G. L. Pease Montgomery

All the Virginia flavors are here. Citrus, hay, grass, stewed fruit and bread individually make themselves known. The Kentucky pops in unpredictably with varying amount but I like being surprised. Kentucky is condimental... I don’t detect any BBQ flavors but rather a floral, slightly sour bitterness that contrasts with the sweet Virginias. Terrific room note. Smells like a slightly burnt biscuit. Fantastic with coffee. Good cut and perfect moisture from tin. A great change of pace from Vapers.

I have long enjoyed the subtlety of this fine blend, made the more enjoyable as a result of aging. It may take a bit for some smokers to appreciate due to its lack of forwardness, but even if you are a nicotine addict (Montgomery is not for you), you will enjoy the flavor of this mixture of Virginias and Burley. I can more easily appreciate this Tobacco for my time smoking a pipe, since it will not bang your door down. But you can pay attention or not, as you chose, but will not be intruded on during your pipe. That's what I like, tobacco blends that are not "in your face" bold, but exhibit some restraint and are forward with their flavors.

---

I have to say on reflection that after my own tobacco blends, Montgomery is my favorite commercial blend due to its long-lasting flavor, mild sweetness and lack of offensive aftertaste, especially on relighting and at the bottom of the bowl. Never off-putting or harsh in any way. Just pleasureable puffing!

Montgomery looks and smells similar to any number of predominantly-light/bright (flue cured) shag or ribbon cut VAs, although it appears that GLP make less of an effort to hide the tobacco, per se, than other blenders seem to do with this sort of blend. There are reds (so GLP says), but their qualities are well back until I'm quite deep into a bowl. The small amount of KY here is hardly noticeable in the tin note, but it's there if one knows what to sniff for. Mostly I get plain old toasty VA over old hay, with the faintest hints of apricots and dates, and a faint whiff of "smoke". The tobacco I smoked straight from a young tin handled, packed and lit up without drama, though smoking it all the way down has required attention to stoking. I get the best from M when I smoke it in a narrow bowl, with the fine ribbons at or near original moisture. I also prefer to take it easy when lighting up because young M can be harsh until it gets going. With a slow, thoughtful start, and patience thereafter, M tastes and smells mostly like tasty, toasty VA tobacco. And like most good VAs, it gets richer, tastier and sweeter as it is smoked down. I can smell and taste the smoky, earthy, vaguely pungent KY when M burns. It lends a subtle, deeper continuo to the higher themes and harmonies from the variety of VAs. I was surprised (and not pleased) to note either vanilla or tonquin, albeit not much. There is also some lemon, or orange, typical of the genre, that seems natural enough. Overall, M is not really complex for a GLP blend, and it is not all over the place, either. Rather, it is interesting and tasty in a straight forward way, as long as I pay attention to it. M's strength surprised me, being past medium. Medium tastes are founded in an upper register, which might suggest "mild" to some (not moi). Room note is pleasant. Aftertaste is a slightly smoky best of the last of the bowl.

Sum: I like Montgomery, and it certainly sports the usual GLP quality; I'm just not flipping over the actual blend at this point. I look forward to trying some aged M. Meanwhile, M has not changed my mind about VAs so far; I still prefer GLP's deeper leaf to this. Here and Now, 3+ stars from me; but not 4.

Update, 02-04-16: An 18 months sample from a recently unearthed jar has surprised me by becoming stronger and a little "rougher" even as the blend has better melded. At this point I would describe it as a "deluxe codger blend" , different but no better overall, IMO, FWIW.

Update, 08-20-16: After 2+ years spent in a jar, Montgomery has finally come around, in a big way. It now sports substantial body along with delicate, woody nuances from top to bottom, and the constituent tobaccos meld and interplay throughout the smoke like the best GLP blends. I haven't gotten it to burn especially well, but the tastes and aromas now are a solid 4 stars, and my stash is certainly doomed, if only for fear it's peaked. Note that I have left my original, 3 star rating on the boards, this because I am not comfortable giving the extra star "ahead of time". Meanwhile, those who stashed and waited are in for a treat.

Initially I though this blend was quite average, but as it intensifies half-way in the bowl, it becomes delightfully tasty with a non-aromatic sweetness. An excellent all-virginia blend with natural flavour! Sip slowly, pack medium and take the time to enjoy. Nice VA taste & aroma. Great with a sweetish red-wine. I always find myself coming back to this one...

Pease Pilgrimage Reviews (a tasting journey through every GLPease blend) Tin date: 02/08/10

From Pease's website: "Several grades of wonderful flue-cured leaf, from soft yellow to deep red, are combined with just a touch of dark-fired Kentucky for a little added richness. A special process, recovered from ancient archives, provides the finishing touch to this wonderful blend. Naturally sweet, and possessing subtle complexity, Montgomery presents delightful new dimensions for the lover of sophisticated Virginia blends."

Appearance: This is a very brightly-colored blend, with the yellow predominating the color scheme. It's called a ribbon but it's cut in the quintessential Pease flaky-bits style common to many of his blends. There is a very tiny amount of dark leaf in there, methinks the "dark-fired Kentucky"?

