G. L. Pease Maltese Falcon

Update 03/23/2009

For the sake of clarity, I had to add the verb "taste" in my review. I thought it was implicit I was referring to the taste of the tobacco upon lighting up. It looks like I was misundertood by one of my distinguished fellow reviewers. I apologize for any confusion created.

This tobacco was a first class disappointment. So many different tobaccos but extremely BLAND in taste. I felt like I was smoking air.

Not recommended, save your money!

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Original review 03/14/2009

The best part with Maltese Falcon is when you light up and TASTE all these different ranges of sweetness at once. Very interesting! I think there might be a very light toppping that was added. But unfortunately, it's the only interesting part. After a couple minutes, that pleasure is gone. Pity!

Upon opening the tin, I was under the impression that I was in presence of some Balkan Sasieni, thus a Balkan blend rather than an English blend. It smelled exactly the same, the sweet aroma combined with the spiceness/woodness of the Latakia.

The tobacco is on the dark side and composed of a semi shag cut blended with some partially rubbeb out flakes.

Only problem is the tin I opened displayed a very dry tobacco. There was no minimal moisture so I had to put back in the Coleman cooler. After 2 weeks or so, it had a bit of moisture to make it half decent for smoking.

As I was saying, the best part is upon lighting up. Afterward, the tobacco goes on to become more and more bland, TASTE WISE. Which is very surprising for such a combination of tobaccos.

This is my third shot at a GL Pease tobacco. I tried Haddo's Delight, which was NO delight and then I tried Fillmore which did not fill me. It will definitively be my last shot. After 3 strikes, you're out.

I believe that GL Pease products are just not worth the money. All things considered, I will stick with Balkan Sasieni which is just short of 4$ cheaper than MF for a 50 g tin, and gives me a lot more smoking pleasure.

I will not rebuy and will very probably not even finish this tin. I believe GL Pease is way overated for the quality they provide. As for the second tin I bought, I will donate it to someone less fortunate than I am.

This is a good blend. Try as I might, I cannot quite declare it a great blend.

There are moments when it really shines, but when it does it brings to mind other blends (e.g., Westminster, Samarra) that provide those flavors/moments more consistently. Too much of the time it borders on hard edged -- almost ashy -- while not providing the depth of pungency or complexity that I really crave in my English and Balkans. Perhaps time will soften some of those edges and let the better moments linger longer.

Blends affect different smokers differently, and I have come to the unfortunate conclusion that something in the Falcon disagrees with my constitution (the "discreet and mysterious spice" perhaps?). I tend to like latakia-heavy powerhouse blends and don't think I'm particularly sensitive to heavy smokes, but I haven't had a full bowl of the Falcon that didn't leave me with a headache afterwards. I originally thought this was a fluke of coincidence, but -- a full tin into my Falcon experience -- I am regretfully convinced otherwise.

To note these things is almost to complain too much: As noted, Maltese Falcon is good, and it has an assertive enough character that I can understand how it might align wonderfully with some smokers' tastes. It is well worth trying, and I'm not about to jettison the tins from my cellar.

This is a fine English blend with a hint of spice that sets it apart. Unlike Westminster, I have not had any difficulty keeping MF lit. The tin I just finished was only tinned on October 1, 2008 so some time in the cellar will do wonders for this blend. A fine effort by Pease.

Like every Pease tobacco's, this is a high quality one. But, at the end..... it's unsmokable: raw, crude,inelegant, boorish. And Pease is a sort of illiterate blender. This cook uses quality and tastefull ingredients, but definitly he's inapt to assemble and amalgamate the ingredients. The result is......raw. Sorry Pease, you are discharged. You can smoke a Pease's blend a time a week.....and is very good. You smoke a Pease's blend two time a week.....and is goog. You smoke a Pease's blend a time in a day.....and is unpleasant. you smoke a Pease's blend all the day....and is nauseating. So.....if you are looking for an occasional good tobacco: try it. But if you are looking for a trusty partner....just flee from Pease!!!!

First, let me say that I am a great fan of G.L. Pease tobaccos, but I am somewhat disappointed in his latest venture, Maltese Falcon. From Greg's description I expected a robust English blend with a little something exotic included. MF seemed to me to be dominated by a taste very much like toasted Cavendish. Perhaps that was the result of what Greg calls "a discreet and mysterious spice." The mixture smoked very smoothly but the "generous amounts of Cyprian Latakia" were a no show, unfortunately. I think a lot of people will like this blend but I much prefer G.L. Pease's Charing Cross or Blackpoint for a fine English-style smoking experience.

Very nice full latakia blend. Remeinded me of Odessy. Burns cool. Will do more reviews as I get through the tin.

Had to jar half a tin to let it mellow a bit. I found the Latakia overwhelming. Just cracked open a tin of Westminster - think I'll be more comfortable with this.

Unlike the Dashiell Hammett tale, which name it bears, Maltese Falcon is not "the stuff that dreams are made of,"...at least not for me. Greg Pease is a magic man with tobacco, but the rabbit is not in this particular hat.

I must say, though, that this is one Latakia blend that can be smoked all day in warm weather without becoming too ponderous--a definite boon for those who must have that delightful, smoky weed everyday, regardless of the season. Perhaps that is what he was aiming for; to me, English/Balkan blends usher in autumn, and I always look forward to the half-lighted, crisp October day I can find an aged can of Greg's best efforts.

There is nothing in Maltese Falcon that will offend the sensibilities of the aficinado of Latakia-laden tobaccos, but neither is there anything to excite them, either. It is an acceptable smoke, and one not without its own distinction.

I must admit that I have never been fond of Red Virginias (except in the REAL Red Raparee) and a certain other domestic blender makes far too much use of them. Greg puts that particular strain to much better use.

I would recommend all Frog Morton smokers to give MF a try; you will receive a gratifying education. 'Nuff said.

Greg, where are the Orientals?

Maybe I got a bad tin. I do not like this. 2 stars. Will not buy again.