Top 11 Best-Selling G.L. Pease Blends
Revised for Spring 2025, this article has been updated to incorporate current data and edited to reflect product availability.

Few names within the field of pipe tobacco are as renowned as that of Greg Pease. His journey began in the late 1970s at the famed Drucquer & Sons tobacco shop in Berkeley, California. A college student at the time, Pease quickly became enamored with Drucquer's tobacco selection as well as the shop's atmosphere and tight-knit community. Soon he was working there, helping to restore, clean, and repair pipes as well as tinning tobaccos, labeling tins, and learning the elementary stages of tobacco blending. For Pease, tobacco blending is an alchemical process, combining disparate elements to create something new, and over the years, his approach developed into two starting points: beginning with the flavor profile and mixing the necessary components to achieve it, or beginning with characteristics of an already extant blend and modifying them in interesting, more nuanced ways.
Since 2000, Pease has developed his own line of G.L. Pease pipe tobaccos, having partnered with Cornell & Diehl to realize his recipes on a mass-production scale while retaining an intimate, hands-on, and artisanal approach to blending. His mixtures are among the most celebrated within the community, lauded by novice and veteran pipe smokers alike for their sophistication, complexity, and balance, and his portfolio comprises over 40 distinctive blends — all available at Smokingpipes. Ranging from traditional Virginia and Virginia/Perique mixtures to discerning English blends of varying strengths and flavor profiles to more avant-garde tobaccos of singular character, G.L. Pease pipe tobaccos cater to and celebrate the diversity of pipe-smoking preferences. To help guide your selection, we've compiled a list of our top 11 best-selling G.L. Pease pipe tobaccos. Use it as a starting point for exploring Pease's work for the first time, or perhaps find a new favorite to enliven your regular rotation!
- 11. Abingdon
- 10. Sixpence
- 9. Maltese Falcon
- 8. Haddo's Delight
- 7. Union Square
- 6. Horizons Flake
- 5. Odyssey
- 4. Chelsea Morning
- 3. Gaslight
- 2. Westminster
- 1. Quiet Nights
11. Abingdon
Balkans are a personal favorite in my rotation as I enjoy their stout smokiness and complex flavor profiles. Abingdon is widely regarded as a top-shelf Balkan that's composed of a generous measure of Cyprian Latakia seasoned with fine Red and Lemon Yellow Virginia tobaccos and enhanced with rich Oriental leaf. It's bold and assertive while retaining a stylish finesse.
"Abingdon is tied with Balkan Supreme as my absolute favorite Balkan blend. I'm a Balkan lover and have tried every Balkan I can get my hands on. The amount of Oriental spice and Latakia smokiness here is absolute perfection. Standard English blends are genuinely more Latakia-forward. Balkan-style English blends are generally more Oriental-forward, which gives you that delicious spice I love so much. But with Abingdon, the Latakia & Orientals seem to be in perfect tandem with one another. I've tried a lot of Balkan blends, and most don't hold a candle to Abingdon, in my opinion. If you like the Balkans or are curious about them, pick up a tin of this stuff! - Joseph K., five-star review at Smokingpipes
10. Sixpence
Joining the list this year is Sixpence, something I'm glad to see get recognition as it's a personal favorite in my cellar. Sixpence is a flake designed to be reminiscent of the tobaccos of yore. It combines a base of beautiful Red Virginias with a generous portion of Perique, and just a bit of Dark-Fired Kentucky to add body and dimension. The blend is delicately kissed with a signature spirit, then pressed and aged in cakes before being sliced and tinned. It's a deep, earthy blend with elements of light hay, stone fruits, sweetness, and soft citrus.
"Personally, this is my all-time favorite blend. It's best when I don't have a specific blend family in mind, as this specific flavor is hard to pin down (at least for me). Definitely some brightness with the Virginias but enough smokiness to keep you guessing. Personally, I like bright and light tastes in the morning and smoky and robust in the evening, but this blend is a perfect combination of both IMO that's great for any time of day! — Cameron O., five-star review from Smokingpipes
9. Maltese Falcon
Channel your inner Sam Spade and light a bowl of this stylish, dark, and alluring blend. Maltese Falcon offers generous quantities of Cyprian Latakia blended with matured Red Virginias, exotic Orientals, and just a little Bright flue-cured leaf to offer a deep, full-bodied yet silky smoke with an intriguing sweetness, enhanced by a discreet and mysterious spice.
