Esoterica Tobacciana Pembroke

Man oh man. I love cognac, I love english tobacco, I love Pembroke.

Smelling like it does right out of the tin, I personally was reminded of a strong cheese or alcohol. I personally lean towards bleu cheese when talking about this blend, as that is the kind of decadence that I'm trying alluding to.

Right out of the tin, it comes a bit wet. Whether you dry it or not doesn't really matter, it is a fantastic smoke either way. If you leave it wet, it tends to be a bit hard to light, but once lit it effortlessly stays lit. If you choose to dry it out, you will be rewarded with a very pleasant smoke as well. Either way, it is a tasty dry smoke. I prefer it a bit moist, as the flavor really shines through.

Although the description classifies this one as a broken flake, it really is a fine ribbon. Despite this, it burns slowly and evenly.

The cognac casing isn't overpowering at all, but rather accents the latakia and virginia, which in turn complement each other well. At the beginning, the cognac is right at the forefront, then takes the backseat to the tobacco. If smoked in a large-bowl pipe, the lucky smoker may have the cognac come back to greet him towards the end of his bowl. Needless to say, there is a lot of flavor development going on here.

I never had to relight this one because it went out, I only re-lit once for some thicker smoke, but that really wasn't necessary. I smoked this blend first in my big calabash, but I'm slowly sampling it in other pipes. If you really want to treat yourself, try this one in a large-bowl pipe.

I have both a new tin and a 5 year old tin and I've found agin it changes it though not for the better or worse, just different. Aging mellows out the blend a bit but I enjoy the new batch version just as much as I enjoy the aged version.

Tin Opening - Opening the tin reveals a mottled string cut blend, that over time has merged the colors slightly. With the 5 year old tin, the familiar Pembroke aroma is still there though mellowed.

Packing - Packs well in all pipes I?ve tried it in.

Lighting - Two matches and a tamp.

First Impression - The first few puffs release a pleasing English/cognac aroma and the taste is complex without being confusing. It?s rich without being heavy and full without being overwhelming.

Mid Bowl - Down through the bowl, the flavor remains and though its complexity fades, for me into something comfortable. Each puff makes me want the next for the simple pleasure of this blend. I find no tendency to smoke wet or hot. At five years, it?s mellower then a new batch. It is neither better nor worse, just different.

Finish-Finishes stronger with the cognac having been burned away though the quality of the blend shows through, keeping you going for the pure tobacco taste of the blend. It smokes very cleanly with a grey ash.

Over all-My favorite English blend. It is Margate plus and unlike most blends with a topping, this topping actually enhances and improves the blend rather then masking it or detracting from it. I don't know what Cognac they use to top it but I wouldn't be surprized if it was specifically developed for this blend rather than for drinking. I am normally not a fan of liquor top tobacco but this one hits the mark better then anything else I've ever tried. A true pleasure!

Some shy away from blends topped with spirits, but I find it makes a wonderful combination in many cases ... and this is one of my favorites. This blend really shines when allowed to age for a couple of years. The Cognac just seems to marry all the different tobaccos together, the result being something much better than the sum of the parts.

Just opened an 8 ounce golden pouch of this stuff. Margate with cognac? I am not so convinced. The tin note has familiarities closer to And So To Bed if you ask me. The anise/clove type topping I get on ASTB is very much present in this blend. Margate boats a little more smokey, leathery latakia nose than Pembroke does. This is sweet, mildly smokey, and very liquorish with the cognac. Tobacco arrived moister than an oyster. Intoxicatingly boozy, the first bowl smoked slow, and I got a little excited and started puffin away and she bit me a little. However I don’t blame the tobacco, it was clearly user error.

I set the cob down and came back 20 minutes later and sparked back up...BOOM!!! Pembroke took off! Smoke, leather, anise, clove, incense, spice, cinnamon, even an almond extract type caramel flavor started partying on my pallet. Second bowl was in a bings fav. I let it aerate for 12 minutes and then packed up. Expecting to take my time, I sat under a big leaf maple tree and launched the smoke. Truly delicious, so many flavors without being convoluted. Each one dancing in concert with the other. Bowl smoked down to a fine grey ash and easily tapped out of my pipe. A great great smoke.

Pembroke will be a special treat tobacco for me. I was lucky to get a half pound, and I am hoping to enjoy it on occasion over the next few clicks. It is in the vein of Frog Morton’s Cellar as in a superb English with unique delicious toppings. However it is most definitely different than FMC. A crossover English/aromatic for sure. I could smoke this all day, but I my waters would run dry far too quickly before the next drop.

