Esoterica Tobacciana Penzance

Normally I would have shied away from a slice like this one, as it reminded me too much of Bengal Slices, a smoke that eventually wore thin on me. However, the sheer number of raves piqued, and I went ahead and got a tin. I must admit, I liked the smoke, a heavy dose of latakia laced aroma, that settled into a wonderful balance that made me savor it down to the dottle, which was as clean burning as I've ever experienced. I can't add much more to what's been said, it's a fine medium English, I didn't bother to try and rub the slices, I just pinched what I wanted from the top with a thumb and forefinger and that worked just fine. I'm going to alternate it with Old Ironsides as the smoke that I smoke after dinner and end the day with. A real find.

This is very good and I can not realy add much to the other reviews(positive ones). This is a good smoke for when I want a good dose of latakia. Some blends that have very high doses of latakia are only occasionally enjoyable to me, this however has a large dose of latakia and is more regularly enjoyable to me. This is full in flavor, creamy and just plain good! I highly recommend this to latakia lovers.

Penzance Esoterica Tobacco This cross-cut English Flake is a wonderful complex recipe of the finest Virginias, choice Turkish and Orientals and Cyprian Latakia. Hand blended, hard pressed, broad cut into thick flakes. Long matured and easily crumbled.It Smoker cool full bodied yet remarkably gentle no tongue bite. The Room Note Aroma was typical Latakia/ English. Penzance is one of my favourite English tobaccos.English blend from Esoterica. in the Tin or Bulk came as mostly crumbled cake. I would call truly outstanding. It is full and rich enough to satisfy just about any English blend smoker. I give it 4 Star . I smoke this regularly, and it is definitly my favorite . Sometime a all day Smoke. if you like English Tobacco you have to get some to try

January 2004. Penzance. 'Perfection'Yes,I use the word perfection and I mean it totally! This is definitely the answer for those seeking a fully excellent tasting English or Balkan related tobacco.To me,its just as good as Balkan Sobranie,yet-smoother. I was greatly impressed with Margate,but I honestly think this is just as good,or maybe even better. The flavour of the virginias,turkish,orientals and cyprian latakia,are perfectly synchronised. Very easy to light,leaving a nice white grey ash. Every bowl is a true,pure delight and totally completely delicious. 10+ out of 10. And if you don't like it,please post it to me!

Penzance was my first experience with cake. There is a special intensity from the compressed tobacco and the burn qualities are remarkable particularly in a latakia laden blend like Penzance. I detect a chocolate-like quality in this blend that keeps me coming back for more.I'm not talking ground up hershey bars or synthetic casing but rather a subtle note like fine Belgian chocolate. If you own any G size pipes and have an hour and a half of solitude ahead of you(or solitary confinement for that matter)try this one.

True english sliced crumble cake. This is english pipe tobacco at it's best. Earthy,smokey,sweet background,nutty,genuine leather aroma.This is not for the part time english tobacco smokers,for it is high calibre. If you are not in to good Turkish,Virginia,Cyprian Latakia,and in the highest quality,pass it by.As for me and my pipes, we shall enjoy this most wonderful and relaxing leaf. It's great with single malt Scotch Whisky,or even coffee.

Well. I find myself in a bit of a pickle. I'm sitting in a hotel in Taichung City, Taiwan. The job I came to Taiwan to begin does not, in fact, exist, and the four other jobs I've looked at haven't panned out. So. No job, all alone, about ten thousand kilometres from home.

I do, however, have a tin of Penzance and a wonderful Parker billiard.

All is not lost.

Good stuff, this.

This is what a hand-made high-quality English blend is supposed to be. Rich yet soft and elegant, full without being harsh, deliciously smokey aroma, etc., etc., etc. This is what civilized pipe smoking is all about.

Fill up a nice oil-cured English briar with Penzance, give it some fire, settle back and relax. Life is so very good.

Ah, Penzance... Where to begin?

The first thing one will notice about Penzance is the form and appearance - a dark, oily flake with flecks of brown and gold. The flakes do not so much rub out into ribbons as crumble. Care must be taken not to rub this tobacco out too finely, and to load the pipe with a light touch. Otherwise, you end up with a densely-packed, wet hunk of steaming, smoldering evil in your pipe. Rough-rubbed and lightly packed is the way to go for a satisfying Penzance smoke.

Very shortly after taking the flakes in with your eyes, you'll experience them with your nose. This blend is heavy on the Latakia, so much so that I use Penzance as a condiment tobacco in its own right and blend it with straight VA's to create milder and medium-bodied English mixtures. A hint of Virginia tang comes through in the smell.

Upon lighting, it's the Latakia that thunders to the fore. Oriental and Virginia flavors take up supporting parts, but it's the Cyprian leaf that demands your attention. Room note reflects this, and my wife refers to this tobacco as "The Wife-Beater". It does have a tendancy to smoke very wet if over-rubbed and over-packed.

If you like strong English mixtures, you will love Penzance. Treat it gently, and it will reward you with a very gratifying smoke.