Tobaccos G. L. Pease - Telegraph Hill (Fog City Selection)

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JimInks (3025)	2013-11-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The Virginias offer earth, wood, fairly deep tangy dark and dried fruit, light tart and tangy citrus and a touch of grass. They form the base of the blend as the main components The perique has a bit of spice, raisins, plums and figs in an important support role. The strength is a couple of steps shy of the medium mark, while the taste is medium. The nic-hit is just past the center of mild to medium. No chance of bite, and it has no harsh or dull notes. Burns cool and clean at slightly slow pace with a very consistent, mildly sweet and spicy flavor from start to finish. Leaves a minute amount of moisture in the bowl. Requires a few more than an average number of relights. Has a pleasant, spicy sweet after taste and lightly stronger room note. A wide bowl seems to work best for this blend. It's not quite an all day smoke, but is certainly repeatable.

-JimInks

59 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-05-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

What does one write about the best VaPer (IMHO)... the one that replaces Escudo and McClellands St James Woods, not to mention several others?

GLP tobaccos, as a rule, make me work very diligently to unlock their potential. As I like to say, they hold "secrets" that are up to me to figure out. A few of them either have still held onto those secrets or I simply discovered I did not care for them. Many more eventually turned out wonderfully. But rare is the GLP tobacco that hits me with a hammer blow from the first puff and makes me exclaim "Ahhhh... this is IT!".

Telegraph Hill is the consummate VaPer, in my book. The virginias are the perfect base to a fairly heavy dose of perique, not overwhelming, but very very prominent. Fillmore overdosed me with perique and harshness but this one is just perfect. It's mellow but not too mild, it's almost briny as opposed to peppery, and it burns very cool. Because it is so flavorful, I was afraid that this blend couldn't kick back and relax with me, but it does that perfectly as well. I would call this a spicy blend as opposed to a sweet one, but it also possesses a bread-like quality. No hay or fruit. And nothing approaching bite. Never could coax much bite from GLP blends, and this one won't bite even when abused. But smoked in a normal slow cadence, this one delivers what Cope's Escudo and Bell's Three Nuns used to, as well as the old McConnell version of Ashton's Old London Pebblecut. Fantastic blend! I cannot rate this one highly enough. It seems to take a backseat to Fillmore in the popularity arena but I find it infinitely more to my taste. As far as I'm concerned, Greg has mastered the venerable VaPer blend. No need for me to experiment further.

48 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pipestud (1829)	2006-03-18		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

This is a quite usual tasting Va/Per that has a very familiar taste - yep, a dozen or so other similar blends are on the market, sine with a much fuller flavor but none quite as deep in the flavor department.

If the Virginia leaf thrown into this blend had more backbone and the flavor more was a little more intense, I might have given Telegraph Hill five stars out of four. I can see where it will tingle the scrotum of many pipe lovers (well, the men anyway.)

28 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	idbowman (26)	2014-12-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Update 2022: I first reviewed this blend nearly a decade ago. In the time that has passed, it has become my about favorite blend, including the many no longer in production.

It is, for me, the very best VaPer a VaPer lover could hope for. The interplay between the Virginia and the perique is perfectly balanced. As age deepens the Virginia and smooths the perique, that balance remains perfect.

Original review from 2014 follows:

The tobacco comes in ribbons, and looks exactly like you'd expect a good VaPer to look. The tin note is bright and sweet with an appropriate measure of spice from the perique (with age, some of the spice gives way to a figgy/raisin aroma, but the spice still hangs around). Tn moisture is ideal for immediate smoking, no need to dry it out. There is no scent of topping or casing, and the impression is that of an honest, quality tobacco.

The smoke itself is excellent. The Virginia isn't "deep" the way it can be - instead, it tends towards the bright and sweet variety with a bit of citrus, and something almost briny about it (in a very good way). The perique isn't overbearing, but it isn't sparse either - the result is plenty of spice, but not enough to overshadow the Virginia underneath. The first quarter or so of the bowl you can taste the component tobaccos individually; from that point on, all of the flavors seem to come together into a cohesive taste and aroma that IMHO is what the ideal VaPer ought to be. The burn is consistent, relights are few and far between, and there's no sog to deal with in the bottom of the bowl.

Some reviews seem to indicate a lack of complexity. I disagree. Smoked slowly a complexity develops throughout the bowl, and by the last quarter there is a fantastic layering of flavors. Here, the VAs begin to deepen just a bit and the perique waxes and wanes.

One note on the perique: age plays a factor here. Make no mistake, the perique plays a "spicy" role moreso than a "dark fruit" role in TG, but with age the spice takes half a step backwards and the darkness comes half a step forward. This changes the experience entirely - young, TG is a bright, pointed Virginia with spicy perique highlights; aged, it is a rounded (and sweeter) Virginia with a bit less spice but an increased depth.

I love it at any age, and will smoke it anyway I can get it.

Pipe Used: Briars, Cobs, Meers

Age When Smoked: Everywhere from fresh to 6+ years

18 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	moniker (217)	2014-04-12		Mild to Medium	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Less is more -- Mies van der Rohe

Greg Pease himself has said of Telegraph Hill that "...each sip builds upon the last...". I agree. Like an expensive perfume, a little TH goes a long way for me, and I prefer to sip and sniff this blend meditatively from a small-ish pipe. I have a small pot that renders TH perfectly. Although TH is a fine VA/Per, for sure, it is also about as fine a blend, generally speaking, as I have smoked; simple, yet not so simple; fragrant, almost floral, yet rich with unspoiled tobacco scents and tastes. It's nothing special to look at, broken ribbon bits of various shades of reddish brown with some darker flecks, and a few small stems and veins thrown in at no extra charge. The tin note is well-melded, yielding gracefully to inquisition, generally fragrant rather than piquant, with fig newtons, apricots, and citrus over buttered oatmeal, with a solid-but-deferential VA backbone. I load TH loosely, and it burns OK once it's lit, burning down rather quickly. Lit, the scents play out in earnest, adding caramel, resin-y incense and "exotic" spices, and all of this translates to tastes, as well, along with some sugar, walnuts, and something like faint old Bourbon. The citrus also lends a nice astringency. Smoked gently, there is just a little sharpness from the VAs, and the flavors concentrate and sour some down the bowl, then TH unfurls like a symphony. Strength is mild to medium, significantly less strong than Laurel Heights. I mostly smoke TH outdoors, but still air is definitely the ticket. It smells great to me, but I am aware that Perique often offends bystanders. Aftertaste is a slightly "smoky" version of the smoke that soon fades to a lengthy best-of reverie. Did I mention that TH ages well? Indeed, it does. My stash from the initial release is smoking VERY well now. If you have problems with a young tin, jar it and you will be pleasantly surprised later.

IMO, TH simply nails the VA/Per category. Still, I think it might find favor with any slow smoker who enjoys a subtle and complex VA blend. I say this because, despite the Perique is critically important here, it comes across in a way that's unique in my experience in this particular blend. 4 stars from me, along with a spot on my favorites list.

Pipe Used: various briars; small pots preferred

Age When Smoked: young to as old as it gets

Purchased From: Liberty Tobacco

Similar Blends: Compares/contrasts to GLP Embarcadero.

15 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	TallPuffO'Burley (632)	2015-03-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

This is a good Vaper from a blender of many great blends. I didn't find this to be as sweet as many other reviewers have, but it was sweet enough to create the contrast of spicy and sweet that one looks for when they smoke a VaPer. The perique in this is pretty heavy, but not nearly as heavy as in Fillmore.

I would put this one below Fillmore to my tastes and there are several Vapers that I would prefer to smoke than this one for varying reasons, but I did enjoy my time with it and may buy some more tins to see how they age. I would imagine this would get very good with some age on it and it may push it to four stars in my book. I will report back.

14 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SteelCowboy (685)	2010-09-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is a mixed review, so let's talk about the two star rating first. I know that there are lots of folks that love almost anything that Mr. Pease has his hand on. I have smoked the majority of his blends and not all, but the majority are in need of aging. There are simply too many better Vapers on the market. This one is somewhat bland and very straight forward.

The second part of my review is based on a five year old tin of TH. In a word, it was OUTSTANDING! Sweet, tangy, more complex with a steady build of perique throughout the bowl. A four star blend all the way. Like many of his blends, the age seems to be the key and as such I have a lot of TH and other Pease blends in the cellar.

11 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Perique (163)	2013-01-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

It seems odd for me to award only 3 stars after so many gushing reviews of GLP tobacco, and it's not that this tobacco is bad - not by any stretch. I think it was just so highly recommended to me, by so many people, that it was impossible to live up to my expectations. Overall this is an excellent, straightforward, quality VaPer. No complaints. Given the choice, I would prefer Fillmore. But this is certainly another excellent VaPer from a true master blender.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mainspring (27)	2005-05-25		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

I was really looking forward to this one. At this point I must say that I am somewhat dissapointed. I say "at this point" because I believe the tobacco is too young to be judged fairly. Telegraph Hill is a beautiful tobacco to look at. The perique is in good measure. It just doesn't have the sweetness that I prepared myself for and it can burn a bit hot. I think time will really bring out the potential in this blend. Hopefully I will be able to give a positive update in the future.

UPDATE: I just had to try this again after stoving it a bit. I vacuum packed some of the tobak and then wrapped it in tin foil. It sat in the car under the seat for 2 1/2 weeks in this Texas heat. What an amazing difference! This can't be the same Telegraph Hill that I tried a few weeks ago! My original thoughts were correct. This tobacco is just too young out of the tin to be FULLY appreciated. The taste on the tongue is sugary sweet with just a hint of perique to tickle the nose. It burns cool and smokes good all the way down the bowl. It is a very clean taste on the palate and tongue with no bite whatsoever. If this has changed this much in just a couple of weeks in the heat, its potential is truly great! I have found a new favorite in the tobacco world which is always a wonderful find.

10 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	StevieB (2076)	2019-09-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

G. L. Pease - Telegraph Hill (Fog City Selection).

Having finished my tin of Penny Farthing I wanted another VaPer on the go. I have a few sealed go to blends of this genre in my cellar but fancied something new. Cue Telegraph Hill!

Mostly brown and yellow ribbons with just a few black specks. They're all medium in size, there's one or two twigs, and the moisture's decent. The smell from it's one of a VaPer, albeit not too bitter.

The smoke scores highly, to me. The Perique is an emphatic flavour, but it isn't as indefatigable or headstrong as it was in Penny Farthing! The Virginias are sapid and savoury, almost doughy and not sweet. Nor to they showcase the often found sharp, citrus, Virginia qualities. Telegraph burns at a medium pace, independently, giving a bite-free smoke.

