G. L. Pease Bankside

The bright and red Virginias provide a wealth of tart and tangy citrus, vegetative grass, bread, sugar, some tangy ripe dark fruit, floralness, earth, wood, light sour lemon, spice, and touches of cream, vinegar and acidity. The bright is a little more noticeable than the red, and their inherent sweetness allows them to be top team players. The dried plumy, peppery, earthy, woody, lightly sweet Saint James perique is nearly the equal of the Virginias mostly because the dried plum aspects of the perique virtually match the fruitiness for recognition. Otherwise, it plays a support role. The dark fired Kentucky produces a little earth, wood, herbs, floralness, spice, vegetation, smoky barbecue, mild dry sourness, and a hint of nuttiness. The Cyprian Latakia offers light smoke, earth, wood, musty sweetness, incense, floralness and vegetation. There is some interplay between the dark fired and Latakia as they occasionally rise past each other for attention. Overall, they are a variable slot or two above the condiment line, and generally form an important bass note to the experience. The strength and nic-hit are a couple of steps past the medium mark. The taste is a notch stronger. There’s no chance of bite or harshness, but there are a few small rough edges which are typical for this sort of blend. The broken flakes are mildly moist, and as per my usual custom, I did not dry them. It has a little inconsistent complexity, and burns cool, clean and slow with a fruity, peppery, floral, smoky, mildly sour flavor that extends to the moderately lingering, pleasant after taste. The room note is tolerable. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a few more than an average number of relights. Not an all day smoke, but it is repeatable. Three and a half stars.

-JimInks