Peterson Nightcap
(3.46)
A rich blend of Virginia, Oriental, and Latakia tobaccos, intended to be smoked late in the day. It's a smoky, delightfully satisfying mixture, with a hint of Perique added to enhance the bouquet.
Notes: Formerly known as Dunhill Nightcap, STG has changed the brand name from "Dunhill" to "Peterson".
Details
| Brand | Peterson |
| Blended By | Dunhill |
| Manufactured By | Scandinavian Tobacco Group |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 50 grams tin |
| Country | Denmark |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Strong
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable to Strong
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Full
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.46 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 31 - 40 of 158 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 13, 2012 | Medium to Strong | Extremely Mild | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
When I first picked up a pipe it was after several years as a cigar smoker, and the thought of aromatic tobaccos was not appealing to me; therefore, my introduction to pipe smoking was with more natural tobacco blends. The tobacco shop that I frequented at that time had a few non-aromatic house blends, including three Dunhill blends: EMP, 965, and Nightcap. They also sold these in tins and after smelling each of these in the jar I decided to give Nightcap a try and picked up a tin.
I went home, grabbed my pipe, and opened the tin to be greeted by what to me was one of the most fantastic aromas I had ever experienced. I loaded my pipe and sat down to what has to this day been my Holy Grail of pipe smoking experiences; the tobacco was exactly what I had been looking for and it quickly became my favorite tobacco blend (yes, this was the first English tobacco I had ever smoked). Then it disappeared; I couldn't find it anywhere. It made a brief reappearance at my local smoke shop in bulk form at one point, but it was just not the same.
Fast forward to today. I learned that Orlik was blending Dunhill tobacco and that Nightcap was once again available. I went on line and ordered a tin keeping my fingers crossed that my beloved Nightcap was really back.
I received the tin and upon opening I was greeted by that same wonderful aroma that I had experienced those many years before, and I spent the next several minutes just smelling the tin. But now it was time for the real test, and I grabbed a pipe off the rack - a medium sized Dunhill shell (what else) - and filled the bowl. The tobacco was a little more wet than I would have liked, and would probably benefit from a few days drying time, but I couldn't wait. So I grabbed my favorite lighter and fired up, and I was immediately taken back to that very first bowl of Nightcap.
But it didn't last. I found myself getting bored with it about half way through the bowl. It's not that it was bad, I just lost interest. I think the problem is that I had just built this up so much that it couldn't live up to the hype in my own mind. You see, for 12+ years every English tobacco I smoked was compared to what I remembered this tobacco to be. I'm sure that my tastes have changed over the years, but everything was still being compared to that first bowl of Nightcap that I smoked as a novice so many years ago.
With all of that said, I still recommend this tobacco; I am going to let this tin dry out a bit and try it again (perhaps in a smaller pipe), and if anything changes I'll let you know.
I went home, grabbed my pipe, and opened the tin to be greeted by what to me was one of the most fantastic aromas I had ever experienced. I loaded my pipe and sat down to what has to this day been my Holy Grail of pipe smoking experiences; the tobacco was exactly what I had been looking for and it quickly became my favorite tobacco blend (yes, this was the first English tobacco I had ever smoked). Then it disappeared; I couldn't find it anywhere. It made a brief reappearance at my local smoke shop in bulk form at one point, but it was just not the same.
Fast forward to today. I learned that Orlik was blending Dunhill tobacco and that Nightcap was once again available. I went on line and ordered a tin keeping my fingers crossed that my beloved Nightcap was really back.
I received the tin and upon opening I was greeted by that same wonderful aroma that I had experienced those many years before, and I spent the next several minutes just smelling the tin. But now it was time for the real test, and I grabbed a pipe off the rack - a medium sized Dunhill shell (what else) - and filled the bowl. The tobacco was a little more wet than I would have liked, and would probably benefit from a few days drying time, but I couldn't wait. So I grabbed my favorite lighter and fired up, and I was immediately taken back to that very first bowl of Nightcap.
But it didn't last. I found myself getting bored with it about half way through the bowl. It's not that it was bad, I just lost interest. I think the problem is that I had just built this up so much that it couldn't live up to the hype in my own mind. You see, for 12+ years every English tobacco I smoked was compared to what I remembered this tobacco to be. I'm sure that my tastes have changed over the years, but everything was still being compared to that first bowl of Nightcap that I smoked as a novice so many years ago.
