VA's start coming in with the sweetness and along with what is left of the rum topping and creates a cinnamon raisin bread like flavor. Very flavorful. The strength doesn't increase as the bowl progresses but is still a complex blend. There are many flavors to pick out with this one without being over the top. Sweet roomnote.

Performance: Burns at a decent pace. I find that I should have let it dry a bit, considering the tin age of only 1.5 months. Nicotine is mild. I could do two in a row. Requires more than my average relights but that may have been due to the moisture. No bite. Not an ADS but I could see this being smoked at intervals throughout the day.

Conclusion: A really nice treat from GLPease. As mentioned across the internet, this is a great blend for those who enjoy Haddo's Delight, and it's truly on point. This, to me, is Haddo's Delight Light. It's everything I wanted in Haddo's without having to wait a year for it to mellow out. The flavors are a little different, but the component leaf is the same as well as the topping. HD is more dark, spicy and earthy while WindJammer is nutty and sweet. I prefer this over Haddo's by a longshot in terms of flavor, cut and strength. I have 3 tins in the cellar that will only get better with age. Well done Greg.

For some reason, whenever I pop the lid on my jar of Windjammer, the first whiff reminds me of caramel apples. And that flavor really carries over for me into the smoke, which makes it perfect for Autumn. It is a hearty and robust smoke with plenty of sweetness, fruitiness and some nice hints of peppery notes from the perique. As I get further into the bowl, I get some prominent rummy flavors as well. I have a feeling this will age beautifully. It does require a few relights but that's probably my own fault - I'm too captivated by the jar note to wait for it to dry out before loading my pipe.

Smoking now:

Tobacco is in broken apart flakes. Very nice presentation. Tin note is a pungent odor of Virginias and perique. Fruity, fermented, sour hay, with a dried fruit and cheese aroma. Packed and lite well enough. Moisture level seems just fine.

The perique is definitely noticeable and adds a dried fruit earthy floral element to the grassy tangy Virginia. Theres a nice woody earthy burley tone in the back ground. The cavendish and rum tones it down and makes for a surprisingly smooth smoke for a navy blend. No bite, little mouth tingle and the retrohale is very nice. Defiantly going to be a regular in my rotation for a while.