G. L. Pease Montgomery

(3.18)
Virginias, Virginias, Virginias! 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.
Notes: Montgomery was released in March, 2005.

Details

Brand G. L. Pease
Series Fog City Selection
Blended By Gregory Pease
Manufactured By Cornell & Diehl
Blend Type Virginia/Burley
Contents Kentucky, Virginia
Flavoring
Cut Ribbon
Packaging 2 ounce tin, 8 ounce tin
Country United States
Production Currently available

Profile

Strength
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Mild to Medium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming

Average Rating

3.18 / 4
34

32

13

3

Reviews

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Displaying 1 - 11 of 82 Reviews
Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 01, 2023 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium to Full Pleasant
From the famed Fog City series of product offerings, G. L. Pease bids for objective consideration Montgomery, a specially processed rendition of a choice Virginia-Kentucky non-aromatic delight. Leaning on techniques of forgotten blending acumen, Montgomery entertains a spirited collection of mixed Virginian varietals ranging from soured Yellow, complementing Brown, citrusy Bright, to darker Reds, all bundled neatly with a conservative amount of bold Kentucky for appreciating embellishment. Labeled as sophisticated in demeanor, let us now avail ourselves on a thoughtful discussion of this subject entry.

Opening the generously filled tin decorated by a vintage map of old Montgomery, a formal introduction to the blend’s offering is formed by the visualization of an agile semblance of thin and airy shaggy ribboned strands of dense gnarled Virginian tobaccos. Predominantly lighter in shading, one is greeted by a raising of delicate yellows, golden orange, reddened browns and a parceling of deeper chocolatey-bronzed flecks. Accompanying this spread is a modest showing of dark processed Kentucky intermittently scattered, yet eagerly attentive. Overall, the feel and texture of these tobaccos is striking as they manifest a level of suitability and perfection as to the operative moisture level.

An exceptionally uplifting fragrance springs graciously from the tin. In effect, a substantial aroma models an excellent spray of Virginian splendor. To say that the exhibited nose is worldly in lieu of Virginian tobacco would be a fair evaluation. Chiefly, bold notes of dates/raisins, sweet tang, exhilarating grassy-hay, creamy citrus circulate freely over a somewhat buried barbeque spice, softer wooden goodness and a light node of soured earthy pith. Regaled by way of its suggestive presentation, Montgomery poses to bestow an extraordinary Virginian smoking excursion, unquestionably.

As a brief foreword, Montgomery stands as a polished specimen of the Virginia-Kentucky genre respectfully. In sum, this tobacco is normally charismatic and gives an impression of compelling attractiveness. Honestly, the entire palate is stimulated during active smoking given the refined achievement of Virginian flavorsomeness reached through its processing and expertly coined blending.

What is more, Montgomery conclusively feels like a quality production upon the sensitized palate, as elements of stylish nuancing lend some general underlying complexity in an easeful genteel manner. Specifically, the experienced taste progressions flow efficiently rather than subject to awkward force or censored by the abrupt movement of competing flavor streams. Further, the native attributes of the mixture’s produced smoke are texturally smooth. All phases of carefully crafted taste layering are well served and equally balanced, making Montgomery a complete package in Virginian savor.

In continued expansion of this thought, the blend is of mild-medium intensity and naturally sweet in disposition. Some latent energetic spiciness is captured within Montgomery’s medium-full taste presence as well. Obviously well blended, the extreme smoothness of native persona is built upon an optimum melding of the assorted cast of various leaf captured within the subject recipe.

Namely, an abiding sweetness rides high in the registration, supported by a densely flavored broodier mid and bottom line. The associated magnitude of the former is postured effectively to enhance, soften, and colorize the heavier business going on underneath. There is a subtle aromatic quality underlying this affluence, yet I know there are no applied dressings other than some sugared based casing used to tame the raw tobaccos. Perhaps the special process used has accelerated this experienced sweetness as Bright Virginia can and often does take on a velvety vanilla like quality.

Packing the pipe reveals a wispy and springy natured piling of tobacco that settles into the interior of the bowl poised for immediate smoking. Upon striking the charring light, Montgomery immediately demonstrates that it is most definitely a glorified celebration of Virginian nobility. As noted, the confluence of the selected leaves presents an enhanced combination as standard protocol. By and large, the registerable flavor evolves as the bowl progresses, becoming more creamy, richer, and deeper, while the accenting seems to amplify in intensity, thereby engendering more vitality to the overall persona for the occupation of smoking.

