G. L. Pease Embarcadero

Embarcadero is, without question, the best Virginia blend Pease has put together (IMO, of course)

This tobacco will be easy to review. For those of you who have had the pleasure of smoking the famous McCranie's 1983 Crop Red Ribbon, simply think of it with Izmir leaf added. Thus, a bit more spice and less "lemon" in taste.

I find Embarcadero to be much better when totally dried out. Otherwise, it is a bugger to keep lit and does bite if you are one of those pipers (and I am), who craves a little strength with every puff.

For those who enjoy stronger Virginia blends, this one may be just a wee bit light, but for those who do not crave the heavy nicotine hit, this bowl of oatmeal will be just right.

It's a rare occasion that I completely agree with a blenders tin description. This is one of those occasions.

Once I got over some initial disappointment regarding the "too subdued" oriental flavor, I discovered what a nice tasty red VA this blend is. The oriental stayed firmly in the tin and room aroma and steadfastly refused to come out and play with the taste buds other than a swish here and a breath there. This is one of those GLP blends that I first smoked in 2008 and found severely lacking but that has come of age since. I don't enjoy playing into those old sayings such as "Pease blends need to age before they should be smoked" but it was quite accurate with this one. The tin I just finished was from early 2008.

The additional cellar time really opened up the flavor of this. The red VA's were toasty and lightly sweet with a hint of nuttiness... er... ok, I'll stop writing and tell you to simply read the tin description. It perfectly describes my experience. I would have liked more oriental flavor but this one was quite good as a (mainly) straight virginia. Not a steady rotation-maker but definitely a good smoke, supremely preferable to Union Square and well worth the time. Recommended.

Prep: Moisture is perfect. Flakes are rubbed out

Dark fruit from the red Virginia complemented well by the Turkish spice, which also delivers a nuttiness. I do taste a cigar note occasionally as well. Nic is med, not an all day smoke. Very well balanced. Pure Virginia blends simply arent for me but the combo of the Red V along with the Turkish still gives the simplicity yet with extra depth. I do prefer a bit more sweetness (think Bijou, which is a V/O as well) than this offers but as usual, a well put together blend by Pease. Not an all-day smoke. 7/10

Embarcadero's tin note is nice - that of quality Orientals, sour and very mildly floral. There's also a slightly fruity sweetness as well. The cut is a broken flake, which I usually rub out into finer bits, but I left this one mostly as-is. Moisture level is perfect, maybe even slightly dry.

Lighting up and the first few puffs: pleasant Oriental flavors. Fragrant, a bit floral, and tangy/spicy... in fact, the tang made me worry it might be a bitey blend, but it turns out it isn't. Smokes cool with very little bite. There's a good amount of Virginia sweetness too, which matches really well with the quality Izmir's sourness. It gets surprisingly complex. However, there are times, especially during the second half of the bowl, when it can get a little harsh... maybe a little *too* spicy or peppery. I'm guessing this blend would really benefit from a few years in the cellar to smooth things out.

Bottom line: Embarcadero is a really nice sweet and sour Oriental-forward blend. Pleasant and enjoyable, solid 3 stars. But I bet that even just 1-2 years of aging would bump it up to 4 stars. I'll update this review when I try it.

I don't have much to add to the review DrumsAndBeer wrote except that I liked this from the first bowl. It is sweet and full with a savory edge. This one is a 3 tending to 4 on my scale. I am finding I like this more and more as I smoke through a sample.

This blend benefits from a dedicated pipe, and I got consistently better results in a pipe with a tapered bowl.

A fellow smoker with more experience than me said Izmir can have some burning issues: it likes either the slow sip (smoulder) or a nuclear meltdown. Moderate smoking rates can cause it to burn unevenly. This was hard to believe at first, but I have found it to be true of this blend, and it also explains some things about my experiences with C&D Sunday Picnic, which just might contain the same Izmir! Given the choice between a slow sip and a nuclear meltdown, I choose the slow sip, and after a few bowls from a small sample I was sent, I think I have achieved this. I like it, and can't give it less than three stars, and would not argue with four, since it is quality weed. The care needed in smoking it and a certain "heady mouthfeel" (which is just a personal observation) mean I will not buy a lot of it. Still, nice, winey Virginias, exotic Izmir, the usual GLP quality, so: recommended!

