G. L. Pease Key Largo
(3.39)
Deep, earthy and creamy. A distinguished broken flake of red Virginia tobaccos, small leaf Orientals, and a measure of Cyprus latakia, spiced with velvety cigar wrapper leaf. Key Largo develops throughout the bowl, offering a satisfying and sturdy smoking experience, with beautifully balanced, richly textured layers of cocoa, dark roasted coffee, leather, and a lively, lingering finish.
Notes: Key Largo was introduced in July, 2008.
Details
| Brand | G. L. Pease |
| Series | Heirloom Collection |
| Blended By | Gregory Pease |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Cigar Leaf Based |
| Contents | Cigar Leaf, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Broken Flake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium to Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.39 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 37 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2008 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
Ooops, he did it again!
If there's one thing I can't smoke, it's cigars. Ok, I tolerate the occasional aged Toscano, but I really can't stand Cuban or Dominican ones. I truly don't care for that chocolatey, earthy, dull taste: I find it monodimensional and boring, not to mention heavy. Besides, most cigars are too strong in nicotine for me. I am famous for having stopped smoking a Partagas once after 5 minutes, because I truly disliked the flavour.
The same applies to cigar leaf pipe blends. So, I guess it's just my personal taste if I find Robusto exactly not my cup of tea, if I have never raved about Balkan Sobranie Virginian N. 10 (even 20 years old tins tasted boring to me!), and if the only one that I thought was actually OK is Banker's Mixture thanks to the low cigar content, the high Latakia and the good Virginia sweetness.
And yet, after a few disappointing and boring bowls with Key Largo (while I kept telling myself "told you so"), something changed and now I really like this new GLPease blend, which is starting to really grow on me.
Two big recommendations:
1) Smoke it slowly, as slowly as you can 2) Don't smoke it outdoors, as it's a subtle blend. No, it's not wimpy, but its main qualities lie in its subtleties
The cut in the tin is a VERY irregular broken flake, with pieces of very varied dimensions: from small, to impressively huge. It feels not moist, but very pliable, almost velvety at the touch. The tin aroma is moderately sweet with a touch of smokiness, and a great milk/coffee/cocoa powder creaminess.
And creamy is the right word to define the smoke, too. Never overwhelming, never harsh or with the bitter aftertaste that you can sometimes find in cigars. It's earthy, with damp autumnal leaves, but never too much. The sweetness is there, but very subdued and never dominant. Same for the Latakia smokiness and the Orientals grassiness. And the cigar leaf... well, it's at the same time tasty, juicy and never dominant. What makes this blend so special is how greatly balanced it is, how intricate the interplay between the various kinds of leaf goes on. And, most of all, the creaminess. Creamy, not thick. Smooth like velvet, again on unsugared milk and coffee with a sprinkle of cocoa on top. Tasty (IF YOU SMOKE SLOWLY!!!!!!!! Otherwise it tastes like hot air!) and yet delicate. It already feels very mature and well integrated even from a fresh tin, and I suspect it will become even better and creamier in time.
And the nicotine? Stronger than your average English Mixture, but still highly tolerable even for me in a group-4 sized bowl. By the way, I find Key Largo smokes better in a smallish pipes, and especialy in those which have a bowl bigger in depth than width (such as a lovat, or a classic billiard... and NOT a pot).
My congratulations, Greg: making me appreciate a cigar leaf blend is truly an achievement. It's IMHO much better than Robusto, with more finesse and much more balance. And I suspect the broken flake cut is much more suitable than a ribbon cut mixture for such a blend. Of course it won't become a regular in my rotation, but I'll gladly savour a bowl once in a while from now on.
If there's one thing I can't smoke, it's cigars. Ok, I tolerate the occasional aged Toscano, but I really can't stand Cuban or Dominican ones. I truly don't care for that chocolatey, earthy, dull taste: I find it monodimensional and boring, not to mention heavy. Besides, most cigars are too strong in nicotine for me. I am famous for having stopped smoking a Partagas once after 5 minutes, because I truly disliked the flavour.
