Esoterica Tobacciana Penzance

Ah... Penzance. Enlist me among the many who had to take time to comprehend and appreciate this blend. At first I didn't get it and now I do BUT!!!!! with the following proviso:

With over 300 reviews I think almost every opinion has been covered regarding this blends taste, aroma, and quality. I would therefore like to address this review based on consistency.

My education with Penzance began with a few 2005 tins and as previously stated, I didn't get it at first. All the hoopla and admiration was a mystery to me. As time and more bowls passed I hopped onto the band wagon and welcomed this blend to my regular rotation.

When the 2005 tins were history I scored a few of the most recently available vintage. HORRORS! It was truly awful. A one dimensional, musty and rank catastrophe that was as much alike to the 2005 blend as Balkan Sobranie is to Amphora Red. Was this possible? Not even the age of my older stash could explain such inconsistency. Into the garbage it went and my search began for older issues of this blend.

The tobacco gods then smiled down and allowed me to locate a stash of tins which were made prior to the "Butera" label change which I understand began sometime around 1996.

This batch has provided me with some of the most heavenly smoking experiences I've ever encountered. Surely this was the Penzance which at first earned it's reputation. One of the finest tobaccos I've ever smoked.

As Penzance is very difficult to obtain, many of us will snatch up as many tins as they can find when located.

Accordingly, the purpose of my review is one of caveat emptor for this blend. Before buying a dozen tins you've miraculously found, make sure you've sampled one tin of the vintage involved as you could possibly be in for a big smoking and financial disappointment.

Newer vintages: one star. Older vintages: Hall of Fame nominee IMHO.

You've been warned.

I paid way too much for an 8 ounce bag of this because of the insane hype surrounding it. It is very moist and needs to be crumbled and allowed to dry for about 30 minutes before packing it in a small (think Dunhill group 2) pipe. If you rub it out too much it turns into wet dust, and then it packs so tightly it becomes impossible to keep lit. If you tamp too much or smoke it too moist, you end up with an impossible to keep lit soggy mess at the bottom of your bowl that ends up tasting nasty. When properly dried and packed, however, you end up with a nice English blend with a great Latakia punch that is best described as "round" and "creamy" on the tongue (no bite). I also like mixing a little of this with some drier tobacco for a little Latakia spice that slows down the burn of a drier tobacco (try it with some "And So To Bed", which tends to dry out quickly). While I find it a delicious and refined blend, it is not worth the insane hype that surrounds it.

I have to agree that this is not a Lat-bomb, as the other orientals form a nice background, but the Latakia is (for me) the primary player and I prefer mixtures where it's more in the background as well. For what it is, it's excellent, but since I know there are many tobaccos out there I would rate a 4, the question arises would I rebuy this particular tobacco, assuming my tastes don't change much more. In this case, the answer is no.

I finally had a tin of this legendary blend. I loved the flake cut and the required crumbling. It's a real classic touch to the smoking experience. Esoterica blends have one of the most intriguing tin bouquets. I smell a strong note that I keep identifying as olive. To date, this is the only Esoterica blend that I enjoyed. The smoking flavor is on the medium to full side. It lights up with a very creamy soft flavor but then about mid bowl develops a nice nutty, musky, complex. Almost peppery, as if it had perique in it. The latakia remained ever present. I wouldn't call this a lat bomb as many others have. The lat content is rather well managed compared to several other popular blends. This is a great evening smoke. I have to say that many other blends in this genre are just as good though not as unique in flavor. That strange olive note comes through in the smoke and sets it apart. I wouldn't say it makes it better, just very distinct in taste. I guess that makes for all the fuss.

Update: Mr Big - very interesting point you made. Reading the entire forum revealed 7 other iodine call outs, starting with reviewer Loosewatches back in July 2006. I too had a hard time placing that scent. I ended up landing on Olives. Curiously they have a fair amount of Iodine that occurs naturally. I did a smell test and there is a similarity between the antiseptic and the tin. Several other Esoterica blends have that same iodine scent as a noticeable component of the tin bouquet. As I mentioned, this is the only one where it comes through in the smoke for me. That unique taste is what drives the fuss for this blend. It sets it apart in flavor from other blends in the genre.

