A friend gifted me a tin, and I've had it for about 3 months now. The room aroma is strong and very harsh. I just opened a tin from 2005 and found it too soggy to stay lit (gurgle gurgle) and losing or have lost high notes when dried to proper moisture. It is not as spicy or sweet as McClelland's British Woods but is on the good-bitter end of the spectrum. I am so glad I did. It's absolutely beautiful and the tins are from my era. Not an all day smoke; maybe not an every day indulgence. Quiet Nights does have the sweetness component brought about by decay. It's very, very good, but the best of the F&P blends combine equal flavor with superior smoking characteristics, IMO. I blow it through my nostrils. Not saying it lacks strength, but somewhat monotone to me. Will not miss it. Get your Esoterica Pembroke Pipe Tobacco 8 oz from the #1 in customer service and fast affordable shipping (and a small business) TobaccoPipes.com! The all ure and rarity makes it a special time smoke for me. I rehydrated it while up north hunting and packed my Large Altinok Canadian. The room note is of a very strong rich tobacco. I would say it is worth acquiring some, I enjoyed the search for this as much as smoking it. I am finishing first "tin-full" of that bag-10 months later. It is very smooth with no bite, I could smoke it all days except for the lack of flavor. And for hours afterward I still have that wonderful taste tickling my buds. This blend made me believe latakia is not for me, but I am learning to enjoy it in other blends again. Lately, I've been sampling Latakia and Orientals, or a combination of such. C&D does flakes much the same way in which they seem so fermented they barely stay together and just disintegrate when handling. Packs and lights easily, and burns to the bottom of the bowl to a light grey ash. Halfway Through Bowl: Still providing nice plumes of smoke. This is my first review on this site, so thank you one and all for the many reviews I have read that have helped me find some great tobacco. Oh, my! of Burley and air-cured leaf provide Tilbury's unique natural aroma That strange olive note comes through in the smoke and sets it apart. It's sometimes buttery, sometimes bitter, but rarely sweet. This stuff is really in a class of its own I think. Penzance loads easily, lights with some difficulty, burns cool, evenly, completely and finely, smells and tastes delicious, and is most satisfying. You won't be disapointed. Subjective: This is the tobacco I find myself wanting to smoke most often. Rubs out easily, packs neatly and lights well. I knownot everyone agrees with that, but you don't generate 300 reviews by being average and average tobaccos aren't out of stock half the time. I really enjoyed this, but finally getting to try it brought me back to reality. The tobacco smells slightly smokey, is moist, and wants to crumble naturally. Orientals dance on lat and va base. blends,which are actually lat.bombs,there is that smooth,mango,(totally bite free) creaminess which I could happily enjoy ad infenitum. I moved on to my Grandad's favourite Erinmore Flake which I enjoyed and then to Erinmore's Balkan Mixture which has some really interesting flavours and aromas with the Latakia and Orientals. Medium in body. I was shocked in fact as I expected to make a comparison here with Esoterica's own Margate (another favored blend for me) instead. They never tasted like anything good to me and I suspect my hatred of said leaf might be ruining my enjoyment of Penzance. I have read the reviews and spoke to My Tobacconist about this particular tobacco and have not been disappointed about buying it.This is a very Subtle and Complex English tobacco that has a wonderful Flavor and Aroma. This is a Virginia Latakia blend with a cult following. Only recently has Penzance and Esoterica had traffic jams and hiccups in production and distribution. The tin aroma is that of latakia, almost musty. As for the vitamin N, I found this tobacco to be spot on. I almost gagged. There are many other Balkan/English blends out there i enjoy as much and a couple I actually enjoy more. This is an update, aging won't do any good, once it dies a little, it's not so good any more. Penzance should be the very best tobacco in the world, but it isn't. The flavor never once got bitter or overly smokey. Overall, this is one of the few English blends I would call truly outstanding. I originally tried Penzance based on the reviews that I read here. smokes terrible and the note is that of burning trash. January 2004. Burns at a little less than moderate pace, clean and cool with a continual spice hit that translates well into the aftertaste, which pleasantly lingers. The flavor is so complexthere's no way to get my mind around it! 4th Generation Pipe Tobacco The lightest of hands are required to handle it, lest it crumble into oblivion. That?s surprising, considering this is a very dry flake, or as my friend puts it, crumble cake. Very etheral, woodsy, slightly sour with some hint of floral notes to it. Fairly one dimensional but not bad at all. The orientals are the star of the show. The tobacco crumbled to a powder. Have you ever tried smoking straight Latakia? Room note and taste are unique and strong, but in a good way, though I'm not sure how this would fare with a significant other. Put this in a meer and you get one wonderful experience, in your favorite briar you get another. Esoterica Pipe Tobacco 8oz - Hiland's Cigars The burning qualities are excellent, if it is packed correctly. I have a couple of others in my rotation, but nothing yet can match (The Pirates of) Penzance! Tobacco Type:Latakia, Oriental, Turkish, Virginia. There is a good aftertaste that is left that dwindles into a kind of soapy aftertaste when some time has passed. In short, Ten to Midnight is the odd man out. Simply put, it is the best smoke on the market. It is a damn fine smoke that delivers what it should - a long, cool, creamy, smoky, nougatty, Latakia/Oriental smoking experience. It crumbles so easily I could not roll a flake. I am grateful he opened my eyes. This here just bumped the expectation up a notch. it's a shame it's so hard to obtain though.. The aroma and color were sort of off putting, so I let the bag sit around a few days. I opened the package and my heart sank into my lower back. To my way of thinking, it's like drinking decaffeinated coffee. The package is uniquely