Nicotine Wimp Wants To Try G L Pease, Suggestions?

agnosticpipe · Jul 14, 2014

I've been reading quite a few posts about G L Pease tobaccos. Recently one about Haddo's Delight, and also a review about Sextant, plus others over the months. I've never tried any, and I really want to, but I'm quite sensitive to nicotine. I know I could just smoke really small amounts, but that doesn't seem like much fun. After reading about the strengths of most of his tobaccos, I thought that Union Square might be a place to start. But somehow it sounds a little boring, or maybe too much like other virginias I've tried. Now I'm leaning towards Gaslight, as it seems not to be too strong.

I don't know what to think, so I thought maybe some of you, that have smoked a few types of his tobaccos, might have a suggestion or two.
(Please don't tell me to grow a pair, suck it up and just smoke some JackKnife. I don't feel like puking on my laptop!) :mrgreen:

ravkesef · Jul 14, 2014

That's been my issue, too. I love the taste of his tobaccos, but can only tolerate them in modest quantities. Maybe the fact that he soaks each batch in a bucket of liquid nicotine might have something to do with it. :roll:

mso489 · Jul 14, 2014

Only you can try around and find a GLP blend that agrees with you, but you can always dilute them somewhat

with Carter Hall, 1Q, or another milder tobacco of your choosing. I just polished off a tin of GLP's Triple Play,

which didn't seem like a big nic buzz to me, although I seem to tolerate burley well. A disclaimer: I just tried

my first C&D Old Joe Krantz which has a bit of a nicotine reputation, and I seem to do fine with it, without

too much awareness of the nicotine. But I think you can find a low-nic GLP blend, and mellow it down with

a milder leaf to suit you, if need be. Good luck! GLP does fascinating things with blending and would be worth

pursuing, in my opinion.

cosmicfolklore · Jul 14, 2014

I really enjoy his Fog City blends. None of them are nicotine powerhouses, but they all explore different wonderful characteristics of condimental leaves with Virginias. If you'd like to try a very flavorful light balkan with very natural incense-like qualities, Ashbury is a great play on the Cyprian Latakia and various other orientals. Telegraph Hill is a great little VaPer that plays with the sweet and lightly spicy qualities of perique and a scrumptious red Virginia that's all bark and no bite. But, really, There's not one single blend in that series that could be called a "strong" blend, but they all have great flavor.
Yeh, I could see Haddo's Delight being a real merry-go-round for someone who doesn't like strong blends. I prefer this blend when I am just focused on smoking, and not while walking a tightrope or anything, ha ha!!

northernneil · Jul 14, 2014

When it comes to Union Square, it is a Virginia in a class all its own. If you enjoy VA's, I highly recommend it.
I am not very sensitive to nicotine, so take my recommendation for what it is, but I would suggest you try Cumberland. It has some wonderful flavor, and is not a powerhouse in the nic department.

escioe · Jul 14, 2014

Pretty much any of the Classic Collection is low in nicotine. Stratford is probably the highest, but it's pretty manageable.
The Fog City Selection is all reasonable, with the possible exception of Fillmore.
With the Old London blends, Chelsea Morning, Meridian, and Quiet Nights are all fine, and Gaslight is pretty manageable.
I would avoid the New World blends, as they are pretty sturdy.
I don't have that much experience with the Original Mixtures, but I'd say that Cumberland and Haddo's are the only that I'd guess to be all that strong.
I think that Pease blends are pretty mild, unless you're comparing them to the relatively ball-less McClelland range.

sallow · Jul 14, 2014

Easy, I have found Quiet Nights to be a velvet hammer. I almost always need a nap after that blend. It is named so for a reason.
I would not disqualify any Pease blend. Some may be stout but in my opinion none are overbearing. I wouldn't start with Jack Knife though.
Get a tin of Haddo's and go slow. Tame the monkey.
My favorites: Haddo's, Key Largo, Sextant.
I think I just gave you the advice you explicitly said you did not want.

