G. L. Pease Navigator

Summary: a Virginia flake with a richer, broader taste owing to the presence of Dark Fired Burley somewhat muted by a rum topping.

Opening the tin, one smells the salty olive scent that rum forms when interacting with tobacco. "Navigator" comes as a loose flake in the American style and not the boardlike UK flake form. The darker Virginia flavors predominate, with an underlying sweetness from the lighter Virginias, combining with the dark fired Burley to form a molasses or maple syrup type of flavor. The rum seems to take the edge off the dark fired leaf but burns off quickly, and once the blend caramelizes after the first fifth of a bowl, the simple but satisfying flavor of a Virginia-Burley blend comes through. It smokes easily and delivers sweetness without the "breakfast cereal" effect of more ragged Virginia blends, and with moderate nicotine, would make a comfortable all-day smoke.

GL Pease Navigator

First third: Sweet and smoked in that order. Virginia’s come out on top, easy and sweet, with the strong and savory dark fired Kentucky adding body and boldness. Only the suggestion of rum, right on the back of the retrohale.

Second third: burning a little hot, but not unpleasantly. Still predominantly Virginia. The dark fired tastes like smoked and peppered meat, and the Virginia is a honey and red wine vinegar marinade. Still not much from the rum.

Final third: quite hot now. Not a ton of flavor detected except some light and airy Virginia notes.

Overall, it was pleasant but not superb. If you’re looking for a full flavor blend that won’t kill you, I would recommend it, but be sure to puff slowly to avoid the issue I had in the final third.

Might be my favorite Pease blend. And I love several of them (Haddo's, Union Square et al). But this one is just exceptional. Now, its basically a strong Virginias with a touch of Kentucky. Added to this is a splash of Rum. It reminds me, philosophically if you like, to some of the Gawith-Hoggarth flakes and cut plugs. it is a strong nicotine blend...same as, say, Bosun Cut Plug but not quite up to Dark Birds Eye or irish flake by peterson. But it IS pretty potent. The flavor is rich and powerful. The rum works in this better than any blend I can think of featuring a rum or brandy addition. Its perfect. I like Blockade Runner by C&D, but this is better (BR has a more noticeable rum taste). No offense to the guys at cornell and diehl (who make this anyway), but Pease really found something with this blend IMHO. Its an old school smoke, not an all day smoke but an every night smoke for sure. I love it. The rum makes one salivate and the spicy fire cured leaf and rich virginias (a lot of red in here Id guess) create a really entrancing smoke. Also one of the coolest smokes you'll find anywhere.

Navigator: yet another C&D-produced Va/Bur mix with Kentucky and some liquor shoehorned in to try to give it flavor. It's a tastebud assault, but less of a failure than Sixpence. Smoke it as a stout Navy Flake with lots of Kentucky for strength.

The VAs aren't going to contribute much here, other than filler.

Hopefully we're past the worst excesses of Kentucky as a fad leaf, and folks can stop putting it in blends where it doesn't belong.

A nice VA Burley blend loaded with flavor. I chose to put these large cut flakes in my blender and break them down to a nice packing ribbon. The tobacco is thick and didn't light easy at first but after changing it's cut... good to go.

This is a serious blend for the veteran smoker (and sailors) and not for the weak. I did grow tired of it's harshness at times and pushed it aside and visited it on days when I wanted that extra umphhh.. The rum adds to the heaviness of the blend.

Not sweet and tasty but warm and hearty and dry. I enjoyed the tin good enough but wouldn't buy it again. Recommended when you want the fullness of tobacco!

I like this blend a lot! Flakes do not stay together enough for a fold and stuff method. But, it is nice and strong and I'm a nicotine lover. I like rum, but maybe a different rum would help? I would try aging this.

I had high hopes for this blend, but they were sunk by the twins torpedoes of (1) kentucky burley and (2) hot virginias. Burley, unless used very sparingly, (definitely not the case here) often brings down a blend and gives it a plebeian touch. It is a strong filler, to be sure -- more nicotine and rough smoke than cavendish, but a filler nonetheless. At least that's what it feels like here. Add to that the fact that the virginias burn hot, and there you go: this navigator is going nowhere fast... s.o.s.!

This is one of Greg's blends which puzzles somehow, at least myself... The tin aroma is that of deep smoked Black Forest ham with rum... nothing wrong with that, wherby the rum dissipates swiftly.

The tobacco taste is overall strong, but "flat", somewhat reminiscent to 'JackKnife', but far off playing in this league. Sweetish, earthy and somewhat "peaty" is the first presentation, but moving in yet unknown direction, overall with quite "premature" taste: strong but blunt at the same time... just "smokily"...

I've bought 2 tins, one for immediate smoke, the other one for the "cellar". 2.5 points for the time being...

This smoke was simply a pleasure. I broke and loaded and just sipped. Low maintenance is the best thing. Just the right amount of flavor and strength. My wife and I rode 25 miles in the car - she never said anything!