filled with overwhelming amounts of slices (but they won't last, heh, heh, heh) About the only difference that I noticed is that in the bulk package the slices are a lot more moist and needed airing out before packing into your pipe. I do not spoke it as my steady choice but I especially like it in the evening when I am relaxing. Unfortunately, they do not shine through as I think they should. Purchased From: trade amidst the interpixels. I do highly recommend this blend and will be purchasing another tin or two when I finish with this one. Latakia, Orientals and VA in perfect balance! I've got plenty of Latakia blends laying around, some pretty good, some, like G.L.Pease's Renaissance, so good that Beelzebub himself must have been involved. Andrew. Nice rectangular golden tin with a label that looks like it was printed at home. It intensifies quite a bit towards the end of the bowl, and there is something of a spiciness that I enjoy, but could see someone else being a little put-off by it. To me it's all about the one beautiful flavor created by the sum of its parts. Although I must say I have had other flakes where I could see crystalization and they didn't have the same subtle whiteness all over the entire flake as Penzance, nor were they as structurally delicate. It was my first experience with a crumble cake. I find myself in a bit of a pickle. It gets a bit more spicy mid bowl, and yet more spicy and richer at the finish. From what I can appreciate in the tin, Latakia rules. Spades of complexity and tangy hues due to the tobacco conditioning process. This surprised me for the blend does not knowingly have burley present. It gets a lot of traction on the various pipe smoking fora, and there is a suspicion that it is hyped and maybe only a ho-hum smoke. Upon lighting, wait for them to warm until they unfold with that soft, unique, slipstream fragrance that you long for. Mind-Altering Affair. Due to the hype, maybe my expectations were higher than it would've been upon opening any other tobacco. Not my plate Oh yeah-its good tobacco however there are many other nice tobacco's out there. I am extremely glad, for a change, to have been able to get one of the most seeked after tobaccos on the market. I cannot give more than 2 stars because of i'm not a latakia addicted.. Penzance is possibly the most addictive substance known to latakia smokers, and well worth every penny. I wanted to find what so many others have found in this tobacco, but it was not there for me. I recently got 8 oz?s of this Penzance cause it ticked all the boxes as well, but it?s not nearly as good. I found very light puffs to taste leathery and musky, similar to the smell of a tack shop with a wood fire burning inside. But I can't say I'd be sad if I was out or couldn't get it again. Others may make stronger latikia blends but this one is exceptionally well done, full flavored but not overpowering. 4. Beats the Colonel's secret recipe by miles. I would like to keep some on hand, but I didn't find it miraculous enough to scour the deepest ends of the Earth just to pay $50 for an 8 oz. Esoterica - Pipes and Cigars FREE Shipping on orders over $99! Suffice it to say, this may be the most wonderful latakia blend (perhaps the most wonderful of all blends) in the world. Penzance isn't a powerhouse in strength as the nicotine is 1.5 - 2 out of 5. I have 2oz in a mason jar, and a sealed 8oz bag that I dare not open until I can secure some more. I've also gently inserted the "slices" into the bowl and twisted lightly, rubbed up the top a bit and smoked. Rather than sell it for an obscene amount online, I opened the tin and smoked it during a recent fly fishing trip. My rating may one day decrease, but as it stands, 4 stars. Never opened since. The Tobacco crumbles very easily and makes for easy packing, however in the windy state of California lighting was a bit of a chore. Early bowls were in factbalkan heaven in a tin. The smoke is creamy, thick and smooth. Pipe Used: Savinelli Autograph #4 Free Style (Scallop Shaped). As a tobacco, by Esoterica Tobacciana, Penzance is less than its namesake. I have noted a tendency to strangely numb the tongue, and unpredictably a soap taste can issue forth. This is an outstanding contemplative blend. I know some love it so that they have named their children after it. Water from the tap, it's not that. Then amp it up and get some clouds forming and the VA sweet gives way to delicious Latakia and Oriental complexity that expertly blends all the flavors together into a unique, delicious, relaxing experience. Supply and demand will likely keep the price escalating as more people discover it. I have never been able to purchase Penzance on SP, but resorted to purchasing it on the se condary market. I let it dry for about 20 minutes to let it "breathe" a bit. I did a smell test and there is a similarity between the antiseptic and the tin. It is among the best English blends ever made, though (gasp) I don't think it perfect. I can't say anything that hasn't already been said in over 300 reviews. Although that is not true and there is no evidence for it. I see the Professor, in his review below, helped us with understanding the name Penzance: holy headland. The tobacco texture in the tin is unlike any I have encountered before. Smokers Haven Exotique is by far my favorite of all those blend and the fine ribbon helps with the burning characteristics of that blend. The Latakia is there throughout, but the Orientals seem to fade in and out. Gifted 100gms of this baccy when buying an estate pipe off Ebay. Some have compared it to Frog Morton:no way this is at a very different level and most it is not sweet-sticky-flavored as FM. Wife rating is also good. Mostly I guess because I am a Latakia lover and this one fits my needs beter than most other Latakia blends. A few months later I smoked it. I did not see anything that looked like mold on Quiet Nights. Very easy and practical, I must say. Still, I am very happy to have a couple of tins of this wonderful stuff! Smells a great deal like mince meat pie filling right out of the bag. Maybe it's the warmer temperatures? I have spent many nice evenings around our firepit with a nice blaze going and a bowl of penzance. Why would I go through all of this for some stupid tobacco? After so many reviews I will not describe this tobacco, what I will say is that this was a very good smoke.