G. L. Pease Lagonda
(3.28)
A luxurious blend comprising generous portions of Cyprus latakia, ripe red Virginias and fine Oriental leaf, with a bit of bright added for a hint of subtle sweetness. Pressing and aging in cakes integrates the flavors and partially ferments the tobaccos. The cakes are then sliced and tumbled into ribbons, ready to for you your enjoyment.
Notes: From GL Pease: Lagonda, a rich, luxurious old style mixture, will be the newest entry in the Old London Series, and though it shares some characteristics with its siblings, it's nevertheless all new.
What's the same is the method of production, in which the leaf is layered, pressed and aged in cakes for several days in order for the flavours to integrate, and to sort of 'jump start' the aging and fermentation process. The cakes are then sliced and tumbled. Some people have referred to this cutting style (also used for Chelsea Morning and Meridian) as a 'broken flake,' but it's really not that. It's much more closely related to standard ribbon cutting, but since some of the tobacco strands continue to bind together, the result is somewhat denser than conventional ribbon-cut. It's the way a lot of the old English tobaccos were produced. I revived the method, thinking that it would offer something interesting, and have been thrilled with the result. (It's been difficult not to change the production of all of the ribbon cut blends to this method, but it changes the character of the blend so much, they'd turn into entirely different things. I don't need the hate-mail.)
What's different is the blend's composition. The proportion of Cyprus latakia is more significant in Lagonda, and there's also more of an Oriental component. It's spicy, but not aggressively so, and dry, in the sense of not being sweet. It's got mouth filling flavours, and a wonderful aroma, both in the tin and in the air when it's smoked. The Virginias give the mixture legs to stand on, but aren't the dominant note. Don't let my talk of how big it is scare you. Despite it's largeness, the blend is all about finesse and balance, which was a bit of a challenge with something as full-bodied as Lagonda. It has a lot to offer, but doesn't overpower. It'll age beautifully, but is smoking fantastically right out of the gate.
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 | Ribbon |
| 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
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.28 / 4
|
Reviews
Please login to post a review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 21 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 03, 2013 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I am a longtime fan of GLPease tobaccos, especially the Latakia blends. Caravan, Odyssey, Blackpoint, Westminster, Abingdon... all favourites of mine.
I hadn't tried this Lagonda since its first release, and now I have been able to do so. Well, at first I was slightly unimpressed. The cut is different from Greg's traditional mixtures, it's a more of a broken flake than a ribbon, and this is nice since it means that Greg keeps experimenting with new cuts and processing methods (=pressure) that were typical of the old tobacco brands. In spite of the thicker cut, this blend lights easily and stays lit wonderfully, providind a cool, rich and long smoke. Really, this one of the better burning GLPease blends!
What I find it slightly lacking, is in flavour development. It seems very dependent on the pipe I am smoking it, and while it is quite full in body and richness, it lacks the explosive punch of Caravan, Abingdon, or the richly rewarding and continuously growing Westminster.
Yes, I find that Lagonda has some extra spark missing... Maybe some more orientals? Or a smokier Latakia? On the other hand, at times it truly is wonderful.
What is sure is that this is a different Latakia blend... More of a slow grower than one with a big initial impact. Flavourwise it's not the most powerful, nor the most complex (Westminster is), but it surely is the one which will show most secrets with long and patient explorations. I am glad to have other tins away, to see how it evolves.
So, while not my favourite GLPease Latakia blend, it certainly is a very interesting one with many nuances to discover, and I'll gladly smoke it again.
I hadn't tried this Lagonda since its first release, and now I have been able to do so. Well, at first I was slightly unimpressed. The cut is different from Greg's traditional mixtures, it's a more of a broken flake than a ribbon, and this is nice since it means that Greg keeps experimenting with new cuts and processing methods (=pressure) that were typical of the old tobacco brands. In spite of the thicker cut, this blend lights easily and stays lit wonderfully, providind a cool, rich and long smoke. Really, this one of the better burning GLPease blends!
What I find it slightly lacking, is in flavour development. It seems very dependent on the pipe I am smoking it, and while it is quite full in body and richness, it lacks the explosive punch of Caravan, Abingdon, or the richly rewarding and continuously growing Westminster.
Yes, I find that Lagonda has some extra spark missing... Maybe some more orientals? Or a smokier Latakia? On the other hand, at times it truly is wonderful.
What is sure is that this is a different Latakia blend... More of a slow grower than one with a big initial impact. Flavourwise it's not the most powerful, nor the most complex (Westminster is), but it surely is the one which will show most secrets with long and patient explorations. I am glad to have other tins away, to see how it evolves.