2021-06-18 (Update)

Pembroke was my first review on Smoking Pipes. When I got my first bag in 2018, I jarred some up and managed to forget about it in the bottom of the jar cellar tote. I was reorganizing recently and pulled it out, now with 3 years of age on it.

The topping is still very noticeable in the jar and in the smoke. It adds a really nice sweetness on top of the smokiness of the tobaccos under it. The shag cut burns well in my Radiators with their tall bowls and also in my Canadians It's easy to pack and once going smolders really nicely without any bite.

In the 2021 world of pipe tobaccos.. Pembroke is one of the few Esoterica blends which tends to be at least semi-available during drops. I recommend that you try a tin if you get a chance.

------ Original 2018 review ----

Pembroke was my entry into the mysterious world of Esoterica. When i got back into pipe smoking, found all the pipe smokers on Instagram and Facebook everyone was talking about Esoterica. I was surprised when I visited my local B&M and they actually had a few tins on the shelf. I picked up a tin of Margate and also Pembroke.

I discovered English tobaccos through a great if heavy latakia based house blend. When I tried my first bowl of Pembroke I really enjoyed it.

The cognac finish gives the blend a wonderful compliment to the smokiness of the typical English. This has become a favorite in my rotation and I've stocked up on it whenever I get a chance to find a bag.

The shag cut packs really easily and burns very well in a variety of pipes. It always burns well and leaves just a grey ash in the end of the bowl.

I agree with "tslots" in pointing out that this blend really shines when allowed to age for a couple of years. I tried it right after buying an 8 oz. bag and was not impressed. My reaction was, where is the beef? But, as many reviewers have remarked, pipe tobacco is a chameleon and tends to get better with age. I resealed the bag with staples and put it away for 3 years. Today I reopened it and what a difference! I smoked two ample and delightful bowls. The tobacco was quite dry and burned great. It did remind me of Margate, maybe a little softer and more delicate but very similar. This time I only resealed the bag with a paper clip as I will no doubt return to it soon. This type of blend is right in my comfort zone. I like the shaggy cut, the exotic oriental character without too much latakia, and the low nicotine content.

A remarkably smooth and creamy smoke. All tobaccos perfectly married. Pembroke is unlike any American or Danish crossover that I have tried in taste and mouth feel. Unlike a few reviewers I could not make it bite despite the shag cut. Agree with observations of review of DrumsAndBeer. I keep it as a delightful change of pace.

I'll admit at the outset I do not have a sophisticated palate. I'm not a big fan of English blends (anticipating having to dodge incoming flak as I type those words) because latakia generally overwhelms all the other flavors. Aromatic blends have great room note but they usually taste as though a wad of cheap incense has been crammed into a pipe. I like cavendish if the casing isn't overpowering. I've been searching for somethng like Pembroke for decades. The cognac topping is subtle. The blend is balanced such that not any one type of tobacco in the blend is dominant. It is a bit moist right out of the tin as some have said but (no offense intended) I can't understand the uproar. If a tobacco is too wet, fluff it and let it set for a while. If it is too dry, throw it into a jar and toss a humidifying ceramic plug or even a moistened piece of chalk in with it.

This might be a good blend for someone wanting to transition from aros to English blends. It is an excellent English blend that is very subtly enhanced by the cognac. I recommend this blend as a late night treat along with a tumbler of excellent bourbon or snifter of brandy. It's one of my favorites. Great stuff!!

puff puff yum puff puff yummy repeat.

for those obsessed like me about penzance and the like this is a reasonable substitute while they're out of stock!

the cognac casing is not noticeable immediately, but be patient and relax and it folds into the palette nicely. It tastes a little like margate mixed with penzance with a top flavor of cognac(ish)

a little mottled flake mixed with broken ribbons packs a little haphazard but a womans tamp is all you need and then top it off with another pinch and give it a mans tamp and light.

i expected a false light with this one but one light is all it took.

i got nice creamy smoke. a little light feeling in the mouth but the way it filled the room proved nice and thick. this one passes the smoke ring test. not the thickest smoke but still pleasant.

nice aroma and flavor for the latakia lover.

i tend to smoke good tobacco like a fish gasping for water on a boat deck, and thats how i went after this blend from start to finish.