G. L. Pease Renaissance

The Syrian latakia is very smokey and woody, with a light dryness, and is a little more noticeable than the Cyprian, which has a little sweetness along with smoke and wood. The rich Orientals offer some wood and earth, a hint of nuts here and there, and a mild to medium spiciness. They compete with, and compliment the latakias. The Virginias form the base for the other components. The red Virginia is tangy, dark fruit sweet, and earthy with a bare spice hit, and dominates the other Virginias, which are minor components. The gold Virginia has slight grass and citrus while the matured Virginias have a very mild stewed fruitiness. The nic-hit is just beyond the mild level. Won’t bite, though you will get a light spice tingle from the Orientals. Very well balanced and complex, it burns at a moderate pace with a very consistent flavor that never weakens: cool, clean and smooth with a mild creaminess. Leaves virtually no moisture in the bowl. Has a pleasant after taste that lingers a little.

-JimInks

A symphony of harmonious leaf combine to make this truly a unique and remarkable smoking experience for those who like Oriental leaf in combination with both kinds of Latakia and a smattering of quality Virginia.

A light English? Not really; it is so much more than that. And, of course, with the loss of the Syrian Latakia which led to the hiatus of this blend, I miss it terribly.

If you can find a tin of the original and want a smoking experience that goes beyond the norm, put Renaissance in your pipe and prepare for an adventure that may never be repeated.

Renaissance was the last of the G.L. Pease offerings to hit my tasting pipe. I am a huge fan of well made Latakia blends, so why was this the last one? Well, first, something had to be, and second, and yeah, this is stupid, I had fallen in love with four of the others, and in "like" with one of them. Just as a terrific baseball player's chances of knocking one out of the park on the next at bat seemingly diminishes with each consecutive homer hit, I figured a pop fly was due. I have never found a blender/ producer with such consistency, and really didn't want to find the proverbial feet of clay at this point. Opening the can, I was hit with the familiar "latakia mix" type of smell, pleasant, some depth, pretty much like most of the better English blends. Red, Golden, and matured Virginias caught my eye at first. Two different kinds of Latakia were present, represented by the brown, thin strips of the Syrian delegate, and the darker Cyprian ambassador. Winking at me was a little Balkan leaf, as well. It had a nice, medium cut and packed well. As with all English blends, I grabbed a suitably large pipe for the test drive.. Fire hits tobacco.... Whoa, Dorothy...we're not in Kansas anymore! In most Latakia offerings, I taste the Latakia first supported by other tobaccos. This was different. Latakia, sure, but standing as equal partners were the Virginias and the Balkans creating a flurry of impressions, all layered, multidimensional, and harmonious.. Each piece of the fragrance puzzle fitting perfectly next to the other creating a seamless piece of art which begged to be tasted. Exotic incense created images of places that I have only longed to visit. For the entire bowl, I had to sit on myself to keep from over puffing. Not to keep it lit, I just wanted that smoke constantly on my palate! It stayed cool, dry, and harmonious all the way down to the bottom leaving a downey - fine almost white ash.

Subsequent to writing this, my initial review, I have learned that Bill Serad of Pipes & Tobacco reviewed this noble weed a few months ago. Mr. Serad stated, among many things, that Renaissance "..is among the finest classic English blends I have ever tried...Magnificent! Highest Accolades!" Mr. Serad, you are a master of understatement! This tobacco is one of the few that I find to have "Wa", a Japanese term for "harmony". It is the only tobacco that has what I feel to be "Shibumi", an undeniable, understated elegance that makes itself known by just "being". 10 out of 10 Bear Claws

Given the high prices for no longer produced, vintage tins like this blend, I think it’s worth a few comments on aged Renaissance. I spent a long time hunting for a tin of Bo Scandal and Renaissance as I never had the opportunity to smoke them at the time of their release before the warehouse fire brought a halt to these blends. BS was good, but IMO not worth the obscene price, on the other hand Renaissance was a home run! The combination of the two different Latakia’s along with an unknown Turkish leaf(s), and now sweet Virginias make this medium body blend simply delicious. I have had mixed results with Pease blends with some being too rough around the edges. This blend is very, very smooth now. The complexity is abundant and each bowl through the tin seemed to offer something slightly different. It’s slightly sour, sweet and smoky all at the same time. It is “velvety” and rich. There is no possibility of bite and the flavor deepens to the final puff. If you can tin a tin at a decent price, it’s well worth the extra cost. Four big stars!