Nicotine: medium. Room-note: I like it.

Telegraph Hill? A top notch VaPer which warrants four stars:

Highly recommended.

Pipe Used: Peterson Standard System #317

Age When Smoked: 12/20/18

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

8 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	troyniss (38)	2019-11-20		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Presentation: Lovely bright and red Virginias with some medium browns thrown in. Perique is applied moderately in this tin and you can tell the difference between the tobaccos easily. I can easily pick out all the different colors and variations. A gorgeous ribbon cut that is perfectly done.

Palate: Where to begin. This smells like a quality blend. Nothing obtrusive and certainly not lacking. The tin note is of day old bread, toasty oats and a little bit of unripe prune. The Virginias are beautiful in color and smoke wonderfully. They provide a semi-sweet grain, citrus and wheat. The reds are the backbone to this blend, provide a little earthy zest and bridge the gap between the brights and perique. The perique in this blend is more heavily handed than say Stratford, but is not overdone to the point of exhaustion. Slighty spicy, with a undertone of fig.

Performance: Ribbons always smoke a little fast for me, mainly because I have a fast cadence, but also that TH is a wonderful blend to smoke and I really enjoy its taste. Smokes to a nice ash, usually with no dottle and but can also leave a tad touch of moisture in the heel. Won't fatigue your mouth too much. Can be an all day smoke, multiple bowls in a row kind of deal. Nicotine hit is mild.

Conclusion: If someone was to ask you what a good baseline Va/Per is, you should hand them some Telegraph Hill. It's more full and rounded than Stratford but still offers the ability to taste the Virginia and perique separately and as a harmonious couple dancing. It provides the user with a simple, all day smoking pleasure that won't make you think, but also won't wow you to the point of hoarding it. It's a simple blend that does exactly what it should: make you happy. I prefer Stratford to this, as it's a bit sweeter on my palette, which I like. Still, an excellent blend that should be a staple in everyone's cellar as a quintessential Va/Per.

EDIT: I've downgraded this blend to 3 stars from 4. While it has all the pleasurable characteristics of a straightforward Va/Per, it is extremely picky in how you pack it. A normal pack requires multiple relights and a tight pack makes it burn effortlessly, but tends to restrict the draw. Also, I have been experiencing tongue fatigue with this. After smoking it as my only tobacco for a week it gets quite boring and mundane.

Pipe Used: Morgan Bones Thick Bulldog

Age When Smoked: Less than 1 year.

Purchased From: SP

Similar Blends: GL Pease Stratford.

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tantric (321)	2017-01-18		Very Mild	None Detected	Very Mild	Pleasant to Tolerable

Though I am big fan of the Dark Lord, I was somewhat disappointed with Telegraph Hill. Like all Pease's products the tobacco quality and the craftmanship are superb. But the strength, density and flavour of Telegraph Hill are, in my opinion, so mild that they render the tobacco bland.

I was expecting somthing to taste like Escudo, the former Three Nuns or Dunhill's De Luxe Navy Rolls (taste, mind you, becuase TH comes in ribbon, not in flakes, coins or medallions), but this is so soft it's like a whisper of a traditional Va/Per. In fact it's even milder than Stokkebye's Luxury Navy Flake (and that's saying something).

Again, the tobacco is wonderfully presented in ribbon cut, with golden and reddish hues, plus some bits of black leaf here and there. The smell is very nice, albeit muted, and the moisture level is perfect. It's very easy to light and it burns beautifully. It won't bite you, but it won't deliver much flavour either.

So, in my opinion, this is the prefect tobacco for any smoker unfamiliar with the Virginia /Pèrique combination and who wants to venture into it for a test drive, without crashing against something like Esoterica's Dorchester (oozing with Pèrique). For the established smoker it may come as a mild change of pace, but without much backbone to it, and no thrill at all.

Pipe Used: Comoy's Prince and others

Age When Smoked: N/A

Purchased From: Joshua Ward

Similar Blends: A very toned down Luxury Navy Flake..

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Backwoods Piper (70)	2006-12-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

WOW!!! I can't think of a better way to express my joy when experiencing this very fine and pleasurable high quality blend from Greg Pease.

I received a small sample of this tabac in an order from my online tobacconist. I filled up my Prince of Whales with half of the contents of the sample package. The aroma from the package was heavenly in and of itself. The light up was very easy and flavorful with a strong fresh hit of fine Virginia leaf and a good jolt of nicotine as well. Sip after sip the flavor and aroma just kept building, just the right amount of Perique really sends the taste sensation of this blend to cloud nine. This one really holds a fresh and flavorful smoke from start to finish. A brilliant combination of sweet and nutty with a slight amount of pepper at the finish.

I savored this bowl from start to finish. My eyes immediately gazed at the remainder of the tobacco in the sample bag. Enough for the car ride to the tobacco shop I thought to myself. I purchased three more tins, one to smoke and two to cellar. I will update this review when I have sampled the contents of one of the aged tins. Six or so months I think if I can keep my hands off it!

6 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cajomu (80)	2014-04-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I've given Telegraph Hill two star but I think it a somewhat better tobacco than that (two and one-half would be about right, in my estimation). On the plus side, it's made from high quality leaf and has no obvious flaws from a taste, aroma or smokability standpoint. On the other hand, it's from one of the world's premier blenders and costs a lot, hence, much is expected of it. So, bottom line, while I like TH, I like a lot of other VaPers, including some that are much less expensive, a lot more.

For me, TH falls down on several counts. First, the Virginias are a lot less Virginia-like than most other VaPers. In particular, the Virginias in TH are not very sweet or fruity tasting but instead are more grassy and nutty (if I didn't know better, I would have guessed that TH was a burley-Perique blend rather than a VaPer). Second, the Perique component dominates TH from the first puff until well down the bowl. If you like Perique, as I do, this is not a bad thing but, in TH there just isn't enough Virginia flavor to balance out the spiciness of the Perique. Third, by the time the Perique ceases to dominate the palate (about three-quarters of the way down the bowl), the rather lackluster Virginias do not provide much in the way of a flavor alternative and the smoke becomes rather bland.

On the plus side, the cut and moisture content are excellent right out of the tin so TH is easy to pack, light and smoke. Nor is there any bite, bitterness or other objectionable characteristics to detract from one's smoking enjoyment. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough enjoyment from me to want to smoke it again.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: Recently purchased

Purchased From: pipesandcigars.com

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Joeray (61)	2014-01-29		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

1st time I smoke this blend when my friend take a visit to my house and smoking pipe together. I took a little bit of this ribbon cut tobacco and pack it into my pipe just a half of the bowl. I smoke it with hurry because that is my beginning period to smoking a pipe and honestly I don't enjoy it all with the harsness, peppery, and spiciness of this blend, and when my friend offer me to give me some, I refuse it, don't want to smoke this blend again.

After half of year, my other friend send me this blend again, full of tin, unopened can. I keep it in to the storage for 2-3 month because I think I don't like this blend like the first time I had tried it before so I let this baccy stand on my desk for a time and not touch it. And some how, after my journey with VaPer blends, I fall in love with VaPer and I remember I still have 1 tin of blend that I had not touch it for a time so I decide it to open this blend and try to smoke it.

1st scent I open the tin I can smell a pleasant flavor of raisin and plum and I really like it. The ribbon cut and its color very attractive on my sight so I start to pack it into my pipe and light it. And my god, the smoke is very great, taste and flavor are perfect, the sweetness and mellow smoke from fine virginia leaves with scent of raisin make me so happy. At first light, the strength and taste are so mild and mellow, but after I relight it, is getting stronger but without loose any hint of the sweetness and rich flavor of the raisin and fruity scent.

Sure I will make this blend as one of my favorite. I really enjoy it from the first light until the finish. Easy packing, burnt well, great smoke, and a pleasant journey. Without doubt, I will give this blend 4 star. Its a complete taste, the sweetness, peppery, and spiciness are great.

Pipe Used: Galih Asem

Similar Blends: H&H Lousiana Red.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Latakiafile (9)	2012-10-27		Mild	Mild to Medium	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Telegraph Hill was my intoduction to Virginia/Perique blends it has little nicotine strength, but that isn't one of the things I look for in a pipe tobacco being a former Camel smoker. The first thing that caught me was the Virginias, they were very sweet and smooth throughout the bowl. About midway through I started getting a little spice from the Perique. I am mostly drawn to English/Balkan blends so my pallate may miss some of the more complex nuances this fine blend has to offer but over all I find this blend to be a very satisfying smoke. I now keep two tins on hand. If you havent tried a Virginia/Perique Blend before, this one is an excellent place to start.

5 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	quantumboy (130)	2010-11-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Pease Pilgrimage Reviews (a tasting journey through every GLPease blend) Tin date: 1/29/10

I'm just going to have to admit that these Pease vapers are not pushing my buttons. They all have that ashy characteristic that feels kind of like licking an ashtray. Don't get me wrong, I know from other reviews of these and other similar tobaccos that this style of smoke is quite appealing to many smokers, but there is just something about them that does not do it for me. Telegraph Hill is the same as the others, just too plain and ashy. I'm attributing it to body chemistry.

But I am not about to give up!

Since all these vapers have been quite dry from the tin I am going to assume that this is how Mr. Pease designed them, so I'm going to continue experimenting with packing and with different pipes. I have been trying these in my star Virginia pipes, but I realize that it may require a different combination.

Union Square is one of my desert island smokes, so I know Pease has the Right Stuff. I'll try these with some age, I'll try packing them a bit tighter, I'll try some other pipes, and I promise I'll update my opinions should they change.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-10-23		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I have waited to write this review in order to feel that I know the blend sufficiently to make a judgement. Now that I have smoked several tins it is time to give you my impressions. This is a Virginia Perique blend to challenge the old stand bys. Let's start with the basics. The cut is a bit course, a mix of different shades of brown loosly packed in the tin American style as opposed to the tightly packed tins from Europe. The aroma is tangy Virginia, not the sweet pungent variety (a la McClelland. This is not a put down, but rather a comparison). Packing in the pipe is pretty easy enough. The moisture level of the tobacco is just right making lighting easy. One tamp, a relight and you are on your way. Now we leave the basics and go to the flavor. This is the part we want to know and why we read reviews. It is true Virginia just like other Pease Virginias, but the amount of perique is on the generous side so the spicy taste is definatly there. The tobaccos are very well balanced as we would expect from Greg Pease the master blender. If you have smoked his Stratford, Telegraph Hill is very similar, but stronger. I like the added strength because it brings more flavor. I always ask how a Virginia Perique blend compares to Three Nuns. Telegraph is almost as good, maybe even equal to the perennial champ. In my experience this is my favorite Pease entry into the world of Virginia blends.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-03-02		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

So here we have an excellent study in VaPer blends. GL Pease has kept things very simple and straight forward, and probably end up all the better for it.

