Peterson Irish Cask

UPDATE OF PREVIOUS REVIEW: Smoking this out of my very favorite pipe, a beautiful vertical grain Neerup half bent that is closet in shape to a Dublin. Totally different experience here than when I wrote the review, which was smoked from a Søren freehand that I have acquired fairly recently (but which is pretty well broken in, so no big factor there). I am now slightly tasting the cavendish, which I previously could not detect. Also, the oak aging characteristics are much more apparent with this smoke. Much fuller, rounder taste this time, and I really really like this tobacco. It's very subtle, so I would understand if the big full English smokers don't really love it (and I'm a big full English smoker myself, I just happen to also enjoy subtle things of this sort). This is truly a great smoke, and also, the nicotine is more apparent this time.

If there is one thing besides the briar that I did differently this time, it's that I didn't dry it at all this time, just smoked it straight from the tin. Well, that made a HUGE difference. I have always maintained that over-drying a tobacco even a small bit will turn the taste from glory to hay very fast, and this is the case here (although this would not quite make the "glory" category in which Nightcap resides, heheh). On account of being so overwhelmingly surprised at the character of this smoke, which I missed the first time around, I am bumping this to four stars, which I generally don't give up too easily. Call me crazy, but I'm a huge fan of this weed right now. Very, very pleasant surprise here. DO NOT DRY IT. SMOKE IT STRAIGHT FROM THE TIN. The results will not match this review whatsoever if you dry it out prior to smoking. You might get a tad bit moisture, but that's a fair enough sacrifice to make for a great smoke, if I say so myself.

Ah, yes, and one other thing: upon completion of the bowl (which lasted a pretty long time for the relatively small quantity of tobacco I used), the nicotine in this is about as close to perfect as anything I've smoked. Beautiful, slight lightheaded, mellow, relaxed feeling. It's 35 below zero (fahrenheit) here, and the feeling that comes from this tobacco matches the weather nicely. I am very relaxed in my warm little house at this point, whilst a blizzard rages out the window. All is right with the world, folks. Who would have thought something called Irish Oak would be such a great smoke for winter time in Alaska, eh?

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ORIGINAL REVIEW: I know this blend is not a proper VaPer, but I might just put it in that category if I had to categorize it. I cannot detect the cavendish that is specified at all, and although the burley is there, it is faint. Really what shines through here is medium-bright Virginias and my friend Perique. And before the Perique snobs arrive, I am well aware that this is not "the real Perique", but whatever the Perique that they use these days is, I like it very much, and I tend to buy blends that contain it. I do detect the oak aging characteristic, but it is certainly not up-front. Pretty straightforward stuff, contrary to what the tin notes would have you believe.

I like the presentation, as with all Peterson products. The tin is tasteful, and the stringy ribbon cut is possibly my favorite of all cuts. Partially that is because it packs well, and partially because it has no possibility of being sucked through the stem and into the mouth. With some cuts, even my jaw-hangers will pull a bit of tobacco through sometimes, but not so with this one. The tin aroma, unfortunately, is much bigger and bolder than the smoke of the weed itself, but that's certainly not to say the tobacco isn't good tasting. It just doesn't taste quite as good as it smells.

As far as the smoking and taste of this stuff goes, it's quality. It takes a light nicely, and it burns to a particularly fine, white ash. The taste is mostly of Virginias and a nice aftertaste of Perique. It's not some complex monster of a smoke, and I would say it's not as round as they promote it to be, but it's still a good weed that I could see myself smoking all day if I were craving Virginia. If I had to sum up the taste, it is of tobacco, plain and simple. I like it, and I give it three stars.

Peterson - Irish Oak.

Note: I reviewed this years ago after a few bowls from my first tin. After years of piping it on and off I decided it was another review I should re-post.

The ribbons are fairly slight in build, mostly medium brown with just a few dark and light spots, they can be a little 'squashed' into the tin, and the nose is one that has a mild sherry character.

The Perique is the most formidable ingredient. But, unlike some VaPers, it doesn't seem vinegary, or sour, the flavour from it's very peppery and spicy. The other leaves are miles behind, the Perique does a grand job of consuming things! The smoke doesn't have as much of a sherry flavour as the tin-note implies, until the final quarter. Up to this point any embellishment from the maturing process passes me by, but the closing part of the bowl has a surer sherry trait. The burn's good and I've never had a bite.

Nicotine: quite a lot. Room-note: not the best.

One word sums this up: peppery!

Irish Oak? Highly recommended:

Four stars.