"This is a blend that taught me how to smoke a pipe. It taught me to appreciate the delicate tastes that can hide in a great blend. It also taught me to go hunting for the nuances that are subtly added to the mix. More than anything though, it was a blend that made me want to explore more English blends. — Seth Taylor, five-star review at Smokingpipes
8. Haddo's Delight
Haddo's Delight truly is a delight to smoke. This stout blend is composed of several Virginia tobaccos with a generous measure of long-cut Perique. It's balanced with unflavored Black Cavendish and a little air-cured White Burley ribbon to provide fullness, body, and a bit of extra strength. The entire blend undergoes an exclusive process that darkens and marries the mixture and gives the blend a subtle tin aroma of cocoa and dried fruit. The flavor is full-bodied with an earthy, slightly sweet, and intriguingly piquant body, with overtones of figs and raisins.
Available in: 2oz | 8oz | 16oz
"This might just be my favorite Va/Per in flavor and smoking quality. The Cavendish gives it a crazy amount of smoothness, and the Burley gives it some good strength. Together, they don't interfere with what to my tastes are excellent quality Virginias and Perique, but they balance it and make it a real cool smoke. I'd have to try to burn myself with it, so no sweating over puffing too hard to get those spices out of the Perique. This very quickly became a staple in my cellar." — Caleb M., five-star review at Smokingpipes
7. Union Square
There is beauty to simplicity. Union Square is a testament to this with a masterfully blended, sliced cake of high-grade flue-cured Virginias, from beautiful, sweet Brights to deep, earthy Reds, without added sugars and flavorings. It's rich on the palate, evolving in layers with the clean, natural sweetness of pure tobaccos. It offers a pleasant room note and a delightful finish.
"A truly pure VA, a little fresh but still nice, would be great with age. True VA flavor, a hint of unique baking spice on the exhale I can't get from any other blend. A new favorite, will definitely be spending some time with this one." — Adam S., five-star review at Smokingpipes
6. Horizons Flake
Gregory Pease's Zeitgeist Collection is a pipe tobacco series that pays homage to the avant-garde and rebellious themes of the modern era. Horizons Flake is the third entry in the series and is an approachable, contemporary, and medium-bodied English blend that's excellently balanced to provide a consistent and delightful all-day smoke. Comprising a mixture of matured Red Virginias, flue-cured Virginias, Turkish Latakia, and Oriental leaf, all pressed and sliced into flakes, Horizons boasts a sophisticated flavor profile that admirably balances rich smokiness with a gentle sweetness and an enticing spice.
Available in: 2oz
"I won't say much, but after my first tin, I ended up buying about eight more. It actually reminds me of The Merry Monk and it is smooth, creamy, and an overall flavorful experience. I don't know much, but I know what I like, and if you like a good non-Aromatic that leaves you feeling satisfied... this one might be something you would like. —- Andrew H., five-star review at Smokingpipes
5. Odyssey
Sometimes you want something bold and sometimes you want something that demands your attention, that gives you that nicotine punch like Popeye eating his spinach: Odyssey offers that experience time after time. It's loaded with Latakia that's harmonized by exotic Orientals and balanced with wonderful Red and jet-black stoved Virginias.
"Incredible, full-bodied in flavor, and medium-full in strength. It is very well done. It is very smoky and tangy on the tin note. You think it would be Latakia-forward, and it basically is, but with that said the Orientals and VAs hold their own and are right there with the smoky-goodness to deliver sweet, sour, bready tones, all right up front. You might think the flavor profile is a bit "busy" with too much going on, but it really isn't. That is the magic behind this blend. Very, very well-balanced. No one leaf or note takes over ... just an explosion of consistent, rich, and satisfying flavor. It ages very well too. So good!" — Ryan S., five-star review at Smokingpipes.
4. Chelsea Morning
Start the morning off on the right note with Chelsea Morning. This blend pairs nicely with a morning coffee and is composed of sweet Red and Bright Virginias, fragrant Orientals, a bit of rich Cyprus Latakia, and just a pinch of Perique. The leaf is blended in layers, briefly pressed, then sliced and tumbled into ribbons. Lively and engaging, with a subtle fruitiness, and an elegant, creamy texture.
"I have been smoking Early Morning Pipe for more years than I can remember and find this smoke to be more than I expected and will make this one of my morning first pipes. It's a little more sweet than EMP, in my opinion, it pairs well with my first cup of coffee. I may even choose this for that last bowl full before bed" — Curmudgeon, five-star review at Smokingpipes
3. Gaslight
You're not crazy; Gaslight is one of the most unique and evocative creations in the G.L. Pease portfolio. It's a dark, dense plug full of Latakia's exotic fragrance and flavor with subtle tones of lighter, warmer Virginias and Orientals sprinkled throughout.
