G. L. Pease Bohemian Scandal

Wow.

First of all, let me say that I don't dig everything that Greg puts out. So these comments don't come from one of GLP's army of, "The Dark Lord can do no wrong..."

However, after putting out some very, very bland tobaccos in his classic collection series, Bohemian Scandal is a grand slam!

I think the other reviewers have done an excellent job of describing this tobacco, but let me add a few other points. I recommend letting the Scandal dry out quite a bit to really enhance the leathery tastes and smells of this blend...delicious. It smokes wonderfully now, but will almost certainly be a great aging tobacco.

I'm old enough to remember the original Balkan Sobranie and some of the other great Balkan blends of that era. Scandal is at least the equal of any of those blends and, indeed is probably better. It's THAT good.

This is the tobacco that will make you remember each time you smoke it why you're a pipe smoker in the first place.

12/28/04

I've just gone through another tin that has aged a bit and it's just delicious. It is a cruel fact of life that it may be months...many months...before we see any Scandal again due to the unfortunate fire. However, much like the untimely death of a musician, writer or artist, this set back will likely only strengthen the lore that already surrounds this blend. Is it worth spending $60 a tin on eBay for? Gee, I guess that's up to you, but as much as I like it, it's not that much better than other Balkans in its genre. The moral of the story is this...if you like something when it comes out, buy enough to put away just in case there is another war, fire, flood, etc. Thanks for this tobacco in any case, Greg!

I was very excited about this blend finally coming in and bought it right away-- I was not disappointed. Although the spice is not overwhelming in this blend (from the orientals, I gather), it seemed to make the whole bowl stronger and more potent. As everyone else has remarked, some aging will be just the ticket (and have bought my second tin for said purpose).

Room note: The only place I can smoke is in a tobacconist's (where I work), where, if one looks up, the ceiling is usually a faint atmospheric blue haze. Thus, no one within close range of pipe & I made any remarks.

Taste: That's really the most exciting thing about this blend-- Taste! If you normally smoke Balkans, you're sure to get the spice, that "wine" finish, and the Syrian Latakia all within a few puffs. If you don't normally smoke Balkans, then you just might start!

Recommendation: While not truly an "everyday" smoke, I'd like to think of this one as a "Friday" smoke-- its the end of the week, and I deserve something nice-- why not smoke?

Finally: One major criticism of GL Pease's tinning-- 2 ounces in a small can is great, but in many of my tins I have found a lot of "broken dottle" ( I don't know how else to describe this), akin to the little bits left over in a box of cereal. I can only guess this occurs b/c there is so much tobacco in so little space, sometimes it gets crushed.

October 2004

Smoking BS (???!!!) is . . . OK, let's start again . . . Smoking "Bohemian Scandal" was a terrific way for me to get a handle on the difference between Syrian and Cyprian Latakia, as this blend contains the former but apparently not the latter. Although some of the other reviewers have characterized the Syrian Latakia as heavier than its Cyprian cousin, I find just the opposite to be true. The Syrian does seem to be creamier, and it has a certain spice that I don't taste in the Cyprian, but to me the flavor is somewhat lighter and less nutty. While this is a terrific blend, I found that I like a mixture of the two Latakias even better: hence, my preference for Raven's Wing, and the subjective three-star rating for Bohemian Scandal. Objectively, this blend deserves four stars all the way, as its every aspect is spot-on perfect IMHO (with the exception of a few too many stems, which I can get past in a New York Minute). Greg Pease doesn't seem capable of producing an inferior blend--more Kudos to the "Dark Lord!"

Another fine english/balkan attemp. More body and comlexity that Renaissance but not as tasty to me (turkish-wise) as Caravan or as heavy (latakia-wise) as Odyssey.

Short of the complexity and great depth of latakia flavor in the original Balkan Sobranie which I haven't smoked for decades but which I remember its smoky aroma well, and which is quite an unfair comparison for us to be making.

Yet still more complex with latakia notes than McClellands' Rose of Latakia or Syrian Full Balkan; however, the latter has a smoother finish in my opinion. The syrian used must be the same in all of these blends -- McClellands and Pease's now under review.

McCranie's limited edition by McClellands' of Old Syrian had more of a syrian latakia note and a smoother smoke for the whole bowl than Bohemian, but after all the latakia used in Old Syrian was over a decade old and the blend itself was quite well aged before marketing.

If you haven't tried a lot of these blends you may miss my evaluation, which is not intended to be anything other than good. It's just that there are a number of blends to compare Bohemian with but some are gone from the market now. This is spicy (orientals), complex, very dry, and cool, with a friendly note of woodsy latakia throughout, but I think the finish can improve with more aging. It is too young to be a holy grail yet, but who knows, later on? I still have some tins for aging.