The same applies to cigar leaf pipe blends. So, I guess it's just my personal taste if I find Robusto exactly not my cup of tea, if I have never raved about Balkan Sobranie Virginian N. 10 (even 20 years old tins tasted boring to me!), and if the only one that I thought was actually OK is Banker's Mixture thanks to the low cigar content, the high Latakia and the good Virginia sweetness.
And yet, after a few disappointing and boring bowls with Key Largo (while I kept telling myself "told you so"), something changed and now I really like this new GLPease blend, which is starting to really grow on me.
Two big recommendations:
1) Smoke it slowly, as slowly as you can 2) Don't smoke it outdoors, as it's a subtle blend. No, it's not wimpy, but its main qualities lie in its subtleties
The cut in the tin is a VERY irregular broken flake, with pieces of very varied dimensions: from small, to impressively huge. It feels not moist, but very pliable, almost velvety at the touch. The tin aroma is moderately sweet with a touch of smokiness, and a great milk/coffee/cocoa powder creaminess.
And creamy is the right word to define the smoke, too. Never overwhelming, never harsh or with the bitter aftertaste that you can sometimes find in cigars. It's earthy, with damp autumnal leaves, but never too much. The sweetness is there, but very subdued and never dominant. Same for the Latakia smokiness and the Orientals grassiness. And the cigar leaf... well, it's at the same time tasty, juicy and never dominant. What makes this blend so special is how greatly balanced it is, how intricate the interplay between the various kinds of leaf goes on. And, most of all, the creaminess. Creamy, not thick. Smooth like velvet, again on unsugared milk and coffee with a sprinkle of cocoa on top. Tasty (IF YOU SMOKE SLOWLY!!!!!!!! Otherwise it tastes like hot air!) and yet delicate. It already feels very mature and well integrated even from a fresh tin, and I suspect it will become even better and creamier in time.
And the nicotine? Stronger than your average English Mixture, but still highly tolerable even for me in a group-4 sized bowl. By the way, I find Key Largo smokes better in a smallish pipes, and especialy in those which have a bowl bigger in depth than width (such as a lovat, or a classic billiard... and NOT a pot).
My congratulations, Greg: making me appreciate a cigar leaf blend is truly an achievement. It's IMHO much better than Robusto, with more finesse and much more balance. And I suspect the broken flake cut is much more suitable than a ribbon cut mixture for such a blend. Of course it won't become a regular in my rotation, but I'll gladly savour a bowl once in a while from now on.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 28, 2013 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
Nice blend. Came in 2nd place on my list of blends with cigar leaf. Habana Daydream was 1st. This is a good smoke. Recommend trying it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 25, 2018 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Strong |
If you like Billy Budd, this isn't it. This is a softer and creamier blend. The tin note is strong, but the body I would call a medium. The flavors of all the tobaccos really meld like a nice flake should. My flakes were broken and easy to break up and pack. The latakia is soft and pleasant and the cigar leaf and Virginia make for a very creamy smoke. Mild/med in the nicotine department. Very nice. One of my favorites. Improves with age also.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 03, 2008 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
This is a beautifully prepared tobacco that burns very well with minimal bite. Flavor-wise, it comes across as basically a medium English blend with an elusive hint of spice that comes from the cigar leaf. The latakia isn't as powerful as the orientals or VA, which oddly enough don't provide the level of sweetness I'd normally expect from them. The cigar leaf is definitely noticeable, but I felt its presence more than I tasted it (if that makes any sense at all). Put another way, the texture of the smoke reminded me of what I normally encounter in a cigar, but the taste was that of a straightforward English mixture.
