G. L. Pease Cairo
(3.11)
Cairo is a wonderfully complex mixture of red, orange and bright Virginia tobaccos, exotic Oriental leaf, and just a whisper of perique. The flavor is naturally sweet, slightly nutty, delicately spicy and rich. Subtle citrus-like notes harmoniously support the more robust flavors of the darker Virginias. A medium bodied tobacco with a delicate aroma, Cairo will satisfy Virginia lovers and the connoisseur of Oriental mixtures alike.
Notes: From GL Pease: Cairo is one of my favorite cities in the near-East, perhaps even the world. When I was there, the energy of the place inspired me in ways I'd never imagined. This tobacco has a distinctly Oriental character, reminiscent of the spice markets in the bazaar. What else could I call it?
Cairo was introduced in March, 2000
Details
| Brand | G. L. Pease |
| Series | Original Mixtures |
| Blended By | Gregory Pease |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | Oriental |
| Contents | Oriental/Turkish, Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 2 ounce tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Pleasant to Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.11 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 11 - 19 of 19 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 12, 2010 | Medium | Extremely Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
If this review was only based upon the quality of the tobacco leaf, Cairo would get four stars. This blend reminded me very much of Cornell & Diehl's 068:Epiphany (minus latakia) in the color of the tobacco in the tin, flavor and burning qualities, and in the creeper kick at the end. If you like Epiphany, you will love Cairo.
The GOOD: Upon opening the tin, the aroma of the tobacco is quite pleasing. A slight hint of that "ketchupy" note associated with MacBaren's blends, but very slight. I believe that note is common with all fine, unadulterated Virginias. The appearance of the tobacco is nothing like the photo above. The first thing you'll say when you first see the tobacco in the tin and pinch it between your fingers is "Whoa! There are some big honkin' pieces of leaf in there." It looks like they broke off pieces of leaf hanging in the barn to dry, and crammed them in the tin.
A reviewer below suggested using a small-bowled pipe. No way. This stuff is just too big. And it is beautiful. Mostly large, light golden blond pieces with some darker golden browns. It seems to be overly dry, but that is an illusion. It packs very nicely into a larger diameter bowl, and lights and smokes better than any tobacco I have tried. (But I do recommend only loading your bowl no more than one-third full, and not attempt to smoke a whole bowl, as I will explain below.) The first few puffs are pleasurable, and the flavor stays consistent to the end - no bite - although about halfway through it gets spicier and starts tasting and smelling more and more like a cigar rather than a pipe.
The BAD: After the first few initial puffs, you realize that this stuff starts tasting like a cheap, robust strength cigar. But the stuff burns so well, and bite-free, you keep smoking it. Towards the end, you notice things getting stronger, and then it hits you unexpectedly - WHAM! A powerful nicotene kick. Queasiness. Nausea. Luckily, I had not eaten for a few hours, otherwise I'd have puked for sure. Whatever you do, don't smoke this stuff indoors.
If you smoke in your car, make sure the windows are rolled down. The second-hand smoke only adds to the queasiness and nicotene intoxication. And, your clothes, your hair, your hands, and your pipe will smell strongly of a nasty cigar ashtray, which will just make you get the dry heaves when you smell them until the effects of the N poisoning start to wear off over a couple of hours. I wished I had taken the advice of the reviewer below and used a small pipe, or just loaded mine no more than a third full.
So, try this unique and interesting blend if you must. But you've been warned.
The GOOD: Upon opening the tin, the aroma of the tobacco is quite pleasing. A slight hint of that "ketchupy" note associated with MacBaren's blends, but very slight. I believe that note is common with all fine, unadulterated Virginias. The appearance of the tobacco is nothing like the photo above. The first thing you'll say when you first see the tobacco in the tin and pinch it between your fingers is "Whoa! There are some big honkin' pieces of leaf in there." It looks like they broke off pieces of leaf hanging in the barn to dry, and crammed them in the tin.
A reviewer below suggested using a small-bowled pipe. No way. This stuff is just too big. And it is beautiful. Mostly large, light golden blond pieces with some darker golden browns. It seems to be overly dry, but that is an illusion. It packs very nicely into a larger diameter bowl, and lights and smokes better than any tobacco I have tried. (But I do recommend only loading your bowl no more than one-third full, and not attempt to smoke a whole bowl, as I will explain below.) The first few puffs are pleasurable, and the flavor stays consistent to the end - no bite - although about halfway through it gets spicier and starts tasting and smelling more and more like a cigar rather than a pipe.