How can I tactfully say this? No offense Mr. Pease, but there are blends in your current high-end tobacco line up that are not 1/3 the smoke that Bohemian Scandal is. Next, after smoking 1 can of this I will go out on a limb and say that this tobacco may be the ellusive "holy grail" of Balkan blends past and present. Yes, that should also include Sobranie, and I never even smoked the stuff, but bowl for bowl there is no way in hell that it was any better than this weed straight out of the tin. Finally, this is NOT going to be one of those over blown - under developed blends that require a dunhill group 3 or whatever group # to achieve the total complexity and savory fullness of the blend...blab blab blab. I mean really ..give me a damn break. This is the real deal no excuses tobacco you've been dreaming of. Bohemian Scandal is RICH, Smokey, CREAMY, Spicy and incredibly delicious .This tobacco gives and gives and the smoker is rewarded time after time. If I'm not mistaken, that is the original pursuit and purpose of our gentle art. The rest is dottle.

I don't even know where to begin with this review so pardon its unfocused nature. First, let it be known that I'm not typically a big fan of Latakia. The few such blends I do enjoy are typically those containing a small Latakia component. Having said that, I was completely unprepared for how good this blend is.

Opening the tin, I was greeted by a lovely earthy smell with complex, spicy overtones. The tobacco is surprisingly less moist relative to other GLP blends but certainly not "dry". However, it could also be enjoyed immediately without the usual pause to allow the tin to breathe. Virtually the only downside to this tobacco appears at this point; it seems to have a lot of stems. Other than this minor annoyance, it packs and lites easily and immediately begins weaving it's spell over the smoker.

To my senses, Syrian Latakia is a world apart from its Cyprian counterpart. The leaf Greg chose for this blend, however, is other-worldly. Another reviewer used the term "creamy" and that is an excellent descriptor but doesn't begin to do justice. Calling it "delicate" does it a similar disservice. Scandal opens up a direct neural connection with the pleasure centers of the brain: It's that good!

The room note is mild and seems to constantly hint at an ever-changing kaleidoscope of ephemeral qualities. If you choose to focus on one, you find that another aspect has already replaced it. The label's "wine-like" prose is accurate insofar as it suggests such complexity.

The smoking experience remains consistent throughout the bowl and leaves the smoker approaching the end of a pipe with apprehension. Despite being a relatively light 2-3 bowl a day smoker, I found myself smoking full back-to-back pipes charged with this excellent blend.

There is no hint of bitterness toward the bottom and no amount of overdrawing the pipe will cause it to bite; another sign that this tobacco isn't acting entirely on the physical level.

An aptly named blend, Bohemian Scandal is too exceptional to pass up, regardless of preconceived notions on what type of tobacco you typically enjoy. Order some immediately, while the leaf that forms the basis for this remarkable blend is still available.

So many vendors offered samples of Bohemian Scandal at the 2004 NASPC show that I ended up snagging at least two ounces of the stuff by the time I left the venue. I blew my loot on pipes and other must-have tobaccos at the show, despite my urge to buy an 8-oz. can. Thanks for the new bulk format, Greg. Big cans are great, and they work really well for tobacco too!

Anyway, I ran this weed through every pipe in my collection. I also finished off a bowl of the Scandal before writing this review.

The Scandal gives Syrian Latakia the limelight, and it really shows just how luxurious the Syrian Latakia is. Now that I've come to know this blend, I can't say enough good things about it.

LEAF: Great color. Deep, rich, earthy tones.

NOSE: Exotic, fragrant, and spicy. All natural.

QUALITY: As is expected from Greg Pease, the leaf is top quality. I did notice some stems, or perhaps stiff mid-rib materials, but I'm told that stems really carry over the Latakia essence. In any case, they can be sliced with scissors and smoked with no problem.

PACK: I tend to approach Pease blends with a lighter hand, and I think this one sings a bit more if packed with little pressure.

BURN: Good light, great burn. I prefer smoking G.L. Pease blends on the dry side.

TASTING NOTES: The Syrian Latakia lends great spice and a creamy body to the mixture. Its presence is evident throughout the smoke, but the Scandal is deep. Marvelous room note!! Some great Virginias come out of hiding quite frequently and keep the conversation interesting (though I could smoke a bowl of straight Syrian Latakia and love it). At times the Virginias give away the youth of the blend, which is not to say that the Scandal necessarily suffers from any rough edges. There's no bite. The Orientals lend their sweet/sour character to the smoke, and everything just clicks.

This stuff is as complex as Renaissance and, dare I say it, can sometimes rival it. The mouthfeel is silky overall, but some spicy spots can come through. Greg says he spent a year refining this mixture. His efforts are obvious. This is a fantastic smoke young, and I can't begin to imagine how superb it'll be after six months or a year of aging. I hope I can let some rest that long!

A good tobacco if you want to try how Syrian Latakia tastes like. I must say there's something into this blend that never convinced me. I've bought 3 tins: one I smoked at once, one after some months and the last is still in my cellar. The first tin was good, but quite astringent in taste, probably too young. The second was almost the same, just a little rounder and smoother. I have great expectations about the third, so I may integrate my review in some months.

Even if it were available I wouldn't get any more of this horrid stuff! I did however realize why so many enjoy Pease's boring and tasteless blends -- they taste just like Dunhill.

If you want a tasty, high quality Syrian Blend, get yourself some Solani 763 or FMAP.

Stay away from this stuff -- Bleck!