G. L. Pease Mephisto
(3.46)
The devil's Weed and the daemon Rum conspire in this dark, long stoved mixture of Red and Golden Virginias, a pinch of fine Turkish leaf, and generous portions of Cyprian and Syrian Latakias. Finished with just a drop of Dark Jamaican Rum, then steamed and toasted to bring all the flavors together. Doubly wicked and sinfully delicious, Mephisto will surely lead you into temptation!
Notes: From Gregory Pease website: "In November, 2004, a warehouse fire consumed our supply of the exquisite vintage Syrian Latakia that was used in Renaissance, Raven's Wing and Mephisto, as well as Bohemian Scandal. These blends have been discontinued indefinitely"
Details
| Brand | G. L. Pease |
| Series | Original Mixtures |
| Blended By | Gregory Pease |
| Manufactured By | Cornell & Diehl |
| Blend Type | English |
| Contents | Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Virginia |
| Flavoring | Rum |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | 2oz Tin |
| Country | United States |
| Production | No longer in production |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
Mild
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.46 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2008 | Mild to Medium | Mild to Medium | Medium | Tolerable |
My first experience with GLPease tobaccos! The craftsmanship involved in this blend is evident: it does not look like a mass-produced, impersonal mixture. From the first look at the cut of the tobacco, you see bits of different sizes and shapes with the occasional broken flake, and the first tin smell is very subtle: an overall impression of a very natural blend. The latakia presence seems clear, but not overwhelming: the aroma is more of a unique, rounded, tone rather than a contribution from various elements. Only a slight hint of rum makes its alcoholic presence felt, but not too much. I packed it lightly (I found that this blend smokes much better if this trick is adopted), and lighted it: wow! Sweet, deep, full and perfectly rounded at the same time! The rum is barely perceived in the smoke, too, but adds an extra touch of sweetness and roundness. This is not an aromatic, but a medium english blend: traditional in spite of the alcoholic beverage added. I usually don't like medium english blends (if there is Latakia, make its presence strong and felt!) because I find them boring: as a matter of fact, I don't like stuff like Celebrated Sovereign at all. Mephisto has a Latakia rate which is the minimum acceptable for me in an english mixture, and this does not put it in my all-time favorites. Nonetheless, it is great under all other points of view (and certainly better and tastier than Frog Morton). Burns well, rather dry and cool, and perfectly satisfies when you are in need for a medium strenght, smooth, tobacco that is fulfilling and rich at the same time. I even like to inhale some puffs!
2008 Update: smoking a 2002 tin right now... Smooth, smooth, smooth!!!! A wonderful smoky sweetness, creamy and thick! The stoving of the leaf is wonderful. I appreciate this tobacco even more today, and I sorely miss its departure. Latakia content seems perfect now, not light at all: simply perfect, without being overpowering. A very welcome change of taste, absolutely unique... at least until my cellar reserve will last!
2008 Update: smoking a 2002 tin right now... Smooth, smooth, smooth!!!! A wonderful smoky sweetness, creamy and thick! The stoving of the leaf is wonderful. I appreciate this tobacco even more today, and I sorely miss its departure. Latakia content seems perfect now, not light at all: simply perfect, without being overpowering. A very welcome change of taste, absolutely unique... at least until my cellar reserve will last!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| May 30, 2007 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
Now this is an unusual tobacco. And I am favoring it more and more with every bowl. The Rum is right there on top of the smokey Latakia and the two marry well. I like it as a change of pace English and It is about as close to a cased tobacco that I am going to get. I will be seeking more of this out whenever I am lucky enough to come across it.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Apr 28, 2003 | Medium to Strong | Mild to Medium | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
While I do not smoke this everyday, when in the mood for something different, this is a great choice. Upon opening the tin, you are greeted by the rum aroma and after a few minutes the tobac odors come out as well. I do recommend you leave the tin open for 5-10 mins. before packing your pipe. This seems to mellow the rum aroma and allows for a cooler smoke. Upon lighting, the rum sings strongly but after a few mins. the blend settles into a tasty symphony with syrian latakia as the conductor. This quality leaf mixes well wth the rum. The blend smokes evenly to the bottom of the bowl with not much change toward the end, but you do have to slow your puffing because the rum seems to make it easier to get it hot. The only drawback for me to this blend is that it does not work for me in the morning, the rum makes my stomach a little queasy. But after a hearty lunch or dinner, this blend is perfect. The room note is well liked by my kids and my "sweetheart", so that is a plus. Greg has to be commended fo his committment to making quality blends, a hearty AMEN!!
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Mar 11, 2003 | Mild | Mild | Medium to Full | Pleasant |
This is a truly wonderful offering in the aromatic english category. The flavoring is never over the top and gives the blend a unique sweetnes. This is what I smoke when I want an english and have my wife right beside me. In fact I have received numerous compliments from people about how good my pipe smelled, something I have never encountered with an english blend. This blend is still a little too sweet for my normal tastes though, and did bite a little towards the end. I believe this may be caused by a lack of aging however, so others may find differently. All in all a tobacco I will keep on hand for whenever my sweet tooth is kicking in.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Dec 06, 2002 | Medium | Mild | Medium | Tolerable |
I opened a tin of this after trying Blockade Runner from C and D. That blend does the rum thing to the max. This is a much subtler blend . At first I found it a little odd as its English base was quite complex but the rum seemed at odds with this. But as I worked my way through the tin it really started to grow on me.. Most of my all time favorites start this way and Mephisto could very easily fall into that catergory. Well worth a try.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Aug 06, 2002 | Medium to Strong | Medium to Strong | Medium to Full | Tolerable to Strong |
I applaud Mr Pease for this creation. This is a very good English mixture that has been laced with demon rum. Frankly, I could have done with a hint of the rum rather than the overt statement made by the rum. I usually mix this down with some Renaissance to lessen the rum flavor. Overall, this is an excellent English and different from any other I'm aware of. I have about 6 cans of this in my cabinet.
Note to Mr Pease: Please change your cans. they are too difficult for load from because of the narrow width.
Note to Mr Pease: Please change your cans. they are too difficult for load from because of the narrow width.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Jun 15, 2007 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium to Full | Tolerable |
This was a very pleasant surprise. I thought this would be another full English with no particularly distinguishing characteristics about it. I was completely wrong. It has a peculiar depth and richness to it. An English mixture with very little spice due to only an iota of Orientals present yet still strangely intriguing. I would say this would be akin to perhaps Gawith's Commonwealth mixture with an added splash of rum.The Oriental component is just barely there. It adds a little tang to the blend. The rum is almost impossible to detect but for a slightly sweet after taste. The backbone of this blend are the wonderful Virginias that are used. They are heavily stoved and work well with the copious portion of Latakia allotted to this blend. All in all, a fantastic steady, smooth, and rich smoke. It is a shame it is no longer made but alas, all good things seem to be fleeting these days. If you can't procure any for your consumption try either Gawith's Commonwealth Mixture or Navy Flake and you'll get the general idea. 3 of 4 stars.
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Oct 07, 2002 | Mild to Medium | Mild | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
Mephisto is another fine tobacco from Greg Pease. Superficially similar to Raven's Wing, it is a touch milder, sweeter, and not quite as soporific (Raven's Wing, for me, is the opium of pipe tobaccos--bringing on a sweet langour that makes me useless for any sort of modern rushing-about). Like Raven's Wing, this is a virtually biteless tobacco--smooth, slightly sweet, and subtle. As with all Pease blends, the cut, composition, and burn are always first-rate.
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