So, while not my favourite GLPease Latakia blend, it certainly is a very interesting one with many nuances to discover, and I'll gladly smoke it again.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 15, 2015 | Mild | None Detected | Mild | Very Pleasant |
This one caught be by surprise. Upon popping the tin I was hit with the usual strong and smoky Latakia smell that usually tells me the blend with be stout. Well, Lagonda isn't. In fact, it is rather on the mild side in taste although the smoker will certainly know he is smoking Latakia. The Virginia/Oriental leaf was interspersed in a way that truly made this blend a pleasure. I probably smoked it a little fast as I was hoping for more strength, which caused the blend go get harsh toward the bottom of the bowl the first couple of times I tried it. I slowed the cadence and that was the ticket. Now, this blend is a nice change of pace for me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 10, 2011 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
A nice broken flake that is much more broken than flake. Heady tin aroma of latakia.
This one appears to be a less complex version of Meridian. Or at least of a different type of complexity. This is no one-trick pony and Meridian was sort of unobtrusively complex, but they strike me as similarly flavored. Less of an overt oriental presence here and more of a latakia presence. Lagonda strikes me as GLP's take on a past blend but I can't think of which one. Perhaps the recipe is more common than he usually uses. Whatever - it's something I can't put my finger on. Good tasting blend, but I place it firmly in the middle of what I've tried of the GLP line... preferable to Westminster, Chelsea Morning and Abingdon and not so good as Meridian, Quiet Nights or Charing Cross (or Odyssey). More dark than light tasting, there is a very slight sweetness in this mix. It's not a creamy blend like Odyssey and falls well short of that one's flavor level. This is more of an all-day type of latakia mix. Interestingly, I also noted that this one tasted best when I aimed the bit at the roof of my mouth rather than my tongue.
I don't fall into the hype of "GLP blends need to age before they can be enjoyed" any more than I join the party line for McClellands tasting of catsup or Mac Baren's being inherently bitey. However, this one does seem to need more age. I think there's a classic blend in here somewhere, but it just can't quite get out due to this tin being only 2 months old. To use an analogy, it's like someone draped pieces of cloth over the PA speakers at an opera. The gist is there but the full effect of the presentation is muted. Lagonda is one that I'm going to stock up on (because there is a classic blend in there!) and see how it performs in a year. Hopefully, it'll move me from Row X to about Row D!
This one appears to be a less complex version of Meridian. Or at least of a different type of complexity. This is no one-trick pony and Meridian was sort of unobtrusively complex, but they strike me as similarly flavored. Less of an overt oriental presence here and more of a latakia presence. Lagonda strikes me as GLP's take on a past blend but I can't think of which one. Perhaps the recipe is more common than he usually uses. Whatever - it's something I can't put my finger on. Good tasting blend, but I place it firmly in the middle of what I've tried of the GLP line... preferable to Westminster, Chelsea Morning and Abingdon and not so good as Meridian, Quiet Nights or Charing Cross (or Odyssey). More dark than light tasting, there is a very slight sweetness in this mix. It's not a creamy blend like Odyssey and falls well short of that one's flavor level. This is more of an all-day type of latakia mix. Interestingly, I also noted that this one tasted best when I aimed the bit at the roof of my mouth rather than my tongue.
I don't fall into the hype of "GLP blends need to age before they can be enjoyed" any more than I join the party line for McClellands tasting of catsup or Mac Baren's being inherently bitey. However, this one does seem to need more age. I think there's a classic blend in here somewhere, but it just can't quite get out due to this tin being only 2 months old. To use an analogy, it's like someone draped pieces of cloth over the PA speakers at an opera. The gist is there but the full effect of the presentation is muted. Lagonda is one that I'm going to stock up on (because there is a classic blend in there!) and see how it performs in a year. Hopefully, it'll move me from Row X to about Row D!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13, 2014 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
The Cyprian Latakia is richly smoky, woodsy, earthy and lightly sweet, and is almost the star ingredient. Playing almost to the same level are the Orientals/Turkish which are also woodsy, earthy, dry and sour, a little floral, and a bit spicy. The red Virginia plays back up with some tangy dark fruit, earth, and wood which helps prevent this blend from being a lat-bomb or a completely dry smoke. Some have remarked that it can bite if pushed too hard, but I did not have that problem. There are no harsh notes. The strength and taste levels are medium. The nic-hit is in the center of mild to medium. Not very complex or creamy, but fairly smooth with a slight roughness, and all the components work well together to create a consistent flavor. It isn't quite an all day smoke, but isn't far from it either. Burns cool, clean and slow with little moisture left in the bowl, and requires a moderate amount of relights. Has a pleasant after taste. Not an all day smoke.
-JimInks
-JimInks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 28, 2012 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I wanted to love this blend. I love latakia and Oriental-rich blends as a rule and am particularly impressed with other Pease Blends such as Abingdon and Charing Cross. I even give props to the curious Haddo's Delight. Pease's latest English offering just fell a little short of greatness.
