G. L. Pease Charing Cross

I recently smoked a tin of Abingdon and, although quite potent as a Balkan blend, really enjoyed it. I mistakenly thought that Charing Cross was the next step down in the Pease Classic series. Wrong about that, I had forgotten about Blackpointe; the blend Greg lists next in the series. I will correct this and smoke Blackpointe next. I refer to the review of Doctor Thoss 2014-09-10 and agree with him when he classifies Balkan English blends into two categories: sweet and savory. The only variation in my world is that I classify all English blends into categories of sweet and sour, rather that savory. I also agree that CC is a savory (sour) blend and I am with you, Doctor Thoss, in that it is also not my cup of tea - though enjoyable. I like my English blends a little sweeter and to possess a little more depth. I found CC to have a flattish nasal smoking aroma and found myself wishing for some component to be in there to pull the rather high register of the smoke back to a more comfortable level. Next I put together a spot blend that was 1/2 CC, 1/4 Cellar Reserve and 1/4 Wessex Tradition from a 15-20 year old tin. That did it. The Cellar Reserve's black cavendishes and the Tradition's soft Virginias really made for a fine smoke. I like blending with this tobacco and prefer that to smoking CC straight, which equals three stars.

Thick cut ribbon with dark and mahogany strands. The ''soda'' smell is stronger than the Latakia. Moisture level is perfect and does not change much in weeks.

Flavor wise, red Virginias dominate for the most part, a red wine like sweetness with some tangy tones. The Orientals are not very strong, especially the sour soda note and increase in flavor by mid bowl. The Cyprian Latakia has a lighter presence than advertised but contributes with a sweet, smoky and woodsy flavor.

As for old school, it reminds me of the pre K&K Black Mallory, I could swear that I taste this full Scottish with each puff.

Virginia lover

OK, I have rated a few English/Balkan style blend, and I thought I had found a masterpiece (Erinmore Balkan). But boy oh boy was I wrong.

This is the real deal. Gregory has created a fuller blend, rounder, and it delivers exactly as he promises.

Beautiful balance. The Virginias are there to support and enhance the perfumy spicy Orientals. The Latakia dominates with spice and smoke like a strong emperor in this wonderful tobacco blend empire.

Highly Recommended + Favourite

Different than Abingdon...

More Latakia, smaller cut and somehow less sweet. The tin aroma reminds me of Balkan Sasieni.

For the room note, I am not as lucky as with Abingdon.

I have to downgrade. This tobacco, like Abingdon, keeps biting, which is unusual for such a dark tobacco.

It's kind of harsh too...

Appearance: Typical GLP cut, short ribbons of varying widths. Colors range from orange through black.

Aroma: Real Balkan aroma, mostly Latakia with Oriental support Packing: Packs easily into medium and large bowls. Probably will pack into a small bowl, but I prefer this type of blend in a larger pipe.

Lighting: Lights readily and without problem. Initial flavor: Mostly Oriental and Latakia flavor, very little (sometimes none) from the Virginias. Big, smoky, spicy and just a touch sharp.

Mid-bowl: Smooths out a bit as the Virginias step up, but they are always in the background. A bigger Balkan feeling than Caravan, but not as Latakia heavy as Odyssey or Abingdon. Nice dry smoke, cool when puffed at slow to normal rate.

Finish: Burns down to a nice clean ash, with little increase in strength

Summary: Definitely an evening smoke for me, way too full for any other time. An excellent choice for the Oriental lover.

Sweet, sour, smoky, and damn tasty. Excellent blend, have found few that satisfy my taste any more than Charing Cross. This blend is reserved for my wing back chair, and a good book. A very contemplating type blend. Mere words fail me.

Very interesting tobacco. It is very intense and even heavy. The latakia is very noticeable, specially at the first half of the bowl. Sweet-smoky, earthy, and somehow citrusy -i.e. citrusy as in earl grey tea-. The rest of the bowl is more oriental forward, but the latakia is there as well. The taste nuances are complex, but the overall feeling is very intense. This tobacco burns easily, and so it can get hot easily. In fact, this weed is very sensitive to humidity content. Usually, I prefer my tobacco on the dry side (i.e., slightly crispy), but this one is better when it feels fresh and slightly smoochy. It is better to smoke this one carefully. The nicotine content is noticeable, perhaps in the ballpark of Pease’s Westminster. Room note is strong. The feedback I gets is burnt brushwood and manure. I prefer “lighter” English blends, but I am happy to have bought this blend.

Presentation: I love the labels on the Classic Series. All the labels have the same coloring and artstyle, being a drawing of a pipe but they each have a different pipe. That's so cool to me.

Cut: Ribbon cut, perfect moisture.

Tin note: Slightly smoky, woody, and a little sweet. If I had to identify something that resembles this smell, I'd say it smells, in the tin, like midly sweet cardboard.

Tasting notes: Tart, light smokiness, and I taste slightly burnt toast on light up. Smoky, the slightest bit sweet, solid spice and earthiness. I am tasting a lot of things I don't know how to describe. If thoughtlessly puffing, this would seem like just another english, but there is a lot here. It reminds me a lot of Skiff Mixture, although I'd say this is a bit more complex and Skiff is more mild.

Mechanics: Although the tobacco is not too moist, you might need to relight a few times.

Extra Remarks: This is is a great blend. Maybe not for everyone though, but I absoutely love it. There's something special about this blend to me but I can't put my finger on it. I can see myself smoking this blend years and years down the road. 4 stars.

One of the NICEST English mixtures available. By 'nice' I mean that it can be easily enjoyed any time of the day, and repeatedly. The orientals must be special; their harmony with the Latakia is superb. I almost want to say refreshing, leaving you an appetite for some stronger variation latter in the day.