G. L. Pease Laurel Heights

I smoked this when it was quite young, right after Mr. Pease released it. It was good then, however... I cellared a number of tins; this is based on one dated 4-18-06.

Wow. What five years can do. This is a rich, confident, gentlemanly tobacco. I smoked it fairly well dried, still springy, but with a slight crispness to it. From the start, this was a real Virginia. The Latakia has mellowed tremendously over the past half-decade, giving the blend enough solid underpinning to allow the unstoved reds to sparkle. The smoke was gorgeous from first match to the bottom of the bowl. Laurel Heights, at five years old, is a creme brulee smoke. Water with this, though I think a decent cognac would be a good compliment.

Excellent, as every Pease I have in my rotation. I do have enough Laurel Heights stocked to do this again in another five years. Until then, I will thoroughly enjoy this tin. A definite four of four stars.

This is one of the best Virginias blends on the market, and definitely the best from GLPease (I've been ageing a tin of Union Square that I haven't tried yet, so that might change, although I doubt it. Laurel Heights is that good).

Most GLPease Virginias are high quality but I find them too mild, almost lacking taste. That is not the case with LH. Telegraph Hills is also tasteful, but this one is richer and darker.

Not only the best Virginia from GLPease, but also the only one that I've given 4 stars.

Tin: With a mahogany hue, LH looks and smells like Montgomery, though less golden VA, a little less sweet and more wheat in character. The tobacco was just pliable, but not dry; and certainly not sticky. This is an all natural VA. Tin date: 081706

Packing & Lighting: One thing: it seemed to require several relights down the bowl, but develops almost no moisture in the shank or stem.

Taste & Aroma: Similar to Montgomery, but not as good somehow. I think perhaps Montie is sweeter. I can see malt or roasted oats, but like the term wheat. LH is a bit flat, or one dimensional. As soft and mild as Montie is, LH is even more so; yes, creamy, but a little too soft. I could just about inhale LH, something I rarely do with tobacco.

Nicotine: Oddly, compared to the very light creaminess of the taste and aroma, LH seems to be a notch higher in nicotine, mild to medium. This may be because of inhaling more second-hand smoke, due to the mildness. Subsequent bowls range up to strong, on average, rather strong.

Overall: Having smoked Montgomery before LH, first impressions lingering, if I had to choose, I'd stick with Montie, though I'm not sure in a blind taste test I could tell much difference, discounting LH having more nicotine. 3.7 stars

I don't think that I can add to what others have said, so I will just say that I enjoyed this blend. I wish that for this, as well as some other blends, that there was a way to give it partial stars, as I think that this is a bit better than just recommended, but I cannot quite give it four stars.

Update on 5 November 2007: After smoking this once in a while, but lately more often than not, I have to update to 4 stars. It is great when you're in the mood for it. It's equally good in small through large bowled pipes, but gets very intensely flavored, and strong nicotine-wise, in larger bowls halfway down or so, even more so than many blends. Great in any sized bowl, depending on your preference or mood.

Not too much to add really. See the most favourable reviews. For a while I thought Pease didn't know his way around a virginia. this series proves me wrong. Nice easy burning, easy packing ribbon cut. Great tobacco. Rich, sweet, complex. The latakia supports the virginia and adds a bit of depth and cmplexity. This is GGGGGGGGreat.

The tin aroma of the wide-cut ribbon is of nutty and sweet red virginias, behind which slight amounts of latakia is noticeable. 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 red virginia, while lacking aggression, is subtle and deep with tones of toasted crusts and baked sugars . The wafting of latakia lends adds stolidity and presence.

Unassuming, yet elegant, this is a charming and nuanced blend. Aging is highly recommended. This was best in narrow to medium gauge chambers.

This is my "reading" smokes - what I like to smoke while sitting back and reading one of Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubry and Stephen Maturin sea novels. LH packs very easy and tamps down with a springiness to it before lighting. Obviously quality tabacco - wondeful fresh smell while still in the tin. On lighting, the initial taste for me is slightly bitter and slightly "woody". Perhaps the woody taste is GL Pease's term for "peat"; nevetheless, it is very satisfying. As the smoke developes, the bitterness (which is somewhat akin to bitter beer hops) disappears and the smooth natural virginia flavors kick in. This is an excellent tobacco and I believe it would be ideal for breaking in a new pipe. It doesn't burn too hot, it remains lit without constant puffing, burns perfectly evenly throughout and finishes with a fine whitish ash - and its flavor is fantastic. I have several tins stockpiled and will order more. I highly recommend this tobacco.

Laurel Heights made me feel like a rich man.

Not every pipeful, and not all the way through the tin, but in two or three smokes it just pushed the right buttons. The strong top note in the aroma is almost floral, the smoke feels and tastes good in the mouth, and the support in the middle is (not a word I like to use) perfect. The bottom notes are well in the background. This is simply a brilliant blend.

Two things I'll do differently next time: look for a discount, and don't scrabble around in the jar to get the last bits. The Latakia crumbles more than the Virginias, and at the bottom of the container the balance of the blend comes unstuck. But hey, a rich man can afford to throw out a teaspoonful of tobacco.

Unlike most reviewers, I find GLP's blends to be a little bitey on the tongue. This could be due to my smoking habits, and I have learned to "sip" his blends carefully to avoid bite. This is not the case with Laurel Heights. I made my charring light gingerly, hoping to avoid that initial sting, but it never came. Instead, I got a moutful of creamy, sweet smoke. The beginning of the bowl had some nose tingle that pleasantly offset the sweetness. Mid bowl became slightly nutty, but never bitter. The ending was very mild and dry, and left me wanting another bowl immediately. There was no dottle at all. It smoked down to a fine gray ash.

All that said, this is a terrible, terrible smoke. Don't buy any...at least not until I've stocked up;)