Out of the tin, the presentation and aroma are wonderful. It loads easily and lights easily.
I'm not totally sure I understand the process, but the flavors in Lagonda are fairly well integrated and while I can taste all the leaves, I find them much more harmonious in this blend. The latakia is firmly there, the Orientals are rich and exotic, and the Virginias definitely sweeten things up a bit. Much more finesse than expected.
However, I found this blend to be more than a little bitey and it definitely smoked a little hot in comparison to previous GLP's I've tried.
I might try it again in the future, but will revisit CC and Abingdon as well as other Pease English/Balkan blends first.
All in all, not a horrible tobacco, but definitely not a Pease classic.
UPDATE 4.11.12 Okay, so I've come to terms with Lagonda. Honestly, it's probably (for me) the most temperamental English blend I've ever smoked... and I only realized this when I reeeeeeaally slowed down and smoked it more like a VA. The bite calmed down and the flavors really started to shine. Along with the rich Latakia background and a generous bouquet of Oriental goodness, I got a rich, almost caramel-ly sweetness which I've never experienced in a tobacco before... especially an English-style blend. I think this blend is probably much more unique than I gave it credit for... and now that I've lived with it for a while, I think I'm starting to get "it". It is a BIG blend with intense flavors, but very well- done if approached with respect and patience. Promoted to 3-stars!
Out of the tin, the presentation and aroma are wonderful. It loads easily and lights easily.
I'm not totally sure I understand the process, but the flavors in Lagonda are fairly well integrated and while I can taste all the leaves, I find them much more harmonious in this blend. The latakia is firmly there, the Orientals are rich and exotic, and the Virginias definitely sweeten things up a bit. Much more finesse than expected.
However, I found this blend to be more than a little bitey and it definitely smoked a little hot in comparison to previous GLP's I've tried.
I might try it again in the future, but will revisit CC and Abingdon as well as other Pease English/Balkan blends first.
All in all, not a horrible tobacco, but definitely not a Pease classic.
UPDATE 4.11.12 Okay, so I've come to terms with Lagonda. Honestly, it's probably (for me) the most temperamental English blend I've ever smoked... and I only realized this when I reeeeeeaally slowed down and smoked it more like a VA. The bite calmed down and the flavors really started to shine. Along with the rich Latakia background and a generous bouquet of Oriental goodness, I got a rich, almost caramel-ly sweetness which I've never experienced in a tobacco before... especially an English-style blend. I think this blend is probably much more unique than I gave it credit for... and now that I've lived with it for a while, I think I'm starting to get "it". It is a BIG blend with intense flavors, but very well- done if approached with respect and patience. Promoted to 3-stars!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 31, 2019 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Medium | Pleasant |
When I first opened this tin of G.L. Pease Lagonda, I had a flash that I was opening a McClelland blend; same dark color and same kind of pungency. On touching the blend, all of that disappeared; it wasn't damp. The tin aroma was interesting, hard to identify and drew up vague memories of some other blends I have smoked in the past. Smoking the blend was enjoyable in an aromatic English way; which is interesting, in that, there is no claim of any added toppings or flavorings or anything. It has to be that the Latakia and Orientals are driving this naturaly. Yes, the blend was enjoyable to smoke, but, only to a point. Here is where I agree with reviewer Beer 2013-02-03 that there is a falling short on development in the smoke as you go down the bowl and go from pipe to pipe. With every smoke I felt we were going to go somewhere and, likewise, felt we failed to get there. My tin was eight years old on opening and that might have darkened the tobacco some. Still, I felt it lacked what a brighter component might have added and began blending that type of tobacco into it. This was , to my tastes, successful and I recommend this blend to the reader at three stars.
Pipe Used:
Ashton Dublin Quaint-NASPC 15th Ann. pipe
PurchasedFrom:
a fellow exhibitor at our 2019 NASPC show
Age When Smoked:
eight years old
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 24, 2016 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Another of the bombing gifts I received from the brothers of briar. I grabbed the tin on a whim a week ago and killed it promptly.
The tin note is rich and smokey sweet and delicious to my nose. The cut is supposed to be ribbon, but I find it closer to a well rubbed flake than a loose ribbon. It has some bits that benefit from a little rubbing out. Mostly dark in color and almost shiny.
It lights, burns and smokes well enough. It's tastes like it smells mostly. Smokey and rich with a surprising sweetness to it that is very nice for me. I'm beginning to appreciate Balkan blends more and more recently bc of these characteristics. Produces a good volume of smoke and burns fairly dry for the first two thirds of the smoke. The bottom can be a bit moist, and letting it sit for a min to cool before a relight is suggested.