"I could gush on endlessly about how much I love Gaslight. There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to properly describe the depth of flavors in this wonderful blend. It's certainly not an all-day smoke, and for me, it's not even a 'regular rotation' smoke. I prefer to really savor each bowl of Gaslight, searching each and every puff for the delicate nuances of flavor that subtly change as it's smoked. I feel that if I smoked this tobacco every day, I'd end up dulling my palette and lose my ability to appreciate less complex tobaccos. In my opinion, Gaslight is best smoked sparingly to make sure it remains something special." — Brian D., five-star review at Smokingpipes
2. Westminster
Gregory Pease really appreciates tradition in tobacco blending with a lot of his blends paying homage to the old ways. Westminster is the very essence of the traditional English mixture; rich, elegant, refined, and exquisitely balanced. New World Red Virginias are enhanced with a gentle caress of Brightleaf, then lavishly seasoned with rich Oriental tobaccos and generous measures of noble Cyprus mountain Latakia.
Available in: 2oz | 8oz | 16oz
"I was heartbroken when Dunhill quit supplying tobacco. Greg Pease has healed my broken heart. Since I've started smoking again after a 20-year hiatus, I've tried a couple of English blends. They seemed too sweet to be a true English. Back in the late '60s, the '70s, and '80s, English blends that I liked were marked with a savory flavor and little to no sweetness. I ordered two 2oz cans, and as soon as you manage to restock, I plan to buy a pound. The very first bowl has convinced me. Kudos, Mr. Pease." — Woodard S., five-star review at Smokingpipes
1. Quiet Nights
The long-reigning champion of the G.L. Pease portfolio, Quiet Nights maintains its status for the number-one best-selling G.L. Pease blend. The victory is well earned. Quiet Nights is an incredible blend that's celebrated for a reason. It is considered by many to be Greg's magnum opus, the one blend that could rightly define Pease's entire blending style, from the proportions of its components to its overall preparation. It's an impressively complex mixture of ripe Red Virginias, Orientals, Cypriot Latakia, and a pinch of Acadian Perique, that is pressed and matured in cakes before being sliced into delicate flakes. Quiet Nights exemplifies the care, dedication, and creativity from which Pease approaches pipe-tobacco blending.
"This is absolutely the best-tasting tobacco I have ever experienced. It has locked my #1 spot. It has the right strength, the right burn, the right tin note, the right room note... I have smoked nothing but this since I bought the first tin. Greg Pease is to be lauded copiously for this mixture. For me, this is what pipe smoking is all about. Perfection." - PipeCat, 5-star review at Smokingpipes.com
Those are our top 11 best-selling pipe tobaccos from G.L. Pease. Keep in mind, these blends were ranked based on popularity, not by our own tastes or judgements. If you don't see your favorite on the list, leave us a comment and share your thoughts — perhaps it will make it in a future list!
- Quiet Nights stayed at #1
- Westminster stayed at #2
- Gaslight moved from #6 to #3
- Chelsea Morning moved from #7 to #4
- Odyssey stayed at #5
- Horizon Flakes entered at #6
- Union Square moved from #3 to #7
- Haddo's Delight moved from #9 to #8
- Maltese Falcon moved from #8 to #9
- Sixpence entered at #10
- Abingdon entered at #11
A note on the tobacco information.
Strength: a measure of the tobacco's body and nicotine. One is the lowest. Five s is the highest.
Room Note: a measure of the pleasantness or intensity of the smoke's odor to everyone else in the room. One is the least intense room note, while five s would be the most noticeable to others.
Taste: A measure of the the power and fullness of the smoke's flavor, with one being the most mellow and five s being the fullest.
Comments
I'm surprised Abington missed the list I very rarely ever order the small tin.
I really love Cumberland and Triple Play!
great reviews. have had several blends and looking forward to trying new ones. enjoy!!
great selection of blends. my choice is maltese falcon; and all the others
Great picks. I would also add Cairo to the list. Its a very underrated blend and if you love oriental/virginia mixtures or just oriental mixtures without latakia it is a must try.
Perfect list of Pease blends.I have bought and smoked a tin of Westminster the same day.Could easily do two.Just so easy to smoke.Great flavors,one lite,no bite,clean bowl smoke.Just what a good blend should do.Chelsea Morning is one I haven't tried yet and soon will. Would be interesting to see what are considered the best Scottish blends.When so many are labeled Scottish but are not.
