G. L. Pease Key Largo

I like virtually all types of pipe tobacco, but I don't like cigars, so I decided to try Key Largo, a blend with so many positive reviews, with the hope that it could help me to love a little more the cigar leaf. Well, Key Largo is surely made of high quality tobaccos (as always with Mr. Pease) masterfully blended, but I can't stand the cigar flavor which, without overwhelming other flavors, nevertheless shows itself very often. So my rate is two stars, somewhat reccomended, meaning that it is recommended if you love cigars, but if you are like me stay away…

UPDATE DECEMBER 2018 Having left the tobacco in his own tin for about six months, I decided to give it another try. Despite the fact that I hadn't jarred it, the tobacco was in perfect state and this time my impressions have been much more positive: the cigar leaf has melded in the overall taste and I can appreciate the creaminess that some reviewers had spoken about. In fact it seems to me that this blend needs some time after the tin is first openened. So I'm upgrading the rating to three stars

Tried many of the so-called cigar blends. None of them really taste like a cigar to me. You have to enjoy them for what they are. I ordered a tin of this and his Robusto blend some months ago. I wanted to smoke half the tins before review. I had first tried it in my briar pipes, and didnt think it very special. I later tried them in my cob pipes and liked it better. I thought robusto was good, but i like key largo more. I would give it another star if it were availible in bulk.

Smoking Key Largo puts me in a deep, contemplative mood, mainly trying to figure out how the mad scientist developed such a blend. Creamy? What makes it so creamy? How did he do this? And so on. I was mesmerized. I'll even compare KL to smoking a Romeo and Julieta cigar. I was in a state of bliss smoking it in the hot sun this Labor Day weekend and I even broke my own rule of reloading the same bowl over and over. Key Largo is near the top of the pile of cigar blends that I've tried (Storm Front being the best of blends with cigar leaf, although a different monster entirely).

Just like Bogey & Bacall.

The flavors are married so well that I had a bit of trouble pulling them apart. Which is not to say I thought this blend was monochromatic, just well put together. Sometimes the virginia base was more noticeable, but mostly the latakia / oriental / cigar leaf combo was in charge. Beefy, creamy, salty, very slightly sweet. I rub the slices out fully and usually let the resultant pile dry for about an hour beforehand. Nicotine definitely develops down the bowl, especially in a medium-to-smaller bowl. The cigar leaf shows up more in the finish, which is a nice touch but I wish it were more prominent in the profile.

A good blend that I have enjoyed and will continue to. Three plus stars.

I guess in some sense, all tobacco blends are achievements to the extent the contents were not collected from the barn floor. Usually, the connotation of 'achievement' is something worthwhile, something to be appreciated, admired or respected. Key Largo is an achievement in the latter sense.

I've smoked the short strokes of stogies in pipes before. The result typically tastes like smoking Milton Berle's dentures combined with George Burn's nail clippings. Perfect human repellant.

I have enjoyed McClelland's Dominican Glory Maduro for years- a superior product, as genteel as Julie Andrews in a novice habit. But what expectations for a cigar blend with Latakia and Turkish leaf? Blessed are those without expectations for they shall not be disappointed.

Key Largo is what it is advertised and certainly not disappointing. It's effects on me are like being greeted at the door with a pipe, slippers and robe, giving all the comforts of an English blend with just a little something earthy and manly.

The cigar leaf is effectual and yet transparent. The Latakia is soooo soft it will convince skeptics that Latakia really does belong in a pipe and not on a barn floor. Virginias and the remaining orientals are barefoot contessas: regal, supportive and mild. This did well in small and large pipes, less v. more moist, and kept tamped after being lit.

Time to open my tins of Robusto, 123, Bankers and order samples of P&W Churchill and Peretti's Cuban Mixture, maybe even Havana Daydream, Billy Budd and Strike Force. I'm onto a vein and reenforced again with reasons why I like this hobby.

Another win in my book for the Pease blends. It is just as the tin describes. This one is not nearly as bold as other GLP blends I've tried, with not nearly as many things going on in each puff. My favorite part about this blend is its secret weapon: the cigar leaf. Its flavor has an ebb and flow to it that really gets me hooked. All said, Key Largo is very sophisticated without being as loud as some of the other great blends from this company. Less is more here with the spotlight tracking the cigar leaf as best it can. Great at night to keep your mind off the cold, and great in the morning to supplement your caffeine intake with a helping of nicotine.

I departed from my "game plan" to smoke my way through all of Greg's blends in the order they were presented on his web site. I have been reading a lot about flake and broken flake blends and decided to give this one a try next. It is going to have a place in my rotation of tobaccos and may even become one of my regulars.

For the first bowl I smoked, I took a couple of flakes and folded them in half horizontally. Then I sort of rolled the result into a tube more or less the diameter of my pipe bowl. This worked but will take a lot more practice until I get used to it. I was concentrating so much on the mechanics of keeping it lit that I couldn't concentrate on the experience itself. For the next several bowls, I rubbed out a bunch on a sheet of paper and have been smoking it this way. This was much more satisfactory for me.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? This is definitely not an English blend, but it has all the charm of one. There is just enough Latakia in the blend to establish the mood, but the orientals and the cigar leaf give it the individual character that makes it stand out from the crowd. As my technique with flakes improves, I look for this blend to be a special treat but probably not my regular blend.

It is a lovely smoke.

Key Largo is a smooth and satisfying smoke. It does develop quite well and the ingredients are mixed very well. The cigar leaf seems to take the back seat to the smoke but I can tell it's there. The cigar and orientals go very well together while the latakia and virginia add a nice balance. The little added flavor from the cigar leaf is a welcome change to most of my smokes and is very nice.

OK! Let's get to it. Was super excited about popping the tin, as I never had an English blend with any cigar tobacco components.

[TIN NOTE]
Wood, smoke, earth, flowers, incense, stewed fruit, and a little bit of cocoa.
Basically, you can pretty much smell every component listed on the tin in one way or another.

[TASTING NOTES]
In two words - Creamy and Smokey. The components are really good. Latakia leads the way, followed by the Orientals, and supported by the tangy Red Virginia. The Maduro leaf pops in from time to time, but not really as a forefront flavor, but rather a condiment.

[MECHANICS]
This is where stuff gets really interesting. The cigar leaf in this blend adds a whole new level to the smoke's creaminess and texture. As I was putting down my pipe from time to time, I noticed how the smoke rolled down from my Peterson's P-lip, how thick and white it was.
No issues with lighting or relights. No drying time was required.

[OVERALL THOUGHTS]
If you like English blends and want to spice things up with some cigar leaf - this is the tobacco for you.
If you like cigars and would like to venture into the pipe-smoking territory... well, I don't think this would be a good tobacco to start with. This is a proper English blend. Latakia is on the front. The cigar component with add a certain umami taste, and help with the smoke consistency.
If you'd like something closer to a cigar experience, I recommend Warped - Cloud Hopper or Until The End.
Either Way - a must-have for any English Blend lover !

[THREE SOLID STARS]