Peterson Hyde Park

I was quite keen to try Hyde Park given the rumors that it is actually a closeted Lakeland, with experts Gawith, Hoggarth & Co. themselves secretly behind its production, at least at one time. Certainly, it appears very much like what I’d imagine the familiar thick GH flakes would look like after a quick run through the STG shredder and, as with many GH offerings, it is definitely chock-full of unusual flavors that you are absolutely going to love –or hate.

If Hyde Park isn’t officially a Lakeland decendent, the family resemblance is striking. Whereas some have compared Lakeland essence to nana’s perfume, here it manifests more as granddad’s aftershave –less floral, but spicier and slightly alcoholic, but in a way that’s more… Aqua Velva than liquor. And this is the aspect of Hyde Park that might be a deal-breaker for some. I’d never encountered this flavor in a tobacco before, Lakeland or otherwise, but once I got over the initial shock, I sort-of warmed to it and eventually I got to like it. Your enjoyment requires you do the same, as this flavor is present in varying degrees throughout the entire smoke.

Then there is a prominent maple syrup flavor, though it is more complex than overtly sweet, and possesses a certain musty depth, as real maple syrup will (we are not talking about Mrs. Butterworth’s here), and it does well to offset the slight bitterness of the burley. That you can even TASTE the burley is part of the true magic of this blend as, despite all these flavorings, a full tobacco taste still shines through.

Which brings us to the third aspect of Hyde Park that may or may not appeal to you: the tobacco itself. This mixture has a definite cigar note from the first puff to the last. Indeed, this is the most cigar-like blend I have ever smoked, even among those described as cigar-leaf blends specifically. If that’s not your bag, then this is not your mix. Either way, what you will appreciate is its fantastic burn characteristics: slow, very cool, bite-free, and all the while producing voluminous smoke until disappearing completely into pure white ash, like it was never there.

I approached this blend with some trepidation given the many reviews that mention its strength. However, it turned out my fears were unfounded. I like enough nicotine to know I’m smoking something, but not so much that I have to be too mindful of my cadence or need to take a break. While it is quite a full-bodied blend, it always stayed perfectly mellow for me and I’d even consider it somewhat gentle. It’s really no stronger than, say, London Mixture in this regard.

So it this really a 4-star blend? Well… When I first tried Hyde Park, I thought it was reasonably good, but that it probably wouldn’t make it into my regular rotation. That was in summer. But as time went on and the weather cooled, it was a flavor that I thought about more and more. Now that autumn has arrived and latakia-heavy english mixtures should be the order of the day, I find that it’s been Hyde Park that I’ve instead been reaching for. That, perhaps more than anything else, is very high praise indeed. Call me an Aqua Velva man.