A couple of years back, I managed to buy four tins of Renaissance (one from 2000 and the others from 2003). I sealed them all into glass jars and have been periodically dipping into them on special occasions ever since. My review, obviously, should be taken in the context of my only having sampled well-aged tins of this blend...

This is hard to review because the two vintages are radically different. In fact, if I tried these in a "blind test taste" setting, I would never guess they were the same blend! The 2000 is very sweet, and as the bowl progressive it shifts from being a latakia-forward blend to one that seems all about the orientals. Exotic notes and powerful blasts of spice that remind me of sandalwood, myrh, and even patchouli seem to overwhelm the smoke. Both types of latakia play only supporting roles. If I didn't like complexity so much I would consider it almost too busy to enjoy, but as it is I'm thrilled by it. It smokes relatively cool and isn't overly bitey, although it's a good idea not to rush it.

The 2003 mixture is quite a different beast, however. While the oriental notes are there and the Cyprian lat remains in the background, the Syrian is MUCH more pronounced. Some people describe it's flavor as wine-like, but this is the first time I've ever agreed with that description. The blend seems stronger, heavier, and mustier than the older batch. It's still nice, but there's an almost funky sour-sweet undertone to the blend that reminds me (vaguely) of some Dunhill mixtures. It's not as complex, but makes up for that loss with a much fuller flavor. I prefer the older batch, but this is still VERY good stuff.

In summary: Renaissance is apparently meant to be a medium-strength "English" mixture, which to me entails that it should have an appreciable amount of latakia but should nonetheless be all about balance. After having been thoroughly aged, however, I'm inclined to describe the earlier batch as having veered headlong into "Balkan" territory. The later batch, on the other hand, seems more balanced but still has such an exotic flavor profile that I can't really compare it to any other English blend. It's a shame that Syrian lat isn't available, as I would certainly buy more of this if it were still on the market. I've only had the chance to sample as single tin of Bohemian Scandal, but in all honesty I prefer Renaissance.

A well-done English mixture emphasizing Turkish tobacco, supported by deep, rich flue-cured leaf and ample, non-dominating Latakias. Smooth on the palate, but it is not boring or lacking definition.

If you desire Virginias with condimental leaf for spice (Dorisco, Squadron Leader, British Woods) or a rich Latakia mixture held in balance by other components, this is not your tobacco. Turkish leaf rules Renaissance, but with enough balance from the other contributors that it is neither an Oriental mixture or a light Balkan (close though).

It is more like a London Mixture or a Margate in type, if not exactly in strength. It is a little sweeter than Caravan or else it would be closer to a my definition of a Balkan.

There is but minor variation down the bowl as this is smoked, yet flavor-full from the beginning. If there is migration of flavor, it is from Oriental/Virginia profiles at the first half and finishing with Oriental/Latakia profiles at the end. I do use a pipe cleaner once or twice to keep the moisture controlled.

Do not pack this tightly and puff gently for the most pleasant, satisfying experience. Hopefully more tins will come available sooner than later, so savor what you can find, if you can find it.

My fourth experience with GLPease blends, or "I thought I would hate this tobacco, and ended up liking it". Why did I expect to hate it? Simple, because so far I have had bad experiences with light/medium English mixtures: I simply can't find anything of interest in stuff like Celebrated Sovereign, for example. When I think of English, I want something full and latakia laden!!! So my fears were understandable: opening the can, I was welcomed with a blend that looked and smelled very similar to Celebrated Sovereign, with an amount of lighter coloured leaf quite too high for my taste. And the aroma? My nose could detect just a whiff of smell, and almost nothing of the deep smokiness that I immediately associate with Latakia. The tobacco was finely cut and rather pressed, and I took some ribbons to fill my Le Nuvole, a pipe exclusively dedicated to English mixtures. I lit, very easily, and I began to kneel sending virtual apologies to Mr. Pease... After a few puffs, I had already understood that this is the ultimate English blend for me, a symphony of taste that almost equals London Mixture by Dunhill, but less powerful and satiating. This is the proof that a perfect EM does not have to rely on latakia only, but that the secret of a perfect full taste lies in a careful balance of the components: just the right dose of Virginias (too many of the and you get the sweetish Standard Mixture Medium), the right dose of Orientals (too many and you get Durbar, which I find a bit harsh and "empty", too little and you get something boring like Celebrated Sovereign) and the right dose of Latakia (too much and you get something delicious, but not as complex and refined like Renaissance). From top to bottom of the bowl the taste is always great, strong but not overwhelming, an experience in which all the tobaccos complement each other without ever dominating: only a slight harshness emerges here and there and makes this tobacco fall slightly short of the four stars mark (another reason for this fall from perfection is that I found that it quickly loses taste a very few days after the tin has been opened). Many different nuances emerge from time to time, adding even more interest. No relightings (if you pack correctly), no fuss, and at the end you have a dry light grey ash. Very often I find myself craving for another bowl after the first one, which is very uncommon for me. Mephisto and Odyssey seem to contain more Latakia, but Renaissance for me has a taste which is fuller, more complete (this is not meant to say that the other two are bad, mind me!): probably it is also due to the nice and rare interplay of Cyprian and Syrian Latakia (while other English mixtures only rely on one of the two), probably it's just a touch of Greg's wizardry... Who cares? What matters is that I love this tobacco, and I hope that one day it will be imported officially here in Europe, too!!!

