G. L. Pease Cairo

Every time I open my jar of Cairo, I smile. It has the most beautiful aroma, citrus-y and aged fruit, an almost "mincemeat" scent. And the flavor of the smoke follows. As others have noted this is a blend of high-notes, but while some may find that a minus, I find it an absolute pleasure. This is consistently one of my favorite blends, a sort of benchmark for VA blends in general, and the tobacco I most return to when I am suffering from latakia burn out. It's puzzling why Cairo seems to get so little fanfare among the GLP blends when, to me, it is such a sublime creation (and aged Cairo even more so).

I bought an 8oz tin last year. The first few pipefuls were rather indifferent. Perhaps even harsh. But as I returned to it, it improved beyond any expectation. As a VaPer mainliner, I'm amazed at the complexity that came through - nuts & citrus even. It is a remarkable blend that clearly needs to sit a bit & probably shouldn't be commented on before a few months of jar time. In terms of practicalities, it lit easily, tended to dryness & burnt down to a clean white ash. The smoke was fairly uniform throughout. Lovely stuff.

I am slowly working my way through the Dark Lords blends- and finding more than I bargined for.... I discovered that I have developed a Latakia intolerance- or its intolerant of me.....While I enjoy it in very small percentages, I will never pass the test for the Drip club... So I was looking for interesting blends out side of that area- Cairo is the answer... A wonderful exotic smoke- Reminds me of the Buffett song "Sitting in a bar in Cairo"- The Orientals spice the virginas in a wonderful way, with the perique supporting the whole- yet it is a subtle, gentlemenly smoke. I love it for contemplation.....Not a putter in your yard smoke IMHO......I love it.

I originally reviewed Cairo on 15 February 2005. This update removes that original review for various reasons. While G. L. Pease is a master blender using quality tobacco, this particular blend is not for me.

Unfortunately I don?t have as much experience with the Dark Lord?s blends as I?d like. It was only recently that (we?re talking within the past 8 months) that I could get it at the only decent tobacco shop in Albuquerque.

I?ve enjoyed all of what I?ve smoked so far of Greg?s Fog City Collection and his other blends have been good too. But, Cairo is, I think, my favorite. I?m a huge fan of VA-Perique blends and the Oriental leaf really elevates a classic blend to new heights.

As a fancier of both Virginas and Orientals, I can't beleive I overlooked this spectacular blend for as long as I did. What a treat! I love every aspect of Cairo - the color and presentation of the leaf, the mild and natural tin aroma, and the smooth, slightly sweet flavor. While the aforementioned VA's and Orientals are the stars of the show, the Perique seems to add texture and additional dimension to the blend. With its abundance of smoothness and balance, Cairo is as about as good an all day smoke as one can get. Its astonishingly biteless and yet never boring, a welcome combination indeed. Perhaps it isnt the most complex GLP blend, but its easily one of the most inherently enjoyable. Cairo has found its place in my top 10 and is a regular in my rotation.

This tobacco has a slightly nutty tin aroma which is similar to Cumberland (but much subdued), and everyone says wonders of it. Well, in spite of this I guess it is my least favorite of all of Greg's offerings so far (I haven't tried Stonehenge, sadly). What's the problem? Nothing really with the tobacco, just a matter of personal taste. The golden colored ribbons are very attractive and natural-looking, and while moisture in the tin seems a bit too high, it only takes a few hours before the humidity level is perfect. Packing is easy and not so critical, and relightings are infrequent. My problem is that I can't seem to get enough taste of it (well, not even SOME taste at times!), a problem I have with many virginia-based blends but especially with this one, which at times seems a cross between a cigarette and the most recent (and rather bland) incarnation of Three Nuns. I find Cairo rather boring: smooth, not unplesant, doesn't bite a bit (but tickles the throat), smokes very dry, it's over before you can realize it. But still, the smoke is too light and delicate (in taste, because strength is actually not weak and can give you some buzz). Ok, as a smoker of stuff like Pirate Kake I may not be entitled to give an opinion on such a different tobacco, but hey, I won't buy this again! As Eulenburg pointed out, the Virginia base is almost completely lacking in sweetness and the orientals complement it nicely: the only time I found some more taste/sweetness was when I smoked it in a Tinsky that I had dedicated to Hal O'The Wynd and Marlin Flake. Yes, Cairo stands in a league of its own, but I don't want to be in that league. Don't take these words as a negative review, anyway: this blend is clearly a quality one for those who like this genre, and you could easily be among them.

UPDATE May 2005: Well, I have opened a tin which was aged for 3 years.. and it's a completely different music! The taste has intensified, the tobacco is a darker orange, and it's much better than my previous experience. A nutty, slightly earthy taste, with a subdued sweetness and a solid sour presence due to the Perique. I don't find it exceedingly strong anymore: no more stomach ache, no more spins. It still tickles the mouth a bit, but overall it's quite pleasant, though still heavier in body than tasty. Not bad at all... I'll keep for the other aged tin I have in my possession for future enjoyment, and I have uprated the blend to two stars. Hey, I might even be tempted to give it three stars, although it's not one of my favorite blends yet. IMHO more enjoyable and balanced than Haddo's Delight, to which these three years of aging made it somewhat comparable in taste (although more delicate).

2023 UPDATE: Tastes change... Sometimes I revisit blends that I hadn't fully appreciated when I was less experienced. This time I decided to upgrade to 3 stars. Why? It still isn't my favourite style (Orientals and no Latakia still is a puzzling combination to me), but this is undeniably well made. Think Presbyterian but with much more subtlety and nuance. Fragrant, suited to leisurely sipping. And there IS Red Virginia sweetness, although in a natural way and without the casing of some other examples. My favourite Va/Oriental/Perique is Ashton/McConnell "Old London" which is definitely more cased and thicker. "Cairo" is elegant and subdued by comparison. Definitely a slow grower.

It's been awhile since I popped a new tin from G L Pease, so I thought I'd give Cairo a try. I've had a couple tins sitting around for a few years, and decided the moment was right. And boy, it is right! A delicious, mouthwatering smell combining sweet, spicey and earthy aromas. Perfect golden tobacco with darker shades sprinkled throughout, and a right out of the tin for smoking moisture level. The tin description says it all, no need to add other than to say this is a wonderful change of pace from the Virginias I usually smoke (Marlin Flake, Blackwoods Flake, SG Flakes).

When I tried Cairo first time (in the pear pipe), it was bit overwhelming and biten me slightly. I had a "few beers" experience.

Next time I used briar pipe and puffed much slower. It rewarded me with sweet and bit spicy taste. No overwhelming anymore. I quickly went through a tin and ordered next one (maybe should I order a 1 lb pack, but where??).

Now, it's my favorite tobacco. No one are even close to this one.

Nice, light colours and wetness just enough. No rubbing or drying needed.

The only thing I didn't liked is a tin cap. It's loose and doesn't prevent drying of tobacco.

Highly recommended!