I am primarily an English smoker enjoying such Blends as Samuel Gawith "Squadron Leader" Peterson Early Morning Pipe, Peterson Standard Mixture etc, but I was missing the peppery nip of perique and burley. So I decided to try the re-released Peterson Irish Cask. This blend is beautiful, tingles your nose, full flavour and a complete change ftom English Blends. It burns slowly, cool and leaves a clean Ash with no relights and just the occasional light tamp... Perfect.

This is one of the first blends I tried, and so may be a bit biased. Regardless, it's still one of my favorites. It took a little over a year of developing a discerning palate before I could taste the oakiness, but there is no mistaking it now. This is one of those that I can smoke before work, and occasionally taste or smell throughout the day. I first smoked it outside on an early Spring day from a MM Country Gentleman, and it remains a blend that I enjoy best when smoked outside on a cool day from one of my cobs.

Very smooth and harmonic blend! U can definitely taste the maturing in the oak sherry barrels. Nice woodsy nutty flavors and the perique harmonize very well. When you like Dunhills De luxe Navy Rolls or escudo, you'll probably like this one too.

Give it a try...

Curiosity paid out this time, especially since my expectations of VaPers is pretty low since my bad experience with Elisabethan's by Dunhill. I must admit that the tin note was one of the most intriguing ... earthy is the first thing that comes to mind, a wee wet grassy and finished by a scent of somewhat raisin. The latter doesn't particularly hit you when smoking, unlike for example the plum in the Royal Yacht, which is definitely there with you throughout the smoke. They say black cavendish ... sure there is some, as one can observe with the naked eye, but in quite a low proportion and it also doesn't impact the smoking experience as much in as far as taste. I suppose that the black cavendish mellows down the other components, tones down the sweetness of the virginia and the pepperiness in the perique. Overall I would say that this is a fantastically balanced blend. Sweet, but not too sweet, peppery but subtle - unlike other blends that I shall not name, which in my experience were so peppery that they burst you in tears. I truly appreciate the fact that when you draw you have that single level sweetness in the forefront, and a few seconds after a bit of peperiness tickles your tongue. It's an every day smoke for me. I tried it in several pipes, no bite, and interesting enough it yields a legendary gray ash in the end with no major effort. A satisfying experience I would say ...

11/18/2006: This is my smoke of choice. It's a wonderful pipe for the end of the day, and I usually enjoy it while enjoying the cool evening air. The flavor is rich and earthy, with hints of peat and oak, much like a fine scotch. It burns cool and the flavor evolves from sweet to a tad spicy as the bowl progresses. The first third produces a slight clove-like taste, then settles down to a smooth, peaty ride to the finish. It leaves a nice clean white ash at the end. I prefer to couple this with an India Pale Ale to cleanse the palate and bring out the flavor. A truly fine tip-top smoke; this is my staple weed. Four stars.

04/15/2007 I Enjoyed this weed tonight with my trusty Nording. Still fabulous!!! I just ordered a bunch more with the hopes of laying some aside to age a bit. Unfortunately, I doubt I have the self-discipline to leave it alone for too long. An amazing blend. Perfect for the end-of-the-day ritual. I wish I had another star to give it.

6/10/2009 Update: I fired up a bowl of the good ol' IO this evening after a long haiatus from the pipe. I haven't got much to add, other than after 2 years of aging, it remains amazing. The peaty oakiness is wonderful; the perique plays nicely throughout the bowl. Spice, leather, and the like make appearances during the bowl. Particularly wonderful when enjoyed in a larger bowl and smoked with patience. I have 3 more tins set aside, and am looking forward to the time when I dive into them. Still 4 stars.

I always have a tin of this kicking around. I like it. It is good stuff. Smoke it slow and cool. The after taste is good and doesn't last long. Burns down to a nice ash and very little to no moisture at the bottom of the bowl. I hate smoking this outside if there is any wind. I find it causes the tobacco to get too hot and it makes it taste gross and smell bad and that's when I get complaints about this one from my wife. Smoked it from a pipe with charcoal filter and it takes all the flavour out of it too. This is a good one. I will keep buying it.

Irish oak is a very interesting blend.covered all my expectations and far more!once you crack the tin a fresh smell comes out.citruses,grass,hey,spices and a very mild sherry note.the moisture level is a bit high but no drying time is needed.every time i dried it out the flavours went flat.packs and lights easy.some relights are needed though.while burning the flavours are very pleasing including everything you need from a Va/Per blend.the virginias are the main player offering you grass,hay.citruses and earth.then spices ,bread,and sweet notes are added from the perique and cavendish.simply a perfect combination!burns a bit fast without burning the bowl.no tongue bite,burns to total ash with a little moisture at the end of the bowl.room note is pleasant.can be easilly smoked all day offering you pleasure!definitelly recommended!