Aroma: Delicious fresh-cut hay. Also a hint of raisin-like dried fruit smell. Very nice.

Pipe 1: Savinelli Author Pipe 2: Homemade bent billiard with a narrow chamber Pipe 3: GBD Rockroot billiard/pot

Flavor: For me, Montgomery seems very pipe-dependent. I started with the Author, and was very underwhelmed. But in the smaller chambered billiard it really delivered some great flavors. My wife said the room note smelled like burnt toast, a very good thing in my opinion since I'm the one always picking the out the burnt bacon, the burnt biscuits and the well-done toasted peanuts. The flavors were straightforward tobacco, leading me to believe there's very little casing if any. Makes me wonder what Greg means by "very special process recovered from ancient archives." Don't know it that's a physical process or a flavoring process, but all I taste it good ol' tobacco.

Thinking that I had discovered the key with the narrow chamber, I took a risk with the GBD, which has a big, wide-open chamber as wide as it is deep. I think this was the best pipe so far! No matter what type or cut of tobacco I smoke, I normally judge how firmly to pack it by the ease of the draw. I pack small pinches at a time, checking the draw after each pinch. With this tobacco, I packed it in hard and it still maintained an open draw, due to the cut and the dryness of the leaf. I packed the GBD to the rim and let it swell up as it took the fire. Then I didn't tamp at all for the first half hour. It burned flawlessly and full of flavor.

Pease's phrase "subtle complexity" is dead on. Neither monochrome nor complex, it offers some mild variations on the straight-ahead tobacco flavor as the bowl progresses. The fresh bread/burnt crust wafts in and out, trading places with the pure tobacco flavors. A very mild sweetness remains while a very slight tang keeps the flavor in balance.

I can't honestly say I detect the Kentucky leaf in there unless it's the slightly earthy character that lingers in the background. Overall, this is a great tobacco and I'm assuming it will age very gracefully. This tin is very fresh, tinned only two months ago, so I'll be interested in jarring it and trying it in six months. If anyone has experience with aged Montgomery please share! This and Laurel Heights are the only Pease blends other than Union Square that I would call a true Virginia, even though it has a bit of Kentucky in it.

I'm giving this an easy three stars, perhaps a bit more. Lately I've been reserving four stars for my desert island smokes. An excellent tobacco, sure to please Virginia fans wanting to try the Pease Virginia blends. I'm waiting anxiously for Greg to introduce more pure Virginias to his lineup!

And here the 2nd Greg's blend for Skando: Montgomery.

Maybe Montgomery is the most natural Virginia blend have ever tasted. Oh, I know Greg admits that a "natural" tobacco is something simply non-existing. So let me say that this is something smelling and tasting tobacco, nothing else. Just like the so-called Continental blends I often smoke. Just to talk of European-produced Virginia blends, the only comparison I can recall is with Old Gowrie. Just that Montgomery is even better.

It fills, lights and burns fine and dry. Absolutely cool with no bite at all. Flavours of cereals, hints of citrus and malt. Kentucky is used very sparingly, just to add a condimental ghost of earthy smokiness and a body. Very nice alternative to the VaPer's. Nevertheless we are in the mild territory, and like many Virginia blends it requires good smooking technique to perceive it's refined bouquet. I have learned that in long years, and pounds of FVF and others... a lifetime of patience. I have to say that Montgomery offers a "meaty" mildness, and after the mid bowl (this review is based on a XX bowled Castello, Liverpool shape - let's say like a Dunhill group 3 - seemed quite stupid to split the bowl in three small parts) the strength goes decidedly to the medium and the body is improving even fuller, the Ky layering its spicy flavours over the mature Va's base.

So, again with a Greg's blend, I'm experiencing an unusual shape of building of the elements. Very nice e very much recommended.

Hopefully I will add other GLP's.

I don't get along well with Old Monty. You see, I met him by accident. He showed up at my door in place of Mr. West, who I've been looking to meet for several weeks now. I was agitated by his presence from the beginning, and swore that I wouldn't even bother introducing myself. After two days, realizing that he wouldn't leave (and an assurance that Mr. West was on his way), I decided to get acquainted with Monty.

Ok, this makes no sense. Short story, my order of Westminster was switched out with Montgomery by mistake. In the end, this turned out to be a free tin of tobacco, so I shouldn't be complaining. But..

When I decided to crack the tin, I was underwhelmed. There was a grassy like odor emanating about (it's alright, I like that), the tobacco itself composed of blond strands with a spattering of dark leaf (I'm guessing the Kentucky falls in at less than five percent). The tobacco was uncharacteristically damp for a Pease blend, leading to packing, lighting and biting issues. The smoke was unexciting, to be blunt. Nothing terribly wrong here--good leaf, wonderful presentation. Just rather ordinary, which is not something I've come to expect of Pease.

