G. L. Pease Meridian
(3.41)
Meridian - balanced, poised and sophisticated. Cyprus latakia is layered with fine Virginia tobaccos and small leaf Orientals, then pressed, sliced and tumbled into ribbons. More savory than sweet, with classic structure, medium body, and captivating complexity, Meridian is the perfect companion for a mid-day stroll or with the afternoon tea.
Notes: Meridian is the third entry in the Old London Series. A classically styled blend that's wonderful when young, but with a good backbone for longer aging. It's a medium-full mixture, with flavors that evoke memories of some of the great latakia blends from days gone by. Red and orange Virginias are joined by a generous, but not overwhelming measure of Cyprian leaf, for a wonderfully earthy foundation. The spicy/sweet Oriental tobaccos add fullness, and an exquisite aroma. Not as "big" or as full as Westminster, but similar in style. An excellent blend for a relaxing afternoon smoke, or as a delightful "amuse bouche" before dinner - Meridian was introduced in October, 2010.
Details
| Brand | G. L. Pease |
| Series | Old London Series |
| Blended By | Gregory Pease |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Balkan |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Broken Flake |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin, 8 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
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.41 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2017 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
G. L. Pease - Meridian (Old London Series).
The blend's a fair mixture of dark brown, medium brown, and yellow pieces. I wouldn't call it a ribbon, the appearance is far more like a coarsely broken flake. The moisture of the blend looked good when I removed the sealed lid.
The smoke has far less Latakia flavour than normally emanates from a Balkan. This is a smoke that has the Orientals running things. The flavour from these is quite inimitable, they have a slight floral note (but I'll mark none detected for flavouring as it doesn't seem cased). The Latakia gives a light, woody, flavour, but a Lat-Bomb this is not. There's just enough Virginia to sweeten things, but I can't identify hay, grass, or any sharper notes. The burn from it's quite slow, and very reliable indeed.
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: tolerable.
Meridian: not a bad smoke, and well made, but not one for me. Somewhat recommended:
Two stars.
The blend's a fair mixture of dark brown, medium brown, and yellow pieces. I wouldn't call it a ribbon, the appearance is far more like a coarsely broken flake. The moisture of the blend looked good when I removed the sealed lid.
The smoke has far less Latakia flavour than normally emanates from a Balkan. This is a smoke that has the Orientals running things. The flavour from these is quite inimitable, they have a slight floral note (but I'll mark none detected for flavouring as it doesn't seem cased). The Latakia gives a light, woody, flavour, but a Lat-Bomb this is not. There's just enough Virginia to sweeten things, but I can't identify hay, grass, or any sharper notes. The burn from it's quite slow, and very reliable indeed.
Nicotine: medium. Room-note: tolerable.
Meridian: not a bad smoke, and well made, but not one for me. Somewhat recommended:
Two stars.
Pipe Used:
Chacom Maya
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
Four months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2022 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Meridian is a Balkan style blend from G.L. Pease. The master blender's tobaccos, especially his English and/or English-adjacent blends, are rightly loved by critics. But Meridian does not quite live up to this lofty reputation. It's a blend that tries to go for a deeply complex flavor profile while still being mild enough to be an all-day smoke, and it doesn't quite stick the landing.
This is a difficult blend to review, because the flavor profile of this tobacco just was not consistent for me in the least. The latakia is present and fairly mild, almost overly so (and I say this as a person who typically doesn't care much for latakia bombs). It does provide a reliably smoky flavor, but it feels wispy and lacking in body. The orientals are much more assertive, and do occasionally offer a spicy and piquant punch. But they have a way of coming in almost as an echo.
When all the elements of this blend harmonize, it can be a delightful, if mild, everyday Balkan mixture. But by and large, I just found this one underwhelming and lacking identity. The body and mouthfeel are thin, the latakia lacking vigor, and the virginias only occasionally offering the sweetness and brightness they are famously known for. I cannot shake the impression that the ingredients used simply do not cohere, and instead compete with one another. Perhaps I was simply unlucky, and should I buy another tin and get a more favorable result, I will update my review accordingly. But for now, I can only somewhat recommend this tobacco. It's not terrible by any stretch, but the market for Balkans is becoming increasingly crowded these days, and there are simply more rewarding options to choose from.
This is a difficult blend to review, because the flavor profile of this tobacco just was not consistent for me in the least. The latakia is present and fairly mild, almost overly so (and I say this as a person who typically doesn't care much for latakia bombs). It does provide a reliably smoky flavor, but it feels wispy and lacking in body. The orientals are much more assertive, and do occasionally offer a spicy and piquant punch. But they have a way of coming in almost as an echo.
When all the elements of this blend harmonize, it can be a delightful, if mild, everyday Balkan mixture. But by and large, I just found this one underwhelming and lacking identity. The body and mouthfeel are thin, the latakia lacking vigor, and the virginias only occasionally offering the sweetness and brightness they are famously known for. I cannot shake the impression that the ingredients used simply do not cohere, and instead compete with one another. Perhaps I was simply unlucky, and should I buy another tin and get a more favorable result, I will update my review accordingly. But for now, I can only somewhat recommend this tobacco. It's not terrible by any stretch, but the market for Balkans is becoming increasingly crowded these days, and there are simply more rewarding options to choose from.
Pipe Used:
AKB Meerschaum Bent Egg
PurchasedFrom:
smokingpipes.com
Age When Smoked:
One year
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2014 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
I will rate all my reviews on a a scale from 1 to 10. 1 being smoking dirt and 10 being smoking the best of whatever. This is a 4 on my scale. i have smoked it in a few different pipes on several occasions and i get the same result. my palate does not like this blend. it has a nice uniform cut, it packs and lights well and smells great in my mason jar and out of the can. i stored it for 6 months and i can say i wont buy more. it gets better as the bowl moves on but there are so many tobaccos that are better right off the bat. im not good at describing tastes and smells. to me the taste is bitter sometimes and then ill get some chocolate sweetness and the smell is just a cigarish blah. blends i love are blue mountain, 3 oaks Syrian, bosphouours cruise, blend 5, balkan sobraine, orlik golden sliced....
Pipe Used:
stanwell, savenelli
Age When Smoked:
6 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 14, 2011 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Too bland for me, I was hoping for an interplay between the Latakia and the orientals, for my palette it was flat. This seems like Penzance light, very Latakia forward with a weak oriental side note.
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