In particular, the discoverable top flavor is inclusive of warming notes of caramel emitting from the Brown varietal, a Bright citrus tart that is almost creamy in complexion, and some rich weathered barn hay notes that are well relished with offsetting soured grass. Riding in tangency, the profile similarly recorded a prevailing gentle tang, crisp lemony/orange gusto from the Yellow, and the mid-lower positioned mature Red’s sweet earthy herbal wood. The primary accenting reveals a lush floral sweetening, a distinct swarthy tone, and darker fruity tendencies much like aged figs and raisins. The streams are so well fused and fermented making the whole greater than the sum of the parts. The individual nuances are nobly pleasant but the togetherness that evolves is heightened to something special.

To further extend the advanced characteristics of memorable flavor, G.L. Pease has sprinkled the comprising medley of Virginian strains with an ideal volume of standard ornery Kentucky. Although somewhat relaxed in recognized enormity, the leaf fashions its influence as a stealthy, unpredictable creeper in its recording and ensuing effects. Its residual aftertaste and felt impact are much more invasive especially on the rear palate and vastness of the nasal cavity as compared to the actual tastings. For itself, the Kentucky contributes a bit of stronger zest and peppery spice, animated with the lively evidence of sweet hickory accenting and burnt smokey, darker earthy overtones. Furthermore, a remarking of a pleasant sulphury garnishment served to amplify its native highlighting which logged as a most agreeable natural complement.

As consumed Montgomery produces a medium density cloud of quality vapors tinted with a softer blue gray hued casting. Rolling freely, these plumes create a resulting crisp room note that is categorically pleasant and strong by objective assessment. Mainly, the central essence is formed by handsomely seasoned grassy spice, colored with darker elements of dense sweeter smokey wood and passive zing. To a large extent the prevailing room aroma parallels the characteristic experienced aftertaste of the actual expended consumption, namely a relaxed smokey zest and sweet citrus-wood, imagine that. This essence’s permanency is reasonably enduring as the mocking of the blend’s savory merit lingers comfortably for prolonged enjoyment.

Montgomery does parade a complementary endowment as to the critical physical and mechanical properties of a quality tobacco. Burning at a marked modest temperature, for an all-out Virginia keep in mind, the blend displays no evidence of harsh edging nor interrupting tongue bite. In fact, with a slower metered cadence, this tobacco smokes effortlessly, allowing for its inherent savor to resonate as one of its most applaudable mechanical features.

Further still, the physical burn attributes model reliable consistency and pacing, thus positioning the blend with a virtue of optimally lengthened enjoyment. I will say that the ensuing nicotine effect is categorically medium given the additive boost from the resident Kentucky but nothing too obnoxious in effect. And finally, this tobacco tenders best within the geometry of a narrow-shorter depth briar, although a simple cob performed nicely as well. Ideally with the described briar, for all practice considerations, the general profile characterization seemed to be more pronounced especially with respect to the Kentucky, the Virginian purity, and registrability of the discreet accenting including overall base line depth.

So, in closing reflection, as to the extenuating circumstances that boiled to simmer the creative genius of this dignified blend, I have no actual knowledge. But, in the end that doesn’t really matter. What truly matters is with its imaginative inception, Montgomery has elegantly awarded the community of pipe smokers with a sensational and most welcomed benchmark for a singular Virginian alternative. Holding true to his principal objectives, G.L. Pease has successfully afforded the discriminating smoker with a representative product that exemplifies the best of the subject native leaves enfolded within the recipe, that is well understood. Therefore, it stands to simple reason, the originating conception behind this very blending was undeniably a productive thought at that, yes indeed my friends.

Objective Scoring (based upon standard genre attributes, mechanicals and cost): 153/174 @ 88% ≅ 3.1. Subjective Rating: 3.5 Pipes
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 12, 2005 Mild None Detected Medium Pleasant
A recent blend sampled by my local pipe club members. Most felt the flavor was superb and that the nicotine content was light. One person in the group said he thought the nicotine level was just right and then admitted he thought chicken soup was a hearty meal. LOL!

