G. L. Pease Cairo

Appearance: Mostly red and orange with a lesser amount of yellow/tan leaf, and a small quantity of dark. Medium ribbon cut with some short pieces.

Aroma: Rich somewhat sweet virginia aroma, with a spicy background, and a trace of mustiness. The blend is a bit sweeter smelling than I expected, possibly Greg processes his Virginias. Haddo?s also has a sweet tin aroma.

Packing: Very easy to pack using the gravity method. The cut works well in any size pipe from smallish to large bowls.

Lighting: Lights easily, but not too quickly. The medium ribbon ensures that it will not burn too quickly. Char, tamp, and relight gets a good cool burn going.

Initial flavor: The initial taste is sweeter than expected from the ingredients listed, the virginias predominate. There is a subtle spice, and a hint of the raisiny perique tingle. It does not seem to be fast burning, so it remains cool, while burning well.

Mid-bowl: Still beguiling in mid third, the turkish and perique contribute a bit more of their flavor to round out the smoke. When smoked slowly, the flavors vary constantly, revealing nuances of taste. No tendency to wetness detected.

Finish: Continues to be cool and tasty to the end, no real change in taste, and no harshness at all. Leaves a clean, dry ash in a dry pipe. When smoked slowly, even the pipe cleaner comes out clean.

Summary: Very tasty and gentle on the palate, definitely a blend I will come back to. This is a type that has always appealled to me as an eye opener, or in warmer weather. Could well be an all day smoke. The only blend in this general category (va-turkish-perique) that I like better is Butera Blended Flake, and only because it is a flake.

Most tobaccos IMHO improve with age and for me, this is especially true with Pease/ C&D Virginia blends. I have several that I struggled with that I am revisiting and Cairo (6/09) is the second one of the four of them. The others being Fillmore, Cumberland and Laurel Heights. Cairo’s tin scent is a little sour, slightly sweet, a little bit of plume and spirts like topping. I generally no longer subscribe to the notion that many bowls are required to get every nuance of every blend. However, Cairo did in fact require a long time for me to understand Cairo’s complex flavors. I think that DK’s comments on this blend are very similar to my own thoughts on Cairo and I don’t have much to add. I too found it “cigarettey” and rough when new. There are layers of flavor that seem to show themselves more depending on the cadence and bowl size. I sometimes get a little nuttier flavor, other times the Dark Virginia plays a greater role. I cannot think of many blends that compare to Cairo, although when aged, the closest blend I can think of is Japan Tobacco’s Momoyama, although Cairo is more complex. Cairo isn’t an everyday blend for me, but when aged four stars just the same.

(From a blind tobacco tasting review)

Appearance: An overall light tobacco, this blend seems to have at least five distinct tobaccos in it. I detected (in declining amounts) bright ribbon, yellow-orange irregular leaf fragments, red ribbon, red/brown leaf fragments with a greenish cast and black tobaccos (which appears to be stoved). The sample arrived at perfect smoking temperature. Easy to pack and keep lit.

Tin aroma: The tin aroma is delicate, and not associable with any blender (thus immediately ruling out McClelland, MacBaren, SG and GH!) I pick up hay, figs, a bright American Virginia toasty sweetness, a tanginess (but not the scent) of dried apricot, a suggestion of vinegar and something else that I can?t put my finger on. No perceptible casings, just high-quality Virginias.

The Smoke: On light up, the bright Virginia makes its presence felt with a warning sting. I diligently apply conscientious Virginia Technique for a few minutes, but because I?m driving I drift back into dangerous territory. The delicacy of the aroma is reflected in the flavor without being ?light.? The bowl finishes nicely, but only when the last ember dies out do I notice that my tongue is moderately cooked. My fault for angering the BPTT gods with inattention. A nice, bright Virginia blend.

Second smoke is in a Savinelli Classica, which loves American Virginias, on my screened in front porch on a perfect 72-degree F evening. While I rigorously try NOT to identify a tobacco, breath-smoking begins to bring out not just wonderfully sweet, complex and delicious Virginias, but also a seductive, mysterious and evolving element. The complexity of the blend suggest a GL Pease blend, and the mysterious element, which I believe to be Orientals, leads me to the conclusion that this is GL Pease Cairo, one of my very favorite tobaccos. This experience reminds me that a casual smoke of this tobacco misses the soul of this blend, and can leave the smoker with the impression of a light, somewhat hot, non-complex mixture. Such a waste!

If this ISN?T Cairo, I am VERY eager to see what it is.

(Post-logue: Cairo is unlike any other tobacco available - hence my ability to identify it. Non-Latakia Oriental blends (plus gorgeous Virginias here) are few and far between, but the intricacy, variation, complexity and development of Cairo leaves me breathless. It has gotten to the point where I refuse to smoke it unless I can focus all of my attention on the smoke, because a casual, non-conscious bowl of this will miss the majesty that lies just beneath the surface.