The BAD: After the first few initial puffs, you realize that this stuff starts tasting like a cheap, robust strength cigar. But the stuff burns so well, and bite-free, you keep smoking it. Towards the end, you notice things getting stronger, and then it hits you unexpectedly - WHAM! A powerful nicotene kick. Queasiness. Nausea. Luckily, I had not eaten for a few hours, otherwise I'd have puked for sure. Whatever you do, don't smoke this stuff indoors.
If you smoke in your car, make sure the windows are rolled down. The second-hand smoke only adds to the queasiness and nicotene intoxication. And, your clothes, your hair, your hands, and your pipe will smell strongly of a nasty cigar ashtray, which will just make you get the dry heaves when you smell them until the effects of the N poisoning start to wear off over a couple of hours. I wished I had taken the advice of the reviewer below and used a small pipe, or just loaded mine no more than a third full.
So, try this unique and interesting blend if you must. But you've been warned.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 02, 2004 | Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
If you are interested in this blend, I can only refer you to Inquisitor's excellent review, which I cannot begin to match. I will say, though, that I absolutely agree with Inquisitor's view of this tobacco. This blend is simply one of the best tobaccos I have ever smoked, a tobacco whose complexity, subtleties, elegance, and quality really are just about breathtaking. I spent months smoking Cairo and never got to the end to the tastes it could offer, and never got tired of its wonderful tangy-nutty-sweet flavors. It smokes well in every pipe I own, and despite the preponderance of light Virginias it smokes remarkably cool. This tobacco is simply delicious and excellent in every respect. In my estimation, it is a benchmark of the blender's art, and a tobacco that deserves the highest accolades. Bravo!
Update 8/02/04:
I hate to say that I don't like the way this blend changes as it ages. In my opinion, the wonderful balance of the blend when newer tilts drastically toward Perique and top dressing with a few year's age, and I don't much like the change. No disrespect to Greg Pease, who is truly a master blender, but this one simply changes in ways I don't care for. I'll try it again in a few years, and we'll see if it has changed again, more to my taste.
Update 8/02/04:
I hate to say that I don't like the way this blend changes as it ages. In my opinion, the wonderful balance of the blend when newer tilts drastically toward Perique and top dressing with a few year's age, and I don't much like the change. No disrespect to Greg Pease, who is truly a master blender, but this one simply changes in ways I don't care for. I'll try it again in a few years, and we'll see if it has changed again, more to my taste.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 06, 2004 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Mild | Tolerable |
I felt this blend fell into the same category as 3 Year Matured by Dunhill. It is supposed to be just Va's and oriental, but i could swear there was a berry topping somewhere. That said I felt this blend was somewhat mundane. The flavoring gets old and the weed burns quite hot. It seems to do well in warm weather, but there are other blends that fit this niche better. Although Mr. Pease has made some great blends, I felt this one fell short. I have to give him an A for effort however as this blend is quite different than his usual fare. I will finish the tin easy enough, but I won't buy more.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 23, 2024 | Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
GLP
Cairo
Blend notes: “Cairo is a wonderfully complex mixture of red, orange and bright Virginia tobaccos, exotic Oriental leaf, and just a whisper of Perique. The flavor is naturally sweet, slightly nutty, delicately spicy and rich. Subtle citrus-like notes harmoniously support the more robust flavors of the darker Virginias. A medium bodied tobacco with a delicate aroma, Cairo will satisfy Virginia lovers and the connoisseur of Oriental mixtures alike. From GL Pease: Cairo is one of my favorite cities in the near-East, perhaps even the world. When I was there, the energy of the place inspired me in ways I'd never imagined. This tobacco has a distinctly Oriental character, reminiscent of the spice markets in the bazaar. What else could I call it? Cairo was introduced in March, 2000.”
So, as I often mention, your palate is not my palate. You may adore this blend and if you do, I rejoice with you!
I am a huge fan of Oriental tobacco and appreciate the differences in different versions of Oriental. Some of these varieties are less available in 2024 than they were 20 and more years ago.
I am tasting sourness and some spice in Cairo, but I’m unclear whether it’s the Oriental leaf or the Perique; no one is sharing their recipe percentages! The backbone is clearly the medley of Virginias. This is not labeled a VaPer so, I am assuming, the Perique content is relatively low. I get virtually no sweetness. The body is medium in strength.
