G. L. Pease Maltese Falcon

As I enjoy some other GL Pease blends, I was intrigued to try Maltese Falcon, perhaps because of the name, perhaps because of the suggestion that it has a secret spicey ingredient.

Initially I was disappointed. The secret ingredient, which might be ginger as others have suggested, came across as very dominant, so much so that it almost completely overpowers the smoking experience. I put the tin to one side thinking that at last I'd found a GL Pease that wasn't good. However I kept returning to the tin to have another smoke. Something about Maltese Falcon kept drawing me back to it. And after another few smokes I got used to the ginger topping and began to identify some sweeter nuances underneath.

Now, about half the tin later, I'm actually quite enjoying this one. Took a while to get used to it and 'identify' with it. I find I'm looking forward to it, particularly in the mornings with a cup of hot black tea, which goes nicely with the ginger taste of the tobacco.

So: an unusual tobacco to smoke. It can't be called English or Oriental because it really doesn't fit with those genres. It's pretty much unique, and after a while become very moreish. I don't think it can be a four star tobacco due to its uniqueness, but it's worth trying by anyone who fancies that special ginger topping. Packs and lights easily and produces nice clouds of smoke.

I have been a fan of Frogmorton for years and find Maltese Falcon to be similar to my tastes. However, it doesn't have the sweetness of Frogmorton. I like to call it "Frogmorton-dry." It is well done by all accounts like all Pease blends I have tried. A full Latakia experience with the classic oriental and VA component in support. Thanks Mr. Pease for conjuring up another winner.

This is my favorite of the Pease Latakia/Virginia blends. I tend toward Virginia based tobaccos, and the sweeetness in the Virginias (and maybe the "secret spice?)nicely rounded out what I would generally consider to be an English blend. First bowl was smoked in an old Saseini London Made Two Dot medium apple that I picked up in a rural Ohio antique store for 12 bucks. Great combination!

Purchased 3 tins from the original tinning in January 2008. I opened a tin on January 2010. I smoked about a third of the tin then misplaced the Mason jar. It drove me crazy until I found it last week in my car (no pun intended).

Another very nice English blend from GLP with a unique spice that I cannot identify. Has excellent burning qualities. A wonderful change of pace but not an everyday blend for me. I would prefer a little more Virginia and perhaps some air cured leaf for a little more strength. Not quite as tasty as Westminster or Samarra in my opinion. Still, those are minor criticisms. Overall, another fine blend from GLP. I recommend all lovers of English blends give this one a try.

The appearance is beautiful, composed of even fragments of brown and black, which harmonize rather than contrast. The cut seems different than Greg's usual blending leaves.

It fills and lights easily. The initial taste is the familiar balance of a medium to medium full English. But then you notice it - there is something else. An addition that tastes spiky in the mouth. It has a nose-tingle that is reminiscent of something... something... something... an old-fashioned odour, but not one you are immediately familiar with. It mutes the resinous quality of the Turkish and tempers the leathery whuft of Latakia, resulting in a smoke that seems spare and monastic. The bowl leaves no tongue-burn, the nose is not overloaded.

It is very satisfying (refreshing, even), but needs to grow on the smoker a bit. Burns dry and clean and leaves the pipe-smelling more exotic than usual. The tin aroma of the tobacco is quite pleasant.

He's done something. I do not know what it is. I've smelled it before, but I cannot remember where or when.

The date on the tin is December 22, 2015, so the tobacco was almost six years old at the time of the review. Appearance - ribbons of dark brown base, the color of chocolate, with ribbons of lighter brown virginia and almost black latakia mixed in. There are some uneven flakes, but on the whole, the cut is of very high quality. The tobacco, despite almost six years in the can, has excellent moisture and texture - soft, fluffy to the touch.