The aroma in the tin is pretty standard for an untopped Virginia. Bright, pointed, clean, and with a bit of pepper from the Perique.

The tobacco packed well, charred and lit well. It burns fairly uniformly from beginning to end, with only the few standard relights necessary. No surprises here...it meets the expectations of a VaPer.

As far as taste is concerned, this is a great example of 'less is more.' There isn't anything too overwhelmingly complex. Just as advertised its a base of well blended (non flavored, cased, or topped) Virginias with just a bit of Perique to enhance things. The taste is fairly basic and nothing to write home about for about the first quarter bowl. Then things get fun. After about a quarter bowl, something magical happens--the flavors suddenly meld entirely together into a very rich, straightforward, slightly sweet base with little highlights of spice (for the perique)...this continues all the way through to the bottom of the bowl. In every sense, this embodies the standard of VaPers. There are certainly VaPers that are richer, more complex, more bold and more sophisticated than this, but TG hasn't ever left me unsatisfied--plus, fewer "bells and whistles" means fewer things to go awry.

The pipe burns evenly all the way to the bottom...the ash is more medium-to-dark grey that light grey/white for me. I have noticed that the pipes in which I smoke TG seem to build cake quicker than others...don't know if that's worth anything to anyone else, but I thought it was interesting.

On the whole, I'd give this 3-out-of-4. A very experienced, sophisticated smoker might prefer a slightly more complex VaPer blend, but this is great for those who want to enjoy a simple and straightfoward blend. Its also great for a beginning pipe smoker or a good transitional blend for those trying non-aromatics for the first time.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Spike (296)	2005-08-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

As a fan of Virginia flakes I was eager to try Telegraph Hill. Compared to Stratford this blend is a darker, richer flavor and the Perique just adds to that rich flavor without shouting "Perique!" This will be even better with a bit of age on it. Highly recommended to "VaPer" fans.

4 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SlashFive (1)	2022-03-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

As an unabashed OGS fangirl I knew that this blend was high on my wish list, so when I stumbled on a four year old tin from a friend’s cellar I knew I had to pony up. TH is sweet and savoury all at once, with major candied orange peel and turbinado notes from the aging virginias and an almost molasses spice in the background from the perique. Smokes right down to the bottom of the bowl with a couple relights, and it’ll take you on a ride the whole way down. The dark lord hits a home run again.

Pipe Used: Savinelli 320, LCS lovat

Age When Smoked: 4 years

Purchased From: Private cellar

Similar Blends: Orlik Tobacco Company A/S - Golden Sliced (Red Tin).

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	cm1648 (107)	2021-05-10		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Prep: The moisture level was about perfect.

Notes: An even mixture of red and bright virginias form the base. Bright, citrusy, hay notes are evenly in play with fruity, earthy, notes from the reds. The Perique accentuates the red leaf further with dried fruity, plum-like notes though the "spiciness" isnt strong. It is quite consistent from top to bottom of the smoke. A solid choice for beginners, though I dont believe it delivers anything unique to the Va/Per field. For those reasons, I give it a 6/10.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RonR (85)	2020-02-17		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

3rdguy

Just finished my 1st full tin of this, quite enjoyable. I will say the overall flavor is that of caramel and it remained consistent throughout a smoke and in a variety of pipes. No bite. Light on the perique for my tastes but not in a bad way just glad there is not less. I had 18 months age on the tin when opened and will have to put some in the cellar. A great VaPer in a crowded field.

Pipe Used: Cobs, briars.

Age When Smoked: 8/7/2018 tin date.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	nkulk8r (90)	2020-01-17		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

When I first picked up the pipe in 2013, I had absolutely no idea and/or inkling about anything having to do with pipes, let alone the many different types and blends of pipe tobacco. So, there was a very steep learning curve in regard to both pipe and tobacco. With regard to tobacco however, I can only describe my early days of exploration as the "Big Bang" of discovery, sampling anything and everything I could lay my hands on, Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Seven years hence, with the chaos of the "Big Bang" having subsided, I am no longer smoking heavy English blends during the hot summer months, nor am I smoking (as a rule) the Virginias during the dead of winter (with Cringle Flake, various Christmas Cheers and McClelland's 40th Anniversary Flake being the odd exceptions).

But here in California, when hints of spring occasionally waft through the air in January and February, VaPers become the natural bridge between Winter and Summer.

I recently ordered/sampled two VaPers I had never tried before: One was Rimpoché AP, and the other was Telegraph Hill. Both blends were phenomenal -- both blends were sampled back-to-back -- and both blends totally rocked my world with regard to how I viewed/interpreted/understood VaPers. The long-held views I had about the benchmark VaPers -- Escudo, DNR, Old Gowrie, St. James Flake -- were all completely blown-away by these two newcomers to my rotation.

I tried the Rimpoché first (and wrote a glowing review), while Telegraph Hill was hot on the heels of the Rimpoché, smoked the very next day.

The two (to me) were so remarkably the same in quality, in taste, in flavor profile, I was pretty well dumbfounded. Not only were they both so very close in terms of being kindred VaPers, but they had totally upended my strongly held beliefs as to what a real and genuine, good tasting, good smoking VaPer should be.

In a nutshell: Telegraph Hill is but a more moist, better hydrated version of Rimboché (which arrives quite dry in the bag). When you lay these two tobaccos out, side-by-side, they look very nearly (virtually) identical.

Telegraph Hill: Phenomenal Virginia Perique blend.

Similar Blends: Rimboché AP.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pryhosm (248)	2019-11-26		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

Nice blend. Tin note is slightly sweet and sour, hints of hay and a "pack of cigarettes" smell. Flavor profile is bready, peppery, with dark fruit notes. Get's deeper past the half way mark and considerably spicier. I liken this to Dunhill Elizabethan, Three Friars and other ribbon cut VaPer's with a medium dose of perique. This isn't as sweet as an Escudo or Dunhill Navy Rolls, which I prefer. I think a shag cut removes some of that sweetness, but that may just be my imagination.

Pipe Used: Briar's, meerschaum, clay's and cob's

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BrokenRecord (124)	2019-06-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

G.L. Pease, Telegraph Hill: A refined yet flavorful ribbon-cut VaPer and my everyday smoke.

The Virginia varietals are made up of a mixture of red, dark, and some brighter leafs—in that order. They are mostly tangy, earthy, and sweet without any grassy-bright notes. The perique is extravagantly yet perfectly applied in this blend. It is spicy with undertones of fermented fruit. It is well balanced, yet still keeps my attention throughout the smoke. With six months of age (or more), the Virginias seem to become smoother and richer in profile.

This stuff is so good. For me, this is perfection at the highest levels.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Voyaging (80)	2019-02-28		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Tolerable

The tobaccos are a good mix of bright Virginias and darker tobaccos. I find the C&D ribbon cut blends to be a joy to work with. This one burns well, but maybe too fast.

The blend is slightly moist but still smokable out of the tin. My tin had some months of age on it. The tin note is kind of sweet, ketchup and vinegar-like, and sour but with some grassy, oat-like hint in there. To me, it doesn't smell or taste like any other Virginia Perique blend I've had.

This is a sweet blend, like pastry sweet notes from the moment you light it up. I get the fermented notes, and the sensation in the nose on the retrohales is great. It's got that Belgian beer hint I mention with Escudo, and , to me, Virginia Perique mixtures, in general. There are sugary notes, grassy notes, some sweet pastry notes that are kind of bread-like, and some oat-like notes. There are peppery notes from the Perique. There is also a general briny taste to this blend that is unlike any other Virginia Perique blend. It's kind of salty and vinegar-like and fermented. It makes it unique. I think I remember getting a similar flavor in Laurel Heights as well.

In taste and body this is a pretty bold and flavorful blend, but the nicotine strength is somewhat low. It never gave me a nicotine hit, which I find great.

This blend is widely available and fairly priced.

I recommend this to Virginia Perique lovers who want something slightly different.

Pipe Used: Pot, billiard, bent apple, canadian, bent brandy

Age When Smoked: 3 months

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: G.L. Pease Laurel Heights.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	BingCrosby (161)	2018-06-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

It is with deep regret that I now find myself fully converted to the church of Pease.. now I am forced to stock up on all his Virginia based blends and spend way too much on my cellar.. Telegraph Hill blew me away.. comparisons to Elizabethan scared me, as I have not gotten along too well with that mixture lately.. but even at a young age Telegraph hill, in my opinion, is way more interesting.. It's a soft sweet blend with the most exquisite gentle dose of pepper.. it's an easy going va/per that somehow is equally satisfying.. It's really a delightful medium smoke... nothing that will shock you.. but it is like a finely tuned composition.. The Virginias are soft, sweet, bready and creamy.. not much of the grass/citrus element.. this is just a wonderful quiet tobacco that slowly unravels.. never loud but demands your attention.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	toddsmith7378 (41)	2018-04-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

I like this blend on the rare occasion I can get it to burn right. There's something in this that causes it to more often than not burn awkwardly. Something in this blend doesn't like to burn with the rest of it. Perique flakes? I'm not sure, but I have to spend way too much time coaxing and messing with that aspect of the smoke to enjoy it fully. It's like this in Briar's of various make, cobb's and meerschaum's. When it goes ok, it's really good, one of the better Va/Per blend's out there, but it wants to burn weird.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Sybariten (61)	2017-04-17		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Is this really bad? Well, it depends on how one chooses to look at it. I stand by my statement that Pease's virginias are of poor quality, and I think that is due to the leaf from C&D. Rather thin and bland this does nothing for me and boarders on a taste of cigarettes with a dash of perique. There are simply no reasons I can think of to smoke this when there are so many VaPers of better quality out there.

Taste: A light, slightly ashy hay with muted notes of pepper at first. This transforms some about halfway through the bowl and deepens as the perique intensifies and the ashy note recedes. Other than that there is not much to be said about the blend.

Mechanics: Ribbon cut, ready to smoke out of the tin, no bite and medium nicotine.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrumsAndBeer (217)	2015-10-15		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If someone were to ask me to describe this blend in two words I'd say it's "pitch perfect." The sweet, the savory, the bitterness, the spice and all the subtleties (and there are a number of them), all of it, pitch perfect.