I bought Cairo because I was led to believe it was an Oriental forward blend. So, I suppose it is, but it’s not interesting, or tasty, or intriguing, or that good. For a terrific blend along this line I much prefer (in this order) Emerson Southern Forged’s Walais, or C&D’s Miskatonic Mixture, C&D’s Oriental Silk, or Peretti’s No. 40 at the tail end.
I would give it a rating of 2.5 stars rounded down.
Cairo
Blend notes: “Cairo is a wonderfully complex mixture of red, orange and bright Virginia tobaccos, exotic Oriental leaf, and just a whisper of Perique. The flavor is naturally sweet, slightly nutty, delicately spicy and rich. Subtle citrus-like notes harmoniously support the more robust flavors of the darker Virginias. A medium bodied tobacco with a delicate aroma, Cairo will satisfy Virginia lovers and the connoisseur of Oriental mixtures alike. From GL Pease: Cairo is one of my favorite cities in the near-East, perhaps even the world. When I was there, the energy of the place inspired me in ways I'd never imagined. This tobacco has a distinctly Oriental character, reminiscent of the spice markets in the bazaar. What else could I call it? Cairo was introduced in March, 2000.”
So, as I often mention, your palate is not my palate. You may adore this blend and if you do, I rejoice with you!
I am a huge fan of Oriental tobacco and appreciate the differences in different versions of Oriental. Some of these varieties are less available in 2024 than they were 20 and more years ago.
I am tasting sourness and some spice in Cairo, but I’m unclear whether it’s the Oriental leaf or the Perique; no one is sharing their recipe percentages! The backbone is clearly the medley of Virginias. This is not labeled a VaPer so, I am assuming, the Perique content is relatively low. I get virtually no sweetness. The body is medium in strength.
I bought Cairo because I was led to believe it was an Oriental forward blend. So, I suppose it is, but it’s not interesting, or tasty, or intriguing, or that good. For a terrific blend along this line I much prefer (in this order) Emerson Southern Forged’s Walais, or C&D’s Miskatonic Mixture, C&D’s Oriental Silk, or Peretti’s No. 40 at the tail end.
I would give it a rating of 2.5 stars rounded down.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 21, 2010 | Mild | Very Mild | Mild to Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
When I first began smoking this blend I was wowed by the awesome taste and citrus note. However, as I have journeyed with it over the past month my elation has quickly dissipated. I find that it has lost much of its punch. If you smoke it very gently you can find the endearing qualities, but for me they were to far and few between. There are some good aspects that keep it from being a loss, but overall I will not be buying this blend again.
Additional Note: In the area of room note I recently received a comment from a friend. When I first lit the pipe he was generally pleased and commented that he liked it. About 30 minutes later he asked me what had happened, for what he was enjoying had changed and he now felt it was much more of a cigar/cigarette realm of room note. Just additional information for you to keep in mind.
Additional Note: In the area of room note I recently received a comment from a friend. When I first lit the pipe he was generally pleased and commented that he liked it. About 30 minutes later he asked me what had happened, for what he was enjoying had changed and he now felt it was much more of a cigar/cigarette realm of room note. Just additional information for you to keep in mind.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 03, 2008 | Medium | Medium to Strong | Very Full | Pleasant |
My original review of Cairo was September 2006. Since that time I've gone through a couple more tins and somewhere this lost its original magic. Due to my enjoyment of my first tin I ordered several more and have been slowly going through them. I'm currently working on a tin that was sealed in November 2006, so it had well in excess of a year's aging when I opened it. I can barely tolerate the tongue bite and stinging this blend delivers. A lengthy DLT does not help in that respect. The flavor and nuances are diminished because of the sting. I'm loathe to throw away any tobacco; I have made my way through half of the current tin and have tried it in a large variety of pipes with a wide variety of packing and smoking methods. No matter - it still stings. I regret this happening, especially based on my experiences with my very first tin... I've got one unsealed tin remaining and it will remain unsealed. Lord willing, perhaps in five years or so I'll open it and see what time has done. In the meantime I doubt I'll buy any more Cairo.