Great list. Wondering how it looks now in 2021 with Sparkplug and Penny Farthing being added to the lineup.
Glad that JKP made the list! That Triple Play didn't make it is a bit of a disappointment; perhaps it is just too sophisticated for many palates?
After watching the video regarding how Union Square is made and seeing not 1 hairnet worn by anyone or gloves on the person moving the flake from the hand shovel to the tray and then he pats/pushes the flakes. If anyone remembers the mold fiasco and I’m sure I’m not the only one who has gotten extra “gifts” in my tins... my last (somewhat) straw was when I received a hunk of hair in my tin. I would hope that C&D/Laudisi will implement, if they haven’t already, the use of hairnets and gloves for ALL employees and visitors that are on the production floor and/or have contact with the tobaccos.
@SJpipsmoker First let me say that I am very sorry that you had this experience with one of our products. If you did not contact us at that time so that we could make that situation right for you, I would like to offer that to you now. Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] and I will be happy to help.As for the Union Square video, this was shot back in 2015. Just a few months later in 2016, we did implement the use of head coverings, beard nets and gloves for all employees handling tobacco. --Jeremy Reeves
I tried Quiet Nights and was really looking forward to enjoying it after all the great reviews. Unfortunately it wasn't to my liking. Gaslight was in the same order/parcel. Oh my goodness! It's by far the best blend I've ever smoked. I'm very surprised it didn't make this list, let alone the top three (as I'd expected when I started reading this article). The number of worthy omissions highlights how superb Greg is and how many terrific blends he's created. I haven't come across Spark Plug before. I'm looking forward to buying it in the near future.
Blackpoint is complex and simple in flavor at the same time,if it makes any sense!The balance between sweet savory and spice is fantastic it smokes great.Pipe smokers around the globe Blackpoint likes tea.Make a cup of tea that's when all of her flavor and complexity comes out.Cheers,George.
I haven't seen anyone mention The Virginia Cream yet? I know it's an "aromatic" and all, but it's NOT your typical heavily cased, tobacco-less flavored, dripping wet with Propylene Glycol and topping aromatic. The Virginia Cream is one of My favorites of all time, and I think it's definitely good enough to have made this list.
Surprised Gaslight didn't make it.
Where is #5 on this list, it’s missing?
@Julio Excellent catch, Julio! Sorry about that. It should be showing up now. #5, ironically enough, is Gaslight! @Elasmo and @Matthew
As much as I love all the ones listed, Caravan is my favorite. It would be one of my desert island blends.
Thanks Andy! I knew Gaslight was too good to not be on that list. 😁
I've really been enjoying Windjammer lately. What a gift to pipe smoking.
About the only thing I agree with in this article is the G.L.Pease makes great blends but I don't care for any of these blends listed. No mention of Kensington or Black Point? These I would have at the top and Gaslight would be unlisted as it doesn't burn well and leaves a weak Latakia impression.
I have 7 out of 12 in my cellar in large amounts. Looks like I need 5 more. *Fillmore is deeelicious and worth a try.
From my part i miss Stone henge flake a lot .Whats going on with it ?Will it ever be available again?
As much as I agree with many of the choices here, I’m still a big fan of the “old school” blends such as Abingdon, Charing Cross, and of course Sparkplug. And surprised no mention of Meridian and Lagonda, two more excellent blends.
People are missing out on Penny Farthing. It's a great va/per! Shag cut takes some getting used to but puff it slow and it's sweet, spicy, and has that perique funk. More for me I guess!
I continue to explore tobaccos, to try new things: but favorite remains Odyssey. The only thing I note is that it is listed as 'strong.' I am a lightweight, and many of the items listed as much milder have knocked me on my chair: but Odyssey does not affect me as strong, and everything about it appeals to me.
Café Asta Dynamic 45 grs
I have smoked and enjoyed a good number of Greg's blends, but admittedly that doesn't include the majority of blends on this list. Having said that, I would personally move Windjammer several places forward, and would definitely add Sextant and Navigator to the list. But that's just because I'm a huge fan of Navy style blends. I would also add Key Largo, a very enjoyable cigar leaf blend that doesn't try to be a "cigar in a pipe" blend, but instead does it's own thing wonderfully.
I really enjoy GLP blends have many in my cellar. But I really hope you guys could bring back Stone Henge flake soon.