G. L. Pease Cumberland

This is a fantastic blend. I am a huge fan of Kentucky as a condiment tobacco in virginia blends, but when perique is added its a whole different experience. The spicy notes are unbelievable, and mixed with the strong, rich, very well aged Kentucky...I will always have this on hand.

Just keep in mind that this will not last for ever so enjoy it now or leave it for me, because this is an amazing creation by Pease.

Cumberland is my favorite of Pease's blends. The amount of perique in this, blended superbly with the Virginias and the burley cultivar Kentucky, is minimal, and just provides a little boost. The Virginia, while a presence, isn't the driver of the blend, either. To me, it is the Kentucky that gives this a distinctive flavor and attraction. I wasn't expecting what I got. The blend itself is pretty, with browns, yellows, and black. The tin aroma is unlike any I've encountered as well; I would have sworn I was smelling a can of roasted coffee mixed with a mild English blend of tobacco, with perhaps a raisin or two thrown into the mix. The tobacco is slightly on the dry side, but is plenty moist enough. It packs into a bowl with ease, and lights extremely well. Relighting is rare.

The first bowl of Cumberland I smoked was in a Don Carlos Oom Paul, a very neutral pipe used almost exclusively for light Virginias. My first thought was of an English blend in character, but minus the latakia. The nutty taste of the Kentucky provides a wonderful counter to the sweetness of the Virginia, while the perique, though quiet, asserts just enough of itself to bring in a richness, fruitiness, and pepper/spice as an undertone. The Virginia is somehow subdued and even tamed by the other constituents of the blend. As a Virginia lover, I wasn't sure at first if I liked that, but as a burley smoker I realized, the deeper I got into the bowl, that I was genuinely enjoying the smoke. When trying new tobaccos I like to inhale a puff or two so I can see how it hits me. Cumberland felt smooth, and I didn't get a big nicotine rush; the exhalation gave my nostrils a treat.

I initially bought three tins of Cumberland, in the initial tinning some years ago. The first was opened the day the package arrived, and stayed in my pipe bag. I wanted to try it in most of my pipes, just to see if I could detect differences. The second tin was saved for a few months to see how this blend aged short-term, and it does superbly. And the third tin I set aside and still have in my cellar, saved for a rainy day. Since those first three tins I've purchased untold pounds of Cumberland, and can't imagine not having this blend available. There aren't enough words to praise this stuff!

I had held off for years being sure this wouldn't be for me, as I am a lover of Latakia blends. I'm glad I opened my mind, along with the tins. The cut is a delightfully chunky, pencil-shaving sort of presentation that dries easily yet retains its substance and body. It loads quite well, as the little chunks hug each other in the bowl. The load drinks the flame lustfully, and holds its ember quite well in a larger sized bowl. I preferred this in larger Rhodesian. The smoke tastes of vanilla bean and apple marring toward the bottom into nutmeg and maple syrup. It has a pleasing "smokiness" and palate elevating piquancy. Very long and delectable aftertaste. Surprisingly complex and harmonious. You'd almost think there's a touch of Latakia. This is the perfect after- breakfast smoke. This kind of delightful, and subtle complexity is a rare treat. It will not jump up and grab you, don't come with expectations, just listen to what it has to say. Superb!!

Cumberland is one of those Virginia/Perique blends that required some time and thought to review. I had to be sure and smoke two tins this time around. I love this stuff. Open and dock your tin for a few days as the tins seem to be packed rather tightly. Then sit back and enjoy some of the grandest aged Kentucky Mahogany you'll ever smoke.

Cumberland's 20 year matured ribbons make this one of the most enjoyable Virginia/Perique recipes to ever hit my senses. It packs and smokes effortlessly and gives you as much time as you want to enjoy the moment.

The Perique is subtle yet present and compliments the Kentucky all the way to the last third of the bowl. This is a powerful smoke, one to enjoy extra slowly while reading or writing.

Highly recommended.

Greg Pease's Cumberland is a very singular and unique blend. A special find of 20 year old, bale aged, Kentucky Mahogany adds a special, rich character to an earthy base of matured, stoved Virginia tobaccos, enclosed in the ever dependable red VA. A slight nuttiness occasionally making itself known, reminds me of the English Virginia blends of old, with a perfect soupçon of Perique adding a lovely top note, and a touch of spice. All the ingredients are of Greg's usual top quality.

The convenient cut makes packing simplicity. Easily lit and even burning, it does demand taking one's time. All the better to enjoy the slightly muted yet definite facets.

With a quite intense, full and complex flavour profile, a sustained presence and abundant, round, but never bloated smoke, it has a tendency to assert itself throughout the bowl, with a hit, a palpable hit, which makes this a heady mixture, of not only the flavour.

I put away a quarter pound in a jar just over a year ago. The tobacco has darkened appreciably and upon opening, the sweetness was almost tangible. Its flavours are much more pronounced, and have married very nicely. The complexity of the blend is as entertaining as the day I received it, all the nuances are still in evidence, but seem much deeper, the body more filled in, and any small edges have rounded off. In aging, there is no loss of the spontaneity Greg put into it, and overall, it has lost nothing, but improved dramatically, enough to put this among his best.

There is a clear personality...robust, though not pushy. Cumberland is no wallflower. Notwithstanding the hints of old English Virginia mixtures, GLP is right on the mark, this being very much an American blend. He continues to show blending genius, and has certainly done justice to this rare and auspicious find of Kentucky tobacco.