//Update above//
This is a marvelous tobacco and a wonderfully complex smoke. The complexity is not revealed, at least for me, on first light up, but comes into play once I'm through the first third of the bowl. I've been smoking this in an Ardor Ninfea smoothgrain bent as well as a Stanwell Danish I purchased back in 1979. It seems to do better in the larger-bowled Ardor, complexity-wise. On light up, I immediately taste the bright virginia and it can nip the tongue (especially if it is my third or fourth pipe of the day); however, once I have it burning smoothly, the nip disappears and it slowly enters into its complex stage. Once Cairo is evenly lit, it burns smoothly with few re-lights. I don't taste figs or prunes but good sweet high-quality tobaccos with hints of spice. The deeper into the bowl, the more flavorful and rich the taste becomes. The perique makes its presence known sporadically throughout the bowl and acts as a condiment. Cairo burns down to a dry gray ash. I've enjoyed this tobacco so much that I recently ordered from The Briary (no connections) another large-bowled pipe, a Cavicchi 1C (rough), in which to enjoy it more fully. My other Cavicchi is dedicated to GLP Laurel Heights and Blackpoint. My wife enjoys the room note of Cairo and has commented on it having a "lighter" aroma than Blackpoint or Haddoes Delight. This baccy should do extremely well with a couple of years aging and that will be my next endeavor, to put down about 5 - 6 tins to enjoy, Lord willing, in two to three years from now. This is the fifth GLP blend I've purchased and have thoroughly enjoyed (the other four were Laurel Heights, Odyssey, Blackpoint and Haddoes Delight). I currently have extra tins of each of those "cellaring" (as well as a bodacious amount of S. Gawith's Perfection, Full Brown Flake, Full Virginia Flake, Balkan Flake, and Astleys 109). I highly recommend Cairo, especially in a large-bowled pipe, smoked slowly and at leisure. If you smoke it too fast, you'll miss out.
//Update above//
This is a marvelous tobacco and a wonderfully complex smoke. The complexity is not revealed, at least for me, on first light up, but comes into play once I'm through the first third of the bowl. I've been smoking this in an Ardor Ninfea smoothgrain bent as well as a Stanwell Danish I purchased back in 1979. It seems to do better in the larger-bowled Ardor, complexity-wise. On light up, I immediately taste the bright virginia and it can nip the tongue (especially if it is my third or fourth pipe of the day); however, once I have it burning smoothly, the nip disappears and it slowly enters into its complex stage. Once Cairo is evenly lit, it burns smoothly with few re-lights. I don't taste figs or prunes but good sweet high-quality tobaccos with hints of spice. The deeper into the bowl, the more flavorful and rich the taste becomes. The perique makes its presence known sporadically throughout the bowl and acts as a condiment. Cairo burns down to a dry gray ash. I've enjoyed this tobacco so much that I recently ordered from The Briary (no connections) another large-bowled pipe, a Cavicchi 1C (rough), in which to enjoy it more fully. My other Cavicchi is dedicated to GLP Laurel Heights and Blackpoint. My wife enjoys the room note of Cairo and has commented on it having a "lighter" aroma than Blackpoint or Haddoes Delight. This baccy should do extremely well with a couple of years aging and that will be my next endeavor, to put down about 5 - 6 tins to enjoy, Lord willing, in two to three years from now. This is the fifth GLP blend I've purchased and have thoroughly enjoyed (the other four were Laurel Heights, Odyssey, Blackpoint and Haddoes Delight). I currently have extra tins of each of those "cellaring" (as well as a bodacious amount of S. Gawith's Perfection, Full Brown Flake, Full Virginia Flake, Balkan Flake, and Astleys 109). I highly recommend Cairo, especially in a large-bowled pipe, smoked slowly and at leisure. If you smoke it too fast, you'll miss out.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 30, 2007 | Mild to Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I suppose I can put the blame on a new tin but I don't care for this blend. It is bitey and the tobaccos do not compliment or support each other. This review is of neccesity only about one tin because I'll never get another. I suppose there are smokers who will think this is an alright blend or I would have rated it as not recommended.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Nov 09, 2006 | Medium | None Detected | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
I would take a pass and buy "RICH'S" OLD PERTH. This one is a little hot and not very interesting. Might be for some folks though,just not me.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jul 22, 2003 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Extremely Mild (Flat) | Pleasant to Tolerable |
I think I may have gotten a bad tin. The tin aroma was very nice and the tobacco was really beautiful to the eyes and touch. There was, however, absolutely no taste. It was like smoking hay as opposed to tobacco.
After smoking half the bowl with no noticeable flavour I tried puffing a bit faster only to get blasted with a horrible peppery taste and scorched the hell out of my tongue.
Other GLP blends make up a substantial part of my rotation, but this was just awful. I think I'll stick to Haddo's.
After smoking half the bowl with no noticeable flavour I tried puffing a bit faster only to get blasted with a horrible peppery taste and scorched the hell out of my tongue.
Other GLP blends make up a substantial part of my rotation, but this was just awful. I think I'll stick to Haddo's.
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