Dan Tobacco Gordon Pym

This is the perfect blend to enter the English Mixtures wonderful world. Very balanced and gentle. Very good the latakia. The problem is that the taste is very fine and it smokes cool only for the first third of the bowl; then the taste mysteriously disappears and the tobacco suddenly starts to burn hot. Very good only at the first puffs. What a pity!!!!

update: taste lasts for much more than I thought. One more star for its very simple smoking control.

UPDATE 9/16/08

Well, despite my initial enthusiasm, this did not make it into my stable of regulars. I still think it's very good, but I've sort of filled the same niche with squadron leader and kensington. I may revisit it again later to see if I'm able to recapture the initial rapture.

ORIGINAL REVIEW

Judging by the speed at which I powered through the tin, I think it's safe to say Gordon Pym is well on its way to becoming my number one blend. So why then, if I reach for it more than anything else, would I rate it only three stars instead of four? I suppose the only explanation I can offer is that I'm trying to reserve four star ratings for things which blow my mind in either their complexity or their subtlety... and to me Gordon Pym is neither complex nor subtle. Yet, strangely, if pressed, I would have to admit that's the very reason I love it so much.

While the style may be a bit vague (resting somewhere between an english and a balkan), where flavor is concerned, it's not vague at all. It's remarkably straightforward, completely unpretentious, and totally satisfying. Once lit, the Syrian dominates the beginning of the bowl, then slowly and gradually relents to the Orientals as the smoke progresses to its the end, which always comes too soon. Just thinking about it, I already wish I had some handy right now.

My tin was a bit dry when I opened it... just enough that I considered hydrating it. I'm glad I waited until after the first bowl, though, as it turned out to smoke splendidly right where it was. In general, no matter what packing technique was employed, it required very few relights. Using the Frank Method, I once even had the "charring light" keep it burning until about mid bowl.

I ordered the tin at the same time as a Mastro Beraldi thick-walled chimney shape, and the two serendipitously turned out to be perfectly suited to each other. Pym is still great in other pipes, but to me the Mastro Beraldi/Gordon Pym combo is right up there with Fred and Ginger, Bob and Bing, Abbott and Costello, Jagger and Richards, Getz and Giberto, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Jack and Meg White, etc...

Three VERY ENTHUSIASTIC Stars

Popping open a tin from 5-6 years back. A satisfying “shlunk” as I twist the top off and I’m immediately greeted by the tin note. Like an English, but not like an English; the tang of oriental tobaccos is here replaced by a sweetishness: grape juice is about as close as I can place it. A dark blend, mostly a cedar-chip red, with bits of black and tawny gold mixed in. The tin note calls to me: I can smell it from my lap without inclining my head, but it somehow disappears when I bring the tin up to my nose. Loads easily, with its short and choppy ribbon cut— chopped ribbon?— into a Peterson XL Aran, dedicated to English blends.

Taste from the charing light is a quite unexpected blast of sweetness, the same taste I got in the tin note. As it settles, I’m getting a fairly typical English experience on the one hand: campfires and wet leaves from the latakia (perfect weather for it too, we’ve just had a rain), spicy cumin from the orientals (especially evident on the retrohale), and that *something else*, also most evident on the retrohale. Grape juice is the closest I can come to naming it.

And the grape flavor remains as I smoke down the bowl. As someone else noted, lots of smoke off this blend; the little choppy pieces burn well and quickly. Not much nicotine effect. A little drying effect, which I always get from oriental tobacco. This is the first blend I’ve smoked that has Maryland tobacco, as far as I can recall, so maybe the sweetness comes from that. Further research is required.

This stuff burns quick! A full bowl smoked down to powdery ash in about twenty minutes. I have to disagree with the description of a “slow, even burn”. “Even”, maybe. “Slow”, not even close.

This is an English with something different. A little sweetness, a little oriental tang. If you tried Nightcap or Bowlegged Bear and got a little roughed up, or if you work someplace that allows you to come back from a lunch break smelling smoky, this will fit the bill nicely.

Very middle of the road blend I actually consider it a Balkan, everything here is about making the oriental leaf shine the Virginias are only here to remind you to puff gently, I don't really see what the Maryland leaf is doing on this blend and the nicotine is non existent , to make this review short and easy I would say this if you like skiff or early morning blend put this one in your rotation if not save your money and keep on searching.

This stuff isn't my typical latakia bomb, but it's definitely one I'll keep in my rotation. More oriental/Va forward than Latakia, it does retain a muted smoky note combined with a green tea flavor. Buttery, smoky, a little earthy, no noticeable vitamin N rush, just a nice all-day puffer for english fans.

Truth in the advertising, it's definitely an English blend. It does all the good things you would expect an English blend should do. In my very fortunate experience, it burns very well, lasts quite a while in a pouch, and provides a nice, dry smoke. It's actually does cause me a tiny bit of tongue bite, but its other qualities make up for this deficiency. An excellent blend, my first from Dan Tobacco but not my last. Recommended.

"...cool and gentle smoke" You can believe what's on the top of the tin with this one. The layers of fine base tobaccos complement each other quite well. It is quite "Pym and Proper" as a pipe tobacco. Perhaps not the smoothest out there - but quite enjoyable. Nice pepperiness on the retrohale. The Syrian Latakia flavor note builds through the bowl. Good as a sipper or puffed. 3+*.

A sort of square (or cross ?) cut, mostly medium brown shades with - of course - brighter Virginias and some black flecks - not so many - of the Latakia. The tin smell calls mostly sweet, herbaceus base by the Virginias, with some malty and faintly sourish tones; my nose doesn't detect the tipical Latakia smell easily... a mild EM I would say. This also came quite wet, after six months and more-or-less five bowfuls, it's time to dig into.

GP lights easily and behaves very well, smoking slow and cool, balanced and creamy. The weed is good quality, no doubt.

Regarding the smoke: yes, the typical mild EM where the Latakia is just condimental, leaving the main parts and solos to the Virginias and the Orientals just back with some flowerish notes. I would recall my memories to the EMP of old, but that had more Latakia; or maybe even Highland Targe of old. Got the idea ?

GP is not exactly my cup of tea, and bit a strange fellow for me, giving me some very good feeling but also a sense of boredom. When in the mood for Latakia, then I'm looking for full EM. When I'm there for Virginia, then the place to look for is elsewhere.

Neverthess GP is a very honest EM and I'll consider it as a change of pace.

A great blend that allow for just the right amount of oriental and latakia. I especially like this when I am moving from smoking an aromatic to something more smoky and natural. 50g tin for $10.95 USD.