Key Largo is not complex, which is a big departure from most of the other latakia-based GLP blends I've tried. If you like the flavor (and I do) you'll enjoy it a great deal. If, however, you prefer the intricate layers of flavor that develop in some balkans or Vas, you might want to pass on this one. It does better (IMO) in small to medium sized bowls. It's got a respectable nicotine kick to it, but nothing too extreme for those of us who crave it.
Overall, I was favorably impressed but not blown away by this one. I'll definitely buy more, but I also don't have any plans to cellar more than a couple of tins of it. I think its most attractive characteristics are its smoothness and lack of bite compared to many other English mixtures, which means it could be an all-day blend for those who really like it.
Key Largo is not complex, which is a big departure from most of the other latakia-based GLP blends I've tried. If you like the flavor (and I do) you'll enjoy it a great deal. If, however, you prefer the intricate layers of flavor that develop in some balkans or Vas, you might want to pass on this one. It does better (IMO) in small to medium sized bowls. It's got a respectable nicotine kick to it, but nothing too extreme for those of us who crave it.
Overall, I was favorably impressed but not blown away by this one. I'll definitely buy more, but I also don't have any plans to cellar more than a couple of tins of it. I think its most attractive characteristics are its smoothness and lack of bite compared to many other English mixtures, which means it could be an all-day blend for those who really like it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25, 2016 | Strong | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable to Strong |
So sure was I that I would enjoy this blend that I bought an 8 ounce can of it before trying it. This was about three years ago. My earlier smokes were not too impressive. I think it is prudent to point out that I was still pretty green at pipe smoking myself at that time.
Remembering what I have heard several times of Pease blends I put it up to try again a year later. It still did not do much for me. Over the coming few years I would have a bowl here and there and send some samples out occasionally as well. But time and tastes do change; as does smoking cadence and performance. I guess I can't pinpoint the reason, but this did grow on me.
Now lest you get too excited, it is not in the 4 star field for me, but it has definitely climbed from two to three, and I can see where it would get four by several smokers. It is quality leaf and it has a unique taste; which is uncommon for a blend with a good quantity of latakia. If I did not have advanced knowledge that it contained cigar leaf, I think I would have guessed it contained a fair amount of DFK. There is a nuttiness that goes along with this blend and a boatload of nicotine. The Nicotine factor is certainly another thing that sets this apart from other latakia blends.
If you want a latakia blend rich in Nicotine, you are usually forced to find one with a good amount of perique such as nightcap. But it you don't like any of these blends, Key Largo offers a different option.
This blend is otherwise smoky and slightly sweet as one would expect, but it is the nuttiness and the strength that sets it apart for me. The nuttiness could be coming from the Orientals as some of them do have this effect on my taster, but I would suspect it is more likely from the cigar leaf as I don't really taste it otherwise. In other words, this does not taste like a cigar and I think that is a good thing.
Remembering what I have heard several times of Pease blends I put it up to try again a year later. It still did not do much for me. Over the coming few years I would have a bowl here and there and send some samples out occasionally as well. But time and tastes do change; as does smoking cadence and performance. I guess I can't pinpoint the reason, but this did grow on me.
Now lest you get too excited, it is not in the 4 star field for me, but it has definitely climbed from two to three, and I can see where it would get four by several smokers. It is quality leaf and it has a unique taste; which is uncommon for a blend with a good quantity of latakia. If I did not have advanced knowledge that it contained cigar leaf, I think I would have guessed it contained a fair amount of DFK. There is a nuttiness that goes along with this blend and a boatload of nicotine. The Nicotine factor is certainly another thing that sets this apart from other latakia blends.
If you want a latakia blend rich in Nicotine, you are usually forced to find one with a good amount of perique such as nightcap. But it you don't like any of these blends, Key Largo offers a different option.