With all of that said, I still recommend this tobacco; I am going to let this tin dry out a bit and try it again (perhaps in a smaller pipe), and if anything changes I'll let you know.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2023 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Tolerable to Strong |
A delicious blend. Strong and very English but not strongly Latakia forward. Burns easily after a day of drying.
I know it’s marketing, but don’t think of Nightcap or most English or Balkans as evening smokes. I reverse this and tend to smoke the aromatics in the evening, and prefer to have a cup of strong coffee (or a homemade latte) with my Latakia. Although I can see how these would also work if I was sitting around a campfire.
Pre- Greg Pease, pre-Jeremy Reeves, this blend would have been a daily go to.
Today we are all blessed with more complex, more articulate blends like Odyssey (GLP), Westminster (GLP), Pirate Kake (C&D), Gaslight (GLP, British Blend (Peretti), Tashkent (Petetti), HH Latakia Flake (MacBaren), Quiet Nights (GLP), No. 306 English Orient (Newminster), Balkan Sasieni, Balkan Supreme (Arango), Sunset Harbor (C&D), Plum Pudding Bourbon (Seattle PC).
And yes I know I am mixing genres a bit. Even so, Latakia in the morning is the notion that drives the beginning of my day. I have my own views on the distinction between English and American and Balkan and Oriental etc., and note with some satisfaction that even the top blenders can’t agree where one category begins or ends.
Midday I tend toward a pure Virginia (like Peterson Flake or Peterson Royal Yacht, or MacBaren’s Virginia No. 1 Slice), or a Va/Bur like HH Old Dark Fired (MacBaren). Idon’t tend to like Va/Per’s with the exception of Windjammer (GLP), or now and then Haddo’s Delight (GLP) or Escudo (Peterson).
Nightcap is delicious and, I gather, a shield-bearer for the conception of English. The Lat feels milder to me, and even with an always steady cadence I get a bit of bite, not always a bad thing; it is tobacco after all. And part of the joy of smoking tobacco is the alignment of your taste buds to the artful blends others create for our enjoyment, or the ones you make with the stuff you hate to see if you can make it better.
I have a tin of Ashton’s Rainy Day which I detest, but maybe if I add some bulk C&D Latakia to it, and sprinkle some cheap port wine, it might become amazing.
The journey continues!
I know it’s marketing, but don’t think of Nightcap or most English or Balkans as evening smokes. I reverse this and tend to smoke the aromatics in the evening, and prefer to have a cup of strong coffee (or a homemade latte) with my Latakia. Although I can see how these would also work if I was sitting around a campfire.
Pre- Greg Pease, pre-Jeremy Reeves, this blend would have been a daily go to.
Today we are all blessed with more complex, more articulate blends like Odyssey (GLP), Westminster (GLP), Pirate Kake (C&D), Gaslight (GLP, British Blend (Peretti), Tashkent (Petetti), HH Latakia Flake (MacBaren), Quiet Nights (GLP), No. 306 English Orient (Newminster), Balkan Sasieni, Balkan Supreme (Arango), Sunset Harbor (C&D), Plum Pudding Bourbon (Seattle PC).
And yes I know I am mixing genres a bit. Even so, Latakia in the morning is the notion that drives the beginning of my day. I have my own views on the distinction between English and American and Balkan and Oriental etc., and note with some satisfaction that even the top blenders can’t agree where one category begins or ends.
Midday I tend toward a pure Virginia (like Peterson Flake or Peterson Royal Yacht, or MacBaren’s Virginia No. 1 Slice), or a Va/Bur like HH Old Dark Fired (MacBaren). Idon’t tend to like Va/Per’s with the exception of Windjammer (GLP), or now and then Haddo’s Delight (GLP) or Escudo (Peterson).
Nightcap is delicious and, I gather, a shield-bearer for the conception of English. The Lat feels milder to me, and even with an always steady cadence I get a bit of bite, not always a bad thing; it is tobacco after all. And part of the joy of smoking tobacco is the alignment of your taste buds to the artful blends others create for our enjoyment, or the ones you make with the stuff you hate to see if you can make it better.
