Peterson Hyde Park

Preparation & Burn: 8/10 It packs easily like ribbon cut. No drying required. Burns cool and at a nice pace.

Taste: 8/20 Slightly lakeland but loses that topping with age. Becomes a bit harsh.

Mildness: 6/10 My idea of a good smoke is a relaxing, low nicotine session. Therefore, the milder the better. Not too much nicotine.

Total: 22/40

Update: 03/27/2023 Sadly speaking the formula and the cut changed. This blend was very similar to gawith rum flake but ready rubbed. Now its a ribbon cut and share none of the similarites, it is a creature on its on now and it is enjoyable but it lacks the lakeland effect and that enjoyable rum maple taste.

Broken flake is the cut, traditional gawith and hogarth presentation in plastic bag inside the metal tins, however the new batch comes in normal paper wrapping. It has that floral essence but nothing like erndale or other heavy lakeland blends. The components are very similar to rum flake by G&H, but its not identical, neither in aroma nor in taste. This seem to be less sweet and slightly stronger. Although you can dry it but it can smoke right from the tin. Room note is not very offensive but not an aromatic quality either. Taste like rum coockies that has been charred. Love the stuff but its not for every one. Its one of those love or hate kinda blends but if you like G&H offerings you will appreciate this one.

Neither an aromatic nor a straight smoking tobacco, this is difficult to pigeonhole as it doesn't do either job particularly well.

Positives, the casing is pleasent when it's detectable, the room note is consistently good. It lights well and requires very few relights. The nic-hit is good and it burns cool and clean.

Negatives, it's very damp when first opened, I can only describe the tin note as reminiscent of HP Brown sauce, the rum seems to have left entirely. It leaves a fair to middling amount of moisture in the bowl.

In all honesty this is a blend I probably won't buy again, it's not unpleasant but it's not as good as some other blends by Peterson.

Sorry not one of my favourites by a long chalk, the tin aroma was quite strong and the cut was good, humidity fine but the topping got me, the Virginia's are barely noticeable but the burley comes through to help as best it can, I think my tin must have been drenched in the rum and maple flavouring and possibly something else, had a somewhat sour note and cloying sweetness which I didn't find pleasant, I think I will finish the tin, but I'll be in no hurry to. I've taken the label off to fool myself at a later date into thinking it might be an OK smoke. Modest vitamin N and relatively dry finish.

Hyde Park is a surprising blend in many ways. The plastic bag instead of paper, the tightly packed mid brown ready rubbed with one of the most genuine rum and maple scents out of the tin. Then, with char- and true light, I get a floral (Lakeland?), soapy aroma, remotely sweet and very different from first impressions. I do not like those floral/soapy notes in general, but here it appears in rather supporting, pleasing and very subtle intensity.

High quality tobaccos dominate at all times. There is a slight reminiscence to a mild cigar that I get sporadically and that may be linked to smoking temperature. The Burley in this provides considerable backbone to the mix, makes it robust, satisfying and full. Potent stuff indeed, especially when you're expecting an aromatic.

In my opinion Hyde Park is a love or hate blend that is interesting, unique and refreshingly different from the mainstream. At the same time a must try for (experienced) Burley lovers. I will enjoy the rest of my tin, although it is actually not my cup of tea.

As a relative newbie to pipe smoking, and becoming aware of the vast array of potential tobacco styles, never mind individual blends, available, I have been in exploratory mode. Hyde Park piqued my interest. First off, I am born and bred a Londoner and worked in Victoria not far from Hyde Park for many years before emigrating to Toronto, so the name evoked a good feeling in me. Secondly, the description seemed fairly unique (it seemed to be a bit of everything), and third, it got stellar reviews on this site. Unfortunately, it has not been good to me so far. A complex, solid, heavy and very pleasant pouch aroma could be tasted in the first few puffs after lighting but then, for me, the developing niceness was obliterated by what I can only describe as a chemical wave right across my mouth, in the back of my throat and throughout my nasal passages. I understand this may be caused by the smoke becoming "alkaline", and that this can be the result of either a tobacco being low in sugar or burning too hot - and now I think of it, this tobacco can be a struggle to stay lit which requires me to puff hard and that gets it going too hot? Aand the puffing would also cause the generation of hot steam, exacerbating the issue. So A solution may be to use the biggest bowl I can find and take real care to sip the smoke. I will try that and repost if it works but for now, this one gets a thumbs down from me.

A quality, slow and cooler burning tobacco that grew on me by the third or fourth bowl, but not enough to win me over.

The Virginia leaf is nuanced and complemented nicely by the burley. It makes for a good combo, for experienced smokers. The maple and rum sugars are hard to notice. It's a pretty straight forward tobacco. Not deep or complex, it disappoints after the first third of the bowl in that it becomes bitter, bitey and harsh, and ashy quicker than most "English blends." (I still don't know what constitutes an English blend, but I'll trust marketing on this one.)

It's worth trying but it won't make my starting rotation and I likely won't buy a second tin. I wanted to like this blend given the apparent quality of the cut of the tobacco. It looks as good as any tinned leaf I've seen.

For reference, my current rotation consists of Comptons York Full, Dunhill Flake, Dunhill EMP, Dunhill 965, GLP Odyssey, GLP Hados Delight, Lane 1Q/BCA 50/50.

The room note received a thumbs up from my wife.

A very strange blend. Claims to be an English, yet not only advertises the use of casings and flavors other than the tobacco itself but also seems to lack components common to English blends. Very strange indeed. Very moist in the tin, so I'd recommend letting it dry out in the open for a few hours. A hearty smoke. Very full taste and decent nicotine content. Flavor is subtle, yet unmistakable. A very slight sweetness is present in each puff, but overall not the tastiest tobacco I've ever had. Hyde Park can be a bit overwhelming if you forget yourself. Room note will be tolerable to those who are used to the scent of tobacco, but don't expect the wife or girlfriend to take too kindly to this one gents... I recommend this to those of you who are looking to diversify your rotation. However, I cannot in good taste recommend this as a steady blend or go-to tobacco. Cheers!

Sitting here outside reading the reviews of this tobacco as I smoke it, I'm wondering if some people have been smoking the same tobacco as I am. Where is the maple taste they talk about? Yes I get a rum flavour, a cheap one at that, bitterness and earthiness from the Burley, but at no time do I taste any sweetness and yes there is a peppery tingle to this. This tin just opened has about two years of age to it and its perfect to smoke, and its burning nicely with one light to a fine grey ash.

Am I enjoying it, well I'm finding it a little harsh and acidic at the moment but will continue to smoke the tin as costs of tobacco in Australia are ridiculous. Would I buy it again, I think not but taste is subjective and what I like someone else would hate and vice and versa. To those out there trying different tobaccos have fun and make your own mind up.