Another Penzance topic

[Litehouse89]

Yeah I know there's quite a few already, but my question is a little different. Okay so I shelled out $40 for a sealed eBay tin from 2005 and then later in the week found an 8oz bag thanks to a recent tipoff that's a few topics down. Figured I'd be lucky to find any and now I've got quite a bit, AND I just received a new meerschaum in the mail and I've never used one before so I already know how I'm gonna break that pipe in! Haven't opened either tobacco yet, but I've heard that there have been some quality issues with recent bulk quantities. Having not tasted Penzance at all yet, should I jar the new 8oz and save the tin for a special occasion or do the reverse as the 2005 may be a better show of what it's really supposed to taste like in all those glowing reviews. I'm sure it's overhyped at least slightly, so I'm going in with expectations of something really good but not necessarily life-altering. I figure maybe I can turn around and resell the 8oz down the line for a ton if I don't open it... Hmm, what a dilemma. Suggestions?

 

[cakeanddottle]

Save the tin, smoke the bag. 10 years from now that tin will still be good and will be worth a lot more than that bag. IMO.

Besides, Lat blends become more civil with age. Penzance is already pretty civil in my book. Don't expect the second coming, look at it as you would any tobacco, and I think you'll find it's a damn fine tobacco.

 

[Harlock999]

Don't over think it. Spending too much energy thinking about the future can tend to diminish the present, in my opinion. If you like Latakia, I think there's a good chance you will enjoy Penzance. Forget about the reviews, just get some jars, open up the bag and get down to it!

 

[nosenhoj]

Litehouse;

I agree with C&D.Start smoking out of the bag. The Meer is the best pipe to smoke or sample any blend(IMHO)5 or 6 bowls and that pipe will be ready.one other suggestion, Smoke it Slow.

"There's a story behind every bowl"

 

[puros_bran]

I've loved the stuff ever since I started smoking, long before it became the in thang to want and the end thing to pay STUPID prices for.
I say that so I can say this. Sell both and go buy two lbs of any other weed you like. This fad will end and you'll be able to replace it far cheaper than what you have in it now.

 

[Hermit]

I say that so I can say this. Sell both and go buy two lbs of any other weed you like. This fad will end and you'll be able to replace it far cheaper than what you have in it now.

Good advice. I sold two bags of Stonehaven
for $60 each (one on ebay, one private).
I didn't buy it to sell and I do like it, but
there are other blends I like more.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Some would say that Englishes max out their aging at 5 or so years. You can obviously hold it for longer, but its peaked around that five year mark. I'd smoke the tin and split the bag into 2oz Ball (or Mason) jars and enable it to start on its journey.

 

[user 1862]

You bought it because you wanted it. Tobacco is in truth a pleasure in life that can be purchased. I use the flat half pint Mason jars, they hold quite a bit but it's easy to get to the contents. An eight ounce bag will fill two of them with a little left over. Slice the bag open and look at the contents, inhale deeply. Just think, that is all yours. Now jar up two of those half pints, and label them with the contents and date. Use the remainder as your introduction to Penzance. If you like it, open the tin after you smoke the sample, if not, you can always gift the tin to one of us (ha!). You likely will notice a difference, subtle or pronounced, you never can tell. By all means, enjoy it, and let us know what you think of it. I like Penzance as much as I like other Englishes, so I keep it around. I do suggest that if you like it, in the future consider alternatives to ebay. If you are persistent, it can be acquired at a fair price.

 

[user 1862]

When I said a little left over, I meant enough to use another jar. It does pack well in those flat jars.

 

[Harlock999]

You bought it because you wanted it.

Exactly!
So enjoy it. If you start speculating on tobacco prices, fads and market trends, a simple, pleasurable hobby can become something else.

 

[Litehouse89]

I think I'm gonna go with dividing the bag betweeen some jars and starting off with that. Yeah I definitely bought it to smoke, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it a lot though I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't parallel a booze experience I had a while back. Worked at a liquor store and bought a discounted bottle of Jonnie Walker Blue. It was good stuff for sure but I later realized I could have picked up two or three single malts of better quality for the same price. Still, cracking that bottle out on special occasions makes me smile overhyped/priced or not. So it may be with Penzance. I'll post my first smoke impressions later.

 

[WaydeG]

You bought it because you wanted it.

Exactly!
So enjoy it. If you start speculating on tobacco prices, fads and market trends, a simple, pleasurable hobby can become something else.

That is the stone cold truth. Best advice I've seen on the boards. There are more than enough available blends to keep a newbie like me occupied for years. I buy what's affordable and available and stash away a few favorites. I enjoyed my first ventures into both Stonehaven and Penzance. Keep us posted.

 

[Litehouse89]

Well I had a pretty lengthy review written up until my phone decided to act up and kill my browser... Anyway, I liked it a lot. Not a life changing holy grail, but I'm glad I have it. It may be that I haven't had enough but it doesn't seem to have a distinct flavor like say Margate which I can almost daydream about at this point, but it's very balanced instead, and a bit creamy. I've mostly just folded a flake and lightly crumbled it though so I may have to try it a few different ways in the future. My first experience with a meerchaum pipe was very positive, smoked a tad warm but very dry. The thing I'm most impressed with is how long it lasted, I got nearly two hours from a small flake folded over filling half the pipe and that was smoking quicker than average and creating tons of smoke. That alone makes this one a keeper for me, definitely gonna get to know this one in the future. Hmm, now to track down some Stonehaven...

 

[Thomas Tkach]

I'm kinda with Puros on this one--I'm sure it's good, but not twice as good as any other quality blend out there. The only reason I have some around is because I bought it secondhand in bulk. Otherwise, I'd sell it quick and use the proceeds to buy twice or thrice as much. I know this doesn't affect you, now that you've opened it and everything, but at this point, I am glad my tastes aren't discriminating enough and I can enjoy decent blends that are cheap in bulk.

 

[choch]

I received an 8oz bag of Penzance from LJ Peretti on Friday, and I've been smoking it all weekend. I haven't had Penzance in 4 years or so, and while it's still very, very good, it seems a bit more 'tame' than I remember it as being. Could be my palette, could be the years in between smoking it, but it seems to be a bit more rounded than i recall it as being, and it doesn't seem to have as much of a latakia sourness as i remember. We'll see how it develops after being opened for a week or two.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[sand18f]

You bought it because you wanted it.

Exactly!
So enjoy it. If you start speculating on tobacco prices, fads and market trends, a simple, pleasurable hobby can become something else.

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

Bill

 

[the macdonald]

I received an 8oz bag of Penzance from LJ Peretti on Friday, and I've been smoking it all weekend. I haven't had Penzance in 4 years or so, and while it's still very, very good, it seems a bit more 'tame' than I remember it as being. Could be my palette, could be the years in between smoking it, but it seems to be a bit more rounded than i recall it as being, and it doesn't seem to have as much of a latakia sourness as i remember. We'll see how it develops after being opened for a week or two.

Cheers,

Craig

That week or two always makes the difference for me. I think Penzance comes a little to wet and the first bowl I have out of a tin always seems "flat." After it has some time to breath it becomes the "good stuff."