G. L. Pease Chelsea Morning

This is one of the best English type mixtures I’ve tried in years. Zesty, smooth, full of flavour, it is a very inspiring smoke. None of the ingredients overshadow the other. It is a very skilful combination where every element seems to hold its own ground. It is also one of those mixtures that better help understand the difference between a Balkan and an English blend. The former seem to me stronger or heavier in the Latakia/Oriental department, whereas in the latter there is a more effective interplay of the Virginias.

By no means a strong or overwhelming tobacco, it still packs enough strength to make it a medium smoke, suitable for any time of the day. It comes in broken flake form, with thick chunks of dark and light brown leaf, with an occasional blackish hue here and there. It is easy to pack (but don’t press it too hard) and it lights up perfectly. For my palate, moisture is perfect. A slow burning, long lasting smoke, which has become one of my favourite English.

Highly recommended.

After a long break from pipe smoking I decided to revisit this old hobby and I'm now wondering why I left it for so long. Not wanting to make the same beginner mistake of smoking aromatics and suffering tongue bite I scoured this site until I narrowed my targets down. I used to smoke EMP as a first bowl of the day for a while but couldn't find anything to keep my interest. So hearing about CM as an alternative I gave it a try... and what a difference!

At first you are greeted with the classic English tones that one would expect but it doesn't take long before the different tobaccos start playing their roles. The first part of the bowl it's all about VA with a natural sweetness, nicely complemented by the orientals that give it some body. As you progress through the bowl, the perique starts to come through giving you that peppery hint while the ever so subtle sweetness subdues and plays a supporting role. So far only 2 relights were needed and I'll attribute that to me being a novice. Entering the 3rd and last part of the bowl, all flavours are harmonious but darker and more pronounce, there is no first fiddle here, all tobaccos are in alignment.

No gurgle, hardly any dottle, all smoked down to a powdery white ash. The tobacco was only dried for 10 minutes prior to loading the pipe.

So why is this better than EMP and why is this a great start as a morning pipe? Because sometimes less is more! While EMP is not a bad tobacco, to me it stays fairly one dimensional, a flat smoke. CM lets all the players have their say and then unites them in a very flavoursome smoke. Never pushing you in one direction but merely suggesting... is your next bowl latakia, or maybe a Vaper or would you like a nice balkan? It warms you up to what is to come, awakens your senses and invites you to think about the course of the day.

For those of you who are sensitive to lady N, do not worry. The nicotine delivery is as some have already pointed out very civilized. Smoke this one with a nice cup of coffee and if I may suggest, savour a small piece of dark (85%) chocolate with it. You will be amazed!

My new go to "pick me up" tobacco in the morning.

This is rapidly becoming one of my top favorites. I go to this when I'm in a contemplative mood, reading a book outdoors, etc. I would imagine that trying to balance out four different kinds of leaf must be difficult, and it feels like Pease got this exactly right. Almost every few puffs the flavor changes back and forth, keeping it incredibly interesting. I also find it a little less moist (or swampy??) than any other English I've had. It just seems less thick and oily, and more earthly and complex. I normally puff harder on English/Balkans than I do VAs, but this one I have to sip because it's so complex, and the Perique adds even more to that. This is fine, because the flavor is huge. Not too much of a certain leaf and not too little of it either. Right when I think there could be more Oriental, I begin tasting it again.

I can see this being great outdoors in the fall and winter. I just had in on a slightly rainy, cooler summer day commuting into work. Lovely.

Great stuff. One word description: Complex

Going back to edit this one to say that so far this is the best blend I've been able to pair with a cup of coffee. It's almost like it was designed with that in mind.