I have a tin of Ashton’s Rainy Day which I detest, but maybe if I add some bulk C&D Latakia to it, and sprinkle some cheap port wine, it might become amazing.
The journey continues!
Pipe Used:
Meerschaum and various briars
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 20, 2023 | Very Strong | None Detected | Very Full | Pleasant |
Strong in flavor and nicotine, burns well and cool. Enjoyable to all, with a strong but pleasurable room note to boot. Perfect for an early morning with a strong coffee, or that last bowl before bed time.
A real treasure, it's popularity is understandable.
Only criticism I have is one of the contents can come out strong and bitter, I'm not super good at identifying these things, but it can be a bit much for my taste.
Fantastic blend nonetheless.
A real treasure, it's popularity is understandable.
Only criticism I have is one of the contents can come out strong and bitter, I'm not super good at identifying these things, but it can be a bit much for my taste.
Fantastic blend nonetheless.
Pipe Used:
Vikings Assens Evening, Dr Grabow Freehand
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jan 18, 2023 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
Honestly, one of my favorite morning smokes despite the name. Full flavored, delicious, strong. I'm sure you've tried it, and if you haven't it's time to.
Pipe Used:
Various briar and cob pipes
Age When Smoked:
fresh from tin and aged up to 2 years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 26, 2021 | Medium to Strong | Mild | Full | Tolerable |
A ribbon cut tobacco that has been crammed into that tin. It does need to be emptied out into a larger container and given a shake to let the contents expand.
This is for the Latakia lovers. The smoky, spicy flavour is there on lighting, but is not as forthright as Mac Baren H&H Latakia Flake, which to me is very generous with the Latakia. Though it's ribbon cut, it does not burn hot and fast, and it has a good dose of Vitamin N.
This is for the Latakia lovers. The smoky, spicy flavour is there on lighting, but is not as forthright as Mac Baren H&H Latakia Flake, which to me is very generous with the Latakia. Though it's ribbon cut, it does not burn hot and fast, and it has a good dose of Vitamin N.
Pipe Used:
Various
PurchasedFrom:
Smoke King
Age When Smoked:
New
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 28, 2020 | Medium to Strong | Medium | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
Great all around smoke. Love to smoke this outside on a cool Autumn day. It has that feeling of being at a relaxing camp fire on a evening night.
Enjoyable smoke that is not to overpowering, just take your time and don't rush it.
Enjoyable smoke that is not to overpowering, just take your time and don't rush it.
Pipe Used:
Peterson
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 30, 2019 | Medium | Medium | Medium to Full | Strong |
The Peterson's nightcap is the only nightcap I've smoked so I am not reviewing out of bias or nostalgia.
Fresh out of the tin- good nicotine hit. I have a very high tolerance and I had to rest after the bowl. A little too moist, left some sticky cake in the bowl, required a few relights.
Dried and jarred- burns well and fast, lots of ash. Delicious notes of chocolate, coffee and sweetness like plum or sweet cream. I caught myself smiling a couple times, good nicotine amount despite the strength level. Very properly named, it tastes like nighttime
This is going to be stocked up in my stash for sure.
Fresh out of the tin- good nicotine hit. I have a very high tolerance and I had to rest after the bowl. A little too moist, left some sticky cake in the bowl, required a few relights.
Dried and jarred- burns well and fast, lots of ash. Delicious notes of chocolate, coffee and sweetness like plum or sweet cream. I caught myself smiling a couple times, good nicotine amount despite the strength level. Very properly named, it tastes like nighttime
This is going to be stocked up in my stash for sure.
Pipe Used:
Briar, cob
PurchasedFrom:
Online
Age When Smoked:
Fresh to 2 weeks
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 08, 2018 | Medium to Strong | None Detected | Full | Pleasant to Tolerable |
In my mind, the perique component is what makes Nightcap a star for me.
I have trouble picking out the perique in many English blends, but in Nightcap it sticks out for me and makes it a distinct blend in my rotation.
The nic hit is a little stronger than most English blends, and being a fiend for the addictive stuff myself I find that to be a plus. Many English blends have flavor in spades but none of that fine nicotine glow that I crave. Having a blend that can deliver on both fronts is beautiful.
