G. L. Pease Cumberland

Cumberland is one of the finest tobacco blends I have ever smoked. The red and mature VA's do exactly what the GLP states. They are sweet and flavorful and set the stage. There is though, no tang or tartness. These are mature but not cooked. The Kentucky is exquisite ... it brings fullness but never steals the show. The perique, for my tastes, is the perfect condiment. Permit me a further comment on the perique. I have come to not enjoy it as a main character, but still, I appreciate what it brings to a blend. Here it adds a gentle bit of spice and depth but doesn't overwhelm.

The smoke is complex. When I gently puff this blend, each of the components manages to identify itself at random through the bowl and then back to a beautiful harmony that is very satisfying. The musical analogy is perfectly fitting here.

It needs no special packing. It smokes cool and clean and leaves a wonderfully natural room note. At time it's woodsy, earthy, nutty and never sour or acidic (or alkalai as it were.) I smoke this before or after a meal. At any time of day.

I enjoy fine VA blends that have no Orientals as much as I do those that do contain Orientals, but I have never smoked a blend that was without them that is as satisfying as this blend. This is a VA blend for the Balkan smoker that finds the typical VA blend a bit sharp. This is deep and full without a bite in the bowl.

A most facinating blend. I'm hooked.

Cheers, VC

Appearance: Short ribbons of medium width, assorted medium shades of tan, brown, orange and black.

Aroma: First impresion is that it might be an aromatic. The aroma of chocolate and PRUNES hits my nostrils. Very pleasant, and as i continue to sniff and enjoy, it occurs to me that this is the smell of really well matured leaf.

Packing: Packe easily into any size bowl in my collection. Easy to overpack, as it's very soft, but normal care in packing is adequate for a good draw. just don't get too cavalier.

Lighting: Lights very well, sometimes just one match is enough. This is, after all, an American style tobacco.

Initial flavor: The initial taste is very dense and mouth-filling. There is the sweetness of red and orange Virginias, the smokiness of dark Burley, and the slight sour spiciness of Perique.

Mid-bowl: The blend wants to be smoked slowly, for maximum flavor and for coolness. When smoked in a relaxed mood, it is cool and dry, and full of nuances and layers. There is a complete range of hight through low notes present. The contrast of the sweet and smokey and their variations are beguiling. Definitely a stout blend, quite a bit of strength (both flavor and nicotine) from the Burley.

Finish: A bit more Perique strength at the end, but not excessive. Burns to a clean gray ash, no guck in the heel and a fairly clean pipe.

Summary: This is a stout blend. For the nicotine sensitive, don't smoke and drive. Not an eye-opener for me, but a blend for relaxed moments. Excellent with strong coffee or a bit of Bourbon. Just a masterful achievement.

Presentation: Tin looks the same as all the others in the Pease Original Series. Black and white label with blue accent and pipes photographed in the background.

Cut: Chunky ribbon cut, perfect moisture.

Tin note: Smells of figs with a fruit sweetness.

Tasting notes: Leathery, peppery, grassy and slightly fruity. That pepper actually made me sneeze from retrohaling too much. Of course I continued to retrohale and was fine though. This is no pepperbomb, do not worry. Slight bread and earth on the finish. Tangy on some draws. There is a smokiness that is almost meaty that occasionally comes up and a subtle chocolate will rear its head here and there. I have to say the virginias are excellently balanced between the bright and dark. Many blends are too much of one or the other, but I feel like just the VAs could be its own blend and still be good. I feel there is more to this blend than what I can pinpoint in these notes.

Mechanics: N/A -- A well behaved blend.

Extra Remarks: This blend is incredible and incredibly complex. I almost forget it's a VaPer because so much is being thrown at me. Not at all like more mainstream VaPers that are pretty usually simple and two dimensional like sweet and sour sauce is. I imagine this blend like a great movie, one that you can watch many times and everytime get something different and new out of it. Excellent. 4 stars!

Based on hazy memories of a ~1oz sample I got granted: Full-flavored, stout and yet very refined and "fine" in flavor!

The tin note is lovely.. somehow the fruity nuances prevail for me, but you already get a hint of the smooth spiciness that's awaiting you. Easy to pack, light and burns evenly as it comes in a ribbon-cut. Mine came quite dry, yet I found it to smoke just fine this way! I wouldn't be surprised if GLP (or rather C&D who produces it for GLP) tins it at low moisture, it fits the blend!