I don't know. I guess I've grown accustomed to Virginias in flake form. It seems proper. The ribbon is straightforward, but with a small component of condimental leaf, it's hard to include a balanced amount in any one pinch that fills a bowl. Not that the Virginia in Montgomery depends upon the Kentucky...it's tasty enough on its own, but tame. The Fog City series is all about the Virginia, and that's exactly what this is, so I'd be a bit of a jackass to suggest something is missing (Syrian).

Now curious, I read the Briar and Leaf Chronicle on Montgomery. Greg stressed its potential for aging (very true), and defended himself against those who called the tobacco "green". Well, I didn't see any green tobacco, and I picked around in that tin for a few good minutes. It wasn't young, or sharp, in my estimation, though this blend was dated August, 2009.

Mr. Montgomery isn't all that bad. But I'm not sure I'd introduce him to my friends. They're horrible people.

Three of Five.

Tin: Reds and Goldens, all with a mahogany hue. Has a decidedly citrus ketchup smell, which could also be described as grassy citrus(this aspect was not really noticeable a day later); subtle, soft, sweet tone. I can envision wheat and minute licorice. Medium ribbon cut; dark-fired(black) Kentucky comprises maybe 1-5%. It is at just the right moisture level, the ribbon being just pliable and leaving no residue at all on the fingers. Date of manufacture stamped on the the botom of the tin: 032805, meaning 28FEB05.

Lighting: Lights right away , requiring none to one relight. Not being very moist to begin with, just a tad of moisture develops in the stem.

Aroma & Taste: A very light VA mix, there is a subtle, soft, sweet tone to it, not at all sharp or smoky; no bite. Top of the bowl is bland with a little increase in taste down the bowl: Light sweet wheat from the VA's, the Kentucky adding maybe a micron of nutty creaminess.

Definitely an all day smoke, being rather bland with no strength at all.

Room Note: Akin to a fragrant, very light, sweet wheat.

Nicotine: almost nonexistent

Overall: Light-bodied, so mild I actually attempted inhaling the smoke, something I never do. Lightweight in the nicotine category. Easily an all day smoke. 4 stars if it weren't so nicotine deficient. 3.9 stars, though I'm partial to blends on the light and easy side.

Since having recently sampled C&D's Pegasus, a nice burley blend, Montgomery and Pegasus make an excellent comparison in contrasts. Montgomery being a light VA and Pegasus a strong burley, both have the associated qualities of a fine smoke.

Montgomery is truly a soft, relaxing smoke.

The number one detraction is that it, like other GLP-C&D blends, leaves my meerschaum with char on the inside of the bowl.

September 2007:

Superman is out of the phone booth, folks. Montgomery has transformed from the mild-mannered tobacco to become the dread of the villain Boredom, mortal enemy of pipe smokers and the engineer of many a bitten tongue.

My initial review of Montgomery two and a half years ago did not leave me anticipating it would become a complex, suave, meandering mixture. It has, but with only one and one half years in an unopened tin. Only that I had laid down more tins! I believe ?ecstasy? will be the operative word after Montgomery aged hits the five year mark.

First, the color of the leaf has darkened noticeably. Second, the heat has subsided. However, for best taste and more comfort, this is a blend to smoke smoldering. It does not have the temperament for careless or agitated puffing. Third, I think the ?recovered processing? Greg alludes to might be Irish or Scottish in heritage, in the sense that there is a honeydew affinity in Montgomery. Fourth, because the Virginias have matured, rounded out, and sweetened, I notice the even greater significance of the fire-cured Kentucky to the overall character, complexity and weight of the blend. The initial character of Montgomery is similar to Telegraph Hill. Perhaps the bluster I felt with TH initially will benefit from aging the way Monty has.

A word about fire-cured leaf: If a man named Latakia wedded the Lady Perique (can you really figure Perique for a man?), fire-cured Kentucky would be the fruit of their union. Not identical to either, but possessing traits obviating the parental ties.

If only Richard Wagner had loved tobacco as much as Nordic and Saxon myth, then Woton, Erda and Brunhilde might not be so well known as they are to opera devotees.

As for Montgomery, my recommendation is to buy, bury and then be boggled.

April 2005: First, I like the new tin dimensions ala Cornell & Diehl 2 oz. tins. This smells nice unlit, reminding me somewhat of Orlik Golden Sliced and Dunhill Light Flake. This is a very bright blend on appearance, as well. Nothing of the McClelland-esqe fermentation often described as vinegar or ketchup like.

Moisture is just about right, and I find it easy to load both small and large bowls. Two or three charring lights are required and then it burns down to a grey, mottled ash with little to no residual moisture.

If you took the base of C&D's Bridge Mixture with the Kentucky leaf, minus the other condiment tobaccos, you would seem to have something akin to Montgomery. This is tangy and sweet, yet the Kentucky leaf adds a husky aspect which keeps the blend from floating out of the bowl as just high notes. A smaller bowl concentrates both the flavor and heat potential. It is moderately complex, more so than say Briar Fox, but maybe not as delicious either.

I shall see what Summer weather and outlook does to this. Trying this after six months and then a year in an unopened tin should also say more.