The ribbon cut was way too stringy to suit me, so I chopped it in my blender for a more even load and burn. I learned that little trick from an article I read in P&T Magazine by famous pipemaker and tobacco distributor Mike Butera. It was one of the best smoking tips I ever picked up.

Moisture content was good and the room aroma is very pleasing. But alas, I couldn't find the beef (nicotine). Still, the flavors were so complex and rich that anything less than a 4-star rating would be unfair.
21 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 14, 2018 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
The various yellow, orange, brown and red Virginias offer some tangy ripe dark fruit, a tad more tart citrus and grass/hay, a touch of lemon and bread, and a bit of earth and wood. They are the lead components. The woody, earthy, lightly spicy, mildly floral dark fired Kentucky is an important condiment as it provides some nuances to the blend. The strength and taste levels miss the medium mark by a hair. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. Has a small chance of bite due to the tingly quality of the brighter Virginias, so a slow puffing cadence is recommended. Has no harsh notes unless you steam puff. Burns a tad warm and clean at a reasonable pace with a moderately complex, fairly consistent flavor, though the dark fired Kentucky occasionally perks up more than expected. Leaves little dampness in the bowl, and requires a average number of relights. Has pleasantly, lightly lingering after taste and room note. Can be an all day smoke. Three and a half stars out of four. I deducted half a star because of the occasional inconsistency of taste and warm burn.

-JimInks
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Jan 10, 2011 Mild to Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Very Pleasant
FUN WITH C&D SAMPLES, Vol. III, No. IV

This was a 1 oz sample I picked up direct from C&D as part of their wonderful sampler pack. Nice looking orange-ish wide ribbon cut of predominately virginias. Just a few specs of dark leaf in there, which is likely the Kentucky. Loads easily and smokes to the bottom without effort.

I've smoked a lot of virginia blends containing everything from lemon to red and in most of them the flavor of the lighter VA's is stronger. As I prefer the darker VA's, such blends are not often my favorites. This one is no exception, but I think the slight addition of Kentucky leaf keeps this one from going overboard on the light side. There is an orange-peel flavor as I taste in Orlik's Golden Sliced but it's not overwhelming. As in the Solani VA w/perique I recently smoked, the "odd man out" condiment is expertly applied and creates a very light citrus flavor coupled with some spiciness - just enough. The flavor of this was spot on for me, for when I want something refreshing. I found just a touch of complexity in this one, that being the darker flavors coming through at the match and then going AWOL until the middle of the bowl.

Three stars for this because of one problem - tongue bite. It didn't bite me like a dog but it did have a tendency to sizzle just a bit, enough to make me mildly uncomfortable and slow my puffing cadence down to a point I'm not used to. As I have convinced myself that tongue bite is neither the fault of the tobacco nor the smoker (unless he puffs furiously) but rather a simple chemical imbalance between the two, I don't feel the need to warn anyone. If you like lemon VA's with just a ligh touch of darkness, try this one out!
16 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Feb 19, 2016 Mild to Medium None Detected Medium Pleasant
Delightful, natural sweetness. My tin, bought off Pipestud, is 11 years old, so this has mellowed and aged beautifully. Therefore, my comments might not apply equally to a new tin. The tin note is why I smoke a pipe, slightly nutty and a scent of fermented hay, almost vinegary from the age. Easy lighting, flavor builds nicely through the bowl. I wish I could condense the nutty room note, slice it up and eat it.

Kentucky not that noticeable but it's there, a puff every now and then, adding a nice little frisson here and there. Not the most complex smoke, no, but the flavor is very rich. Don't overpuff -- doesn't bite, but VA don't like to be pushed. This won't satisfy nic hitters, who tend to 2-star it, but the flavor and room note are lovely.

Some have said it is too complex for newbies, but I disagree. It is mild enough and flavorful enough to be appreciated by newbs and is a wonderful introduction to a well-mannered VA. And it ages like a dream.
Age When Smoked: 11 years
15 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Nov 27, 2015 Mild to Medium Extremely Mild Mild to Medium Pleasant
I am an unabashed fan of G.L. Pease tobaccos. When Montgomery debuted as a Pease Virginia offering some ten years ago in the Fog City Collection, I purchased it with high hopes. I was mildly disappointed. My lack of enthusiasm came not from discovering Montgomery to be a mediocre pipe tobacco. Rather I was disappointed in not rating it as outstanding.