Charring light only gives a glimpse of what a bowl of this wonderful mixture has to offer. The Virginia's are toasty with a delicate grassy high note and the perique lays low, gently amplifying the overall flavor.

Mid-bowl flavors are deeper, spicier and intensified. The flavors darken, morphing into what what I can only describe as rich & rustic. The overall flavor is semi-sweet, earthy and spicy with hints of molasses and fragrant woodsy oak like notes. The smoke is smooth and well balanced with a perfect amount of spice. The perique adds a bit of kick without overstepping its role or overly influencing the flavor.

This mixture is easy to work with and practically smokes itself once properly lit. Flavor and nicotine strength are an even medium yet there's enough of both to make this a suitable nightcap. So far this is my favorite GLP VaPer and next to Embarcadero one of the best and most articulate blends in the Fog City Selection.

Pipe Used: Briar

Age When Smoked: 2 years

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Davetopay (43)	2010-08-27		Medium	Very Mild	Medium	Tolerable

I have been meaning to post a review on this stuff all summer. Also, my BPD has dropped a great deal due to some work issues and the silly heat we had in the region over the summer. A normally delightful pipefull becomes burdensome when the temperature is 103 and the heat index is 115.....but I digress.

Telegraph Hill is NOT as close a cousin to Fillmore as I thought it might be. For one, it is a very soft ribbon cut and not a broken flake. Not a big deal to me, but I find it requires a good deal more attention when loading your pipe as the very soft nature of the leaf can lead to over packing and a poor draw. That poor draw is a one way ticket to bites-ville baby. But, keep it loose, and tamp sparingly to allow an easy loose draw and you will find success.

The tin aroma is kind of buttery, caramel, pastry, and almost a hint of some other flavor/scent that makes me want to say "MALT". No sour, vinegar, or fermentation like my Fillmore experience. The smell makes me want to smoke it, the feel makes me want to dig around in the tin to see what I can find.

It lights fairly easily, with a minimum of fuss and is easy to keep lit. The flavors I am getting are a SLIGHT reminder of past experiences, but the layers are in a different order. The nuttyness, the bakery and pastry, and the fruityness all hit in different phases than what I was expecting, and with less pepper and spice as well. The Perique doesn't seem to be a huge player for me.....but that musty, earthy, raisiny quality is in fact in there.

Telegraph responds really well to changes of pace. Let it almost go out if you grow tired of the flavors you are pulling, and PRESTO!......all together different. It also DGTs rather well.

While I enjoy it a good deal, I am not sure how much of it I would feel a need to keep on the shelf. Due to the need to pack light and loose, my tin will last a good long time. Not to mention the fact that more than one bowl of this a day can leave my tongue with a sort of dull ache....who knows, can't explain that one.

GLP did a good job here. If Fillmore was overwhelming to you, the milder nature of Telegraph may be what you are looking for........have fun!

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Hemlock (65)	2006-03-16		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Strong

Quality tobacco, with a surprisingly potent contribution of Perique. Develops through the bowl to achieve its peak. No question, this is a fine presentation of perique amongst some high quality ribbon cut virgia. It truly develops different nuances through even a small bowl, right to the end. Satisfying and whole, this is top notch. Worth keeping a few tins in the cellar if you like this sort of blend. My tin was only a few months old and smoked just perfectly.

After about 20 pipefuls, I can conclude this is a world class blend that is going to age very well. There is a certain verdant sharpness compared to other VaPer caked blends, but this is more than acceptable and satisfying for my incresingly robust taste preferences. Interestingly I smoked this a medium German Radford 1/4 bent with a filter and was pleasantly surprised by the mellowness imparted without losing the spirit and progressive flavour of the blend. I know that American smokers don't use the 9mm filters much, but if you have a filtered briar around, give it a shot. I'd be interested in the thoughts of others...

--- update 2010-11-26 Having opened a 5 year old tin out of necessity (puffed up- evidence of internal fermentation), I have now tasted the effect of aging. This batch from '05 was obviously packed a little too moist, so the microbes were gracefully aging this tobacco. Very nice, rich, spicy, peppery and uniform taste with the VA having aged and mellowed. Nicotine is there to satisfy. Nice stewed fruit flavour in the zone and happy to be smoking this tin.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stan (178)	2005-05-26		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

After Stan's terrible plight over Montgomery with the terrible genie of the mirror, let's see what's going on:

Stan: Where am I?

St. Peter (at the Pearly Gate): Welcome my son. What's that? A pipe!

Stan: That's my new Telegraph Hill smoke, sir.

St. Peter: Sorry my son, but there is no smoking here.

Stan: Where am I?

But this stuff is heavenly, sir. Full long strips of perique comprising maybe 10% of the blend and laying on a soft bed of golden and red virginias. Deep but not too strong. Heavier than my beloved Montgomery that a mean genie stole. What a way to enjoy perique. Natrual and straight. Cool, Leathery, dry, easy packing and puffing, biteless ....

St.Peter: Stop! Don't be glutonous. Who make this wicked weed?

Stan: Not wicked; delightful. Pease, the Dark Lord....

St.Peter: Dark Lord!? Who? What? You are cast out!

Stan: ZAP!!!!

Later after Stan's decent:

Stan: Where am I now?

Devil 1: Guess. I see you like smoke.

Stan: Hark. This smoke is heaven sent. I enjoy the taste of perique in a milder way than I though possible. Even without aging, Pease's special process jumps starts the blend and the flavor flows.

Devil 2: Let me try some. After all, we can smoke here.... Hey, this is great!

Devil 1: ... Me too. Ahhhhh. Joy.

Devils 1 and 2: Praise the Lord, this stuff is the greatest.

Enters St. Peter:

St. Peter: Devils praising the Lord. Stan, you must have found something there. From now on, pipe smoking is allowed in Heaven. Gabriel. Gabriel, who took my Ashton?

Stan: Heaven? I'm dead! That dam genie!

St. Peter: No, we're sending you back, Stan, to convert the masses to Telegraph Hill and be saved. Now where's my Ashton?

Stan: Hey gang. I'm back. Telegraph Hill. I smoke it. (Pointing up.) HE smokes it. Try telegraph Hill and I know all will be forgiven. A tobacco that is now allowed in Heaven.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-05-24		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

I purchased two tins of Telegraph Hill as soon as it was released, intending to age them for several months before opening. To do otherwise, I thought, would not be fair to the tobacco or to my tongue. However, one Friday evening, while trying to relax from a long week and in the mood for something different, I threw caution to the wind and popped a open a tin (with a date on the bottom that was only two weeks prior). I'm glad I did! The tin aroma was wonderful, but I didn't linger to appreciate it as I was anxious to get it in the pipe and smoking. About two matches and 5 puffs later a smile must have spread across my face. Although I was bracing myself for a sharp zing on the tongue, what I experienced was luscious, rich and sweet Virginias. About the first forth of the bowl was all Virgina, then I noticed the Perique. About half way into the bowl the Perique really asserted itself, and seemed to take the lead by the end, leaving a spicy, peppery aftertaste. Each sip does build on the last, as the description claims, but it builds in the direction of Perique. Now, I love Perique and this was a welcome development to me, but I can see that some smokers might not enjoy such a Perique-laden finish. After smoking many more bowls in a variety of pipes, I think the Perique development can be lessened (if one wishes) by smoking this blend is a smaller bowl.

Overall, a rich, fragrant and nuanced blend that deserves to be smoked slowly and with one's full attention. No doubt it will improve with age, but I think it is very enjoyable now.

I liked Telegraph Hill so much that the next day I popped a tin of Montgomery that I was allowing to age. I though it too was wonderful, but that's for a different review. Lately I've been smoking mainly T.H. and Montgomery, and am one happy pipe smoker.

To put my impressions in context, I smoke mainly Virginia/Burley/Perique blends, and my requlars are Cumberland and Haddo's. If you have similar tastes, I would highly recommend Telegraph Hill (and Montgomery), and don't be deterred by it's youth.

3 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Antonius Blok (190)	2020-09-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

First of all I have to warn you that this review is based on several tin cans never less than five years old. I have not tried the Telegraph in its earliest youth.

If a novice smoker asked me for a recommendation of a va / per where the perique can be clearly appreciated without it being overwhelming, I would recommend Telegraph Hill.

In the tin it has a very intense vinegar aroma, balsamic, fresh, and with a touch of spices, coming from the perique. These nuances are reproduced later in the flavor, after lighting the pipe, also adding, from time to time, a spicy point. The smoke is fresh, tasty, smooth and very pleasant. It does not bite at all and it burns perfectly, although it does so at a faster pace than average.

Another attraction of this tobacco is that it has a very strong personality, and I would say that in taste it is unlike any other va/per that I have tried that is currently marketed. The way I see it, this is one of the best va/per of those produced at the moment, once McClelland and Dunhill disappeared from the market.

I think this review makes it very clear how much I like Telegraph Hill, and to you, who are reading this review, I would recommend that if you like this type of mix with virginia and perique you should not miss the opportunity to try it. I'm almost sure you will thank me...

Age When Smoked: 5 and 6 years

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	raybrown55 (45)	2019-12-12		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

If I should define this tobacco in two words, I'd say smooth and tasty. The perique is there in the right dose for me, not a lot as in Kajun Kake, nor nearly a fruit of imagination, as in Orlik Golden Slices. And the taste has something more than the normal VaPers, something dark and almost chocolatey, that enriches the experience. And finally, I like flakes, but now and then the good old ribbon, easy to manage and ready to go, makes me happy...

Age When Smoked: nearly 1 year and a half

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Tilley4 (16)	2019-11-22		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Spicy Perique and tangy Virginias.... I get a bit of nuttiness to this as well...very good VaPer....just finished a couple of ounces of Louisiana Red and this is different but just as good.... I think I'm going to split this can and try aging half of it... mild in the nicotine department... I would agree with others that it definitely builds throughout the duration of the bowl...

Pipe Used: Country Gentleman cob

Age When Smoked: Fresh

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2018-11-30		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

So I have been searching for a ribbon cut va/per to smoke when I do not feel like an extended session of Escudo/Dunhill DLNR. I started with Stratford, which I enjoyed but found some harsh notes from the lighter Virginia leaf. When I purchased a tin of Telegraph Hill, I expected a similar blend but with a little more perique. But they are very different blends.

The tin note is smells of dark fermented tobacco from the perique. It took me back at first because of its intensity and the fact that I was not expecting such a rich smell—as I had just worked through a tin of Stratford, which has a very mellow tin note. I thought I picked up some smokey dark fired notes, but they seemed to dissipate after a few minutes of opening the tin.