All in all this is good stuff. Than again G.L Pease is top of the class for English and Balkan mixtures in my experience. I would recommend this one without hesitation.
The tin note is rich and smokey sweet and delicious to my nose. The cut is supposed to be ribbon, but I find it closer to a well rubbed flake than a loose ribbon. It has some bits that benefit from a little rubbing out. Mostly dark in color and almost shiny.
It lights, burns and smokes well enough. It's tastes like it smells mostly. Smokey and rich with a surprising sweetness to it that is very nice for me. I'm beginning to appreciate Balkan blends more and more recently bc of these characteristics. Produces a good volume of smoke and burns fairly dry for the first two thirds of the smoke. The bottom can be a bit moist, and letting it sit for a min to cool before a relight is suggested.
All in all this is good stuff. Than again G.L Pease is top of the class for English and Balkan mixtures in my experience. I would recommend this one without hesitation.
Pipe Used:
Various briars
PurchasedFrom:
BoB gift
Age When Smoked:
1yr aged tin
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 09, 2015 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
Same series as Chelsea Morning and Meridian, same thick ribbon cut. Lagonda has slightly more Latakia and this becomes evident when smoking as there's more of a campfire smell and taste compared to the other two. Personally I rather like the extra Latakia, although it should be said that it's still only a part component of the mixture and doesn't take center stage. There's also a slightly more spicey note to Lagonda, and the spice has a different character than the other two in the series, suggesting it comes from Orientals rather than Perique.
Chelsea Morning and Meridian are both regular smokes of mine, and at first I was slightly taken aback by the slight extra spiciness of Lagonda. However the more I smoked it the more I began to appreciate its qualities, and it's interesting that Chelsea Morning now seems to be rather tame and uninteresting in comparison. I like the Latakia campfire, and there's a sweet/sour underlying note to the Orientals that becomes more evident with each smoke.
An interesting and complex blend that *might* be better than the other two in the series depending on your taste preferences.
Chelsea Morning and Meridian are both regular smokes of mine, and at first I was slightly taken aback by the slight extra spiciness of Lagonda. However the more I smoked it the more I began to appreciate its qualities, and it's interesting that Chelsea Morning now seems to be rather tame and uninteresting in comparison. I like the Latakia campfire, and there's a sweet/sour underlying note to the Orientals that becomes more evident with each smoke.
An interesting and complex blend that *might* be better than the other two in the series depending on your taste preferences.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Feb 07, 2015 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Pleasant |
There's a debate about the difference between an English style tobacco and a Balkan. The difference is subtle at best. I like an English. My preferences are for Dunhill 965, Perfection, and Frog Morton Across the Pond. If you examine the tobaccos that make up the mixture, Frog Morton and Lagonda have the same tobacco makeup: Latakia, Orietal, Turkish, and Virginia. I'd like to rate Lagionda at a 3.5 stars, because in my opinion, while it is an excellent tobacco, it is just behind my favorite Engkish style tobaccos, as mentioned above.
Pipe Used:
Dunhill Chimney
PurchasedFrom:
Smokingpipes
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21, 2015 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
Of all the bigger GLP latakia mixtures that I have had the pleasure of smoking, Lagonda is probably the smoothest and most even-keeled of the bunch. Lagonda is so smooth and so exceeding mellow, that at times I have found myself mid-smoke wanting something with a bit more pep. This is a flavorful blend with plenty of depth, but the appeal of its flavor is much more about its uncanny delicateness than its blatant power. There's some fine fragrant oriental tobacco at play and deeper draws on the pipe reveal a light appreciable spiciness along with a subtle but delicious sour flavor quality that's reminiscent of the tin note. The latakia is present in every puff but it's perfectly harmonized with the other flavors and never does it become the focus. Referring to the mouthfeel of Lagonda as "creamy" would be an understatement.
There are plenty of big latakia blends on the market, and a portion of them are sooty palate-wreckers, but I find Lagonda to be quite the opposite. It's more of a cool, soft spoken, and soothing smoke. One that gradually reveals its finer nuances to those who spend enough time with it. I am close to finishing a three year old tin, and I still don't feel that I have experienced everything that it has to offer. That said, every pipeful has been just as good or better than the last, and the potential for positive results from further aging seems promising.
There are plenty of big latakia blends on the market, and a portion of them are sooty palate-wreckers, but I find Lagonda to be quite the opposite. It's more of a cool, soft spoken, and soothing smoke. One that gradually reveals its finer nuances to those who spend enough time with it. I am close to finishing a three year old tin, and I still don't feel that I have experienced everything that it has to offer. That said, every pipeful has been just as good or better than the last, and the potential for positive results from further aging seems promising.
Pipe Used:
Briar
Age When Smoked:
3 years
target="_blank"