I had a bit of trouble when I first opened this. I experienced a lot of tongue bite and ashy taste. However, the initial flavor was good, so I stuck with it. I think, in retrospect, that my problem was that I was thinking of this as a burley blend rather than a Virginia, and was smoking it too fast. I have now settled into a smoking pace with this and have been rewarded. Additionally, I have finally settled into the idea that I am unsatisfied with any tobacco during the first 2-4 weeks after initially opening the tin.

The flavor of this tobacco is very good, with the red virginia dominating. The burley provides a depth across the middle section of the palate as well as body. The perique provides a nice fruity sense in companionship with the VA resulting in a nice all around smoke.

This does require some care in packing to prevent an ashy taste in the bottom of the bowl, which I find true also of Haddo?s and Cairo. However, the attention is well rewarded in terms of the flavor. It responds nicely to DGT.

This is a bit stronger than I normally care for, but I am a bit of a nico-wimp.

Overall: Flavorful, strong, and requires a bit of patience in airing, packing, and smoking pace.

October 2002, updated November 2002

Today caps the 10th bowl that I have sampled of G.L. Pease's newest blend, "Cumberland". Cumberland represents the Company's 10th entry into the market (excluding limited edition blends), the fourth in a little over a years time. For a company with one "Chef in the Kitchen"... that's a hell of a lot. So much so that I can't help get the feeling that a tumble is coming up, that the man is due for a stinker. Thus far it hasn't happened. I'll state that some of his tobaccos aren't in my rotation, Mephisto and Cairo come to mind. But not because they aren't well made, they just don't fit any of the holes that I perceive I have in my lineup. When I first heard about Cumberland, I had some high hopes (American Blender, American Tobaccos) and some trepidation. Va/ perique blends are very easy to "screw the pooch" on. At their best, they are tangy, sweet, nuanced and satisfying. At their worst, they'll make you regret that you didn't buy stock in Biotene Mouthwash. The following review is an amalgamation of 5 different smokes, and notes taken during. Any anomaly that didn't appear twice, I tossed out, assuming I was just having a flashback to the days when I was possessed by the Spirit of Lillian Gish.

Packaging 2 oz. Tin, Gray/ White paper Blue characters and accents. Tobacco appearance and fragrance: Fairly uniform in color, medium brown, reddish brown, and Mahogany, with several different tobaccos evident, even upon cursory inspection. Tin fragrance is rich hitting primarily middle and upper olfactory registers, without any of the Acetic tones found in many American produced Va blends. At the very top of the melange of scent is the tiniest hint (hint!) of juicy fruit and raisin. The cut of the blend is interesting, and makes it easier to pick out the components. If you are a stickler for an exact ribbon cut look elsewhere, but if the tin aroma is any indication, the loss will be yours. Good moisture content, a smidge on the moist side, if I had to pick a direction. Packs great. Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain" on the stereo..... let's rock. Flame touches weed freeing a wonderful, round smoke. At first glance it's all here. Elements of sweet toast and nuts. Tangy, date like flavor without any hints of the sour that, at times, can be associated with that aspect of taste. Va is the dominant taste coming through... but there's so much more. The Kentucky registers on the mid and back palate, perique taking to the air, adding a dash of pepper. A constant subdued, swirling parfait. Taken both on the fresh, as well as the jaded palate, the smoothness is undeniable, the fullness unmistakable. The tobaccos are newly acquainted ones, to be sure, but the 20 year old Kentucky provides a harmonious bridge between the strangers. I can't wait to see what this is like in as little as a year of marriage. Mid bowl, none of the of those elements seem to be going anywhere, they're happy to be here. Nicotine is here, well represented. Not a jagged shrill presence, more like an IV drip. This blend while full, is very inhaleable, so if you tend to such things, take it slow. End bowl, burning exceedingly well, one relight at about 3/4 down, seems to be about the norm. The Aspect of dates has faded, with the flavor of nuts taking the forefront. I'm not much of an "end bowl" guy, but there's something here that makes me want to keep it rolling till there ain't no more. Summary: If Va is your thing, I think you'll find this the best G.L. Pease ever. If you have been put off by most American Va/ Periques, you owe it to yourself to give this one a shot. I give this one an unqualified recommendation. 9 out of 10 Bearclaws.

-- Bear Graves

Nice red brown and dark brown tobaccos, in fine ribbon cut. The tin aroma is earthy, sweet, fruity, woodsy, fermented and of course I get hay. I get just a wisp of vinegar too, may be the perique is responsible.

Once lit Cumberland burns cool and its strength is noticeable. The Virginias red and matured are the base components and are always in front, with sweet, fruity, earthy, hay flavors. The Dark Fired Kentucky makes his presence very noticeable more woodsy and earthy than nutty, a little bit toasted, and it’s more than just a condiment. DFK presence is evident through all the smoking experience. The Perique is also evident but a condiment; it adds a pepper and some little plum/figs flavors here and there. Cumberland produces an abundant thick smoke also creamy, sometimes a little bit acid. Half way down de bowl the perique is more evident, and the smoke turns more piquant and a little vinegary/ acidic. To me it’s a medium to strong tobacco, in strength and in flavor, and has a medium nicotine level. It pares well with black coffee. Room aroma is tolerable, beard note it´s ok. I recommend comparing it with Rattray´s Old Gowrie, the have some similarities, and differences, but kind of the same alley smoking experience.

This is a delightful Dark fired Kentucky blend. The flavor is fine ,the nic hit is in line for a Kentucky blend. The flavor is complex and full with a little playfulness from other components. The flavor is full and robust. I love the room note, but non smokers might be put off by it. I found it a delightful smoke for those who like Kentucky blends. 4 stars for me.