The flavor of the tobacco... If I could describe it in a few words! Associative rows played a cruel trick, and closing my eyes, I imagined... "On a board of stained oak lay slices of cheddar and slices of white bread toasted on a fire of peat and pine logs. There is also a mug of hot tea with thyme and ginger, next to which is a slightly thawed slice of bitter chocolate. From somewhere in the distance comes the smell of cut wild flowers...". Of course, such a bouquet will not please everyone. For example, my wife loves latakia, but really dislikes the smell of cheddar. Some will not like the lack of sweetness in the latakia note. Interestingly, every note of this tobacco is distinguishable even after six years in the tin, its flavor is easily disassembled into its component parts. But it's about time to fill up the pipe...

The flavor is quite dense, smoky and woody, with a distinct acidity. Minimal sweetness is added to this base, mixed with a slight spice, as if you have just put a little ginger on your tongue. In the background, almost imperceptible, is a bread and herb note of Virginia. The tobacco is quite capricious to the shape of the pipe - the flavor it gives off in billiards is somewhat different from what it gives off in bentas. In the first case, all the elements are quite stiff, with a bias towards sourness. In the case of a bent tube, the taste is more even and smooth, the sharpness is almost gone, and there is even some semblance of a creamy note (although the sweetness remains minimal). By the middle of the pipe the nuances smooth out, the acidity goes into the background, the smokiness of the latakia begins to dominate, but does not turn into a latakia bomb, to the main note and spice comes the woody addition. The tobacco smokes slowly and coolly in any pipe. The strength of the tobacco is medium or slightly higher, you can catch a slight nicotine kick from a large dose. The tobacco burns into a fine ash, leaving no moisture in the pipe. The aftertaste is quite harsh: peat, cheese, bitter chocolate.

The smoke from the tobacco is smoky and peaty, with a sourness, quite dense, hangs in the room for a long time. Absolutely, not many people will like it.

Bottom line: it's very difficult to compare this English blend with my favorite Chelsea Morning (and any other English blend I've tried before). Let me make the following allegory: if the Chelsea Morning's bouquet of taste and aroma was painstakingly honed with a knife, in case of the Maltese Falcon the same author obviously worked with an axe at full blast. That doesn't mean that the blend turned out bad, no! It's just that it is very different from anything I have ever tasted before in the direction of simplicity - here's latakia, here's Virginia, here's oriental. Everything is visible, even after a long aging period in a tin. By the way, this tobacco is perfect for Irish stout - the acidity has become less noticeable, smoothed out by the caramel-malt flavor of stout, but the sweetness has been added. So I can quite recommend it to latakia lovers, however, on occasion I will choose something sweeter and lighter - Chelsea Morning will continue to occupy the throne of my favorite morning tobacco.

Here is another blend I keep on hearing a lot about: Maltese Falcon. The tin is interesting and gives me some 70's vibes. Opening up you find a ribbon that is a mix of dark browns and black. The smell is wonderful: rich, smokey Latakia, fragrant, sour Orientals, and sweet Virginia bakery. My tin came at a perfect dryness to smoke. It's easy to pack and easy to light. It does hold its light throughout the smoke.

Once lit I taste smokey, full and earthy Latakia. Weaving in and out of that are some stellar Orientals giving some unique spice, sourness, and herbal notes. The Virginias are in the background adding sweetness and some hay. I don't know what the mysterious spice is, but I do get cinnamon and ginger notes when I smoke this really slowly.

The taste I give a medium. It does fill my mouth in a typical English type of way. The strength I give a medium. It's not too strong to smoke at any time of the day. I think this has a typical English room note, so it might not win you any friends. I think this is a stellar and very smokable offering from GLP. I'll be buying more.

If you like Cyprian Latakia smoothed out by something a tad sweet then this is for you. It is bolder than Early Morning Pipe and perfect to start the day. There are so many blends of this type it is hard to really judge which one stands out, Maltese Falcon edges most and it is the one I turn to when I want that little change. I don't find this full bodied as some do. Smoke this slow and enjoy.

This is exceptional quality tobacco. The description is accurate. The latakia is well balanced with the orientals, and the flavors run deep. My only criticism is that it is very mild-bodied and somewhat unsatisfying.