Pease Pilgrimage Reviews (a tasting journey through every GLPease blend) Tin date: 12/10/09

Appearance: The slicing of the flakes produces long, thin strips of tobacco which rub out easily. I like this cut because it has some of the density of a flake but is more easy to handle, like a pseudo-ribbon. The tobacco is darkish with lighter striations.

Aroma: The tin aroma is delicious, somewhat hay-like but sweeter in the nose, almost like a casing but I don't think so. I don't detect any toppings in the flavor, so I'm assuming the sweetness in the aroma comes mostly from the weed itself.

Pipe 1: Meer Billiard Pipe 2: Sav Chubby Author Pipe 3: Stanwell Vario Billiard

Flavor: Embarcadero has some similarities to the Pease vapers, insofar as the Virginias require a lot of coaxing to get the flavors to shine. Flavor profiles also have some similarities to the vapers, but certainly different due to the Izmir. I like this blend better than Stratford, Telegraph Hill and Fillmore, even though it starts off quite austere like those blends. It certainly likes to hide its secrets, so patience and concentration can make a world of difference in your enjoyment of this blend.

The first half of the bowl begins much like those blends just mentioned above, but some patience really brings out some richness during the second half. I actually found that I prefer this blend at a temperature a bit higher than sipping which brings out some deep flavors and toastiness from the Izmir.

It's also one of those blends where you ought to strive to find the right pipe. When you get the right combination, it's a solid tasty blend made for those who enjoy an interesting and slightly complex tobacco sans Latakia.

I like it! Three stars.

Excellent Oriental mixture, rich and complex due to a great choice of Virginias. Sweet, spicy, everything you would expect from high a quality Oriental leaf, but I have missed the coffee and nuttiness hints from the tin description.

3 out of 4 stars just because I've found it a bit cloying at the end of the bowl, but this is probably too personal and might be reviewed in the future.

Had my first bowl of this in my KW Sterling POY 07. It?s a pipe devoted to Virginias, so it seemed fitting.

On opening the tin, a smell wafted out I was familiar with. The sweet spicy taste of Red Virginias, a Malty kind of smell, with a grassy spice that made me think of curry?

The flakes were quite damp, and barely holding together, so I grabbed a pipe full and left it to dry for about an hour. This put it at malleable, but not crisp. Tearing the strips in half and straight loading with kindling on top was the setup.

It must have been still damp on the inside, because it did take several relights to get it rolling. On first light a spicy blast hit. Not unpleasant, as the Virginias kept it manageable. I may attribute this to my packing too-So I move on.

Once it gets rolling, this takes a very interesting turn. I have it.

Ever have a Sam Adams Old Fezziwig Ale? It?s Malty, with tones of Citrus, Cinnamon, Ginger and Orange peal?.

I am smoking it. Slow cadence brings more sweet and citrus flavors, while stronger puffing brings the kind of spicy taste bud play I associate with cinnamon or Ginger. Very tasty and fun.

Mid-bowl now and the flavors are playing together more harmoniously. A unified flavor.

Smelling my own slip stream is a mildly sweet Virginia smoke?..Draw a few times to get the fire stoked?.There?s that spice?.Ready and waiting?.Let it calm down and more Malty and caramelized sweet?..

No bite. Let me tell you I have over smoked a lot today, and the tongue bite monster is ready to pounce?.Not here though?.

Overall I like this. It?s not a mowing the yard blend. It?s a sitting on your porch, or Zen Blend. It?s a trip or journey on its own. Like getting lost in a good book, you want to pay it attention.

It Finished clean, and you know it's over when you hit bottom. This and Fillmore would be my top two of the Fog City blends (Technically Westminster is a foggy city too, so top three- But in San Fran?.It?s the two)

Top marks to Greg for this blend.

Two last notes. I like this the best as is vs fully rubbed out. I get more flavor play that way- But hey thats just me. #2 A flake should be enjoyed. If yours comes a bit broken, don't cry in your pipe-just smoke it. It's about taste.