Among my favorite GLP blends. Excellent tin note of the expected figs and raisins, with something else I can't quite put my finger on - I imagine the influence of the Orientals, which add interesting herbal and salty notes to what might otherwise be a light VaPer. All of this is enveloped in a light brandy.

Cairo is a very complex blend, with flavors changing as the bowl is smoked. I often taste sweet, lemony Virginia's first, followed by a more Oriental-forward flavor profile mid-bowl, concluded by my perique fix towards the end. The Virginias are smoother here than in any Pease blend I've tried, framed by the Oriental which provides a salty, somewhat piney and herbal character to the blend. The pepper and spice from the Perique intertwines to provide a truly unique pipe tobacco experience which, in my opinion, improves dramatically by mid-bowl once the brandy flavor largely burns off and fades further into the background. It's tough to call this blend either Oriental or Virginia forward - when smoked slowly, it's a well put together balancing act. The Virginias assert if puffed, suggesting their higher concentration in Cairo vs a true Oriental. But then Cairo isn't really posing as an "Oriental": it's a unique Pease creation that, like Haddo's Delight, defies simple categorization.

Cairo burns dry and cool, like any good Oriental should, with the natural sharpness of the Virginias dulled out nicely by the Orientals. Copious amounts of fragrant white smoke and a minimal number of relights are highlights of this dry-smoking, flavorful and unique blend.

Highly recommended. Good enough that I dedicated a large-bowled billiard. The first GLP blend I tried and still among my top three favorites. There's nothing quite like it.

Pease Pilgrimage Reviews (a tasting journey through every GLPease blend) Tin date: 01/21/10

Appearance: The typical Pease-esque "ribbon" with the very occasional chunk of dark stuff...the "whisper of Perique"??? I pack it quite firmly or the draw is far too light. For some reason I found myself constantly relighting (in all three pipes), probably because I'm attempting to keep a slow sipping-style smolder going.

Aroma: The strangest tin aroma I've ever experienced. Think contact cement. But in a good way . No, I'm not a glue sniffer, but this blend has an extremely unique aroma that must be coming from the "exotic oriental leaf." Somewhat reminiscent of an unripe mango, it also hints of an extremely overripe apple, one that has started to ferment. I think it might be a topping, but it actually smells really good! The room note is delicious with a toastiness that is quite close to the actual flavors, which is not that common, at least in my experience. I'm sure that interesting aroma will subside after the tin has been open for a couple weeks.

Pipe 1: Self-made Freehand Pipe 2: Meer Billiard Pipe 3: Sav Bulldog

Flavor: I normally think of Greg Pease as specializing in austere vapers and rich English blends. Cairo is unique in his lineup and showcases Greg's mad blending skills.

This is the toughest Pease blend yet for me to describe. The flavors are subtle, layered beneath and woven through the straight-ahead Virginia tobacco tastes. This is definitely a sipping tobacco. There are some similarities to the McClelland line of Grand Orientals, although I can't remember specifically which one as I've had several of them. I am typically not a fan of blends that are in-your-face oriental blends, but this one is an exception. It's unique, no doubt, and I like it a lot.

There is a flavor there that is simply unique and I can't really come up with an accurate descriptor. Maybe that fermenting apple I mentioned. It doesn't really come across to me as citrus like Pease describes it - more like the rich sweet fruits like plums, apples or figs. It has just the right amount of sweetness but I wouldn't call it a "sweet" tobacco.

There is an aftertaste of dried grass, the three-foot-high kind I used to chew on when I was a kid walking through the woods on a warm autumn day. It has a very clean finish, which means it does not leave a strong tobacco odor or taste in my mouth. If you're into oriental mixtures, I can see where this could be an all day smoke for you. Definitely the most interesting blend I have reviewed in the Pllgrimage, and one I'm looking forward to getting to know much better. Excellent!