Opening the tin I discovered a mostly mahogany colored ribbon with a natural smell not unlike that of Orlik Golden Sliced. Many tinned tobaccos are overly moist upon opening. I rated the moisture level of Montgomery as ideal. It lit easily, and was easily kept going with the sipping puffing style favorable for Virginia based smokes. Virginias can present a tongue bite problem, but a gentle puff rate will suffice to keep bite negligible for most smokers. Those with sensitive tongues may find it bitey, but not to a degree different from other Virginia based blends.

The red and lighter Virginias produced a grassy with citrus overtone taste that was perfectly fine. With the Virginias alone, the taste would be light. But Montgomery also has a Kentucky (smoked burley) element that ups the taste to a point squarely between light and medium. The room note is pleasant, natural tobacco, and will offend none but the anti-tobacco Nazis.

Montgomery offers a pleasant smoke, on the lighter side of the spectrum, with a very low nicotine presence. It burns to a very light grey ash, and leaves negligible dottle at the conclusion of the smoke.

So what is wrong with Montgomery? Not a thing! The only reason I award it only two stars is that there are a myriad of other Virginia based pipe smokes I like even better. Such as? Orlik Golden Sliced, Hamborger Veermaster, Dunhill Flake, Samuel Gawith Best Brown Flake and Full Virginia Flake, a bevy of Fribourg and Treyers, and an even larger contingent of McClellands.

I have smoked Montgomery several times since first trying it a decade ago. My judgement remains the same. Montgomery is a very fine light to medium Virginia offering which suffers only from comparison to a considerable number of other blends.
13 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 15, 2018 Medium None Detected Mild to Medium Pleasant
G. L. Pease - Montgomery (Fog City Selection).

OK, I'll get straight to the vacuous reason for my buying this: my favourite character in the Simpsons is Mr Burns, full name Charles MONTGOMERY Burns. I know, I should grow up!

It's presented as quite a fine ribbon, medium brown, with a small amount of black pieces. Like most of the 'Pease blends it arrived with good hydration. Due to the finer build of the ribbons a bowl can be easily over packed, thusly impeding the burn. So load with a lighter hand.

Montgomery's smoke is mainly Virginia. But it isn't just the one variety, sharp citrus, hay, dark fruit, etc., all the flavours are present. To be fair they do fluctuate in volume throughout a bowl: eg, at the beginning there's more dark fruit and a bready quality, but this fades over the bowl. Dark fired Kentucky can often turn me off, when the smoke tastes like a 'tyre fire', but Montgomery has just enough to raise the flavour from mild, without turning it into an astringent mess. Because it needs loosely packing to prevent a poor burn it can go the other way: puffing too vigorously can make it burn fast. So, take it easy. If treated correctly it's well behaved, though.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: pleasant.