This blend is otherwise smoky and slightly sweet as one would expect, but it is the nuttiness and the strength that sets it apart for me. The nuttiness could be coming from the Orientals as some of them do have this effect on my taster, but I would suspect it is more likely from the cigar leaf as I don't really taste it otherwise. In other words, this does not taste like a cigar and I think that is a good thing.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 28, 2009 | Medium | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
This one is right up my alley. I like medium English mixtures, but enjoy the little extra some blends bring. My everyday smoke is Samarra, where the perique supplies a dash of flavor; now I can add Key Largo. The cigar leaf here provides the same type of extra dimension and rescues what could be a rather so-so English from blandness.
This tin was purchased immediately after the release of Key Largo in July. I've only had two smokes from it so far, but feel confident enough of my impressions to make a review. The cigar leaf is not overwhelming by any means, but is present throughout the smoke. The virginias are in the forefront, especially in the first half of the bowl, with the orientals and latakia very low key. Overall, a slightly sweet, dry, and pleasant smoke.
I don't rub it out, being an outside smoker, and had no trouble keeping it lit. Smoked slowly, it left a gray ash and a clean bowl. Definitely a keeper, and one that I think will reward the patient user after cellaring.
This tin was purchased immediately after the release of Key Largo in July. I've only had two smokes from it so far, but feel confident enough of my impressions to make a review. The cigar leaf is not overwhelming by any means, but is present throughout the smoke. The virginias are in the forefront, especially in the first half of the bowl, with the orientals and latakia very low key. Overall, a slightly sweet, dry, and pleasant smoke.
I don't rub it out, being an outside smoker, and had no trouble keeping it lit. Smoked slowly, it left a gray ash and a clean bowl. Definitely a keeper, and one that I think will reward the patient user after cellaring.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 2022 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Tin note of sweet smoky, spices, and tart fruit. Tobacco Broken Flakes are brown, light brown and black. Moisture seems a little high, recommend drying a bit. Rubs out nicely. Burns slow with a few extra relights. The strength is medium to strong and nic is medium. No flavoring detected. Taste is medium to full and consistent, with complex notes of very earthy, cigar, dry wood, leather, mildly smoky, floral, mild herbal spices, mild sour lemon, spicy, mild cocoa powder, mild sweet grass background note, and a peppery retro. Virginia is barely beating Cigar for to lead with Oriental and Latakia supporting. Room note is tolerable, and aftertaste is great.
Pipe Used:
2013 J.M. Boswell Poker
Age When Smoked:
5 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 07, 2014 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I have had two friends send me generous samples of this. I am halfway through the second sample. I have really enjoyed this.
There is a tangy Virginia and some pleasant spicy orientals dancing with smoky latakia that comes and goes. The cigar leaf gives it body and an unusual quality even for a cigar blend. There is a whiff of slightly acidic, sharp black coffee that may be this cigar leaf. It is hard to describe, but it all works. It manages to be a medium-full flavor without being a powerhouse of any one thing. It is complex and not cluttered. The components work together really well.
There is a tangy Virginia and some pleasant spicy orientals dancing with smoky latakia that comes and goes. The cigar leaf gives it body and an unusual quality even for a cigar blend. There is a whiff of slightly acidic, sharp black coffee that may be this cigar leaf. It is hard to describe, but it all works. It manages to be a medium-full flavor without being a powerhouse of any one thing. It is complex and not cluttered. The components work together really well.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2023 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Key Largo epitomizes truth in advertising. I found the tin description to be spot on. The freshly opened tin smelled of dark chocolate with some fruity notes in the background. I detected zero Latakia in the fresh tin, but did notice some smokiness after allowing the flakes to breathe a bit. The brittle and fragile flakes rub out to red, brown, and blond ribbons. There are nice dark black swaths of Latakia that traverse some of the flakes.
With regards to performance, this tobacco burns slowly, dry, and cool. The smoke is pure honest tobacco flavor. There are indeed dark cocoa, black coffee, and leathery notes that rotate over the course of the smoke. I didn’t much notice the oriental leaf or the Latakia as independent actors, they are used skillfully as condiments.