A friend of mine gave this to me last week and my gray matter is not what it used to be and almost forgot, sorry about that Dawg. Maybe that dementia thing is for real. So, I am sitting on the porch this morning and a light bulb goes off and I go inside and get this blend. It says it goes good with a cup of coffee. Everything goes good with a cup of coffee in my book. This tin is dated 2/21/19 and has the usual faint sweet smell to it, must be the VA’s. It is a course cut, not really a ribbon in my book. This blend is another one that if I was not told it had Latakia I would not have guessed, much less the touch of Perique that it also contains. What I taste is a nice sourness from the Oriental/Turkish tobaccos more than I believe the VA’s. I like the Orientalness of this one and though toward the end it may be slightly harsh nothing that a new bowl can’t fix. I noticed a few references to Dunhill’s Early Morning Pipe and out of curiosity I counted the number of times that it was mentioned. Out of 133 reviews, EMP was referenced in some form 29 times. If anyone out there is wanting to smoke this as an EMP clone this one is not even close. Anyway, EMP is back under the Peterson label as we speak. I try to rate what I smoke on what it is and not what one says it should be. In this case I like the fact that the Latakia is standing way in the back so the Orientals/Turkish can shine. I like sourdough bread and making it and the taste of this sourness is good. I really do not have a morning blend set aside anyway, I just grab something that pops in my head. I live in an area where the wild Red-crowned Parrots fly over with all of their loud squawking and it was pleasant smoking this with yes indeed my morning coffee and taking pictures of the birds.

GL Pease Chelsea Morning

I’ve been smoking this blend on and off for the last two weeks, usually a bowl on the drive to or from work, upon first opening that tin, thre orientals and Turkish really hit my nose, secondly was the Latakia.

This blend needed little drying time, categorized as an English, I find this blend very oriental forward with the Virginia’s coming in providing some sweetness, boy do I love the VA’s in this one. This blend is so oriental forward and heavy, while I enjoy Orientals the mix is a little overpowering and sweet sour dynamic is drowned out due to this. The time I’ve spent smoking this I have to say I was disappointed that this wasn’t an all-star blend, something I usually come to expect from GL Pease.

When I first bought this blend I envisioned it as a proper replacement for Dunhill EMP, although it is not, nor close in my opinion. A good medium English with more oriental forward dynamics. Give it a shot or don’t flat 3 out of 4.

LEAF: A ribbon cut tobacco that seems more like a carefully broken flake than a traditional ribbon cut, can be broken up further if desired but I smoked it as is. Mottled and speckled gold through brow, with some nice dark Latakia scattered throughout.

TIN AROMA: Dark fruits, tangy and a little sweet, smells very fresh and vibrant for a blend with latakia, it is more a condiment than some of the heavier Lat blends out there, a sweet smokiness but nothing too campfire like. The perique pepper note is noticeable on top.

TASTE: As I have come to expect from blends of this calibre, it tastes much like it smells. The Va’s are at the front with the Orientals, fresh and grassy but still tangy and spicy. Apart from getting a good hit with the first light of the bowl, the Latakia largely lingers in the background proving good depth and body with a sweet, slightly woodsy smokiness that helps balance out the oriental tanginess that is present the whole way. The perique for me was on and off throughout the bowl, and as usual become more pronounced as you got further towards the bottom, with a perfect level of peppery spice to top everything off and tie it all together. Consistently creamy and complex, playing back and forth between the components the whole way with no single leaf overpowering the other. Extremely well balanced. This is an extremely satisfying, creamy, smokey blend that stays interesting the whole way without getting confusing or losing its way. The nicotine seems to creep up with the Perique as well and can be a bit surprising if you don’t look out. This really rewards a long smoke from a large bowl, slowly sipped and retrohaled.

SMOKEABILITY: As is tradition with Pease blends, tin moisture was perfect for me, cut was great. Lit up straight away and stayed lit very well, burnt down to a great ash with noting to spare. Burns cool and consistent the whole way and won’t be upset if you get a bit excited puffing away a bit aggressively, although it tastes better if you don’t.

SUMMARY: As with all other Pease blends I have smoked I cannot fault this. It’s like perfect English and a perfect VaPer rolled into one. Smokes like a dream, tastes even better. It’s like a more amazing version of EMP which is similar but not as complex, if you like that, this is worth a look. I usually gravitate towards more lat heavy blends, but this was a very welcome departure and shows how Latakia can, and should often be, just one of the players in a smoke and not the star. Very close to a perfect smoke for me.