I have to say that without the perique, this would just be a pretty normal English for me—delicious, yes, but not very distinctive. There are lots of campfire, baseball glove leather and creasote Latakia notes, some sweetness and dry wood flavors from the oriental...and then the perique, in it’s subtle yet impossible to miss pepperiness steps in and flips everything into an alternate mode. I don’t get much VA-type sweetness, but again the perique fills that void for me and delivers a blend full of dark, spicey and mostly dry flavors that really scratch an itch—and doing it all in a way that isn’t overly complex or heavy handed.
Some reviewers say that they can’t detect the perique, and I suppose that there is enough going on between the lat and orientals that it could be missed, but it is what keeps me coming back to Nightcap. I guess I just keyed into it early on in my experience with the blend and is something I always look for when I light up.
This is a good English for smoking outdoors, for some reason it always brings to mind the fall steelhead run here in Ohio...in fact, it’s one I bring with me to keep my nic receptors buzzing as I’m chasing the silver bullets.
I have trouble picking out the perique in many English blends, but in Nightcap it sticks out for me and makes it a distinct blend in my rotation.
The nic hit is a little stronger than most English blends, and being a fiend for the addictive stuff myself I find that to be a plus. Many English blends have flavor in spades but none of that fine nicotine glow that I crave. Having a blend that can deliver on both fronts is beautiful.
I have to say that without the perique, this would just be a pretty normal English for me—delicious, yes, but not very distinctive. There are lots of campfire, baseball glove leather and creasote Latakia notes, some sweetness and dry wood flavors from the oriental...and then the perique, in it’s subtle yet impossible to miss pepperiness steps in and flips everything into an alternate mode. I don’t get much VA-type sweetness, but again the perique fills that void for me and delivers a blend full of dark, spicey and mostly dry flavors that really scratch an itch—and doing it all in a way that isn’t overly complex or heavy handed.
Some reviewers say that they can’t detect the perique, and I suppose that there is enough going on between the lat and orientals that it could be missed, but it is what keeps me coming back to Nightcap. I guess I just keyed into it early on in my experience with the blend and is something I always look for when I light up.
This is a good English for smoking outdoors, for some reason it always brings to mind the fall steelhead run here in Ohio...in fact, it’s one I bring with me to keep my nic receptors buzzing as I’m chasing the silver bullets.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 07, 2018 | Strong | None Detected | Full | Strong |
Not my favorite English, but it's an enjoyable smoke on occasion.
As a new pipe smoker who was gobbling up all the info I could find about the hobby, this blend kept coming up in discussions on forums, blogs, YouTube, etc. People speak of Nightcap as if it is the holy grail of English blends. IT ISN'T... Well, it might be - but that's subjective. I DO enjoy English blends, and I do think Nightcap is a good blend, but it isn't the be-all, end-all of English style tobacco by any means. I've got a couple tins of it put away, but it isn't something that I want to smoke every day, nor is it something I feel compelled to stock up on. I've heard time and again how strong the nicotine hit is, and how it will make you nauseous if you don't smoke it on a full stomach - again, this is completely subjective. I've never felt a buzz off of this, nor has it made me nauseous. Different blends affect different people in different ways. YMMV.
I will give Dunhill credit though - this a truly a good BLEND. As much as we use the word "blend" for the tobacco that we smoke, not everything truly blends together in the literal sense of the word so well as Nightcap does. The various tobaccos used in Nightcap truly do create a cornucopia of flavors such that I am not noticing the flavors of the individual component tobaccos much at all. Everything melts together into this singular, yet complex flavor we simply call "Nightcap".
The second half of the bowl does get rather strong/pungent, so retrohaling is limited to the first half of the bowl for me. The room note is harsh as well, so this isn't likely to be pleasing to the wife - it's an outside-only blend for me.
I've tried this in briars large and small, and MM cobs large and small, and I notice that there are subtle flavor differences in each. My least favorite was smoking it in the smallish bowl of a Peterson 999 (bent Rhodesian). In briar, this seems to do well in a pipe with a larger chamber. Also, I find that I prefer the taste of Nightcap in a cob - but not just any cob. In a reversal of my briar findings, I think this actually tastes better in a well broken-in MM Legend or Diplomat than in the larger chamber of a Country Gentleman. I can't give scientific reasoning behind this - it's just my personal experience.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find my MM Legend and fill it with some Nightcap.