From the first puffs this blend makes no-nonsene, honest "conversation" to you! Fairly stout in mouth-feeling the creamy smoke gives plenty of aroma right away. The main player is - I suppose - is the Perique as a delicate and caramel-y fruitiness takes main stage. Quickly accompanied by the smoky, earthy and mildly musty dark fired leaf (Kentucky), which adds to the body of the blend. In interplay with the stout Perique's flavors you'll get a mouth-filling, creamy and stout smoke to please you. I guess the Virginias are what makes the nice, mellow and caramel-y sweetness, which underscores the Periques fruitiness and peppery spicy very palateable and digestible.

Rather a smoke for smokers who prefer stout blends, or best to be smoked in small quantities. For me a small cob (straight Pony Express f.e.) works just fine! 15-20mins of very intense smoking experience, leaving you pleased and satisfied - yet somewhat teased to fill another bowl, as the aftertaste that sticks on your lips and palate is very(!) pleasant to me.

Personally nothing I'd smoke every day, but certainly a 4-star worthy blend. Va/Per lovers looking for extra "oomph" or stout treat.... dark fired Kentucky lovers looking for a stout, yet not too musty smoke that can be enjoyed at any time of the day... Virginia lovers looking for a "kick" in a blend... even me as a Burley-Bloke I find joy in this! Very well done GLP and C&D.. you guys know tobacco! 😉

|| Personal rating: 3,5-stars (I hestitate to give all 4, as I only smoke this on occasion) | Attempt of an 'objective rating' : 4-stars (without hestitation!) ||

Based on tins/jars of various ages. Presentation is a nice brown mix of tobaccos, some lighter than others. Smells like cocoa and a touch of red Virginia fruitiness. The fermented fruit smell is amplified with age.

Taste: fermented fruit notes, tartness and tanginess like a wine, spice from the Kentucky all the way and towards the bottom there are raisin notes and a profound nutty, cocoa taste and it is sublime. I've gotten that special mix of cinnamon and nutmeg as well sometimes. The development becomes earthier and chocolaty. Have no fear. This still tastes and smells like tobacco.

Strength- somewhat spicy and strong, heavy, robust. The taste and strength almost (for me) force a slower smoke. Nicotine- high/strong. I don't think it will kill you, but it could put you down if you're not careful. Take your time and enjoy the ride.

This blend is readily available and tasty. The combustion is great, and slow. I have bought multiple tins and would buy again. I would highly recommend it to a burley lover, a Virginia lover, and anyone that likes strong blends. This blend also gets better with age.

Tin aroma: Slightly smoky in the vein of the kentucky not latakia smoky, some perique tickle in the nose.

Taste: Nutty at first, i only really detect the burley and kentucky. The mouth feel is really full and rich. As the smoke goes down a myriad of flavors come through, not particularly complex but very satisfying. The perique emerges about ion quarter of the way down the bowl and marries well with the burley.

I primarily smoke VaPers and think this is a good blend to try if you want a change of pace.

I believe this blend will appeal to those who like perique, as well as burley smokers.

i found sipping this tobacco and smoking slowly helps bring out the best of this blend.

I really enjoy this and is a everyday smoke for me.

This is a strong blend from a nicotine perspective. I have been a user of chewing tobacco and dip for almost 16 years and have a fairly high tolerance. most blends i do not even feel a nicotine hit, but i get a decent hit from this blend especially if i have not eaten. It is not overwhelming, but is present.

takes to the flame really well, packs well.

I have never had to relight, burns to a clean ash with no dottle.

Also have not experienced any ghosting.

Original Mixtures: Cumberland = OMC

Is this a "shibbon" or is it a "rag"? Whatever you call it, the presentation is rather loose and dry, and the rich tin note suggests the initial smoke. Gently loaded, it lights and smokes like a dream that is gone in 60 seconds. Yet, somehow, this is time enough for a few surprises. Smoking this, I am reminded of Orcilla Mixture, despite the profiles have nothing in common. But both these tobaccos have a certain "throwback" quality that "takes me back" to 1970. Simpler times? Well, yes, and no.