This is a fine tobacco. Never a dull moment does it offer. For starting the day however, I'll stay with Dunhill's EMP because it is much milder and lighter. This is more complex and has deeper undertones, especially a punchier Perique content. It better fits my rotation as an afternoon/evening smoke. Right now, I am smoking it somewhere in West Africa where the time is 4pm (10am Eastern - New York time) and I am drinking a bottle of Guiness Stout. Perfect fit. Perfect mix.

Highly recommended for those who prefer a stronger mix of, should I say 'VaRienT', for Virginia-Oriental-Turkish (Balkan).

Never been a fan of Dunhill Early Morning: too heavy in nicotine (especially for a blend labeled as "Early Morning") and too dirty in taste. This GLPease blend, which I suppose is meant to a similar target audience, certainly fixes the dirty taste of the Dunhill blend (and is obviously made from better leaf), but still is a bit too strong for me in the heaviness department. Not that it's EXCEEDINGLY strong, mind you, but when I taste a glimpse of Latakia I want the full flavour... and with lighter flavoured blend I probably tend to overpuff to compensate, bringing along a nicotine hit (and at times bitterness, and not just a hint of it).

Anyway, if this kind of blend (Virginia + a pinch of Latakia) fits you, you should certainly enjoy it very much. Personally I question a bit the presence of Perique, which is not suited for such a blend in my book. And in any case, I seem to prefer the smoother/creamier experience offered by Piccadilly when (it happens rarely) I want a blend with just a hint of Latakia.

Ayway, objectively, it is a quality tobacco and the slightly thick cut is fantastic, offering a very nice burning rate and a dry smoking experience.

Pease Pilgrimage Reviews (a tasting journey through every GLPease blend) Tin date: 2/18/10

Let me warn you ahead of time that vile, disgusting stuff like this should not even be allowed on the market. Run. Fast. Away from that mouse! Away from those Pease etailers and retailers! Get as far from them as you can! You are getting very sleepy.....YOU MUST NOT BUY ANY MORE CHELSEA MORNING! BWAH HA HA HA HA!

Well, just in case you're still here...

Appearance: A mottled, multi-colored blend, including some little flecks, some striated slices, and some lumber. I pulled a stick out of my tin, but the variety of forms and shapes in the blend is interesting to me. Very easy to pack, perfect humidity (or lack thereof, since I find most of Greg's blends on the dry side, just the way I like 'em).

Aroma: The tin aroma is delicious. Think Abingdon or Westminster but with much less Latakia. The same characteristics are there, but the smokiness is much more subdued.

Pipe 1: Meer Billiard Pipe 2: GBD pot Pipe 3: Stanwell Vario Billiard

Flavor: In a nutshell, Chelsea Morning absolutely puts Early Morning Pipe to shame. There is a reason why everyone is drooling on themselves over this one. If you're on the fence over this blend, it's time to jump down and cowboy up! Fork over the ten bucks and step into the arena of this delicious, destined-to- be-a-classic, perfectly balanced, medium English blend. If you're even remotely interested in english blends you owe it to yourself to try it.

Starts off great, ends up delicious. If there is one word I would use to describe Chelsea Morning it would be balance. None of the ingredients vie for attention, all of them contribute to the exceptional end result. The very definition of symbiosis, where the individual parts work for the benefit of the whole.

Even though very light, there is enough Latakia in there for lovers of Latakia (like me) to enjoy, there is enough complexity to keep lovers of contemplative smoking interested, and there is enough flavor and strength to keep it interesting. I am definitively NOT a fan of mild smokes, and this one falls squarely in the medium part of the spectrum. Amp up the temperature, and you can easily cross over into the low end of full-flavored.

If you concentrate, you can pick out some of the flavors. The Virginia sweetness and foundation are noticeable. The oriental leaf is is perfect proportion. The Latakia gives a noticeable does of smokiness and smoothness, and the Perique actually is noticeable as a pungent, very slightly sourness to balance the smoky and sweet.

When Greg hits is right, he knocks it out of the park. I used to live near Chicago, so you Cubs fans will know about the buildings beyond center field where the locals gather on the rooftops to watch the game. That's where Mr. Pease directed this one, except the ball kept traveling right on into Lake Michigan.

Four stars, of course.

Wait a minute, I meant NEGATIVE four. Yeah, negative four stars. Vile stuff. Run away. Leave it for me to dispose of safely and properly!