G. L. Pease Cumberland

This blend is for the Red Va lovers. I'm revisiting this blend after a year of age, hoping that it had sweetened up a bit. Though this blend did not develop the way I had hoped, I can tell that age does great things for C&D Virginias. To me the Red Virginias add a very earthy, vinegary taste, while the Kentucky provides this baseline flavor that reminds me of unsweetened bran cereal. The Perique plays in the background adding complexity to this blend; this was actually my favorite part. This blend was not for me, but if you like McClelland 5100 or HH Anniversary Kake, this blend is a much more earthy, less sweet comparison to those.

Think Old school, ( OJK). "N" is med. strong., good for that 'N" hit. Reminds me of a blend made up of 50% Union Square , 45% mature Kentucky and 5% Perique . Relatively smooth, if you don't push it, but this isn't one that says "Wow" to me, satisfying, savory, yet boring.

Side comment: The description says the Kentucky is from 25 year old bales ( with a clarifier that this ran out in about mid 2012 ) !!!! Who ages Kentucky for 25 years ???? I think I can hear the conversation at the blenders, "Hey, Greg, can you come up with a blend that we can unload these 25 year old bales that have been just sitting here?" Anyway, it's hard to find less than a 4 star rating prior to early 2014 ( older Kentucky) more lower ratings now , so buyer beware !

I picked up a tin of this Cumberland a while back because it's listed as a VaPer in most places. I gave it some time to age and now that it's about 1.5yrs old I decided to crack it open . Tin note is very much the stewed fruits, bit of the earthy nuttiness. First few bowls where in some more generous chambers like an MM Carolina Gent and a Sam Adebayo Lovat that's a deeper chamber. In those bowls it was overwhelmingly spicy. The Dark Fired Kentucky is clearly the spotlight of this blend. After those first few bowls I decided to change it up and loaded a Scottie Piersel blasted pencil shank Dublin that has a smaller chamber size and the spice cooled down considerably for me. It brought out a bit more of the fruity Virginia and fig like Perique flavors on top of the spicy earthy woodsy salted meat kind of flavors from the DFK. Moisture level was really good from the get go. It lights really well and burns nice and evenly and on the cooler side. Even if you push it and puff a bit more frequently than you should it doesn't bite. Overall I think it's a good blend and if you're a Burley/Dark Fired Kentucky fan then give this one a chance.

Disappointed with this one. The tin aroma is intriguing with a synergistic play between the mahogany kentucky leaf and the whisper of perique producing almost a slighty tangy and faintly smokey beef jerky-like bouquet. The balance seems excellent in that regard. However, when smoked, the base of virginias seems too flat. This blend needs a more pronounced underlying sweetness to round it out and pull it all together. It's actually somewhat bland and muddy taste wise. It seems to me that this blend would be better if it were pressed and matured to develop more sweetness and character. Left to it's status quo ribbon cut then a bit of sweet casing to the virginias would help it along.

A few things need said first. If you are new to pipe smoking, and have little experience with tobacco. This is the wrong blend. You will not appreciate it, and you will not understand the comments made about this tobacco by seasoned smokers. However if you are a lover of Virginia perique blends, you will enjoy this tremendously. If you are a person who really does enjoy good cigars, and understands them. You may enjoy this blend

I believe Virginia/perique smokers are a small minority of pipe smokers. I think a lot of other pipe smokers put up with vapors and try to sing along, but I don't think they really "get it".

This is indeed an excellent vapor. (Vapor =Virginia perique blend). Even though the perique is not overused, it is right there in the center. Not only that, it is so noticeable that you can safely say they used very good perique. Fruity, peppery, all the normal things that YouTube pipe reviewers rattle off. (Most have no idea what they're talking about and are simply posers). If you really appreciate perique anyway that is noticeable but not overpowering. This is it. The virginias are also quite good. But the Kentucky is what makes this a big boy blend. It adds the aftertaste and a background flavor that reminds you of strong tobaccos of yesterday. I don't think this blend is as complex as other reviewers say. I think it has three main components, and three things going on at any given time. It does remind me of Dunhill Elizabethan, but stronger. Hado's delight? Possibly. This is not a big full very smooth smoke. It's got some rough edges for sure. But there is a group of smokers that really desire that in a tobacco. It really does have a cigar flavor, minus the connecticut shade wrapper. In my own words I would say it has a dry flavor. Which is not uncommon in vapors. But in this one it could easily be mistaken for harshness. I found no tongue bite and I found that it does not burn at an especially high temperature. If you're getting tongue bite, you're doing it wrong.

Here's how you smoke a vapor. Keep it lit. Clinch it between your teeth so that the mouthpiece points towards the roof of your mouth. Puff very gently out of the opposite corner of your mouth. Do not hold the pipe in your hand, keep it clenched out the side of your jaw. This will help you regulate very well. Never pull large mouthfuls of smoke. Never puff up a great smoke cloud. It's not only numbs your palate, it also raises the temperature of the tobacco in the pipe and totally destroys the good flavor. Vapors taste best and smoked very gently from a pipe that is almost going out.

Final thoughts. I smoked this tobacco a bit, but I have found myself wishing I had smoked something different. It's not a bowl dumper. I did enjoy it some. I guess I prefer an American smoke to be more rounded and smooth. A little more tamed. A little more luxurious. 5 years of aging might do absolute wonders for this smoke. So for some perspective about myself. My favorite non-english blends blends from Mr Pease are triple play and Stonehenge flake. Cumberland for me simply isn't as enjoyable. But I will keep working with it.

This tobacco never lets you forget that you are indeed smoking! Its bold and edgy. The burley is the dominant player, and the perique is present. The Virginias in this blend are awesome! My tin was four years old, which certainly will make the Virginias sweeter, and it is an interesting dance between the bright and spicy, and the sweet and creamy. At the end of the day, I'm just not a big fan of Burley.

I can't decide whether I like this blend or whether I hate it. The description is nearly spot on so you will get what you expect, and perhaps that makes this review a bit unfair. I've been smoking the same 100g tin for two years and it hasn't improved or changed since I first opened it. As a part-time cigarette smoker I find myself reaching for this when I need a 'fix' and I'll tell you why: It tastes a lot like cigarette tobacco modified for the pipe. When I want a cool smoking pipe tobacco with "Pure, natural tobacco flavors harmonized by delicate arpeggios and underscored by deep, resonant tones" I'll try something else. Sorry, but this one should be sold with papers so you can roll your own.

This tobacco smells very musty in the tin (as described by many other reviewers). I can tell it is very high quality tobacco, but it just does not have any taste/character to me. It is pure unadulterated tobacco, which is a good thing, but it tastes like I'm smoking ashes. The burley (which is not listed in the description above) comes thru now & then, but I can taste no virginia, nor perique. However, it has a knockout nicotine punch!! This tobacco is very similar to Samuel Gawith 1792 flake.

I'm gonna stuff some cigarettes with it because it has a long ribbon cut which is very injector friendly.

It's just not my cup of tea as a pipe tobacco.

2-stars only

I'm sure I'm missing something with this tobacco,as I have just sampled it once. I bought the tin totally because of the name Cumberland and the Ky tobacco in it. Good enough reason. Upon opening the tin I noticed an aroma I had known before, but it wasn't until I was half way throught the bowl did I remember the scent. Snuff or Dip, like Skoal and Copenhagen. I also picked up the aroma of cigarette tobacco. This kinda turned my stomach, as I am not fond of either. Hence the pipe. With so many of my favorite tobaccos on hand, It's hard to go back to this right now. When I do, if the update warrants change I'll make note. Best savored slowly.