There seems to be much more red and dark Virginia's in this blend than in Stratford. The Virginia leaf in Telegraph Hill are richer and sweeter with less bright hay notes and absolutely no harshness. The perique is very prominent in the blend and gives off more earthy fruit flavors and less spice than Escudo. Together, the red Virginia leaf and the perique merge into a sweet and earthy va/per.

The ribbon cut is nice, but not perfect with quite a bit of smaller bits floating around the tin as with other C & D blends I have tried. That said, Telegraph Hill might fill the void in my rotation for a ribbon cut va/per.

Age When Smoked: 5 months

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	LannarkGent (145)	2018-09-17		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This VaPer is like an absorbing mystery -- each additional puff reveals a little more absorbing complexity. The flavor sensations starts out slowly and build onward and upward. The Virginias reveal more flavor as the bowl warms up and the Perique percentage is just about right. My particular tin is somewhat young, which will clearly improve with age. For those who would like a slightly different take on a VaPer than say an Escudo, this blend gets a solid recommendation.

Pipe Used: Cayuga Billiard

Age When Smoked: Estimated at 6 months

Purchased From: Indian River Tobacco Traders Grand Rapids Michigan

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Goose55 (33)	2018-08-30		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

With only a moderately large cellar of McClelland bulk and tins, I have been exploring Pease's Fog City Selection of Virginias and enjoying them. This is a VA/Per I could enjoy smoking on a regular basis. Is it as good as McClelland's St. James Woods? No, it isn't but there isn't anything I can do about that now. Will my palate come to really relish Telegraph Hill as much as I have enjoyed McClelland's VA/per? That is possible for I find that it is very very good tobacco. Maybe closest to the McClelland VA/Per there is. Time and necessity will tell.

Pipe Used: Upshall Tilshead Billiard

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: 4Noggins

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Ash Ryan (7)	2018-03-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

My 2oz tin came wet and needed some drying time. The cut is nice and uniform with big chunks of perique, which i’ll adress below. The tin note was very interesting upon opening, a slight sweet tang and, don’t be put off by this, a very intriguing smoked salmon aroma that dissipated quickly after opening. First light of this was hot and flavorless, but soon after i was delighted by elusive and fleeting delicious cinnamon roll sweetness that blew me away. The flavor danced wide across the flavor spectrum hanging on the edge of my smoking cadence, perhaps due to the large cut perique that waxes and wanes, a roller coaster ride for the palate! I find myself ever searching and nursing for that sweet cinnamon roll. Perique and nicotine content are both medium. This will not disappoint.

Pipe Used: Various briars and a meer

Age When Smoked: Fresh with some drying time

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Escudo.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	point9 (114)	2016-10-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Very Pleasant

After sampling dozens of Pease's blends, I learn the trick: at least one year of aging is essential to bring out the the great flavors that they are supposed to show us. Fortunately, the tin I got is dated in 2014 and I can get how great it is from the beginning. The tin note is so delicious and definitely the best in my experience: citrus floral with all kinds of fruits without any topping.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MAPiper (10)	2015-08-09		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

I don't think it's finished yet! It tastes green to me. I think it needs more age. People complain about the McClelland tin note?! This one is more smokey. This one smells like BBQ sauce. It's a good smoke but I think it may be a little overrated. I wish it came in a flake or cake. It think pressing the tobacco would make it better. I'm going to jar it for a while. Hopefully it will come together and mellow out. Not in the class of Saint James Woods or Beacon to me. It's obviously quality leaf but feels like it was thrown together in haste.

7-2-17 Update... I was a bit hasty to be hard on GLP for this one. TH has grown on me a great deal. I'm frustrated in general that GLP/C&D blends seem to need aging to come up to McClelland levels for me. I am more of a McClelland fan but I can't help but enjoy C&D family straight forward honest tobacco approach. With some age on it my little stash of TH is coming into it's own. My smoking habits have turned to mellower nicotine blends. TH is simple but flavorful. I appreciate the great vaper flavors without pretense and nicotine jolt of most others. It's great any time. I'm going to build a stash of this to age. It's too bad you have to wait so long for it to smooth out, in my humble opinion of course. When my favorites Saint James Woods and bulk 2015 are too strong I go for this stuff. Though they're probably are not really that strong for most. Much better than all of the sugary frosting topped Euro flakes. If I want more sweetness I re-hydrate with a splash of rum or brandy. I may try pressing into a krumble kake for fun. Maybe tobacco has to have the cavendish treatment done to it to be more suitable for a kake (not ribbon cut). I should probably just enjoy and not fuss. Give this one a try and enjoy the simple, flavors of good tobacco.

Pipe Used: briars, meers

Age When Smoked: new

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2015-05-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Believe it or not this is my first GLP blend years behind everyone else. I smoke primarily McClelland with the occasional Rattrays, Sam Gawith & G&H blend. Telegraph Hill is quality tobacco but I find it very green. It's lacking the harmony of my usual standard VA/Per Saint James Woods. TH is a very good blend and perhaps after some aging it will improve. The flavor is great but like most C&D blends I find it a little rough around the edges and in need of age. I know that GLP blends are made to age but why not start with a blend that comes with some age to it? This I find in most blends from other brands. I wish TH came in flake or cake form. I think pressing it might help the components meld better. Just my opinion. I might be wrong. Very good stuff but I'm happier with my McClelland flakes. I wonder if the relative newness of GLP blends is part of the reason for all of the attention. The tobacco is no doubt top quality and as natural as you can get. The cut is very weird but good stuff.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	JustinCarcerated (99)	2015-03-28		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This blend has all the right stuff to become a favorite if your into VaPers. As soon as the tin lid is peeled back figs and raisins meld with bright Virginias. The smell is mouth-watering yummyness.

I see this brightly colored blend-interspersed with chocolate flecks of perique as being almost shag-like in texture. This tin, nearing a year on my shelf, presents with typical Pease precision, perfect moisture content, no stems nor woody bits.

For a Va blend it burns cool, starts out sweet, sugary, and slowly the perique starts it's tango, melding into a proper VaPer with pepper and heat by bowl's end. This blend really shines for me in a larger Meer, although it's very good in Nording I reserve only for VaPers.

Age would surely help TH become even more sweet. BTW, I didn't get the strong nic hit people write of, no racing of the ticker, more medium to me, I think from the light and bright Virginias. Sizable perique contevt, but not overwhelming

I'm giving it 4 stars, gonna look for 8 oz tins to age (have a Westminster going on 3 years) and I seem to get better flavors out of the larger tins.

Pipe Used: Meters and Dedicated Nording

Age When Smoked: one year

Purchased From: Pipes&Cigars.com

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Kremlin (4)	2014-11-03		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

Using a musical parallel, I consider the english mixtures as symphonic music and Virginia/Vapers as chamber music.

Well, finally i found a Vaper (Telegraph Hill, of course) that's absolutely symphonic in terms of taste and smoking experience. Yes, you've only virginia and perique... but what Gregory obtained is such a thick texture and depth of taste that astonished me...

Of course an orchestra requires a big hall... thus i use my generous ardors so that the experience can last long...

Highly Recommended (this is my absolute number 1 Vaper)

LK

Pipe Used: Ardor

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Big (321)	2013-09-19		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Don't be put off by my low rating, it just means I like other Vapers better and not that this is bad. To me this isn't real interesting and kind of bland. It basically tastes like Union Square ( a fairly nice Virginia) with some perique . This results in more of a bitter aftertaste than a sour raisin taste, more base tones than the high notes.

I kind of agree with reviewers,"Perique 01/17/2013" and "Noorrmm 07/27/2006 "

Updated 2014-11-09 I've had the same tin resealed ( hot glue gun) for a year and upon retrying, it was still hot and spicy . Fast forward about 4 more months of opening and drying and a wonderful change has happened. This blend has smoothed out, remained very flavorful and doesn't burn hot and spicy?, I am going to add a star and some advice, ALLOW THIS TO DRY before smoking, I think you will see great improvement.. Keeps my interest, moved to 3 stars.

I mostly agree with " quantumboy" 2010-11-24. I think this blend needs some ageing and some experimenting with the moisture content and pipe used ( I like a cob for Vapers)

Pipe Used: cob

Age When Smoked: one year/one month open

Similar Blends: H&H Anniversary Kake.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-04-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I feel I should have let this tin age before I cracked it. If I read the date stamp correctly, it was tinned weeks before I got it. First few bowls tasted very lemony, sharp but seemed to have potential. I jarred the rest for 2 months.

It didn't seem to change much with a little jar time, goes best in a cob. It's spicy, but sorta reminds me of smoking an old parchment, like a musty scroll from centuries ago, in a good way.

I bet if I put some away for a year it would be magic, as it stands, the jury is out. 2 stars until I try some of this with age on it.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	butman (50)	2009-01-07		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

The GL Pease group of tobaccos has got me. This T. Hill is just as enjoyable as the Stratford and the Lombard. Don't like it better it is just a little different. The room note is not as pleasant as Stratford or Lombard, but it is still quite nice. Will be in my cycle of regular tobaccos for a good while.

Don't just sit there try a can of this one too. Update 1/7/2009 This is still just great! Pairing suggestion: Actually this one goes well with a moderate Syrah, blended Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Xeneize (275)	2008-11-13		Medium	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable to Strong

Out of the classic VaPers that I've smoked from GLPease, this is the one I enjoy the most. Perique content is on the high side, and the variety of Virginias provide a balance and depth that I haven't found in Stratford or Fillmore.

As with all Pease tobaccos, tongue bite is nil. Recommended.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-09-10		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Pleasant

Tins (12) Purchased 2005

Fillmore? Telegraph Hill? Different parts of The City. Flake versus Ribbon...apples and oranges, therefore no comparison in my book.

Definitely benefits from some aging, and I don't think three years' worth is sufficient...better now than it was then. Better balance of sweet, tangy and sharp Virginias with the spice and pepper of Perique making itself known only after the quarter bowl mark, for me, at least. This is a transitional Va/Per for me...summer into fall and winter into spring. Not enough Perique refreshment for the dog days, and the Virginias aren't deep enough for snowy, cold gray days by the fire...that's why they invented Latakia.

Very Highly Recommended

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Latakia (70)	2008-08-11		Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Not bad if one likes Virginian blends. I took this as a break from my usual latakia smoke. Asked for a mild Va with a bit of perique and this is what my tobacconist at Barclay and Rex recommended. If I go for a Va. preferred Solani VA in the yellow tim (flakes) or a McClelland especially the Xmas blend. It is what it is and if one likes a mild Va, then this could be a nice smoke. Will update as I work through the tin...second pipe was better than the first so maybe before I am done, will really like it and have to change the score from a two star.

