G. L. Pease Meridian

It's been a while since I've tried a new English mixture that pulls a wow from me. GLPease's got so many English tobaccos that I tend to get confused, and when I think of one, although all are great, there are only 3 or 4 that I exactly remember what they taste like. Meridian will be among them, and today it's probably my favorite.

The previous reviewer who gave it two stars is correct in saying: "if you like a little Latakia and a healthy dose of Oriental leaf that is light, a bit spicy and not too sweet, then Meridian may be something you will enjoy." I like a lot of latakia AND I like a little -- it totally depends on the mood.

This blend is terrific. I am currently trying all three of the Old London series, after having discovered how good Chelsea Morning is. This one I think I actually like more. I've only had one bowl, and so even to me this review seems premature, but I don't see my like for it changing. If it does, I will come back and edit. I find the description on the tin (up above as well) to be accurate, whereas Chelsea Morning's description was not, though that blend is still terrific.

If this quality is the norm for Pease's latakia blends, I will certainly be trying more.

I have smoked quite a few bowls of Greg's new blend, 'Meridian' and I would like to say that so far this is my favorite of the 'Old London' series. I find it simple enough to enjoy without having to think about the nuances involved with the richer 'Quiet Nights' but with more mid to low end flavor than 'Chelsea Morning.' I haven't spent enough time scrutinizing the flavors just yet, but will attempt to soon. I would recommend this blend to anyone who enjoys the other blends in this series. I would consider this to be a medium to full bodied all day English with a good dose of nicotine.

My thoughts on Meridian:

Upon opening the tin, one is greeted with the scent of a classic English mixture: plenty of leather, wood, and spice. The cut is a tumbled flake, which comes out more as a wide ribbon cut, and the appearance is an array of light tans to dark browns with a couple hints of black.

The tobacco packs easily into different-sized pipes and lights easily as well. The flavors are pretty consistent with the tin aroma: leather, woodsmoke and spice - but with more spice in the mix. The interplay between the different tobaccos (Latakia, Virginia, and Oriental) is complex, but not too complex and it allows for a smoker to enjoy this blend while busying himself with something else without missing anything. As Mr. Pease wrote, "Meridian doesn't rely on the latakia for its impact, but rather the balanced interplay between the latakia, the orientals and the virginias... it's complex, but in a gentle way." And it burns evenly without issue.

Final Verdict: Meridian is a wonderful blend with enough complexity to keep any smoker interested, but is also simple enough to enjoy when busy with other activities. Kudos, Mr. Pease.

Purchased a 8 Oz tin of this on a whim in 2016. Put it away in my stash and forgot I even owned it until July 2018. I took roughly half of it out it in a mason jar and left the other in the tin for consumption so this review is based on 4 ounces. Oriental bomb. I found this to be a sublime smoke that I cannot fathom why it’s not reviewed more. Leather, sour, earth, salt, were notes I kept coming back to. I’m not the biggest Pease fan as there’s only a few I’ve tried (bohemian scandal I am still hoarding my last precious ounce or so of, Montgomery I didn’t really care for though likely it was my youth that didn’t allow me to appreciate it, and haddos delight, just not crazy for Perique, but we can’t all be the same I suppose) however, this is a masterpiece in blending. Not sure how it is fresh but with near 2 years on it, I couldn’t get enough and ordered more. Highest recommendations to anyone on the fence about trying it. Do it.

A great all day smoke!! Orientals forward complex blend with just a flourish of flavor from the latakia. Plenty of nicotine. I've been working my way through the Old London series and find this one on my favorites list. I've cellared two tins to try again in a few years, but in the meantime, I will be ordering more to smoke regularly.

This is one of my favorite smokes right before I go to bed. It has some of the character of Dunhill Nightcap without the dizziness. The Latakia plays nicely with the Virginias to deliver a satisfying smoke. Open the tin and let it sit for about 2 weeks for maximum enjoyment.