A very nice tobacco. I don't know if I can call it an all day smoke because its richness builds on you, but surely it would be welcome for a good portion of the day.

I cannot really detect the orientals, but the latakia comes through when sampling the bag aroma and also during initial lightup. It has less latakia and orientals than my beloved British Woods, but that is not a bad thing. BW is superb, but it can be heavy. Renaissance is markedly lighter without being flat and is therefore an excellent alternative. (If British Woods is my coffee then Renaissance is my tea).

Also as the weather gets warmer, I have noticed BW seems almost too heavy whereas Renaissance is almost perfect for spring temperatures.

The room note of Renaissance doesn't sit too well with the wife, but when outside it is somewhat complimentary. I smoked it during the Super Bowl and got evil looks from my wife and daughters. However during Easter, smoking on the deck, they gave it a "not too bad".

It does smoke very dry. Before you know it, it is almost gone from your bowl.

All throughout the bowl, Renaissance does not misbehave. As a newbie, a FNG, to pipe smoking--if this is what is meant by an English blend--I will be smoking English for a long time to come.

Renaissance is the second G.L. Pease blend I ordered from Cupojoes (the other being Barbary Coast). I must say this is one of the best Latakia-Oriental-Virigina mixtures I have tried in years. It is full of different flavours, spicy, allowing the different components to expand and mingle to form a tapestry of delicately balanced counterpoints.

It is different form most English tobaccos (be it Dunhills? or Gawiths?) in that the Latakias used are not as ?harsh? or powerful. In fact the Orientals in Renaissance seem rather disciplined (though by no means tame) and harmonious, not overshadowing the Virginias? mildness. I don?t mean to say that Renaissance is ?better? than traditional English-English (I still find London Mixture, 965 or even Squadron Leader top smoking material), but it is definitely different, mysterious and ?deep?.

The interplay of flavours, the excellent burning rate and the perfectly structured body of the mixture as a whole, provide a wonderful smoke. I think this is a tobacco every Latakia-Oriental-Virginia smoker should try. It is absolutely enjoyable and a very rewarding experience.

Appearance: Medium ribbon cut, nice assortment of lengths. A full spectrum of colors, mostly medium and dark with some noticeable lighter leaf.

Aroma: A very full oriental aroma, spiciness and smokiness predominate. If you persevere you will also detect some wonderful virginia sweetness. The turkish and latakia definitely are the stars.

Packing: Very easy to pack in a wide range of pipes, but not tried in anything smaller than a ?group 3+?.

Lighting: Takes a charring light well, usually does not go out during the initial tamp.

Initial flavor: Flavor is just what I expected from the aroma, only more intense. There is quite a bit of latakia flavor, (both the sweeter Cyprian and the smokier Syrian are evident), but the main sensation is the turkish spice. The virginias are in the background here, but lend a roundness o the smoke.

Mid-bowl: By mid bowl, all the flavors come through with subtlety. They are all there, but nothing dominates more than momentarily. The smoke is cool at any normal puffing rate, and the pipe is dry. The ash is a lovely shade of pale gray. This is a blend that can be enjoyed even if your mind is busy elsewhere, but if you give it your full attention, it can carry you away. Some have used musical analogies to describe this blend, usually likening it to a symphony. To me, it?s more like one of Schubert?s string trios.

Finish: End of the bowl is too soon. There is usually no dottle, just gray fluffy ash. If you smoked slowly, your pipe cleaner won?t even get very dirty.

Summary: This is definitely a blend for the oriental lover, also recommended for the latakia lover (unless he?s a latakia junkie). Extremely well balanced, rich, tasty and well behaved.