Montgomery? I'll happily rate it with four stars:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Deluxe P-Lip #3s
PurchasedFrom: Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked: 07/10/17
12 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Dec 21, 2016 Mild None Detected Medium Pleasant
This is a deceptively rich blend that seems at first to be simply a light virginia. Yes there is a touch of Kentucky in there, but its pretty minor. Ribbon cut which i dont usually like so much, but in this case it seems to work to the advantage of this blend. Its just an organgey and sort of bright light Virginia blend...but sweet and very tasty. As such, it has real depth. Now straight up (or nearly so) virginias are not hard to find..stoved heavily or not stoved at all. McClelland makes great VAs, like blackwoods flake. But thats another kind of smoke. This is more like Fribourg and Treyer's Golden Mixture. And in a sense, like golden mixture, it makes a great all day smoke. Nic hit is mild. No bite, but very flavorful and as i say, deceptively rich and more complex than one might think. Never a taste of ash. I think C&Ds Opening Night, and Pease's Union Square beg comparison, too. I dont rate this as highly as Opening Night...or even 1776 by McClelland...but then those are in my opinon as good as straight virginia gets.
PurchasedFrom: 4noggins
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
May 26, 2009 Medium None Detected Full Very Pleasant
This is a first for me... a first in that I will not write a review on a blend until I've gone through at least a full two ounce tin. That approximates, in my estimation, about thirty to forty bowls. Some blends that I have not liked (nor finished the tin) I will not write a review on, since one's enjoyment of different blends is subjective; hence I will only write a review on those blends that I find enjoyable. And for what its worth, I typically smoke English and/or Balkan blends; I do enjoy (quality) Virginia flakes and the very occasional Virginia/Perique. I've only smoked four bowls of this and decided this deserved a write-up; this is an exceptional Virginia/Burley blend. As a rule I am not a smoker of blends that contain Burley; this is not because I don't enjoy Burley blends but because my wife, bless her, does not care for the "cigarettish" room note that Burleys will often leave behind. I don't blame her, since I don't care much for that aroma myself. However, there is not much Burley in Montgomery and I could not write enough nice things about this blend; Mr. Pease's tin description is dead-on accurate. The tin I am currently working my way through was aged almost two years before I opened it. The blend does indeed have "subtle complexity" when smoked in a large bowl pipe and it must be smoked in a leisurely fashion in order to catch these subtleties. It has a delightful natural sweetness (just as Mr. Pease asserts); it has a delightful room aroma (my wife commented on this "That smells very pleasant") and it burns "cool". I even tried it in a double-wall porcelain "Old Mokum" danish pipe and the outer walls of the pipe remained cool to the very end (this in and of itself is so rare as to be notable). And finally it has a quality that really counts for me and is hard to define - it is a "comfortable" smoke... one just feels "comfy" and "at home" while smoking Montgomery. Now that I know what it is like (with some age), Lord willing, I shall buy about a pound of this to cellar and to enjoy several years from now. This is an exceptional blend.
7 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
DCD
Oct 13, 2017 Mild Mild Medium to Full Pleasant to Tolerable
A sweet, quick-burning, fine short ribbon with fruit overtones from a casing or topping (the "ancient archives" part). The tin note is peach, berry, and a bit of raisin, not much of the typical grass and hay you might associate with a Virginia. It is well made and easy smoking but can also bite easily like any tobacco of this type. In all aspects it seems practically identical to the Dunhill Three Year Matured Virginia from the 1970s and 1980s (I haven't tried the current one). That tobacco is what immediately popped to mind when I opened the tin, although I hadn't smoked it in over thirty years. Montgomery also has a touch of dark fired Kentucky, which seems pointless to me because it is so minute as to be undetectable. Overall a good example of a moderately cased/topped ripe Virginia in the English style. Add Perique to this and you'll get Dunhill Elizabethan.
Pipe Used: small billiards and dublins
Age When Smoked: fresh from tin
5 people found this review helpful.
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Reviewed By Date Rating Strength Flavoring Taste Room Note
Apr 26, 2005 Mild to Medium Very Mild Mild Very Pleasant
My tin of Montgomery was a sample and according to the date on the bottom of the tin, about a month old. The new tin size is a step forward for many smokers as they use the tin as their dispenser of tobacco. I always empty the tin into a heavy guage zip lock bag and store the bags in snap lid ceramic jars, if the quantity is only 50 grams- 2 ounces. The neat thing about the new tin is the very kool graphics. Fog City is not London, but San Francisco and the graphics are from old maps. Love it.

Opening the tin, you are presented with a very nice VA smell, soghlty sweet, just a little bit grassy. The tobacco is all ribbon and is mostly yellow with a few chards of dark brown. This is a mixture of several Virginias and some Kentucky (Burley). I am senstive to nicotine, so i am glad the Kentucky is just a "smidgeon".

Packs easily and fires up with out too much fuss. This is a tobacco for the contemplative smoker, not the blast furnace stoker. It can get hot if pushed, but if not, is very cool and as all glp mixtures, burns down to a dry clean heel.

The smoke is slighly sweet and is mildly complex. It won't require your undivided attention like say Renaissance, but is not monochromatic. The room note has a high spousal approval rating.

I have just gotten into VA flakes and I am sure VA flake smokers will wonder, how does this mixture compare to a nice Flake? Apples and oranges. The overall flavour and experiences are different. That said, you will not enjoy this mixture to the fullest unless you dedicate a pipe to it. I beleive that all mixtues shine the bgesti f smoked in a dedicated pipe, though.

Montgomery has lighter, some might say cleane,r flavour compered to Flakes. I have made room for both in my jars. The Kentucky adds a nice measure of fullness and the overall exerience is "creamy". If you like a heavier tobacco or one with spice, it looks like the next mixture in the series, Telegraph HIll, will be "it" for you. I like my food spicy and my tobcco round and creamy, so this is a highy recommended new mixtre for me.
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