G. L. Pease Laurel Heights

When I was in grade school, one of my teachers gave each student a small square of paper and told us to put it in our mouths. (Yes, this was in the 60's, but no, she hadn't come directly from Woodstock). Half the class found the taste salty, while the other half found it sweet.

The reviews of this blend kind of show the same pattern--lots of 4 stars and 1 or 2 stars, I'm afraid I fall in the latter camp. I'm a big GLP fan, and I like all of the other blends in the Fog City line, but in all honesty this one didn't quite do it for me. I found the tin aroma flat and nondescript, and the favor followed suit. As straight Virginias go, I like the Union Square much better. But I'll revist after the LH gets some age on it.

GL Pease sometimes takes some hits for the way he writes his tin descriptions. Without getting into a debate as to whether his style of floral prose is appropriate, I have to say that in this case it's completely accurate. I actually tasted "malt and grapefruit," as well as a lot of pure Virginia flavor. The latakia is applied very lightly here -- it's noticeable, but that's it. It butns fairly well and doesn't bite so long as you go slow and don't smoke consecutive bowls. Unfortunately, it is an exceptionally mild smoke, both in regards to flavor and nicotine strength. I don't reach for this often (mainly because I have a low threshold for VAs), but there are rare times when it hits the spot like nothing else does. If you like well-crafted, delicate VA blends, grab some of this. For my part, it's just too mild to provide me regular enjoyment, but you might feel differently.

The whole Fog City collection is dificult to classify. The overall concept is variations of Virginia mixtures, but in a robbon-cut form. The temptation is to compare them to flakes, which would be a mistake. They are almost a genre unto themselves. It is interesting to read how the tiny smidgeon of Latakia in this mixtre has the attention of so many pipe smokers. To all who want to try this mixture I recommend letting it sit in the tin for at least a month and two months is better. C&D who blends glp mixtures is a small operation and do not have room to cellar tobaccos, hence when you get it, the tobaccos are still getting to know each other. The mixtures from overseas have been sitting around in their tins smoothing out for some time before whe apply the match to them. I let my Laural Heights sit for a month and then smoked it. I smoke a wide variety of diferent mixtures and didn't detect the Latakia. This is a very "round" VA mixture with medium complexity, but the sterling quality i like is the richness and creaminess of the smoke. Not a knock you over richness, but that subtle richness that is slightly sweet with no pepperiness (sometimes called spiciness) that allows me to smoke it all day without tongue fatigue. I will be bying more for the cellar as Virginias just get better and better with age. I suspect our friend with the one star rating smoked his LH when it was just made. In a perfect world, all tobaccos would be aged like single malt scotch (BTW, Macallan is primo with LH), but alas, we must do the aging ourselves. This mixture is highly recommended for VA lovers as an all-day smoke and as an alternative to heavier flakes.

This tobacco blend appears to be a combination of red Virginia and Cyprian Latakia, offering a mild and subtly tangy flavor profile.

The red Virginia component delivers a taste that's mildly tangy with hints of dark fruit sweetness, complemented by subtle earthy, woody, bready, and sugary notes. You can also pick up some tart and tangy citrus and floral undertones.

There's a woody brown Virginia aspect in the blend that adds a touch of earthiness, a bit of woodiness, and a hint of grassiness and peat-like earthy notes.

While there is Cyprian Latakia in the mix, its presence is understated, contributing some smokiness, earthiness, a touch of mustiness, and woody qualities.

In terms of strength and taste, this blend falls just a bit beyond the midpoint between mild and medium. The nicotine hit is on the milder side.

The blend is well-behaved during the smoke – it doesn't cause biting or harshness, though there are a few minor rough edges. It burns at a moderate pace, with a somewhat inconsistent flavor profile. It doesn't leave much moisture in the bowl and requires an average number of relights.

After smoking, you'll experience a pleasant but short-lived aftertaste, and the room note is somewhat stronger.

I am currently smoking a bowl of L.H. with much satisfaction to my early evening needs for smoke and green tea. I can somewhat agree with the description of the manufactures claims, a rather red to dark matured Virginia and maybe hints of roasted spices being the prominent taste. It gives me the impression of having some oriental, not that I could tell it was latakia at first. If I can describe it similar to any other tobaccos it would probably be Peterson standard mixture or Presbyterian but with a mellower, sweeter and more light strength. Loved it!

First and foremost, let me just get this out of the way. Mr. Pease is a tobacco blending genius.