Update: Starting to enjoy the Va tang as a break from full latakia blends. Changed the recommendation to a 3 star if put into the context of a Va/Perique blend

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-09-28		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

A halfway smokable VA/Per blend but not the best I've ever had. There are better ones available. Mildly sweet virginia with a peppery tone provided by the perique. Certainly but not something I would go out of my way to purchase again. Rather harsh and unrefined for a Pease blend.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-06-24		Very Mild	Extremely Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Update 6-24-06 I am definitely upgrading to four stars. Sometimes tobaccos grow on you, sometimes not. Not sure what happened here, but going from two to four stars is a leap. I am obviously enjoying TH much more now. The amount of perique seems just right now and I detect hints of berries, fruit, and faint citrus. A wonderful smoke when your palate is clear. TH is starting to resemble more of a toned-down Haddos rather than Bayou Morning. Enjoy.

aj

Old:

The tobaccos used by Greg are high quality and Telegraph Hill is no exception. However, Telegraph Hill did not quite do it for for me. This is rather odd since I enjoy many of the C&D offerings, especially Briar Fox and Bayou Morning. Telegraph Hill is not Bayou Morning, nor does it attempt to be. However, there are similarities. Anyway, the perique is far too weak for my liking and there is a dry ashy taste about mid-bowl. However, there is a short lived creaminess which is nice. Adding some blending perique helps Telegraph Hill, but I still find it a little boring.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Beer (345)	2005-08-29		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable to Strong

My first minutes with this tobacco were not very promising: it seemed flat, with very little taste, too delicate and grassy.

After 5 minutes of "warming up", this tobacco turned out a real beauty. The great thing of this blend is its continuous evolution of flavour, which becomes very rich and ever changing (usually in better) until the end of the bowl.

For several reasons the blend reminds me of Montgomery, with its great Virginia base: delicate, but flavorful. Of course here there isn't that "coffee and milk" impression, but rather a delicate sourness, at times almost metallis. Some hay, some fruity acidity and sweetness, some slight and pleasant grassiness.

The Perique content is quite moderate (I don't like it in big percentages), but its presence is clearly felt taste-wise. The result is a supremely smooth blend.

Give this tobacco some time to evolve in the bowl, and you will be rewarded by a very nice smoking experience.

Another winning Virginia+condiments from Greg Pease: I had always preferred his Latakia blends, but it seems he has started a successful streak (at least for my taste) with this Fog City Selection.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-05-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Revised 29 May 2005 - I got tired of a friend going on and on about how good TH was. Since our tastes are very similar, I had to wonder why he liked it so much. He brought his tin over one night and it was a whole different experience for me than the first tin I got. I guess the first tin I purchased had something strange going on with it, so I purchased another tin the next day myself.

With the tin my friend had and this tin, I experienced a very rich and fragrant blend that when sipped slowly had layers of subtle flavors. Very, very unlike the first tin I purchased that was tasteless. From past experience with peace blends this should also age wonderfully If I can leave it alone long enough.

2 people found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	SpiralOut (16)	2022-12-23		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Challenging, but rewarding. Very subtle, but savory notes. Small sips give you blasts of flavor. Great first bowl of the day smoke. Highly recommended. -Spiral Out

Pipe Used: Molina squat tomato

Age When Smoked: 1 year

Purchased From: Tobacco Junction, Tyler, TX

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Stah (139)	2022-10-06		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Appearance of the tobacco: I had a 2 ounce tin with the date "April 3, 2020." In addition I got about 20 grams of the same tobacco, but with the date "July 2015. So I had the opportunity to compare two-year-old tobacco with seven-year-old tobacco. In both cases, the blend was cut in fine short ribbon, Virginia of several varieties, from lemon to red, with orange predominating. I suspect that there are two varieties of perique involved here: one dark brown, the other almost black, which is extremely fragmentary. Of course, the colors of the aged blend are somewhat darker than those of the fresh blend. The tobacco is perfectly packed into the pipe, and its moisture content is almost perfect.

Flavor: right out of the tin, you can smell figs, accompanied by salty olives and pungent pepper. There is almost no herbs and hay, instead there is a woody note, and the aroma of bread is not pronounced, and has a slight yeasty undertone. If you let the tobacco rest a bit in the air and open up, these Virginia notes increase, and a slight citrus aroma close to orange appears together in the tobacco. But this only applies to fresh tobacco. With aging, there are serious changes in flavor. Tobacco at the age of seven years has a much more monolithic flavor in which the individual notes are quite difficult to make out. The note of pungent pepper recedes into the background, the salty olives slightly increase, with the distinct note of plum. The woody notes and bread notes mix with all of this, and the resulting blend smells like plum cake.

The taste of tobacco immediately gives the notion that perique is not just mentioned here, but is present in a measurable quantity. However, its amount is still lower than in Fillmore, and significantly lower than in Triple Play. Nevertheless, having tasted Telegraph Hill of different ages, I can firmly state: in a fresh tin perique has more of a spicy taste, and with age the spiciness goes away, and the spiciness and fruit and berry notes increase. The Virginia blend from a fresh tin brings to the palate only what is easily discernible and simple: a dry woody taste and some herbaceous note. But the aged tobacco gets the necessary sweetness, and its taste becomes more whole and unchanged than that of the fresher tobacco. However, in both cases the tobacco is smoked quite cool and slowly, though in the fresh form you should be careful about the pace of smoking at the beginning. The tobacco burns evenly into a light gray dusty ash, with little moisture from the fresher blend, and the aged tobacco leaves almost no moisture. The strength of the tobacco is slightly below average, the nicotine hit is not a threat to the pipe grower. The aftertaste is not persistent, sweet and woody, similar to birch sap.

The smoke is loose and has a woody smell. It dissipates easily.

What is the result? First of all - if you buy this tobacco, you need to put the tin away on a shelf and forget it ever existed for five years or more! It changes a lot in flavor and taste, going from a fairly ordinary tobacco to a very high quality blend that can compete with the best representatives of its type. Nevertheless, the amount of perique in it is relatively small, although, in my opinion, more than in Pease's other blend, Stratford. Next is pure taste from me as the reviewer. I like Fillmore better - a little fuller taste, a little more perique, a little sweeter Virginia, a little higher strength. But Telegraph Hill is well worth recommending as a very good virginia-perique type blend. And in general, it's great that Pease made sure that he has a great lineup of classic vapers where everyone can find their own - Stratford, Telegraph Hill, Six Pense, Fillmore, Triple Play... And for fans of vapers with orientals there is Regent's Flake and its half brother, Temple Bar, as well as Cairo.

Pipe Used: Peterson 69, 106, 221

Age When Smoked: 2015, 2020

Purchased From: Online

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	doc pipes (107)	2021-09-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

I smoked this blend side by side with Stratford, another ribbon cut VAPer by GLP. Both cans were of similar age, tinned just days apart. This blend contains darker leaf than Stratford. There is definitely more Perique and it is long cut. I’d estimate 6-9% of Louisiana leaf by visual inspection. The tin aroma is sweet, funky, acetic plum. This was drier than any other C&D produced blend I’ve ever smoked. The leaf, however did not turn to dust, and was pliable. It burns uncannily well. There are dark, earthy dry hay notes. I also enjoyed some pleasant hints of crisp, fresh autumn leaves. This is spicier than Stratford. I question chili, black, or possibly white pepper on the palate. There are some nice yeasty baked bread notes when smoked in a wide bowl.

To summarize, the smoke was earthy, woodsy, and savory. I did get some fatigue and frank tongue bite after multiple bowls. I also found that the Virginias had the same sort of rough mouthfeel that I have suffered with some (not all) other C&D products. This is not a bad blend, just not for me.

Age When Smoked: 12/17/20

Purchased From: SP

Similar Blends: The rough mouthfeel is similar to what I experienced with Derringer and Orion’s Arrow.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	gamzultovah (10)	2021-09-08		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Everything that needs to be said about this blend has already been said. It is a smooth and solid blend that sets its own bar when it comes to VaPers. Nothing else (IMO) comes close.

The description that G.L. Pease uses to promote this blend says it all: “A sturdy foundation of Virginia tobaccos, each chosen for its particular character, is enhanced with fine flakes of perique for a refined smoking experience. Telegraph Hill is rich and flavorful, with a satisfying, lingering finish. Each sip builds upon the last, creating a marvelous edifice of taste and aroma.”

Enough said. Buy yourself a tin (or tub) and enjoy. 4 Stars

Pipe Used: HS Studio Pot / Gian Gamboni Stacked Billiard

Age When Smoked: Fresh and at 1 year.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Rustedrailsmokes (293)	2021-05-29		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Another trip to my local B&M and I found a tin of 2018 Telegraph Hill hiding on the shelf. One of the series that I had not tried yet, so picked it up to give it a good home.

Nice whoosh when it was opened which is always a nice promise of things to come. Ribbon cuts mostly VA with def ribbons of perique mixed in. Moisture content was good, moist but not so moist to need drying.. even though I'm learning it is better with a little dry time.

With the ribbon cut, packing is easy. Also, with the ribbon cut I find it wants to burn faster than its broken flake cousins and really demands a slow smoke with sips to pull out the tastes.

The taste reminds me of other ribbons in the series. The VA's really lead the way and the perique gives spicy highlights which come in and out of the bowl. Produces average to above average amount of moisture when smoked. Nic level is perfect to me, I can smoke multiple bowls without objection.

I'm looking forward to trying the other Fog City blends that I haven't yet.. especially if I can find them with some age on them already :)

Pipe Used: hunter series bear and bison

Age When Smoked: 2018 tin

Purchased From: Smitty's Cigar

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	MangoLegs (72)	2021-03-20		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Preparation & Burn: 7/10 Easy to pack. Burns cool enough, no bite. Not many re-lights at all. A bit harsh if not sipped and burns a bit fast.

Taste: 12/20 This is a decent blend, but there's so much more I'd rather smoke before this.

Mildness: 7/10 My idea of a good smoke is a relaxing, low nicotine session. Therefore, the milder the better. Not much nicotine here.

Total: 26/40

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	billinrio (5)	2021-02-14		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Given the 4-star reviews by JimInks and other reviewers that I hold in high regard, for me this was a no-brainer for any VaPer fan to purchase. I'm not sure why he says this is "not quite" an all day smoke. For me, it certainly has become so. It's a "no-fuss" blend, being very easy to pack and to keep lit, with no bite, it delivers the citrus of the VA along with just enough dark fruit from the Perique. It also develops well down through the bowl, with the Perique becoming more dominant, which may have somthing to do with the fact that my 8oz bulk purchase now being four years old.