Recent reviews have differed sharply as to how much cigar leaf is noted. Per my palate, this tastes more like a cigar than any other Laudisi produced cigar blend I have tried. I found that the cigar leaf dominated the flavor profile, the room note, and the aftertaste.
With regards to performance, this tobacco burns slowly, dry, and cool. The smoke is pure honest tobacco flavor. There are indeed dark cocoa, black coffee, and leathery notes that rotate over the course of the smoke. I didn’t much notice the oriental leaf or the Latakia as independent actors, they are used skillfully as condiments.
Recent reviews have differed sharply as to how much cigar leaf is noted. Per my palate, this tastes more like a cigar than any other Laudisi produced cigar blend I have tried. I found that the cigar leaf dominated the flavor profile, the room note, and the aftertaste.
Pipe Used:
Numerous briars
PurchasedFrom:
SP
Age When Smoked:
Tin dated 1/20/22
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 03, 2022 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
I like a good cigar, especially since it was the pathway that lead me to this hobby. I'm always interested to see how cigar leaf can be incorporated into a blend. I have tried the Warped lineup and while there were a few blends that stood out, a few did not. It was my friend, who introduced me to both cigars and pipes, who sent me this blend to try and I have to say it doesn't disappoint.
When I opened my tin for the first time I saw the nice compact, semi-broken flakes that are typical in the GLP lineup such as Quiet Nights. The flakes themselves are a light and dark mottled brown color. Soft to the touch. The smell is very inviting. It's sweet, raisiny, smokey, hay, and a very slight hint of barnyard. More or less it smells like a well rounded English to me. The flakes are a little wet, but not wet enough to make a gurgle in my pipe if smoked undried. They do pack very well, I tend to grab a pinch and stuff until my pipe is full, they don't need much rubbing out in my opinion. It takes a light really well.
Upon lighting I notice the Latakia which is delightfully smokey, woody and creamy but it isn't the main flavour. There is a deep earthiness which I think comes from the Cigar Leaf but its not full bodied as cigars often are. The Orientals are tasteable and add a little backdrop. The Virginia Leaf in this blend is bready and more of a support for everything else. The slower I smoke the more a floral character comes out.
The taste is a medium. Nothing in this is going to bowl you over, but it is a very relaxing, smooth smoke. The nicotine/ strength is also a medium. You won't feel any sort of light headed when smoking this blend. Burns relatively cool, and slowly. An ideal smoke for me in the cooler weather. I give this 4 stars. A repeatable smoke to be sure.
When I opened my tin for the first time I saw the nice compact, semi-broken flakes that are typical in the GLP lineup such as Quiet Nights. The flakes themselves are a light and dark mottled brown color. Soft to the touch. The smell is very inviting. It's sweet, raisiny, smokey, hay, and a very slight hint of barnyard. More or less it smells like a well rounded English to me. The flakes are a little wet, but not wet enough to make a gurgle in my pipe if smoked undried. They do pack very well, I tend to grab a pinch and stuff until my pipe is full, they don't need much rubbing out in my opinion. It takes a light really well.
Upon lighting I notice the Latakia which is delightfully smokey, woody and creamy but it isn't the main flavour. There is a deep earthiness which I think comes from the Cigar Leaf but its not full bodied as cigars often are. The Orientals are tasteable and add a little backdrop. The Virginia Leaf in this blend is bready and more of a support for everything else. The slower I smoke the more a floral character comes out.
The taste is a medium. Nothing in this is going to bowl you over, but it is a very relaxing, smooth smoke. The nicotine/ strength is also a medium. You won't feel any sort of light headed when smoking this blend. Burns relatively cool, and slowly. An ideal smoke for me in the cooler weather. I give this 4 stars. A repeatable smoke to be sure.
Pipe Used:
Peterson Tyrone 106
PurchasedFrom:
B&M
Age When Smoked:
New
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