As I smoked my way through this tin, it occurred to me that red Virginias don't play a huge role in my rotation. Reflecting on my cellar, I tend to lean more toward high end bright Virginias (OGS and LGF) and the deep dark Virginias, with Wessex Dark Campaign Flake being one of my all time favorite blends.

These red Virginas are so nice though. This is a typical ribbon cut, packed densely into the tin. The smell is of beautiful mature tobacco. Packs easy, lights easy, and smokes easy. Be mindful, that these type of blends can be deceiving. If you are not paying close attention this may feel like a middle of the road Virginia, but if you smoke multiple bowls, and pay very close attention, the complexity and genius starts to poke through. I am intrigued by how this may age, and will stash a few tins out of curiosity.

Now onto the Latakia affair. This blend reminds me of "Two Fat Ladies". No no no, it is not what you think. Being a lover of cooking, and of British television, one of my favorite shows of all time is a show that ran on the BBC in the late 1990s. These wonderful (not politically correct) women, both of whom had lead extraordinary lives, share their recipes and have a ton of fun. What does this have to do with Laurel Heights you may ask? Bear with me. On the show, they are constantly adding anchovies or anchovy paste to all kinds of dishes. Every time they do, they remind the viewer, that in the end, it will not taste of anchovies, but the addition gives the dish a salty rounded umami. This is exactly what is happening here with this blend. The latakia does not present itself as you would traditionally expect, in fact it is barely there, it just adds a fullness, a roundness. It is genius really. If you are not a latakia lover, do not overlook this blend. You will not be disappointed.

Im a big fan of Pease tobaccos. This one is a very nice, well balanced, very enjoyable, easy smoking Virginia, which I prefer to sip slowly. It’s my go to preference for a morning-early afternoon pipe; with or just after some good coffee! The majority of the reviews cover the characteristics; natural Virginia sweetness, orange peel, oats, fresh, clean, etc. I smoke VA, VAPer, slices, flakes, ribbons, as well as English/Scottish blend with varying amounts of Latakia. I don’t detect any Latakia jumping out, but that may be the goal here. Try it, you’ll like it 👍!

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: Comes in a ribbon cut, on the dry side but that matters not.

Tin note: A very slight scent. Sweet and smoky earth.

Tasting notes: Woody, toasty, and slightly creamy with a tart earth finish on light up. Draws mainly have a sweet grassy flavor, slightly bready, with a good amount of spice. A very slight fruit on some draws, but only for a brief moment, as if it's trying to hide -- it's less hidden when sipping. The grass and spice are the main players in this blend. The smooth, rich, almost sweet smokiness will come out later in the bowl, very nice. It's better to me than a standard smoky taste.

Mechanics: Remember to slow down with this one. If it starts tasting like a lat bomb or a spice bomb then you are smoking too fast.

Extra Remarks: I am pleasantly surprised. As first I figured it would be just a grassy blend but there is much more going on underneath. What makes this blend most enjoyable to me is not main notes, but the undertones and how they mingle with each other and come and go. This blend, while not wildly complex, is definitely more complex than it might seem at first impression. A very pleasant smoke though just an occasional one for me. Very good, 3 stars.

The presentation is a nice ribbon that is not too moist. The blend is mostly red Virginia to my eye, but there are some brights in the mix too. You may occasionally see a rare piece of black tobacco, which will be the Latakia, but you might not see any really. Hard to find. The smell is sweet and tangy, and a bit pungent in a good way.

Starting flavors remind me of Telegraph Hill, like the Virginias are the same, just balanced in different proportions, maybe more red Virginia in Laurel Heights. The combustion is good, and I get notes of oats and leather, strawberries, and some fermented character similar to Perique, and much of the blend reminds me of STG's Escudo. There are bread notes, orange, cinnamon, some smokiness in the blend but it is in the background in the beginning, and comes to the fore towards the end, manifesting as an earthy leather-like note, and even green tea, reminiscent of Opening Night. There is a taste that gives me the sense that there are orientals in the blend as well. I get woody notes accompanying the leather, and at this point it reminds me of Drucquer's and Sons Blairgowrie, but that could be a ghost from Orientals.

The strength is medium and I would say the nicotine strength is the same. This has more nicotine strength than most Virginias, to me. I get that full feeling I get with blends containing Latakia.

Amongst Virginia blends, the blend is unique, and I would recommend any Virginia-lover try it. It burns well, it's flavorful, exciting, and it's widely available. It's got more natural character than many Virginia flakes presently on the market.