The first few puffs of OMC burn off the light and delicious topping, smelling and tasting of sugared, damp silage and saddle soap, with just a breath of cocoa. Enjoy it while you can. From here, OMC begins to unfurl its aged Kentucky, tempered with a judicious pinch of Perique, while the VA seems to serve as a "reference" without running the show, sticking close to the KY throughout the bowl. This KY/VA pairing quickly establishes a solid "base" of a sort not common to ordinary Burley, while the Perique is ever-present but also fairly mild and condimental. The smoke is a good deal richer and deeper than the average VA/Bur, and it smells great. You can make nice, big, complimentary clouds of it if you puff hard enough, but this must be weighed against a faster burn and the resultant heat. My own balance makes for a singular taste and aroma that I do not recognize apart from this blend. It's not the "figs" or the "pepper" one might anticipate, nor the "nuts", especially, rather it's a deep, unusually mellow tannin that morphs and enriches the "saddle" and "silage" qualities; hard to explain, and hard to resist, and this applies to the aroma, as well. Back to the figs and nuts, they are stragglers here, typically showing up after the smoke is well under way, but they are hardly late for the party. They enhance a rich, non-peppery, Bur/Per aftertaste that always makes me want more, even more so when the Va sugar makes a surprising return. Strength is toward strong from medium. Tastes are toward full from medium. Room note is OK, considering. Aftertaste is best of the smoke. It troubles me not at all that OMC is "different" each time I smoke it, but not so different that it changes its profile. Changes involve nooks and crannies, while you can count on the surprisingly rich, All-American flavors.

Hard to predict how a full English lover would react to OMC, given the solid body, there despite no Latakia, not to mention the unusual Burley (KY) that defines the blend. I have to give it 4 stars because it is unique in my experience, and - most importantly - it is better for it.

Update, 09-13-13: I recently read on GLP's website that the ancient Kentucky bales that Pease originally touted for Cumberland had been depleted for some time prior to his July, 2012 public notice of the fact, also prior to the time the tobacco I reviewed was tinned. Of course, this does not change my review; just saying, FYI. I also wanted to point out that Pease obviously knows how to prepare and blend distinctive tobaccos, and all of his offerings that I've tried, even blends with "the same" base component tobaccos, differ enough, one from the other, to justify themselves.

After picking up the pipe again after a half decade hiatus I've been busy buying and trying tobaccos. Given the reviews of Mr Pease's blends I figured that since I'm a lover of quality leaf I needed to pursue his extensive catalog.

Cumberland is number 4 in the ones I've smoked so far. Preceeded by JackKnife plug, Sextant, & Cairo, I had high expectations for Cumberland.

My initial impressions were wow, wow, and damn that's good.

The Pease description given is pretty spot on. I would add that, for me, the perique was way back in the background which is good. Perique while tasty of course is plenty capable of biting my tounge. To me I taste virginia and burley in such a nice soft, chewy mouthfull that I can only assume the labeled contents are correct. Think Peterson's Irish and Univ flake together in one bowl.

Big mouth full of burley that is definitely subdued, with creamy virginia that gives a sweet tang on the sides of my tounge midway through. Cool smoking with no bite, even with a considerable push. I could smoke it every day, all day. And plan to, atleast everyday that is.

Highly reccomended!

This is a great blend, and an understated bit of tobacco blending genius. If you're one of those pipe smokers that love "kitchen sink" blends - you know, everything plus the kitchen sink thrown into the blend - then you probably won't like this.

Cumberland is comprised of just three basic tobaccos: Kentucky (burley), Virginia, and Perique. But these three tobaccos are blended in a way that is nothing short of genius. The sweet Virginias play off the nutty burley, and the ever so light peppery quality of the Perique goes gently dancing in and out of the smoke. No gimmick or cute marketing ploy here - just three solid, traditional tobaccos blended together by somebody who knew exactly what he was doing.

About the only thing that is particularly noteworthy about any of the tobaccos used in this blend is the age on the Kentucky leaf - it's 20 years old. Burley may not age like Virginia leaf, but something wonderful must happen to it because there is something about this burley that is just fantastic. I think it's what makes the whole thing work, cuz if the blender had just used regular burley this blend would just be another VaBur.

But it's not. It's a rare stroke of tobacco genius, and I think you owe it to yourself to lay your hands on a tin or two, while you still can. Sooner or later it's gonna be gone, and it would be shame if you missed out on this one.