Peterson Hyde Park

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.

Excellent blend for Peterson by GH! Toasty Burley, sweet Virginia with a minimal topping, and let us not forget the Lakeland essence. When I popped the lid on this tin which had been in the cabinet for 3 plus years I thought this may be a decent smoke, I was wrong, this is top drawer tobacco! It tends to be more Lakeland forward at the onset with the sweet topping becoming present mid bowl, there on out to the bottom these two taste meld into what for me is a very pleasurable smoking experience. Everyday smoke, possibly, all day smoke, not for me. I do believe it will become a regular smoke for me.

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.

Break seal, open tin, sniff tin... smell sweet rum/maple topping aroma mixed with tobacco... so far, so good & no plastic bag in this tin. Rub out partially broken flake tobacco, dry tobacco, stoke pipe, smoke pipe. A light taste of rum & maple & a slight aromatic essence in the smoke. There are only two basic types of blends... English & aromatic. The writing on the Hyde Park lid states "A traditional English blend". I wouldn't call this a cased aromatic blend with the usual PG humectant infusion, but a topping which was only very lightly applied... enough to create a captivating tin aroma, tame the bitterness of the Burley, detract from the tobacco smell in the room & help take some bite out of the Virginia while adding an extra taste dimension to help make the blend more alluring so one could savor the flavor, buy more, smoke more, cellar more, etc.

This blend bit a little upon the charring light & the initial taste was that of a slightly bitter Burley flavor... nothing unusual. The flavoring was pretty much non-existent initially. I perceived very little aromatic essence in the smoke but there was no strong tobacco smell either. So, if you're preference is for aromatic blends with an alluring or appealing room note, you won't find it in this blend. The topping/casing, whatever, is almost enough to detract from a strong tobacco odor. After about a half dozen good tokes to get a good even burn, I let the pipe sit and cool. I always use this DGT method whenever I smoke. I continued about twenty minutes later & relit after picking & tamping to ensure an even burn. After a few more tokes I could taste a little VA & a little of the sweet flavoring. The bite & most of the initial bitter flavor subsided as the varied leaf & flavoring melded & then I heard a knock on the door. I yelled, "come in"... thought it was one of my friends. It was a lady... Nicotiana Tabacum who said she was from a field on another continent far, far away. She strolled on over, made herself right at home & sat down on my new hat... while it was still on my head.

The Burley flavor remained up front but was tamed down by the other leaf &/or topping in the mixture... but most probably the Virginia infusion. Then, more of a detectable flavor from the rum/maple sugar infusion about half way through the bowl. I liked this blend because it is not overly cased & only slightly infused with a flavoring that helped to make this strong tobacco taste milder & smell better & one will notice the nicotine blast early on... it's a fairly strong blend. I don't inhale pipe tobacco whether it be strong, mild or especially if it is cased with a Propylene Glycol humectant. I tend to stay away from those blends but enjoy a good flavored tobacco... like this one & others like Stonehenge Flake with its tasty cocoa flavor, St. Bruno Flake with its alluring floral/fruit flavor or Marlin Flake, University Flake with its plum flavor, etc. This is another fine offering of Peterson blends & I would purchase this one again. If you like good, strong fairly sweet VA/Burs with a mild, tasty flavoring, this will not be $$ down the drain. Four stars without reservation.

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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.

These is the first of two tins, bought in Mannheim DE during May this year. One first tin (bought in Italy at EUR. 23.50 !) I did smoke one year ago, and that was – in my rememberings – a bit more scented that this new, and the inner packing was a nylon bag (now it’s the usual paper lining with carton lid).

This is a good VaBur blend, having just the mild application of a Lakeland scent.

For this product, said to be produced by Gawith & Hoggarth on behalf of Peterson, I fully subscribe the esteemed JimInks’ review, go reading that. I just add a slight different opinion on the strenght which I place at the medium-to-strong mark.

Not an all day smoke, but pleasant and to be repeated. Three full stars.

Hyde Park is an aromatic, yes, but it has character that is typical of G & H's Kendal offerings: strength. The tobacco is a long Ribbon-Cut with some long Flakes. Leaf composition mixes shades of medium and dark brown. The tin aroma confirms a Lakeland tobacco that releases a defined maple aroma that is not too pronounced. As it came fairly moist, I let it be for about a week after opening, before considering smoking it. Even if still rather moist, it dries quickly to an appropriate level once out of the tin. Lighting up is very easy and it does not require numerous relightings afterwards. What we have in HP is a solid and pleasant mixture of Virginias and Burleys completed with a nice maple flavouring that is quite present but does not overtake the tobacco taste. In fact, it smooths out the strong character of the Dark Fired leaf. Because of its composition, HP is not a complex smoke that develops a myriad of flavours throughout the pipeful: the Dark Fired leaf leads and has a slight smoky edge. There are no surprises, if for the maple casing that mellows down and brings a beautiful twist to a mixture that would be, otherwise, prone to potentially become a bit harsh because of its strength. Recommended for the smoker enjoying strength and nicotine that is seeking a quality aromatic.

In light of what my thoughts of Peterson aromatics are, I was surprised that this offering is quite good. Everything comes together nicely to form a very good blend. It lights easily enough and stays lit with hardly any work at all. It burns down to a nice ash at the bottom of the bowl. It has a middle of the road nicotine content that satisfies without going overboard. The moisture content on the popping of the tin is just right for me, YMMV. All in all, a very good blend. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to make steps towards more English blends.

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.