Peretti Oriental No. 40

For a pure oriental mixture, I can't imagine having a more well rounded, tangy and supple smoke. The quality is exceptional and the taste is supurb. Don't expect a knocked down experience, though, as it is quite mild, but makes a fantastic morning smoke or first bowl of the day (translation: low nicotine). Or, if you're so inclined, a nice before bed, low impact tantalizer. Besides 333, which burns too hot for my puffing cadence, every Peretti blend that I've tried has been very good or elite.

Like most tobaccos I receive from Peretti's, this blend comes a little on the dry side, which is perfect for smoking directly from the pouch. From the description, I believe this blend contains no Virginia or Cavendish, and this is confirmed by both the pouch note and the smoke.

What a delightful blend! Light, peppery and dry on the palate, it reminds me of why I love Balkan blends and other oriental mixtures. The incense-like note is strong, and present throughout the bowl. Many of my favorite Balkan blends deliver that note on occasion, but Oriental #40 supplies it throughout. There are no Virginias in the blend, and as a consequence, there is no sweetness here, and also very little heat or bite. The blend remains cool to the bottom, and leaves my palate feeling refreshed.

On a side note, I smoked a bowl this morning, and then brewed a pot of strong dark-roasted coffee. My first few sips tasted just like Turkish Coffee! Perhaps it was a psychosomatic effect, with thoughts of the near-east swirling about. However, I was so taken aback, and the flavor was so distinct, I don't think it was merely "in my head". If you have the blend on hand, give this a try.

Oriental No.40 presents as a range of light to dark brown, hand-cut ribbons. Exquisite Oriental tin note of pepper and exotic spice, herbal, with a bit of smokiness. The tobacco arrives quite dry and is ready to smoke right out of the bag or can. The charring light brings a whisp of sweetness followed by flavors of the true light delivering what the nose promised: herb, spice, black & white pepper, a hint of salt, some wood & even a bit of parchment, some smoke. By mid-bowl, the herb retreats and peppery, spicy flavors and wood are dominant. Some salted nuttiness appears in the final third.

No.40 is very similar to Tashkent in flavor complexity, but thinner and lighter. Oriental No.40 highlights the higher and sharper notes of the Oriental leaf and has a less creamy mouthfeel than its cousin. But this is a feature, not a bug: No.40 is crisp and cool, mild in body for this style of tobacco, yet without sacrificing any flavor complexity.

As with any quality Oriental, and those of this blending house in particular, No.40 smokes very cool and dry, requiring few relights, has zero bite and leaves no mess in the pipe. Smokes down to literally nothing. A first class blend. This is one of those smokes where I'm disappointed when it finally ends - wish it would last the entire evening.

L.J. Peretti's Oriental No. 40 is a pure Balkan blend, insofar as it is comprised of "only tobaccos from the Near East." No Virginias, Burleys, Perique--no domestic tobaccos of any kind. From what I understand, it's a blend of two types of Turkish and Latakia. Visually, there are two shades of brown and the black of Latakia in pretty equal proportions, so the description would appear to be accurate.

As with all Peretti tobaccos, it arrives at the perfect moisture level, packs easily, and burns down to a fine, white ash. The florals and spice of the Orientals dominate, accompanied by the smoky undertones of the Latakia. Oriental No. 40 is heady, with subtle layers revealed throughout the smoke. The aroma evokes what I imagine a British men's club from the late-Nineteenth or early 20th Century would be--all woolens, wood, leather, and prodigious clouds of pipe tobacco smoke. Due to the lack of Virginas, there is no overt sweetness; and while as others have mentioned there is a suggestion of bitters, it is only a hint--and it is not a detriment. The bitter quality is pleasant and balanced by creaminess like a well-pulled shot of espresso or the leading edge of a Sicilian amaro.

A candidate for an all-day companion, as well as the perfect nightcap. Nor is Oriental No. 40 only a cool-weather tobacco: it smokes equally well even in the mercurial height of summer. Like all of Peretti's English blends, it has the credentials of storied blends of yore. At Peretti, yesterday is still here.

This gets the highest possible star rating ! This is my second favorite blend. The first 1 being "Count Pulaski" by Altadis.This is a Turkish Dream! I can say this is the finest Turkish mixture on the planet! There is nothing that even approaches this in flavor. A totally Turkish base with moderate Latakia added. It is the most satisfying blend I have ever smoked. It has a characteristically sour flavor and smokes rather dry. The Latakia provides that little extra OOOMPH! that puts the blend in a class all its own. A very full taste that does not fatigue the palate. There are multiple types of Turkish creating a truly unusual smoke.This is not for the novice and should really be appreciated for what it is.This has no Virginia,Perique, Burley, or Cavendish. Please prepare yourself for a full frontal assault of a very acquired taste! 5 of 4stars!

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.

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.

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.