Penzance, First Impresion

The white powder is mold and lethal to you. Send the remainder of the bag to me for proper disposal. :rofl:
Yes, Penzance can "bloom" as the sugar crystals come from the Virginia in the blend. I usually rub a flake out and smoke it. Mine has dried to the proper humidity for me so no drying time is needed.
Good luck on the hunt to keep you cellar stocked with this blend. hobie has all of the stores in the country on speed dial so he snatches most bags before they've made it off the truck. OK, I'm kidding. But he is REALLY good at sniffing out the latest shipment.
-Jason

I love Penzance..I don't seem to have any trouble rubbing it out.

cube it! Even broken flake can be cube cut. I do it all the time with blends like MC 2015 etc. Penzance is more hype than value IMO. I received a healthy sample and smoked about 6 bowls and still have a few left. It's a very, very good smoke and so are many others. But it's price and rush to buy it out is not worth it to smoke. I saw it become available and bought 8oz. checked the bag seal, wrapped it in a couple Ziplocs and back into the box with receipt and right into the cellar as an investment. Will do the same when I see it around again. Not to downplay it too much but there're many cheaper and easier blends very close just not in flake. Everyone's palate is different and get a varied flavor out of blends, try some listed in tobaccoreviews.com and see if you find something that hits you in the same way. If you find something then start cellaring it. It will defiantly age with the VA in it, and in 10 years you will get one hell of a return on investment. This is NOT a thread to argue the point of tobacco future and grey market.
Craig
Craig

dnietosi, glad to hear you enjoy Penzance, when I smoked English blends, it was a favorite. It is not that hard to find if you are willing to make some phone calls. Start calling small mom and pop stores in the low tax states, you will be surprised at how much you can get.

In light of the difficulty many seem to have in finding Penzance, I believe I am lucky two-fold. First, my brick and mortar always seems to have it available. Second, I like Frog Morton better, but I will continue to plug away at Penzance just to be certain.

I bought some of this at Charlottesville Smoke Shop locally and have yet to try it but am anxious. I'm either going to start Penzance or open up Frog M. "Across The Pond". :P

Yeah, Penzance is a notable blend, and not the easiest to find either. I've managed to stock only a pound of it in my cellar, and every now and then I'll pop the seal and dip into it for a few bowls. But this only on a blue moon, so I can stretch it out a bit. Although, lately, I've been getting more into Pirate Kake which I find as a similar, if not more readily obtainable, blend.

Good stuff to be sure. Glad I got a few tins before it became quite so well-known.

Oh, it's good stuff. But drying it out for hours seems, to me, a bit excessive. I've beat this drum before, but dry tobacco will be easier to keep lit but I do think you're losing flavor. And frankly I'm not a fan of cube-cutting either. The larger surface area will burn easier (and faster) but the higher heat seems to "burn through" the flavor. A smoldering broken flake seems to taste better to me.
To each his own, of course. But if I'm going to spring for the good stuff, it seems a shame to burn through it merely for the sake of keeping it lit easier. Like buying a bottle of fine wine, then chugging it down.

I dont dry it out at all, I like it moist. Packs normally, nothing special. Harris told you everything you need to know about getting more of it.

I like strong English blends (NC is fine), but my sample of Penzance smelled like a cat had peed on it. It tasted rancid and left a nauseating aftertaste in my mouth for 24 hours despite meals and tooth brushing. First time I ever dumped a tobacco after less than half a bowl.

Sounds like you got a bad batch.

Different smokes for different folks. Some say drying tobacco is "Like buying a bottle of fine wine, then chugging it down". I say smoking tobacco as it comes from the tin is like drinking a fine wine without letting it breathe. Let me say it again-- I don't dry tobacco to keep it lit. I do it for the flavor, which I prefer.