Sorry to be pedantic but Esoterica dont make anything,
they are made by JF Germain for Butura and smokers haven
Last edited:
What, Currently, is Similar to Penzance?
- Thread starter HadenB
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
they are made by JF Germain for Butura and smokers haven
Germain’s 1820 Flake is the closest to Penzance, I would have said. Personally, I don’t find SLF similar in anyway, shape or form.
For my money, 1820 flake knocks Penzance for six! Germain’s most popular blend, here in the UK & subsequently, the hardest to get.
I would agree on Lease Quiet Nights after it's had some time to age. I had it before Penzance and when I finally got my hands on some Penzance, I thought "wow, this tastes like aged Quiet Nights."
If you're looking for a closer match, you're chasing other Germain's blends like their Smoker's Haven Our Best Blend and the elusive Krumble Kake. Honestly, unless you have more money than sense, you're better zeroing in on available Balkans. While most are not like Penzance, they're easier to find and in many cases, much better. Germain's blends are more of a change of pace for me, than something I smoke regularly.
If you're looking for a closer match, you're chasing other Germain's blends like their Smoker's Haven Our Best Blend and the elusive Krumble Kake. Honestly, unless you have more money than sense, you're better zeroing in on available Balkans. While most are not like Penzance, they're easier to find and in many cases, much better. Germain's blends are more of a change of pace for me, than something I smoke regularly.
I bought Hearth & Home - Ten to Midnight because of its purported semblance to Penzance.
I haven’t had Penzance yet so I can’t vouch for the match personally, but I thought that Ten to Midnight was so good that I bought a pound of it half-way through my first jar.
I haven’t had Penzance yet so I can’t vouch for the match personally, but I thought that Ten to Midnight was so good that I bought a pound of it half-way through my first jar.
A cricket reference! I love it!
My favourite ‘Six’ of all time.A cricket reference! I love it!
Australias nemesis & every schoolboy’s hero, Sir Ian Botham. Facing the feared fast bowler, McDermott, he knocks him for six off the very first ball! Lol
Agreed. Nothing else tastes like Penzance. While I rarely smoke Penzance anymore and prefer Margate by far there is no substitute for Penzance. That dank aged creamy sweet mushroom like flavor is unique.
I also don’t get why people compare SLF to Penzance. SLF tastes nothing like Penzance. To me SLF is very Virginia forward with far less Latakia. At least the tins I have are super light on the Latakia and it is not oily.Germain’s 1820 Flake is the closest to Penzance, I would have said. Personally, I don’t find SLF similar in anyway, shape or form.
For my money, 1820 flake knocks Penzance for six! Germain’s most popular blend, here in the UK & subsequently, the hardest to get.
I'll second @Terry Lennox and say C&D Star Of The East flake. Granted, my palate is about as far from sophisticated as physically possible, but for me, of all the Balkans/Englishes I've tried, this one comes closest. Which is great, because SOTE can be acquired without forfeiture of major bodily organs, first-born child etc.
I've been working my way through a jarred up 8 oz bag of Penzance and the only tobacco that seems close to me is this one. I can taste why people say Quiet Nights and Star of the East Flake are in the same ballpark, and maybe even preferable to some people, but 10 to Midnight is actually quite close in cut/flavor/makeup. When my Penzance is gone I doubt I will chase it again with 10 to Midnight available in bulk.
That may be the best description of Penzance I've seen yet. This captures what I love about it.
Are you located in Madison/Huntsville? I looked, but I didn’t find any. They had some other things I purchased. I’m also open to any suggestions you might have.
Treloyhan or Carbis Bay are nice, and nearby.
OK, I'll be the pedantic idiot and say that Esoterica is a trademark, not a manufacturer. Those blends are made by J.F. Germain.
Last edited:
^^This for me. I have Penzance, SLF and Quiet Nights in my cellar, and I have to say that aged QN is similar to Penzance IMO. I even prefer it over Penzance most of the time.
However, there is something very ethereal about Penzance and that is what is hard to compare. It is very complex and I usually pick up something different flavor-wise each time I smoke it. QN can have that as well, but it is usually a little more straightforward with the complexity hanging out in the background.
SLF was almost uniformly brown, with a little black in the mix. I agree with your statement, and by god I smoked a lot of SLF.
Yes, but how do they smoke?
- Status