Pipe Used: Nording "Hunter Series" 1999 "Quail"

Age When Smoked: 4 years

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	DrAcula (62)	2020-12-30		Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Presentation: All labels in the Fog City Selection look the same. A gold stripe across the bottom, a white background, with a gray sketching of the streets of San Francisco.

Cut: A thick ribbon cut, perfect moisture level.

Tin note: Smells fruity and tangy with a figgy untertone, a very nice smell.

Tasting notes: Tastes creamy and grassy on light up. Draws are a short fruity sweetness followed by a zesty tang, followed by a grassiness and then a woody finish. I taste some very slight bread and some earth with the grassiness. The spice is very present on retrohales. A pleasant toastiness appears on some finishes. Some might find this a spicy blend, although I just see the spice as one of a few main players.

Mechanics: N/A -- A well behaved blend.

Extra Remarks: What an excellent blend! It doesn't have a lot of fruitiness of red virginias that I tend to long for in VaPer blends, but I didn't mind. This blend was so well balanced and complex, like a playlist on shuffle with flavors. Don't retrohale too liberally if you are not a fan on spice though! I don't think I would ever get bored smoking this blend. 4 stars.

Pipe Used: IMP Straight Billiard Meer

Age When Smoked: 5 months

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	RAV (12)	2020-06-10		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Very pleasant tin note. Smells flavored but doesn’t taste flavored. Sweet and spicy smoke. Not very grassy or bready in my opinion but I do get some woody earthy stewed fruit Va notes and a touch of citrus. Perfect amount of Perique for me. Good cut and moisture. Burns a bit hot and quick if not sipped but no worse than other ribbon cut Virginias. I have read on this forum it ages well so I put a few away. Richer, sweeter and more refined than Strattford. Need to be in the mood for something sweet to reach for this but it's never cloying and it doesn’t taste as if it’s been overtly sweetened. Will buy again.

Pipe Used: Various briars

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

Similar Blends: Sweeter version of Strattford.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Lingo (39)	2019-04-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

Excellent Va/Per, love the size of the cut. Toasty aroma, perique is generous and full. Pack it loose, it can easily get thick in the bowl. An absolute markpoint for the US way to interpret Va/Per, because yes, a little ketchup comes out here and there, but still not that much as Americans seem to like.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Dr.James (39)	2019-04-15		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Telegraph hill is presented in a fine ribbon cut and exhibits a sweet and earthy tin note. The Virginias are grassy, fruity and bright. The perique addition is light and balanced adding a peppery and dark fruit note. There is a hint of Latikia, maybe 3 percent, that enhances the blend with an earthy and woody presence. Perfect moisture content out of the tin, burns at a medium pace with no issues. Mild to medium in taste and nicotine, smooth and resolves to a clean ash with little moisture left behind. May be considered an all day smoke to the VaPer enthusiast.

Age When Smoked: Fresh

Similar Blends: Lombard.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Skando (203)	2018-12-31		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If Fillmore’s flavour sounded to me as the refined version of Bayou Morning Flake (by CD), now Telegraph Hill was the same compared to Exhausted Rooster (again by CD). That’s was my very personal impression, right or wrong it may be.

Then I have to say that I have been more than pleased with TH, having all its properties (flavour, burning, body and strenght) in good order. And I liked very much its ribbon cut. I would say there is some fruity topping, but if the majority of the reviewers judges that TH is in the “none detected” category, I have no reason to distrust, then this is meaning that this VaPer combination is particularly succesful.

Again, nothing magical, but a very consistent smoke, to be repeated. To the TR Community, All my Best Wished for the new Year 2019 !

Pipe Used: Castello and Radice

Age When Smoked: 7 years

Purchased From: Switzerland

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	crazy owl (74)	2018-09-23		Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Fine leaf,optimal proportion Va-Per but...raw!This is the last but not the first Pease´s blend with this problem.What´s the matter?Pipe smokers,we buy tobacco and not very cheap by the way,simply to smoke it.After that if we like it we try hunt a decent quantity for cellaring.It´s ridiculous to pay right now and putting in the bowl not before a couple of years.Outrageous.

Pipe Used: meers

Age When Smoked: raw from the tin

Purchased From: smokingpipes

Similar Blends: Perhaps Elisabethan Dunhill,only after at less 5 years.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Muchogum (7)	2017-07-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Telegraph Hill had less of the astringent quality and tannin of Fillmore, the loose flake VaPer from GLP that I am familiar with. His tobaccos are invariably well-made, if a little on the "in your face" side of the tobacco spectrum, i.e., they come to you without reluctance, rather than having to go in search of them. I would have preferred to taste a tad more of the Virginia, a little less of the perique in the blend, but to be candid and fair, this is a fine blend for those who better know and smoke VaPers regularly! Not to be too enigmatic or frustratingly inconsistent, the tin note is superb!

Pipe Used: Dunhill Billiard

Age When Smoked: 2-3 years

Purchased From: Smoking Pipes

Similar Blends: Somewhat similar to Fillmore in flavor. Very little experience with VaPers..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2016-03-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Telegraph Hill is a classic virginia and périque blend that, I suspect, was inspired by Elizabethan Mixture as it's a very similar blend in its components, cut and flavour profile. A few years back, I had opened a 9 months old tin but had found it behaved in a very quirky way, was difficult to keep lit and released no distinctive or interesting flavour. Now, it looks like I am signing a different song as my tin is 3 YO and displays dramatic differences. It burns really well, features some nice raisin and fig sweetness combined with a discreet pepperness and an unsweetened pastry touch. I can't compare TH and EM as to which one I prefer; as my tin of EM that I smoked was brand new and it would be unfair to proceed with a comparison between a new and 3 YO tobaccos. I can say I do love both and find them similar even though EM tends to be a little spicier and TH, sweeter. If things continue this way, I will be in complete agreeance with DK that TH is the standard by which virginia and périque mixtures should be judged.

Pipe Used: Various Stanwells and Luciano

Age When Smoked: 3 YO

Similar Blends: Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture, but a tad sweeter than EM..

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2013-07-28		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

My tin dates from Jun 12.

Very good VA/PER that tastes like none other...but which, at the same time, keeps reminding me of Elizabethan Mixture in the cut, leaf colour, aroma and taste.

Never strong like Fillmore, the PER plays a supporting role. TH is creamy, not very complex but far from being boring. It has a tendency to not stay lit very long, but that is because the tobacco needs to dry out a bit longer. Then, it will also reveal more flavour.

If you are looking for a VA/PER that distinguishes itself, then TH is for you.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Pip (80)	2012-07-16		Mild	None Detected	Mild	Tolerable

Good old classic VarPer in all regards. Tin note is sweet and figgy with raisins. Nice ribbon cut with good moisture content yet, it still lights up quickly and burns straight down to ash with minimal relights. Can't go wrong with this one If you like VaPers.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2012-05-28		Mild to Medium	Very Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Surprised at the comments on no tongue bite. Mine was a tad dry, and TH was a scorcher the first half of the bowl. It settled down after that, but my tongue was already done for. Other than that, I enjoyed the taste. I will rehydrate and see what happens.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Darth Vader (110)	2012-03-01		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

Another classic Vaper from GLP. Not as much Perique as the tin of Fillmore i just finished. What can i say other than first class virginia's expertly blended with some perique.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Capt (339)	2011-08-16		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

If you are looking for a quality VaPer, look no further. Awesome tin aroma of fig and raisins, with a slight tang.

Loads and lights easily, smokes like a dream. Thick and rich smoke, that can sting the noseholes if puffed too hard. However, it never hints at biting.

Finishing up a tin right now, dated 09/07

Highly recommended VaPer, one of my favorite late summer blends.

Pairs well with a bright, acidic coffee.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2011-08-05		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Pleasant

Excellent--for me ranks up there with Escudo and Haddo's. Plenty of perique and medium complexity. This was great from the first draw. Highly Recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Upon (15)	2010-10-20		Medium	None Detected	Full	Tolerable

Taste of raw fish at ignition. Typical taste of haylike Virginias with an overdose of perique. Works surprisingly well outdoors in extreme weather without losing any of its character. Less interesting indoors but still does its job.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	mskywalker2000 (11)	2010-08-30		Medium to Strong	Medium	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is currently my favourite. High quality. Bright Virginia with a hint of peppery Perique to give it more depth. Pretty straightforward.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2010-01-05		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

This is another really nice blend. More perique than Stratford and I like that. The only thing I'm finding out is that I like flakes and broken flakes better. Pease has those too, so I'm not out in the cold. This is a really satisfying blend. The tin aroma is heavenly with the Virginias really noticeable. And the spice in the smoke is just about right. Va/perique fans who like ribbon cut tobaccos will love this.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Slow Triathlete (62)	2008-04-08		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Tolerable

The sample that I got was a bit too dry for my tastes so I put the sample in a bowl and put a wet towel over the top of it for about 4 hours. After that I pulled some out and started loading my pipe. This stuff was really easy to load and tamped down really easily.

Upon lighting this blend up I was greeted with very, very mild Virginias. I didn?t taste any Perique in there yet but since I have experienced this before with other blends I wasn?t too worried about it. This blend burns very cleanly and doesn?t require any relights.

Okay, getting near the middle of the bowl and I am still waiting for any kind of appearance from the Perique. I get subtle whiffs of it as I?m smoking but nothing that ever tastes like it in my draw. Now I had read some of the reviews on tobaccoreviews.com and knew ahead of time that this blend was pretty light on the Perique but I certainly wasn?t expecting this.

Down at the bottom of the bowl now and there has been the vague appearance of Perique right near the end of the smoke.

Overall, I didn?t like the blend as a VaPer blend. As a Virginia it was pretty good. It was very mild and never presented a problem either to my tongue or to the burn of the blend. This blend would probably serve as a good bridge for a straight Virginia smoker to start down the VaPer road but I think that anyone who is a VaPer smoker will find this blend way too plain.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2008-01-03		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Medium	Tolerable

Tin: Date stamped on bottom: 100906(09OCT06). Lightly musty, tangy wheat-straw aroma. Mostly red, some light tan. The Perique is supple, not a hard flake, and comprises ~5%. The tobacco is supple, springy and moist. A week later, I would say it has fruity tone; this may be due to the tin being opened for a week, or a change in perception.

Packing & Lighting: Some of the tobacco is long and stringy. Took several matches to get this stuff to stay lit, and then a lot of frantic puffing to keep it that way, partly due to the way it was packed. In another pipe, it behaved better. When smoked outdoors on a cool day, it produced the usual moisture in the stem.