This is another outstanding example of GL Pease’s blending ability. This time, he takes on and conquers the Virginia bite that always seems to attack my tongue. This is a very good lighter Virginia tobacco, smooth without sacrificing any of the subtle goodness of the species. I highly recommend it to anyone who loved Virginia flavor but has a tender mouth. The smell in the tin is wonderful, but very hard to describe. There is a vinegar smell there, but it is no where near as harsh as with McClelland blends. It is a mild, tangy, "sharp" aroma that merges into the sweet, refreshing components also present. The aroma is strong enough that I wonder if the tobacco has been cased; I could just sit and smell the stuff for several minutes. The colors of the leaf are varied, mostly medium and lighter browns with an occasional dark brown piece mixed in. The cut is medium to longer, and packing a bowl is fairly easy. It lights easily and burns well, needing less than the average number of relights. In the first third of the bowl, the taste is light and sweet, actually pretty close to the aroma in the tin. There is no initial bite, and smoke is not at all harsh. The flavor, aside from the sweetness, is very subtle and interesting. I can taste one note in particular that I can’t place; it’s almost buttery(?) but not rich, if that makes any sense; one reviewer described it as “butterscotch”, which I can accept. All of the flavors are very well mixed and support each other perfectly. In the second third, the flavors are still rather subtle and muted. The sweetness has lessened somewhat, and that “buttery” taste has nearly vanished. The smoke is still bite-free, and there is no moisture that I notice. The taste has matured a bit, becoming darker; this is especially obvious in a deep, narrow pipe bowl. It is very complex and dynamic, but this is only noticeable if slow, careful puffing is used to bring it out properly. In the last third of the bowl, the flavor continues to mature and develop. The flavors never become really obvious; rather, they linger on the edge of recognition, teasing the taste buds. The smoke is fairly smooth and still lacking in bite. While not near as full and dark as a mature Virginia flake, the tobacco nevertheless is not weak or uninteresting. It smokes clean and dry right to the ashes. Overall, this is perhaps the finest lighter Virginia tobacco I’ve tried. The flavors are complex and support each other, and are well worth the effort needed to bring them out properly. I plan to stock this regularly, and I believe that this will age very nicely indeed. Add this to the long list of GLP successes; an excellent blend!

Cairo is a great, great blend. For me this is the perfect morning blend, I have a bowl every morning. The sweet citrus notes at the start are my OJ. After that the orientals take over and offer an interesting tasty smoke till the perique slides in (not too peppery)at the bottom third of the blowl. Cario finishes off truely singing in a grand finaly of all the ingrediants comming together in awsome smokeness.

I get no bite, it lights easily and stays lit through the entire bowl. Cairo is a blend that can be an all day smoke and one that can be enjoyably complex.

While this blend is great with a fresh tin, it ages exceptionally well. I find that in a fresh tin the citrus notes linger more through the first 2/3rds of the bowl and are less subtle than in an aged tin. I prefer the way they become more mellowed and refined with some age. But either way is good for me. It's hard to put some age on your tins when you like them so much. If you looking for a blend that tasts good, smokes well, offers loads complexity while not having to be babied,(and who isn't?) give Cairo a try.

I often find difficult to match my opinions about pipe tobaccos with their descriptions. In this case, I couldn't describe this mixture better than the words on the tin do. All I can add is the presence of a well conceiled Haddo's-like casing which provides lots of character to this sorta-VaPer. Thanks to orientals, Cairo behaves as a sweeter and milder version of Haddo's, suitable for earlier in the day. Outstanding.

One of the mixes that I have tried to date that has evolved most favorably in me since I smoked it the first time until the moment I write this review, to the point that it is one of the few mixes that have invited me to repeat and smoke two pipes in a row. To say that the first time I smoked it disappointed me and now I find it wonderful. Between time and time again only four pipes have passed.

Let's go there with the review. When I opened the tin I found a cut of the broken flake type mixed with a thin ribbon, throwing a shag. A type of hybrid cut where thicker tobacco chunks appear mixed with others so thin they look like confetti. This surprised me because I have seen tin from some smokers where what appeared was a Ribbon cut so fine it looked quite like a shag. The cold smell, very rich, is quite similar to that of a typical VaPer, of raisins, figs, ferment, vinegar, perhaps something citrus ... I do not detect orientals at this stage. Tobacco comes with a humidity level that allows the pipe to be loaded immediately, even when pulling on the dry side, and this causes it to burn quite quickly and the smoke tends to be short. When I turn on the tobacco and take the first puffs I am surprised that the aroma is not what I expected. The Orientals (where were they hidden?) Acquire the leading role to the detriment of the perique in a quite pronounced way, making the smoke have a fragrant, fresh, almost floral aroma. What kind of rare tobacco is this that shows up on the tin like a Telegraph Hill and on the pipe becomes Kentucky Bird's good brother? (sorry for the somewhat exaggerated comparison).

This discretion of the perique made, being a VaPers lover as I am, the first time I smoked this tobacco disappointed me in some way. Big mistake on my part because what sense would it have to try so many mixtures if they were not different from each other? As the smoke progresses, the perique will discreetly poke its head at times to hide again, always leaving the prominence to the Orientals but occasionally complementing it perfectly as the smoke progresses, also helped by a certain sweetness from Virginia.

Definitely, like almost all things that enjoy extraordinary quality, they cannot be fully appreciated the first time. That is why my recommendation to those who have been disappointed when trying Cairo for the first time is that they give it a second, third, fourth chance ... whatever is necessary. And hey, if after so much opportunity you still don't like it, let it go, you don't have to be a masochist either and there are thousands of mixes waiting for you somewhere. In my particular case and at the time of writing this review, I find this Cairo blend pleasantly surprising, tasty, fragrant and as far as I know (which isn't much either), unique.

Taking into account that in the last twenty-four hours I have tasted Artisan’s Blend for the first time and managed to appreciate this one from Cairo, I hope you understand me if I tell you that as a recent pipe smoker, today I consider myself a winner…