G. L. Pease Robusto

(5/10/03) WOW! What a difference. I have openned a second tin of this tobaccy and after only five bowls, I am amazed at how good it is. I am convinced that the first tin I had was tainted/bad. I don't know how but the tobacco in the first tin must have been spoiled or something. Anyway, this new tin is great. The latakia plays a distint roll and I'm not found of latakia but the virginia and cigar leaf balance this smoke very well. As the name implies, this is a Robust smoke, not an all day tobaccy. For me, it starts out smooth and easy, like a good cigar and then builds in body and strength. It never becomes harsh but it does become quite Robust by the end of a bowl. This tobacco does not respond well to DGT but neither do cigars. My first review which follows, was based, I believe, on a bad tin of tobacco. (1st Review) Let me first say that I agree that Greg Pease is truly a Master Blender and maybe that's the reason I was kind of disappointed with this blend. My only hope is that aging it for six months to a year will help! Like I said, I may have been expecting too much but I was hoping for much more of a flavor with much more of a cigar leaf infusion, especially with what I believe is a Maduro Leaf. I've smoked about half a tin and this tobacco taste very much like an off tilt english blend, at least in my opinion. I rarely pick up on the cigar leaf flavor. Whatever the percentages of the blend are, I believe the orientals and the latakia should be cut in half and the cigar leaf doubled. Sorry!!! I really wanted to like this blend but it just doesn't work for me.

I am a particular fan of blends with cigar leaf. In Robusto, the cigar leaf is present but not prominent. It adds a bittersweet coffee-chocolate taste and spice, along with a bit of cedar. The Red Virginia adds a tangy sweetness. The latakia's smokiness and the spicy-floral orientals marry the blend into a traditional English mixture with a twist.

I wouldn't describe the cut as "coarse," as stated in the above description. My most recent tin was more of a broken flake--which for me, is a bonus. Previous tins (five or six years ago) were more of a rough/broad cut--a hodgepodge of roughly chopped leafy fragments that were light and packed with some difficulty since it had a tendency to decompress. As a result, the earlier vintage burned a little more hotly than the broken flake.

Robusto is a solid entry in the English mixture with some added cigar-leaf subgenre. If you're inclined in this direction, give it a try--it may well become one of your favorites.

I hate giving blends two stars, especially a GLP. This is three or even four for quality, but cigar blends just ain't my thing.

My tin is from 2002, opened in 2012. I can take it if I take it slow.

Of course, some say these tins from the early 2000s can deteriorate a bit...

At any rate, I'm smoking one more bowl, and giving the rest away.

Sorry, Greg.

Naw; it's not so bad. This pipe is nice. Maybe it needed this big Orlik pot. I'll give it my usual three stars, but I'm still giving the rest away. Only three bowlpacks left anyway, but then again, I already gave some away!

Because Mr. Pease releases so many new and excellent blends, it is easy to overlook his original series. I like cigar blends in general and his Key Largo blend in particular but I ignored Robusto until recently. Fortunately for me, Pease blends move slowly at one of my local pipe stores so I've been able to secure several Robusto tins from 2009, one of which I've just finished.

Robusto has, to my taste, a bit more cigar note to it than Key Largo and marries superbly with a strong cup of coffee. I like it as a morning or afternoon smoke. Careful packing is a must because the ribbons are broadly cut with some occasional stem material. It produces a cool, slow smoke to be savored. I really like this blend and it, to my surprise, has moved into my regular rotation. It's worth a try for those who favor cigar blends.

This review is based on a tin dated 11-19-07.

Robusto burns cool, but quickly. I noticed that compared to Key Largo, the virginia flavor was more in the background, and when it did show up, it was sweeter and more one-dimensional. KL, on the other hand, has a lot of round, robust, earthy virginia flavor. The latakia is a lot more in the foreground in Robusto as well. I found the flavor a bit sharp and salty for my taste, though this improved a bit over time (a common phenomenon with latakia mixtures, and GL Pease ones in particular). Definitely enjoyable overall and worth a try, just not as good, to my tastes, as Key Largo.

Tin: mmddy stamp on bottom is 10-2-07, OCT 2, 2007. Ripe fruit smelll of the VA is the main aroma, with perhaps smokey Latakia well in the background. Like other GLP offerings, Robusto has a variegated cut, with stems-poorly cut. Some of the stems were discarded. It is at the correct moisture level.

Packing & Burning: It needs to be packed tightly because it burns quickly.

Taste & Aroma: It definitely has a moderate cigar taste to it. It is smooth, not bitey.

Overall: Does not reflect my notion of what a pipe tobacco should taste like, and it is poorly cut; but Robusto is fairly smooth. 3 stars, if you like cigar in your pipe. The rest of the tin will be smoked in a corncob, to preserve the integrity of my briar.

Here with a difficult mixture. Easy to smoke,quite strong, pleasent sometime but this is all bla bla. Some years ago, in Italy, it was quite common to mix Dunhill Medium with toscano cigar ( kentucky very dry and strong). It was a cult and it showed how macho you can be. It wasn't bad but after a couple of bowls you had to throw up. Even if you smoked the second after a week. Now here comes Robusto, the viable way to Dunhill medium + toscano. Excellent but, again, beware, not for everybody. Let's be serious now. It' s excellent, three stars out of four because I fill my pipe seldom with it. Anyway I love to have it around, ready for a stronger and fuller smoke.

Quick impressions: This blend is not as harmonious as many of the other GL Pease blends. I found it relatively light compared to other cigar blends, including Key Largo (which is to my taste buds insanely full). I like C&D Habana Daydreams and H&H Strike Force better. I'm sure I'll smoke more of this, and develop my opinion further, but it almost feels like there's something missing in this blend... Oh, and I highly recommend tearing up the larger bits of cigar leaf before packing, otherwise the blend doesn't burn well. My sample had a pretty even cut for each of the components, except for the cigar leaf, which was much larger bits.

Heck yeah, when I want a satisfying smoke, I can depend on Robusto to deliver. Rich and full of flavor. Straight forward and stout like a dark, fat cigar, but softened up just enough to make it a silky smooth pipe experience. No, not a cigar in the bowl, but actually more rewarding, for me personally ...less acrid as the tobacco becomes richer.

The second half of the bowl is when the cigar personality really starts to come out. Slow puffing is essential so as not to dull the tongue and become overwhelmed with roasted richness. Cigar blends are now earning a spot in my collection.