Kapnismologist
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Just posted the following review on TR (the 258th person to do so), reproduced here for your edification:
Esoterica Tobacciana Penzance
A beautifully sliced crumble cake composed of predominantly dark brown flakes mottled with tan flecks and lighter brown and black streaks. What is assumed to be sugar bloom can be found on older examples.
The tin nose is strong, yet inviting; dominated by a pungent, musty, slightly sweet and smoky aroma which translates largely intact into the bowl.
Although quite moist in the tin, being of a delicate sort the crumble cake presentation requires due diligence in handling. In those cases when the extraction of a slice or two has not already resulted in the production of small chunks which can be dropped into the pipe straight away, a very gentle rubbing does the trick. In most instances a simple gravity feed followed by a light tamp or two is more than enough to prepare a bowl, although one should pay close attention going in as strips and chunks can quickly swell and seize up after lighting should the initial pack be too ambitious. Properly prepared, however, one is sure to be rewarded with a lovely smolder. When possible, this reviewer prefers to load a mix of strips, chunks, and odd bits together into the same bowl. However prepared, topping the bowl with a bit of kindling is strongly recommended for a quick and even light.
In the pipe Penzance presents a savory Oriental-forward smoke. Rich with a marked creaminess, on the high side it offers sweet wood smoke, dried fruit, and camphor, while its lower register harbors notes of aged Assam tea, salted meat, and peat. Clearly the dominant player in the blend, the Oriental components are truly sublime: musty, just a tad sour, with a dark, savory quality reminiscent of morel mushrooms. Not to be outdone, the Virginia(s) are soft and sweet and the Latakia neither heavy nor cloying. There is a depth here which in this reviewer’s experience is as apt to inspire as it is to confound, with each bowl revealing yet another layer. Towards the heavy side of medium bodied, the finish is dry, musty, and deliciously pungent. As one might expect, tongue bite is never an issue. While it can leave behind a rather tenacious ghost, and while it will do reasonably well just about anywhere, for those who wish to really explore its depths it is well worth the time and effort to audition a number of pipes until just the right one is found. When this happens, all cannot but be right with the world.
As savory an English/Balkan cake as one is likely to get, there is nothing quite like Penzance, and there is good reason that it has attracted so much attention over the years. Although it is probably not an everyday smoke for most (I like it best late at night, particularly when there is a full moon), barring glitches in availability there is little reason that at least a few tins should not be found in the cellar of every serious piper. While quite moist in the tin, in this reviewer’s experience Penzance has a tendency to dry rather quickly when left alone, so unless one favors crumbs and dust, the foil pack version should be tightly sealed or jarred soon after opening and the contents of the rectangular 2oz. tin consumed within a reasonable amount of time after popping, even when insulated with a baggy or such like.
Esoterica Tobacciana Penzance
A beautifully sliced crumble cake composed of predominantly dark brown flakes mottled with tan flecks and lighter brown and black streaks. What is assumed to be sugar bloom can be found on older examples.
The tin nose is strong, yet inviting; dominated by a pungent, musty, slightly sweet and smoky aroma which translates largely intact into the bowl.
Although quite moist in the tin, being of a delicate sort the crumble cake presentation requires due diligence in handling. In those cases when the extraction of a slice or two has not already resulted in the production of small chunks which can be dropped into the pipe straight away, a very gentle rubbing does the trick. In most instances a simple gravity feed followed by a light tamp or two is more than enough to prepare a bowl, although one should pay close attention going in as strips and chunks can quickly swell and seize up after lighting should the initial pack be too ambitious. Properly prepared, however, one is sure to be rewarded with a lovely smolder. When possible, this reviewer prefers to load a mix of strips, chunks, and odd bits together into the same bowl. However prepared, topping the bowl with a bit of kindling is strongly recommended for a quick and even light.
In the pipe Penzance presents a savory Oriental-forward smoke. Rich with a marked creaminess, on the high side it offers sweet wood smoke, dried fruit, and camphor, while its lower register harbors notes of aged Assam tea, salted meat, and peat. Clearly the dominant player in the blend, the Oriental components are truly sublime: musty, just a tad sour, with a dark, savory quality reminiscent of morel mushrooms. Not to be outdone, the Virginia(s) are soft and sweet and the Latakia neither heavy nor cloying. There is a depth here which in this reviewer’s experience is as apt to inspire as it is to confound, with each bowl revealing yet another layer. Towards the heavy side of medium bodied, the finish is dry, musty, and deliciously pungent. As one might expect, tongue bite is never an issue. While it can leave behind a rather tenacious ghost, and while it will do reasonably well just about anywhere, for those who wish to really explore its depths it is well worth the time and effort to audition a number of pipes until just the right one is found. When this happens, all cannot but be right with the world.
As savory an English/Balkan cake as one is likely to get, there is nothing quite like Penzance, and there is good reason that it has attracted so much attention over the years. Although it is probably not an everyday smoke for most (I like it best late at night, particularly when there is a full moon), barring glitches in availability there is little reason that at least a few tins should not be found in the cellar of every serious piper. While quite moist in the tin, in this reviewer’s experience Penzance has a tendency to dry rather quickly when left alone, so unless one favors crumbs and dust, the foil pack version should be tightly sealed or jarred soon after opening and the contents of the rectangular 2oz. tin consumed within a reasonable amount of time after popping, even when insulated with a baggy or such like.
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