Yeah, I said it - this is quite similar to penzance but better - smoother & great rich flavor. Thoroughly enjoying this one as the cold is starting to hit the midwest Read Less

Ugh, I hate saying it... It's easily in my top 5 favorite tobacco of all time. If I only had this to smoke for the rest of my life, I would die a happy man. Bit, don't buy any of it because YOU will probably hate it. I'll bear the burden of trying to buy and smoke it all so you guys dont have to. No need to thank me. Just move right along. I heard 10 Russians is a close match! Cheers!!! Read Less

I don't write reviews often, but this one seemed to be a given. As is my usual practice, I opened a tin of Peterson EMP, the day after I got it, and the day before I smoked it. The introduction of air to a vacuum sealed tin always tends to excite the poor tobacco that has been deprived, and it gets it pretty excited. Well I must say I was incredibly happy to have EMP back. From the moment I opened the tin I could remember the wonderful scent of Dunhill EMP. From the moment of the 1st burn, everything was right in the world again. Thank you Peterson for picking this back up, and keeping it exactly the same!! Read Less

This blend welcomes your palate with an intoxicating fragrance that smells like a library full of classics (in the original languages). Sensory experiences are further tantalized by the sight of this cake that resembles beef jerky. Mouth is watering. First light is like an exotic punch to the mouth. This is a magnus opus of english blends. Not for the faint of heart, but for those discerning lovers of fine English Blends, Quiet Nights will become a dear friend. I enjoy this with some Islay Scotch, the peaty flavors work with this blend well, preferably with a book in hand and an hour or two to spare. Read Less

I've only been pipe smoking for 3 months now, after hand rolling for 2 years and then smoking Marlboro's for 25 years before that. I don't bother to give a review unless I feel it's worth 5 stars.... I was a real tobacco snob at first and resisted this stuff when I saw it in a smoke shop because the pouch brought back childhood memories and I figured if my Grand Dad smoked it, there had to be something better out there by now. I've been having great fun sampling various Lane and Sutliff aromatics, but did eventually get curious and buy a pouch. After just two bowls I jumped here and ordered a big ol' tin to make sure I never run out. This stuff provides just enough of a back-of-the-throat hit, along with nicotine satisfaction to keep this former cigarette smoker happy, without any cough or burn. I've been packing a bowl before bed every night so it's ready when I wake up. Get some and try it. Read Less

What can I say the has not already been said about this molasses blend. Do you see that little green button upper right side of the page? Click it, you will not be disappointed. Read Less

I love the imagery of tall ships and a sailor's life. That's what I think of when I hear “Capstan” (with a Stan Rogers song playing in my head). But most people think of Middle Earth. Nearly everyone has heard that J.R.R. Tolkien smoked Capstan and possibly created the high fantasy genre in the process. It would be a stretch to think the tobacco alone made that possible and a discredit to his intellect. Having said that, it's not hard to see what he found so appealing about Capstan. What you may not know is that tobaccos age and mature and then peak. We all like to get a tin and eagerly crack it open and dive right in, but this leads to a lot of differing opinions of taste and experience. Not every batch is the same readiness and it takes careful consideration with a flake like Capstan to know if it's time to smoke or time to wait. I've had some that were wonderfully sweet and bready right away, but I've also had some that were bitter and sort of pungent from a freshly opened tin that benefited greatly from the passage of time. I believe that Capstan is good quality and that it's blenders keep in mind an end result that given various crops of tobacco require adjustments to be made if that end goal is to be consistent. If you find you have a negative experience with this flake, please don't throw it out in haste, be patient and return to it after a week, a month, 6 months...eventually you'll discover why this tobacco is revered. It is a survivor for a reason, don't be misled by rash decisions. Good things come to those that wait. Read Less

Ive smoke about a quarter pound of regular and special reserve plum pudding now and they share a common thread... they are absolutely delicious. I do prefer the special reserve for it's added smoothness and depth of flavor. Normally i just prefer to slice off a slab and loosely crumble it into medium to large sized chunks for a solid 1.5 hour smoke. A word of caution: only prepare what u intend to smoke for the next pipe or day at most. I made the mistake of preparing half the brownie since i was smoking so much of it and then i ended up putting it aside for a couple months. The plum flavor will dissipate during that time. Smoked fresh the plum flavor is absolutely fantastic and is a companion from first light to last puff. Rich, smokey, mesquite, spicy, smooth, and truly a melange of fine smoky and plum flavors that is intoxicating in the best way. I dont deliberate on the flavors im tasting here, i just lounge in my chair and drink it all in and relax. A little mesquite here, a lot of campfire and leather there, and some spicy perique and cavendish throughout. Make no mistake though, this is more enjoyable with the plum flavor present and accounted for. If you like a rich english smoke its hard to go wrong here. Medium in body and mild in nicotine from my experience. Even after several relights it maintains its flavor and body without getting harsh. Special reserve ages magnificently, and gets even smoother and more rich/complex in flavor. In my opinion this is the best that SPC has to offer hands down, being a true stand out blend. If I may be so bold... both this blend and the original are easily in the top 10 best blends currently in production and for my preference top 3( even over penzance). As a lover of pretty much all tobaccos, and a guy whose rotation and preferences are forever shifting and exploring new blends, PPSR always finds ito way back to the top of my rotation. If you like English tobaccos I highly recommend trying this one. It may be a little pricey but it's worth every penny. ADDENDUM: In the time since I first smoked these blends, I've learned that I largely dislike the processing done on most* Sutliff and McClelland blends. That being said, I still thoroughly enjoy PP Special Reserve and other blends from these companies. Generally speaking I do not, however, so I figured it might be a good idea to add this info in case there are people with similar likes and dislikes. My opinion of PP Special Reserve remains unchanged for now (I'm about.to pop a fresh tin and begin the journey side by side with aged regular PP), and that is to say that it is pretty awesome stuff and extremely smooth. It might be impossible to make this one bite, once dried correctly. Seriously. Read Less