Taste & Aroma: Rather unremarkable, stale, particularly compared to other Fog City Selections. No bite.

Smoked in another briar a week later, it is vaguely pungent woodsy.

Nicotine: mild to medium. The Perique does not contribute much.

Room Note: Somewhat sharp, smoky, tolerable.

Overall: Maybe I got a bad batch. A few flecks looked molded. The perique presence seemed to be perceptible only after the tin had been opened for a few days. Compared to other FCS blends, 2 stars.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-12-20		Medium to Strong	None Detected	Medium to Full	Tolerable

The tin aroma of the long-cut wide ribbon is dominated by the tang of perique layered over the clean, earthy scents of good quality, natural virginias. Though cut for wide gauge chambers, this performed best when chopped to varying degrees in order to pair with the narrower chambers for which this blend seems suited.

The grain and toast character of gold leaf plays well of the richness of the orange and red varieties. The perique is pronounced, yet not overbearing. There is a nutty richness to the favor that builds throughout the bowl.

Telegraph Hill is rich and flavorsome. It is elegant and refined, and will undoubtedly gain dignity with age. This seemed best in narrow to medium gauge chambers.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-07-08		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I am only beginning to explore VAs, but this was a treat. Sugary (not syrupy, but a pleasant 'lightly dusted' type of sweetness) in the beginning and a very good smoke to the bottom of the bowl with the flavors changing pleasantly throughout. Very little bite detected even though I maybe should've dried it a little bit more before smoking and so puffed a bit harder than normal. Very nice.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-03-05		Medium	Extremely Mild	Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

Telegraph Hill.06/03/07. In a nutshell,just read the description on the tin! "It's totally correct" Highly recommended.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-02-14		Medium	Mild	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I don?t know a thing about G.L. Pease, and I?m not that interested, but this blend seemed to have a very west coast notion on what a virginia/perique blend ought to be-- as others here have said, Telegraph Hill is muted in its flavors, probably somewhat pedestrian, but being pedestrian isn?t that terrible and muted flavors can be a good thing. Not everything has to grab you by the horns-- I think there are other tins in my collection that can wow me every single time I light my pipe. What I mean to say is that this tobacco smokes well and is a fine blend on its own merits. It?s like the Chet Baker of my tobaccos. I don?t always need the Miles Davis of blends to please the palate and the nose. I find it a welcome and relaxing smoke.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2007-01-21		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I have nine of the Dark Lord's blends in my top tier rotation which will say something of what I feel about his work.

Unfortunately, Telegraph Hill is not among those. Clearly, it has everything going for it as far as quality, burning characteristics and so on. I just don't find it all that flavorful. But it might be just my taste in which case, add a star or even two if you like Vaper's.

On the other hand, Mr. Pease has produced what might be the best Vaper anywhere. My suggesstion...Try Fillmore first. You may very well have no need to even try another.

Recommended with reservation.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-07-29		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild	Very Pleasant

I could have written Noorrmm's review. Montgomery and now Telegraph Hill, the first of the FCS I have smoked. Both are big yawns. Even with a taste for the subtle, there must be a subtle something there to taste. A year in the tin unopened apparently was not enough to settle this down.

I thought I would love TH because the side stream aroma is delightful and there are a few, very few, moments of life. Yet, it is harsh on the tongue and throat, thin on flavor and just really disappointing. Group 3 to Group 5 pipes were used to discover TH, Smaller was better, as was a most judicious puffing.

The style of this blend is something akin to McClelland Blakeney's Best Acadian Ribbon, though the latter is much tastier, cooler and complex. If you are looking for that experience of swirling luminance of Virginia/Perique blends, such as Three Nuns, Elizabethan Mixture, Solani 633, don't spend your gold Eagles on TH.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Noorrmm (192)	2006-07-27		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

You have no idea how it pains me to admit this, but I mostly agree with PIPESTUD on this mixture.

It's a nice fine ribbon cut, mostly orange and red shades with some small amounts of lemon and dark brown.

The aroma is just another medium Virginia with a trace of Perique.

When first lit, it doesn't pack the flavor of Cumberland, nor does it have the light grassy delicate taste of Stratford. It does have a good mouth feel, but the flavors seem muted. The can I opened was about one year old. Since it was introduced in 2005, nobody knows how well it will age, but this one just didn't bloom for me the way other GLP blends do. It smokes well all the way down the bowl, and leaves a clean ash in a dry pipe, but that's it.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Mr. Dottle (162)	2006-05-31		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant to Tolerable

I found my thrill on ?Telegraph? Hill! I have to agree with the comments of several previous reviewers in that you will not be enamored with this blend in the first several puffs, i.e., it is ?slow out of the gate.? However, its flavor evolves and grows in intensity as you progress down the bowl and finishes with a fuller, sweet, nutty and spicy grand finale. Buy a tin of this stuff, age it a year, then get ?wired.?

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

I rate this tobacco 9.89 out of 10.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-02-21		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

Telegraph Hill is a mild Vaper...mild sweet Virginia with a mild spice flowing from the Perique...and they do their job handsomely...not best but darn well. This is a good quality smoke but not my bag of tricks...alone. Vapers find their way into my rotation as a supplement and Tele works well in this regard. As a donut is to coffee, orange slices to cigars etc so too is Tele excellent after two Latakia rich bowls back to back. I absolutely melt smoking this stuff after two bowls of Dunhill's Nightcap. Two Nighties and my eyes are a little heavy and my pallet is caked, this is where Telegraph Hill shines for me. After the nightcaps the Vapers penetrate my pallet with a refreshing flavor. My nightcaping smokes consist no longer of just a primarily rich dark Latakia blend but an added VA or Vapor to boot and Telegraph Hill rings my number in this regard...thank you Pease.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2006-01-24		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

I managed to procure a sample of Telegraph Hill blended by GLPease. This was truly an amazing smoke. With first inspection of the tobacco you could tell this was a quality tobacco with the different Virginia tobaccos and perique. The tobacco packed and burned well with just a couple of matches and light tamping the bowl burned to the bottom.

Upon first light I also found the taste to be very mild to the point of almost bland but after just a few more puffs the flavor began to build and became a very enjoyable smoke. First I tasted the sweetness of the Virginia tobaccos and as the smoke progressed then I noticed the underlying sourness of the perique, which only enhanced the enjoyment of the experience.

This was a very enjoyable tobacco with nice complexity that smoked very cool all the way to the bottom. I am eager to find out how this tobacco ages.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-11-22		Mild	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Pleasant

As a fan of GLP brands,Telegraph Hill was next and 1st of the new Fog City Series. Upon opening the tin(which was less than a month old), one notices quality Va`s are used here. Should be a great smoke! After 2 bowls, what a letdown!! Though it packed and burnt well it was too bland with no highs or lows for this Latakia junkie, so off it went back to the cellar.3 months later...Is this the same tobak? Can`t be. With a little age, the Va`s and perique come together to make a delightful blend that can be smoked all day.Smoked methodically,one notices the different layers that this blend can offer! Very nice! I will cellar plenty.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Emeritus Account (30125)	2005-08-24		Very Mild	Very Mild	Extremely Mild (Flat)	Pleasant

This is the first of Pease's new Fog City series that I've tried. I must confess that I was surprised and a little disappointed that I didn't immediately like it. Pease blends have always been among my favourites and, up until now, I'd never smoked one I did not love. While this blend smokes cool and gives a nice room note, its just too flat for my taste. I wasn't necessarily expecting a full, robust tobacco, but, in my opinion, the blend could stand some more perique spiciness, of the type found in Haddo's Delight. I'll finish off my tin of this and then move on to try other offerings in the Fog City series.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	bobspipe (14)	2005-08-05		Mild to Medium	None Detected	Mild to Medium	Very Pleasant

I've just started exploring more basic virginia blends and was surprisingly enchanted by Montgomery. But I was a bit gun shy of this one -- Greg's reputation for heavy handed perique at times made me think I should quit while I was ahead and skip this one.

Boy am I glad that I didn't. The perique didn't seem even noticeable to me and simply seemed to give the blend a bit more complexity especially in the middle of the bowl. Stays cool and I absolutely love the room note -- don't notice much it much when I'm smoking it, but get that delicious smell when I come back in the room. A great job all around. Give it a try!

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	rosczich (10)	2005-07-09		Medium	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

at his time im happy to live on the other side of the puddle, so i got this fantastic tobacco a bit later.saying this i have in mind that most of gregs virginias working better by time passing by. just as i got the tobacco a brand new stiegler pipe arrived at home and i let play them together. first i thought its a bit much to say: you wont worry about earthquakes but greg is right to say it so. for me the brand new standard for virginia perique blends. run out to try this one, no one will regret...

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	sasha (228)	2005-07-06		Mild	None Detected	Medium	Pleasant

This has to be one of the few Virginia-Perique blends I REALLY like. The Virginias are of great quality and the Perique is just in the right amount. As many GL Pease tobaccos, it's a pleasure to look at this one, it makes you want to smoke it, and when you do it's a great experience. The first part of the bowl is dominated by the Virginias, while the Perique starts digging his way from about half bowl down, building up his flavour more and more till the final taste "explosion", just like a musical "crescendo". The packing and lighting has been very easy and the smoke really cool all the way. Really recommended even to people who usally don't like this kind of blend. My tin hasn't been aged.

1 person found this review helpful.

	Reviewed By	Date	Rating	Strength	Flavoring	Taste	Room Note
	Leon (82)	2021-06-17		Medium	None Detected	Full	Pleasant to Tolerable

The tin note of dry fruit and a bit of citrus does not come near to tell us everything there is to this blend.

It is a very enjoyable smoke, with spice and sweetness come out as you go. Led by red Virginias, supplemented by decent amount of Perique. The lighter Virginias are far in the background and produce the slight flavor of citrus. Sip slow to enjoy all the flavors. Some of the sweetness develops towards the middle of the bowl. More spiciness comes in towards the end.

It's fairly complex, with all the main flavors come out pretty loud, but with great balance between them.

Like other blends in the Fog City series, Telegraph Hill also comes in perfect moisture, easy to pack and smoke. Can be an all-day smoke, although because of its complexity and fullness you might want to save it for less frequent occasions.

Full body, medium strength, some complexity.

For me this is definitely a fantastic Virginia-Perique blend to get more of and set some aside for aging. It reminds me of my favorite Stratford, but with enhanced flavor, body, and strength. In terms of flavor alone, this is the best G.L. Pease blend for me. Easy full score.

Pipe Used: Medium-large billiards and Canadians

Age When Smoked: New to 1 year

Purchased From: Smokingpipes.com

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