edgreen · Jul 14, 2014

I've had bad reactions to both Haddo's and Navigator. I just ordered some Gaslight and some Kensington so I will let you know. I loved the flavor of Haddo and Navigator and was able to handle Haddo's in a small amount. I'm anxious to try to find the flavor without the knockout punch

agnosticpipe · Jul 14, 2014

Thanks guys, some good suggestions here. I do think I'll try the Union Square because I do like Virginia tobacco especially if it's different, and I'll try one of the Fog City series too. Hey, I might as well go for the Gaslight too. We'll see what happens, and I'll post some thoughts on them.

monty55 · Jul 15, 2014

A very good sampling of GLP in my opinion (without being heavy nic) would be - 1) Chelsea Morning, which is my first bowl of the day, every day.. a Virginia, with Orientals, and a touch of Latakia and Perique. 2)Fillmore, which is a wonderful Virginia/Perique blend, and naturally, 3) Gaslight.. the Pièce de résistance of Latakia's.
I also like Montgomery which is a pure Virginia blend, and not heavy in nic. For your situation, just avoid Jack Knife and probably even Triple Play... and anything I didn't list lol.
Or, you could ask Greg. He is on this forum.

barleynbaccy · Jul 15, 2014

Sextant really is good stuff. If there is a way to cut it without altering the flavor too much it's a win.

easygoer · Jul 15, 2014

Lombard is a favorite of mine and one of his more milder offerings.

mso489 · Jul 15, 2014

Lombard is named after that street in San Francisco that has about ten switchbacks going down a

hill, for those who don't know. I'm sure Google can supply a photo of it in an instant.

riffraff · Jul 15, 2014

A very good sampling of GLP in my opinion (without being heavy nic) would be - 1) Chelsea Morning, which is my first bowl of the day, every day.. a Virginia, with Orientals, and a touch of Latakia and Perique. 2)Fillmore, which is a wonderful Virginia/Perique blend, and naturally, 3) Gaslight.. the Pièce de résistance of Latakia's.

I can't add anything to make this statement more true.

thehappypiper · Jul 15, 2014

OP, but 10 tins of Union Square and leave them in the cellar for three years. You will thannk me every time you smoke it. While you are watching them mature, try some other blends from Mr Pease. If nothing else, it will be a great learning experience. GLP might not be the be-all-and-end-all of tobacco, but he is very, very good at what he does. Think of the difference between GLP and most other blends as the difference between Jim Beam Black and Highland Park 18 year old. Both are good, both are powerful, but the HP has a sweetness and suppleness that simply cannot be provided by the lesser product.

If you are a nicotince wimp, there is no shame in it. But this will change as you progress in your smoking. In 5 or 6 years you might be "worthy" of Condor. When I first started smoking I found Condor to be thee most pointless, overbearing tobacco ever. I simply could not understand why anyone would choose to moke such foul stuff! After seven years, I bought some Long Cut on a whim and went to heaven for forty minutes.

kcghost · Jul 15, 2014

The interesting thing here is that Greg himself is somewhat nicotine challenged.

escioe · Jul 15, 2014

The interesting thing here is that Greg himself is somewhat nicotine challenged.

This occurred to me, too. Like famously nicotine challenged. If you dig hard enough, you can find a quote from him about getting stoned on Stonehaven, which made roots grow out of his ass and firmly attach to the chair he was on.
I do think that from about 2009 on, the blends have been tending towards a firmer nicotine presence. That's around the time he started seriously playing with dark-fired Kentucky. Until then, it was just Cumberland and Montgomery that had any, and the latter was just a dusting. Now Jackknife, Triple Play, Navigator, and Sextant all have some, and even Gaslight is a little sturdier than stuff like Abingdon or Charing Cross.

Nicotine Wimp Wants To Try G L Pease, Suggestions?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Lifer

Can't Leave

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Can't Leave

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now