Smokey, rich, and everything you want a on a brisk fall night. I was given a sample of this from a friend, and once finished I immediately ordered some and brought it into my rotation. Heavier on the Latikia side than I would have thought, but still those orientals find their way into the mix. I've heard this could be an all day smoke, but I usually like to end my day with it. The strength of the nic isn't going to push you over however, if you're looking for that I'd go with nightcap. This is my "sit by the fire and contemplate writing the great american (or english, I guess?) novel" blend. Full flavored, and feels like you're sinking your teeth into a rich, and savory treat. Read Less

This has been my go to blend since ever I opened up my first tin. The sweet smell of the “dressing” or topping initially entranced me to light up bowl after bowl. The complexity of Virginias and that sweet taste. It doesn’t disappoint! For me it does best in a smaller pipe. If you pick up a tin, get ready to set sail on the Royal Yacht. Read Less

Great offering from Greg, and a top notch English Blend. The tobaccos are high quality and the blended ribbon is perfect. Full flavor and moderate nicotine. Air dry for 10-15 minutes before packing and it burns slow and dry. I highly recommend this blend. Read Less

<p>Now I'm the first to admit that this review may be quite subjective - but this tobacco has made it to the top of my list and has become my all-day smoke; to the extent that I'm hesitant filling my pipe with any of the other great tobaccos in my collection.</p> <p>I love everything about Presbyterian, starting with opening the tin, feasting my eyes on the coarsely cut mixture of bright and dark leaves. This is accompanied by the delicious musty, earthy, and spicy aroma. The cut is ideal for the way I fill my pipe (similar, but not identical, to the 'air pocket' method).</p> <p>The tobacco lights easily, even when slightly moist from a freshly opened tin. When it has dried out just a little, it can be smoked all the way down from the first light, although I would rarely smoke a bowl in one sitting; that is no problem though, as it maintains its delicious taste and aroma, even after cooling down and sitting for some time before a relight.</p> <p>As a lover of Orientals, I find these tobaccos to be the star of the show, perfectly complemented by the Latakia and Virginia. I have always loved Latakia, and still do, but these days I prefer its use as a condiment rather than a major ingredient (as found in many English and Balkan blends); and in this regard, Presbyterian really shines. The components combine to give the tobacco a somewhat sweet, almost aromatic note, but one can sense that it is all natural, without any casing or flavoring.</p> <p>I love retro-haling, and this brings out even more flavors, adding a delightfully pungent note to the smoke; and to me that must be Presbytarian's greatest achievement - providing so many delicious flavors without resorting to anything artificial.</p> <p>As a previous reviewer has mentioned, my main regret is the fact that it is not available in bulk.</p> Read Less

I'm new to the world of premium pipe tobacco. I smoked one as a young man (mid 80s) before there was easy access to both products and information, so ended up buying the drug store offerings. My attention quickly waned and the old Doc Grabow was lost in the streams of time. I was fortunate, then, to wander into a pipe shop in Clayton, Mo. They fixed me up with a Comoy second and a tin of Dan Devil's Holiday and I was off and running. Thanks to this site I have now sampled some of the best tobacco I had ever tasted. I stayed with Dan for a while (it was what the shop carried) and discovered Gordon Pym and Bailey's Balkan. After that first taste of latakia the appeal of cased tobaccos diminished markedly. I have since sampled SG FVF and would much rather have the natural sweetness of the Virginia that the heavy flavorings. All that being said, I have been looking for a blend that maintained a strong lat presence throughout the smoke. In Balkan Sasieni I have found that. Cool burning with few relights needed, it satisfies without overwhelming. My only criticism, and it may be due to my underdeveloped palate, is it's one dimensional quality. Although the character of the smoke changes some as you work through the bowl, the change does not compare with the complexity of some other blends I've tried. I also find that I like the surging sweetness of the Virginia late in the bowl that I find in Bailey's Balkan that doesn't present here. That aside, this is definitely part of my rotation, but not an everyday smoke. I highly recommend this to anyone who craves a sustained Lat fix. Read Less