Penzance is a wonderful blend that I tend to smoke more in the fall than in any other time of year. It has a wonderfully deep flavor with a nice thick body to it. I would say not to try to smoke this blend to fast. It always wants to burn nice and slow at its own pace for me and if I try to speed it up I lose the flavor quickly. This blend sometimes requires more relights than others due to its cut and crumbly nature. The only bad thing I can say is after a day or two in your pouch the flake will have fully crumbled, but who cares right? As it seems nigh impossible to obtain these days I am very happy to have 8 ozs cellared away and two more tins for ready smoking.

Can be very wet out of the tin/8oz bag and requires some drying.

Very smooth, very deep and very latakia. Not the holy grail, I can assure you, but worth a few tins if you have the chance.

Probably one of the most beloved tobaccos available today, if you call its current status available. I have one tin opened and 9 unopened tins from '07 in my cellar. This opened tin has been "breathing" for a month or so now. It's not my first go-round with this esteemed blend.

I don't mind the presentation, a "krumble kake". I've found it's best not to let it get too dry even though it always seems wetter than I prefer my tobacco. It loads and lights easy. The burn is very good and rarely needs relights.

The tin aroma is smokey and its appearance is predominantly dark, black in fact with some light strands here and there. Its flavors consist of a campfire-like background with some spice on the nose which I like. It's sometimes buttery, sometimes bitter, but rarely sweet. The latakia seems in just about the correct proportion to not overpower the Orientals which dominate the flavor. If there's Virginia in Penzance I can't taste them.

I can see why this is such a popular blend and everyone should try it at least once. For some reason, perhaps its lack of nicotine (in a word, wimpy) or its lack of sweetness, I have never been able to get excited about Penzance. I like what's there, but it's missing something important to me. Still, I have to recommend it. It's got a lot of good qualities including the high quality leaf it's composed of. You could do a lot worse.

Original review 12/27/2010: I just don't get this one. The most beautiful tin presentation you'll ever see, but thats where the good ends for me.

I've tried this MANY times over the past 6 years. Each time saying to myself, now I'll get it.

This has a very bitter taste to it. It may, it must, be me because of the huge following it has. It smells as though it has been topped with something- not a perfume, flowery scent or fruit, just something.

This is probably my sixth tin tried and can't reach the middle of the tin, again. I really don't believe it's the Oriental/Turkish turning me off, and I love Latakia. Whatever it is I can't put my finger on, again.

I do recommend you to try, because I am in the minority, but in a word- bitter. Not a good bitter some Turkish leaves have, but a something is in this bitter.

Addendum 6/7/2011: well, I didn't give up! Getting used to this, found for me it worked in a Dunhill group 3 prince. Dark, Still somewhat bitter, but getting towards a good bitter. Have let this sit in a jar past 6 months and to me it has helped. Upgrading from ** to ***.

This is most assuredly a gourmet tobacco, hands down. A friend gifted me a tin, and I've had it for about 3 months now. I love the style of the tin, and I love how the tobacco looks when you open it up. All of the flakes pressed together in little cakes communicate to me that this it is quite special and not to be taken for granted.

Room note is quite nice and even my mother, who abhors tobacco, commented that it smells pretty good.

The smoking experience itself demands that one takes their time when enjoying it. For the best experience, make sure you rub out the cakes. Then lightly fill your pipe with just a slight amount of tamping, but not too much! It does take a little bit of effort to light as it is somewhat moist, and I usually have to do one or two relights while I'm smoking the bowl, but all and all, it's worth it. I actually like how my fingers smell after rubbing it out.

Penzance brings back a lot of memories for me. I don't know if my grandfather ever smoked it, but it's aroma always reminds me of him. That in itself is a compliment as he passed away when I was six.

The one regret that I have with this tobacco is that it seems to be lacking in the vitamin N department. As such, this is not an every day smoke for me, and only one that I smoke on special occasions. Thus, even though I really enjoy the experience Penzance provides, I'm forced to rate it three stars. However on my scale, it scores a 7.

I do highly recommend this blend and will be purchasing another tin or two when I finish with this one.