As a new pipe smoker who was gobbling up all the info I could find about the hobby, this blend kept coming up in discussions on forums, blogs, YouTube, etc. People speak of Nightcap as if it is the holy grail of English blends. IT ISN'T... Well, it might be - but that's subjective. I DO enjoy English blends, and I do think Nightcap is a good blend, but it isn't the be-all, end-all of English style tobacco by any means. I've got a couple tins of it put away, but it isn't something that I want to smoke every day, nor is it something I feel compelled to stock up on. I've heard time and again how strong the nicotine hit is, and how it will make you nauseous if you don't smoke it on a full stomach - again, this is completely subjective. I've never felt a buzz off of this, nor has it made me nauseous. Different blends affect different people in different ways. YMMV.
I will give Dunhill credit though - this a truly a good BLEND. As much as we use the word "blend" for the tobacco that we smoke, not everything truly blends together in the literal sense of the word so well as Nightcap does. The various tobaccos used in Nightcap truly do create a cornucopia of flavors such that I am not noticing the flavors of the individual component tobaccos much at all. Everything melts together into this singular, yet complex flavor we simply call "Nightcap".
The second half of the bowl does get rather strong/pungent, so retrohaling is limited to the first half of the bowl for me. The room note is harsh as well, so this isn't likely to be pleasing to the wife - it's an outside-only blend for me.
I've tried this in briars large and small, and MM cobs large and small, and I notice that there are subtle flavor differences in each. My least favorite was smoking it in the smallish bowl of a Peterson 999 (bent Rhodesian). In briar, this seems to do well in a pipe with a larger chamber. Also, I find that I prefer the taste of Nightcap in a cob - but not just any cob. In a reversal of my briar findings, I think this actually tastes better in a well broken-in MM Legend or Diplomat than in the larger chamber of a Country Gentleman. I can't give scientific reasoning behind this - it's just my personal experience.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find my MM Legend and fill it with some Nightcap.
Pipe Used:
Bones author, Peterson 999, various MM cobs
PurchasedFrom:
The Pipe and Pint (Greensboro, NC)
Age When Smoked:
unknown
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 01, 2018 | Strong | Extremely Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
The tin note upon opening is strong yet pleasant. Earthy, woody tones greet my nose immediately and I am almost intimidated by the complexity. The moisture of the blend borders on the damp side but the ribbon cut is pleasing to the eye and packs well in the bowl. The blend lights easy despite the moisture and at the first draw the flavor is almost overwhelming with organic tones of grass, earth and pine. It is pleasing to the palate with a nutty flavor and just the slightest hint of a peppery spice is present at the end of the draw. Fifteen-minutes into the bowl the strength of the blend becomes evident. This is definitely not the mild aromatics I’m used to. The nic-hit is far stronger than most of the blends I’m accustomed to, but not so much as to be unpleasant. The room note sides to an earthy must, and while it isn’t altogether intolerable, my better half has left the room in favor of escaping the less than subtle aroma. The blend seems to burn moderately quick, and even though I have resigned myself to small sips the bowl has burned down to the dregs about thirty-five to forty minutes after the initial char light. Despite the moisture in the blend I have experienced no gurgle and little moisture is left in the bowl; always a pleasant find when cleaning the pipe after the smoke is finished. I find that the piney organic flavor, melded with a hint of peppery spice has made itself at home in my nose and on the back of my palate long after I have finished the smoke. For this reason I would have to say it is certainly an end of the day blend (hence the name) as it overpowers the flavor of almost anything you should eat or drink afterwards. This is not a blend for the beginner as the nic-hit is stout and the flavor robust; nor is it suited for an all day smoking blend. It is, however delightful nonetheless and I find myself excited at the prospect of enjoying it again very soon so long as my wife will allow it.
Pipe Used:
Peterson XL90 Rock of Cashel
PurchasedFrom:
Tobacco shop
Age When Smoked:
Fresh
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