Peretti Oriental No. 40

Based on reviews from this page I decided to order Peretti’s Oriental Nr.40 and Peretti’s Tashkent. I love the tobaccos grown in the area of the former Ottoman Empire. The problem is that I don’t very much like the Virginias with which they are most often paired. I began searching this site for recommendations for blends that feature the “oriental” tobaccos sans the Virginias and I stumbled onto the reviews for two all “oriental” blends by L.J. Peretti. They are just the blends for which I’ve been searching. The quality of the tobaccos used is exceptional. And both blends have unique flavor and aroma characteristics. Of the two, Oriental Nr.40 is the lighter in flavor and is more complex in its fragrance and taste. Though it’s lighter in flavor it’s still jam packed with complex, though more delicate, flavors. As I was smoking my first bowl my wife remarked, “It smells like we're in church”. There is indeed a fragrance similar to frankincense when you fire this blend up. The light use of latakia never overwhelms the delicate taste and fragrances of the more mild leaves used in the blend. I’ve never tasted anything quite like this, I love this blend. The Tashkent is more bold and less delicate due to its being heavier handed in its use of latakia. It also has a much more spicy taste and the frankincense aroma is much less pronounced as the latakia tends to dominate quite a bit more. I am totally enamored of both blends and thank those that have posted here for steering me in the right direction.

It's difficult for me to decide which tobacco I liked better, Tashkent, or this one. O40 is slightly sweeter, and smoother. It has a deeper, perfume-like scent than does Tashkent. Peretti's English Blends remind me of the older Balkan Sobranie blends, the one that was around in the 1970's. This tobacco lit well, one char, one full light, and no dottle. Highly enjoyable blend!

Keep on Pipin'

This use to be my everyday blend but after trying other Peretti English blends, especially their "Pride of Loch Lomond," this is no longer the case.

Instead, this has turned into a once-in-a-while smoke.

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The blend features two exceptionally smooth and spicey Turkish, (L.J. would not elaborate further when I queried him, lol), and a good dose of Cyprian Latakia.

This blend is a ribbon cut and easily packed into the bowl. I usually will rub-out a small amount in my palms to assist in the lighting. Seldom do I need to re-light this blend.

In the first part of the bowl, spice seems to dominate, then during the second-half a slight sweetness rises to meet the spice.

It burns to a beautiful grey/white ash and never seems to get the least bit wet in the heel.

I find at this stage of my pipe smoking career, I am leaning more towards blends where virginia takes the lead rather than orientals.

****12/07/2011 I feel the need to update my ranking on this one to 4 Stars upon smoking several aged tins recently.

First off, I would like to note this may be the best burning tobacco I've ever put in a pipe. One light, a handful of tamps, and you can smoke this down to fine white ash. All the Peretti blends burn just beautifully, and they burn perfectly right out of the paint can...

This is an Oriental for the piper that enjoys mild VaPers and is looking for a change of pace, or an aromatic devotee looking to branch out. Peretti's Tashkent is pretty much the gold standard for full Orientals, but like Lapsang Souchong, Tashkent may not be everybody's cup of tea. The only reason I haven't given this one the full four stars is I find it's a bit too mild for my tastes. I am not an all day smoker, so when I sit down with a pipe I want a fairly complex experience. Oriental No. 40 might fit the bill though if you're the kind of person that's a "set it and forget it" kind of all day puffer. Not much in terms of nicotine, and the room note is basically inoffensive. I have to assume that straight Oriental tobaccos are a fairly niche market (with pipe smoking itself being a fairly niche market) as there are just so few out there that I think really fit the Oriental profile. I also realized that these terms like Oriental and Balkan and English are all fairly vague and fluid, I think of the English tobacco is being a very full experience, with a Balkan following behind, making up in complexity for the fullness of an English, and Orientals being rather distinctive in their sweet and sour and piquant qualities. Oriental No. 40 is such a quality tobacco that I'm torn between having a can around all the time or just picking up another can of Tashkent... it really is like Tashkent dialed way back on the richness scale. I smoke a bowl, I enjoy it, and with my own personal taste I think "it's just a little too mild for me". That's the same way I feel about some very high quality VaPers too, I appreciate the quality, but I'm less than satisfied with the smoke. Obviously everybody's got different tastes, and if you lean towards the more mild varieties of pipe tobacco, by all means give this one a try, dip a toe into the world of straight Oriental tobacco.

UPDATE 10/19/2021.... just finished off the last bowl, burned straight down to the bottom with a few tamps and no relights. This is possibly the best behaved tobacco I've ever had in terms of burn quality. The verdict is still the same though, I find this a little too mild for my personal tastes. Very obviously a quality tobacco, but like a number of quality Va/Pers I have had, this Oriental just does not fulfill me. If you prefer a mellow, mild smoke and want to branch out into Oriental varietals, certainly give this one a try. if you're looking for something strong and full-bodied, try Peretti's Tashkent.

Very nice subtle blend. Tin note is slightly sour and earthy with latakia barely detectable.

The flavors are woody, creamy slightly sweet and floral. I really enjoyed this blend. Every time I smoke it I am trying to puzzle out flavors. The Orientals are clearly center stage and fluctuate from woody to spicy and the Virginia’s and Latakia’s are just there to enhance the great blend of Turkish/Orientals. Buttery comes in and out...I am not sure I have ever used that descriptor for a pipe tobacco. Just really good stuff and great for warm weather might I add.

I got this along with their Royal Blend, which is fantastic. This is indeed an oriental powerhouse, yet not overbearing. It doesn't get hot and if smoked slowly, is a really pleasant smoke and burns to a complete ash. This is one of those blends to have once in a while, like in the morning during a camping trip.

I received a half lb. of Oriental #40. I smoked 10 bowls over the course of one day and I would say this is a very pleasing blend, extremely smooth with no bite if smoked slowly but steadily. Although this blend does is too smooth and has no richness to it, I like a little more kick. But Im sure others would enjoy this.

Boy...is this ever one acrid blend! I totally agree with lustra's contention that Oriental #40 is bitter from top to bottom. Of course, it is an extremely mild smoke, and those smokers who are just getting acquainted with Oriental tobaccos may enjoy this blend if they do not particularly care for a sweeter, more refined flavor.

On the plus side, this is a finely chopped blend, thus packs easily. It is extremely mild and probably does not pack enough punch for the veteran smoker who likes more flavor. I can certainly see where this blend could be touted as an all day smoke. All in all though, it is not on my top-10 list of Peretti blends!

Oriental #40 is a finely chopped ribbon with an exceptionally pungent Oriental aroma. The smoke is soft, light, bitter, and seems quite inhaleable if that is your thing. As the smoke progresses, a bit of sweetness and a hint of nutty flavor break through, but the tongue-curling bitterness never subsides. This blend doesn't bite and seems to have a very light nicotine content. It is very well made, but perhaps is of most interest to the die-hard fancier of Oriental tobaccos.